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Summary: The article discusses the F-111 Aardvark, a Cold War-era strike aircraft known for its sweep-wing design and two-seat configuration. It served in the Vietnam War and remained in the US Air Force's fleet until the late 1990s, while the Royal Australian Air Force used it until 2010. The article explores whether the US retired the F-111 too early. The F-111 was a Cold War-era strike aircraft, distinct for its sweep-wing format and two-seat configuration. The F-111 debuted during the Vietnam War and served venerably for decades. The US Air Force didn’t retire the F-111 Aardvark until the late 1990s. Yet, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) kept imported F-111s in service until 2010, raising the question: did America retire the F-111 too early? The answer depends on your perspective and your priorities.   

The Design of the F-111 Aardvark

Initially, the F-111 was designed with an A-variant and a B-variant. The A-variant was to be used with the US Air Force; the B-variant was to be used with the US Navy. The B-variant was scrapped before entering production, however, while the A-variant became the F-111 that would serve for multiple decades.

Nicknamed “Aardvark” because of the airframe’s distinctively long nose, the F-111 debuted a variety of then-novel technologies. Most notably, the F-111 was the first sweep-wing aircraft ever to enter production. The sweep-wing, which became familiar to the general public thanks to the sweep-wing F-14 Tomcat featured so prominently in Tony Scott’s Top Gun, is a wing that can pivot back and forth, mid-flight, to change the shape of the aircraft.

The result is an aircraft that can operate in a straight-wing configuration (creating maneuverability at low speeds) and a swept-wing configuration (to achieve supersonic speeds). The Aardvark’s wings could sweep between 16 degrees and 72.5 degrees.

Sweep-wing technology never became the standard for military jets. The majority of military aircraft feature fixed wings. Yet, several prominent jets incorporated sweep-wings, including the Su-17, MiG-23, Tu-22M, Su-24, Tu-160, B-1 Lancer, Panavia Tornado, and of course, the F-14.

The F-111 introduced more than just swept-wings; The F-111 had afterburners on turbofan engines, a terrain-following guidance system – and an escape capsule for ejecting the entire two-person crew together. The afterburners and terrain-following guidance have become standard features in military aviation.

While the F-111 debuted several new features, the jet did resemble a contemporary: the A-6 Intruder, best remembered for the film Flight of the Intruder, featured Danny Glover and Willem Dafoe. Like the F-111, the A-6 could operate in all-weather conditions and was designed to penetrate enemy defenses, using terrain-following guidance and drop bombs. But where the A-6 was slow and bulbous, the F-111 was sleek and fast, with swept-wings and supersonic top speeds.

The F-111 in Action

The F-111 entered service in time to join the American effort against the North Vietnamese. However, the F-111’s first deployment did not go well. Debuting in March 1968, F-111s began crashing. The cause of the crashes was a mystery. After a third F-111 crashed in just two months, the new jet was grounded and the problem was diagnosed: a hydraulic control-valve rod for the horizontal stabilizer sometimes caused the F-111 to defy the pilot’s inputs and pitch up dangerously.

When the entire fleet was inspected for the horizontal stabilizer flaw, 42 jets were found to feature the problem. The F-111 fleet would not become operational again for three years.

Once the horizontal stabilizer problem was sorted, the F-111 became an asset to US efforts, effectively delivering ordnance during Operation Linebacker and Operation Linebacker II. The North Vietnamese came to fear the F-111 specifically, referring to the strike aircraft as “Whispering Death.”

Retired Too Early?

The F-111s were still in service when the US commenced Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The F-111 served admirably, completing 3.2 successful strike missions for every unsuccessful strike mission; the F-111s success ratio was better than any other strike aircraft that the US used during the conflict. Yet, just a few years after outperforming newer and more heralded strike aircraft, the F-111 would be retired from service – more than a decade before the Australians would retire the F-111 – begging the question: did the Americans retire the F-111 too early?

The answer comes down to how much you want to spend on defense. The F-111’s performance was still adequate to warrant inclusion in the US’s force structure. But the Cold War era jet required a lot of maintenance time for each hour of flight time – meaning that the jet was rather expensive to maintain. And by the late 90s, the US had versatile airframes (like the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-15E Strike Eagle) that could slot in and perform the F-111s functions reasonably well.

Maybe the F-111 was better at its sole and specific strike function. But the versatile airframes were more cost-effective – which counted for more in the cost-conscious post-Cold War era.

Keeping the F-111 in service would have given the US a broader depth of strike options – but in the unipolar moment of the 1990s, the cost was hard to justify.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a 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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

HIMARS artillery systems are powerful weapons of war and, when sent to Ukraine, were considered a game changer on the battlefield. 

Since being introduced, social media lights up anytime we get footage of these systems being used in action.

We know one thing: Putin might want to shut off his smartphone if he comes across any of these videos. 

HIMARS Time! Footage Shows Rockets Hitting Russian Military

Back in April, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense showed that it had a true sense of humor when it posted a short video clip to social media.

In the 34-second-long video, three U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launchers could be seen firing multiple rounds toward Russian positions.

"Stop, HIMARS time!," @DefenceU captioned the post to Twitter – a reference to the 1990 song "U Can't Touch This" by rapper MC Hammer, which had the line "Stop, Hammer Time!"

That riff has become a popular meme on social media, and while still considered somewhat of a "novelty song," the track has been seen millions of times since it was first posted to the video-sharing service 14 years ago.

The Flag of Ukraine

Some commentators on social media also noted, perhaps intentionally, that the HIMARS video featured a background of a clear blue sky.

At the same time, the launchers were positioned on a yellow field that comes into focus as the rocket lit up the early morning sky.

It briefly appears reminiscent of the Ukrainian flag.

Ukraine's Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi also shared the footage to his Telegram channel and wrote "Ukrainian artillery proves its effectiveness. It destroys thousands of units of soldiers and enemy equipment. Along with foreign weapons, Ukrainian soldiers skillfully combine domestic artillery systems that affect hostile objects on the battlefield. The 27th, 43rd and 107, jet and artillery brigades have repeatedly proved their productivity. They provide powerful fire support during various military operations."

Syrskyi added, "I am proud of our artillery! Glory to Ukraine and our heroes!"

