Latest news with #F-35AJointStrikeFighters
New York Post
18-05-2025
- New York Post
UFO striking fighter jet is among swarm of mystery objects spotted near US military sites: reports
A UFO that struck and damaged a US fighter jet is just one of a swarm of mystery objects buzzing around Air Force training ranges in Arizona, according to multiple reports. One of the unidentified flying objects hit the clear bubble 'canopy' over the head of a pilot in a $63 million F-16 Viper jet in January 2023, damaging it and temporarily grounding the plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration documents first reported by The War Zone. Advertisement 3 A pair of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters assigned to the US Air Force's 56th Fighter Wing appear in flight. USAF The military jet was struck mid-air by 'an orange-white UAS,' or 'Uncrewed Aerial System,' the FAA documents said. The term refers to drones. Three more UAS encounters were flagged a day later, the outlet reported. Advertisement 'What I can tell you is that there has been a lot of activity, a lot of people reporting a lot of things out of Arizona, particularly on the border' with Mexico, former Pentagon investigator Luis Elizondo told News Nation this month. The FAA told The Post in a statement that the agency 'documents Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings whenever a pilot reports one to an air traffic control facility. 'If supporting information such as radar data corroborates the report, the FAA shares it with the UAP Task Force. The Department of Defense All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office serves as the centralized clearing house for UAP reporting impacting national security or safety.' 3 A map shows designated restricted airspace (outlined in red) and military operation areas (outlined in purple) used for military training in Arizona and neighboring states. DOD Advertisement The government filed 757 such reports between May 2023 and June 2024 — 708 of which took place in the air — with only 49 marked 'case closed' in the latest report issued by the 'Anomaly Resolution Office.' The small unidentified objects spotted in Arizona are known to fly in groups of up to eight and are sometimes characterized as drones, according to The War Zone, which noted the incidents took place at high altitudes in or near military air combat training sites since January 2020. Drones and other flying objects such as the Chinese spy balloon in 2023 are 'clearly being passed through multiple U.S. military reporting streams,' the outlet added. 3 An F-16 Fighting Falcon, or Viper, lands at Kleine Brogel Air Base EBBL in Belgium. NurPhoto via Getty Images Advertisement Some US officials, including Ron Vitiello, a senior adviser for US Customs and Border Protection, hypothesize that the mysterious flying objects could be drones used by foreign cartels for spying or smuggling drugs. The cartel has used the technology – which is difficult to track – to move up to 10 kilograms of drugs at a time, News Nation reported. Vitiello told 'News Nation Prime' earlier this month that 'unlimited funding' from cartels could explain the impressive 'cutting-edge' technology never seen before. 'Maybe they've got technology that we're not used to seeing in the drone space,' Vitello said. 'That's part of their business model, to always be able to iterate and innovate, so that they can continue to sell their poison into the United States.'
The National
25-04-2025
- Business
- The National
The biggest US–Saudi Arabia arms deals explained
The US is poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources told Reuters, saying the proposal was being lined up for announcement during President Donald Trump's visit to the kingdom in May. Here is a look at the US's biggest arms deals with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in the past 15 years: In May 2017, during President Donald Trump's first official overseas visit to Riyadh, the US and Saudi Arabia announced a sweeping arms agreement valued at $110 billion immediately, with a projected total of up to $350 billion over the following decade. It was hailed as one of the largest arms deals in US history and formed the centrepiece of renewed strategic co-operation between Washington and Riyadh. The package included a wide array of advanced military hardware and defence systems, such as: The deal also encompassed significant upgrades to communications, cybersecurity infrastructure, and command-and-control systems to improve interoperability with US forces. The agreement aimed to strengthen Saudi Arabia's defensive capabilities against regional threats, while also providing a major boost to American defence manufacturers. However, many of the deals were based on preliminary letters of intent rather than finalised contracts, and remained subject to congressional approval and export control reviews. The US is preparing a major arms package for Saudi Arabia, expected to be unveiled during President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to the kingdom in May. He is also due to visit the UAE and Qatar. According to US officials cited by Reuters, the proposed deal is estimated to exceed $100 billion, positioning it as one of the largest military agreements of the current administration and a continuation of the deep defence ties between the two nations. The package is expected to include a range of advanced military systems, likely to feature: This prospective deal is viewed as both a revival and an expansion of the 2017 