Viasat Receives $325M US Special Operations Command Contract Extension - Avionics International

Viasat Receives $325M US Special Operations Command Contract Extension - Avionics International: U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) awarded Viasat a $325 million contract extension for tactical satellite communications and network management. Viasat Inc (VSAT)

Sustaining Combat Power:Army Winter Rotation to Europe

On 9 November 2022,the Department of the Army announced the upcoming winter deployment of 1st Cavalry Division,2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team to Europe.Out of Fort Hood,Texas, the 2nd ABCT is to replace the 3rd ABCT in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve,which was established in 2014 following Russia's first invasion of Ukraine,in which it annexed Crimea.Said Colonel Christopher J. Kilpatrick,commander of 2nd ABCT: We are part of the most modern and lethal armour formation on Earth.We are "all in" to reassure our European Allies and deter any potential adversaries from doing anything they would regret.* Indeed,the 2nd ABCT equipment,stationed at Fort Riley,Kansas,off-loaded at ports in Alexandroupoli and Thessaloniki,Greece,as well as Gdynia,Poland in the 18-30 November time frame.From these ports,the equipment was moved by rail and commercial trucking to follow-on locations in Central and Eastern Europe.The deployment of ready,combat-credible U.S. forces in support of Atlantic Resolve shows the strong and unremitting U.S. commitment to NATO and Europe.It builds readiness,increases interoperability and enhances bonds between Ally and Partner militaries,the Army said.No specific dates or destinations were mentioned.It should be noted,however,that 2nd ABCT was still in Fort Hood as of 2 December,when Command Sergeant Major Steven Campbell relinquished responsiblity of the brigade to CSM Brian Adams at a ceremony on Cooper Field in Fort Hood.* Previous deployments of 2nd ABCT were in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn in Iraq,as well as Atlantic Resolve.Operation New Dawn was a train,advise and assist sequel to Iraqi Freedom,including a counterinsurgency role.It ran from 2010-2011.The official casualty report for New Dawn stated that there had been 66 total deaths,including 38 attributed to enemy action,with 305 wounded.It was commanded by the current Secretary of Defense,then Lieutenant General Lloyd J. Austin III.* An ABCT is the largest brigade combat team formation,having 4743 Soldiers.It consists of 87 Abrams tanks and 152 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs),as well as associated wheeled tankers for a limited refueling capability.* General Dynamics (GD)

U.S. Air Force Kicks Off Launch Control Center Block Upgrades for Minuteman III - Avionics International

U.S. Air Force Kicks Off Launch Control Center Block Upgrades for Minuteman III - Avionics International: The U.S. Air Force 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. and Northrop Grumman [NOC] began Launch Control Center Block Upgrades (LCCBU) this month to modernize support equipment for the Boeing [BA] Minuteman III ICBMs, the 90th Missile Wing said. The effort began at the Kilo-01 missile alert facility (MAF) near Dix, Neb. and … Northrop Grumman (NOC),Boeing (BA),BAE Systems PLC (LSE:BA)

Pacific Perspective:1st MARDIV Certifies for Australia Deployment

Marines and Sailors of 1st Marine Division and Expeditionary Strike Group 3 recently concluded Exercise Steel Knight 23.It certified the participants for deployment with the upcoming Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) in Australia's Northern Territory as I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).Thousands of Marines and Sailors enhanced naval integration,joint planning and expeditionary advanced base operations.The drills took place in two phases:a command post exercise (CPX) and a mission rehearsal exercise (MRX).In the CRX,each subordinate command was tested to collect intelligence on enemy forces;coordinate joint fires;and simulate strikes while sustaining the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with supplies across dispersed locations.CPX also enabled all-domain operations including cyber,space and information operations to complement kinetic operations in the operational environment.* MRX involved manoeuvring warships,Marine aviation squadrons and staging amphibious landings.Marines and Sailors responded to simulated crises and contingency scenarios in a contested environment.Said USN Rear Admiral James Kirk,commander,Expeditionary Strike Group 3:Simulated combat operations are ongoing to execute sea denial operations so that the joint force can then control and have freedom of movement,and can manoeuvre in a combat scenario to refine operational capabilities and tactics,techniques and procedures (TTPs).* Marines and Sailors also rehearsed the EABO (Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations),meaning employing forces in isolated environments and contested maritime areas.They tested their ability to plan,communicate and operate on small island chains;sea lanes;and aboard ships scattered across vast areas while still synchronised with one another.This took place across multiple locales in Southern and Central California.It's about working together to gain an advantage over a very challenging adversary (such as China,Russia or North Korea) while outpacing an enemy and achieving sea control,according to USMC Major General Benjamin Watson,commanding general of 1st MARDIV,I MEF and Rear Admiral Kirk.* In the course of the exercise,America-class Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) played a significant role,as did Marine Aircraft Group 3,3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,which conducted an air assault on San Clemente island,California.A US Navy landing craft air cushion with Assault Craft Unit 5 carried an AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar.* The Tripoli allows the operation of both the MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.The warship is armed with 2 Rolling Airframe Missile launchers;2 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile launchers;2x20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts;and 7 x twin .50 BMG machine guns.It also carries electronic warfare devices such as 2 Mk53 Nulka decoy launchers.The Tripoli's complement is 102 officers;1102 enlisted;and 1687 Marines (plus 184 surge).It is the second America-class AAS,commissioned in July 2020.Its homeport is San Diego.*

CDFW News | Mountain Lion P-22 Compassionately Euthanized Following Complete Health Evaluation Results

CDFW News | Mountain Lion P-22 Compassionately Euthanized Following Complete Health Evaluation Results

Airbus Leads Large-Scale Manned-Unmanned Teaming Flight Demo - Avionics International

Airbus Leads Large-Scale Manned-Unmanned Teaming Flight Demo - Avionics International: Two fighter jets, a helicopter, and 5 drones participated in a large-scale, multi-domain flight demo of manned-unmanned teaming, led by experts from Airbus.

Homeland Security:Proposed New Counter-UAS Authorities Will Fall To New Congress, DHS Official Says - Avionics International

Proposed New Counter-UAS Authorities Will Fall To New Congress, DHS Official Says - Avionics International: Legislation to expand existing counter-UAS authorities for the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice will have to await action by the next Congress.

Highlights: Men's Basketball vs. Towson - Navy Athletics - SECU Arena,Towson,Maryland

IS Leader Kills Himself During Raid by US Troops in Syria

On Wednesday 7 December 2022,US Special Operations Forces conducted a night raid in Idlib,Northwest Syria,resulting in the death of Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi,US President Joseph R. Biden announced Thursday morning.Mr.Biden said: Thanks to the bravery of our troops,this horrible terrorist leader is no more.Knowing that terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families,including children,we made a choice to pursue a Special Forces raid at a much greater risk to our own people rather than targeting him with an airstrike.* Such missions are in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR),which seeks the lasting defeat of IS.Al-Qurayshi took control of IS when US troops neutralised former IS mastermind Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019.* In the course of the approximately two-hour combat operation,up to thirteen people were killed,including civilians as well as militants,according to a Syrian Civil Defence group.The Pentagon is conducting an after-action review of the raid.* Al-Qurayshi blew himself and his family up with an explosive device when the US SOFs announced their presence outside the multi-family residence.The suicide blast caused the residence's partial destruction.Al-Qurayhsi's deputy and the deputy's wife were on the first floor and were killed by the SOFs when he engaged them in a firefight.No US troops were harmed during the raid.It is believed a few other militants were killed by attack helicopters as the militants approached the compound and were deemed hostile.* According to the monitoring organisation the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR),since early December,IS has stepped up its activity in areas held by US Ally the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).These activities include the assassination of,and attacks on,SDF members and members of the Autonomous Administration.At least eight IS operations were documented by SOHR activists against SDF members in the Deir Ezzor and al-Hasakah areas that killed three SDF members and wounded six others,including a civilian.There were also clashes in the Deir Ezzor countryside between the SDF and IS cells.The IS cells threaten everyone in the area,SOHR said.* There are about 900 US troops in Syria,and 2500 in Iraq,serving in support of OIR.Through August 2022,US troops in Iraq and Syria combined had come under 30 indirect-fire attacks-mainly rocket attacks,according to OIR.Several attacks were launched against US troops by Iran-backed militants.* IS no longer controls territory in Iraq or Syria.It just conducts sporadic attacks with its militant cells.*

B-21 Raider Rollout Livestream - Edwards Air Force Base

Ballistic Missile Submarine Makes History at Diego Garcia

At the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) of Diego Garcia,a militarised atoll in the central part of the Indian Ocean,the US Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) recently made the first-ever port call by an SSBN at the joint US/UK military base,Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia.Carrying up to 20 sea-launched Trident D5 ICBMs with nuclear warheads,the West Virginia was in port from 25-31 October,according to U.S. Strategic Command.The port call had been withheld from the media to protect the secrecy of nuclear submarine operations.It was part of the West Virginia's sustained deterrence operations in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command areas of responsibility.The extended deterrence patrol provides security and stability to US Allies and a warning to US adversaries such as China,Russia,North Korea and Iran.* Ohio-class submarines such as USS West Virginia serve as an undetectable platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles,and are thus the most secure leg of the land/air/sea nuclear deterrent triad.Before its port call at Diego Garcia,the West Virginia had surfaced to embark USCENTCOM commander General Michael Kurilla,US Army,in the Arabian Sea and participated in a joint USSTRATCOM-led communications drill to validate emerging and innovative tactics in the Indian Ocean,which is third in size among the world's oceans.Noted Vice Admiral Willaim Houston,commander of Naval Submarine Forces:The stealth and response capability of these submarines combined with the crew's training make our SSBNs the most powerful warships in the world.* Indeed,the West Virginia conducted a complete 150-person crew exchange while berthed at Diego Garcia and a replenishment at sea,showcasing the SSBN's readiness and flexibility to remain on long patrols.Such submarine forces can leverage undersea concealment to permit unique operational,deterrent and combat effects.Twenty-four hours a day and year-round from any location,USSTRATCOM forces deter strategic attacks and guarantee the security of the US and its Allies.* So Diego Garcia is located just south of the equator in the Central Indian Ocean.Besides its deep water lagoon,the base has two 12,000 ft/3657 m runways capable of handling strategic nuclear-capable bombers.It isn't known if nuclear weapons are actually stored on the atoll.Under its agreement with the UK,the US is permitted to use the base until at least 2036.It was used in the Gulf War;Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan);and Operation Iraqi Freedom.Three to five thousand US troops serve there for one-year tours.No families are allowed,although civilian contractors do live on the atoll to provide critical services.Diego Garcia was reportedly used as a CIA black site for prisoner interrogation and a NASA alternate Space Shuttle Landing Facility.*

