Latest news with #Spotter
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Amazon-backed creator startup Spotter lays off staffers. Read the memo from its CEO.
BI was unable to determine the exact number of employees affected, but the layoffs impacted teams across the company. "As the macroeconomic environment continues to evolve, we've made the difficult but strategic decision to implement organizational changes, including a reduction in the size of our team," a spokesperson for Spotter told BI. The spokesperson said the cuts will help "accelerate our path to profitability by the end of this year." Spotter is a major player in the creator space. Last year, it attracted funding from Amazon as part of a larger deal to work with Spotter's creator partners. The company's talent pool includes MrBeast, Dude Perfect, and Ryan Trahan. Spotter, which was founded in 2019 and is also backed by SoftBank, built a business buying the rights to license creator content. In March, the company said it had paid out over $950 million to creators. That month, Spotter hosted a splashy pitch event in New York for creators and advertisers. The company said this week's layoffs did not impact Spotter's advertising sales team. The cuts mark Spotter's second round of layoffs in the last six months. The company laid off employees in November, a spokesperson previously told The Information. Spotter is not the only creator content licensing startup to cull staff in the past year. Jellysmack, a competitor that shares Softbank as an investor, made cuts in October amid a restructuring. Some startups focused on creator services have failed to meet growth expectations, industry investors previously told BI. Spotter also offers AI-powered products to help creators come up with video ideas, titles, and thumbnails. It runs an advertising business connecting brands with creators as well. Read the email Spotter's CEO Aaron DeBevoise sent to employees this week announcing the job cuts: Team, Today, we've made the difficult decision to part ways with some of our teammates. I understand today is challenging - particularly for those impacted. These changes were thoroughly considered, particularly given recent economic uncertainty and volatility, which have further impacted investors' demand for efficiency and profitability. Despite our success in Q1, it has become clear that in light of the economic environment, we must make targeted changes to accelerate our path to profitability and control our own destiny. To our impacted teammates: We are so thankful for your contributions which have been critical to advancing our mission to help Creators win. We have already sent calendar invites to all impacted employees for conversations today where you will learn about next steps. We are committed to supporting these team members as they transition to their next opportunities. Thank you. Aaron
Business Insider
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Amazon-backed creator startup Spotter lays off staffers. Read the memo from its CEO.
Spotter, a startup that works with some of YouTube's biggest stars, laid off staff this week, the company confirmed to Business Insider. BI was unable to determine the exact number of employees affected, but the layoffs impacted teams across the company. "As the macroeconomic environment continues to evolve, we've made the difficult but strategic decision to implement organizational changes, including a reduction in the size of our team," a spokesperson for Spotter told BI. The spokesperson said the cuts will help "accelerate our path to profitability by the end of this year." Spotter is a major player in the creator space. Last year, it attracted funding from Amazon as part of a larger deal to work with Spotter's creator partners. The company's talent pool includes MrBeast, Dude Perfect, and Ryan Trahan. Spotter, which was founded in 2019 and is also backed by SoftBank, built a business buying the rights to license creator content. In March, the company said it had paid out over $950 million to creators. That month, Spotter hosted a splashy pitch event in New York for creators and advertisers. The company said this week's layoffs did not impact Spotter's advertising sales team. The cuts mark Spotter's second round of layoffs in the last six months. The company laid off employees in November, a spokesperson previously told The Information. Spotter is not the only creator content licensing startup to cull staff in the past year. Jellysmack, a competitor that shares Softbank as an investor, made cuts in October amid a restructuring. Some startups focused on creator services have failed to meet growth expectations, industry investors previously told BI. Spotter also offers AI-powered products to help creators come up with video ideas, titles, and thumbnails. It also runs an advertising business connecting brands with creators. Read the email Spotter's CEO Aaron DeBevoise sent to employees this week announcing the job cuts: Team, Today, we've made the difficult decision