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    An international human rights coalition has issued a statement on the sidelines of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. The statement, endorsed by dozens of international, regional, and Sudanese organizations, calls for urgent action to protect civilians in Sudan and to halt the violations, abuses, and war crimes committed by the Sudanese army and its allied terrorist and extremist groups.    It also demands an immediate cessation of the armed conflict that has been devastating Sudan since April 2023. This initiative follows recent international statements and appeals condemning the alarming deterioration of the humanitarian and human rights situation, particularly in the strategic city of Wad Madani in Al-Jazira State, which came under Sudanese army control in January.     According to President of the Future Youth Coalition, the humanitarian situation in Sudan has reached a critical level. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the forced displacement of over 14 million people, with nearly 3 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The crisis has affected approximately 25 million Sudanese, including 14 million children, many of whom are facing severe food insecurity and limited access to healthcare. Furthermore, more than 37% of the population is experiencing acute food shortages and a critical lack of essential humanitarian assistance.    Sudan is currently experiencing one of the most severe humanitarian and displacement crises globally, with nearly 150,000 civilians, including a significant number of women and children, losing their lives. The President of the Sudanese Human Rights Organizations Coalition and a co-signatory of the statement, confirmed that 90 international, regional, and Sudanese non-governmental organizations have endorsed the declaration. Among them, more than 50 Sudanese and international organizations hold consultative status with the United Nations.    The statement highlights reports of grave human rights violations and abuses allegedly committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied groups in Wad Madani. These violations, documented through various sources, have raised serious concerns within the international community. Reports indicate incidents of extrajudicial killings, summary executions, arson, torture, violence against children, the disposal of bodies in rivers, and enforced disappearances. The statement underscores the urgent need for accountability and enhanced efforts to protect civilians and uphold human rights in Sudan.     The Sudanese Armed Forces and their allies have reportedly committed numerous grave atrocities upon entering the city of Wad Madani, resulting in at least 146 civilian casualties, based on initial estimates. Videos captured by eyewitnesses and widely circulated on social media depict serious violations and acts of violence against innocent civilians. Allegations against members and commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces include extrajudicial killings, summary executions, torture, and systematic targeting based on ethnic identity. These reported acts may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, underscoring the urgent need for accountability in accordance with international law.     The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed deep concern, stating, “I am alarmed by reports of the arbitrary execution of civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied militias. It is crucial that an immediate investigation be conducted into these atrocities to ensure accountability and justice.” Recently, the United States imposed sanctions on the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, accusing him of obstructing the democratic process.     A delegation representing the Sudanese Human Rights Organizations Coalition and the Future Youth Coalition submitted the international statement to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The delegation urged the High Commissioner to prioritize the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan and to ensure its regular inclusion in the High Commissioner’s reports to the Human Rights Council, in accordance with agenda items 2 and 4 of the Council’s proceedings. The delegation further called on the International Commission of Inquiry on Sudan to document all crimes and violations committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allies, and to press the de facto military government to grant the Commission unrestricted access to operate across all regions of Sudan.    In addition, the delegation emphasized the need to strengthen international mechanisms for ensuring accountability of Sudanese military leaders for war crimes against civilians, with the aim of holding them accountable before international criminal tribunals. The statement urged the international community to prioritize the situation in Sudan, with an immediate call for a ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations among all warring parties, without delay and without preconditions.    A swift transition to a democratic civilian government is imperative to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, facilitate the effective delivery of humanitarian aid, and ensure the safe and voluntary return of displaced persons. In addition, it is crucial to reinstate and strengthen health and education systems, providing essential services to all citizens without discrimination, while addressing the dire humanitarian and livelihood needs of the population.     This international statement, issued at the outset of the United Nations Human Rights Council session, represents the most significant and expansive global response to the crisis in Sudan. Launched during the international event “Death Coffins in Sudan,” held at the United Nations Human Rights Square, the statement has been widely disseminated to international bodies and non-governmental organizations. It serves as a vital call for collective action to protect civilians and address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan.   

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Topic: Aircraft Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Americas Tags: A-3 Skywarrior, Air Warfare, Carrier Aircraft, U.S. Navy, and Vietnam War Why No One Has Ever Heard of the A-3 Skywarrior April 17, 2025 By: Harrison Kass Share

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Astonishingly, the A-3 was not equipped with ejection seats, leading Navy service members to joke morbidly that the A-3D variant stood for “All Three Dead.”

The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior often gets lost in the shuffle. Most have never heard of the Navy’s Cold War-era strategic bomber, despite the fact that the A-3 served for over three decades. The reason is hard to say. Though the aircraft served a distinguished career, it never had a breakout moment as many of its contemporaries did. And perhaps the A-3’s routine appearance contributed to the jet’s diminished standing.

In any case, the A-3 has long stood in the shadow of other Navy jets, like the A-4, A-6, F-14, and F/A-18. Let’s take a closer look at the A-3, the Navy’s somewhat forgotten carrier-capable bomber.

Remembering the A-3 Skywarrior

The first thing one tends to notice about the A-3 is the aggressively swept wings, which were shoulder-mounted at a 36-degree angle. Beneath each wing lay a single Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet engine. The fuselage of the aircraft appeared fairly pedestrian, with a conventional semi-monocoque design. The A-3 featured a single vertical stabilizer, again enhancing the routines of the jet’s appearance.

The original A-3 variants were designed to accommodate three crew members—a pilot, bombardier/navigator, and crewman/navigator. The pilot and bombardier/navigator sat side-by-side, where the pilot had full flight controls. The crewman/navigator sat behind the pilot in an aft-facing, or rear-facing, seat. In early variants of the A-3, the third crewman in the back also operated twin 20-mm cannons mounted in the tail; in later variants of the plane, the cannons were removed to make room for ECM equipment.

Astonishingly, the A-3 was not equipped with ejection seats, leading Navy service members to joke morbidly that the A-3D variant stood for “All Three Dead.”

The omission of ejection seats was not an oversight, but a careful decision (if a poor one). In order to qualify for carrier operations, the aircraft needed to be below a certain weight threshold to qualify for carrier operations; the bulk of the ejection seats was deemed expendable because the A-3 was expected to conduct the majority of its operations at high altitude. Of course, the most dangerous moments of any flight are take-off and landing, each of which occurs at low altitude—making the rationale that the A-3 did not need ejection seats fairly absurd. 

Operating the A-3 Skywarrior

The A-3’s most enduring claim to fame, perhaps, is that in the first decades of the Cold War, the A-3 was the Navy’s contribution to the U.S. nuclear deterrence scheme. As one of the only aircraft that could both carry a nuclear weapon and take off from an aircraft carrier, it formed the third leg of America’s rudimentary nuclear “triad.” In that role, it would later be supplanted by nuclear-equipped submarines.

Thankfully, the A-3 was never called upon to deploy nuclear weapons—only conventional weapons, of which the A-3 could lift 12,000 pounds of, in the fuselage bomb bay. The A-3 was used for conventional bombing during the Vietnam War. A-3s were also found valuable for their utility; later A-3 variants were converted for use in aerial refueling, photo reconnaissance, and electronic intelligence. 

Despite maintaining a low profile, the A-3 served for decades. A few EA-3Bs used for electronic intelligence even served in the 1991 Gulf War. The last of the type were retired later the same year, in September 1991, ending a more-than three-decade run for the unassuming A-3. Since retirement, the A-3 has continued serving—as a civilian operated testbed for the development of various weapons systems. Not a bad run for a jet no one’s ever heard of.  

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.

The post Why No One Has Ever Heard of the A-3 Skywarrior appeared first on The National Interest.

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