Lockheed Martin and Intel Demonstrate 5G Capabilities For Military Aircraft Use - Avionics International

Lockheed Martin and Intel Demonstrate 5G Capabilities For Military Aircraft Use - Avionics International: As part of its efforts to advance future battlefield connectivity, Lockheed Martin [LMT] in partnership with Intel Corp. [INTC] has successfully conducted a laboratory demonstration of military tactical radios integrated into the company’s fifth-generation wireless military technology, paving the way for flight testing in 2023 of crewed and uncrewed aircraft for distributed teaming. In the recent demonstration, Intel integrated …

Watch: President Biden greets French President Macron - Military honours,welcome address and response

Pacific Perspective:US and Indian Armies Train in the Himalayas

The 18th annual Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2022 provides high altitude training in India's Himalayan Mountains for the US Army and Indian Army.They are taking place in the Auli area of Utterakhand State in North India.Participating are the US Army's 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Airborne),which was recently reactivated to provide forces adept at cold and rugged Arctic terrain,having previously been known as U.S. Army Alaska.Indian Soldiers of the Assam Regiment will drill with their American counterparts.The aim is to exchange best practices,Tactics,Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) between the two armies,the Indian Ministry of Defence said.They will employ an integrated battlegroup under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate on peacekeeping and peace enforcement.They will also practise Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The Field Training Exercise includes validation of individual battlegroups;force multipliers;establishment and functioning of surveillance grids;validation of operational logistics;mountain warfare skills;casualty evacuation and combat medical aid in adverse terrain and climate conditions.There will also be a focus on combat skills such as combat engineering;employment of UAS/counter UAS techniques;and information operations.Thus both armies will share their broad range of experiences and skills,while enhancing techniques through information exchange,IMOD noted on 15 November 2022.The drills will take place near the Line of Actual Control (LAC),where conflict has occurred between the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Indian Army,resulting in casualties including deaths on both sides.So Yudh Abhyas is a signal to China that these two powerful democracies are intent on improving their crisis coordination.* The Indian Army numbers 1,237,000 active duty and 960,000 reserves,plus 136 aircraft.There are also an Indian Navy and Indian Air Force,the third largest air force in the world.Indeed,next year the population of India will surpass that of China.* On 6 June 2022,the 11th Airborne Division's 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team was reactivated at Fort Wainwright,Alaska;and the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team was reactivated at Fort Richardson,Alaska (Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson) in separate ceremonies.The 11th Airborne also includes headquarters,logistics and other support forces.* From 15-16 June 2020,Indian and PLA forces clashed in hand-to-hand combat incidents involving rocks in the Galwan River valley on the Indian side of the LAC,resulting in several deaths.India says it lost 20 troops in the Galwan skirmish (Operation Snow Leopard).According to a member of the US Intelligence Community,20-35 Chinese PLA members were killed in the clashes.This blog examined a handful of photos of the incident.These include a PLA photo of Chinese regimental commander Qi Fabao being carried with a bloodied face and a head bandage.A few other photos show up to several dozen Indian forces crossing the Galwan River with riot shields and walking sticks.An Indian trooper appeared to have a rifle slung over his back in a rather blurry image.On 7 September 2020,gunfire erupted along the LAC,apparently without further casualties.*

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)

Rocket Lab Completes Final Rehearsal Ahead of First Virginia Launch

Rocket Lab Completes Final Rehearsal Ahead of First Virginia Launch: Rocket Lab has completed the final launch rehearsal before its first mission from the U.S. set for December. It will be the inaugural launch from Rocket Lab (RKLB)

US Space Force Signs CRADA With Blue Origin to Restart Certification of New Glenn Rocket

US Space Force Signs CRADA With Blue Origin to Restart Certification of New Glenn Rocket: U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Blue Origin for the

Space Operations:After More Than Two Years in Orbit,US Space Force X-37B Lands at Space Shuttle Landing Facility

On 12 November 2022,a US Space Force Boeing X-37B spacecraft landed at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Space Shuttle Landing Facility.Its mission,labeled Orbital Test Vehicle-6 (OTV-6),lasted a programme-record 908 days-or about 2.5 years.Some of the payloads were classified,while others were disclosed.The spacecraft,resembling a smaller version of the Space Shuttle,is believed to be one of two the Space Force owns and had formerly belonged to the US Air Force.Indeed,it still bore the Air Force lettering.The X-37B's secretive missions have grown longer with each launch.An Atlas V rocket has served as the launch vehicle.* This time,the OTV-6 featured the introduction of a service module,described as being a ring attached to the rear of the vehicle.The service module detached from the OTV before landing because of the aerodynamic forces affecting the OTV upon re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere.It will be disposed of in accordance with environmentally sound best practices,ensuring that space junk will not be left behind.* Among the disclosed experiments were the Naval Research Lab's Photovoltaic Radio Frequency Antenna Module,which harnesses solar rays above the atmosphere,seeking to transmit power to the Earth as RF microwave energy.The US Air Force Academy sent the FalconSat-8,developed with the Air Force Research Laboratory.It provides hands-on space operator training to USAFA cadets before their commissioning as officers in the Space Force. NASA sent two experiments on OTV-6.These were the Materials Exposure and Technology Innovation in Space-2 (METIS-2),which carried thermal coatings for testing;printed electronic materials;and candidate radiation shielding materials.After 908 days in space,these will be compared to ground simulations,validating and improving the precision of space environment models.NASA also sent a study of the effects of long-duration space exposure on seeds,in order to guide space crop production on interplanetary missions and permanently inhabited bases in space. Said Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Fritschen,Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office X-37B Program Director: The X-37B continues to push the boundaries of experimentation,enabled by an elite government and industry team behind the scenes.The addition of the service module on OTV-6 allowed us to host more expriments than ever before.* The undisclosed payloads would have perhaps tested the rapid deployment of space assets such as intelligence collection systems or satellite warfare components.For example,short notice could have been given of a Space Force need and the rapid deployment of it on the X-37B carried out.* Upon landing,technicians in biohazard-type suits safed the X-37B.* Boeing (BA) #usspaceforce #x37b #nasa #spaceshuttle #boeing #navalresearchlab #airforceresearchlab

🌎 NASA Artemis I Mission Capture Earth Views from Orion Spacecraft - Orion Program update

Orion spacecraft trans-lunar injection and separation - Orion Program Update

Naval Warfighting:New Carrier Being Put to the Test

Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder,US Air Force,said the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12) were participating in Exercise Silent Wolverine in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean.The drills are in support of multi-domain carrier training,enhancing NATO interoperability and deterrence.Those participating are Canada,Denmark,Germany,France,the Netherlands,Spain and the US.The exercise demonstrates the US commitment to regional stability and security through seamless interchangeability among NATO Allies.It started on 7 November and runs through 14 November.It is the Ford's first deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Area of Operations.The Ford departed Naval Station Norfolk,Virginia on 4 October 2022.* The NATO warships participating,besides those of CSG 12,include German frigate FGS Hessen (F221);Canadian frigate HMCS Montreal (FFH 336);Spanish Armada frigate Alvaro de Bazan (F101);Netherlands frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provincien (F 802);French frigate FS Chevalier Paul (D 621);and Danish frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (F 362).* According to Admiral Stuart B. Munsch,commander,U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (USNFEA) and Allied Joint Force Command Naples: The challenges of tomorrow are upon us-in the here and now.Silent Wolverine demonstrates our commitment to deepening interoperability with our Allies and Partners while testing the advanced,cutting edge warfighting capabilities of the Ford-class aircraft carrier in a highly relevant operational environment.* The Navy points out that the Ford-class incorporates 23 new technologies in propulsion,power generation,ordnance handling,and aircraft launch systems.The Ford-class generates increased aircraft launch and recovery capability with a 20% smaller crew than the Nimitz-class carriers.CSG 12's participation in Silent Wolverine previews the decisive,precise and lethal advantage the Ford brings to the future naval operations.The integrated high-end naval warfare scenarios,which were not disclosed, are testing the first-in-class aircraft carrier's capabilities,increasing our proficiencies and demonstrating the warfighting capabilities the Ford brings to the fight,according to Rear Admiral Greg Huffner,commander,CSG 12.* CSG 12 consists of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78);Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60);and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS McFaul (DDG 74) and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116);and typically an undisclosed nuclear-powered attack submarine.* The "Eastern Atlantic" refers to such areas as that between Greenland and Iceland;the Norwegian Sea;the Barents Sea and down towards the UK and Ireland;and from the Denmark coast west to Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea.*

NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of Italy 🇮🇹 Giorgia Meloni 10 NOV 2022

Meet Italy's new Prime Minister.