to part ways with some of our teammates. I understand today is challenging - particularly for those impacted. These changes were thoroughly considered, particularly given recent economic uncertainty and volatility, which have further impacted investors' demand for efficiency and profitability. Despite our success in Q1, it has become clear that in light of the economic environment, we must make targeted changes to accelerate our path to profitability and control our own destiny. To our impacted teammates: We are so thankful for your contributions which have been critical to advancing our mission to help Creators win. We have already sent calendar invites to all impacted employees for conversations today where you will learn about next steps. We are committed to supporting these team members as they transition to their next opportunities. Thank you. Aaron
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
YouTube Brandcast Regulars Like MrBeast And Dude Perfect Slated For Separate Creator Upfront
YouTube's annual Brandcast event for advertisers presents top creators as vehicles for commercial messages. This year, the growth of the sector has enabled MrBeast, Dude Perfect and other top-tier creators to get a spotlight for marketers independent of YouTube's event. Spotter Showcase, named after creator-focused tech and licensing firm Spotter, will be held in New York City on March 27. About 150 marketing and advertising execs are expected to attend. The timing puts it several weeks before Brandcast and the dozen or so media, streaming and digital upfront presentations slated for New York in May. More from Deadline 'Andor' Season 1 Episodes Head To Hulu & YouTube Ahead Of Season 2 Premiere On Disney+ A+E Networks Rebrands As A+E Global Media, Renames Ad Sales Unit A+E Media Solutions Oscars Ad Inventory Sold Out, Disney Says, With Pricing In Line With 2024 Confirmed to participate are MrBeast, Dude Perfect, Kinigra Deon, Ryan Trahan, Rebecca Zamolo, Jordan Matter, and other creators who have often been featured in the past during Brandcast. Conversations will be led by fellow YouTubers Colin & Samir, who are also producing the event alongside Spotter. The creation of the Spotter Showcase attests to the steady growth of viewership on YouTube, which routinely outdoes Netflix and other streamers, commanding more than 10% of all viewing through a TV set on a monthly basis, according to Nielsen. YouTube last month revealed that viewing through a TV screen now exceeds viewing on mobile and laptops, a landmark reversal of the longtime use case for the Google-owned video giant. At the same time, with traditional linear viewing declining along with the number of pay-TV households, the glitzy blitz of upfronts that used to pack the calendar between February and May has thinned noticeably. Paramount Global no longer stages an annual in-person upfront, hosting smaller-scale client dinners instead, and The CW has also has vacated its longtime perch due to cost cutting at parent Nexstar Media. While other traditional media companies have continued the ritual, they now face stiffer competition during the main upfront week from deep-pocketed tech firms Amazon, Netflix and YouTube. Creators at the Spotter event will detail their content calendars, formats, tentpole series, audience data, and development plans, giving marketers an up-close look at creator-driven and long-form YouTube entertainment. Added together, the channel proprietors scheduled to be part of the showcase drew more than 77 billion minutes of viewing in the U.S. among adults 18 to 24. 'Spotter Showcase will help brands reach today's top YouTube Creators, giving them direct access to the voices shaping culture and driving consumer engagement. It's not just about ad placements—it's about deep consumer attention and fostering authentic collaborations that give brands access to the unrivaled scale, trust, and engagement of Creator audiences,' Spotter founder and CEO Aaron DeBevoise said. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery The 25 Highest-Grossing Animated Films Of All Time At The Box Office 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Snow totals for DC, Maryland, Virginia & West Virginia for February 11 & 12
The Brief BWI Airport: Recorded a total snowfall of 3.8 inches in the recent winter storm. Reagan National Airport: Experienced snowfall with a total accumulation of 6.3 inches. Dulles International Airport: Saw a snowfall total of 4.9 inches during the same period. WASHINGTON - A blast of winter weather brought snow to Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia on Tuesday. Here are the latest snow totals from the National Weather Service. Anacostia SSE: 6.1 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter US Capitol: 5.3 inches (9:22 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Washington 1 E: 4.6 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Anacostia 1 S: 4.5 inches (10:18 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Allegany County: Ridgeley 1 NW: 1.5 inches (9:19 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Anne Arundel County: Galesville 4 WSW: 7.0 inches (11:22 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Deale 1 NE: 6.0 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Highland Beach 1 SSW: 5.5 inches (10:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Chelsea Beach: 4.8 inches (3:15 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Hillsmere Shores 1 N: 4.5 inches (9:55 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Crofton 2 NNE: 4.2 inches (9:15 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Cape St. Claire: 4.0 inches (7:48 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter BWI Airport: 3.8 inches (1:00 AM, 2/12) - Official NWS Obs Eastport 1 SSW: 3.8 inches (8:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Glen Burnie 1 WSW: 3.6 inches (10:28 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Cape St. Claire 1 SS: 1.5 inches (8:40 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Baltimore County: Edgemere SE: 4.2 inches (12:27 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Edgemere 2 SW: 3.5 inches (11:28 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Timonium: 3.4 inches (2:13 AM, 2/12) - Public Glyndon 1 WSW: 3.3 inches (4:51 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter McDonogh 1 SSE: 3.0 inches (8:56 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Perry Hall: 2.7 inches (11:17 PM, 2/11) - Public Chase: 2.5 inches (8:59 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Cockeysville 1 N: 2.5 inches (1:13 AM, 2/12) - Broadcast Media Upper Falls 2 SW: 2.5 inches (9:24 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Long Green 2 NW: 2.0 inches (9:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Bentley Springs 1 E: 1.0 inches (8:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Baltimore City: Arlington 2 E: 4.0 inches (2:57 AM, 2/12) - Broadcast Media Arlington 2 ESE: 2.4 inches (9:58 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Pimlico SE: 1.5 inches (7:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Calvert County: Prince Frederick 1 S: 7.6 inches (10:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Huntingtown SW: 6.8 inches (7:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Lusby ESE: 5.0 inches (7:35 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter North Beach 2 WNW: 5.0 inches (7:50 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Carroll County: Sykesville 1 NNW: 3.3 inches (4:30 AM, 2/12) - NWS Employee Gamber 1 WNW: 1.9 inches (11:08 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Millers 4 NE: 1.9 inches (12:23 AM, 2/12) - Co-Op Observer Watersville 1 N: 1.8 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Taneytown NE: 1.2 inches (10:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Linwood 2 SE: 1.0 inches (9:07 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Charles County: Dentsville 1 SW: 8.7 inches (1:30 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter White Plains: 8.6 inches (11:23 PM, 2/11) - Public Port Tobacco Village: 8.6 inches (11:45 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Waldorf 2 W: 6.9 inches (8:57 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter St. Charles 1 ENE: 6.0 inches (11:13 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Hughesville 3 NNE: 5.5 inches (9:05 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Frederick County: Bloomfield 2 WSW: 1.5 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee New Market 2 NW: 1.5 inches (8:30 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Garrett County: Grantsville 5 W: 3.5 inches (4:00 AM, 2/12) - Dept of Highways Deer Park 6 NE: 2.0 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Accident 4 SE: 1.2 inches (7:56 PM, 2/11) - Public Harford County: Aberdeen Proving Ground: 3.7 inches (3:24 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Churchville 1 N: 3.3 inches (2:40 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Bel Air: 3.0 inches (2:16 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Forest Hill 1 NNW: 2.4 inches (12:01 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Norrisville 1 WSW: 2.4 inches (9:50 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Forest Hill 3 SW: 1.6 inches (8:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Holly Corner 2 E: 1.6 inches (8:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Howard County: Simpsonville E: 5.0 inches (1:30 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Simpsonville 1 SSE: 4.6 inches (12:00 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Laurel 2 N: 4.0 inches (1:00 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Columbia: 3.7 inches (10:29 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Elkridge 2 W: 3.4 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Laurel 1 NNE: 3.0 inches (9:00 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Savage 1 ESE: 3.0 inches (8:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Gaither 