Latest news with #NicholasEvans
The Herald Scotland
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
US military parades 53 warplanes at Kedena AFB in Japan
"Working alongside our allies and partners, Kadena stands ready to project airpower throughout the region to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, commander of the base's 18th Wing. Military exercises and other demonstrations like the one on Tuesday are routine and often conducted by large military powers, including the United States and its allies. More often than not, they are symbolic shows intended as a form of deterrence. The Indo-Pacific region has been in a state of high tension for more than a decade over U.S.-China relations, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. Why the 'war' games? China launches 'punishment' drills around Taiwan. Here's why Beijing says it's doing it Photographs released by the Air Force show fighter jets and large military aircraft in formation alongside helicopters and drones, with the two Patriot air defense missiles flanking either side of the expansive runway. Where is Kadena Air Base? Kadena Air Base is on the Japanese island of Okinawa, sandwiched between Japan and Taiwan in the East China Sea. Its proximity makes it the closest military outpost to Taiwan, a self-governed island allied to the U.S. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has vowed to pursue unification, including by force. The base is the largest U.S. outpost in the region, rivaled only by Camp Humphreys in South Korea. More: Elon Musk visits Pentagon as Trump administration denies he saw top secret China war plans What is an 'elephant walk'? 'Elephant walk' is an Air Force term for a close formation of aircraft taxiing en masse before takeoff, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. "An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore--it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready," said Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang. "This kind of teamwork and presence is exactly how we maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific." Kathryn Palmer is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
US military stages biggest EVER ‘elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China
THE US has staged its biggest military attack formation ever in the South China Sea region - showcasing supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters and military drones. The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft and was put up in a display at the US military base in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. 8 8 8 Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple US fighter jets in a tight formation. They were put behind advanced military choppers and were flanked by air defence systems on both sides. Attack drones and naval aircraft were a part of the formation, while larger aircraft were staged behind the fighter jets' formation. The military spectacle featured a wide array of advanced military aircraft, including 24 US Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs choppers. Two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIS and six KC-135 Stratotankers were also present. The formation was guarded by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems. US military's 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said: An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' The military formation is understood to be one of the largest in recent history. In 2020, a 52-aircraft formation was put up for display at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. China's Taiwan invasion plan could trigger WW3 if US gets involved, expert warns It comes after a top US admiral has warned that China will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan. The chilling warning comes amid fears that China is preparing for a full-scale invasion of the island as it masses warships and submarines. Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute's annual Sedona Forum in Arizona on Friday. The admiral said that while the US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan now, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by the Financial Times. Paparo said: 'The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.' But he added: 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.' China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines - and the US doesn't seem to be able to keep up. According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six. 8 8 8 And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two. The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount. Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Beijing is rehearsing "the full spectrum of military operations" - from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade. This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month. When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: 'A lesson in history is that people are always saying America will never get in a fight, but it's not the track record.' But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island. Why does China want to invade Taiwan? TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region. This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West. And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China's enemy if it means keeping its independence. Taiwan's economy is another factor in China's desperation to reclaim the land. If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world's electronics being made in Taiwan. This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation. And China may have more weapons than previously thought. Google Maps images exposed China's secret submarine fleet back in April. The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base. These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine. The base - dubbed the First Submarine Base - is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there's easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X. In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed. 8 8
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
US Air Force and Navy parade dozens of warplanes in Pacific 'elephant walk'