Trace Adkins-Til the Last Shot's Fired ft. the West Point Glee Club - posted for Remembrance Day/Veterans Day

Cybersecurity is Uniquely Critical to the Space Domain, US Space Force Col. Smail Says - Via Satellite

Cybersecurity is Uniquely Critical to the Space Domain, US Space Force Col. Smail Says: “Our adversaries are coming after us in cyberspace,” U.S. Space Force Col. John Smail did not mince words in a Nov. 4 CyberSatGov keynote.  The U.S. needs

Pacific Perspective:Eyeing Beijing's Growing Might,Pentagon to Invest At Least 1 Billion in Northern Australia Upgrades

It was recently brought to light by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the Pentagon is bulking up its infrastructure in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) to improve the US-Australia force posture in the event of a China-generated security crisis,such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.In the course of preparing a recent documentary called "War Games" for its Four Corners programme,the ABC viewed US Government documents setting out the defence plans.The unannounced project is centered on two areas,one of them being Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal,which is just south of the NT capital Darwin.The US Air Force admitted to the project,saying: The ability to deploy U.S. Air Force bombers to Australia sends a strong message to adversaries about our ability to project lethal airpower.* At RAAF Tindal,the Pentagon is building an aircraft parking apron that can accommodate six B-52H Stratofortress nuclear-capable bombers.There are also detailed designs for constructing a US Air Force Squadrons Operations Facility and a maintenance center.These assets will facilitate training missions during the NT dry season.The Pentagon is furthermore building a fuel farm of 11 giant fuel storage tanks in Darwin to sustain military flight operations and an ordnance storage bunker.* A second area,the military intelligence base Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap in the Australian outback near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory,is also being enhanced.Over the past seven years,the base's antenna farm has grown from 33 up to its current 45 antennae.Pine Gap is considered the most critical intel base outside of the United States.Its monthly Australian-US tasking meetings respond to the needs of combatant commanders and civilian policy makers.The base can provide exact locations of Russian and Chinese missiles and silos,and can eavesdrop on the satellites of authoritarian regimes.So it was deemed prudent to give it a midlife upgrade,as the ongoing project has been described.* These projects should come as no surprise.Since at least the Obama presidency,US-Australia defence ties have been steadily increasing.At that time,President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Julia Gillard established the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin on 16 November 2011.On 16 September 2021,US and Australian Foreign and Defence Ministers gathered in Washington,D.C. to sign the Enhanced Force Posture Cooperation and Alliance Integration.It includes greater air cooperation through rotational deployments of all types of US military aircraft to Australia;establishment of combined logistics sustainment and capability for our submarines and surface combatants in Australia;and supports a robust US presence in the Indo-Pacific Region,plus the provision of US extended deterrence and increasing Australia's defence budget to 73.7 billion dollars by 2029-2030.The combined logistics,sustainment and maintenance enterprise will support high-end warfighting and combined military operations in the region.Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton expressed the aspiration to increase the number of US troops through the rotations and to enhance air and maritime capability.If that includes basing and storage of different ordnance,that is in Australia's best interest at this point in time.*

Army, Air Force face off Saturday on gridiron - American Legion

Army, Air Force face off Saturday on gridiron: Matchup is second of the 2022 Commander’s Cup between the three military institutions.

BAE Systems Receives £80M in Typhoon Avionics Support Contracts - Avionics International

BAE Systems Receives £80M in Typhoon Avionics Support Contracts - Avionics International: International defense, aerospace, and security company BAE Systems was awarded avionics support contracts for the Eurofighter Typhoon totaling £80 million.

German Tornadoes In-Air Refuel Over Czechia (2022) - Panavia 200 NATO Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA),conventional/nuclear

Under NATO Command for Power Projection:Carrier Strike Group 10

NATO Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 2022 (NEST 22.2) began on 14 October and was to have lasted 12 days.Actually,it was still active as of 28 October.NEST 22.2 was overseen by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) from its headquarters in Oeiras,Portugal.The focal point of the activity was the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG 10) and its integration with NATO Allies and Partners while under NATO command.This enabled the CSG to deliver effects in NATO Joint Operating Areas (JOAs) Allied Joint Forces Command (JFC) Naples,Italy and JFC Brunssum,the Netherlands,projecting Alliance cohesion through simultaneous operations in European waters.Commands throughout the Alliance came together to plan and execute all-domain real world Vigilance Activities,demonstrating NATO'S power and capability.Said Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee,commander U.S. 6th Fleet and STRIKFORNATO: The Neptune series is a tangible demonstration of the power and capability of the NATO Alliance in all-domain operations.Neptune Strike 22.2 is a prime example of NATO'S ability to integrate high-end maritime warfare capabilities of an Allied Carrier Strike Group,ensuring our collective capability to deter and defend.* NATO observed that,within the framework of Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area (DDA),the Vigilance Activity improved interoperability of the CSG with STRIKFORNATO;Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE);and the wider Alliance and Partners.It also generated effects in the maritime,air and land domains,providing deterrence and reassurance while offering powerful opportunities for Allied interoperability.It proves the power and cohesion of the NATO Alliance,according to Royal Navy Rear Admiral James Morely,deputy commander,STRIKFORNATO.Such Vigilance Activities ensure the appropriate strategic awareness and force readiness required to sustain the peace.* Added Rear Admiral Dennis Valdez,CSG 10 commander: The teamwork,trust and combat readiness built through these events are our competitive advantage.* As of 28 October,the CSG was transiting the Adriatic Sea,which separates Italy from Southeast Europe,during NEST 22.2.The CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter,and if necessary,defeat our adversaries in support of national security.Indeed,the Spanish frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon (F105) accompanied the CSG during its Adriatic transit,and Rear Admiral Michael Sciretta,commander,Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) flew aboard an E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft from the USS George H.W. Bush.Lieutenant Commander Sean Delaney of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 40 had given Rear Admiral Sciretta a safety check before the two-seater aircraft's flight.* Allies and Partners taking part in NEST 22.2 included Albania;Canada;Croatia;Finland;France;Germany;Greece;Hungary;Italy;Lithuania;North Macedonia;Poland;Romania;Spain;Slovakia;Sweden;Turkey;the UK and the US with more than 80 aircraft;14 ships;and around 6,000 personnel.US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets conducted patrols over Romania,which has a border with Ukraine,with Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets.During a live-fire drill,Sailors from Team Jackpot,that is,Carrier Air Wing SEVEN (CVW-7),fired 50-caliber and M240B machine guns from the George H.W. Bush.Team Jackpot was also very pleased to meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,who mingled with them during his visit to the CSG on 25 October 2022.*

NATO Secretary General press point on board aircraft carrier 🇺🇸 USS George H.W. Bush 25 OCT 2022

The Combat-ready KC-46 Pegasus Brings More than Fuel to the Fight - Defense Daily

The Combat-ready KC-46 Pegasus Brings More than Fuel to the Fight - Defense Daily: The 21st century battlespace requires agile, adaptive platforms primed to serve multiple roles, including the ability to connect and protect crucial assets. As the all- domain force sets its course for data-centric operations, Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus is evolving the strategic role of tankers to meet this new reality. Beyond its refueling and cargo, passenger or […]

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)

Two U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers fly over USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) - Submarine Group Ten

RAF Coningsby Live Action | NATO Exercise SteadFast Noon 2022 - 19 October 2022

OUR KOREAN WAR STORY: Brother survived Chosin Reservoir

OUR KOREAN WAR STORY: Brother survived Chosin Reservoir: Sgt. Nevada ‘Jim’ Williams landed at Inchon, South Korea, with 2,500 soldiers of the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regiment Combat Team on Sept. 15, 1950.

NATO'S Nuclear Forces To Be Tested in Steadfast Noon 2022

From 17 to 30 October 2022,NATO'S nuclear forces will hold their annual deterrence exercise,Steadfast Noon.It always takes place in the autumn,and up to sixty aircraft will take part from fourteen NATO Allies,practising scenarios related to the deployment and delivery on a target of a tactical nuclear weapon,the US B61,the latest version of which,the B61-12,was to go into full production in May 2022.Besides the conventional/nuclear Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA),strictly conventional planes will also participate under NATO'S Support of Nuclear Operations With Conventional Air Tactics (SNOWCAT) programme.The SNOWCAT aircraft include Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) types and air refueling tankers,as well as conventional only fighter jets.The DCAs include the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter;F-16C/D and up Fighting Falcon;Panavia 200 Tornado (Germany and Italy);F-22 Raptor;F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet;F-15E Strike Eagle;B-2 Spirit;and B-52H Stratofortress.The new B-21 Raider will be a DCA as well.* On 14 October,NATO'S Nuclear Planning Group (NPG) met on the sidelines of the Defence Ministerial in Brussels,Belgium.The proceedings are classified,but deal with any aspect of NATO'S nuclear deterrence programme,which is based on a dual key arrangement between the US and Allies Belgium,Germany,Italy,the Netherlands and Turkey.The US stores B61s in underground bunkers on air bases of the five respective Allies.All Allies except France take part in the NPG,which France has chosen not to participate in.* The drills will cover a large area,from host nation Belgium to the North Sea and UK.A different country is host each year.All participants work to ensure that NATO'S nuclear deterrent is safe,secure and effective.Under NATO'S new Strategic Concept,the fundamental purpose of NATO'S nuclear capability is to preserve peace,prevent coercion and deter aggression.As long as nuclear weapons exist,NATO will remain a nuclear Alliance.* On the air bases,the participants will practise the transport of the B61 up from its underground bunker and the mounting of it beneath the DCA.The bulk of the drills will take place more than 100 km/650 mi from Russia.Nuclear strike missions will be simulated,but no actual nuclear bombs will be utilised.* The B61 is 12 ft long and weighs 825 pounds.Its maximum explosive power is estimated to be 50 kilotons of TNT, but its yield can be reduced as needed.*

US Army, NATO. US Airborne and British Army soldiers land in Latvia.Multinational Airborne Force Crisis Response

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III 13 OCT 2022

NATO Secretary General - Doorstep statement at Defence Ministers Meeting...12 OCT 2022

Building The Unsinkable | USS John F. Kennedy CVN 79 | Aircraft Carrier

Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford leaves on 1st deployment,heading for the North Atlantic - 13 News Hampton Roads,Virginia

National Security Cutter Detects Competitors Near Alaska

On 19 September 2022,the US Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL-756),a Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC),spotted three Chinese and four Russian warships in the Bering Sea 86 km/53.4 mi north of Kiska Island,Alaska in the Western Aleutians.The combined surface action group (CSAG) included the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) guided-missile cruiser Renhai (CG101) and a Russian Federation Navy destroyer.Besides the Kimball,a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak,Alaska provided support for the mission.Immediately the strategic competitors were detected,the Coast Guard assets initiated the 17th Coast Guard District's Operation Frontier Sentinel,which stipulates meeting the presence of strategic competitors with Coast Guard presence.Seeing they were being observed,the CSAG dispersed.The NSC Kimball continued its patrol in accordance with Operation Frontier Sentinel,ensuring that no malign activity took place.* Although Chinese and Russian warships had been seen operating seperately in the district in the past,their operating as a CSAG was a rarity.They remained in international waters,but did enter the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).* The HC-130J is equipped with automated identification and direction finding capabilities;long-range multi-mode radar;electro-optical and infrared sensor turret for imagery and target data;advanced open architecture mission system processor and extensive communications suite.The aircraft is 20% faster and can fly 20% higher than its predecessor,the HC-130H.It has a ceiling of 33,000 ft and a range of 5,000 mi,which is 40% farther than its predecessor.A long-range surveillance aircraft,it provides heavy air transport and long-range patrol capability as well.Indeed,each HC-130J can serve as a command and control and surveillance platform that can detect,classify and identify objects and share intelligence with operational forces such as the NSC.Its computers,cyber,intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) equipment enables extensive mission capabilities.* The Coast Guard considers the National Security Cutter to be an afloat operational level headquarters,handling complex law enforcement and national security missions involving multiple Coast Guard and Partner Agency participation.The NSC has automated weapons systems that can stop a rogue vessel far from shore;a large flight deck;state-of-the-art command and control equipment for interoperability;detection and defence capabilities against chemical,biological and radiological attack;and advanced sensors and other C5ISR equipment for intelligence gathering and sharing,and for enhanced maritime domain awareness.* The Coast Guard christened the 10th NSC on 4 June 2022 at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula,Mississippi.Fabrication of the 11th and final NSC began on 11 May 2021 at Ingalls.* Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Lockheed Martin, Verizon Demonstrate Real-Time Drone ISR Over 5G Networks - Avionics International

Lockheed Martin, Verizon Demonstrate Real-Time Drone ISR Over 5G Networks - Avionics International: Strategic partners Lockheed Martin and Verizon this year have demonstrated the capture and seamless use of 5G connectivity on drones.

