The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
September 3, 2025
Register Today
October 6-9, 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…]
Editor’s Note: Shipping analyst John McCown will be a keynote speaker at the NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting.
McCown Warns: US Container Imports on Brink of Historic Collapse as July Growth Proves Deceptive
By Mike Schuler
(gCaptain.com) The 3.2% year-over-year increase in US inbound container volume for July 2025 represents a temporary reprieve driven entirely by tariff frontloading, according to shipping analyst John McCown. This modest growth masks an impending historic decline in container volumes through the remainder of 2025.
“This is a temporary reprieve and was driven by frontloading to get goods in prior to additional tariffs going into effect in early August,” McCown states in his latest report.
McCown describes the National Retail Federation’s projection of a 5.6% decrease in total inbound volume for 2025 as “a reasonable estimate” for US containerized imports. Given that year-to-date volume is up 3.6% through July, this forecast indicates a dramatic 17.5% decline for the final five months of 2025. […READ MORE…]
Report: Supply Chain Costs Soon to Exceed Inflation by 7%
(Supply Chain Brain) Global supply chain costs are set to rise up to 7% above inflation by Q4 2025, compared to just 2% in the previous year, according to the most recent “Supply Chain Navigator” report from management consulting firm Kearney. The report, released August 26, projects that inventories stockpiled ahead of tariff deadlines are now being depleted, forcing companies to restock at higher prices. […READ MORE…]
Hanwha to Invest $5 Billion to Improve Infrastructure at Philadelphia Shipyard
By Mike Yeo
(Breaking Defense) South Korea’s Hanwha Group announced a $5 billion plan to build additional infrastructure at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia as part of South Korea’s commitment to boost US shipbuilding capability. The investment will be used for the installation of two additional docks and three quays to increase capacity at Hanwha Philly. […READ MORE…]
New Pentagon Task Force Aims to Accelerate Drone Defense at Home and Abroad
(twz.com) Faced with increasing threats from small drones at home and abroad, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has created a new task force to speed up the development and procurement of counter-small unmanned aerial systems (C-sUAS). However, the memo outlining the establishment of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) cannot address the many impediments to using these tools, especially domestically. This initiative follows one Hegseth announced in July to surge the fielding of small drones, including weaponized types, across the entire US military. […READ MORE…]
You’re Invited to a Virtual Expert Panel!
Navigating Government Lodging Solutions
Are you navigating the complexities of government lodging programs? Join us for an exclusive virtual panel featuring top industry experts who will demystify the landscape and provide actionable insights into Fedrooms, DOD Preferred, Long-Term Lodging, and more.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Time: 2 PM – 3:30 PM ET
Location: Virtual – Register Here
Featured Panelists
- Kirsten Abbott – DOD Preferred Lodging Program Manager, DTMO
- Amy Hill – Director of Fedrooms and DOD Preferred, Adtrav
- Jennifer Miller – Global Program Manager, GSA
- Treavor Edwards – LTL Program, GSA
- Jason Moore – CEO, Patriot Global Lodging & Chair, GSA Long-Term Lodging Committee
Topics of Discussion
- Fedrooms & DOD Preferred Programs
- Long-Term & Emergency Lodging Solutions
- Booking Strategies & Available Sources
- Compliance, Policy, and Buyer Challenges
- Technology Tools (DTS, etc.)
Whether you’re a travel manager, procurement officer, or industry partner, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to optimize your government lodging strategy!
Editor’s Picks
(cbsnews.com) Philadelphia is throwing a “once-in-a-generation” celebration to mark the 250th birthdays of the US Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy’s birthday is on Oct.13, 2025, and the Marine Corps’ is on Nov. 10, 2025.
Starting in early October, both sides of the Delaware River will host events, attracting hundreds of thousands of people, including active-duty service members, veterans, and tourists. The parade of ships will kick off everything on Oct. 9, 2025.
B-52 Radar Upgrade Flight Testing Expected to Finally Begin Soon
(twz.com) The US Air Force is hoping to finally kick off flight testing of the new AN/APQ-188 radar for the B-52 shortly. The B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP), a key element of a larger plan to deeply upgrade the bombers, has been beset by delays and cost overruns, which led to a review of its main requirements.
YFQ-42 ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft Has Flown for the First Time
(twz.com) General Atomics’ YFQ-42A ‘fighter drone’ prototype is now flying. The YFQ-42A is one of two designs currently in development under the first phase, or Increment 1, of the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, the other being Anduril’s YFQ-44A.
US Army Expands Production of Short-Range Recon Drones
(Defence Blog) The US Army has begun production of the second tranche of its Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Unmanned Aircraft Systems, pushing forward efforts to modernize battlefield intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities. The systems are designed to provide advanced, networked communications and intelligence tools to counter emerging threats.
Navy Ends Carrier Landings as Requirement to Earn ‘Wings of Gold’
(Task & Purpose) In a major change to how the service trains aviators, the Navy recently revamped their flight training curriculum so that pilots now graduate from flight school and receive their “Wings of Gold” — the Navy’s formal name for flight wings — without actually landing on an aircraft carrier.
AAR Signs Exclusive Defense Distribution Agreement with AmSafe Bridport
(aarcorp.com) AAR Corp. has signed a new multi-year defense distribution agreement with AmSafe Bridport, a TransDigm company. Under this agreement, AAR will become the exclusive KC-46 and C-40 platform distributor for direct and indirect sales to the global defense and military aftermarket, including the United States Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), United States Armed Services for fleet sustainment, and foreign militaries, including the Japanese defense market.
ATSG Delivers Second A330 to ULS Airlines Cargo
(atsginc.com) Air Transport Services Group, Inc., a leading provider of cargo aircraft leasing, air cargo transportation, and related services, announced the delivery of its second Airbus A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion to ULS Airlines Cargo, a cargo carrier based in Istanbul, Türkey. The A330-300P2F is a versatile widebody freighter offering a gross payload capacity of approximately 62 tons and a cargo volume of over 526 cubic meters.
Atlas Air and Etihad Cargo Announce New Long-Term Partnership
(atlasairworldwide.com) Atlas Air, Inc., announced a new long-term partnership with Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. Under the agreement, Atlas Air will provide Etihad Cargo with dedicated freighter capacity through the operation of a newly delivered Boeing 777 freighter. Beginning in August, the aircraft will initially serve routes connecting Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Madrid.
Maersk Launches a Shared Service Centre in Poland, Supporting Customers Across Europe
(Maersk.com) The new office in the heart of the Polish capital addresses the growing need of providing European customers with contemporary services and supports various parts of the business in several languages. Launched with the aim of providing Maersk’s diverse customer base with consistent and superior service, the new office draws from a growing talent pool that Warsaw and Poland have to offer.
SIXT Rent A Car LLC Increases Earnings by 71% – Record Revenue in the Second Quarter
(about.sixt.com) Increased fleet efficiency and revenue growth in all regions lead to strong profitability in a challenging market environment, and shows SIXT continued growth – even in a challenging market environment. “In the second quarter, we achieved a new record with revenue up more than 7% compared to the same quarter last year. We increased EBT by even 71%, and by more than 150% in the first half of the year,” said Dr. Franz Weinberger, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Management Board.
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