New Report: China Cuts Pilot Training Time, Aims to Modernize by 2030
What CMSAF Flosi Learned from 20+ Chiefs ‘Dying’ in an ACE Exercise
Busy BUFFs: B-52 Bombers Overfly Finland, Morocco, and More
Watchdog: Air Force Needs Timelines and Metrics for New Force Generation Model
PACAF Boss Helps Deliver First US Aircraft to Vietnam in Decades
Radar Sweep
Israel and Hezbollah Agree to Cease-Fire, Halting Yearlong Conflict
Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have agreed to a cease-fire that took effect Nov. 27 at 4 a.m. local time, U.S., Israeli, and French officials said, bringing a tenuous halt to more than a year of hostilities that escalated sharply in recent weeks.
Europe Can’t Make Ukraine Enough Weapons—So It’s Paying Kyiv to Do It
Ukraine’s European allies, struggling to produce enough weapons for Kyiv’s war effort, are pioneering a new method: giving Ukrainians money to do it themselves. In the new approach, Europeans are financing Ukrainian government contracts with cash-strapped Ukrainian arms makers to produce equipment for the country’s armed forces, including long-range missiles and drones that can strike Russian territory.
US Responds to Attack on Troops with Strike in Syria
U.S. forces on Nov. 26 struck Iranian-aligned militia groups in Syria in retaliation for the fighters attacking American bases. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on the social platform X that it struck a weapons storage facility and that a battle damage assessment was underway to determine the impact of the strike.
Ukraine’s Top Commander Wants New Counteroffensive, Says It’s the Only Path to Victory
Anew counteroffensive is the only way forward to success for Ukraine, the commander of its Armed Forces recently told a small group of milbloggers. “Victory is impossible if the Armed Forces work only in defense,” said Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, according to Ukrainian military journalist Kirill Sazonov’s recent post on Telegram. “We have to seize the initiative and counterattack. We have and we will. Where and who – you will see.”
Embraer Targets Prime Status in US Defense Market
Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer has been present in the American defense market for over a decade, with its commercial arm operating in the states even longer. But the company is now seeking to expand its U.S. reach by chasing the coveted status of being a major prime contractor for the Pentagon — and to do so, “all avenues” are at the firm’s disposal, including merger and acquisitions activity, executives recently told Breaking Defense.
As Europe Contemplates a Military Buildup, Space Companies Beg NATO to Change
If NATO’s European members are to fully harness commercial-space offerings, the alliance must lower bureaucratic and financial barriers, industry executives say. Several execs spoke to Defense One about the findings of a recent survey by NATO’s Industrial Advisory Group, which sought input from industry to inform the alliance’s effort to develop a commercial-space strategy by next June’s summit.
Global War on Terrorism Medals Authorized for Houthi Operations
Service members participating in operations against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are now authorized to receive the Global War on Terrorism Service and Expeditionary Medals, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
Chinese Warplanes Track US Navy Aircraft Through the Sensitive Taiwan Strait
China deployed military aircraft and ships to track and monitor a U.S. Navy plane transiting the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Nov. 26, Beijing said, as the two nations continue to spar over self-ruled Taiwan. The U.S. Navy’s 7th fleet said in a statement a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flew through the strait’s international space “in accordance with international law.”
Commerce Announces More Semiconductor Funding for Military Aircraft, Commercial Satellites
In an effort to bolster domestic manufacturing of chips for national security and the space industry, the Department of Commerce announced it is awarding BAE Systems Inc. and Rocket Lab a CHIPS Incentive Award worth up to a combined $59.4 million.
Overseas Troops to See Fewer Sweets, More Sweet Potatoes on Their Holiday Tables This Year
They are chock-full of vitamins and minerals, high in fiber, and rich in compounds that are good for your heart and your eyesight. Like 'em or not, if you are a U.S. service member deployed overseas, you will see more sweet potatoes in your holiday offerings this season—a whopping 800 percent more than last year.