Johnson making a ‘pivot’ from full-time INDYCAR driver - American Legion

Johnson making a ‘pivot’ from full-time INDYCAR driver: After showing vast improvement during 2022 season, Jimmie Johnson wants to create a ‘bucket list’ of races that include INDYCAR in 2023.

Game-Changer:B-21 Raider To Break New Ground in Deep Strike

The US Air Force intends to develop a sixth generation,long-range fighter jet to escort the new B-21 Raider strategic nuclear-capable bomber deep into enemy territory.The fighter is called "Penetrating Counter-Air" and is to assist the B-21 in supression of enemy air defences.* The B-21,which has a flying wing design similar to the B-2 Spirit bomber,is a subsonic aircraft,that is,flying slower than the speed of sound (Mach 1 is the point that is just beyond the speed of sound).The speed of sound varies depending on air temperature and other atmospheric conditions.The Raider is subsonic because of its large payload capacity of a mix of nuclear and conventional ordnance.It can deliver both the B61-12 tactical nuclear weapon as well as the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile.With its advanced stealth design features and NextGen radar-absorbent coatings,lead contractor Northrop Grumman considers it the most advanced military aircraft ever built.So it will be capable of penetrating the toughest defences to deliver precision strikes in Anti-Access/Area Denial zones.* Six B-21s are currently in various stages of production in Palmdale,California.One of them is scheduled for unveiling to an invited audience in early December 2022,with first flight in early 2023.The Air Force Global Strike Command plans to acquire at least 100 B-21s,though the number may eventually reach about 200.Initial Operating Capability should come in the mid-2020s.Ellsworth Air Force Base,South Dakota is the preferred basing location for the first B-21 main operating base and formal training unit,with Dyess AFB,Texas as an alternate.The Air Force plans to retire the B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer bombers first as the B-21 comes online,with the B-52H Stratofortress remaining in service alongside the B-21 till mid-century.* Advanced software development techniques called DevStar will enable the upgrading of the Raider at the speed of relevance,incrementally adding warfighting capablities as opposed to the current massive Block approach.The B-21 will be able to rapidly field capability enhancements to both hardware and software,with enough processing power to quickly process information from onboard sensors and external sources for threat detection.Digital design and engineering make it possible to incrementally improve B-21 characteristics on a continuous basis.Suffice it to say,it is like nothing else ever seen before on the flight line. For example,the Raider will have minimum aircraft signatures in multiple frequency bands.* Subcontractors of the B-21 include Pratt and Whitney (Raytheon Technologies subsidiary);BAE Systems;Collins Aerospace (Raytheon Technologies subsidiary) and Spirit AeroSystems.* BAE Systems ADR (OTC:BAESY),Northrop Grumman (NOC),Raytheon Technologies Corp (RTX),Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc (SPR)

Decision Expected This Year on Future Path for F-35 Engine - Avionics International

Decision Expected This Year on Future Path for F-35 Engine - Avionics International: A Pentagon decision on the future path for the F-35 engine may come this year, with the F-35 program office seeking improved electrical power and cooling.

Northrop Grumman and U.S. Air Force Plan B-21 Unveiling in the First Week of December

Northrop Grumman and U.S. Air Force Plan B-21 Unveiling in the First Week of December: Northrop Grumman [NOC] said on Sept. 20 that it will unveil its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for the U.S. Air Force the first week of December at the company’s Palmdale, Calif., plant–a timeline confirmed the same day by Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter during his appearance at a media roundtable at the Air & […]

Operation NOBLE DEFENDER:Defending North America's Approaches - intercepting cruise missiles

From 12-14 September 2022,Operation NOBLE DEFENDER (OND) was executed by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Alaska and the Northwest Territories.Mainly carried out over sparsely populated Arctic and Pacific areas at high altitude,there was little chance of the public noticing the drills.Areas traversed include Inuvik,Yellowknife,St.Lawrence Island,King Salmon,Ketchikan and west of Vancouver.OND was intended to validate NORAD'S ability to defend Canada and the US from every avenue of approach,demonstrating the capability to integrate with defence and security partners for a holistic,360-degree defence of the continent.* OND,a recurring series of drills,tested the ability to rapidly deploy military assets and carry out tactics,techniques and procedures in the designated areas.It demonstrated NORAD'S ability to quickly deter,defend and,if necessary,defeat adversaries of North America such as Russia,China and North Korea.Defensive manoeuvres were practised along the Northern and Western approaches to North America by all three NORAD Regions:Alaska NORAD Region (ANR);Canadian NORAD Region (CANR);and Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR).OND drew on military personnel and equipment support from Portland,Oregon;Cold Lake,Alberta;Colorado Springs,Colorado;Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base,Alaska.* On 14 September,US Air Force F-15C Eagle fighters from the Oregon Air National Guard's 142d Wing took off from Portland ANG Base.There the operation exhibited the ability to launch at short notice from dispersed air and maritime locations to defend Northern approaches in multiple regions across all domains,displaying resiliance in the face of multiple and complex threats.During the drills,CONR also coordinated and conducted joint operations with the US Navy while concurrently launching jets from various locations across the US Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico.This phase of OND featured manoeuvres for defending the Southern approach to the US from simulated cruise missile threats.F-15C Eagles took off from Muniz ANG Base in Carolina,Puerto Rico.The OND addressed both current and evolving threats to North American defence and security.* An F-15E Strike Eagle can actually launch a cruise missile,the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER),from a center pylon.This type of launch was simulated over the highly strategic Baltic Sea Region in 2021.* To shoot down a cruise missile,you have to know the missile's course and speed so you can intercept and destroy it.A heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile can destroy a cruise missile.So can an aircraft's cannon.As long as an aircraft has look-down-shoot-down capability,it can destroy a cruise missile,but it is very difficult to execute such a mission against the terrain-following,low-IR emission cruise missiles.

Boeing Opens New Advanced Composite Fabrication Center For Future Combat Aircraft Work - Avionics International

Boeing Opens New Advanced Composite Fabrication Center For Future Combat Aircraft Work - Avionics International: Boeing on Monday opened a new $150 million facility in Mesa, Arizona for producing advanced composite components for future combat aircraft programs.

NATO Land Forces:Saber Junction 22 Tests Combined Operations

More than 4400 troops are currently participating in land warfare drills at the US Army Hohenfels Training Area,Germany.Allied and Partner nations partcipating include Albania,Belgium,Bulgaria,Georgia,Hungary,Italy,Kosovo,Lithuania,North Macedonia,Romania,Slovakia,Turkey,the UK and the US. Bulgarian Soldiers are acting as members of the US Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade.More than 100 members of Bulgaria's Headquarters,2nd Mechanised Battalion;the self-propelled artillery battalion of 61st Stryama Mechanised Brigade with 15 units of equipment;and members of the Intelligence,Surveillance and Reconnaisance Battalion (STAR) are improving their skills through the exercise.The annual drills are to assess the preparedness of US Army units to execute unified land operations in a joint,combined environment while enhancing interoperability with Allied and Partner nations.* The exercise runs from 29 August to 20 September 2022.It trains leaders,staff,units and multinational partners to dominate in unified land operations worldwide.For example,on Airborne Operations Day 1,immediately being dropped,a US Army paratrooper checked his automatic rifle out before doing anything else.Another US Army paratrooper strode across the meadow with his machine gun at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels on 7 September.The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the US Army's rapidly deployable Contingency Response Force in Europe.They are forward deployed across Italy and Germany.*

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 …

Advanced Air Mobility Center in Ohio Will Enable Collaboration between USAF, NASA, Academia, and Industry - Aviation Today

Advanced Air Mobility Center in Ohio Will Enable Collaboration between USAF, NASA, Academia, and Industry - Aviation Today: Construction of a facility for advanced air mobility projects began last month in Springfield, Ohio. The center is funded by $9.35M in investments.

