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Washington and Ankara cannot afford to remain estranged.

The group’s Gaza tunnels will inspire others.

With Belgians voting in regional, federal and European elections on the same day, the far-right and the far-left are set to make serious gains as experts differ on whether the substantial number of people aged 16-23 voting for the first time will influence the outcome.

Natural disasters prompted by climate change are putting pressure on EU forest resilience, but the bloc’s Forest Monitoring Law could help forest owners, researchers, policymakers and civil society address these risks.

In the face of escalating ecological, social, economic, and political challenges threatening life on Earth, a European network championing community-led climate change and sustainability initiatives has evolved.

Beijing has toughened its critical tone towards the European Union’s protectionist measures against China, warning of increased friction in trade relations. As a trade war brews, the EU is uniting with Japan in fending off Chinese clean tech competition.

To catch the enlargement train, EU candidate countries must run simultaneously with the European Union, argues the EESC’s Dimitris Dimitriadis. He says responsibility for an increasing Western Balkans' disillusionment with the EU is shared.

Summary and Key Points: Last weekend, Houthi rebels claimed to have struck the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Red Sea with a suicide drone or missile. This week, misleading satellite images emerged, falsely depicting the carrier undergoing urgent repairs.

-In reality, one image was of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, and the other was an old photo of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in Norfolk, Virginia, with fabricated damage.

-U.S. Central Command denied the Houthi claims, labeling them as part of a disinformation campaign. Such misinformation serves to undermine U.S. military credibility and could benefit adversaries like Russia and China.

Debunked: Houthi Claims of Striking Aircraft Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

Last weekend, Houthi rebels claimed they landed a suicide drone hit (some reports suggest a missile attack as well) on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.

This week, a couple of satellite pictures that surfaced on X purportedly showed the American aircraft carrier undergoing urgent repairs in Souda Bay, Greece. 

Both pictures were wrong and misleading. 

Misinformation on Aircraft Carrier Attacks 

First things first. In November 2023, Houthi rebels in Yemen started to attack international shipping in and close to the Red Sea as a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. 

A U.S.-led coalition quickly reacted to the Houthis with precision strikes on their positions. Those operations have continued, with mixed success. The Yemeni rebels continue to pose a danger to international shipping, firing ballistic anti-ship missiles and suicide drones. 

The U.S. Navy has deployed assets in the region to combat Houthi activity along with allies and partners. At least one U.S. aircraft carrier supports the operation with airstrikes. Over the weekend, the Houthis claimed to have struck USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. 

However, the satellite pictures displayed by two X accounts do not show what they claim to show. The first picture doesn’t even depict the correct warship, but rather shows the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov undergoing repairs in the Russian port of Murmansk. The second picture is indeed of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, but it is an old picture of the warship harbored in Norfolk, Virginia. Moreover, the alleged damage on the bow of the aircraft carrier is the crude work of a rather incompetent graphic designer.  

U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for operations in the Middle East and West Asia, categorically denied the claims that the Houthis hit the U.S. aircraft carrier. 

“There is no truth to the Houthi claim of striking the USS Eisenhower or any U.S. Navy vessel,” a U.S. Central Command spokesperson told Voice of America. “This is an ongoing disinformation campaign that the Houthis have been conducting for months.”

Both videos were viewed by millions of online users, sparking discussions on the internet about the capabilities and readiness of U.S. aircraft carriers.

The Denial and Broader Geopolitics 

Misinformation that a U.S. aircraft carrier was hit by a rebel drone or missile would certainly be useful to Russia and China. America’s two near-peer adversaries would benefit from highlighting vulnerabilities on some of the U.S. military’s most fearsome weapons systems, both to boast about their own capabilities and to try to influence neutral countries or U.S. partners that might be on the fence.

As the best propaganda always does, the Houthi claims rely on tangential truths. Yes, the Houthis have impressive capabilities for an insurgent group. Yes, they have used those capabilities to target and strike international shipping. Yes, Western warships have come under direct fire. But evidence shows that USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was never hit by a suicide drone or missile. 

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

Image Credit: X Screenshot/Fake Attack on U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier. 

Jahmby Koikai spent most of her 38 years campaigning for better health care for women and girls.

Summary and Key Points: James Cameron's The Terminator hit theaters 40 years ago, popularizing the concept of "killer robots." Today, the threat is becoming reality, with nations like the U.S. and Russia developing autonomous weapons. At the 2018 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, scientists called for laws against lethal autonomous weapons. While such technology could save lives by taking on dangerous tasks, it also raises significant ethical concerns. Russia is notably advancing its autonomous drone capabilities, including the Scorpion-M "kamikaze robot."