strategic framework. In December 2011, under the Barack Obama administration, the US finalised a landmark arms deal with Saudi Arabia valued at $29.4 billion. The agreement was one of the most significant bilateral defence sales of the time and was formally confirmed by the US Department of Defence. The 2011 F-15SA deal included: Deliveries began in the mid-2010s and had a visible impact on Saudi Arabia's military operations. The deal also strengthened Saudi Arabia's position in its broader strategic goals, helping to ensure sustained air superiority and reinforcing the US–Saudi defence partnership in an increasingly volatile region. In November 2020, the US State Department approved a major arms deal with the UAE valued at $23.37 billion, one of the largest in the region's history. Finalised in January 2021 but not yet fully delivered, the package included 50 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters worth $10.4 billion, 18 MQ-9B Reaper drones at nearly $3 billion, and a $10 billion supply of advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. In June 2017, the US signed a $12 billion arms deal with Qatar, aimed at strengthening bilateral defence relations. The deal, announced by the Department of Defence and supported by the DSCA, provided 36 F-15QA (Qatar Advanced) fighter jets, along with a full package of training, logistics and maintenance support. Kuwait also finalised a major arms agreement with the US in 2018, following DSCA approval in 2016. Valued at $10.1 billion, the deal included 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jets alongside associated weapons systems, training, and logistical support. It was part of Kuwait's broader effort to modernise its air force.
The National
25-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Biggest US–Saudi Arabia arms deals explained
The US is poised to offer Saudi Arabia an arms package worth well over $100 billion, sources told Reuters, saying the proposal was being lined up for announcement during President Donald Trump's visit to the kingdom in May. Here is a look at the US's biggest arms deals with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states in the past 15 years: In May 2017, during President Donald Trump's first official overseas visit to Riyadh, the US and Saudi Arabia announced a sweeping arms agreement valued at $110 billion immediately, with a projected total of up to $350 billion over the following decade. It was hailed as one of the largest arms deals in US history and formed the centrepiece of renewed strategic co-operation between Washington and Riyadh. The package included a wide array of advanced military hardware and defence systems, such as: The deal also encompassed significant upgrades to communications, cybersecurity infrastructure, and command-and-control systems to improve interoperability with US forces. The agreement aimed to strengthen Saudi Arabia's defensive capabilities against regional threats, while also providing a major boost to American defence manufacturers. However, many of the deals were based on preliminary letters of intent rather than finalised contracts, and remained subject to congressional approval and export control reviews. The US is preparing a major arms package for Saudi Arabia, expected to be unveiled during President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to the kingdom in May. He is also due to visit the UAE and Qatar. According to US officials cited by Reuters, the proposed deal is estimated to exceed $100 billion, positioning it as one of the largest military agreements of the current administration and a continuation of the deep defence ties between the two nations. The package is expected to include a range of advanced military systems, likely to feature: This prospective deal is viewed as both a revival and an expansion of the 2017 strategic framework. In December 2011, under the Barack Obama administration, the US finalised a landmark arms deal with Saudi Arabia valued at $29.4 billion. The agreement was one of the most significant bilateral defence sales of the time and was formally confirmed by the US Department of Defence. The 2011 F-15SA deal included: Deliveries began in the mid-2010s and had a visible impact on Saudi Arabia's military operations. The deal also strengthened Saudi Arabia's position in its broader strategic goals, helping to ensure sustained air superiority and reinforcing the US–Saudi defence partnership in an increasingly volatile region. In November 2020, the US State Department approved a major arms deal with the UAE valued at $23.37 billion, one of the largest in the region's history. Finalised in January 2021 but not yet fully delivered, the package included 50 F-35A Joint Strike Fighters worth $10.4 billion, 18 MQ-9B Reaper drones at nearly $3 billion, and a $10 billion supply of advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. In June 2017, the US signed a $12 billion arms deal with Qatar, aimed at strengthening bilateral defence relations. The deal, announced by the Department of Defence and supported by the DSCA, provided 36 F-15QA (Qatar Advanced) fighter jets, along with a full package of training, logistics and maintenance support. Kuwait also finalised a major arms agreement with the US in 2018, following DSCA approval in 2016. Valued at $10.1 billion, the deal included 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jets alongside associated weapons systems, training, and logistical support. It was part of Kuwait's broader effort to modernise its air force.