UK,US and Irish Defence Forces Track Russian Warships

A Russian Navy task group has been traversing the North Atlantic Ocean near Ireland recently,drawing the scrutiny of Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster (F229),a US Navy P8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft and an Irish Air Corps surveillance plane-and possibly an Irish Sea Service vessel.The USN aircraft departed Iceland on the morning of 30 August 2022 and headed toward the West Coast of Ireland where the Russian warships were located.Indeed,the Russian task group have reportedly been loitering for several weeks in the North Atlantic.The task group includes the Russian naval tanker Vyazma;the cruise missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov;and the destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov.Initially,they sailed north toward the Irish Sea,but strangely turned around and made for the southwest.The task group has been in the same general area off the West Coast of Ireland for at least two weeks.*Typically such a task group is accompanied by a Russian hunter killer submarine.The area is in international waters,but also solidly within the Republic of Ireland's exclusive economic zone.The Irish Defence Forces do not comment on operational deployments.British experts,however,observed that the Russian task group was exhibiting aggressive posturing behaviour reminiscent of the Cold War.The warships are believed to ultimately be headed back to their homeport in Russia's Kola Peninsula,having first supported Russia's brutal Ukraine war.It is possible that,on their way home,they will reconnoiter around HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane,Scotland,home of the UK'S ballistic missile submarine nuclear deterrent force.Additionally,a number of US Navy vessels have been making a series of port calls at HMNB Clyde for at least the past few months-mostly USN submarines,but also recently including the guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51).The aim of the visits is to assure strategic cooperation with the Royal Navy.* There has been concern within NATO that such Russian Navy task groups may be practising sabotage against the critical undersea telecommunications cables linking Europe to North America.These cables are essential for Internet traffic.There are dozens of the North Atlantic cables.European data is largely stored in data centers in the US.So these and other undersea cables have been referred to as the world's information system highway,conveying more than 95% of international data.They enable cost-effective,reliable communications supportive of global business.The cables provide high band width connections supporting financial transactions and scientific cooperation.They also support national security,as the US military uses these private assets to conduct its own operations.Even Russian surface warships could deploy submersibles to sabotage or tap into the undersea cables,let alone what their hunter killer submarines could do.The Russian Navy may be simulating attacks on the North Atlantic information highway.It may be possible for such adversaries as Russia and China to disrupt the NATO Alliance's network management systems.*

NASA chief talks latest Artemis 1 launch scrub, possible VAB roll back

Newly elected national commander: ‘We all need to ‘Be the One’”

Newly elected national commander: ‘We all need to ‘Be the One’”: New York Legionnaire Vincent ‘Jim’ Troiola will make suicide prevention initiative a priority in upcoming year.

Lockheed Martin Notes High Mission Capable Rates for Forward F-35s, While Training Aircraft Lag - Aviation Today

Lockheed Martin Notes High Mission Capable Rates for Forward F-35s, While Training Aircraft Lag - Aviation Today: While the overall mission capable (MC) rate of the Lockheed Martin F-35 is around 60%, forward military detachments have seen MC rates of over 80%.

Five Things to Know, Aug. 29, 2022 - American Legion

Five Things to Know, Aug. 29, 2022: U.S guided-missile cruisers enter Taiwan Strait, another American killed fighting alongside Ukraine soldiers.

L3Harris Pursuing Early Materials Acquisition for SDA Tracking Layer Satellites

L3Harris Pursuing Early Materials Acquisition for SDA Tracking Layer Satellites: The fiscal year 2022 defense appropriations law provided $550 million for the Space Development Agency (SDA) to accelerate development of the Tracking

Demanding Scenario:Air Shielding NATO'S Eastern Flank

On 22 August 2022,NATO'S Allied Air Command (AAC) directed a large-scale,multinational drill over Slovakia.Participating were military personnel from France,Slovakia,the UK and the US.The complex,long-range operation had many of the Allies fly from their home bases,supported by air refueling tankers.Among the aircraft were fourth and fifth generation fighter jets such as the F-22 Raptor,Rafale,MiG-29,and Eurofighter Typhoons,as well as B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Minot Air Force Base,North Dakota.The strategic bombers had flown from RAF Fairford,England on a Bomber Task Force mission. During the exercise,the formation flew against joint German/Netherlands Surface Based Air and Missile Defence Patriot Missile batteries that had been deployed to Slovakia to shield NATO'S Eastern Flank.The essential joint training involved executing precision strikes while enhancing Alliance interoperability and heightening readiness.It was the B-52s' first mission since arriving in England on 18 August.* According to Air Marshal Johnny Stringer,Deputy Commander AAC,the participation of such a diverse and capable array of Allied aircraft demonstrates the Alliance's ability to react to any threat across the Euro-Atlantic area,while also demonstrating the reach,interoperability and agility of the Allied forces as they ensure freedom of access and maintain collective security.The USAF bombers will continue to execute similar missions over the next few months in the European theatre of operations.* The Air Shielding drill prepared NATO forces to operate in a contested and sophisticated threat environment,thus ensuring a capable and credible response to any aggression such as that displayed by Russia in its senseless invasion of Ukraine's sovereign territory.After the Slovakia exercise,the B-52s were escorted by Turkiye F-16 Fighting Falcons through Turkish airspace.As for the fifth generation F-22s,they had arrived in Europe at RAF Lakenheath,England on 26 July en route to Poland's 32nd Tactical Air Base,Lask.The Raptors are out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,Alaska.They are deployed for four-five months in support of the Air Shielding mission,the purpose of which is to safeguard NATO Allies from air and missile attacks by leveraging both air and ground-based assets.Air Shielding provides a near seamless shield from the Baltic to the Black Seas.The F-22s are ideally suited to the mission,being a highly strategic warfighting platform.Over the next year,the Air Force will have various types of aircraft rotating into Europe for approximately four month deployments to supplement its permanent deployments.After a year,the Air Force will reassess and adjust as necessary,said U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Force Africa and Allied Air Command's new commander,General James B. Hecker.A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and veteran of the Afghan War,General Hecker was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster;the Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters;the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters;the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star;and the NATO Kosovo Medal,among many others.*

CENTCOM forces respond to attempted coordinated rocket attacks at Conoco, Green Village bases

CENTCOM forces respond to attempted coordinated rocket attacks at Conoco, Green Village ba: TAMPA, Fla. – U.S. forces responded today to rocket attacks at two sites in Syria, destroying three vehicles and equipment used to launch some of the rockets. Initial assessments indicate that two or

22 August 2022:B-52 bombers on their way to Eastern Europe 🇲🇰 🇦🇱 🇲🇪 🇭🇷 from RAF Fairford,England on a NATO Air Shielding mission,performing deterrence flyovers over Allies North Macedonia,Albania,Montenegro and Croatia

Adversaries Put on Notice as Carrier Strike Group 10 Deploys

The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG 10) deployed from Naval Station Norfolk,Virginia on 10 August 2022.Besides the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 7 (CAW 7),the CSG includes warships guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55);guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 26 (DESRON 26) USS Nitze (DDG 94),USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) on its maiden deployment,USS Farragut (DDG 99) and USS Truxton (DDG 103);and typically an unannounced nuclear-powered attack submarine.* Said Rear Admiral Dennis Velez,Commander Carrier Strike Group 10:We bring the full range of U.S. and Allied maritime power in support of national security and defense objectives wherever we sail.Throughout our deployment,we will continue to operate with and reassure our Allies,maintain open sea lanes for trade and increased prosperity,and deter-or if necessary-destroy our adversaries.* Added Captain David-Tavis Pollard,CO of George H.W. Bush:George H.W. Bush Sailors are warriors,leaders,teachers and ambassadors leaning forward,representing their families,hometowns,and the American people wherever we operate.* The Navy explained that CSG 10 is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter,and,if necessary,defeat America's adversaries in support of national security.In total,the CSG is a force of more than 6,000 Sailors,capable of executing a wide range of missions worldwide.The aircraft carrier herself is a flexible,tailorable warfighting capability for the national command authority,which,with the CSG,mainitains maritime stability and security to ensure access,deter aggression,and defend US,Allied and Partner intetrests.* As of 19 August,the CSG remained in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia.It is believed it will set sail for Europe shortly to relieve the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group currently on deployment in the European theatre of operations.* The sponsor of the USS George H.W. Bush is Dorothy "Doro" Bush,daughter of the late President George H.W. Bush.She recorded a message of support for CSG 10 on the occasion of its deployment.

Lockheed Martin Receives Contract for $7.6 Billion for 129 Total F-35s in Lot 15 - Aviation Today

Lockheed Martin Receives Contract for $7.6 Billion for 129 Total F-35s in Lot 15 - Aviation Today: Lockheed Martin has received a more than $7.6 billion contract for 129 F-35 fighters in Lot 15–49 F-35As for the U.S. Air Force.

Glory Trip 243 Launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base

USMC F-35B Lightning II Arrives At RAAF Base Tindal (10 August 2022),Australia

US Navy Sailor Lost Overboard During Baltic Operations

The US Navy has announced that Seaman Recruit David L. Spearman,19,was lost overboard from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missie destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) on 1 August 2022 in the Baltic Sea near Helsinki,Finland.During watch that afternoon,a lookout saw a person in the water.Man overboard procedures were initiated.The ensuing search involved both the German and Swedish Navies,as well as the Arleigh Burke's crew and the US Air Force.The search was called off on 2 August.* Seaman Recruit Spearman was from Etowah,Henderson County in Western North Carolina.He had completed training at Surface Warfare Engineering School Command in Great Lakes,Illinois in April.According to his commanding officer,Commander Pete Flynn,David made an oversized,positive impact on the warship.CDR Flynn also thanked all those involved in the extensive,day and night search and rescue efforts.Spearman,called "Dee" by his family,had a family history of naval service.* The Arleigh Burke is one of four destroyers forward-deployed to Rota,Spain.They are to be joined by two more destroyers as ordered by US President Joeseph R. Biden,bringing the total to six,in light of Russia's unwarranted aggression against Ukraine,which has necessitated an increased NATO presence along the Alliance's Eastern Flank.The augmented destroyer presence,long sought by U.S. European Command,will facilitate better sensing,command and control,and ballistic missile defence capability.* For if we live,we live to the Lord;and if we die,we die to the Lord.Therefore,whether we live or die,we are the Lord's.(Romans 14:8)

US Air Force Awards eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements Contract to Aptima - Aviation Today

US Air Force Awards eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements Contract to Aptima - Aviation Today: Aptima will work with the Air Education and Training Command’s Detachment 62 to determine requirements for eVTOL pilot training as part of the USAF contract

101st Airborne Division deployed to Camp Mihail Kogălniceanu - from departure to arrival in Europe, plus some good interviews with captains and NCOs

101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Soldiers arrive in Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase,Romania 28 June 2022

Response to Russia:Screaming Eagles Back in Europe for First Time Since World War II