The lightweight rocket launchers have been seen as a potential game changer for Kyiv, as they have a range of 50 miles, and have already been used with great success to strike Russian ammunition depots, bridges, and other high-value targets.

More HIMARS Ordnance On the Way

The video was shared on social media back in April just days after the United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced at the time that it would provide a $2.6 billion security aid package that included additional ammunition for the HIMARS. 

Stop, HIMARS time!

???? Ukrainian Land Forces pic.twitter.com/Kimu4edhjh

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 9, 2023

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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

All images are Creative Commons. 

Russia’s Ukraine invasion is often referred to as a “drone war,” which is apt considering the prevalent role unmanned aerial vehicles have played.

Since February 2022, Kyiv has relied on a combination of foreign-supplied and domestically produced drones to support its defensive efforts.

Moscow has also manufactured its own UAVs, although Russian forces largely depend on continuous influxes of Iran-designed drones. 

These relatively cheap and easily manufactured aerial weapons have grown to symbolize modern warfare. 

Video shows an FPV drone taking out a Russian TOS-1A

Late last year, open-source intelligence group Ukraine Weapons Tracker published a video showing one of these drones at work.

In the footage, a Ukrainian first-person view loitering munition appears to strike a Russian TOS-1A thermobaric multiple rocket launcher. The short clip culminates in a powerful detonation of the rockets on board. 

Since the onset of the invasion, Ukrainian engineers have been working hard to design more advanced and capable drones that can be manufactured right in Kyiv. Over the summer, the New York Times identified two new drones used by Ukraine in the war — the Bober and the UJ-22 Airborne. 

Although little information is available about these drones, both were used in barrages targeting Russian territory. The box-like Bober UAV was identified in several videos of attacks on Moscow. Named after the Ukrainian word for Beaver, this UAV is likely being deployed amid Kyiv’s counter-offensive efforts. 

According to state sources, Ukraine’s UJ-22 UAV can fly for six hours at a range of 500 miles. 

TOS-1A: How dangerous is this “vacuum bomb?”

In the video shared by Ukraine Weapons Tracker on X, a Russian TOS-1A appears to be destroyed by the Ukrainian-launched UAV.

Often referred to as a “vacuum bomb,” this weapon disperses gaseous clouds of chemicals in the air, which creates a vacuum that can ignite a powerful ripping effect on soft materials when reversed.

This horrifying system dates back to the Cold War and was first used by the Russian Army in Chechnya. It is typically fitted onto a T-72 main battle tank, which is capable of holding up to two dozen unguided thermobaric rockets. 

As detailed by The Drive,“Once the target is hit, the first explosive charge allows the fuel container to open and disperse a cloud of fuel, and the second charge ignites the incendiary fuel cloud which results in the fiery explosion and a subsequent oxygen-sucking vacuum. The detonation of the rockets causes such a rapid and drastic change in air pressure that taking shelter within a trench or cave, behind a reinforced barrier, or, in some cases, even inside of an armored vehicle would fail to protect a human.”

The destruction of the TOS-1A in the footage above is a win for Kyiv. In recent months, Russian Forces have been trying to retake the offensive in the war, which proved to be a painful feat.

While Kyiv managed to breach Russia’s main line of defenses back in August, it has struggled to expand that gap into a major breach that would enable its troops to advance forward. 

#Ukraine: A Ukrainian FPV loitering munition struck a Russian TOS-1A thermobaric multiple rocket launcher- leading to the powerful detonation of the rockets on board. pic.twitter.com/ObqLSp0l2O

— ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) October 13, 2023

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin 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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

Video on Social Media Presents View From Within Su-25 Cockpit in Ukraine: A video shared on social media last year offered the view from within a Ukrainian Su-25.

Though just 26 seconds long, the clip provided a glimpse of what it is like for Ukrainian pilots to fly low and fast while firing at an enemy position.

Several missiles can be seen launched, while the aircraft's Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) lit up like a Christmas tree, suggesting the aircraft was facing threats from numerous radar systems including airborne, early warning, and even short-range.

The video was posted by the open-source military intelligence monitor OSINT Technical (@Osinttechnical) and has since been seen more than many times.

Though the GPS coordinates were blurred out, at the end of the clip the aircraft appears to pass over a bombed-out urban center – indicating that this particular sortie may have taken place in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.

Su-25: Close Air Support Aircraft

Developed during the Cold War for the Soviet Ground Forces, the Sukhoi Su-25 Grach (Russian for "Rook" – NATO reporting name "Frogfoot") is a subsonic, single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft that was designed to provide close air support.

It has been described as Russia's "flying tank," and is broadly analogous to the United States Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt II. 

However, it is actually employed by both sides – as noted in the recent video.

Powered by two Soyuz/Tumansky R-195 turbojet engines, the Su-25 has a maximum speed of Mach 0.79 or 975 km/h (606 mph), and a range of 1,000 km (620 miles).

It has eleven hardpoints with the capacity to carry up to 4,400 kg (9,700 pounds) of ordnance, including rockets, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and a variety of bombs, including the BETAB-500 concrete-penetrating bomb.

It is also armed with a 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 autocannon with 250 rounds, as well as SPPU-22 gun pods for two 23 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 autocannons with 260 rounds.

It first entered service in 1978 and was used extensively during the Soviet-Afghan War to strike at Mujahedeen positions.

Nearly two dozen were lost in combat operations, including nine that were destroyed on the ground.

The Su-25 also proved successful against armored vehicles during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88), with only one confirmed to have been lost in combat. As a result, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein decorated all of the Iraqi Air Force's Su-25 pilots with the nation's highest military decoration.

During the Gulf War of 1991, the air superiority of the coalition forces was so great that the Iraqi Air Force never stood a chance.

As a result, seven Su-25s were among the more than three dozen Iraqi aircraft that fled to Iran, while two were shot down in the early stages of the conflict.

Low-level Ukrainian Su-25 operations in the east from fin_foin. pic.twitter.com/gvTgCf9kG2

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 30, 2023

Russian and Ukrainian Service

More than 1,000 of the Su-25s were produced between 1978 and 2017.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, both Russia and Ukraine maintained a number of the ground attack aircraft. Some of the Ukrainian Air Force's Su-25s have been modernized, and a number of previously "retired" jets were made airworthy and returned to service.

