The U.S. military said it fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats targeting civilian ships as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on May 4. The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it had come under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April.
Iran has launched cruise missiles, drones, and weaponized small boats against commercial vessels and warships in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours, according to Adm. Brad Cooper, who briefed reporters on a new U.S. Central Command-led operation to safely reopen the global shipping chokepoint amid the war in the region.
Israel’s first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker—now given the Hebrew name Gideon, after a biblical judge and military leader—has completed its first flight in the United States, with delivery expected soon.
The United Arab Emirates’ contracting authority, known as the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, has inked a deal with Brazilian firm Embraer to procure 10 C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft with an option to procure 10 more in the future, the company announced.
The U.S. Air Force approved low-rate initial production of Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer, setting the stage for the long-awaited replacement of the service’s 60-year-old T-38 Talon.
The National Reconnaissance Office has awarded three new contracts to providers of commercial satellite data, a senior spy satellite agency official said May 4.
Two officers with the West Virginia National Guard received awards for heroism May 4 for stopping a gunman who attacked a National Guard patrol in Washington, D.C. The attack killed another West Virginia soldier. Army Maj. Ryan S. Reynolds and Air Force Maj. Edwin O. Stanfield received the Soldier’s Medal and Airman’s Medal, respectively.
Germany’s defense minister sought to downplay the impact of Washington’s decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from the country, casting the move as expected and using it to underline Europe’s need to take greater responsibility for its own security.
When the Qatari royal family acquired a luxury jet for its private fleet more than a decade ago, the Boeing 747 was outfitted with the lavish furnishings and ornate adornments that would befit one of the world’s wealthiest families. Now, as the jumbo jet is expected to become President Trump’s own this summer, officials say the plane’s lavish interior will look remarkably similar.
There are a lot of brands out there trying to appeal to the American armed forces. They will attempt anything and everything: from discounts and swag to free concerts and events, all trying to prove that they are the number one supporter and brand for the military. Some brands, however, get adopted by U.S. troops whether they like it or not, and become a staple of the culture, every bit as authentic as creamed chipped beef on toast. No better example of this exists than Rip It.
