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Morocco World
14-05-2025
- General
- Morocco World
African Lion 25: US Officials Exalt Morocco's Cornerstone Partnership
Doha – US military leaders lauded the strategic partnership with Morocco as African Lion 25 operations commenced across the country on May 12. The multinational exercise, Africa's largest annual military training event, brings together over 10,000 troops from more than 40 countries. 'Exercise African Lion 25 exemplifies the robust and enduring defense partnership between the United States and Morocco,' said US Air Force Col. Seward Matwick, defense attaché at the US Embassy in Rabat. He emphasized their 'shared commitment to regional stability and security.' The Morocco portion officially began Monday at the Southern Zone headquarters in Agadir. Major General Mohammed Benlouali co-chaired the opening ceremony alongside Brigadier General Brian Cedeman, Deputy Commander of SETAF-AFRICA. Morocco hosts the largest concentration of activities for this year's exercise. Training events span multiple regions including Agadir, Tan-Tan, Tiznit, Kenitra, Benguerir, and Tifnit. Brigadier General Cedeman characterized the exercise as 'a truly remarkable event' demonstrating 'the growing strength of our partnerships.' He affirmed that 'Morocco's commitment to African Lion testifies to the strength of our alliance.' Other specialists commended the exceptional coordination with Moroccan forces. 'Our logistics teams and Moroccan counterparts have developed a seamless working rhythm over the years,' noted US Army Maj. Jonathan F. Alvis, SETAF-AF logistics planner for AL25. 'Exercises like African Lion show that we don't just plan together, we solve problems together, under pressure and in real time,' Alvis added. Read also: US AFRICOM: Delivery of 1st Batch of AH-64 Helicopters Reflects Strong Ties with Morocco The exercise features comprehensive training across land, air, maritime, space, and cyber domains. Activities include field training exercises (FTX), planning exercises (PLANEX), CBRN decontamination training, live-fire drills, joint military maneuvers, along with humanitarian and academic exchanges. US Air Force KC-135s from the 121st ARW will conduct air-to-air refueling operations with RMAF F-16 Fighting Falcons at Ben Guerir Air Base. Additionally, the RMAF will lead training on patient movement procedures and medical evacuation at Kenitra Air Base. US Airmen join Royal Moroccan Air Force personnel for specialized air operations. Training focuses on air-to-air refueling, close air support, and aeromedical evacuation tactics through challenging scenarios. 'The rigorous training scenarios we face in African Lion 25 push us to our limits,' remarked Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, USAFE-AFAFRICA deputy commander. He stressed that the exercise builds readiness to 'respond effectively to any challenge alongside Allies and partners.' Eldridge Browne, Chief of Exercises for the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, celebrated Morocco's two-decade commitment. 'Morocco is a strategic partner that for the last 21 years has been the primary host for Exercise African Lion,' he stated. Browne applauded Morocco's 'steadfast support, multinational inclusion, and unwavering support' making the exercise 'successful year after year.' He described the country as 'a vital and trusted partner in our shared pursuit of stability and security in the region.' The Utah National Guard, Morocco's official state partner since 2003, participates directly in humanitarian civic assistance activities during this year's exercise. Participating countries include Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Israel, Kenya, Nigeria, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Observer countries include Belgium, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, India, Qatar, and the Republic of Congo. The Moroccan leg of the exercise runs through May 23. The comprehensive training aims to strengthen military cooperation, enhance interoperability, and boost intervention capabilities in multinational settings. Earlier phases of African Lion 25 were held in Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia since April 14. Tags: African Lion 2025African Lion Military ExerciseMorocco US Relations
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Photos Show US Helicopters Escorting Nuclear Submarine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A United States submarine, USS Kentucky, which is capable of firing nuclear missiles, carried out an armed air escort exercise with helicopters in the Pacific Ocean last month. Why It Matters The Kentucky is one of the 14 Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. Each submarine, often referred to as a "boomer," can carry up to 20 ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads, capable of striking targets over 7,456 miles away. The "boomers" are the most survivable leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, which includes strategic bombers and land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, according to the Pentagon, because of the extreme difficulty in detecting submarines on deterrent patrols underwater at any given time. The U.S. Air Force, which is responsible for the other two legs of the country's nuclear triad, validated the readiness and capability of its nuclear-capable bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile fleets through an exercise and a test last month. What To Know A pair of U.S. Army AH-64 helicopters and a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, as well as a submarine support vessel, were seen escorting the Kentucky during the routine armed air escort drill on April 24, according to a set of photos released by the U.S. Navy on May 2. U.S. Army AH-64 helicopters, left and right, a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, middle, and