Kyiv has also received at least a dozen from the Bulgarian Air Force, and as of 2022, it has thirty-one Su-25s in its air fleet. These continue to be used to conduct attacks against Russian positions as seen in the video.

Russia has maintained even more Su-25s, and the ground attack jet is operated by Russian Aerospace Forces, as well as by the Wagner PMC, the mercenary group that was supporting  Kremlin's war effort in the Donbas region until last year.

The Russian Navy also operates an adapted version of the Su-25UB two-seat trainer, the Su-25UTG, a carrier-capable variant that has been used to carry out deck-landing training aboard Moscow's sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.

Despite its age, the Su-25 will likely continue to be employed by both sides in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

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<

Poland Has Received Additional M1A1 Tanks From the U.S. - NATO ally Poland received 29 U.S.-made M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) from the United States this month. The tanks arrived at the port city of winouj cie in Western Pomerania, along with 79 Oshkosh mine-resistant ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles.

The MBTs are part of a 1.3-billion ($1.4 billion) deal that Warsaw inked with Washington last year to receive 116 M1A1 models of the Abrams, which will complement the Polish military's upcoming 250 M1A2 SEPv3 models that will be received by 2026. Warsaw received the first batch of the M1A1 tanks last June and is expected to receive the rest of that order by the end of this year.

Poland became the first NATO country – other than the United States – to operate the Abrams.

The procurement of the American-made MBTs – considered among the best in the world – is to fill the void left by Poland's transfer of its older T-72, early model Leopard 2, and PT-91 Twardy tanks to Ukraine last year.

Before entering service, the newly arrived Abrams MBTs will undergo an inspection at the Pozna Military Motorization Works. Following the satisfactory checks, the tanks will be turned over to the soldiers from the 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade.

The U.S. tanks, which are equipped with a 120 mm M256 smoothbore gun and a Honeywell AGT1500 turbine drive unit capable of generating 1500 KM of power, were previously employed by the United States Marine Corps. The service had announced in 2020 that it would eliminate its tank force, with the majority of its Abrams transferred to the U.S. Army.

M1 Abrams: Enhanced MBTs

It was announced in November that the Polish military would integrate the SitaWare suite of C4ISR technology from Systematic into its newly acquired M1 Abrams tanks and support vehicles. The technology is intended to equip the 18th Mechanized Division with advanced command-and-control, as well as tactical communication systems, providing a boost to Poland's armored and battlefield engineering operations, adding that the SitaWare Frontline battle management system will be installed across the Polish military's fleet of M1A1 and M1A2 SEP V3 Abrams main battle tanks, alongside various support vehicles.

The software supports a wide range of interoperability standards and features an open architecture design, which is intended to facilitate seamless data exchange and connectivity across command structures.

Other upgrades include the Firepower Enhancement Program (FEP), which provides improved thermal imaging, alterations in the fire control system, a navigation module, and a laser rangefinder, as well as various diagnostic systems. Moreover, the M1A1 Abrams tanks have received an upgraded commander's observation dome – the Abrams Integrated Display And Targeting System (AIDATS) – which provides superior camera capabilities that facilitate target detection and identification from greater distances. Some of the MBTs supplied to Poland also feature additional side modules of reinforced armor.

The U.S. Army has noted that the delivery of the MBTs will further improve the U.S. Army's interoperability with the Polish armed forces and will significantly boost the nations' combined military deterrence strength.

M1 Abrams: A Tank Powerhouse

As reported by The Defense Post, Warsaw has been increasingly open about its defense spending to deter any would-be aggressors – notably Russia – in light of the war in Ukraine.

Last year, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki shared that the upcoming military budget would amount to four percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), a significant increase from the previous year's three percent. It will also exceed NATO's spending target of two percent of GDP for its members.

In addition to the deal with the United States for the M1 Abrams MBTs, Poland has also begun purchasing capabilities from other countries, notably 180 K2 Black Panther tanks from South Korea.

The first batch of South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tanks (MBTs) and K9A1 Thunder self-propelled howitzers arrived at the Polish port city of Gdynia in December 2022. In total, the South Korean-based Hyundai Rotem will supply Poland with 180 K2 MBTs by 2025 – and the delivery will also include a training/logistics package along with ammunition for the tanks. During the second stage of the framework agreement between Warsaw and Seoul, the Polish military is expected to receive a total of 820 K2PL MBTs.

While not as speedy as its animal namesake, the Black Panther MBT can still hunt down its slower-moving prey thanks to its license-built MTU MB 883 Ka501 diesel engine, which produces 1,500 horsepower. It can reach a top speed of 43 mph on the road, and 31 mph cross country. There is also an auxiliary gas turbine power unit, offering 400 horsepower.

The tank also is equipped with a unique suspension system, which can be contorted into a variety of positions. For cross-country performance, the suspension is raised, providing the K2 greater ground clearance, while on roads, the suspension is lowered, hugging the ground for better speed. In addition, the K2 can "lean," "sit" or "kneel" to provide the main gun better maneuverability in hull-down positions.

Polish land forces also operate the German-made Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2A5 tanks, so its future armored forces will have a truly diverse mix of MBTs. Polish defense officials have said the acquisition of these vehicles is to enable the country's military to counter Russia's T-14 Armata tank.

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 at Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

All images are Creative Commons. 

Greece Wants the F-35 – But Turkey and Sweden Could Delay That Acquisition - Currently, ten NATO members, along with another half a dozen partner nations, either operate or plan to adopt the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Two NATO alliance countries would like to join the program. One likely will never operate the fifth-generation stealth fighter, while the other is currently in a related "holding pattern."

Those countries are regional rivals Turkey and Greece.

As has been previously reported, Turkey was famously expelled from the program despite being an early program member after Ankara moved forward with its controversial decision to adopt the Russian-made S-400 "Triumf" air defense system. The United States and NATO argued that the systems were incompatible and that utilizing both would compromise the security of the fighter jet.

It remains unclear whether Turkey regrets its decision, and there has been speculation it only moved forward as a matter of principle and to save face. To date, Ankara's S-400s are not currently operational.