-Despite UN efforts to ban killer robots, both the U.S. and Russia continue to pursue these technologies, posing a potential future threat to humanity.

For those of a certain age, it might be hard to believe, but James Cameron's breakout film The Terminator hit theaters forty years ago this fall.

Cameron wasn't the first to suggest that “killer robots” would turn on their creators—Westworld came out more than a decade earlier. It featured an adult playground for the wealthy to live out their violent fantasies, but the robots did more than just level the playing field.

Sci-fi movies, TV shows, and games have continued to play up the threat of self-aware robots, but it isn't far-fetched fiction anymore.

The danger posed by “killer robots” is being taken seriously, and at the 2018 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Stockholm, some of the world's top scientific minds called for “laws against lethal autonomous weapons.”

Autonomous weapons can also help save lives, as they can be employed in missions alongside human operators and take on more dangerous tasks. These platforms could serve as force multipliers, bolstering deterrence against conflict escalation.

Multiple nations, including the United States, continue to develop platforms that employ artificial intelligence and could serve as loyal wingmen for combat aircraft and support vessels at sea. There are likely many who question whether the U.S. military should be trusted with the development of AI-powered systems, but perhaps the bigger danger is how other nations could harness the technology of killer robots.

Russia and Autonomous Drones—a Truly Frightening Concept

TASS reported on June 4 that efforts are underway in Russia to develop more capable autonomous drones in the next three to five years.

“We can expect greater autonomy of drones due to machine vision and artificial intelligence. It will happen regardless of the type of the drone, whether it is a fixed-wing one, multicopter or hybrid. The AI will demand increased onboard computer capacities and will initially process data onboard thus decreasing the load on ground personnel,” Commercial Director of the Future Laboratory Company Pavel Kamenev told TASS at this week's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Kamenev further suggested that AI could take control of re-transmitters of control signals, onboard flight, and power electronics. This could increase the flight range and payload of drones.

“The near-Earth space will be developed and will influence the drones,” Kamenev added. “In general, in 3-5 years it will be impossible to imagine our life without drones. Progress cannot be stopped. Such guidelines, as monitoring, diagnostics of linear and infrastructure objects, cargo delivery and aerial survey will be closely linked to drones.”

Though weapons weren't mentioned, the Kremlin is known to be taking the lead in developing semi-autonomous platforms. These have included land-based and aerial armed drones that can operate remotely and with limited human input. In May, news circulated that Russian forces had deployed the Scorpion-M “kamikaze robot” in the Donetsk region. It is about the size of a small radio-controlled car, but the Scorpion-M can carry more than 55 pounds of explosives and can seek out targets that might escape aerial bombardment, Fox News reported. 

Russia—and the United States—stood in the way of formal United Nations efforts to block any ban on killer robots, and the technology seems to be advancing rapidly. While there is plenty of reason for concern over U.S. efforts with the technology, Russia has shown it is willing, ready, and able to use nearly any of its weapons platforms in combat.

That should be seen as a danger not just for those in Ukraine today, but perhaps all of humanity in the not-so-distant future. The irony would be that if and perhaps when the weapons do turn on their human masters, it will be Russians in the crosshairs.

About the Author

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org

Summary: When Lockheed's F-117 Nighthawk entered service in 1983, it revolutionized military aviation by using stealth over speed to evade detection.

-This breakthrough stemmed from Denys Overholser at Lockheed's Skunk Works, who discovered Soviet physicist Pyotr Ufimtsev's work on radar wave diffraction.

-This led to the creation of the Hopeless Diamond model, whose radar cross-section was so low that it became invisible during tests, necessitating the invention of a new "stealth pole."

-Despite initial skepticism, these advancements paved the way for the F-117, marking a significant milestone in stealth technology and military aviation history.

When Lockheed’s legendary F-117 Nighthawk first entered service in 1983, it brought with it a revolution in military aviation. After decades of focusing on the development of higher and faster-flying aircraft to avoid enemy air defenses, the Nighthawk proved that, through a radar-defeating design, a subsonic aircraft could actually be more survivable.

What followed was decades worth of stealth innovation, competition, and advancement… but before the Nighthawk could change the world, it was up to Ben Rich, the head of Lockheed’s famed Skunk Works at the time, to sell the Air Force on the idea.

And in order to do that, Skunk Works first had to invent a stealth pole for the Air Force.

Denys Overholser discovered the secret to stealth in a 40-page Soviet research paper

The stealth design leveraged by Skunk Works may have been uniquely American, but it was actually built upon the collective expertise of a number of scientists and researchers — some of whom even came from the wrong side of the Iron Curtain. Famously, the concept that led to stealth was born out of the work of Soviet physicist and mathematician Pyotr Ufimtsev, which had gone largely ignored by his own nation before catching the interest of Skunk Works’ Denys Overholser.

