Blastoff! Atlas V rocket launches classified USSF-51 Space Force mission - YouTube - 30 JUL 2024 - Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Pacific Perspective:B-52H Strategic Bombers Deployed from Minot Air Force Base

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers of the 23rd Bomb Wing out of Minot Air Force Base,North Dakota,have been deployed by Air Force Global Strike Command to Andersen Air Base,Guam on a Bomber Task Force (BTF) mission.The mission will accomplish goals of the National Defense Strategy of the United States,projecting power for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is committed to this strategy of upholding a rules-based,free and open Indo-Pacific Region that protects the sovereignty of every nation and preserves freedom of navigation.Together with our Allies and Partners,the command says,the US is dedicated to maintaining a region comprised of nations that adhere to the international rule of law.* BTF missions keep aircrews in a high state of readiness,proficiency,and validate our always-ready global strike capability.The Department of Defense remains fully committed to defence and deterrence of any malign actors that would look to undermine or threaten our shared interests.BTF missions contribute to joint force lethality and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific Region by demonstrating the United States Air Force 's ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of the National Defense Strategy.Moreover,BTF missions provide opportunities to train and operate with Allies and Partners in joint and combined operations and exercises.BTF enhances readiness,to include joint and multilateral,to respond to any potential crisis or challenge in the Indo-Pacific Region.*BTF supports national security objectives through the speed,flexibility,and readiness of our strategic bombers.BTF also demonstrates cutting-edge capabilities;forward presence;and committment to our Allies and Partners.It augments the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) under the command of GEN Kenneth Wilsbach,USAF.He is also Air Component Commander,U.S. Indo-Pacific Command,and Executive Director Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff.PACAF is responsible in USAF activities spread over half the globe in a command that supports over 46,000 Airmen serving primarily in Japan,Korea,Hawaii,Alaska and Guam.GEN Wilsbach is a distinguished graduate of the University of Florida's ROTC program and earned his pilot's wings in 1986 as a distinguished graduate of Laughlin Air Force Base,Texas.He has commanded a fighter squadron;operations group;two wings;two Numbered Air Forces;and held numerous staff assignments.Prior to his current assignment,GEN Wilsbach was Deputy Commander U.S. Forces Korea.He also served as Commander Seventh Air Force,Pacific Air Forces,Osan Air Base,South Korea.*GEN Wilsbach is a command pilot with more thn five thousand hours in multiple aircraft,primarily in the F-15C,F-16C,MC-12W and F-22A.He has flown 71 combat missions in Operations Northern and Southern Watch (Iraq) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).*GEN Wilsbach was promoted to General on 8 July 2020.*GEN Wilsbach's Awards and Decorations include:Defense Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster;the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters;the Bronze Star Medal;the Meritorius Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster;and the Air and Space Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.*In one BTF mission,two Boeing B-52H Stratofortress nuclear-capable strategic bombers conducted a flyover at Changi Airbase East on 22 February 2024 at the Singapore Air Show 2024.The U.S. Department of Defense participated in the event with aerial demonstrations and static displays to build on already strong ties with Singapore;demonstrate flexible aircraft capbility;enable engagement with foreign Partners;and expand power projection capabilities.*Boeing (BA)

Blastoff! SpaceX launches classified USSF-124 Space Force mission, nails landing. - Cape Canaveral Space Force Station - 14 February 2024

This mission is a collaboration between the Missile Defence Agency,and the Space Force's Space Systems Command and Space Development Agency,delivering two prototype hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor programme;as well as the SDA's final four Tranche 0 tracking layer satellites.