It was just last month that Turkish Defense Minister Ya ar Güler told reporters that the S-400 system would only be utilized when needed.

"This is a defense system. Don't we use a defensive weapon when someone attacks us? No country launches an attack on another by declaring, 'I will attack you in two hours.' In a wartime scenario, you need to move your aircraft, operate hundreds of trains and declare mobilization, and so on. In other words, for a country to launch an airstrike on another without anyone noticing is very difficult," Güler told journalists, per NordicMonitor.com.

What About Greece?

Greece has also sought the F-35, yet any proposed sale by the U.S. of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets to Athens is reportedly being delayed due to the complex geopolitics of Washington's relations with Turkey.

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said in an interview with Skai TV on Saturday that it is only a matter of time before Greece joined the F-35 program, but he also acknowledged the complexity of the situation.

Gerapetritis made the comments in advance of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Athens, and the minister said he would again request the purchase of the Lightning II.

"They (F-35) would significantly upgrade the country's defense. We will discuss this issue (during Blinken’s visit). I believe there will be positive developments," Gerapetritis explained.

Closer Greeco-Turkish Relations

Any request from Athens also comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's landmark visit to Greece last month, after the two neighboring countries experienced a tumultuous relationship in recent years.

Erdogan said in a news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens, that any issue between Turkey and Greece could be resolved and that together the aim was to "turn the Aegean into a sea of peace and cooperation."

Turkey and Greece announced the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighborliness, in which they stressed that they are committed to fostering friendly relations, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and understanding and seeking resolution to any dispute between in line with international law.

The F-35 in the Balance

Greece has for years been seeking to buy twenty of the fifth-generation aircraft, with an option to buy an additional 20 F-35As over time.

However, it has been reported that Washington has essentially tied the acceptance response to Athens with the progress of the request made by Ankara for the acquisition of new F-16 "Viper" aircraft, along with the upgrade of older ones now in Turkey's arsenal.

Essentially, the U.S. seeks to simultaneously announce the sale of the Turkish F-16s and the Greek F-35s to maintain some semblance of balance in the Aegean.

The Swedish Situation

The situation has been further complicated by the continued holdup of Sweden's NATO accession, which has prevented the request for F-16s from being approved, and in turn that has caused a delay in the F-35s being sold to Greece as well.

It was in October that Erdogan submitted a bill to the country's parliament approving Sweden's NATO membership. However, the Parliament is delaying the ratification of the bill – and experts have suggested it is being held up over the F-16.

While the White House has said that the is no quid pro quo and that any F-16 sale to Turkey would be independent of Ankara's approval of Sweden's membership in NATO, it does seem that if Turkey gets the F-16s, Greece could get the F-35s and Sweden could join NATO.

To make all of it happen, Secretary Blinken will likely be logging a lot of miles. 

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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

Even as the Russian Navy's flagship aircraft carrier shows no signs of heading to sea anytime soon, its submarine force has seen the addition of two nuclear submarines, which were commissioned at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk. The ceremony for the new boats was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The first of the submarines was the Project 955A Borey-A Imperator Aleksandr III (Emperor Alexander III) the fourth SSBN of the class, and the third in the Pacific Fleet. The new vessel was built by Sevmash under a May 2012 contract with its keel laid in December 2015, while it was rolled out from the shipyard hall in December 2022. Imperator Aleksandr III underwent a series of sea trials last summer and fall. However, as Naval News reported, the first three Project 955 SSBNs were different, and employed hull sections from the unfinished Project 971 Shchuka-B SSNs.

The second vessel to raise the flag on December 11, 2023, was the K-571 Krasnoyarsk, a Project 885M (08851) Yasen-M nuclear-powered attack submarine. It was the third boat from the project, and the second of its class intended for the Pacific Fleet.

The SSNs of Project 885M are a modification of the prototype K-560 Severodvinsk of Project 885, and will become the first main underwater carriers of Russia's 3M22 Tsircon hypersonic missile. In addition, the Russian SSNs of the 885/885M project can carry missiles of the Kalibr-PL system as well as the supersonic 3M55 Onyx anti-ship missiles. The cruise missile subs were developed in the late 1980s by the St. Petersburg-based Malakhit Design Bureau of Machine-Building. It was initially intended to replace the aging Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.

"With such vessels and such weapons, Russia will feel that it is safe," Putin told officials and naval officers at the inauguration ceremony.

Both of the newly commissioned submarines are expected to serve with the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet.

The Sevmash shipyard is currently constructing three more Borey-A SSBNs, which had been due to be launched by the end of last year for the Russian Navy but failed to meet the deadline.

More Russian Submarines: A Costly Move?

Putin also announced that eight more submarines will be produced in the coming years – including five Yasen-M and three Borei-A. However, some naval analysts have said it could be a costly move, as each of the Boeri-A class boats cost more than 650 million euros ($711 million).

"The submarines will come at the expense of resources allocated to other branches of the military," Jeff Hawn, a specialist in Russian military matters and an external consultant for the New Lines Institute, an American geopolitical research firm, told France24.com.

However, other experts have suggested that Putin can ill afford to abandon his maritime modernization program, regardless of its cost.

"Vladimir Putin has constantly repeated that the West represents a threat, and he must now prove to his public that he is taking the necessary measures to defend Russia," added Sim Tack, a military analyst for Force Analysis, a conflict monitoring company.

Russia's Submarines: Ready for Cold War Operations

The Russian Navy's submariners will also be engaging in training for a new "cold war," one that literally involves operations under the Arctic Sea ice.

According to a report from The Barents Observer on Wednesday, citing an announcement from the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet, nuclear submarine crews will undergo both theoretical and practical training and special attention will be given to under-ice operations of the strategic subs.

The exercise "confirms the capacity of the strategic nuclear naval forces to resolve problems from any part of the Arctic," read the fleet's statement.

The Russian Navy has long conducted comprehensive under-ice Arctic operations, but it is now renewing its focus on the waters to its north. As The Barents Observer also noted, the Northern Fleet is based in Severomorsk, Kola Peninsula, and is the most powerful unit in Russia’s Navy, with a significant number of nuclear submarines, among them two strategic subs of the Borei class.