Ufimtsev’s paper, called Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction, had just been translated by the Air Force’s Foreign Technology Division. To most, this 40-page treatise focused on developing a theory for predicting the scattering of electromagnetic waves seemed like little more than dry reading. But to Overholser, the equations buried deep in the paper represented the holy grail of low-observable aviation: a means to calculate an aircraft design’s radar cross-section without even having to build it.

Armed with this new approach to analyzing aircraft designs, Rich’s team at Skunk Works set about designing an aircraft with a radar cross-section literally thousands of times smaller than the SR-71-based D-21 supersonic reconnaissance drone, the stealthiest platform they’d built to date. This effort led to a 10-foot wooden model that the Skunk Works team dubbed the Hopeless Diamond. The design was stealthy enough for Rich to win a bet against legendary engineer Kelly Johnson, but the bigger hurdle would be convincing the Air Force that stealth was real.

A Skunk Works design so stealthy… all radar could see was the pole

To test their stealth design, the Skunk Works team brought their Hopeless Diamond model to McDonnel Douglas’ radar test range in the Mojave Desert and mounted it atop a 12-foot pole. This was a common practice for testing the radar returns of new aircraft designs. But when the radar array was powered on… something seemed to be wrong.

The radar operator, manning an array just 1,500 feet from the model, looked to Ben Rich and told him that the Hopeless Diamond must have fallen off the pole. Rich looked and confirmed it was still there, but it wasn’t until a blackbird landed on top of the model that the operator registered a radar return. Mistaken, he thought the bird must be the aircraft. As Rich later recounted, it was the first time he felt certain that stealth was the real deal.

In March of 1976, it was time for Skunk Works to prove their design was as stealthy as they claimed to the Air Force. Moving on from the 10-foot Hopeless Diamond, they arrived at the White Sands radar range with a 38-foot mock-up of the aircraft, made of wood and painted black. They were set to compete against Northrop’s stealth design for an Air Force contract, and the Air Force had brought its most powerful radar arrays to size up each firm’s entries.

With five radar antennas, each broadcasting in different frequencies zeroed in on a wooden pole in the tabletop-flat test range, Rich’s team mounted their model and stepped back, waiting to hear how their design would fare against the best radar systems and operators the world had to offer…

But all they could see on radar was the pole.

‘Since you're so damned clever, build us a new pole!’

According to an account later written by Denys Overholser, the pole itself registered at minus 20 decibels on radar, which compared to most aircraft, was basically invisible. But compared to the Hopeless Diamond, it might as well have been a barn.

You’d think being stealthier than what had previously been considered a practically “invisible” pole in the desert would be a huge win for the Skunk Works team… but it wasn’t all good news.

“An Air Force colonel confronted me in a fit of pique: ‘Well,’ he snorted, ‘since you’re so damned clever, build us a new pole.'” Overholser wrote.

“I thought, ‘Oh, sure. Build a tower that’s 10 decibels lower than the model. Lots of luck.'”

With no intention of being beaten by a pole, Overholser set about designing a double-wedge pylon for the Air Force that was big enough to mount large models on, but created a radar return just “the size of a bumblebee.”

Designing and building a stealth pole for the Air Force wasn’t an anticipated expense for the Skunk Works team. In fact, they ultimately had to split the half-million dollar cost (about $2.6 million today) with Northrop to get the competition going again.

Of course, this ultimately proved to be a better investment for Lockheed than for Northrop at the time. As Overholser recalls, Northrop’s program manager saw the radar return on the new pole when testing recommenced and whispered, “Jesus, if they can do that with a frigging pole, what can they do with their damned model?”

Just one year later, Lockheed’s Have Blue would take its first flight on its way to change aviation history.

About the Author

Alex Hollings is a writer, dad, and Marine veteran who specializes in foreign policy and defense technology analysis. He holds a master’s degree in Communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University.

This article was first published by Sandboxx News.

Image: Creative Commons.

The civilian death toll continues to mount as U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari officials scramble to secure a cease-fire deal.

After a decade of always bouncing back, the Indian leader and his Bharatiya Janata Party suffer a setback at the ballot box.

Data shows that in key areas, Singapore is better at governing than the U.S. and Britain.

Summary and Key Points: Earlier this spring, the last U.S. Marine Corps aviators completed training on the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, a V/STOL tactical attack aircraft in service for 40 years. The final Harrier squadron, VMA-223, will transition to the F-35B Lightning II by September 2026. Meanwhile, Spain will keep its Harrier fleet operational until at least 2030, with seven currently deployed on the flagship Juan Carlos I.

