Latest news with #U.S.AirForceResearchLaboratory
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Game-Changing' Anti-Ship Weapon Tested by US Stealth Bomber
An American stealth bomber recently tested a "game-changing" weapon designed to sink warships amid China's rapid naval buildup to challenge the United States in the Pacific. The new weapon-known as Quicksink-is capable of "rapidly and efficiently" sinking maritime targets, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said in a news release on Wednesday. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. China has the largest navy in the world by hull count, according to the Pentagon, with more than 370 ships and submarines-including two aircraft carriers in active service-enabling Beijing to expand its military reach and presence within and beyond the western Pacific. Facing China's growing naval threat, the U.S. has been arming its allies and partners in the Pacific-Australia, Japan and Taiwan-with various anti-ship weapons and deploying the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, the ship-sinking variant of the Tomahawk cruise missile. The test-which took place at a Gulf test range near Eglin Air Force Base in northwestern Florida-involved a B-2 stealth bomber and the 500-pound variant of the Quicksink maritime weapon. Official photos indicate the test was conducted in late April. Quicksink is a U.S. Air Force weapons program aimed at creating "air-delivered, low-cost, surface vessel defeat capability" to enhance Washington's power projection and maintain freedom of navigation in critical waterways, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said. The weapon itself is a modified Joint Direct Attack Munition-a family of precision-guided bombs-enhanced with anti-ship capabilities. The 2,000-pound Quicksink variant was successfully tested during an exercise in the Pacific last year, according to the news release. The new, smaller Quicksink variant is modified from the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition and is set to expand the B-2 bomber's targeting capabilities. The bomber is designed to penetrate the "most sophisticated defenses" and can carry up to 40,000 pounds of weapons. This capability provides a rapid response to maritime threats, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said, significantly bolstering the Air Force's counter-maritime deterrence and operations. However, it remains unclear whether the weapon has been officially fielded. Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he would be "pretty surprised" if the stealth bomber flew within range of Chinese warships to drop the bomb. "Are we 1,000 percent sure that their air defense systems aren't going to get a sniff?" he asked. The B-2 bomber is one of the U.S. Air Force's most valuable assets, with only 19 aircraft in service. General David Allvin, the U.S. Air Force's chief of staff, wrote on X on Wednesday: "We unleashed a new QUICKSINK weapon, which significantly enhances our ability to strike stationary or moving surface vessels. This is a true game-changer for the [Department of Defense] and is exactly what [President Donald Trump] means by PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!" The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said on its website: "QUICKSINK is an answer to the need to quickly neutralize menacing maritime threats over vast areas around the world. … QUICKSINK is unique because it can provide new capabilities to existing and future DoD weapons systems, giving combatant commanders and our national leaders new ways to defend against maritime threats." It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Air Force and other service branches will develop entirely new weapons or modify existing armaments to neutralize enemy warships. Related Articles Iran to Counter US Nuclear Offer as Trump Sends New WarningHooters Closing Locations Across US: Full List of Restaurants Shutting DownJeffrey Epstein Video Release: What Footage Shows of His DeathImages Show U.S. Patriot Missiles Deployed for Muslim Hajj Pilgrimage 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
'Game-Changing' Anti-Ship Weapon Tested by US Stealth Bomber
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. An American stealth bomber recently tested a "game-changing" weapon designed to sink warships amid China's rapid naval buildup to challenge the United States in the Pacific. The new weapon—known as Quicksink—is capable of "rapidly and efficiently" sinking maritime targets, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said in a news release on Wednesday. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters China has the largest navy in the world by hull count, according to the Pentagon, with more than 370 ships and submarines—including two aircraft carriers in active service—enabling Beijing to expand its military reach and presence within and beyond the western Pacific. Facing China's growing naval threat, the U.S. has been arming its allies and partners in the Pacific—Australia, Japan and Taiwan—with various anti-ship weapons and deploying the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, the ship-sinking variant of the Tomahawk cruise missile. A United States Air Force B-2 stealth bomber returning to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on May 9. A United States Air Force B-2 stealth bomber returning to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on May 9. Senior Airman Devan Halstead/U.S. Air Force What To Know The test—which took place at a Gulf