The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
July 30, 2025
U.S. Army Watercraft Repositions from Hawaii to Japan
By Aaron-Matthew Lariosa
The U.S. Army has restationed one of its few logistics support vessels from Hawaii to Japan last month to support Indo-Pacific exercises and bolster the growing fleet of Army watercraft in the first island chain.
USAV Lt. General William B. Bunker (LSV-4) and the 545th Harbormaster Detachment departed Pearl Harbor for their reassignment to U.S. Army Japan on June 20. One of eight General Frank S. Besson-class support vessels, the 32-year-old Lt. General William B. Bunker has been a hallmark of Army watercraft operations throughout the Indo-Pacific, ferrying forces and supplies from numerous branches onto beaches and islands throughout the region. The class can carry up to 82 ISO containers or 15 tanks. […READ MORE…]
Register Today
October 6-9, 2025
Early Bird rates available until
August 21, 2025
The 13th annual NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting will be held October 6-9, 2025, at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, MO. The Fall Meeting will include Transportation Academy educational sessions led by dynamic and experienced government and industry leaders, complementing this year’s theme: “Powering Global Deployment & Distribution — Ready, United, Decisive!” Transportation Academy sessions receive outstanding survey results every year, and we expect the trend to continue in 2025! […READ MORE…]
Permanent Change of Station Joint Task Force (PCS JTF) Industry Day
Where: 400 Regency Park, O’Fallon, IL
When: Tuesday, August 12, 2025, from 8 AM to 4 PM CST
Registration begins at 7 AM CST
The PCS Joint Task Force invites household goods industry subject matter experts to share key perspectives for the PCS JTF to consider shaping the future of the household goods program. This event is part of our ongoing market research efforts to enhance military relocation services.
All industry partners interested in this program are invited to attend. However, due to space constraints, pre-registration is required. […READ MORE…]
DoD Trying to Head off Problems with Troops’ Household Goods Moves
(MilitaryTimes.com) A new Defense Department task force is trying to identify and correct problems service members may be having with their household goods shipment, the task force commander said Wednesday.
About 450 service members’ household goods shipments remain in various stages of transit by the previous contractor, HomeSafe Alliance, down from the 1,100 shipments in play when the contractor was terminated June 18. […READ MORE…]
Japan Commits $550 Billion to U.S. Industries, Including Strategic Shipbuilding Investment
By Mike Schuler
(gCaptain.com) The White House announced Wednesday that Japan has agreed to a $550 billion package of U.S.-bound investment and loans as part of a new trade deal with the United States. The agreement, which will focus on key industries, including shipbuilding, comes as the U.S. seeks to build strategic industrial capacity outside of China. The funds will be spent at President Donald Trump’s discretion, with investments targeting energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and shipbuilding sectors. […READ MORE…]
New TSA Program Launched to Eliminate Double Screenings for International Flights
By Ashley J. DiMella, Fox News
(Fox News) Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said the congressionally authorized “One Stop Security” pilot program will begin on Tuesday, July 29, allowing passengers arriving in the U.S. from international airports with connecting flights to bypass rescreening. The congressionally authorized pilot program allows passengers arriving in the U.S. from international airports with connecting flights to bypass TSA rescreening. […READ MORE…]
NDTA-Hampton Roads Chapter Virtual Meeting
Please join us for our next meeting, which will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams on Friday, August 1 from 10 AM to 12 PM. This is a great opportunity to reconnect, discuss future initiatives, and collaborate on the direction of our chapter as we look to expand participation and revitalize efforts across the region.
We look forward to your participation and continued support in shaping the future of the NDTA-Hampton Roads Chapter.
The NDTA North Texas Chapter, in collaboration with NDTA Houston and NDTA San Antonio, is proud to host the NDTA Texas Regional Meeting on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the Texas Capitol in Austin.
This full-day event will bring together professionals from government, military, industry, and academia across Texas for a day of strategic insight, connection, and collaboration in transportation, logistics, and supply chain operations.
Editor’s Picks
Army Announces Europe and Middle East Deployments for Six Units
(MilitaryTimes.com) The Army has announced six units to deploy to Europe and the Middle East in the fall. Four of the units are headed to Europe to replace units supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve, launched in 2014 following Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine after it annexed the Crimean Peninsula. The operation has grown since the subsequent 2022 invasion.