2 SSE: 2.7 inches (11:40 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Oella 2 NNE: 2.5 inches (12:10 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Sykesville 2 SSE: 2.5 inches (9:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Ellicott City: 2.2 inches (8:26 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Montgomery County: Four Corners 1 N: 6.0 inches (9:42 PM, 2/11) - Public Wheaton 1 NW: 5.1 inches (12:00 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Garrett Park 1 ENE: 5.0 inches (11:25 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Kensington: 5.0 inches (10:15 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Bethesda: 5.0 inches (9:42 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Rockville: 4.9 inches (4:34 AM, 2/12) - Public Norbeck 2 E: 4.8 inches (11:13 PM, 2/11) - Public Somerset 1 ENE: 4.3 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Rockville 1 SSE: 4.1 inches (10:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Olney: 4.0 inches (12:35 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Silver Spring: 4.0 inches (8:02 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Takoma Park: 4.0 inches (8:12 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Norbeck 1 ESE: 3.6 inches (9:55 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Spencerville WSW: 3.5 inches (9:31 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Montgomery Village 3: 3.4 inches (9:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Poolesville NE: 3.2 inches (10:35 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Boyds 1 SE: 3.2 inches (11:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Clarksburg: 3.0 inches (8:38 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Gaithersburg: 3.0 inches (8:38 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Montgomery Village 1: 2.6 inches (9:00 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Gaithersburg 1 SW: 2.5 inches (8:25 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Prince George's County: Andrews AFB 2 E: 6.8 inches (11:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter New Carrollton 1 E: 5.4 inches (1:31 AM, 2/12) - Public Greenbelt 1 N: 5.0 inches (11:20 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Hyattsville: 3.3 inches (7:51 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager St. Mary's County: Callaway 2 W: 8.0 inches (3:45 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter California 2 W: 6.0 inches (8:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Compton 3 SSE: 5.0 inches (7:20 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Washington County: Hancock 1 ESE: 1.1 inches (9:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Boonsboro 3 NNE: 1.1 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Albemarle County: Hollymead 1 ENE: 8.0 inches (12:29 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Earlysville 2 WNW: 7.8 inches (12:37 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter White Hall 3 ESE: 7.7 inches (11:05 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Boyd Tavern 1 S: 6.3 inches (7:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Arlington County: Falls Church 1 E: 6.5 inches (12:20 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Reagan National Apt: 6.3 inches (1:00 AM, 2/12) - Official NWS Obs Rosslyn 1 S: 5.5 inches (10:50 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Rosslyn: 5.0 inches (9:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Baileys Crossroads 1: 5.0 inches (8:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Augusta County: Hermitage 3 N: 10.0 inches (12:20 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Stuarts Draft 3 N: 9.5 inches (7:36 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Stuarts Draft 1 S: 8.2 inches (11:15 PM, 2/11) - Public Staunton Arpt 3 WSW: 7.8 inches (8:49 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media City of Alexandria: Alexandria 2 ESE: 5.5 inches (8:58 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Alexandria 1 ENE: 5.5 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter City of Charlottesville: Newcomb Hall 1 SW: 7.3 inches (8:38 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter City of Fredericksburg: Dunavant 1 S: 8.2 inches (11:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Fredericksburg 1 NNW: 6.5 inches (1:14 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Fredericksburg 1 ENE: 6.5 inches (1:14 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Fredericksburg 2 S: 6.5 inches (1:14 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Fredericksburg 2 E: 6.0 inches (1:14 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter City of Manassas: Independent Hill 2 E: 9.5 inches (12:00 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Manassas Park 1 SW: 6.5 inches (10:47 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter City of Staunton: Staunton 1 NW: 9.0 inches (8:50 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media