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. 

B-1B Lancers Grounded at Ellsworth AFB But Still Flying From Dyess - The Rockwell B1 Lancer has been grounded at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB), South Dakota, for at least two weeks as investigators begin probing what caused the crash of one of the long-range strategic bombers last week.

All four of the crew were able to safely eject and survived the crash. Three were treated for minor injuries, while one was admitted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Regular flying operations in the B-1 at Ellsworth AFB were halted on January 5, the day after the accident, and are slated to remain grounded until January 19, according to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight notice. The base, which features a single runway, may extend that downtime as needed, the Air Force Times reported.

The downed bomber was one of two B-1 Lancers participating in a local training mission in the early evening of January 4. While the lead aircraft landed safely at Ellsworth, the second Lancer crashed on approach around 5:50 p.m. local time, the Air Force said. The National Weather Service reported low visibility and freezing conditions at the time of the accident.

It was the first major crash of a B-1 since 2013.

Satellite images of the wreck, taken from Planet Labs, have made the rounds online and as reported by TheDrive, show the bomber resting off to the side of the runway at Ellsworth. It appears that the aircraft undershot the runway, and impacted the ground just before the runway threshold.

"Prominent black marks suggestive of the impact/touchdown point are visible just before the chevrons that demarcate the threshold area. This scarring does not exist in imagery taken of the base in months past," TheDrive noted. The bomber then veered to the left and off the runway.

The crash is being investigated.

B-1 Sill Flying

Though Ellsworth AFB has grounded its bombers, the B-1 Lancer will continue to fly from Dyess AFB, Texas.

"The B-1B Lancers assigned to Dyess are currently undergoing normal daily operations and will continue to stand ready to deliver combat capabilities at a moment?s notice," the base announced this week.

The host unit at Dyess is the 7th Bomb Wing of the Global Strike Command, which was activated on October 1, 1993. The wing performs combat training with the Boeing B-1B Lancer bomber and is currently the United States Air Force's premier operational B-1B unit with 36 aircraft.

The B-1 supersonic bomber first entered service in the mid-1980s. It continues to be used to support the U.S. bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region and to conduct close air support missions in U.S. operations around the world. Since the end of the Cold War, it does not carry nuclear weapons.

The B-1 has a blended wing body configuration, with a variable-sweep wing, four turbofan engines, triangular ride-control fins, and a cruciform tail. The wings can sweep from 15 to 67.5 degrees (full forward to full sweep). Forward-swept wing settings are used for takeoff, landings, and high-altitude economical cruise. Aft-swept wing settings are used in high subsonic and supersonic flight.

A total of 104 were originally built, yet fewer than 60 remain in service today. The bombers are stationed at Dyess AFB, Texas, and Ellsworth AFB.

The sad reality is that the B-1B Lancer is getting older and has many hours of service time used up. As the B-21 Raider emerges, the B-1 will be fazed out. 

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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

As tensions between Pyongyang and Washington continue to tighten, the U.S. will intensify its deterrent capabilities. And that means many more B-2 Elephant Walks in the future. 

Deterrence Matters in Asia

The three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad — land-launched nuclear missiles, strategic bombers, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles — have remained a top priority for the U.S. military for nearly seven decades.

As the crux of America’s deterrence strategy, these three elements lend to the military’s mutual assured destruction doctrine, especially as the Biden Administration worries about arms builds ups from China and North Korea in Asia.

Simply put, if another nation launches a nuclear attack targeting the U.S, the U.S. military would respond with a massive retaliation using its own nukes.

This second-strike capability is assured by the three different legs.

Even if one leg fails to launch, the U.S. has two other means to strike. 

Elephant Walk: Air Force Showed Off 8 B-2 Stealth Bombers At Once

Late last year, the North Korean government threatened that the deployment and presence of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers, or missile submarines around the Korean peninsula would meet the criteria for nuclear retaliation.

These remarks followed the surfacing of the USS Kentucky at the Port of Busan, marking the first visit by an American nuclear submarine to the peninsula since the 1980s.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also accused the Biden administration of meeting with its South Korean counterparts to discuss plans to use nuclear weapons against North Korea. 

The escalating rhetoric by Pyongyang highlights the importance of America’s nuclear triad.

The good news is that America and its allies have lots of non-kinetic ways to respond. 

For example, back in 2022, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carried out a training exercise at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, an important 'elephant walk'.

As described by 509th Operations Group commander Col. Geoffrey Steeves, the Spirit Vigilance drills served as reminder that “the B-2 Spirit bomber is the visible leg of the nuclear triad, adding that “the B-2 is the world’s most strategic aircraft. It is the only aircraft on the planet that combines stealth, payload, and long-range strike. 

“We are charged with delivering the nation’s most powerful weapons for our most important missions.”

He added: “We are displaying a capability here to rapidly generate and deploy [the B-2] under greater scrutiny and time restraints than the normal day-to-day flying mission,” Steeves said. “Here we demonstrate to our near peer adversaries, as well as to ourselves, how well we can perform.”

“When we think of near peers and peer adversaries, we have to think multiple steps ahead,” Collier said. “We have to maintain an advantage, and in everything we do, we are thinking, ‘How do we meet a threat?’ but also ‘how do we lean forward and think about the next threat?’ We’re not training for the past or the now, we’re training for the future. That’s how you maintain an advantage.”

In total, 8 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers were put on the tarmac as a warning, as no nation on Earth has anything like the B-2. Not even China or Russia. 

B-2 Bomber: The Visible Leg

Stealth airframes are designed to operate undercover, but the B-2 is different.

The bomber’s role in strategic deterrence relies on America’s adversaries knowing exactly what it can do. Capable of all-altitude attack missions at long ranges, the Spirit can fly to any point in the world within a matter of hours. The stealth bomber can carry a payload of up to 40,000 pounds, including conventional weapons and nuclear weapons. Over the years, several key improvements have been incorporated into the B-2, including a Rockwell Collins TCN-250 tactical air navigation system and a Ku-band active electronically scanned array antenna. 

According to Airforce Technology, the Air Force in 2008 began a program to give the Spirit the capability to attack moving targets using precision-guided weapons. 

