By Jim Morris Warrior VP – News
They’ve said farewell to the USS Ronald Reagan in Yokosuka, Japan.
The ship departed May 16 for the last time after nine years as the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier. After a final Indo-Pacific patrol, the Ronald Reagan will head to Bremerton, Washington. It will be replaced by the USS George Washington.
US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, Japanese government officials and leaders from the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force took part in a ceremony in Yokosuka.
“On behalf of the strike group, I want to express my gratitude to the people of Japan and the city of Yokosuka,” said Rear Admiral Greg Newkirk, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5. “ You are our friends, family and our close and trusted allies.”
Still of the carrier 240510-N-AR554-1086.JPG (5568×3712) (defense.gov)
US Navy file of flight operations aboard Reagan Bing Videos
*************************
Look, Ma – no hands!
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall took a hands-off flight in X-62A Vista at Edwards Air Force Base, getting an up-close look at the plane that uses machine learning and highly specialized software to test autonomous flying.
Kendall sat in the front seat, with a safety pilot in the back. The controls of the X-62A remained untouched during the entire flight. The plane conducted a variety of tactical maneuvers utilizing live agents that responded in real time to a simulated threat.
The VISTA technology has been successfully tested as part of a joint project with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency.
Great video on this- this starts w the flight test and has two other stories – but the whole video is only two mins. ith DVIDS – Video – Around the Air Force: SECAF Flight Test, Rapid Autonomous Aircraft, JROTC Instructor Expansion (dvidshub.net)
You can also get a still from this press release SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFB > Air Force > Article Display
************
In Mobile, Alabama, the 19th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship was christened on May 18.
The USS Pierre (LCS 38) was built by Austal USA. She will be homeported in San Diego and will deploy to the Indo-PACOM region. She’s the second ship to be named in honor of the capital of South Dakota.
The ship’s sponsor was Larissa Thune Hargens, a native of South Dakota and the daughter of US Senator John Thune. Her grandfather was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while serving as a naval aviator in World War Two.
Littoral Combat Ships are fast, mission-focused vessels designed to operate in near-shore environments. They’re capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence.
Navy press release Navy to Christen Future Littoral Combat Ship Pierre (LCS 38) > United States Navy > display-pressreleases
Future USS Pierre (LCS 38) Christened (marinelink.com) this has stills of the christening from the shipbuilder)
USS Independence (LCS 2) (youtube.com) (no stills or video of the new ship but it is an independence class littoral so this would work) ##
***********
Russia’s attack on Ukraine has led to the first large change in NATO’s strategy since 1986.
Army General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, outlined those changes May 17 in a speech to the Atlantic Council in Washington. Cavoli reiterated that NATO will defend every last inch of the alliance’s territory.
Among the changes:
Military leaders have been given force structure requirements. “For the first time in almost four decades, the alliance has objective, militarily sound plans based on the description of the forces that we require,” Cavoli said.
The new plans also give a blueprint for the delegation of authority for operational decision making. And NATO’s systems of command and control have been changed.
The new plans are being tested through a revamped exercise program. One example: Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, NATO’s largest exercise since 1989, with more than 90,000 troops taking part.
Eucom Commander: NATO Is Transforming to Defend Every Inch of the Alliance > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News (this includes a still of the general in the field)
##
