Top US Army commander issues stark warning to Russia after missile threat
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Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Forbes
America's Cold War Aircraft Are Still Flying After Decades In Service
Last month, the United States Air Force carried out a far from routine flight of a variant of the Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft. The TU-2S, the two-seat trainer of the U-2, flew over all 48 contiguous states, the longest single flight ever conducted by the high-flying spy plane. It wasn't part of the Trump administration surveillance program that the U-2 had been carrying out along the southern border since earlier this year. Instead, it was to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dragon Lady's "accidental maiden flight" on August 1, 1955. The historic anniversary flight came just over a month after the Air Force Global Strike Command also celebrated the 70th anniversary of the delivery of the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress to the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle Air Force Base (AFB), California, marking the start of its operational service. The fact that the U.S. Air Force has two aircraft in service that are in their "golden years" is noteworthy, but not surprising given that each remains highly capable. "The U-2 and B-52 still remain in service with the U.S. Air Force for two primary reasons: a) they continue to perform their intended role effectively, and b) they are more economical to operate and maintain," said Sourabh Banik, project manager for aerospace and defense at international analytics firm GlobalData. The U.S. Air Force currently operates 76 B-52s and 31 U-2s. The Golden Girls Of Aircraft Although the U-2 could be retired by the end of fiscal year 2026 (FY26), it has continued to find a role even in the era of high-flying drones and satellites. "No other surveillance platforms can ascend to altitudes higher than the U-2, with the exception of satellites," added Banik. "However, unlike satellites, which are bound to their orbital paths, U-2s have the capability to loiter over a specific area for an extended duration, providing continuous monitoring of their targets." Moreover, the U-2 has proven to be far more flexible than satellites, as it can be outfitted with various payloads tailored to the mission at hand, a function not afforded to satellites. "The U-2 has undergone numerous upgrades over the years; the bulky film cameras of the 1960s have been replaced with smaller, lighter sensors, allowing the aircraft to carry a more diverse array of surveillance equipment than previously possible," Banik continued. Similar enhancements have allowed the B-52 to keep flying. Current plans call for the B-52 to remain operational into the 2040s and even longer, meaning it could see 100 years in service. In theory, the final aircrews could be the grandchildren and even great-grandchildren of those who operated the very same planes before the Beatles first came to America. Few military platforms – possibly apart from the Long Pattern Musket, also known as the Brown Bess, or the M2 .50 caliber machine gun – have ever seen anything close to that longevity. "There are a lot of reasons, for one, the B-52H models that are now flying rolled off the assembly line between 1960 and 1962," explained Lt. Col. Wayne Shaw, USAF (Retired), principal consultant for aerospace and defense at business consulting firm Frost and Sullivan. Shaw, who was a B-52 aircrew member during the days of the Strategic Air Command before transitioning to the Rockwell B-1B, added that the Stratofortress can be described as a safe platform, with a low class A mishap rate. "The B-52Hs – soon to be B-52Js after they receive a host of needed 'mid-life' upgrades primarily to their old and tired Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines – may make it 30 more years, or very close," said Shaw. The Air Force's Commercial Engine Replacement Program calls for the TF33 engines to be replaced with the commercially-proven Rolls-Royce F130 engines. Other upgrades have included new workstations and new radar systems, and even a privacy screen for the aircraft's lavatory, all of which will help ensure it remains in the category of "active senior" for quite a while yet. Shaw further suggested that the U.S. Air Force's fleet of 76 B-52s will be "reskinned" as needed, and "along with these other factors, it's safe to say the B-52 can still be flying in 2040. That's 85 years from then, the type first started flying, and 80 years for the B-52Hs, which were the last ones off the Boeing assembly line. Never underestimate the B-52." Friends In High Places Another factor for the B-52's success is that a total of 744 were built by the time production ended in 1962. That is significantly smaller in numbers compared to the 18,482 Consolidated B-24 Liberators that rolled off the assembly line during World War II, and just over a third of the number of Boeing B-47 Stratojets built. Yet, the B-52 wasn't replaced by another bomber as those aircraft were, and for that reason, it saw subsequent crews at the controls. It became the workhorse and soon gained significant fame and the fans that came with it. Beyond having a new wave band named after it, or more accurately, the beehive hairdo that resembled the nose cone of the aircraft, those who flew on the bomber went on to serve in prominent roles with the U.S. Air Force. "There have been thousands upon thousands of B-52 aircrews over the years because of the size of its fleet," said Shaw. "They became an advocate for the bomber, and they rose through the ranks, and that resulted in a formal and informal fan base." Shaw suggested that there will always be vocal critics and supporters, and the larger number of aircrews from the B-52s has resulted in there often being someone sitting at the end of a table who knows what the BUFF is capable of when air power is discussed, who speaks up and says, "The B-52 can do that." In that way, Shaw further likens the vocal support to another product of the 1960s, namely TV's Star Trek, which was on the verge of cancellation, until a letter-writing campaign saved the show. "Star Trek fans brought it back for a third season," said Shaw. "The larger number of aircrews has ensured the B-52 was never out of mind."