US Air Force and Navy parade dozens of warplanes in Pacific 'elephant walk' Show Caption Hide Caption Trump awards Boeing much-needed win with fighter jet contract Trump awards Boeing the contract to build the U.S. Air Force's F-47 fighter jet, March 21, 2025, Washington, D.C. An American military base in Japan on Tuesday, May 6, participated in a massive show-of-force, showing off 53 warplanes and a pair of defense missiles in an 'elephant walk' exercise at one of its largest outposts in the Asia-Pacific region. The demonstration featured U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft that regularly operate out of Japan's Kadena Air Base. The U.S. Army participated with the addition of two highly sought-after Patriot surface-to-air missiles, rounding out what a May 6 news release called a demonstration 'highlighting the strength of America's integrated air and missile defense and its commitment to joint operations.' 'Working alongside our allies and partners, Kadena stands ready to project airpower throughout the region to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,' said Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, commander of the base's 18th Wing. Military exercises and other demonstrations like the one on Tuesday are routine and often conducted by large military powers, including the United States and its allies. More often than not, they are symbolic shows intended as a form of deterrence. The Indo-Pacific region has been in a state of high tension for more than a decade over U.S.-China relations, Taiwan and the disputed South China Sea. Why the 'war' games? China launches 'punishment' drills around Taiwan. Here's why Beijing says it's doing it Photographs released by the Air Force show fighter jets and large military aircraft in formation alongside helicopters and drones, with the two Patriot air defense missiles flanking either side of the expansive runway. Where is Kadena Air Base? Kadena Air Base is on the Japanese island of Okinawa, sandwiched between Japan and Taiwan in the East China Sea. Its proximity makes it the closest military outpost to Taiwan, a self-governed island allied to the U.S. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory and has vowed to pursue unification, including by force. The base is the largest U.S. outpost in the region, rivaled only by Camp Humphreys in South Korea. More: Elon Musk visits Pentagon as Trump administration denies he saw top secret China war plans What is an 'elephant walk'? 'Elephant walk' is an Air Force term for a close formation of aircraft taxiing en masse before takeoff, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. 'An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready,' said Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang. 'This kind of teamwork and presence is exactly how we maintain deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.' Kathryn Palmer is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
US Air Force and Navy ‘elephant walk' in Japan could be ‘largest seen'
The U.S. Air Force deployed a swarm of supersonic stealth strike fighters and anti-aircraft missile systems for a large-scale 'elephant walk' in Japan, in an apparent display of combat power and regional deterrence. A total of 53 aircraft participated in the traditional showing this week at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, a major U.S. military installation in the Asia-Pacific region located about 400 miles off the coast of China. Air Force photographs captured fighter jets in tight formation behind helicopters and drones. Larger aircraft were stationed toward the rear with advanced Patriot air defense systems flanking the sides. 'An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready,' 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said in a statement. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said in a statement Friday that the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' The air base said two dozen F-35As, eight F-15E Strike Eagles, six HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, and two MQ-9 Reaper drones were included in the traditional showing on Tuesday, which involves the taxiing of aircraft in close formation before takeoff. Operations tankers, reconnaissance planes stuffed with listening devices and other electromagnetic spying equipment, and airborne warning systems were among other aircraft in the walk. The U.S. Navy also deployed two EA-18G Growler electronic warfare fighter-bombers and one P-8 Poseidon submarine hunter, while the U.S. Army chipped in two MIM-104 Patriots mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile systems. According to military news website Task and Purpose, this week's elephant walk appears to be one of the largest in recent memory. It topped the 52-aircraft formation at Hill Air Force Base in Utah in 2020. The Japanese base held a similar, 33-aircraft elephant walk about a year ago. The Air Force said most of the planes in the walk are flown by crews at Kadena, and other aircraft regularly operate out of the Japanese air base 'day in and day out. " The display coincided with the 18th Wing's week of operational readiness training involving ground burst simulators, smoke canisters, and mobilization drills. 'Our Airmen are out there doing the mission every day,' Wolfgang said. 'Exercises like this sharpen their skills under pressure and make sure they are ready when it matters.'
The Independent
09-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
US Air Force and Navy ‘elephant walk' in Japan could be ‘largest seen'
The U.S. Air Force deployed a swarm of supersonic stealth strike fighters and anti-aircraft missile systems for a large-scale 'elephant walk' in Japan, in an apparent display of combat power and regional deterrence. A total of 53 aircraft participated in the traditional showing this week at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, a major U.S. military installation in the Asia-Pacific region located about 400 miles off the coast of China. Air Force photographs captured fighter jets in tight formation behind helicopters and drones. Larger aircraft were stationed toward the rear with advanced Patriot air defense systems flanking the sides. 'An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready,' 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said in a statement. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said in a statement Friday that the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' The air base said two dozen F-35As, eight F-15E Strike Eagles, six HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, and two MQ-9 Reaper drones were included in the traditional showing on Tuesday, which involves the taxiing of aircraft in close formation before takeoff. Operations tankers, reconnaissance planes stuffed with listening devices and other electromagnetic spying equipment, and airborne warning systems were among other aircraft in the walk. The U.S. Navy also deployed two EA-18G Growler electronic warfare fighter-bombers and one P-8 Poseidon submarine hunter, while the U.S. Army chipped in two MIM-104 Patriots mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile systems. According to military news website Task and Purpose, this week's elephant walk appears to be one of the largest in recent memory. It topped the 52-aircraft formation at Hill Air Force Base in Utah in 2020. The Japanese base held a similar, 33-aircraft elephant walk about a year ago. The Air Force said most of the planes in the walk are flown by crews at Kadena, and other aircraft regularly operate out of the Japanese air base 'day in and day out. " The display coincided with the 18th Wing's week of operational readiness training involving ground burst simulators, smoke canisters, and mobilization drills. 'Our Airmen are out there doing the mission every day,' Wolfgang said. 'Exercises like this sharpen their skills under pressure and make sure they are ready when it matters.'