City of Waynesboro: Waynesboro 1 S: 6.0 inches (11:17 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Waynesboro 2 N: 5.0 inches (9:15 PM, 2/11) - Public Clarke County: Berryville 1 NNW: 2.5 inches (9:05 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Culpeper County: Rixeyville: 7.5 inches (9:45 PM, 2/11) - Public Culpeper 1 W: 7.0 inches (9:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Fairfax County: Hybla Valley 1 ESE: 8.5 inches (2:30 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Burke 2 SSW: 8.0 inches (11:11 PM, 2/11) - Public Centreville 3 SSE: 7.2 inches (10:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Baileys Crossroads 1 NW: 7.0 inches (9:49 PM, 2/11) - Public Newington 2 WNW: 7.0 inches (9:43 PM, 2/11) - Amateur Radio Rose Hill 1 ENE: 6.5 inches (11:18 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Rose Hill: 6.2 inches (9:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Fairfax 1 N: 6.2 inches (10:37 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Burke 1 S: 6.2 inches (10:24 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Fairfax: 6.1 inches (11:12 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager West Springfield 2 W: 5.8 inches (8:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Chantilly 2 ENE: 5.8 inches (10:34 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Chantilly 3 E: 5.5 inches (11:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Herndon 2 ENE: 5.5 inches (1:51 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Dunn Loring 1 SSE: 5.3 inches (9:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Reston 2 N: 5.1 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Vienna 1 WNW: 5.0 inches (10:56 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Chantilly 2 ESE: 5.0 inches (9:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Tysons Corner 1 N: 5.0 inches (10:40 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Herndon 1 NNE: 4.7 inches (10:00 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Oakton 1 ESE: 4.0 inches (9:20 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Herndon: 3.0 inches (7:30 PM, 2/11) - Dept of Highways Fauquier County: Broken Hill 2 WSW: 7.5 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Bealeton: 7.5 inches (9:21 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Frederick County: Cedar Grove 2 ENE: 3.0 inches (1:15 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Stephens City 2 E: 2.8 inches (12:50 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Cedar Hill 4 NNW: 2.4 inches (11:33 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Greene County: Quinque 2 WSW: 8.0 inches (9:26 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Highland County: Monterey: 8.0 inches (9:28 PM, 2/11) - 911 Call Center Loudoun County: Arcola 3 S: 5.9 inches (12:35 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Ashburn 1 W: 5.0 inches (4:47 AM, 2/12) - Public Arcola 1 NNE: 4.9 inches (10:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Dulles International: 4.9 inches (1:00 AM, 2/12) - Official NWS Obs Countryside 2 ESE: 4.0 inches (11:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Ashburn 3 WSW: 3.8 inches (10:07 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Leesburg 2 E: 3.0 inches (10:35 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Round Hill 1 WNW: 2.5 inches (9:34 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Hillsboro 3 NE: 2.0 inches (11:05 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Madison County: Wolftown 1 W: 7.7 inches (10:36 PM, 2/11) - Public Nelson County: Wintergreen: 7.0 inches (9:29 PM, 2/11) - Law Enforcement Page County: Honeyville 1 ESE: 5.5 inches (10:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Luray 1 E: 5.5 inches (11:31 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Rileyville: 3.0 inches (7:40 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Prince William County: Dale City 1 W: 7.8 inches (10:45 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Dumfries 1 ENE: 7.8 inches (1:40 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Dale City 3 NNW: 7.0 inches (9:00 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager Bull Run 2 NE: 6.0 inches (9:56 PM, 2/11) - CoCoRaHS Manassas Park 1 NNW: 6.0 inches (10:55 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Woolsey 2 W: 5.2 inches (12:00 AM, 2/12) - Public Woolsey 2 SSW: 5.0 inches (1:04 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Manassas 3 NNW: 5.0 inches (8:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Rappahannock County: Washington: 6.0 inches (10:41 PM, 2/11) - Public Rockingham County: Massanutten: 6.0 inches (8:46 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Bridgewater: 6.0 inches (12:09 AM, 2/12) - Broadcast Media Elkton: 5.1 inches (7:58 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Massanutten 1 SE: 5.0 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Harrisonburg: 4.9 inches (9:46 