The U.S. military has sent threat emitters, built to replicate aircraft and weapons for American pilots to train, to Ukraine to confuse Russian aircraft in the latest innovative way for the Pentagon to assist.
Paris and Washington pledged to reinforce their strong space cooperation, particularly on exploration and climate, during a visit by France’s Emmanuel Macron to NASA headquarters alongside U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. The French president, on a state visit to the United States, highlighted the American lunar program Artemis, whose first uncrewed test mission launched in mid-November with participation of the European Space Agency and urged for strong space cooperation.
Chinese and Russian long-range bombers made reciprocal visits to each other’s bases following a joint patrol over regional waters, marking the first such visit following a bomber patrol involving the two countries. The patrol over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea was undertaken by a pair of Tupolev Tu-95MS “Bear” bombers of the Russian long-range aviation forces and a similar number of Xi’an H-6Ks from of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force, according to a statement from the Russian defense ministry.
The Pentagon has established a new office focused on driving private sector capital toward technology development to help the military services field innovative capabilities at a faster pace. “As today private sector capital is the dominant funding resource for technology development, we can build enduring advantages through engagement with trusted capital that is focused on critical technology areas for the Department of Defense,” Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said in a memo.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J Austin III and other top Pentagon officials are weighing a major expansion in training for the Ukrainian military, a move that could significantly enhance its ability to evict Russian forces from occupied areas even as it deepens U.S. involvement in the war. The plan, under discussion for weeks, according to senior U.S. defense officials, would build on the billions of dollars in weaponry and other aid Washington has provided Ukraine by showing its military how to wage a more sophisticated campaign against the struggling Russian army.
Australia is a critical asset for the U.S. in the growing strategic competition with China over space, with top U.S. military leaders warning Beijing’s technology is advancing “very, very quickly” to close the capability gap. The U.S. Space Force’s Lt. General Nina M. Armagno said Australia’s geographical position and research capabilities represented a “pot of a gold at the end of the rainbow” for the two countries’ strategic interests in space defense.
With the demand signal for joint live, virtual, and constructive training only increasing, the military services are racing to build modeling and simulation capabilities. Ensuring that simulated training is interoperable across the services and partners is no easy feat, military leaders said.
The Space Force must reform its business practices to take full advantage of the resiliency and innovation commercial industry has to offer, according to the former Chief of Space Operations. In his first public appearance since ceding the role in early November, former Space Force chief Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond said that just as the U.S. Department of Defense depends on a strong relationship with international allies, it also relies heavily on commercial industry.
A pair of Air Force pararescuemen were recognized by a local fire chief for saving a fisherman who had fallen into the sea at Cape Zanpa, an Okinawa tourist attraction known for its lighthouse, towering jagged cliffs, and heaving swells. Lt. Col. Matthew Schlittler and Senior Airman Shane Pentkowski of the 31st Rescue Squadron at Kadena Air Base received a certificate of appreciation from Nirai Fire Chief Keiichi Teruya during a morning ceremony at the Kadena city firehouse. Schlittler, the squadron commander, and Pentkowski said they were training in one of the unit’s 30- foot boats about noon Sept. 24 when they spotted the man, who was in his 30s, about 700 feet from the lighthouse.
