US conducts First-Ever Ballistic Missile Intercept Test from Guam (Dec 2024) - YouTube - Times Archives

A Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft dropped a simulated medium-range ballistic missile target over Andersen Air Force Base,Guam.It was struck by a Raytehon Technologies Standard Missile-3 Block IIa interceptor.*Boeing Space and Defense (BA),Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

USAF B-52H bombers deploy to UK to deter Putin - Stunning Pictures - YouTube - RAF Fairford,England

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers of the 20th Bomb Squadron,2nd Bomb Wing out of Barksdale Air Force Base,Louisiana were deployed to RAF Fairford,England by Air Force Global Strike Command for Bomber Task Force 25-1.Bomber Task Force missions are not anounced in advance to give potential adversaries pause.They emphasise the U.S. Air Force's ability to project combat power anytime,anywhere across the globe.They also provide valuable experience integrating with Allies and Partners,enhancing deterrence and defence.Once on station,some actitivities are undisclosed.*General Dynamics produced the F-16AM Fighting Falcon until 1993,when Lockheed Martin took over.*Boeing (BA),General Dynamics (GD).German Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons and Royal Danish Air Force F-16AM Fighting Falcons escorted the B-52 H's to their destination for a high explosives drop in the Cudgel Range in Lithuania.

USAF: Powerful B-2A Spirit stealth bombers during military exercises in Australia - YouTube

Deployed unannounced by Air Force Global Strike Command to give potential adversaires pause,Bomber Task Force missions emphasise the U.S. Air Force's ability to project combat power anytime,anywhere across the globe.At the same time,they enhance deterrence and defence alongside our Allies and Partners,including extended deterrence,shielding them with the U.S. nuclear umbrella.Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit (NOC),Boeing RAAF F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters (BA) Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (BA)*RAAF Base Amberley is located in Queensland,Australia.

US Army, NATO. AH-64 Apache helicopters during military exercises in Norway - YouTube - 31 OCT 2024

NATO Exercise Trident Juncture is a comprehensive series of drills designed to enhance interoperability,integration,deterrence and defence by NATO Allies and Partners.The Boeing AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters took part,as well as the Sikorsky Aircraft (Lockheed Martin subsidiary) UH-60 Black Hawk helos.Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

The Sun:NATO jets and bombers take to skies for nuclear drills sending clear message to Russia and Iran - YouTube

Panavia Tornado,Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter,Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)*Panavia GmBH is a mutinational company formed by Great Britain,Germany and Italy for the production of the Panavia Tornado Multi-role Combat Aircraft.

NATO Exercise Steadfast Noon Begins in the Face of Russian Nuclear Sabre-Rattling

According to AP,NATO will launch its annual nuclear drills on 14 OCT 2024 and they will last about two weeks.The exercise has been held in October or November each year for the last ten years.Boeing nuclear-capable B-52H Stratofortress Strategic Bombers along with other Dual Capable Aircraft (DCA) are participating this year:Panavia Tornado;Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;and F-15E Strike Eagle.NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced the drills,saying:In an uncertain world,it is vital that we test our defence so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready and is able to respond to any threat.*France will not participate as it is not a part of the NATO Nuclear Planning Group.*NATO members belonging to the U.S. nuclear-sharing programme are:Belgium,Germany,Italy,Netherlands and Turkey.These have facilities for storing the Boeing B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter.According to commercial documents,Great Britain is looking to rejoin the nuclear-sharing programme with the development of the needed facilities at RAF Lakenheath,England in light of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The U.S. Air Force 701st Nuclear Support Squadron looks after the B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons.*The Neatherlands stores approximately 15 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Vokel Air Base;while Belgium stores 22 B61-12 tactical nuclear weapons in underground vaults inside an aircraft shelter at Kleine Brogel Air Base.U.S. Air Force Security Forces provide security for the nuclear sites.*Despite Russian threats,NATO has seen no change in Russia's nuclear posture.Rutte said that giving into any threat:would set a precedant that using military force allows a country to get what it wants,and we cannot do that.*Angus Lapley,NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy said the drills are aimed at proving the Alliance has the ability to counter any threat against its 32 member nations,is credible and that:any adversary would need to take extremely seriously indeed.*Lapley said that:Moscow is introducing lots of novel systems and putting more emphasis on investment in short and intermediate range weapons systems.It has recently been talking an awful lot about nuclear doctrine and how that may or may not be evolving...a pretty clear attempt to influence us.*The major manoeuvres will take place over the UK;the North Sea off the Scottish coast;Belgium and the Netherlands.*The nuclear-sharing programme is a dual key arrangement,meaning nothing can be done without the consent of both the U.S. and the host nation.*The drills will involve every step in the U.S. nuclear-sharing prgramme:retrieving a simulated weapon from the underground storage vault;transporting it to the surface on an elevator;and mounting it on or in a Dual Capable Aircraft.*Daniel Bunch,Chief of Nuclear Operations at NATO Headquarters in Brussels,said while the drills will involve several types of military aircraft,a lot of it goes on behind the scenes:Under Staedfast Noon,we seek to stress the overall system,put people in tough positions,high operations tempos.The challenge of coordinating things:literally down to the minute when we would put a weapon onto the target is a very complex activity.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Pacific Perspective:US Air Force. B-2 Spirit bombers. Joint military exercises in Australia.