In light of the growing North Korean threat, the continued development and enhancement of the B-2 and other elements of America’s nuclear triad is essential to national security. As explained by Col. Steeves, “When we think of near peers and peer adversaries, we have to think multiple steps ahead. We have to maintain an advantage, and in everything we do, we are thinking, ‘how do we meet a threat?’ but also ‘how do we lean forward and think about the next threat?’ We’re not training for the past or the now, we’re training for the future. That’s how you maintain an advantage.”

About the Author: Maya Carlin 

Maya Carlin 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. Email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org 

BERICHT über die Empfehlung des Europäischen Parlaments an den Rat, die Kommission und den Vizepräsidenten der Kommission und Hohen Vertreter der Union für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik zu den Beziehungen zwischen der EU und Indien
Ausschuss für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
Alviina Alametsä

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2023 - EP

In November 2021, A-10 Warthogs from the 104th Fighter Squadron conducted an elephant walk at Warfield Air National Guard Base in Maryland. You can see a good example of an A-10 elephant walk in the video below.

The elephant walk was conducted with 16 Warthogs.

“Seeing our entire fleet on the runway, it’s just an awesome display of combat power,” said USAF Colonel Richard D. Hunt. “Our maintainers are some of the best in the Air Force, and this is concrete proof of our ability to bring the full force of our airpower to bear whenever it is needed.”

According to a press release: “The readiness exercise highlighted the ability and rapid mobility of the MDANG’s airpower, demonstrating their ability to launch combat-ready A-10s that are deployable for no-notice contingency operations.”

“Our ability to generate combat airpower at a moment’s notice helps promote regional stability because we can immediately respond to any threat,” said USAF Brigadier General Paul D. Johnson. “The 175th Wing is always ready to answer our nation's call and defend our country from our adversaries. We know they are watching, so it is good for them to know we can bring the fight at any time. I’m proud of our Airmen’s ability to generate and employ with the highest level of excellence in a contested environment and with complete [operational security].”

The A-10 tank buster

The airframe used in the MDANG elephant walk was the A-10 Warthog – commonly regarded as the best close air support airframe ever made. The A-10 was built around a 30mm GAU-8/A Avenger cannon with 1,350 rounds of ammunition.

The Avenger cannon is basically a gatling gun capable of destroying tanks and armored vehicles and enemy fortifications.

The A-10 was designed, with straight wings and high stability, to fly low and slow. Flying low and slow makes the A-10 an easy target, so the airframe was built to be durable – with the engines above the wing, and the cockpit encased in what is essentially a titanium bathtub.

“Generating this many A-10s is a testament to all the teamwork that it takes to keep us operationally ready,” said USAF Air Force Colonel David Wright. “As proud as I am of the job our Airmen did, I can’t say I’m surprised by it. Combat readiness is what we do, and our people always rise to the occasion.”

Task & Purpose was kind enough to break down the cumulative figures on display during the 16-ship A-10 elephant walk.

Here are the numbers: 21,600 rounds of GAU-8/A ammo; 32 General Electric turbofan engines (two per jet); $156.8 million worth of aircraft (about $10 million per jet); 176,000 pounds of fuel (11,000 pounds of fuel per jet when fully loaded); 19,200 pounds of titanium armor (1,200 each); and up to 256,000 pounds of mixed ordinance.

In all, it was an impressive display.

Timing not a coincidence

The USAF has been ramping up its show of force displays, which includes elephant walks.

The timing is not a coincidence, but rather coincides with escalations in tension between the US and Russia, and between the US and China – two adversaries that have made territorial claims in light of US resistance.

It seems unlikely that the MDANG’s 16-ship A-10 elephant walk had any sort of deterring effect on either Russia or China. Russia invaded Ukraine just a few months after the A-10 elephant walk.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a senior editor with over 1,000 published articles. 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. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

F-15 Strike Eagles in a 2022 Elephant Walk - The United States Air Force has conducted a number of impressive "elephant walks" –the term for taxiing a number of aircraft before takeoff – in recent years. In addition to the close formation on the ground, it can involve a minimum interval takeoff.

It was just a few years ago that a formation of two dozen F-15C/D Eagle fighter jets assigned to the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons, a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, an E-3 Sentry assigned to the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, and an HH-60 Pavehawk assigned to the 33rd Rescue Squadron was seen lined up on the runway as a part of routine wing readiness exercise at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

As Defence-Blog reported, "The goal of this exercise was to execute a short notice, agile combat execution-style deployment and generation. The large formation movement was part of a routine exercise scenario that tested the 18th Wing’s ability to generate airpower in support of the defense of Japan and other partner nations, ensuring the stability and security of a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Not a Picket Line with the F-15 Strike Eagle

It was a decade earlier, on April 16 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (AFB), North Carolina, when nearly seventy F-15 Strike Eagles also took part in what was among the largest such elephant walks involving the fourth-generation aircraft.

The Strike Eagles from the United States Air Force's 4th Fighter Wing – with aircrews assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing's 333rd, 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons – had lined up on the runway during a Turkey Shoot training mission, in which the more than five dozen aircraft successfully destroyed in excess of 1,000 targets on bombing ranges across the state to commemorate the 4th's victory over the Luftwaffe on April 16, 1945.

History of Elephant Walks

The first elephant walks occurred during the Second World War when large fleets of allied bombers massed for attacks – and observers on the ground noted that as the aircraft lined up, it resembled the nose-to-tail formations of elephants walking to a watering hole.

Today, the U.S. Air Force employs elephant walks to show the capability of a unit as well as the teamwork that is required to conduct such an operation. It also can help pilots prepare for the launching of fully armed aircraft in a mass event if needed.

F-15 Eagle and Strike Eagle

The F-15 Eagle was developed to keep pace with the emergence of the MiG-23 and MiG-24 fighters, the United States Air Force sought to replace its fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs, which had been in service since 1960. The program began in 1967 and after more than two years of intensive testing and evaluation, the Air Force awarded McDonnell Douglas the F-15 Advanced Tactical Fighter contract, after the aviation maker placed first amongst the three competitors in all phases of the competition but also had the lowest contract price.