-Spain is considering the F-35B as a replacement but faces potential delays due to a backlog of orders.

-The Harrier II, praised for its role in the 1991 Gulf War, remains a capable but aging warbird.

Farewell to the Harrier: USMC's Final Training and Transition to F-35B

Earlier this spring, the final United States Marine Corps aviators completed training on the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, the vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) tactical attack aircraft that first entered service with the Marine Corps forty years ago. As previously reported, the AV-8B Harrier II Fleet Replacement Detachment (FRD), Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), graduated the final two pilots to receive the 7509 Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223 is now the final Harrier squadron in the U.S. Marine Corps, but it will only continue operating the platform through September 2026. At that point, the squadron will transition to the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II. Thus in just over two years, the Harrier II’s days in service with the U.S. military will come to an end.

However, the AV-8B will remain in operation with NATO member Spain, at least for a few years longer. Last month, the Spanish Navy announced that its fleet of Harrier jets won’t be retired until at least 2030. Madrid’s sea service operates a total of ten Harriers, seven of which are currently deployed on the flagship Juan Carlos I for Operation Dédalo 24, Aerotime first reported.

The deployment to the Spanish Navy’s amphibious assault ship began in early April and is scheduled to continue until the middle of July. The warship has operated in the diverse waters around Europe from the Baltic Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean.

Though the Harrier IIs have been in service with the Spanish Navy since the mid-1980s, the remaining aircraft now in service are in good condition, according to Spanish officials. Madrid has secured contracts to continue supporting the aircraft until 2028, but has looked to extend the service life of the remaining ten Harrier IIs until 2030.

“This figure underscores the professionalism and good work of the maintainers at all levels,” Captain Regodón Gómez, commander of the Spanish Naval Aviation, told the Spanish military news outlet Info Defensa. “We are very aware that the challenge is very important because the other two users of the model [the Italian Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps] decommission it.”

Madrid has been mulling the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II as the eventual replacement for the Harrier II, and the Spanish Navy remains the only current Harrier II operator not to officially opt for the F-35B. However, if Spain doesn’t move forward to secure a deal, it would potentially be left without a capable fix-winged aircraft that can operate from its flagship.

Moreover, even if Spain agrees later to obtain the S/VTOL Lightning II variant, it may find itself on a waiting list due to the backlog of orders. An aircraft carrier isn’t much good without aircraft—and while the Harrier II is still a capable warbird, it is showing its age.

As a rugged and reliable aircraft, the AV-8B was routinely deployed onboard amphibious assault ships and simple forward operating bases since the 1980s. U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf named the AV-8B Harrier II one of the most important weapons of the 1991 Gulf War—but that was more than thirty years ago.

About the Author: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

All images are Creative Commons. 

Summary and Key Points: The F-111 Aardvark, developed in 1962 by General Dynamics, was a groundbreaking warplane with swept wings and advanced radar systems, allowing it to fly at supersonic speeds and low altitudes.

-Initially intended as a fighter for both the USAF and the Navy, it was repurposed for deep strike missions after the Navy deemed it unsuitable.

-The F-111 saw significant action in the Vietnam War, Libya, and Operation Desert Storm, proving its worth despite early flaws.

-Its operational success led to international adoption, and its last flight was in 2010 by the Australian armed forces. The Aardvark's speed and versatility offer lessons for future aircraft design.

F-111 Aardvark: The Supersonic Warplane That Redefined Combat

File this under “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To.” The F-111 Aardvark was a history-making warplane. Developed in 1962 by General Dynamics, this warbird had a unique design and an even more exciting service record. With swept wings, she could hit the wild blue yonder in as little as 2,000 feet (when her wings were fully extended, that is). When those wings were fully retracted, the great warbird could blast along at supersonic speeds. In fact, the Aardvark made history as the fastest-flying plane at a low altitude.

Thanks to its advanced (for its time) “terrain-hugging” radar system, the plane could fly at extremely low altitudes and achieve supersonic flight without much risk of hitting anything. At higher altitudes, she could break easily into Mach 2.2. Further, the F-111 could make transoceanic flights without needing to refuel.

The F-111 Aardvark was ahead of its time and packed quite a punch in combat, having seen much service in the Vietnam War.

F-111: Not What the Pentagon Intended

Interestingly, the F-111 was originally intended as a fighter for both the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. It cost $75 million in 1964 (or about $750 million today). Upon completion of the craft, however, the Pentagon’s brass found that the aircraft was unacceptable for its intended use. Therefore, the Navy backed out entirely from the program (although the failure of the Aardvark led to the design of the F-14 Tomcat, probably the Navy’s greatest plane ever made).