7NEWS
22-04-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Dutton vows to grow defence spending with $21 billion promise
An elected Coalition Government will invest more than $21 billion within five years to take defence spending as a share of GDP to 2.5 per cent, and a longer-term defence spending goal of 3 per cent of GDP within a decade. It is a faster rate of proposed spending compared to the Labor Party, which has a goal to take defence spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033-34. Defence Minister Richard Marles has committed in the budget papers to spending $57.6 billion during the next decade. Behind in the published polls, the Coalition is making the announcement during the week of Anzac Day, hoping to gain support from undecided voters. Part of the Coalition's pitch is to buy a fourth squadron of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. Liberal leader Peter Dutton will announce the Coalition's plan in Perth tomorrow. 'The Coalition will strengthen the Australian Defence Force and support our servicemen and women to keep us safe today and into generations ahead,' Dutton said. 'The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister regularly tell Australians that we live in the most precarious period since the end of the Second World War. Yet, over the last three years, Labor has done nothing about it, other than rip money out of defence, weakening strength and morale.' Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie says, 'by increasing defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP within five years, the Coalition is ensuring the Australian Defence Force can equip our servicemen and women with the capabilities needed to defend our nation. 'There must be a sense of urgency to equipping the ADF and rebuilding our sovereign defence industrial base following three years of neglect under Labor,' he said. 'A Dutton Coalition Government will back Australian workers and businesses in defence industry to develop the sovereign capabilities our country needs. They are a critical enabler to the Australian men and women in uniform.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
F-35s From Hill AFB Arrive In England
A sizable contingent of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from Hill Air Force Base in Utah have arrived in England. Online flight trackers followed the jets and the KC-46 Pegasus aerial tankers as they 'dragged' the fighters across the Atlantic until they arrived in England. 17:29 GOLD 73-74 flt x1 ?KC-135? & KC-46+ TABOR ?? x3? F-35/A Lightning II'sChecking in with Shanwick on 8831 khz with another Group of #F35's Bound for Lakenheath from Hill AFB #KHIFEstimating 5630N025W at 1756z And Will Freq Switch at 20W.#GOLD73: 17-46031#GOLD74: ??? — Andy (@Andyyyyrrrr) March 19, 2025 As of Thursday afternoon, 12 F-35s arrived at RAF Lakenheath, according to local plane spotter Karl O'Kane. It is unclear why those jets were sent to Lakenheath, but that base has served as a way station for flights between the U.S. and the Middle East. On March 17, Air &Space Forces Magazine reported that the U.S. Air Force was sending additional aircraft to the region. Officials from the Pentagon and several Air Force commands declined to comment about where the F-35s are headed. The U.S. military is expected to send additional aircraft to the Middle East, U.S. officials tell me. — Chris Gordon (@ByChrisGordon) March 17, 2025 While there are plenty of reasons the visiting stealth fighters could stay put in Europe, RAF Lakenheath is already home to the USAF's forward deployed F-35A contingent, hosting two squadrons. Two F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons also call the base home. If indeed they are heading to the Middle East, the jets crossed the Atlantic as the U.S. military continued to pound Houthi targets in Yemen from the air and sea in a campaign that began on March 15. There were 'four US attacks in the Al Khatib area of Al Hudaydah Governorate in Yemen' on Thursday, according to the Houthti-controlled Ansar Allah Telegram channel. U.S. Central Command declined to say when its most recent attacks took place, instead pointing to its latest message on X posted Wednesday. It included a video of F/A 18-E/F Super Hornets launching from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman bound for strike missions against the Houthis. 'CENTCOM forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis,' the command stated. CENTCOM forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis…#HouthisAreTerrorists — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025 Earlier on Thursday, the Houthis claimed they launched another missile strike at Israel. 