U.S. Air Force

U.S., Philippines Add Four More Sites to EDCA Military Basing Agreement  

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is welcomed to the Philippine Department of National Defense in Manila, Feb. 2, 2023. DoD Photo

MANILA – The United States and the Philippines have designated four additional bases for U.S. troops to operate from as both countries agreed to accelerate the full implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that will house American troops and their equipment in Philippine military camps located in strategic areas of the country.
The new sites...

https://news.usni.org/2023/02/02/u-s-philippines-add-four-more-sites-to-edca-military-basing-agreement

Carrier USS George H. W. Bush in Eastern Mediterranean in Joint U.S.-Israel Exercise Juniper Oak

The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group sails in formation with the Israeli Navy during exercise Juniper Oak 2023-2, Jan. 24, 2023 in the Mediterranean Sea. U.S. Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) is participating in the Juniper Oak, joint drills between Israel and the United States in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The exercise kicked off on Sunday and will include assets from across the U.S. military branches, U.S. Central Command said in a news release this week.

“This...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/25/carrier-uss-george-h-w-bush-in-eastern-mediterranean-in-joint-u-s-israel-exercise-juniper-oak

Marines Buy 2 XQ-58A Valkyrie Drones for ‘Collaborative Killer’ Concept Testing

The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie is an experimental stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed and built by Kratos. US Air Force Photo

The Marine Corps used a new Pentagon program designedto quickly prototype systems for conflict in the Pacific to buy two unmanned aerial vehicles last month for $15.5 million, a service official told USNI News on Tuesday.

The contract to Kratos for the pair of XQ-58A Valkyrie “loyal wingman” drones was bought through the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/24/marines-buy-2-xq-58a-valkyrie-drones-for-collaborative-killer-concept-testing

Report to Congress on LGM-35A Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

The following is the Congressional Research Service, Defense Primer: LGM-35A Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile on Jan. 10, 2023.

From the report

The LGM-35A Sentinel is expected to replace the Minuteman III (MMIII) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) in the U.S. nuclear force structure. MMIII has served as the ground-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad—land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear-capable bombers—since 1970. The Air Force...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/16/report-to-congress-on-lgm-35a-sentinel-intercontinental-ballistic-missile

HASC’s Adam Smith Defends Pentagon Push to Retire Legacy Ships, Aircraft

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith is briefed on the capabilities of the F-35A Lightning II during his visit at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Oct. 10, 2019. The congressman learned about several aspects of the 56th Fighter Wing F-35 pilot training and how the wing works to enhance lethality and readiness. US Air Force Photo

The ranking member of the House Armed Service Committee said retiring legacy guided-missile cruisers, Littoral Combat Ships and older C-130s is the best way to free up money for information...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/12/hascs-adam-smith-defends-pentagon-push-to-retire-legacy-ships-aircraft

Overview of Department of Defense Maintenance Depots

The following is the Dec. 30, 2022, Congressional Research Service’s In Focus report, Defense Primer: Department of Defense Maintenance Depots.

From the report

Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.) §2464 requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to “maintain a core logistics capability that is government-owned and government-operated [GOGO]… to ensure a ready and controlled source of technical competence and resources necessary to ensure effective and timely response to a mobilization, national...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/05/overview-of-department-of-defense-maintenance-depots

Navy Buys 2 ‘Loyal Wingman’ XQ-58A Valkyrie Drones for $15.5M

An XQ-58A Valkyrie low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle launches at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2020. US Air Force Photo

The Navy is buying two stealth unmanned aerial systems – originally developed for the Air Force – that could operate with a manned fighter, as the service pursues the manned-unmanned teaming concept officials say is central to the future of naval aviation.

The service issued a $15.5 million contract to Kratos for the XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial system,...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/03/navy-buys-2-loyal-wingman-xq-58a-valkyrie-drones-for-15-5m

VIDEO: Chinese Navy Fighter Flew Within 20 Feet of U.S. Air Force Plane Over South China Sea

Chinese J-11 intercepts a U.S. Air Forces R-135 over the South China Sea. US Indo-Pacific Photo

A Chinese Navy jet intercepted a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane in an incident over the South China Sea last week, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Thursday.

“On Dec. 21 (China Standard Time), a People’s Liberation Army – Navy J-11 fighter pilot performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, which was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/30/chinese-navy-fighter-flew-within-20-feet-of-u-s-air-force-plane-over-south-china-sea

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