The Air Force, however, determined that the supersonic plane could be used for something else: deep, penetrating strikes into enemy territory. This was the F-111’s experience in Vietnam, against Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and in Operation Desert Storm.

In fact, the Air Force’s fateful decision to accept the plane but to re-task it as a bomber changed history. This is a case of the Pentagon in the early days of the Cold War being far more innovative and cost-effective in its acquisitions than it ever could be today. The Air Force turned a failure into a long-term win with the Aardvark. The Navy’s loss, then, was the Air Force’s—and America’s—gain. Rather than scrap the whole project and basically burn the U.S. tax dollars that went into making it, the Air Force recognized that this plane could be used in far more unique ways than it was intended to have been deployed.

The F-111 got its nickname, “Aardvark,” because, like the African animal of the same name, the F-111 travels close to the ground, hunting its prey. In 1966, the Aardvark set the record for the longest, low-flying flight at supersonic speeds. From that point on, the Air Force knew it had a diamond in the rough. Despite its potential, when the Aardvark was first deployed to Vietnam in 1968, it performed terribly due to a wing stabilizer flaw. The Air Force had to withdraw all its Aardvarks from the fight. Many at the time believed the F-111’s days were numbered. But the stabilizer problem was soon rectified. 

A Decades-Long Operational Success Story

By 1972—during Operation Linebacker—the Aardvark was redeployed and led the way in dangerous night bombings in which the supersonic planes skimmed the tops of the dense jungles just below. The Aardvark had proven itself after an inauspicious start. The Aardvarks were used brilliantly to soften up North Vietnamese air defenses that would have otherwise been deployed against the Air Force’s far more valuable B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The Aardvarks had one of the best performance ratings in Vietnam once that stabilizer problem was repaired. 

Of the 4,000 missions that the F-111 flew in the unfriendly skies above Indochina, only six units were lost.

Ultimately, the F-111 went international. Britain and Australia ended up purchasing variants of this warplane. The Australians had a special variant—the F-111C—unique only to their armed forces. The final flight of the F-111 as a combat plane took place in 2010. However, it was not piloted by the Americans who had built her but rather by the Australians who had come to love the plane.

F-111: An Inspiration for the Future of American Air Power?

The F-111 Aardvark was quite literally able to outrun whatever air defenses it faced. And this is a key feature that plane manufacturers should consider today when designing next-generation warplanes. Stealth is, of course, a massively helpful feature that most new American warplanes and bombers are incorporating. 

But there’s something to be said about building a plane that can simply go faster than the defenses that an enemy can deploy. With advances in detection technology and the rise of sophisticated anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, the Pentagon might want to stop prioritizing stealth and start amplifying the speed of its next-generation fighters and bombers.

About the Author

Brandon J. Weichert is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, as well as at American Greatness and the Asia Times. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower (Republic Book Publishers), Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

Summary and Key Points: China's Chengdu J-20 "Mighty Dragon" stealth fighter, developed under the J-XX program, marked a significant milestone with its maiden flight in 2011 and official service entry in 2017.

-Despite its advanced design and new WS-15 engines, the J-20 remains untested in real combat.

-In a 2020 simulation, it reportedly outperformed India's Dassault Rafale fighters, downing 17 of them.

-However, experts caution that simulations can't fully replicate real combat conditions. While the Rafale has proven its capabilities in various conflicts, the J-20's actual combat performance remains unproven.

The Chengdu J-20 Fighter vs. Dassault Rafale: Who Comes Out on Top?

Beijing has continued to hype the capabilities of its domestically-built "fifth generation" Chengdu J-20 "Mighty Dragon" stealth fighter – even as China struggled to develop a capable engine for the seemingly advanced aircraft. Finally last June, a new J-20 prototype flew as the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation powered by two WS-15 turbofan engines. That event was seen as a major milestone for the engines, for the aircraft and even for China, as the J-20 could finally live up to the Mighty Dragon moniker.

The Chengdu J-20 was the result of Beijing's J-XX program of the 1990s, which set out to develop an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability. The result was the world's third operational "fifth generation" fighter aircraft – after the United States Air Force's Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

The aircraft took its maiden flight in 2011.

Dubbed the Mighty Dragon, the aircraft was officially adopted and entered service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2017. It is a sleek, modern aircraft that has been noted for its canard-delta configuration, blended fuselage with low radar cross-section, and large canted twin tails. It is equipped with two large internal weapon bays for long-range and air-to-air missiles.

Yet, despite the hype, the J-20 remains untested in actual combat.