'The Yemeni armed forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting Ben Gurion airport in the occupied Jaffa region with a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile,' Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said on Thursday. #Houthis Claim 'Successful' Attack On Ben Gurion Airport As #Israelis Run For Cover, Say…Yemen's Houthis claim their attack on Tel Aviv's #BenGurionAirport with hypersonic ballistic missiles was 'successful', even as they escalate attacks in the #RedSea. — Mint (@livemint) March 20, 2025 The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) disputed the result of that attack. 'Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory,' the IDF said on Telegram. LIVE: Israel comes under ballistic missile attack by the Houthis for the second time in 24 hours. — Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 20, 2025 The US has asked Israel not to this attack, according to Israeli media. 'The request comes as the US has carried out widespread strikes against the Houthis in recent days,' The Times of Israel reported. 'The US told Israel to 'let them deal with it.' The latest campaign against the Houthis was ordered by President Donald Trump as the Yemen-based rebels vowed to resume their attacks on Israeli-connected vessels. The Houthis paused those strikes during the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war that has since broken down into open conflict. On Monday, U.S. officials provided details about the initial stages of this campaign, which they acknowledge could take weeks. 'The initial wave of strikes hit over 30 targets at multiple locations, degrading a variety of Houthi capabilities,' Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich explained to reporters, including from The War Zone. 'These included terrorist training sites, unmanned aerial vehicle infrastructure, weapons manufacturing capabilities and weapons storage facilities. It also included a number of command and control centers, including a terrorist compound where we know several senior unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located. On Sunday, strike operations continued against additional headquarters locations, weapon storage facilities, as well as detection capabilities that have been used to threaten maritime shipping in the past.' CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue… — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025 The Houthi shipping attacks began in November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians over the latest war between Israel and Gaza. They have forced ships to avoid the Suez Canal for a far longer route around Africa, boosting cargo costs by nearly $200 billion. The Houthis' attacks sank two vessels, damaged many others, caused the death of four mariners, and led to many being held hostage after a ship was seized. There were also a lot of Houthi weapons that missed their targets entirely. In addition to attacking shipping, the Houthis have also fired missiles and drones at Israel. You can read more about the Houthis' arsenal in our deep dive here. After the U.S. began hitting Houthi targets in Yemen last week, the group said it has hit back. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed they attacked the Truman Carrier Strike Group for the fourth time since the latest campaign against them began. A U.S. defense official pushed back on that claim. 'Houthis continue to communicate lies and disinformation,' the official told The War Zone Thursday. 'They are well known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs. In fact, they have claimed to have hit our ships multiple times in the past and have even claimed to have sunk our aircraft carriers. Their messaging depends on lies.' That follows comments Grynkewich made last week after the Houthis claimed they launched 18 ballistic missiles and a drone at the strike group. 'Quite frankly, it's hard to tell' what the Houthis were targeting, Grynkewich said, 'because while we're executing precision strikes, they missed by over 100 miles. I would question anything that they claim to the press that they're doing or not doing.' All this comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the Houthis' main benefactors, are increasing under Trump's 'maximum pressure' doctrine. Earlier this week, Trump sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that included a two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal, Axios reported, citing sources. In 2018, Trump pulled out of an earlier nuclear weapons deal signed by former President Barack Obama. Iranians pushed back on Trump's deadline. 'We will not engage in direct negotiations under pressure, threats, or increased sanctions,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. In a video statement released on Thursday, Khamenei criticized the attacks on the Houthi militia, warning that they should be prevented. The tensions are being exacerbated by Israel's resumption of attacks on Hamas, including air strikes and a limited ground incursion that have resulted in increasing deaths of civilians and the elimination of much of Hamas' remaining leadership. The U.S. has said the attacks on the Houthis will end once the rebel group stops launching attacks on shipping. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to claim strikes against U.S. Navy ships. Contact the author: howard@