First Time U.S. Army Moves Theater Provided Equipment in Australia as Part of Talisman Sabre 25
BRISBANE, Australia — For Talisman Sabre 25, the Australian Defense Force and United States military took steps to streamline the movement and readiness of military equipment within Australia. The focus of this effort is the utilization of theater-provided equipment from South Australia to training locations in northeastern Australia.
Army Wants Cope Cage-Like Armor to Protect from Drone Attacks on its Tanks
(TWZ.com) To better protect its armor from top-down attacks by drones and, to a lesser extent, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), the U.S. Army wants to buy more than 1,500 passive Top Attack Protection (TAP) add-on armor systems for its tracked combat vehicles. The systems are designed to protect the top of vehicles, where there is less armor protection, from overhead attacks.
China’s New Drone Wingmen Look Set for Military Parade Unveiling
(TWZ.com) Satellite imagery of preparations for a major upcoming military parade in China shows that new ‘loyal wingman’ type drones, or at least mockups thereof, are set to be revealed. A video clip has now emerged that is also drawing new attention to Chinese crewed-uncrewed teaming developments.
The US Air Force’s New Drones Are a Game Changer
(National Interest.org) The US Air Force’s forthcoming Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program is designed to serve as an autonomous drone wingman to the sixth-generation F-47 NGAD, marking the beginning of a new era in airpower, where automated and manned aircraft work in synchronization. The CCA drones will provide combat capability at a mere fraction of the cost of standard, manned fighter jets.
Navy Refines Rearming at Sea in East Coast Experiment
(USNI.org) The U.S. Navy is moving closer to rearming warships in the open ocean following the successful reloading of missile canisters into a vertical launch system while off the coast of Virginia last week.
While anchored at sea July 17, USNS Gopher State (TACS-4) utilized its heavy-lift cranes to transfer and load 25-foot missile canisters into a vertical launch system on destroyer USS Farragut (DDG-99) as part of Large-Scale Exercise 2025, the third iteration of the Navy’s global maritime exercise.
Coast Guard National Security Cutter Returns to California Following 121-day Bering Sea Patrol
(uscg.mil) The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) returned to their Alameda home port Wednesday following a 20,000-nautical-mile, 121-day deployment patrolling the Bering Sea. Munro departed Alameda mid-March and operated throughout the Bering Sea during a months-long Alaska Patrol in support of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District.
Boeing Raises Outlook for Widebody Freighters as 777-8 Production Begins
(FreightWaves.com) Boeing officially began production of the 777-8 freighter by drilling the first hole into a wing spar, while Airbus reached another milestone in building its new A350 freighter as the companies gear up competition for sales of large cargo jets.
Maersk Opens Panama Pacifico Logistics Centre as a Gateway to Latin America
(Maersk) Maersk opened its new logistics facility in Panama Pacifico, leveraging Panama’s role as a global gateway for Latin America markets. Located within a Special Economic Zone in the Pacific side of Panama, the facility spans more than 20,000 square meters and is purpose-built to serve as a centralized distribution hub for companies operating across Latin America, North America, and Asia.
Northern Air Cargo Abandons Big Freighter Aircraft, Cuts Staff
(FreightWaves.com) Northern Air Cargo, an Alaska-based freighter operator with ties to Hawaii, is winding down long-haul flight operations with Boeing 767 freighters, as well as operations in Miami and Honolulu, to concentrate on more profitable routes in both states and shoring up shaky finances.
Southwest Airlines CEO: Company Could Eventually Introduce Lounges, Long-haul Flights
(USAToday.com) Against the backdrop of lower than expected earnings, Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan hinted that the carrier will be doing more in the future to change its business model and become more like its U.S. competitors.
Some of those changes could even include introducing lounges or expanding its fleet to serve destinations that are farther away from its current, domestically focused network.
Union Pacific Expands Domestic Intermodal Service
(FreightWaves.com) Union Pacific has announced a pair of new domestic intermodal lanes, with new service linking the Pacific Northwest with Chicago as well as between Memphis and Dallas. On July 26, UP launched daily service from Tacoma, Wash., to its Global 4 terminal in Joliet, Ill., outside Chicago.
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