Perhaps wanting to prove something to the world, Beijing employed the J-20 Mighty Dragon in a 2020 simulation against the Indian Air Force's French-made Dassault Rafale fighter.

The twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft Rafale has been described by Dassault as an "ominrole" 4.5 generation aircraft that can perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike, and nuclear deterrence missions.

17 Rafale's Shot Down!

In the simulation, the J-20 Mighty Dragon came out the victor, reportedly downing 17 of the Rafales.

According to a report from the Eurasian Times, a Chinese pilot of the Wang Hai Air Group from the PLA Eastern Theater Command, along with his colleagues, claimed to have shot down Rafale fighters in the exercises. The Wang Hai Air Group was the first air wing to be equipped with the Mighty Dragon, and thus the most experienced with China's fifth-generation fighter.

Such military simulations can be quite realistic – replicating conditions a pilot might experience in actual combat as well as a degree of uncertainty. However, aviation experts will still be quick to respond that a simulation, no matter how accurate, can never compare to the real deal when it is truly a matter of life and death.

And while Chinese military aviation experts have praised the capabilities of the J-20 following the exercise, it would have been unexpected for Beijing to actually suggest otherwise.

Accordingly, an Indian Air Force expert also told EurAsian Times on condition of anonymity that PLAAF might have set the simulations in a way to equip its J-20 with all the critical strengths, something that is not possible in real combat.

Finally, the J-20s have been marketed as fifth-generation stealth jets, yet the platform's biggest deficiency is that the Mighty Dragon has yet to prove itself in combat, while the French-based Rafale has been in service for nearly a quarter of a century, during which time it has conducted operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, and Syria – conducting ground strikes. Those may not have been air-to-air kills, but the Rafale is a warbird that has employed its claws in combat, while the same can't be said of the Mighty Dragon.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

Summary and Key Points: In November 2012, two Iranian Su-25s attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone in international airspace, but the drone escaped unscathed. In response, the U.S. began providing fighter escorts for its drones. In 2013, unaware of this policy, Iranian F-4 Phantoms engaged another MQ-1, only to be surprised by a stealthy F-22 Raptor escort. The F-22, with advanced stealth and sensor capabilities, covertly assessed the F-4s before revealing its presence and advising them to withdraw, which they did.

-This incident highlights the ongoing tensions and technological disparities between the U.S. and Iran, amidst broader geopolitical negotiations.

F-22 Stealth: How the U.S. Protected Its Drones from Iranian Jets

In November 2012, two Iranian Air Force Sukhoi Su-25s tried to down a U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator drone. At the time, the MQ-1 was flying in international air space, 16 miles from the Iranian border; the drone flight was legal, but understandably instigatory. Iran scrambled the two Su-25s, which quickly closed on the drone. But the Su-25 was designed for close air support, not air superiority, and it struggled impotently with its cannons to shoot down the MQ-1.

The American drone escaped the interaction unscathed, having filmed the entire sequence with on-board cameras. In response to the incident, the U.S. modified its procedures to better protect its vulnerable drone fleet. It began providing drones with a fighter escort.

One year later, in 2013, the Iranians – apparently unaware of this new U.S. drone-escort policy – engaged another MQ-1. This time, the Iranians sent a jet with some air-to-air game, the F-4 Phantom – an aircraft the U.S. exported to Iran in the 1970s, back when the two countries were allies. Unlike the Su-25, the F-4 was entirely capable of bringing down the MQ-1. But when the Iranian F-4s moved to engage the MQ-1, they discovered they were not alone.

Escorting the MQ-1, lurking silently, was a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor – a fifth-generation stealth fighter. As the Iranian pilots learned that day, the F-22 “is equipped with stealth technology that enables it to operate virtually undetected by radar.”

Iran, F-4 and Those Stealth F-22 Raptors

Indeed, the Iranians were oblivious to its presence as the F-22 stalked them from below.

This aircraft is packed with enviable, cutting-edge technology. “The F-22 Raptor is a technological marvel,” I noted previously.

“The world’s first operational fifth-generation fighter, the F-22 was designed with a bevy of novel features – stealth technology, supercruise, supermaneuverability, and sensor fusion – all combined to create the preeminent air superiority fighter.”

The Iranians flying in Vietnam War-era F-4 Phantoms were ill-equipped to match an F-22. Granted, the F-4 was a capable airframe – the most produced American supersonic military aircraft ever – but it first flew in 1958. The F-22, on the other hand, was an up-to-date, 21st century marvel.

“The F-22’s software is advanced and impressive. Using sensor fusion, data from multiple onboard sensor systems are synthesized to create a more comprehensive tactical picture,” I explained a few years back.