The drills are takking place at RAAF Amberley near Ipswich,Queensland.The RAAF operates the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet primarily out of RAAF Amberley.Bomber Task Force missions such as this one are not announced in advance to give potential adversaries pause.Deployed by Air Force Global Strike Command,they emphasise the U.S. Air Force's ability to deter aggression,and,if necessary,defend our Allies and Partners,anytime and anywhere across the globe.The Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit strategic bombers are a frequent participant in Bomber Task Force missions in both the European and Pacific theatres.*Boeing (BA),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

Pacific Perspective:Exercise Pitch Black 24 | Hot Shots Week Three 🔥🎥 - YouTube

Exercise Pitch Black 24,led by the Royal Australian Air Force,runs from 12 July-2 August 2024.It features the Eurofighter Typhoon;Italian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI Flanker fighter;Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle;Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor;and the Dassault Aviation French Mirage fighter.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT),Dassault Aviation SA (OTCM:DUAVF)

B-52J:Big Upgrade Will Keep the Buff Relevant for Decades

According to informed sources,the U.S. Air Force is embarked on a major upgrade of the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber,which is a key member of Air Force Global Strike Command Bomber Task Force missions both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific Region.It is so significant,the Air Force skipped the I designation.The 48.6 billion dollar upgrade,which has had its share of cost overruns and technical glitches,is to keep the B-52 relevant through the 2050s,a hundred years after the bomber's introduction in 1952.Consider the enhanced capabilities:1.The B-52J is to serve as a deployer of multiple weapon systems,including the Hypersonic Cruise Attack Missile (HCAM);drone swarms;as well as precision-guided munitions and nuclear weapons.2.The original Pratt&Whitney TF33 engines are to be replaced by new Rolls Royce F130 engines.This will increase fuel efficiency and range,while at the same time reducing maintenance costs.For stealth enhancement-a key feature of the upgrade-the engines will be quieter and produce less smoke.3.A new radar system based on the Boeing F/A-18EF Super Hornet's APG-79 AESA radar will give the B-52J longer range and better situational awareness.At the same time,the elimination of the blister housing the current AN/ASQ-151 radar will make the B-52J stealthier.4.There will be new communications and navigation systems.*All 76 B-52Hs are to be upgraded to the B-52J.The B-52J is to be ready for operations by the decade's end,with Initial Operational Capability designation slated for 2033.*Boeing (BA),Rolls Royce Holdings plc (LSE:RR)

LIVE US AIR FORCE F-15 & F-35 ACTION 48TH FIGHTER WING • RAF LAKENHEATH ENGLAND 21.06.24 - YouTube

The aircraft are the nuclear-capable U.S. Air Force 48th Fighter Wing Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle fighter.The base's nuclear storage mission ws terminated in 2008 in the belief that the Cold War was over.Yet the first Russian invasion of Ukraine with little green men in 2014 and the second full-on war against Ukraine launched in February 2022 has caused NATO to revive the nuclear storage mission.Documents show a large underground surety dormitory for storing the Boeing B61-12 nuclear bomb is under construction,along with ballistic-sheathed shelters for Air Force Security Forces.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)*The B61-12 has an adjustable range of missions,from tactical nuclear to thermonuclear kilotonnes.*The UK will neither confirm nor deny the project.

