Republican leaders of the House Armed Services Committee are eager for the United States to spend money on developing new classified space systems, especially after China launched an anti-satellite missile last month. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and Terry Everett (R-Ala.) sent a letter to President Bush, urging to “make substantial efforts … now to avoid technological surprise.” (Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) made a similar case at a Washington forum earlier this week.) In a press statement, Hunter called China’s shootdown of its own satellite “the commencement of a new era of military competition.”
The Air Force on Jan. 6 released nearly a dozen photos of F-22 and F-35 fighters returning to Puerto Rico after supporting the raid to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—the first official images of forces who participated in Operation Absolute Resolve.