Besides, the F-4 was not built for dogfighting. “The Phantom was not particularly maneuverable,” I explained in a previous article on the F-4. “Enemy MiGs could typically outturn the F-4, which wasn’t designed for dogfighting and suffered from adverse yaw in tight turns. Instead, the F-4 was intended to fire radar-guided missiles from beyond visual range, not engage in air combat maneuvering.”

Well, the F-22 was comfortably within visual range: It was directly below the Iranians.

The F-22’s pilot, operating undetected, had sidled right in. “He flew under their aircraft to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there,” then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said. Having determined the F-4’s payloads, the Raptor pilot finally alerted the Iranians to his presence.

He “pulled up on their left-wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home,’” Welsh said. The F-4s complied and bugged out.

The incident is indicative of the friction that has underscored the U.S.-Iranian relationship since the late 1970s. Currently, the two sides are working toward a deal on Iran’s nuclear program, which is reportedly nearing break-out capacity and has made Iran an international pariah. The world is watching closely as the negotiations unfold. In the meantime, hopefully the two rival nations can avoid any further dogfighting incidents.

Author Biography: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a senior defense editor with over 1,000 published articles. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon School of Law, and New York University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. He lives in Oregon and regularly listens to Dokken. Email the Author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

Image Credit: Shutterstock and Creative Commons. 

Summary and Key Points: The last 12 years have been historically action-packed, making 2010 feel like a different era. Since then, we've experienced a global pandemic, economic collapse, populist uprisings, and significant geopolitical events. In 2010, Obama signed "Obamacare," and U.S. forces were still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, China was emerging as a significant power, evidenced by its massive naval expansion. The U.S. responded by demonstrating its naval strength, notably with the surfacing of three Ohio-class submarines in 2010. Today, China has the largest navy, and the focus remains on maintaining balance in the Pacific amidst rising tensions.

China's Naval Rise and the U.S. Response: A 2010 Retrospective

The year 2010 feels like a long, long time ago. Today, when the news cycle is seemingly instantaneous – leaving citizens with the impression that more is actually happening – the 12 years that have passed since 2010 feel historically action-packed, making 2010 feel like some other epoch. 

A lot has happened. A coronavirus pandemic and the corresponding economic collapse. Populist uprisings across the globe, resulting in the elections of Trump, Orban, Bolsonaro, and the UK’s Brexit. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. The Americans withdrew from Afghanistan. The Russians invaded Ukraine. ISIS, Crimea, Occupy Wall Street, Libya, MeToo.

Looking at the Past

Back in 2010, President Obama was still in his first term. In March, Obama signed his hallmark achievement, the technocratic Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, or “Obamacare.” U.S. forces were still engaged in Iraq – and Afghanistan. The “Pivot to Asia” would not occur for two more years. Yet, trouble was surfacing in the Pacific – as underscored by a June 2010 incident. China had become fully impossible to ignore. The world’s most populous nation was beginning to realize her awesome potential, and America, for the first time since the Soviet Union’s demise, was at risk of facing a true rival, a regional hegemon in Northeast Asia.

“China is the key to understanding the future distribution of power in Northeast Asia,” John Mearscheimer wrote in his seminal 2001 text, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. “Because of the vast size of China’s population, it has the potential to become much wealthier than Japan, and even wealthier than the United States. To illustrate China’s potential, consider the following scenarios. Japan’s per capita GNP is now more than 40 times greater than China’s. If China modernizes to the point where it has about the same per capita GNP as South Korea does today, China would have a GNP of $10.66 trillion, substantially larger than Japan’s $4.09 trillion. If China’s per capita GNP grew to be just half of Japan’s present per capita GNP, China would have a GNP of $20.04 trillion, which would make China almost five times as wealthy as Japan.”

More importantly, China has the power to meet and surpass the United States.

“Another way of illustrating how powerful China might become if its economy continues growing rapidly is to compare it with the United States. The GNP of the United States is $7.9 trillion (in 2001) ... If China’s per capita GNP equals Korea’s, China’s overall GNP would be almost $10.66 trillion, which is about 1.35 times the size of America’s GNP.” Still, despite China’s unrivaled potential, the Bush 43 administration instigated two wars in the Middle East – a resource suck that directly interfered with the more important mission of balancing against China.

Pivot from Trade With China to Defense

Obama would pay closer attention to China than his predecessor. And rightly so. China was a potential great-power rival – the only nation with such potential. And where China’s potential – and ambition – had become most obvious, was in the maritime realm, where China had convened the largest naval force expansion in modern history. 