U.S. Air Force. F-15E Strike Eagle fighters. B61 Nuclear Bomb Test.

A simulated nuclear strike mission is practised by Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle fighters on the U.S. Air Force Nevada Test Range.It is not a live bomb.The B61-12 is a strategic and tactical nuclear weapon of low and medium yield from 0.3-340 kilotonnes in various modifications.Such a video is released to deter adversaries.

Propellant Tanks for Artemis III on the Move at Michoud - Orion Program Update

Artemis III will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972 for Lunar Science studies.It is slated for a September 2026 launch.The SLS Core Stage primarily conists of the cryogenic liquid Oxygen and liquid Hydrogen fuel tanks,and is manufactured by Boeing.These were recently welded together at NASA Michoud Assembly Facility,New Orleans,Louisiana.*Boeing (BA)

Nightwatch Aircraft:Air Force Moves Ahead to Replace Doomsday Planes

As of this writing,only one defence contractor,the privately held Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC),remains in the running for an 8.3 billion dollar contract to replace the current fleet of four US Air Force E-4B Nightwatch aircraft,often called the Doomsday planes because of their ability to withstand the radiological and electromagnetic effects of a nuclear war or other catostrophic circumstances.The future fleet of Nightwatch aircraft is called the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) project.These aircraft also serve as the personal aircraft of the Secretary of Defense and shadow the President of the United States when he travels in an AN-25 Air Force One plane.Boeing withdrew from consideration on the grounds of the expense to the contractor involved in fixed price contracts.Fixed price contracts require the contractor to absorb cost overruns themselves.Boeing is already in the hole for the NASA CST-100 Starliner spacecraft and the replacement of the AN-25 Air Force One planes,to the tune of 1.3 billion dollars.* The E-4B is considered part of the nuclear deterrence force,as it provides Command and Control of all nuclear forces,including low frequency communication with ballistic missile submarines.The main mission of the SAOC is to provide a robust and survivable platform for the President of the United States and other senior leaders,via the National Command Authority mechanism,to initiate nuclear strikes and assure Continuity of Government while directing other major military operations,or respond to significant contingencies such as large-scale natural disasters.* The E-4B must be a large,four-engine airliner derivative,so are expected to be unused or lightly used Boeing 747-8 jumbo jets.They must be powerful enough to fulfill the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) function;the nuclear command role;communications and security;as well as the essential redundancies.For its part,SNC recently held a ribbon cutting for one of a planned four maintenance,repair and overhaul hangers with attached painting facilities at its new Dayton,Ohio complex.The exact requirements for the SAOC are classified.SNC does have specialties in data and communications modifications to existing aircraft.It can perform post-production modifications without access to sensitive proprietary data from the original manufacturers.SNC has already identified appropriate aircraft for the project through X-ray screening.A competitive contract award by the Air Force is expected in early 2024.*The fleet will consist of an initial 8-10 aircraft,although it could be expanded to reinstate the Cold War Operation Looking Glass role in light of the hypersonic weapons threat posed by Russia and China,with an estimated warning time of only fifteen minutes.In Looking Glass,one of the aircraft is aloft 24/7/365 under the command of a general officer.*The Nightwatch aircraft are considered Weapons Systems.SNC has provided the Air Force with an Airlift/Tanker Open Missions Systems kit (ATOMS) kit.It uses existing antennas and cables to provide line-of-sight and beyond data connections to networks such as Link 16,giving aircraft more situational awareness.Such connectivity for a mobile fleet is considered essential by the Air Force.