The US Army's 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),the Screaming Eagles,have been deployed to Europe for the first time in nearly eight decades.Hundreds of members of the unit,which participated in the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944,arrived back in the continent after departing from Campbell Army Airfield,Kentucky on 27 June 2022 on a nine-month deployment to Europe.Their mission?To assure NATO Allies and deter Russian aggression.According to Col.John Lubas,deputy commander for operations 101st Airborne Division: We're going to check the Russian influence and we're going to impact the Russians' decision-making for probably the next 10-20 years.We're going to do this with all our Partners in NATO,the European Union and the West,and this is an incredibly important mission.* Major General J.P. McGee,commanding general 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell,said the Division had been in an increased readiness posture for several months and is just as prepared now as in World War II: Since D-Day,June 6,1944,this Division has repeatedly answered the nation's call in every major conflict.The Screaming Eagles of today are ready to support our Allies to preserve the long-lasting stability of the Europe that our predecessors fought and died to secure.* On 30 July 2022,the 101st uncased their colours (flags) in the traditional Army ceremony marking their arrival in Europe at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase,Romania.They were welcomed by the Prime Minister of Romania,Nicolae Ciuca.The troops will be deployed to Bulgaria,Hungary,Romania and Slovakia,representing the ironclad commitment of the United States to its Allies.They will be deployed in support of U.S. Army V Corps,reinforce NATO'S Eastern Flank and engage in multi-national exercises with Partners across the European theatre of operations.The unit's Soldiers in Romania are only 198 miles/318.65 kilometers from where the fighting is raging in Kherson,Ukraine,which makes them the most foward-deployed force in the US military.* More recently,the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) had served in Vietnam,Iraq and Afghanistan.Their current deployment to Europe includes elements of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team.*

August 4 Live Broadcast: Atlas V SBIRS GEO 6 launch for the U.S. Space Force - SBIRS provides missile early warning for the President,Secretary of Defense,combatant commanders and the Intelligence Community

Update:Marine Corps" Lightning Carriers" On Watch as China Surrounds Taiwan

Two US Navy America-class amphibious assault ships,which are testing the small aircraft carrier role,are among the naval forces on watch as China encircles Taiwan with "military operations,"as they put it,in response to the arrival of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Songshan Airport in Taipei,Taiwan.Having begun her mission in Singapore,the Speaker had been escorted by US Air Force F-15 Eagle fighters on her flight from Malaysia.The flight took the long route over Southeast Asia,rather than the short cut over the tense South China Sea where China has been engaged in bullying activities.The other maritime forces involved are in the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.So the two Marine Corps aviation carriers,which have embarked F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (the Marine Corps variant of the F-35 featuring short takeoff/vertical landing) are to the north of Taiwan,with the USS America (LHA 6) in its homeport of Sasebo,Japan and the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) just off the Okinawa Prefecture coast;while the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is on watch to the south of Taiwan in the South China Sea.It is impossible to say just how far Beijing will go with these operations.Best case,they will just lob a few missiles into the sea,make some low passes near Taiwan and go home.Yet the Pentagon has prepared for the worst case scenario as well.* Mrs.Pelosi's US Air Force C-40 VIP transport may have taken the long route;but it landed at Songshan as fast as a bat out of hell.She and her Congressional delegation then stayed the night at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei.Speaker Pelosi,a longtime critic of Red China,addressed the Taiwan legislature in the morning and had a meeting scheduled with the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen,planning to depart in the afternoon and head for Japan and South Korea.Russian and Chinese warships have nearly encircled the main island of Japan in recent days.The flotilla of ten warships was just "ensuring stability in a volatile region,"the two rogue nations stated.* Future iterations of the America-class are to have the well-deck restored so they can truly be amphibious landing ships again.The well decks had been removed from the first two ships of the class,the America and the Tripoli,to make room for more hangar and aviation-related storage space.*

Nancy Pelosi's Flight Lands In Taiwan Amid Warnings By China - Songshan Airport,Taipei,Taiwan - 2244 hours local time - 2 August 2022

Bulletin:Pentagon Prepared as Speaker Nancy Pelosi Departs for Asia on Military VIP Plane - Updated

The Department of Defense is prepared to deploy military assets to protect Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and her Congressional delegation,should she choose to visit Taiwan over hostile Chinese rhetoric against her planned visit at the invitation of Taiwan,the Associated Press quoted U.S. officials as saying.Mrs.Pelosi declined to reveal whether or not she was going to Taiwan for security reasons.As Speaker,Nancy Pelosi is third in line for the presidency,after Vice President Kamala Harris.It's been 25 years since one of her predecessors,Speaker Newt Gingrich,traveled to Taiwan in 1997.Although President Joseph R. Biden didn't seem enthusiastic about her plans,he has no authority to order her not to go,since she is a member of the co-equal Legislative Branch.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,General Mark Milley,US Army,indicated that,should the Speaker or anyone else decide to visit Taiwan,the Pentagon will do what is necessary to ensure a safe conduct of her visit.Military assets already deployed to the Indo-Pacific Region are considered adequate for the task. China has warned it will take "firm and forceful measures" against such a visit in order to safeguard what it considers its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.Accompanying Mrs.Pelosi will be Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-New York),Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and unspecified others. According to the AP sources,the protection provided to Pelosi and her delegation will apply to her flights into and out of Taiwan;but also while she is on the ground.There would be overlapping rings of protection for her throughout her visit.There would also be search and rescue assets on alert in case of an accident in the air or on the ground.In addition to possibly visiting Taiwan,the Speaker is planning to visit South Korea,Singapore,Japan and Malaysia.Said Congressman Darin La Hood (R-Texas): It is inappropriate for foreign governments,including the Chinese government,to attempt to influence the ability or the right to travel for the Speaker,Members of Congress,or other U.S. Government officials to Taiwan or anywhere else in the world.* The South China Morning Post said that the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Strike Group had departed Singapore on Tuesday,heading in the direction of the South China Sea.A US Navy spokesman confirmed that the Reagan CSG was now in the South China Sea,but declined to comment on the Pelosi visit.Besides the USS Ronald Reagan,the CSG consists of the embarked Carrier Air Wing V (CVW5);the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54);and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76).Customarily,a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine also accompanies a Carrier Strike Group,but is not announced.A sensitive source told Radio Free Asia that the Reagan CSG could sail close to the east side of Taiwan in a show of power,but will not engage in any confrontation with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).U.S. Indo-Pacific Command declined to comment on the RFA report.* Updates:Speaker Pelosi's plane left San Francisco on Saturday.It is a Boeing C-40C and flew at an altitude of 32,000 ft/9.7536 km.The plane has an American flag on its tail and "United States of America" on its fuselage,with the livery resembling the Air Force One colours.The C-40C is a military version of the Boeing 737 Next Generation.It has auxiliary fuel tanks giving an unrefueled range of up to 5,000 nautical miles,or up to 5800 mi/9300 km.The C-40C is a VIP transport version for Cabinet members and Congressional use.The D.C. Air National Guard operates two of the aircraft,and the US Air Force Reserve 932nd Airlift Wing operates three more of them out of Scott Air Force Base,Illinois.* Also on Saturday,the PLA conducted live-fire drills near the Pingtan Islands off Fujian Province,near the Taiwan Strait.As well,the PLA Navy (PLAN) conducted exercises off the Chinese South Coast near Guangdong on the South China Sea,where the USS Ronald Reagan CSG is also sailing.

Artemis I Launching to the Moon: Official NASA Launch Trailer - The launch window for this uncrewed test flight opens 29 August 2022.

NATO'S Artillery Drills of the Year:Dynamic Front 22

NATO Exercise Dynamic Front 22 has run from 6-24 July 2022 at the Grafenwoehr Training Area,Germany.Participting in the premier artillery drills were some 3,000 troops from 19 Allied and Partner nations:Bulgaria,Czech Republic,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Georgia,Greece,Italy,Kosovo,Poland,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia,Spain,Turkey,the UK and the US.DF 22 aimed to improve NATO Allies' and Partners' ability to execute multi-echelon fires,as well as tests interoperability of both tactical and theatre-level fires in a live environment.It was led by the US Army's 56th Artillery Command and directed by U.S. Army Europe and Africa.* DF 22 was based on Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities (ASCA) software.The software creates one consistent line of communication digitally,linking artillery Command and Control systems in real time,nullifying language and speeding up signals.The exercise allows for controlled access throughout NATO'S operations systems,thus unifying and strengthening the joint force.Working together,the Allies and Partners display their capabilities in multi-echelon fires,deploying together,connecting on the same network and communicating with the same software as they develop solutions for strategic and tactical fires interoperability.ASCA takes fires data from one Ally and translates between the different Allied fires systems.In DF 22,Allies processed fires missions from a NATO Corps down to the tactical level.Connected fires contribute to the ability to deter any threat to NATO.ASCA enables delivering massed fires onto a given location.* German Bundeswehr Soldiers of Artillerie Bataillon 131 used Panzer 2000 self-propelled howitzers.To fire them,they dismounted from the tracked vehicles and pulled a lanyard to discharge the ammunition.Finnish troops participated mainly in an observer capacity,gathering information as to how they might contribute to further iterations of Dynamic Front.

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 …

Exercise Diamond Storm 2022 | No. 1 Squadron F/A-18F Super Hornet cockpit video - raw footage - Royal Australian Air Force

Two USAF B-2A Spirit Stealth Bombers Arrive into RAAF Base Amberley - with radio traffic

Pacific Perspective:B-2 Bombers to RAAF Amberley

On 10 July 2022,two B-2 Spirit strategic nuclear-capable bombers arrived at Royal Australian Air Force Amberley near Brisbane,Australia in support of a U.S. Pacific Air Forces Bomber Task Force deployment.The BTF manifests the Force Posture Agreement between the US and Australia,USPACAF said.By conducting training missions and strategic deterrence missions with Allies,Partners and Joint Forces,the cause of a free and open Indo-Pacific Region will be advanced.The B-2 deployment demonstrates and enhances the readiness and lethality of our long-range penetrating strike force,according to Lt.Col. Andrew Kousgaard,Commander 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron,the squadron which dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.This deployment also implements the National Defense Strategy's objectives of strategic predictability and operational unpredictability.The BTF enables different types of strategic bombers to operate in the Indo-Pacific Region from a broad range of overseas and continental United States locations with greater operational resilience,USPACAF noted.* On 12 July 2022,two more B-2 Spirits arrived at RAAF Amberley.All four bombers are out of Whiteman Air Force Base,Missouri.Robust strategic relationships with Allies and Partners demonstrates US commitment to the collective defence of Indo-Pacific nations and bolsters the abiltiy of US Airmen to respond to crises.Thus the readiness of forces is enhanced,facilitating response to regional threats and upholding the international rule of law in the Indo-Pacific.Hot refueling,which is done with engines running,with Australian equipment and air-to-air refueling with Australian KC-130 tankers will be part of the BTF drills,developing the skills to effectively operate across the vast distances of the Region.* An RAAF spokeswoman said the deployment is part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation,one of the two elements of the Force Posture Initiatives (FPI) currently in force,the other one being Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D).This air initiative involves rotational bomber and fighter aircraft deployments to Australia and has been operating successfully for several years.It also includes ongoing infrastructure improvements of RAAF air bases to handle new deployments of USAF B-2 bombers,as well as F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft and F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters.The upgrades will enable US aircraft to deploy effectively in a crisis such as conflicts with China and North Korea.Other upgrades are to carried out in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands under the FPI. * The Government of Australia considers its Alliance with the US to be its most important Defence relationship,central to Australia's strategic and security arrangements.Thus the Australia-US Force Posture Initiatives were announced on 16 November 2011 by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US President Barack Obama.The first MRF-D was deployed in 2012.In 2014,the FPI were signed at Australia-US Ministerial Consultations.In 2015,the FPI went into force;and in 2017,the EAC commenced.