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Broadway: 4.8 inches (11:29 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Spotsylvania County: Spotsylvania Courthouse: 4.0 inches (9:00 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Stafford County: Glendie 1 N: 8.3 inches (11:55 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Stafford 2 NW: 8.2 inches (9:40 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Holly Corner 1 ENE: 6.5 inches (9:16 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Holly Corner 2 E: 6.5 inches (11:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Ramoth W: 6.0 inches (9:10 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Berkeley County: Falling Waters 2 NW: 2.0 inches (12:45 AM, 2/12) - Trained Spotter Martinsburg 2 E: 1.5 inches (8:00 PM, 2/11) - NWS Employee Jefferson County: Bloomery 3 SSE: 2.5 inches (9:30 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Mineral County: Burlington E: 1.8 inches (9:15 PM, 2/11) - Trained Spotter Pendleton County: Franklin 1 WSW: 4.0 inches (11:27 PM, 2/11) - Broadcast Media Franklin 1 ESE: 4.0 inches (9:50 PM, 2/11) - Emergency Manager The Source The National Weather Service and FOX 5 DC
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise
At least 20 U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft, 10 KC-46s and an equal number of KC-135s, supported the first day of the latest Bamboo Eagle exercise off the California Coast, according to online flight tracking data. The first Bamboo Eagle occurred last year, as you can learn more about in this past TWZ feature. The large force exercise series has quickly become one of the most important for the U.S. military, as well as key allies, and has a clear eye on preparing for a future coalition fight in the Pacific with China. The U.S. Air Force announced the start of Bamboo Eagle 25-1 yesterday. Like all previous iterations, the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada has been leading the exercise, but units spread across many other bases, predominantly in California, are also participating. U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy units are known to be taking part, but other branches have also been included in past iterations of Bamboo Eagle. Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have also returned and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has joined the exercise for the first time. As already noted, online flight tracking data showed a large force of KC-46 and KC-135 tankers supporting day one of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. At least one RAF Voyager, the British name for the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MRTT), was also tracked in the area. Another "Wow" moment. We have a significant capability being demonstrated tonight with a 2nd round of sorties launched in support of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. First round participants launched earlier today from Travis AFB in California and included at least 20 tankers. A number of… — MeNMyRC (@MeNMyRC1) February 11, 2025 Exercise BAMBOO EAGLE 25-1 has kicked off in earnest off the coast of Southern California. Several aircraft are taking part, including a UK Royal Air Force MRTT as COPPER57. Not shown are the multitude of fighter aircraft. — TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 10, 2025 I was able to capture some tankers for Bamboo Eagle 25-1 early in the morning before it got cloudy.1. Silver15 57-1468 KC-135R2. Silver10 63-8019 KC-135R3. Brass74 16-46022 KC-46A4. Brass 71 21-46092 KC-46A — José (@WR_Spotter_Guy) February 11, 2025 At least a dozen tankers have also been tracked now supporting the second day of Bamboo Eagle 25-1. Morning BAMBOO EAGLE 25-1 sorties are underway off the coast of Baja, California. No less than a dozen tankers are positioning to refuel dozens of fighter aircraft for the exercise. — TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 11, 2025 U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry and RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft were also present yesterday. It's interesting to note here that the U.S. Air Force, the RAF, and NATO are in the process of acquiring Wedgetails to succeed their Sentry fleets. An Air Force RC-135V/W Rivet Joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft was also spotted likely supporting Bamboo Eagle 25-1 yesterday. However, Rivet Joints have been recently tracked flying over the Pacific off southern California, as well as elsewhere in the southwestern United States, as part of a surge of U.S. military support to border security operations opposite Mexico. Not visible in the online flight tracking data from yesterday or today are the huge numbers of tactical jets that the tankers and other supporting aircraft were working with. In its announcement about the start of Bamboo Eagle 25-1, the Air Force included pictures of Air Force F-35A and RAF Typhoon FGR4 fighters, as well as Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, taking part in Red Flag 25-1 at Nellis. Red Flag is the U.S. Air Force's premier air combat exercise series and recent iterations have been increasingly focused on operations in the Pacific. This in turn has put new emphasis on the range complexes off the coast of southern California, which offer larger areas in which to train on physically broader and otherwise more complex scenarios, and do so over water. Red Flag is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and the RAF and RAAF, among other key allies, are often participants. Other aircraft, including Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, as well as RAAF Growlers, took part in Red Flag 25-1, which flowed directly into Bamboo Eagle 25-1. 