a submarine support vessel escort the ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky during a routine armed air escort exercise at an undisclosed... U.S. Army AH-64 helicopters, left and right, a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter, middle, and a submarine support vessel escort the ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky during a routine armed air escort exercise at an undisclosed location on April 24, 2025. More Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan Riley/U.S. Navy It was not clear where the exercise took place, the U.S. Navy saying that it was held at an "undisclosed location." It was also unclear whether the Kentucky, which is homeported at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington state, carried any missiles during the drill. It was the first armed air escort exercise employing helicopters, the U.S. Navy Submarine Group 9, which exercises administrative control authority for assigned submarine commands and units in the Pacific Northwest region, revealed in a Facebook post on May 2. "Integration between services is a force multiplier, allowing our strategic forces to deter, and if necessary, defeat our adversaries in the maritime domain," the post read, adding that the drill was built upon past events to enhance interoperability during multi-platform operations. This was not the first time America's nuclear-capable submarines have conducted an armed air escort exercise. On May 6 last year, the Kentucky's sister ship, USS Nebraska, transited the Strait of San Juan de Fuca in Washington state escorted by an A-10 attack aircraft. Such force protection exercises come as the U.S. Navy is sending its ballistic missile submarines to foreign countries for visits, according to the Federation of American Scientists, a message of deterrence conveyed by the increased visibility of the subs. One such visit was conducted by the Kentucky, which arrived at Busan in South Korea on July 18, 2023. The submarine was seen escorted by destroyers USS John Finn and USS Ralph Johnson as it sailed to the port, official released photos show. U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky, middle, is escorted by destroyers USS John Finn, front, and USS Ralph Johnson, back, during a trip to Busan in South Korea for a port visit on July... U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky, middle, is escorted by destroyers USS John Finn, front, and USS Ralph Johnson, back, during a trip to Busan in South Korea for a port visit on July 18, 2023. More Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Samantha Oblander/U.S. Navy What People Are Saying The U.S. Navy Submarine Group 9 said: "The U.S. Navy's fleet of ballistic missile submarines are the most-survivable leg of the nuclear triad. As the tip of the spear for strategic deterrence, [ballistic missile submarine] operations demonstrate the flexibility, survivability, readiness, resolve, global reach and capability of our undersea force." Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Newsweek: "I'm confident that [the naval escorts] are sufficient to ensure the security of our [ballistic missile submarines], as they are arguably our most vital naval platforms." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the American ballistic missile submarine fleet will conduct any port visits in the Western Pacific Ocean this year, where nuclear-armed China and North Korea continue to pose threats to the U.S. and its allies, Japan and South Korea.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
UH-60 Black Hawk Begins Ground Tests With Far More Powerful T901 Engines
A U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter has completed initial ground runs with two of the new T901 Improved Turbine Engines. Developed under the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the T901 was planned to power the now-canceled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) but will instead make its way into the UH-60 and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The engine maker GE Aerospace announced today that the initial ground runs had been completed at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach facility. Conducted ahead of test flying, the tests confirmed the basic performance of the engine's critical systems — including fuel, electrical, hydraulic, engine and flight control systems, and engine bay flow. At the same time, aircraft and engine instrumentation provided data that will help prepare for the flight test program, which is due to start before the end of this year. The imagery of the UH-60M reveals a prominent orange-painted test boom carrying air data instrumentation jutting out from the nose. Other notable features include an orange dome on top of the main rotor boss as well as a prominent structure that covers the tail rotor hub. The exact functions of these are unclear, but they may also contain test equipment or be required to handle the more powerful engines. 'The test demonstrated the T901's start-to-fly progression, including idle and fly modes, with the rotor brake disengaged,' Sikorsky said in a statement. The initial ground runs were carried out by a combined U.S. Army and industry test team with the UH-60M operated by Army and Sikorsky pilots. We have light off! For the first time, a UH-60M Black Hawk conducted ground runs equipped with two @GE_Aerospace T901 Improved Turbine Engines. — Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) January 29, 2025 The T901 has been developed as a successor to the T700 engine that currently powers the UH-60 and AH-64 and is scaled to fit inside the same engine compartment. Compared to the previous engine, the T901 offers 50 percent more power — which translates to a maximum of roughly 3,000 shaft horsepower — bringing a considerable advantage in terms of hot-and-high performance, which is otherwise a