US Air force

Investigation into 2023 U.S. Air Force CV-22B Osprey Crash off Japan

The following is the June 6, 2024, U.S. Air Force Aircraft Accident Investigation Board report on the Nov. 29, 2023 crash of an Air Force CV-22B off the coast of Yakushima Island, Japan.

From the report

Executive Summary

On 29 November 2023, at approximately 1440 local time (L), mishap aircraft (MA), a CV-22B aircraft, tail number (TIN) 10-0054, impacted the water approximately one-half mile off the coast of Yakushima Island, Japan, while participating in a joint inter-operability exercise. The...

https://news.usni.org/2024/08/02/investigation-into-2023-u-s-air-force-cv-22b-osprey-crash-off-japan

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Following U.S. Air Force Drills

KCNA Image

North Korea test-fired a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a new autonomous navigation system on Friday, reported state media on Saturday. The last weapons test North Korea conducted was on Apr. 22, when it fired SRBMs in a nuclear command-and-control test.
The test firing verified the accuracy and reliability of the autonomous navigation system was reported by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, which also reported that the firing was overseen by North Korean leader Kim...

https://news.usni.org/2024/05/22/north-korea-launches-ballistic-missile-following-u-s-air-force-drills

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles in Nuclear Command and Control Test

North Korean short-range ballistic missile launch on April 22, 2024. KCNA Photo

North Korea on Monday conducted a firing drill of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), with state media Korean Central News Agency reporting that it was a firing of “super-large multiple rocket units” simulating a nuclear counterattack and marking the first use of its Haekbangashoe nuclear weapon combined management system.

The purpose of the North Korean drill, which was overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong...

https://news.usni.org/2024/04/23/north-korea-launches-ballistic-missile-in-nucelar-command-and-control-test

GAO Report on U.S. Military Readiness

The following is the May 2, 2023, Government Accountability Office report, Military Readiness: Improvement in Some Areas, but Sustainment and Other Challenges Persist.

From the reports

What GAO Found

GAO Image

Readiness ratings increased in the ground domain and declined in the sea domain from fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2021—the most recent data at the time of GAO’s analysis—with mixed changes in the air and space domains.

GAO’s prior work has identified a wide range of persistent...

https://news.usni.org/2023/05/04/gao-report-on-u-s-military-readiness

U.S., Philippines Kick off Largest-ever Balikatan Exercise as Defense, Foreign Affairs Leaders Meet in Washington

U.S. Marines with 3rd Landing Support Battalion, Army Soldiers, Navy Sailors, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines listen during a rehearsal of concept brief in preparation for Balikatan 23 at Camp Agnew, Casigueran, Philippines on April 4, 2023. US Marie Corps Photo

MANILA – The Philippines and the United States began the largest iteration of Balikatan, the annual military exercise involving Filipino and American troops, during a Tuesdayceremony at the Philippine military’s...

https://news.usni.org/2023/04/11/u-s-philippines-kick-off-largest-ever-balikatan-exercise-as-defense-foreign-affairs-leaders-meet-in-washington

Philippines Announce 4 New Locations to Host U.S. Troops

Philippine Marines embark a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey during KAMANDAG 6 at Naval Base Camilo Osias, Philippines, Oct. 2, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo

MANILA — The Philippines announced Monday four additional locations that will host visiting American troops under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), sites that the country said will boost its disaster response as they would also be used for humanitarian and relief operations during emergencies and natural disasters.

The four...

https://news.usni.org/2023/04/03/philippines-announce-4-new-locations-to-host-u-s-troops

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

U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon

The following is the Jan. 12, 2023, Congressional Research Service In Focus report, The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon.

From the report

What Is the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon?

The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide body and associated transport, support, and fire control equipment. According to the Army:

This land-based, truck-launched system is armed with...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/13/u-s-armys-long-range-hypersonic-weapon

Report to Congress on Hypersonic Missile Defense

The following is the Oct. 3, 2022, Congressional Research Service report, Hypersonic Missile Defense

From the report

Hypersonic weapons, like ballistic missiles, fly at speeds of at least Mach 5, or roughly 1 mile per second. Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons do not follow a ballistic trajectory and can maneuver en route to their target. Russia reportedly fielded its first hypersonic weapons in December 2019, while some experts believe that China fielded hypersonic weapons as early as...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/05/report-to-congress-on-hypersonic-missile-defense

Dredging works completed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis Third Port pier complex in Virginia

Joint Base Langley-Eustis’ (JBLE) Third Port, the US Army’s pier complex sitting where Skiffe’s Creek meets the James River in south-eastern Virginia, recently comp ..

The post Dredging works completed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis Third Port pier complex in Virginia appeared first on Baird Maritime.

https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/marine-projects-world/dredging-and-land-reclamation/dredging-works-completed-at-joint-base-langley-eustis-third-port-pier-complex-in-virginia/

+ More