Ripple effects in the Arctic - American Legion

Ripple effects in the Arctic: In the face of Putin’s aggression, NATO looks to take a more proactive approach to the High North.

NATO ‘air shielding’ to bolster missile defenses along alliance’s eastern edges

NATO ‘air shielding’ to bolster missile defenses along alliance’s eastern edges: NATO to add missile defense assets to guard against any potential threats that arise from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Rocket Lab 'Wise One Looks Ahead' Launch for the National Reconnaissance Office - Launch Complex 1,Mahia Peninsula,New Zealand

Engine Section for Artemis II Moves to Final Assembly at Michoud Assembly Facility,New Orleans - It will be joined to the rest of the SLS Core Stage.Artemis II will be the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft..

Orion Program Update:Launch Windows Set for Artemis I Mission - plus a closer look at the Orion capsule

On 2 July 2022,the complete Space Launch System rocket/Orion spacecraft stack for the uncrewed Artemis I test flight arrived back at the Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).It had completed the wet dress rehearsal,or fueling test,at Launch Complex 39B and been moved on the crawler transporter to the VAB.NASA teams extended access platforms around the stacked vehicles to facilitate final preparations for launch.The preferred launch windows for the mission are from 23-29 August and 2-6 September 2022.Artemis I involves sending the Orion crew module and European Service Module (ESM) on a journey 40,000 miles/64,373.6 kilometers past the Moon,the farthest a human-rated spacecraft has ever been from Earth.Three manikins will be strapped into the capsule to provide data on what the astronauts will experience on Orion.* In the VAB,technicians are inspecting,fixing and checking out equipment associated with a seal of the tail service mast umbilical that leaked during the 20 June wet dress rehearsal.Engineers are examining the area where they will replace two seals on the quick disconnect hardware.Engineers have already completed the last remaining engineering test that is part of the VAB integrated testing operations.In other work,engineers swapped out a computer on the Boeing Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) called the Inertial Navigation and Control Assembly unit and replaced it with the actual flight computer,which will be tested next week.The new flight unit has freshly calibrated inertial navigation sensors and updated software to guide and navigate the upper stage during flight,the NASA Artemis blog indicated.Technicians have also been activating numerous batteries for the SLS rocket elements,such as those on the Solid Rocket Boosters and ICPS.Still to come is activation of batteries for the SLS Core Stage and the installation of all batteries.Batteries power the rocket elements in the final countdown moments and during ascent on launch day.As well,enginners charged batteries for the secondary payloads located on the Orion Stage Adapter.In coming weeks,they will install the payloads inside the Orion spacecraft,NASA said.* The Orion capsule,which forms the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (OCMPV) with the ESM,is uniquely designed for deep space exploration.It can accomodate a crew of four for up to 21 days on journeys to the Moon and lunar orbiting Gateway space station.Eventually,the Orion spacecraft will play a key role in sending humans to Mars.Together with the ESM,the capsule offers advanced technology for deep space missions that will provide life support,avionics,power systems and state-of-the-art thermal protection during launch,landing and recovery.* A backbone assembly of crisscrossing aluminum beams in the Orion capsule provides the floor structure where crew seats are attached and crew storage lockers are located.Touch screen control panels eliminate the need for paper manuals and toggle switches.Water tanks and a dispenser will provide drinking water and facilitate rehydration and warming of food.A hygiene bay contains a new compact toilet with advanced design making it easier to use for both men and women,while a built in exercise device provides both aerobic and strength training.Two large storage lockers on the floor of the capsule serve as shelters during a radiation event such as solar flares,using dense materials on board for shielding.The Orion crew module is 50% larger than the Apollo capsule.* Lockheed Martin is prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft and Airbus Defence and Space builds the ESM.Thales Alenia Space makes thermomechanical contributions to the ESM,including micrometeoroid protection.* Lockheed Martin (LMT),Boeing (BA),Airbus Group (EADSY) US:OTC

Sweden 🇸🇪 and NATO train to keep Gotland secure

NATO Secretary General at the Allied Command Operations change of command - complete ceremony - 04 JUL 2022

LauncherOne rocket launches “Straight Up” Mission from the Cosmic Girl aircraft for the U.S. Space Force and Department of Defense - several CubeSat payloads for experiments related to advanced communications,navigation and so on

New US Military Deployments to Europe Bolster NATO'S Force Posture

In light of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine,including several war crimes,NATO called for a robust response from NATO Allies.The Pentagon has answered the call by bringing US troop strength in Europe first up to 100,000.Now it will commit even more forces to the mission of deterring Russian aggression in Europe.The exact number of troops hasn't been released yet,but the list of new deployments is substantial.These include the following: in Poland,the U.S. Army is establishing a permanent Headquarters Command Post for U.S. Army V Corps,an Army Garrison Headquarters,and a Field Support Battalion.This will facilitate Command and Control of U.S. Forces in the Eastern Flank of NATO; in Romania,a new Brigade Combat Team of 3,000 Infantry and 2,000 Support Troops will be rotationally deployed; in the Baltic Sea Region,there will be increased rotational deployments of armoured,air defence,and Special Operations Forces; in Rota,Spain,the number of homeported Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers is being increased from four to six; in the UK,two new F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Squadrons are being forward deployed; in Germany,there will be new forward deployments of an Air-Defence Artillery Brigade Headquarters;a Short Range Air-Defence Battalion,a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Headquarters;and an Engineer Brigade Headquarters; in Italy,there will be a new forward deployed Short Range Air-Defence Battalion.* Additionally,NATO announced it is transforming the NATO Response Force by increasing ready forces from 40,000 to over 300,000 troops on alert for short notice deployment from their home countries.As well,the Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroups are being scaled up from Battalion size (300-1,000 troops) up to Brigade size (3,000-5,000 troops).New eFP Battlegroups are to be located in Hungary,Slovakia,Romania and Bulgaria,joining the current Battlegroups in Latvia,Lithuania,Estonia and Poland.*

USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) arrives in Faslane, Scotland

USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) arrives in Faslane, Scotland: The U.S. Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740) arrived at Her Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde, Scotland (Faslane) for a scheduled port visit, July 1, 2022.

US Air Force Picks LIFT Airborne Technologies’ Helmet for Fixed Wing Aircraft - Aviation Today

US Air Force Picks LIFT Airborne Technologies’ Helmet for Fixed Wing Aircraft - Aviation Today: The U.S. Air Force has picked California-based LIFT Airborne Technologies‘ AV 2.2 helmet to serve as the Next Generation Fixed Wing helmet. LIFT Technologies’ offering was competing in the prototype phase against two designs by Michigan-based aircraft helmet heavyweight, GENTEX Corp., and Idaho-based Aviation Specialties Unlimited, which teamed with Tennessee-based Paraclete Aviation Life Support. The AV 2.2, after …

Last WWII Medal of Honor recipient leaves legacy

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Putin warns after Finland and Sweden invited to join NATO - CNBC

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 US President Joe Biden at the NATO Summit...New US Deployments to Europe:more troops,fighter aircraft and warships

British Army Chief warns UK and allies facing '1937 moment' - General Sir Patrick Sanders

U.S. ambassador to NATO discusses Europe's biggest security crisis in decades

Pacific Perspective:USMC Develops Aviation Combat Skills With Australian Allies

The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRD-F) conducted Exercises RAPTOR'S STRIKE 22 and DIAMOND STORM 22 with Australian Defence Force (ADF) counterparts from 2 May-24 June in Adelaide,South Australia,MRF-D reported.RAPTOR'S STRIKE enhanced low altitude air defence (LAAD) interoperability as LAAD Marines from Marine Air Combat Group 38 Detachment (MACG 38) integrated with ADF personnel.MRD-F Marines worked closely with 100 Air Defence Battery to improve integrated air and missile defence,thus demonstrating a primary feature of Force Design 2030 concepts and expeditionary advanced base operations.In the current Indo-Pacific Region environment,with a militarily assertive China and Russia causing concern from Japan to Taiwan and beyond,air defence assets are critical as they enable manoeuvring.Integrating these Marine Corps assets with Allied air defence capabilities further increases the ability to maintain freedom to manoeuvre.* Next,the MRD-F ACE moved on to DIAMOND STORM 22,providing aviation coordination and battlespace awareness to the Allied exercise force.Working beside Royal Australian Air Force counterparts,they developed key relationships;Anti-Air Warfare Tactics,Techniques and Procedures (TTP);and enhanced MRF-D battlespace awareness.While supporting real-world contingencies,the drills were also critical enablers of Exercises KOOLENDONG 22 and PITCH BLACK 22,which is led by the ADF.DIAMOND STORM was an Air Warfare Instructor Course incorporating top Australian pilots and Special Operations Forces. MACG 38 provided battlespace awareness and MRD-F Marines also supported the drills with MV-22 Osprey lift,transportation and manoeuvre.The ADF Air Warfare Centre and 88 Squadron focused on detailed integration of offensive air support;offensive counter-air;suppression of enemy air defences;fixed wing-delivered close air support;and Airborne Command and Control.The participants operated force-on-force against a thinking adversary with a comprehensive and modern integrated air defence system,within a contested electromagnetic spectrum environment and during the conduct of long-range combat assault transport missions.