significant limiting factor for rotorcraft. The new engine is also intended to bring improved fuel efficiency. On top of this, more powerful engines should ensure that the Black Hawk and Apache can carry heavier loads over greater distances. This is a factor that would be of critical importance in a future conflict across the vast distances of the Asia-Pacific theater, in particular, where helicopters are already struggling for relevance, due to their limited endurance. Meanwhile, a simpler design and fewer parts should translate into reduced life-cycle costs. As well as traditionally manufactured components, the T901 also makes use of more exotic production techniques, including additive manufacturing and ceramic matrix composites. Once installed in the UH-60 and AH-64, the T901 promises to provide these aircraft with increased range, longer loiter time, and reduced maintenance and sustainment costs. The Army first got its hands on the T901 in October 2023, when two flight test engines were delivered for the FARA competitive prototype effort — one of the service's highest-profile aviation programs. Sikorsky integrated the T901 into its Raider X aircraft and conducted ground runs. However, FARA was canceled in early 2024, a decision that we discussed in detail at the time. Nevertheless, ground runs in the Raider X reduced the risk involved in Black Hawk integration and testing. In June last year, the first two T901 flight test engines for the UH-60M were handed over to Sikorsky. For both the UH-60 and AH-64, more power is fast becoming essential, with the latest versions of these helicopters operating at much greater weights than when they were first introduced, as they have increasingly added more avionics, sensors, and weapons. Speaking about the plan to put T901 engines in the AH-64 specifically, T.J. Jamison, Boeing's business development director for the Apache and for the AH-6 Little Bird, told TWZ last November: 'The ability to bring ITEP into the Apache … sets you up for room for growth, extended range, reach, and payloads.' The ability to accommodate the new engines is something that's ingrained in the latest V6.5 configuration of the Apache, which first flew in October of 2023 and is now coming off the production line. Although Boeing has received a developmental contract for the integration of the T901 into the Apache, the U.S. Army has decided to prioritize putting the new engine into the Black Hawk. In the meantime, Boeing is using some of its own funds to continue the design work to get the new engine into the Apache. For the Apache specifically, Boeing is also working on other improvements to the propulsion system, which will complement the new engines. As you can read about here, they include the Improved Tail Rotor Blade (ITRB) and Improved Tail Rotor Drive System (ITRDS). The ITRB is primarily focused on sustainment, ensuring the tail rotor blades can be more easily repaired and maintained, including on the battlefield, while ITRDS ensures that more power and authority are delivered to the tail rotor, something that will truly come into its own once harnessed to the power of the T901. Returning to the UH-60M, the T901 is a fundamental part of the broader vision for a modernized Black Hawk fleet. Speaking about what ITEP will provide the workhorse helicopter, Hamid Salim, vice president of Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky, noted that the re-engined Black Hawk would be able to 'travel farther on less fuel and with more troops and cargo.' Salim also pointed specifically to the T901 enabling the UH-60M to take on new and emerging missions, 'such as deploying and managing launched effects.' Launched effects, previously referred to as air-launched effects (ALEs), are a category of varied uncrewed systems that you can read more about here. The new launched effects terminology reflects the fact they might be launched from land or maritime platforms, as well as crewed and uncrewed aircraft. They are a growing area of interest for the Army in particular, not only for rotary-wing platforms. As well as the new engines and launched effects, the central pillars of the modernized Black Hawk include a Modular Open Systems Approach/digital backbone, which is set to improve safety and mission readiness while reducing unscheduled maintenance. Sikorsky is also increasingly working to reduce pilot workload and increase safety by incorporating autonomous technology, meaning the future Black Hawk should be able to operate with or without any humans on board. New engine offerings could make the H-60 series and the AH-64 even more attractive to other potential customers. Both are still very much in production and the prospect of much more power in the future will only boost export prospects for what are already leaders in their respective market segments. For the U.S. Army, meanwhile, re-engining the Black Hawk and the Apache will also go some way toward ensuring these older designs can contribute, even to a limited degree, to what officials are already talking about in terms of a revolution in air assault operations — one that they expect will be heralded by the arrival of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotor. An entirely new kind of aircraft, the Army expects FLRAA will provide it with a vastly improved set of speed, range, and survivability metrics. In the past, TWZ has questioned how the Black Hawk and the Apache might be able to better keep pace with FLRAA's obvious difference in speed and range. While new engines won't offer performance comparable with FLRAA, they will, at the very least, provide a significant advance over what today's Black Hawk and Apache are capable. At the same time they will help bridge the gap to FLRAA. And even after this new aircraft enters service and fills the flightlines of Army Airfields, the UH-60 and the AH-64 are slated to continue soldiering on. Contact the author: thomas@