X-37B to be Launched on Seventh Mission

On 2 November 2023,it was announced by the Air Force News Service that the Boeing X-37B space plane would be launched on a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket on 7 December 2023 from the NASA Kennedy Space Center.It is the first time the space plane will be launched on a Falcon Heavy,indicating the unprecedented weight of the cargo.The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office is partnering with the US Space Force on the mission,which has a wide range test and experimentation objectives.These tests include operating the reuseable space plane in new orbital regimes;experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies;and investigating the radiation effects on materials provided by NASA.* Said X37-B Program Director Lt.Col. Joseph Fitscher:We are excited to expand the envelope of the reuseable X-37B's capabilities,using the flight-tested service module and Falcon Heavy rocket to fly multiple cutting-edge experiments for the Department of the Air Force and its partners.*X-37B Mission 7,aka Orbital Test Vehicle-7,will expand the United States Space Force's knowledge of the space environment by experimenting with future space domain awareness technologies.These tests are integral to ensuring safe,stable,and secure operations in space for all users of the domain,AFNS said.For his part,Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzmann said:The X-37B continues to equip the United States with the knowledge to enhance current and future space operations.X-37B Mission 7 demonstrates the USSF's commitment to innovation and defining the art of the possible in the space domain.*NASA's experiment will expose plant seeds to the harsh radiation environment of long-duration spaceflight.The Seeds-2 experiment will build upon prior experiment successes to pave the way for future crewed missions to deep space destinations.The previous X-37B Mission 6 introduced a service module that expanded the spacecraft's capabilities and allowed it to host more experiments than any other previous mission.*Director of the DAF RCO,William B. Bradley,said that:The X-37B and Boeing teams have worked together to produce a more responsive,flexible,and adaptive experimentation platform.The work they've done to streamline processes and adapt evolving technologies will help our nation learn a tremendous amount about operating in and returning from a space environment.*So it may be inferred that the OTV-7 will continue to develop space surveillance capabilties.* On 20 October 2023,the Space Operations Command (SpOC) unveiled its first official painting,"High Ground Intercept" during a ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base,Colorado.SpOC provides orbital warfare and intelligence capabilities to the USSF.The painting depicts a delta-shaped space plane called a "future intercept vehicle" opening its payload bay doors as it moves into position to engage an adversary satellite that is targeting a friendly spacecraft.Artist Rich Hunter was commissioned to create the painting without access to classified materials.It would be fair to assume that OTV-7 will also enhance USSF's orbital warfare capabilities along with space domain awareness.Indeed,the painting,which this blog has studied,depicts a space plane that is a fair approximation of the X-37B itself.* Boeing (BA)

Boeing and CAE to Enhance P-8 Training Solutions - Avionics International

Boeing and CAE to Enhance P-8 Training Solutions - Avionics International: Boeing and CAE signed teaming agreements to expand multi-mission platform collaboration for the P-8 Poseidon program in Canada, Norway, & Germany. Boeing (BA),CAE Inc (CAE)

Pacific Perspective:Chinese Fighter Jet Harasses Air Force Recon Plane

On 21 December 2022,a US Air Force Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) J-11BH fighter jet over the South China Sea,U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) said in a statement on 29 December.The intercept occurred in international airspace,where the RC-135 was free to operate,but the J-11BH performed an unsafe manoeuvre,flying in front of and within 20 feet of the RC-135's nose.Thus the Rivet Joint had to undertake evasive action to avoid colliding with the PLANAF aircraft.USINDOPACOM stated that: We expect all countries in the Indo-Pacific Region to use international airspace safely and in accordance with international law.* China has an expansive view of its control over the South China Sea (SCS).According to the U.S. Department of State,the People's Republic of China (PRC) asserts unlawful maritime claims in most of the SCS: In recent years,the PRC has stepped up its coercive activities in the South China Sea by increasing its deployment of maritime militias that operate alongside PRC law enforcement and military to harass and intimidate other claimant states...the U.S. stands with Southeast Asian claimant states seeking to defend their sovereign rights and interests consistent with international law reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.* PRC's claims include the Paracel Islands;Spratly Islands;Scarborough Shoal;plus reefs PRC is building up into artificial militarised islands.Other countries making SCS claims are Brunei;Malaysia;the Phillippines;Taiwan;and Vietnam.* The RC-135 V/W Rivet Joint supports theatre and national level command authorities with near real time,on-scene intelligence collection,analysis and dissimenation.Its onboard sensor suite permits the aircrew to detect,identify and geolocate signals (SIGINT) thorughout the electromagnetic spectrum.It can then forward the information via the Rivet Joint's extensive communications suite.A crew of more than 30 includes cockpit crew;Electronic Warfare officers;intel operators;and in-flight maintenance technicians.It has a digital glass cockpit configuration.All Rivet Joint airframe and mission systems modifications are carried out by L3Harris Technologies Inc. overseen by Air Force Materiel Command.* The PLANAF Shenyang Aircraft Corporation J-11BH is an evolved Russian Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft,NATO codeword "Flanker-L."Comparable to the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet,it is mounted with PL-8 and PL-12 air-to-air missiles for intercept missions.The PLANAF had 40 J-11BH and 32 J-11BSH (NATO codeword Flanker-L+) as of 2018.* Boeing (BA),L-3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX)