OUR KOREAN WAR STORY: The arms issue

OUR KOREAN WAR STORY: The arms issue: American Legion sought answers why the United States was unprepared, despite $60 billion in military funding, for the Korean War.

Increasing Firepower:Advanced Technology USN Warship Deployed to Rota,Spain

On 17 June 2022,the newest Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) member,USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117),arrived at its new homeport of Rota,Spain.It had recently been operating with NATO Allies Canada,France,Germany and Norway in Exercises Cable Car and Green Light.In the Baltic Sea,the high tech vessel had also integrated with the 2nd Marine Division and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group with the embarked Amphibious Squadron Six and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).What is more,the guided-missile destroyer interoperated with the new Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) during the inaugural deployment of the Sioux City.Paul Ignatius commanding officer Commander Aaron Arky said that:I couldn't be more proud of the team as they superbly conducted undersea,air-defence and expeditionary operations during this patrol.* The Paul Ignatius was commissioned in 2019 as the second of eight Flight IIA:Technology Insertion ships,bringing enhanced capability and technology advancements to U.S. Navy Europe and Destroyer Squadron 60 (DESRON 60),according to NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY ROTA.The heavily armed Arleigh Burke-class warship is able to conduct missions ranging from sea control and power projection to disaster reflief.Alongside the Paul Ignatius,Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 arrived in Rota as well,providing rotary-wing aircraft mission capabilities to the four FDNF-E destroyers deployed there.* Flight IIA:Technology Insertion destroyers are equipped with Aegis Baseline 9,which provides improved Integrated Air and Missile Defence capabilities.Their increased computing power and radar capabilities can quickly detect and react to modern air warfare and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) threats.The multi-mission ships provide a wide range of warfighting capabilities in the multi-threat air,surface and submarine warfare domains.Each of the destroyers is armed with 96 Standard,Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rockets (ASROC) and Tomahawk Air-to-Surface/Loitering Attack Missiles;a 5-inch Mark-45 gun;2 Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS);and two Mark-32 triple 324 mm torpedo tubes for Mark-46 or Mark-50 ASW torpedoes.

Shield AI Raises $165 Million In Funding Round To Accelerate Autonomous Piloting - Aviation Today

Shield AI Raises $165 Million In Funding Round To Accelerate Autonomous Piloting - Aviation Today: Defense technology startup Shield AI has closed a $165 million funding round that the company said will be used to accelerate the development artificial intelligence (AI) pilots, including in degraded GPS and communications environments. Shield AI said that with the investment it is now the fourth startup valued in the multi-billion-dollar range in the past 20 years, …

North Atlantic Ocean Strategy:NATO'S Dynamic Mongoose 22

NATO has announced that an iteration of its premier anti-submarine warfare drills,Dynamic Mongoose 22,will commence on 13 June.Maritime forces from nine NATO Allies will take part:Canada,Denmark,France,Germany,the Netherlands,Norway,Portugal,the UK and the US.Vessels will include three submarines;11 surface warships;and 16 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.The annual wargames provide complex,realistic and challenging warfighting drills to enhance proficiency in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare disciplines in a context of safe operations.Submarines will take turns hunting and being hunted in coordination with air and surface combatants.The exercise will also demonstrate the readiness and mobility of the maritime element of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF),the spearhead of the NATO Response Force.According to Commander,Submarines NATO,Rear Admiral Stephen Mack,USN,the drils will enhance teamwork and improve knowledge of the operating area,the expansive waters of the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap between Iceland and Norway.* The maritime warfighters will practise Anti-Access/Area Denial operations in the GIUK Gap,flexing critical skills at closing the Gap to naval forces from adversaries such as Russia and China.Indeed,the NATO maritime forces had assembled at Reykjavik,Iceland on 9 June.The exercise will thus consist of conducting sea control/sea denial-related naval tasks in preparation for future collective defence and crisis response operations,NATO noted.*

Raytheon Technologies Moving Global Headquarters To Northern Virginia - Aviation Today

Raytheon Technologies Moving Global Headquarters To Northern Virginia - Aviation Today: Raytheon Technologies on Tuesday said it will establish its global headquarters in Northern Virginia, close to many of its government customers in the Washington, D.C., area, a move that follows Boeing’s decision a month ago to relocate its corporate headquarters to the region. Raytheon said it will be moving to Rosslyn, an area of Arlington Virginia …

A symbol of freedom, unity and hope - Flag Day

A symbol of freedom, unity and hope: On Flag Day, June 14, we stand together to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and commemorate the adoption of the first official flag.

Major NATO Maritime Drills Commence:BALTOPS 22

On 5 June 2022,NATO exercise BALTOPS 22 begins in the Baltic Sea Region.The drills will run through 17 June.According to U.S. Naval Forces Europe,BALTOPS 22 will strengthen the combined response capability that is crtitical to preserving freedom of navigation and security in the region.Those participating include:Belgium,Bulgaria,Denmark,Estonia,Finland,France,Germany,Latvia,Lithuania,the Netherlands,Norway,Poland,Sweden,Turkey,the UK and the US.A myriad of capabilities will demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritme forces,to include:amphibious operations;gunnery;anti-submarine and air defence drills;mine clearance operations;explosive ordnance disposal;unmanned underwater vehicles;and medical response.Sweden is the host nation.* The scenario builds on BALTOPS 21 story lines and continues the incorporation of the space domain in coordination with the NATO Space Centre.The team of international forces will be tasked with responding rapidly in a time of crisis.Over 45 ships;75 aircraft;and some 7,000 service members will execute the manoeuvres.US Navy warships taking part include:the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3),dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44),guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20).* Strategically,Finland and Sweden's penchant for employing small missile-armed surface combatants and shore-based aircraft with Sweden's stealthy submarines in the context of Nordic geography creates significant Anti-Access/Area Denial capabilties.This could be used to block Russian transit of the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean.The exercise will take place in the Central and Southern Baltic Sea and include drills in the Stockholm archipelago near Uto;on land and sea outside Visby and Faro;on Ravlunda Exercise Field;on Osterlen and in Hano Bay.Sweden will contribute a submarine;two Visby corvettes;two minesweepers;four fighter aircraft;two helicopters and more than 500 troops.There will also be drills on riparian land ranges in Germany,Poland,Sweden and the Baltic States.Warfighting simulation will include maritime interdiction and personnel recovery,strengthening the cohesion and skillsets of NATO Allies and Partners.Personnel recovery is the recovery and reintegration of isolated military personnel,those who must survive,evade,resist or escape because they became separated from their units during combat operations.The Warrior's Ethos states:I will never leave a fallen comrade.An adversary may influence military strategy and national will by exploiting the intelligence and propaganda value of isolated personnel,according to the United States Army Combined Arms Centers.*

NATO, Croatia. US Army Airborne troops during a live fire exercise.

NATO Secretary General with 🇺🇸 US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, 02 JUNE 2022

NATO Secretary General remarks at the 🇺🇸 White House, 02 JUN 2022

Pacific Perspective:Meet Pine Gap,the Crucial Joint Intelligence Base in the Australian Outback

Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG) is an ultra-secret intelligence base near the town of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory.Its existence is not acknowledged,but over the years academics,photographers and a few former staff members have uncovered and/or shared a fair amount of information about one of the most critical national security facilities in the Indo-Pacific Region.US tenants at the facility nestled in a desert ecosystem with jagged hills include the CIA,National Security Agency (NSA),National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).NSA's signals intelligence (SIGINT) work here is code-named RAINFALL;while NRO operates the Australian Mission Ground Station (AMGS). Among the assets at JDFPG are 38 radomes covering dish antennae and a vast computer complex in the operations centre,which is staffed 24/7/365.The total base staff,including US servicemembers,numbers at least 800.JDFPG is,among other missions,a control station for geosynchronous US spy satellites which pass over China,Eastern Russia,and the Middle East.It is a ground control and processing station for SIGINT satellites,to include those intercepting advanced weapons telemetry;anti-missile and anti-aircraft radar signals;communications satellite traffic;and microwave transmission (for instance,long-distance telephone calls).The base's departments include a Satellite Station Keeping Sector;Signals Processing Station;and Signals Analysis Station.* Every morning,the US-Australian Joint Reconnaissance Schedule Committee chooses the spy satellite tasking for a 24-hour period.Formerly the US Air Force,but now possibly the US Space Force,maintains the control station for missile heat and emission-detecting satellites.JDFPG monitors Chinese and North Korean weapons and communications.It also plays a key role in gathering geolocation data and supports military operations such as air strikes.It was involved in the Afghan War.Additionally,Pine Gap controls spy satellites that gather intelligence over Eurasia,Africa,Southeast Asia,Eastern Europe and Atlantic Ocean nations.With an elevation of 589 m/1932 ft,the facility plays a role in US missile defence,early warning and drone strikes.It is a Commonwealth of Australia Restricted Area under the Defence (Special Undertaking) Act 1952.No Trespassing,No Photography,No Firearms.Maximum Penalty Imprisonment Seven Years,a sign proclaims.Security personnel patrol the base every ten minutes.* Pine Gap has about twenty support buildings and what appears to this blog to be a tunnel entrance.An unconfirmed report mentions nine underground levels built to withstand three simultaneous nuclear strikes.The Australian Government believes it derives a lot of useful intelligence from the joint operation conducted in 20,000 square meters of operations space.Most of the Chiefs of Facility were senior CIA officials,but,in recent years,the NSA has had its share of COFs.The Deputy COF is always an Australian Government official.* In 2015,there were 55 US civilian operations personnel and 105 US military operations personnel at Pine Gap.The Australian Government had 50 operations personnel and there were 45 contractor personnel,bringing the total of operations centre staff to 255.The remaining two-thirds of the base staff were engaged in support and maintenance activities.This information was garnered by Australian academics Desmond Ball,Bill Robinson and Richard Tanter in their report "Management of Operations at Pine Gap (2015)".* The NGA manages imagery (IMINT) and geospatial intelligence functions involving foreign satellite/communications satellite interception systems,missile launch detection and tracking data.The Mission Ground Center (MGC) of the NRO at Pine Gap is an integrated data centre where IMINT and SIGINT is fused in a format providing ready integration of intel collected by other air and ground systems,as well as human intelligence (HUMINT).* America supports you,our military men and women and Intelligence Community.*