The single-seat, all-weather, air-superiority fighter was a noted departure from the F-4, a tandem two-seat, long-range jet interceptor, and fighter bomber. While the F-4 could engage a ground-attack role, this was initially deemed unnecessary by the F-15 Special Project Board.

However, the designers at McDonnell Douglas continued to work on a potent multi-role version of the F-15E Strike Eagle, which can fulfill both roles of air-to-air superiority and ground strike. That provided the USAF with an aircraft that could fight its way to enemy territory, engage and destroy enemy aircraft, destroy an assigned ground target, and fight its way back home without the need for additional air support.

In its decades in service, the F-15 has racked up more than 100 victories in the sky and yet suffered not a single loss in aerial combat. It is easy to see why the high-flying Eagle/Strike Eagle can make an adversary take notice when it lines up on a runway in an elephant walk.

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. 

In recent years, the United States Air Force has conducted a number of very high-profile "elephant walks," the term for taxiing a number of aircraft before takeoff. In addition to the close formation on the ground, it can involve a minimum interval takeoff.

The first elephant walks occurred during the Second World War when large fleets of allied bombers massed for attacks – and observers on the ground noted that as the aircraft lined up, it resembled the nose-to-tail formations of elephants walking to a watering hole. Today, the U.S. Air Force employs elephant walks to show the capability of a unit as well as the teamwork that is required to conduct such an operation.

It also can help pilots prepare for the launching of fully armed aircraft in a mass event if needed.

The Walk of the F-35 Lightning IIs

While during World War II, dozens and even hundreds of bombers could be lined up, recent elephant walks are far smaller but no less impressive, especially considering the capabilities of modern aircraft.

Such was the case in January 2020, when the United States Air Force's Active Duty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings conducted the Combat Power Exercise at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah with 52 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 35As – the conventional takeoff and landing variant of the U.S. military's Joint Strike Fighter.

The elephant walk of the F-35 Lightning IIs was employed to demonstrate the "ability to employ a large force of F-35As" as well as to test the air wing's readiness for personnel accountability, aircraft generation, ground operations, flight operations, and combat capability, according to a Hill statement from the time.

Elephant Walk Photo Worth a Few Million Dollars

Though the U.S. Air Force's press photos may have looked to many like little more than a number of aircraft lined up, the exercise had actually been planned for months. As TheDrive.com reported, "The amount of hardware on the runway in terms of billions of dollars is staggering."

As previously reported, the elephant walk was quite costly to pull off, as the F-35 Lightning II costs $44,000 per hour to fly.

If each of the 52 F-35 fighters in the elephant walk flew for just a single hour, it was still a $2 million-plus exercise. If the jets flew for two hours, the cost likely exceeded about $4 million.

Yet, it could be described as priceless.

The ability to launch 52 of the fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters was as much to send a message to detractors of the program within the United States as it was to reaffirm the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force to near-peer adversaries such as China and Russia.

It highlighted the improved readiness rate of the F-35 fleet at the time, which had been lagging for years when the elephant walk was conducted in 2020.

The service had only just reached a mission-capable rate of 75 percent the prior October, up from just 66 percent a year earlier.

No doubt an adversary would have loved to have the chance to take out the Lightning IIs on the ground – which is about the time that the aircraft can be described as truly vulnerable.

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. Email the Author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

SR-91 Explainer: In the 1980s, the moniker “Aurora’ first appeared in a black program spy plane request. Since then, the infamous and perhaps mythical airframe has remained an enigma. Military engineers wanted to construct a hypersonic plane capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach-5.0. No other plane in existence has been able to fly this fast. Although several reported sightings of the SR-91 Aurora have been documented, this notorious airframe has not been officially disclosed.

Background on the SR-91 Aurora

The Los Angeles Times and Aviation Week & Space Technology first put the SR-91 on the map in the mid-1980s.

Both outlets reported that the name “Aurora” had been inadvertently included in America’s 1995 planned $455 million budget for “black aircraft production.” According to the magazine, the moniker “Project Aurora” actually references an array of unique airframes and not just the SR-91 alone.

The Sun Sentinel also corroborated these numbers, according to Sandboxx News. These references indicated that the Pentagon had a secretive program that would expected to cost even more than the nearly $1 billion dollar B-2 Spirit endeavor.

As detailed in a 1986 procurement document obtained by Aviation Week, funding for the mysterious project had reached roughly $2.7 billion.

The SR-71 Blackbird’s Successor?

In the 1980’s, the legendary SR-71 Blackbird airframe was nearing the end of its service life. As the fastest plane to ever fly the skies anywhere on planet Earth, the Blackbird was certainly a tough act to follow. This airframe could reach speeds in excess of Mach-3.2, powered by a unique Pratt & Whitney J58 engine.

Designed with a minimized radar cross-section, the Blackbird is considered to be an early attempt of stealth design. Since the aviation space was radily evolving around this time, engineers were already working toward the Blackbird’s successor. Many analysts believed that the U.S. had the technological capacity to produce a Mach-5.0 airframe capable of reaching hypersonic speeds.

A detailed overview of Aurora “sightings”

Over the next decade, detailed examinations of a variety of U.S. defense budgets claimed that unaccounted for funds had been channeled into secretive programs. Sightings also began to prop up, all allegeding that the Aurora prototype was already taking flight. In 1989, an engineer asserted that he witnessed a triangular-shaped airframe resembling renderings of the Aurora over the North Sea. However, since this infamous airframe can reportedly fly at speeds five times faster than sound, the likelihood that this individual could have actually spotted it flying is very, very low. The Air Force was flying both the B-2 bomber and the F-1117 Nighthawk around this time, which could have been what was seen flying the skies.

In 2000, an additional Aurora clue emerged. Nic Outterside with the Aberdeen Press and Journal cited “confidential sources” when he claimed that RAF/USAF Machrihanish in Kintyre, Argyll to be a base for the Aurora airframes. Since the base has longer runways, Outterside explained that it would make a suitable runway for high-altitude, experimental aircraft.

