Early Bird Brief: July 22, 2024

Welcome to the Early Bird Brief's LinkedIn Edition, a tightly edited round-up of today's most important military and defense stories. To get the full EBB, with dozens of stories, subscribe here.

Today's Top 5:

Biden drops out of 2024 race

(Military Times & The Associated Press) President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent’s fitness for office. Read More

F-35 deliveries resume, but upgrade delays have ripple effects

(Defense News) The U.S. military is once again accepting deliveries of the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from Lockheed Martin after a yearlong halt caused by problems with the fighters’ upgrades. Read More

How the sixth-generation fighter jet will upend air warfare

(Military Times) The next generation of fighter aircraft could bring greater speed, range and ability to penetrate deep into enemy airspace — and it might even feature a revolutionary new type of engine, experts and retired U.S. Air Force officer say. Read More

A USS Eisenhower pilot became the first American woman to score air-to-air kill

(Task & Purpose) The aviator, part of Strike Fighter Squadron 32, took out a Houthi drone in the Red Sea as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s intercept mission. Read More

Troops will start getting economic hardship bonuses this month, though only $20 on average

(Military.com) The Pentagon says that it's finally ready to pay troops the "economic hardship bonuses" that Congress authorized last year to help offset rising prices and higher costs of living across the country. Read More

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