test range near Eglin Air Force Base in northwestern Florida—involved a B-2 stealth bomber and the 500-pound variant of the Quicksink maritime weapon. Official photos indicate the test was conducted in late April. Quicksink is a U.S. Air Force weapons program aimed at creating "air-delivered, low-cost, surface vessel defeat capability" to enhance Washington's power projection and maintain freedom of navigation in critical waterways, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said. The weapon itself is a modified Joint Direct Attack Munition—a family of precision-guided bombs—enhanced with anti-ship capabilities. The 2,000-pound Quicksink variant was successfully tested during an exercise in the Pacific last year, according to the news release. The new, smaller Quicksink variant is modified from the GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition and is set to expand the B-2 bomber's targeting capabilities. The bomber is designed to penetrate the "most sophisticated defenses" and can carry up to 40,000 pounds of weapons. This capability provides a rapid response to maritime threats, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said, significantly bolstering the Air Force's counter-maritime deterrence and operations. However, it remains unclear whether the weapon has been officially fielded. A United States airman preparing GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions to be loaded onto a B-2 stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri for a Quicksink test on April 22. A United States airman preparing GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions to be loaded onto a B-2 stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri for a Quicksink test on April 22. Senior Airman Joshua Hastings/U.S. Air Force Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he would be "pretty surprised" if the stealth bomber flew within range of Chinese warships to drop the bomb. "Are we 1,000 percent sure that their air defense systems aren't going to get a sniff?" he asked. The B-2 bomber is one of the U.S. Air Force's most valuable assets, with only 19 aircraft in service. What People Are Saying General David Allvin, the U.S. Air Force's chief of staff, wrote on X on Wednesday: "We unleashed a new QUICKSINK weapon, which significantly enhances our ability to strike stationary or moving surface vessels. This is a true game-changer for the [Department of Defense] and is exactly what [President Donald Trump] means by PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!" The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said on its website: "QUICKSINK is an answer to the need to quickly neutralize menacing maritime threats over vast areas around the world. … QUICKSINK is unique because it can provide new capabilities to existing and future DoD weapons systems, giving combatant commanders and our national leaders new ways to defend against maritime threats." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Air Force and other service branches will develop entirely new weapons or modify existing armaments to neutralize enemy warships.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Rocket Lab Stock a Buy Now?
Rocket Lab stock dropped after reporting an earnings miss earlier this week. The stock is up 25% off its lows and costs 10% more than before it missed earnings. Rocket Lab stock is volatile and will remain so. Wait for a pullback to buy. 10 stocks we like better than Rocket Lab USA › It's hard to keep a good company down, and Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) investors are happy to realize this. Earlier this month, as you may recall, Rocket Lab shares tumbled after missing on first-quarter earnings but beating on sales and guiding investors lower than expected for Q2. It didn't take the company long to right the rocketship, however. In quick succession, Rocket Lab announced: A launch contract for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to attempt point-to-point cargo transportation, launching a Neutron reusable rocket from point A on Earth and then landing it at some other point B -- also on Earth. A separate contract with NASA to launch the "Aspera" astrophysics science mission, which will "study the formation and evolution of galaxies and provide new insights into how the universe works." (Both these missions will launch in 2026. Neither one had a price disclosed.) The successful launch under an existing contract of a third (of eight total) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite for Japan's Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). And the third (of four) launch and recovery of a W-class space capsule for orbital pharmaceuticals researcher Varda Space Industries. So it's been a busy week and a half for Rocket Lab, and all this activity has helped lift the stock nearly 25% off its post-earnings lows. In fact, Rocket Lab stock now costs 10% more than it did before investors sold it off on the earnings miss, which again, I should point out, happened less than two weeks ago! Granted, momentum investors can be a fickle bunch, selling like lemmings when news looks bad and displaying irrational exuberance when a former dog starts to look a bit like a growth stock. Still, this has been quite a roller-coaster ride. And it presents investors with an important question today: Were investors right to be worried by Rocket Lab's failure to hit its targets a couple of weeks ago? Or is the good news that Rocket Lab has seen in the days since that earnings release good enough to make the