Defense Secretary Mark Esper made his Pentagon briefing room debut on Aug. 28 for an overview of the changes he is directing and his focus on renewing the department’s interaction with the public and Capitol Hill. Esper appeared alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford exactly one year since the last on-camera update from a defense secretary. “The United States military has a proud history and a great story to tell,” Esper said. “It is my commitment to the American people, who entrust us with their sons and daughters, to keep them informed of the work that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Department of Defense civilians do every day to keep our nation safe.” Read the full story by Brian Everstine.

The Pentagon is focusing on ways to ensure stability in Afghanistan as the US and Taliban negotiate a peace process and the State Department calls for a way to bring US forces home. “I’m not using the ‘withdraw’ word right now,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Joseph Dunford told reporters during an Aug. 28 briefing at the Pentagon. “We’re going to make sure that Afghanistan’s not a sanctuary, and we’re going to have an effort to bring peace and stability.” Read the full story by Brian Everstine.

The Air Force’s EC-130H Compass Call electronic-attack plane has taken on a new role at the intersection of cyber and electronic warfare, according to Capitol Hill researchers. “Compass Call is normally used to jam enemy radars and communications,” an Aug. 13 Congressional Research Service report said. “However, in recent years, it has been used to transmit computer code to wireless devices using radio frequencies.” An Air Combat Command spokeswoman declined to comment on that new mission because it is classified. It’s unclear whether the Compass Call is passing friendly code between friendly forces or whether it’s meant to disrupt enemy operations. Read the full story by Rachel S. Cohen.

A pararescueman with the 38th Rescue Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for aiding two injured Afghan soldiers while he was hurt and under fire during a battle in 2018. SSgt. Aaron Metzger was deployed to Afghanistan last year when the Afghan partners were severely injured by a grenade. “Disregarding the risk to himself, he carried the two partners away from enemy fire” to receive medical care, according to an Air Force release. Read the full story by Brian Everstine.

Stung by its expulsion from the US-led F-35 fighter program over buying Russia’s S-400 air defense system, Turkey is now shopping for a substitute jet and may acquire Su-35s or Su-57s, Russia’s most advanced fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. Russia is also describing Turkey—one of the largest members of NATO—not only as a trading and security partner, but an “ally.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inspected an Su-57 this week at the MAKS airshow outside of Moscow, with Russian President Vladimir Putin looking over his shoulder. Reporters nearby said Putin aides mentioned a possible sale, which could be executed in the next few years. Read the full story by John A. Tirpak.

F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., will keep operating a system designed by California-based Dedrone to counter small drones near the intercontinental ballistic missile base. “F.E. Warren was selected to test the Dedrone platform in June of 2018 as part of a [Defense Innovation Unit] testing phase that included six DOD facilities, and has been continuously testing, evaluating and using the capability for over a year,” the company said in an Aug. 28 release. DroneTracker finds, classifies, and tracks small drones that come near secure areas, and can automatically wield undisclosed countermeasures if an aircraft is a confirmed threat. The base is extending its license agreement to use the technology for one year, company spokeswoman Lisa Meserve told Air Force Magazine. Read the full story by Rachel S. Cohen.