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 …