'This is the largest number of aircraft we've deployed for an exercise at Nellis (AFB) since we first attended Red Flag in 1980,' RAAF Group Captain Stewart Seeney said in a statement yesterday. 'These exercises provide a realistic training environment where we can integrate different capabilities and develop our ability to work with key allies and partners. For many of our aviators, deploying on these exercises is a career highlight and is not an experience that can be easily replicated elsewhere.' F-35As from Hill Air Force Base in Utah are also notably operating from Naval Air Station North Island in California as part of the exercise. The Navy facility has been used as a staging point in past iterations of Bamboo Eagle. Air Force units using it for this purpose also have the opportunity to train around still-evolving rapid deployment and related concepts of operations, currently referred to collectively as Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which the service has been working on for years now. ACE has been and continues to be a central focus for Bamboo Eagle exercises, in general. 'We have had the luxury of operating from safe haven bases for many decades, and modern threats have fundamentally changed that reality,' Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Niemi, head of USAFWC also said in a statement. 'Bamboo Eagle is a big part of helping us figure out how to manage those threats, and training together with our allies improves our ability to face those threats as a unified team.' Other branches of the U.S. military, especially the U.S. Marine Corps, have been developing similar concepts of operations all centered heavily on ways to quickly deploy and redeploy forces throughout forward areas to upend enemy targeting cycles. Concerns about access to established bases, especially in the context of a potential future high-end fight in the Pacific, have been particular drivers of these efforts. There are growing calls for the U.S. military to do more to physically harden bases in the Pacific, along with other defensive improvements, which you can read more about here. The prospect of a major conflict with China in the Pacific, where bases on the ground may be few and far between, has also been contributing to concerns about overall aerial refueling capacity, as well as the vulnerability of existing tankers. What has been seen from Bamboo Eagle 25-1 already underscores the critical importance of aerial refueling, especially for supporting shorter-legged tactical jets. The Air Force is in the process of refining requirements for new stealth tankers and has also been exploring more novel options for increasing aerial refueling capacity. The Navy and Marine Corps, which have the added planning consideration of expeditionary aviation operations from carriers and other big deck ships, are also acutely aware of the issues at play. The Navy is planning to add MQ-25 Stingray drone tankers to its carrier air wings in the coming years and there is also interest in new options for extending the ranges of existing tactical jets. Private contractors, which can provide aerial refueling support for non-combat missions and help free up organic U.S. military tankers in the process, are another steadily growing part of the equation. There is significant uncertainty around future defense spending plans under President Donald Trump's new administration, especially when it comes to Air Force modernization priorities like stealth tankers and other next-generation aircraft that were already facing affordability concerns. Bamboo Eagle 25-1 also comes ahead of Air Force plans to stage a massive air combat exercise across reperetantive operating areas in the Pacific this summer, which you can read more about here. Dubbed REFORPAC, the exercise is expected to last some two weeks, days of which will be spent just getting forces to and from operating locations, underscoring the basic geographical challenges the region presents. At least some units taking part in REFORPAC are expected to go almost straight from that exercise into another iteration of Bamboo Eagle, as well. Bamboo Eagle exercises themselves only look set to continue expanding in scale and scope as important parts of broader preparations for a future major Pacific fight. Contact the author: joe@
