Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Although some of the recently announced changes to U.S. troops levels in Europe have been signaled for a year or more, they have nonetheless unnerved America’s allies and potentially emboldened Moscow. American troops have been in Europe for decades not merely to underwrite NATO treaty commitments but more specifically to safeguard the country’s most important trading and investment relationship in the world.Cutting U.S. troops in Europe places transatlantic trade and investment ties in jeopardy, but additionally, the decision represents a potential missed opportunity – Washington risks giving away something for nothing. Russia wants U.S. troop reductions in Europe, and it’s…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. On Thursday, U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) stood up a new command to speed up reaction times and sustain operations within the anti-access/area denial environments of the Pacific. To help achieve that goal, the commander of this new unit told TWZ he wants to be able to saturate any future adversary with so many drones they have trouble operating.  “We have learned, particularly looking at Ukraine, there really is no sanctuary area that is protected from observation and potential targeting,” Maj. Gen. Bernard…

MANILA, Philippines — Japan plans to rapidly deploy autonomous interceptor drones to complement emerging standoff-strike capabilities, as reports surfaced that Tomahawk missile orders could face delays after U.S. stockpiles come under strain following the Iran war.State procurement agency Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency has released notices for a demonstration schedule next month with the goal of fast-tracking acquisitions and expediting mass production and deployment.The interceptor drone systems are expected to be installed by 2027 near radar sites, bases, vessels and other critical locations, the agency stated.This follows an earlier notice released by the Ministry of Defense late last month for…

Skift Take: An AI-powered airline is a fine ambition – but it won't touch the fuel price, the grounded engines, or the weak Kiwi dollar doing the real damage. Ravishankar's edge is that he seems to know it. Read the Complete Story On Skiftsource

New launch pad in the works at Cape Canaveral. Space Launch Delta 45, the military unit that runs Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is exploring the potential creation of a new rocket launch complex for Naval Ordnance Test Unit and US Army missions, Florida Today reports. The new location, known as Launch Complex 51, would be located about 2 miles north of Port Canaveral, making it the spaceport’s closest pad to public areas. LC-51 would encompass about a 50-acre area. Better real estate… The new pad would replace Launch Complex 46, which lies within the explosive clear zone of Blue Origin’s…

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base ahead of the launch of the NROL-179 mission. Image: SpaceX Update June 19, 6:11 a.m. EDT (1011 UTC): SpaceX landed the booster at Landing Zone 4. SpaceX launched its third mission this year supporting the National Reconnaissance Office’s constellation of intelligence-gathering satellites. The mission, dubbed NROL-179, launched an undisclosed number of satellites into orbit as part of what the NRO calls its proliferated architecture constellation. These are believed to be Starshield satellites, a government variant of SpaceX’s Starlink, though neither the NRO…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Russia’s mysterious Burevestnik (also known to NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall) cruise missile likely leaves a trail of radioactive material in its wake, making the weapon even more alarming than was first thought. This is the conclusion of two scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who have recently published a detailed analysis of one of the so-called ‘super weapons’ revealed by Russian President Vladimir Putin back in 2018. The report, from Jake Hecla, an MIT professor who covers aerospace and nuclear…

ROME — Italy has confirmed it will not fund the purchase of U.S. weapons due to be delivered to Ukraine, the latest sign that Rome is seeking to place limits on its defense spending.Addressing the Italian parliament this week, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Italy had decided against backing the NATO Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) scheme, under which nations agree to fund the purchase of U.S. arms which are then transferred to Ukraine.“We have said no from the beginning, and it is still a no,” Crosetto said, in reference to PURL.This month, NATO said contributors have now pledged nearly…

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): The Best Option for A Pilots’ Worst Days Since its 1979 founding, Para-Phernalia, Inc. has designed and manufactured the Softie line of pilot emergency parachutes. The products are renowned among aerobatic, glider, and warbird pilots, formation fliers, and kit-plane builders for their high-quality, comfort, and perennial reliability. Emergency parachutes comprise two primary components: the parachute canopy and the harness and container system. The harness attaches a parachute’s canopy to its wearer. The container system retains the packed parachute canopy. Finally, the parachute harness and container—known collectively as the harness-and-container system—are sewn together to form a single…

Accident Flight Was The Non-Certificated Pilot’s First Flight In The Airplane Analysis: The accident flight was the non-certificated pilot’s first flight in the airplane, which the pilot had recently purchased and taken possession of on the day of the accident. The airplane was on a steep approach as the pilot attempted to land and hit an approach light short of the runway threshold. The airplane then bounced and struck another set of lights before landing hard on the runway. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest on the runway and a postimpact fire ensued. A witness who arrived at the scene…