Another clue concerning the Aurora surfaced in 2006, when the British Ministry of Defense released a report suggesting that the U.S. Air Force has initiated plans to produce a Mach-4.0-6.0 highly supersonic airframe. Ultimately, though, no “conclusive evidence had emerged to confirm the existence of such a project.” Later, other clues involving the potential existence of the Aurora surfaced. Namely, periodic “sky quakes” were reportedly felt over Los Angeles on various occasions.

In 1993, Bill Sweetman from the well-regarded Jane’s Defense Weekly defense magazine reported that seismologists from the U.S. Geological Survey had been recording tremors near the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California. According to the magazine, these tremors were in keeping with a sonic boom from a high-altitude supersonic aircraft. However, the fast planes heard buzzing over the city more likely came from unclassified airframes from Nevada’s Area 51.

“All I can say is that it’s something that’s traveling through the atmosphere at several times the speed of sound in a generally northeasterly direction,” Jim Mori, a seismologist with the United States Geological Survey at Caltech, told the LA Times in 1992. Sweetman then noted that the nature of the reported sonic bombs were not in keeping with other aircraft known to be flown by the U.S. military. “It’s too fast for any aircraft that we know about,” he added.

One month prior to this incident, the Aviation Week and Space Technology outlet also claimed that reported sightings of an atypical aircraft with diamond-shaped lighting had been spotted flying over northern California alongside two F-117 Nighthawks and a KC-135 refueling tanker. According to the witnesses, the plane turned off its unusual exterior lighting and made a distinct sound similar to “air rushing through a big tube.”

SR-91 Aurora: Fact, Fiction, or Internet Myth? 

Despite the litany of claims surrounding the Aurora’s existence, this airframe is yet to be confirmed by U.S. officials. If the mysterious SR-91 does exist, it could top the Blackbird’s speed record.

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.

All images are Creative Commons. 

In holding off the Russian invaders for two years, Ukraine has defied expectations. Although Ukraine has fought valiantly, the resistance would not be possible without the extensive Western donations, namely cash, intelligence, and military equipment, that Ukraine has received since the beginning of the conflict.

Most notably, Ukraine is in the process of receiving fourth-generation F-16 fighters (which Zelensky had lobbied for incessantly).

It has already received scores of other equipment, including surface-to-air missiles, tanks, handheld anti-tank systems like the FGM-148, and various drone systems.

Ukraine will undoubtedly continue pleading for the donation of Western military products. And why not? To date, Western nations have proven highly receptive to Ukraine’s arguments, that propping up Ukraine is vital to the security interests of Europe.

So while NATO nations and her tax-paying citizens seem to be growing fatigued with the fiscal requirements of supporting Ukraine, expect some form of aid to keep trickling in – lest NATO appear to be abandoning Ukraine.

So, let’s consider what military equipment would most benefit the Ukrainian cause.

One: Nuclear Weapons for Ukraine? 

I’m being mildly facetious, but the simple fact is that no weapon would aid the Ukrainians as immediately and convincingly as a nuclear weapon.

History has demonstrated that nations in possession of nuclear weapons don’t get invaded. Had Ukraine possessed nuclear weapons prior to February 2022, the Russian invasion would have been highly unlikely.

If Ukraine were gifted nuclear weapons now, they would perhaps have sufficient leverage to inspire Russia to withdraw and desist.

Now, I’m not advocating that Ukraine should receive nuclear weapons from her Western allies. Quite the opposite. Giving Ukraine a nuke would be completely irresponsible, for if Ukraine were given nuclear weapons it would likely lead, directly, into a nuclear exchange with Russia, which would be cataclysmic for the Eurasian continent and perhaps humanity itself.

Millions would die. Once-densely populated cities would become uninhabitable, excacerbating Europe’s already severe refugee crisis. Wheat shortages would lead to mass starvation.

Nukes to Ukraine would be bad. But as far as getting the Russians out of the Donbas, nuclear weapons are your most efficient weapons system.

Two, Fifth-Generation Fighters Like the F-35

Ukraine has been “outgunned and outnumbered” in the battle for the airspace above Ukraine. Remarkably, Ukraine has managed to deny the airspace to Russia – but Russia still maintains an advantage, mostly through the possession of aircraft that are superior to the Ukrainian aircraft.

But Russia’s aircraft is not cutting edge – they happen to be better than the aircraft Ukraine has presently.

America, however, who happens to be the primary bankroller of the Ukrainian effort, is in possession of fifth-generation fighter technology (and has even exported fifth-generation fighter technology), which would give Ukraine an automatic advantage in the skies over Russia.

While America has never exported the F-22 air superiority fighter, they have exported the multirole F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35 would immensely expand the capabilities of the Ukrainian air defense; with industry leading radar systems and advanced missiles, the F-35 would allow the Ukrainians to engage Russian aircraft from further away, likely further than the Russians could answer from.

The distance advantage would allow Ukraine to start chipping away at Russian front lines, and air defense networks, and aircraft – gradually beginning to turn the tide of the conflict.

Now, Ukraine will not be receiving fifth-generation fighters – this article is merely a thought exercise about what weapons would be most helpful to the Ukrainians.

In reality, Ukraine has struggled to procure fourth-generation fighters, like the F-16, from the hands of Western allies. Don’t count on Zelensky charming the Americans out of any F-35s.

Three: Hypersonic Missiles for Ukraine? 

Hypersonic missiles are the cutting edge of missile technology.

Most nations do not possess, nor have attempted to build, hypersonic missiles. Even America, which possesses – by far – the world’s largest military budget, does not possess operational hypersonic missiles. Russia, however, has set the curve regarding hypersonic missile development with the Avangard, Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, 2M22 Zircon, and R-37 hypersonic missile systems. (For what it’s worth, China also possesses hypersonic missiles, which places the US at a disadvantage in the Indo-Pacific.)

Ukraine will not be receiving hypersonic missiles – her allies don’t have any hypersonic missiles to give.

The US is getting closer, with a variety of development programs, like the Boeing X-51 Waverider, the AIM-260 JATM, and the Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO) anti-ship missile all in development.

So, there’s nothing for any Westerners to give the Ukrainians with respect to hypersonic missiles. But in theory, hypersonic missiles would allow for the effective targeting of Russians targets at (and beyond) the front line.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a 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. Email the Author: Editor@nationalinterest.org. 

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