stock even more valuable now than it was before "missing earnings"? As a longtime shareholder in Rocket Lab myself, let me tell you how I look at it. Rocket Lab stock is volatile, but that kind of comes with the territory when investing in unprofitable start-up stocks that are hard to value on the earnings-that-they-don't-have-yet. It's going to remain volatile, too. Don't get me wrong. As America's second-most-frequent launcher of rockets, Rocket Lab does stretch the definition of "start-up." Still, the company lost $190 million last year and burned through $116 million in negative free cash flow. According to analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, moreover, Rocket Lab is still nearly two years away from reporting its first generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) profit and probably won't generate positive free cash flow before Q3 2026 -- about 18 months away. That's the bad news. The good news is that Rocket Lab remains on a strong growth track. Once Neutron begins launching regularly, revenues are forecast to explode, quadrupling to more than $1.8 billion by 2027, for example, with GAAP net income passing $300 million and free cash flow hurtling past $500 million. The question for long-term investors to ask, therefore, is whether it's reasonable to pay $11.8 billion for Rocket Lab today in hopes of seeing $300 million-ish profits (39x 2028 earnings) and $500 million-ish free cash flow (23x 2028 FCF) tomorrow. And the answer? I believe it actually is reasonable to make this investment, assuming you're willing to accept the risk that Rocket Lab takes longer than expected to hit these numbers and assuming the company's growth rate remains strong after it does so. That being said, I also think it's reasonable to anticipate Rocket Lab will hit bumps in the road between now and 2028. For example, as recently as 2022, analysts were forecasting Rocket Lab would earn its first profit in 2025. We now know that's not going to happen. It's therefore reasonable to anticipate other complications emerging as well -- a delay in Neutron's first launch to next year, for example, a delay in first profits past 2027, or similar "known unknowns." With Rocket Lab stock already well off its lows and trading for a rich 27 times trailing earnings, I just don't see a lot of room for error in the stock's valuation today. My advice would be to wait for a pullback and buy only after the margin of safety looks a bit wider. Before you buy stock in Rocket Lab USA, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rocket Lab USA wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $639,271!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $804,688!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 957% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 167% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is Rocket Lab Stock a Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) Surges 36% As New CEO Appointment Sparks Investor Confidence
IonQ experienced a 36% surge in its stock price amid a flurry of activity and strategic announcements. The substantial price move aligns with the company's completed follow-on equity offering, raising $373 million, which may boost confidence in its financial positioning. The appointment of a new CEO, Niccolo de Masi, known for his successful fundraising history, suggests strengthened leadership focus. Furthermore, delivering a quantum networking system to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory underlines IonQ's expanding technological influence. Despite the overall market experiencing a downturn, with significant declines in major indexes and a selloff among technology stocks, IonQ's impressive stock performance stands out. The overall market had improved by 1.7% over the same week, yet IonQ's developments and strategic moves appear to have isolated it from broader market challenges, capturing investor attention. In this contrasting market backdrop, IonQ's moves may have positioned it advantageously in the quantum computing space. Explore IonQ's analyst forecasts in our growth report. Diversify your portfolio with solid dividend payers offering reliable income streams to weather potential market turbulence. The past year has been exceptional for IonQ, with the company's total return, including share price and dividends, reaching 161.32%. This stellar performance surpasses both the US market and the US Tech industry, which returned 10% and 20.4% respectively. Central to IonQ's growth was the strategic partnership in early 2025 with General Dynamics, aimed at developing quantum applications for defense. Additionally, the late 2024 contract with the USAF Research Lab, valued at US$54.5 million for quantum technology, underscored their market relevance. A significant earnings announcement on February 26, 2025, revealed a sales increase to US$43.07 million, almost doubling figures from the previous year, though with an increased net loss. On March 10, 2025, IonQ's inclusion in Newsweek's Excellence Index and Forbes' prestigious list also played a role in elevating its industry standing. Combined with the launch of IonQ Quantum OS in late 2024, these efforts likely solidified investor confidence, reflecting in the impressive share returns. Already own IonQ? Bring clarity to your investment decisions by linking up your portfolio with Simply Wall St, where you can monitor all the vital signs of your stocks effortlessly. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:IONQ. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