LIVE: SpaceX to attempt launch of secretive X-37B military spaceplane - national security mission for the US Space Force

The Falcon 9 Heavy is capable of boosting the Boeing X-37B to a higher orbit with heavier payloads than usual.NASA is sending an experiment involving radiation resistant materials along on the X-37B.The X-37B mission is being overseen by Space Systems Command,a space warfighting organisation.In the first official painting of the X-37B,it was depicted as heading to intercept a hostile spacecraft.*Boeing (BA)

SpaceX sets December 28 launch date for US military’s X-37B space plane | Oneindia News

First there was a weather delay.Then there were technical concerns as it is the first time the Boeing X-37B has launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Heavy.*Boeing (BA)

BAE Systems Unveils New Research Facility for Combat Air Capability - Aviation Today

BAE Systems Unveils New Research Facility for Combat Air Capability: BAE Systems recently unveiled a new research facility to accelerate research in cutting-edge combat air capability.

Amid Ukraine war, Poland becomes critical U.S. ally by Alan Dowd - The American Legion

Amid Ukraine war, Poland becomes critical U.S. ally: After Warsaw’s repeated warnings of Russian aggression, the two nations cement defense ties.

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.*

LauncherOne launches “Above the Clouds” - Eric Bippert,pilot and Flight Lieutenant Mathew "Stanny" Stannard,Royal Air Force Test Pilot - including a national security mission for the DoD Space Test Program of the Defense Innovation Unit

The Hagel Resignation-Will It Affect Military Operations?

President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel,the first man to rise from the enlisted ranks of the US Army to the top job at the Pentagon,held several private meetings over the past month,but still couldn't see eye to eye.So the President and Hagel agreed to part ways,and the President started searching for his fourth Pentagon chief in six years.Hagel had been preceded by Bob Gates and Leon Panetta.*
Some observers described Hagel as seeming disengaged at national security meetings.
Perhaps the President needed a fall guy after the Democrats' dismal mid-term election results,losing control of the US Senate,others speculated,and the soft spoken Hagel fit the bill.Believe me,he was up to the job,Hagel's former Senate colleague and fellow Vietnam veteran Senator John McCain,R-Arizona,remarked upon hearing the news.It was the job he was given,where he was never brought into that tight circle inside the White House that makes all the decisions,which has put us into the incredible debacle that we're in today throughout the world,McCain continued.*
For instance,Hagel wrote a letter to National Security Adviser Susan Rice in which he was critical of the administration's Syria policy,according to The New York Times.Hagel was also said to differ with the President over Mr.Obama's plan to close the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay,Cuba.And the White House was consternated when Hagel contradicted the President's view that the ISIL militants were a junior varsity squad,when Hagel described ISIL as an imminent threat to everything America stands for.We must prepare for everything,Hagel said.The only way is to take a steely-eyed look at it.*
The resignation really doesn't affect the way the Pentagon views the world,said Rear Admiral John Kirby,US Navy,spokesman for the Department of Defense.We're going to keep going after ISIL.We're going to move to a train,advise and assist mission in Afghanistan,and will continue to reassure our European allies in the face of Russian agression.Winning is a daily thing that we look at.We are definitely succeeding.We are taking back ground.We constantly assess that,every single day.We're not making any big muscle moves.We think we've got it about right here,RADM Kirby insisted.*
Several service members expressed surprise about the resignation,however,and felt Mr.Hagel wasn't to blame for troop cutbacks and efforts to trim military benefits.That problem rested squarely with Congress.

Intelligence Special:NGA Receives Joint Meritorious Unit Award

An obscure Defense Department agency,the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency,or NGA,received a Joint Meritorious Unit Award on January 11.Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter presented the honour.It was bestowed for extraordinary contributions to the warfighter and national defense from January 1 to December 31,2010.
The award consists of a framed citation and service ribbon.
Carter hailed NGA as a constant source of innovation,aiding our efforts in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations,using new sensors,technologies and analytic methods.NGA's success on the battlefield in all phases of operations prompted many tactical commanders to declare they would never go to war without NGA.
Attending the ceremony were Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper and NGA Director Letitia A. Long.Long,the first woman to head a US intelligence agency,said every employee played an important role in the effort.NGA will continue to be totally dedicated to providing the highest quality GEOINT products,information and knowledge to support our many mission sets.
Geospatial intelligence,or GEOINT,is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe,assess and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth.NGA provides timely,relevant and accurate GEOINT in support of national security.