In 2000, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had roughly 100 maritime platforms available. By 2005, PLAN’s force size had doubled, to over 200 maritime platforms. “This tsunami of Chinese shipbuilding has tremendous potential implications for the PRC’s effort to coercively envelop Taiwan, resolve other sovereignty disputes in its favor, carve out the region as a zone of exceptionalism to international rules and norms, and project Beijing’s power and influence around the world,” maritime-executive.com reported. In June 2010, amidst China’s shipbuilding frenzy, the U.S. chose to send a pointed message to Beijing: “the U.S. still controls the seas.” The message’s courier: three Ohio-class submarines, which surfaced in the Philippines’s Subic Bay.

 

The Ohio is a nuclear-powered submarine, capable of firing ballistic missiles. The third largest submarine class in the world, the Ohio can carry 24 Trident II missiles. So, when three Ohio submarines surfaced in the Indo-Pacific carrying a combined 72 ballistic missiles, the message to China was clear, if not explicit. 

Still, in the years since the Ohio incident, China has proceeded with its shipbuilding efforts. “Sometime between 2015 and 2020, China’s Navy crossed a critical threshold: it fields more battle force ships than the U.S. Navy, making it the world’s largest navy numerically,” maritime-executive.com reported. “Today, at around 360 hulls, it exceeds its American rival by more than sixty warships.” 

Hopefully, the Biden administration can maintain focus on China and the Pacific, without getting too preoccupied with Russian-related concerns, for Russia, while aggressive, lacks the hegemonic potential of China.  

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is an attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon, and New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass. Kass has over 1,000 published defense and national security articles over the span of his career. 

Summary and Key Points: In early May, U.S. Air Force F-16s intercepted Russian Tu-95 bombers near Alaska. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that two "Bear Bombers" were on a scheduled flight over the Bering Sea, supported by Su-30SM aircraft, lasting over 11 hours.

-The Tu-95, a Cold War-era aircraft, remains a key part of Russia's aerial fleet due to its long-range capabilities and various modifications over the years.

-The interception highlighted ongoing tensions and the strategic importance of these bombers.

Russian Tu-95 Bombers: Still Relevant After 70 Years

The U.S. Air Force reportedly intercepted Russian Tu-95 bombers near Alaska in early May. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, two “Bear Bombers’ were conducting a flight over the Bering Strait when American F-16 Fighting Falcons were scrambled to escort them away. 

"Two Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces' long-range aviation carried out a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Bering Sea near the western coast of Alaska. The flight lasted over 11 hours. The crews of Su-30SM aircraft of the Aerospace Forces provided fighter support," the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement to TASS. 

By flying the Tu-95 near Alaska, Moscow was demonstrating its commitment to long-range aviation capabilities. This Cold War-era aircraft has remained in service for more than half a century, adopting new roles over the years to retain its relevance. Despite its old age, the Bear Bomber remains a mainstay of Russia's aerial fleet.

Introducing the Tu-95 Bear Bomber

In order to counter the strategic bombers fielded by the U.S. military during the Second World War, Soviet engineers envisioned a homegrown counterpart. The USSR first issued a request in 1950 for a four-engine bomber capable of flying 5,000 miles to strike targets across the continental U.S. Some consider the Tu-95 bear Russia's own version of the B-52 bomber - just in turboprop form. 

The Bear was fitted with four Kuznetsov turboprop engines equipped with two contra-rotating four-blade propellers. The Soviets opted for the turboprop engines because early jet engines burned a lot of fuel in flight. The Bear’s powerful engine system was designed by Ferdinand Brandner – a Nazi party member who was captured by Soviet troops after attempting to flee to Prague toward the end of the war.

The Tu-95 took its maiden flight in 1952 and officially entered service with the Soviet Air Force a few years later. In 1961, Khrushchev revealed that the USSR was planning to detonate the most powerful nuclear bomb in the world. The Tsar Bomba, also referred to by its designation, AN602, was eventually dropped by parachute aboard a Tu-95V aircraft. This modified Bear variant was equipped with redesigned engines, suspensions, and release mechanisms in order to successfully release the large nuclear weapon. 

Over the years, other Bear bomber variants were created, including the Tu-142 Russian Air Force naval aviation model. As detailed by Airforce Technology, “The Bear J radio relay aircraft are equipped with VLF communications sets with a VLF ventral antenna pod under the centre fuselage. The satellite communications radome is installed just to the aft of the flight deck canopy. The aircraft maintain communications between the submarines of the Northern and Pacific fleets and the Russian command stations.” 

Other experimental Bears were envisioned by the Soviets, including the Tu-95LAL and the Tu-95K. The variants that made it to the production phase include the Tu-95MR photo-reconnaissance aircraft and the Tu-95K, which is capable of launching Kh-22 missiles.

About the Author: Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

Image Credit: Shutterstock.