Appropriations Bills Provide $194 Million for F-15 Upgrades - Avionics International

Appropriations Bills Provide $194 Million for F-15 Upgrades - Avionics International: The F-15 upgrades include nearly $37M for the Honeywell Advanced Display Core Processor II, integrated by Boeing on the F-15E and F-15EX, and more than $28M for the MIDS-JTRS. Boeing (BA)

CENTCOM Commander Boards Nuclear Missile Submarine

U.S. Central Command commander General Michael "Erik" Kurilla,US Army,boarded the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) on 19 October 2022 at a secret location in international waters of the Arabian Sea.Also coming aboard was Vice Admiral Brad Cooper,commander of U.S. 5th Fleet and NAVECENT.The Arabian Sea is between Oman,Yemen and Somalia to the west,and India to the east.General Kurilla got a hands-on briefing on the submarine's capability.The USS West Virginia traverses the globe as a member of U.S. Strategic Command and the seaborne leg of the nuclear deterrent triad. Said General Kurilla: These submarines are the crown jewel of the nuclear triad,and the West Virginia demonstrates the flexibility,survivability,readiness and capability of USCENTCOM and USSTRATCOM forces at sea.* The West Virginia is homeported at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay,Georgia.The Lockheed Martin Space UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missile deployed on the West Virginia is also deployed by the UK's Royal Navy on its Vanguard-class submarines.The Trident II Strategic Weapons System has greater accuracy,payload and range,such that it could be used as a first-strike weapon.* Each of the 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines carries 24 Trident IIs.This will be reduced to 20 in 2023 in accordance with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) agreed by the US and the Russian Federation.The Trident II can carry a variety of nuclear warheads,ranging from 475 kilotonnes of TNT equivalent all the way down to the tactical nuclear weapon range of 5-7 kilotonnes.* While Lockheed Martin Space is the missile's prime contractor,subcontractors include Boeing (navigation maintenance) and Northrop Grumman (engineering and integration).The missiles will remain in service until 2042 under a life extension plan (D5LE).Indeed,two of the D5LE missiles were sucessfully test-fired from the USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) in 2021.The new US Navy Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine will replace the Ohio-class,and the UK's new Dreadnought-class will supplant the Vanguard-class;but the new submarines will continue to field the UGM-133 Trident IIs.* Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT),Northrop Grumman (NOC)

Boeing Simulates Virtual MQ-25 Open Architecture Manned-Unmannned Teaming - Avionics International

Boeing Simulates Virtual MQ-25 Open Architecture Manned-Unmannned Teaming - Avionics International: Boeing recently conducted a digital simulation of an open autonomy architecture to have manned Navy aircraft control MQ-25A Stingray unmanned carrier-based tankers, the company said on Tuesday. In this event, the company virtually demonstrated how a Northrop Grumman [NOC] E-2D Advanced Hawkeye command and control aircraft, Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, and …

Boeing Begins EPAWSS Upgrades For U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles - Aviation Today

Boeing Begins EPAWSS Upgrades For U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles - Aviation Today: Boeing has begun modifying two F-15E Strike Eagles with the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), which is also to go on the U.S. Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II fighters, the company said on July 21. Boeing said that the Air Force plans to equip 43 of the service’s F-15Es with EPAWSS, which a …