Новости за 14.05.2024

Summary: Lockheed Martin designed the X-44 Manta, a proposed variant of the F-22 Raptor, as a tailless delta-wing aircraft with advanced stealth capabilities. Conceived during the Cold War, this innovative platform aimed to enhance agility and reduce radar signatures by using thrust vectoring in place of traditional tail surfaces.

Summary: In a potential large-scale conflict between China and the United States, attack submarines would play a crucial role, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. Navy, with the world's largest submarine fleet, relies heavily on its Los Angeles-class submarines to maintain underwater superiority.

The latest UN Secretary-General’s report on Afghanistan, a comprehensive snapshot of developments in the country prepared every quarter by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), took careful note of the Taliban’s outreach to the civilian population: “The leadership of the de facto authorities remained focused on outreach at the national and subnational levels, working through various de facto institutions to narrow the gap between the de facto authorities and the population.”

Summary: The F-15 Eagle, a legendary American fighter with a perfect combat record, faced challenges with its F-15 Silent Eagle variant.

Summary: Korean Air has sold five Boeing 747-8 aircraft to Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC), a defense contractor, to be converted into the U.S. Air Force's next Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) aircraft, replacing the aging E-4B Nightwatch.

Summary: The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, touted for its unmatched capabilities, faces significant cutbacks from U.S. lawmakers. The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) proposed reducing the Pentagon's request for 68 F-35s to 58 in the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Summary: The UK's Royal Navy is testing DragonFire, a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) capable of engaging targets at the speed of light, aiming for deployment by 2027.

Summary: The U.S. Air Force is set to begin retiring the A-10 Warthog, sparking debate about whether this decision is premature. Known for its unparalleled close air support capabilities, the A-10 has been a reliable asset for decades.

The May 14 White House announcement that the United States will quadruple tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (from 25% to 100%) and EV and non-EV lithium-ion batteries and components (from 7.5% to 25%), double duties on solar cells (from 25% to 50%), and impose new tariffs on natural graphite, permanent magnets, and some critical minerals (from zero to 25%) is the latest move in an intensifying economic struggle between Washington and Beijing. Yet as the Biden administration works simultaneously to compete with China... Читать дальше...

Summary: Mike Sweeney's essay, published by the U.S. Naval Institute, argues that submarines, not aircraft carriers, will dominate future naval warfare, especially in a potential conflict with China.

Summary: The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the largest nuclear-powered supercarrier ever built, has already been on an extended deployment. As the first in a new class of carriers, it features greater automation, advanced technology, and a smaller crew.

Do We Need the NGAD? - Last May, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendal announced that a single company would be chosen next year to lead the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter. Kendall further noted that just one defense contractor will take the lead as overall designer and developer, even as multiple companies have worked on different designs.

Summary: U.S.-Libya relations have been strained since the 1960s, culminating in several violent incidents in 1986. After breaking diplomatic ties and facing multiple provocations, including a Libyan missile attack on U.S. Navy aircraft and linked terrorist attacks in Greece and West Berlin, the U.S. launched Operation El Dorado Canyon. This retaliatory strike with F-111 warplanes targeted Libyan terrorist facilities and military barracks using a combined force of U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft. Читать дальше...

Summary: In a tragic peacetime incident in 2003, a Chinese Type 035 submarine, designated as Submarine 361, suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure that resulted in the deaths of all 70 crew members aboard during a training exercise near the Neichangshan Islands.

Admiral Kuznetsov - Russia's Cursed Aircraft Carrier Has Finally Left Drydock: Last year, Admiral Kuznetsov finally left Drydock.

Summary: The U.S. Air Force is finalizing tests on the B-21 Raider and has approved its full-scale production, even as plans for its successor are presumably underway. This proactive approach exemplifies the military's strategy to maintain technological superiority. A key example of such forward-looking efforts was the YF-118G Bird of Prey, a Boeing-built stealth technology demonstrator active from 1992 to 1999.

Summary: During the Cold War, the U.S. Navy's Forrestal-class supercarriers emerged as powerful symbols of naval innovation, designed to handle larger airframes and nuclear weapons. Introduced in 1955, these ships featured an angled flight deck for simultaneous launch and recovery operations and a hurricane bow for improved weather performance.

Summary: The U.S. Air Force's B-2 fleet, already its smallest, will shrink to 19 as the USAF opts not to repair a B-2 involved in a December 2022 mishap, citing high costs and complexities.