Fox News
43 minutes ago
- Fox News
DOJ turns to Gabbard's office for next step in grand jury probe of alleged Russiagate conspiracy
The Department of Justice made a sweeping request to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence this week for more information about allegations of a 2016 conspiracy to tie President Donald Trump to Russia, marking the next step in the department's grand jury inquiry into the matter. A DOJ prosecutor asked the ODNI for a range of documents to supplement Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's recent request to the DOJ to investigate Obama administration officials over the alleged conspiracy. The Federalist first reported on the prosecutor's request. A source familiar with the request confirmed the veracity of the report to Fox News Digital. The prosecutor requested in a letter to the ODNI a dozen categories of items, including any nonpublic material Gabbard had pertaining to the tranche of declassified documents she made public in July. Gabbard also revealed Tuesday night on the Ingraham Angle that she had met that day with the DOJ prosecutors involved in the grand jury inquiry. Gabbard said they "have more questions, and they're going to be really taking a deep dive into this again." "They are committed to leaving no stone unturned as they conduct this grand jury investigation and find the truth," Gabbard said. The revelation that a meeting had occurred and that a DOJ official leading the grand jury inquiry is seeking records from the ODNI signals that the probe is underway and in an information-gathering phase. Grand jury investigations are conducted in secret and can take days, weeks or longer to conclude. Prosecutors present the grand jury with evidence, and the panelists on the jury are tasked with deciding whether probable cause exists to charge someone with a crime. Obtaining an indictment against a person through a grand jury is generally much easier than the subsequent process of securing a conviction against them. Fox News Digital first reported on the existence of a grand jury investigation related to Gabbard's intelligence on Monday, but it remains unclear who is being targeted in the investigation or what criminal charges could be on the table and still within the statutes of limitations. Gabbard has alleged that newly declassified evidence shows that President Barack Obama and his national security officials, including John Brennan, James Comey and James Clapper, had forgone typical protocols to compile a faulty intelligence product after President Donald Trump won the election in 2016 that undermined his election win. Gabbard alleged that the intelligence laid the "groundwork" for the Trump-Russia narrative that loomed over much of the president's first administration. Trump's first presidency was dominated by two-year-long special counsel inquiries surrounding Russia's involvement in the 2016 election, but neither special counsel identified a conspiracy among Obama officials like the one Gabbard has now alleged. The DOJ official's letter to ODNI this week also included a request for information about any intelligence community investigations into media leaks, signaling that those could also be part of the grand jury probe. Gabbard has claimed the media obtained information through the Obama administration that helped to falsely attribute Trump's win to Russian interference in the election in the eyes of the public. Obama recently rejected Gabbard's allegations through a spokesperson in a rare statement. "Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response," the statement said. "But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump plans to meet with Putin as soon as next week, New York Times reports
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump plans to meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the plan. Trump then plans to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the newspaper reported, adding that the plans were disclosed in a call with European leaders on Wednesday. The White House did not immediately respond to the report but earlier on Wednesday Trump acknowledged that he spoke with European leaders after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's "highly productive" meeting with Putin in Russia. While noting that "great progress" was made during the meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come." Trump, who promised to end Russia's war in Ukraine on "day one" during his presidential campaign, has held several phone calls with Putin and has met with Zelenskiy since returning to the White House in January. However, in recent weeks, he has become increasingly frustrated with Moscow over a lack of progress towards ending the three-year conflict.
