Air

Satellite imagery shows several GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) were deployed to a very active dual-use military-civilian airport in western China for weeks between August and September. This would be in line with an operational test and might point to the GJ-11 having reached a semi-operational state. The Sharp Sword is a prime example of China’s heavy investment in flying-wing uncrewed aircraft, which stands in ever more stark contrast to the U.S. military’s eschewing of such designs, at least publicly.

Imagery in Planet Labs’ online archive database shows three GJ-11s at Shigatse Air Base, also known as Shigatse Peace Airport, in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, from August 6 through September 5. The Sharp Sword has been in development for more than a decade and is understood to be designed to at least perform penetrating air-to-surface strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It also has the potential for use in air-to-air combat as an electronic warfare platform.

At least two of the drones seen in the images of Shigatse have overall gray paint schemes, as is commonly seen on other Chinese crewed and uncrewed military aircraft. At least one additional example is seen with a red/brown colored protective covering of some kind. A Planet Labs image of Shigatse taken on September 10, seen below, shows Flanker-type fighters with similar covers.

Though its location is remote, Shigatse occupies a strategic position along China’s southwestern flank with India. It is situated just around 90 miles northeast of the boundary with India’s Sikkim state, which is one of a number of border areas between the two countries that have seen sometimes violent skirmishes. In the past five years or so, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been steadily working to expand its ability to project airpower from multiple bases in the Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions, as you can read more about here.

Shigatse’s main runway is one of the longest in the world, stretching approximately 16,404 feet (5,000 meters) in length. An additional 9,840-foot (3,000-meter) auxiliary runway, with seven large aircraft parking spots attached to it, was also completed at the facility back in 2017. An expanded apron for military aircraft was also subsequently constructed at the eastern end of the base. Work to further enlarge that apron, and to build what looks to be at least five hangars and other supporting infrastructure adjacent to it, has been underway for around a year now.

In line with all this, Shigatse has a significant and active PLA presence. In terms of crewed aircraft, there is a continuous fighter presence at the base, which has included Flanker-type and J-10s over the years. Satellite imagery shows that other fixed-wing military aircraft, including airborne early warning and control planes, as well as helicopters, operate from there, as well.

Shigatse is also a very well-established hub for drone operations, with various types, including members of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s (CASC) Rainbow family, having been continuously based there for years now. Shigatse was notably the first known operating location for the high-flying WZ-7 Soaring Dragon reconnaissance drone. WZ-7s, which also have a constant presence at the facility, are used to collect intelligence along the border with India.

The nature of the PLA’s activity at Shigatse strongly points at least to the GJ-11s having been sent there for some type of operational testing. Prior to this, Sharp Swords had been primarily spotted at test facilities, such as the sprawling and secretive base at Malan in Xinjiang province. The drones have been flying daily at Malan for more than a year now. Mockups have also been spotted at Chinese naval test and training facilities, as well as at parades.

Flying from Shigatse would offer a real-world opportunity to explore and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures for employing the drones operationally, as well as just how they might fit into existing force structures. The base, which lies at an elevation of nearly 12,410 feet (3,782 meters), also offers an especially high-altitude testing location, as well as one that is in proximity to an area of active tension with India and that country’s air defense overlay.

Having multiple Sharp Swords at the facility would also allow for demonstrations of their ability to operate cooperatively, as well as alongside crewed platforms, and potentially do so with a high degree of autonomy. China’s J-20 stealth fighter is regularly presented as a likely aerial companion to the GJ-11. TWZ has been highlighting for years how the two-seat variant of the J-20 would be especially well suited to the airborne drone controller role.

Un passage dans un reportage de CCTV-7 montre la possible collaboration entre un J-20 biplace et des #drones GJ-11 à faible observabilité.

La représentativité est à confirmer. pic.twitter.com/9Xy8Q8KQOO

— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) October 12, 2022

The GJ-11 has already been in development for more than a decade, with a prototype with a substantially less stealthy design having first flown in 2013. A mockup with a drastically refined low-observable (stealthy) configuration broke cover at a parade in Beijing in 2019. Continued work on Sharp Sword now also includes a naval variant or derivative capable of operating from aircraft carriers and big deck amphibious assault ships, which has been referred to unofficially at times as the GJ-11H, GJ-11J, or GJ-21. Just over a year ago, TWZ reported in detail on clear evidence that the development of the GJ-11, overall, was accelerating, pointing to the drone getting increasingly closer to an operational state, at least in its land-based form.

Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF: 😮

Supposedly not a recent image, but still the carrier mock-up and test facility at Wuhan has gained some new aircraft: Visible now are clearly mock-ups of J-15, J-35, KJ-600 and a GJ-11H on the flight deck.

(Image via @伏尔戈星图 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/UL6uk81zh4

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 19, 2023

As noted, the GJ-11 is just one example of the PLA’s larger pursuit of multiple types of stealthy flying-wing drones for use as UCAVs and in other roles, especially high-altitude, long-endurance ISR missions. Three previously unseen flying-wing designs have emerged in China just this year. This includes the appearance of two particularly large types at Malan, which TWZ was first to report on in both cases. We had assessed years ago that an explosion of investment in flying-wing drones in China was likely to come, and that academic institutions tied to the country’s weapons development ecosystem would play a key role. The Chinese aviation industry has also been surging ahead, in general, in the development of new advanced crewed and uncrewed designs.

Chinese flying-wing UCAV developments, in particular, reflect something of a trend globally, with Russia, India, Turkey, and France also publicly pursuing this kind of capability to varying degrees. The U.S. military is pointedly absent from this space, at least that we know, despite decades of development work that looked for a time to be on the cusp of yielding operational platforms before various programs were abandoned. You can read more about that history in extensive detail in this past TWZ feature.

When it comes to China’s GJ-11, the imagery of Shigatse from August and September offers new signs that these drones are getting close to at least a limited operational state, if they haven’t already reached that milestone.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Oct. 10 (UPI) — The Qatari Emiri Air Force will base several F-15 fighters and their pilots at a base in Idaho, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday.

The Qatari fighter jets and pilots will be hosted at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho, which Hegseth said will enable training exercises with the U.S. military to make joint operations more effective, according to The Hill.

Hegseth announced the Qatari base agreement while meeting with Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Pentagon on Friday.

“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality [and] interoperability,” Hegseth said, as reported by CBS News.

Hegseth and Al Thani signed a letter of acceptance to build the Qatari air force facility at the Idaho base, which also is home to a Singapore Air Force unit.

Qatar will build its base at the Idaho facility, but the dates of the planned construction and when the base would be operational were not announced.

Qatar has been instrumental in helping to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and potentially bring a lasting peace in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East, Hegseth added.

Al Thani called the Gaza peace effort a “historic achievement” that shows “what can be accomplished when our nations work together,” Fox News reported.

Hegseth and Al Thani referred to the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas that President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

The president credited Qatar, Turkey and Egypt with mediating the negotiations that resulted in what Trump said will ensure peace throughout the Middle East.

While Qatar will have an air force training base in Idaho, the United States likewise has a military base at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, according to Grey Dynamics.

The U.S. has used the Qatar base since 2000, hosted coalition forces and served as the U.S. military’s headquarters for its operations in Iraq.

A 2002 agreement formally made the U.S. military the manager of the Al Udeid base in Qatar.

Strictly Come Dancing’s spin off show It Takes Two came to a halt on Wednesday evening as Fleur East was forced to apologise for professional dancer Alexis Warr swearing live on air

Strictly Come Dancing’s spin off show It Takes Two came to a halt tonight, as Fleur East was forced to apologise halfway through George Clarke and Alexis Warr’s interview.

The pair took to the sofa to discuss their Strictly journey so far, and what they have coming up for this week’s Movie Week, but it seemed that Alexis got a little too excited, accidentally swearing live on air.

Speaking about their Paso Doble to Game Of Survival during week one, George opened up about how he felt during the nail biting first show.

READ MORE: Strictly’s Vicky Pattison apologises after being forced to pull out of BBC showREAD MORE: Amber Davies left ‘in tears’ during Strictly rehearsals as she hits back at critics

“I feel like the enjoyment came after it,” he said. “I feel like I blacked out throughout it. We got to the end of the routine, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, that was the best we’ve done it!'”

His professional dance partner Alexis added: “At the beginning, he hit his beginning position, and I knew right away he was locked in. I was like, ‘Yes George, yes George,’ and I almost forgot to go.

“I was like, ‘Oh wait, oh c***p, I have to move!’ I just noticed he was immediately locked in, in character. Yeah.”

Amid all the excitement, Alexis didn’t even realise she let the swear word slip, but of course, Fleur was on the ball, and apologised to viewers straight away.

“Sorry about the language we just had there,” the former X-Factor star said. “We just get very excited!” she laughed.

George’s appearance on the BBC Two spin-off show comes after he revealed that he was rushed to a physiotherapist last week after injuring his back in rehearsals.

The influencer opened up about hurting his back on his podcast, The Useless Hotline Podcast – inviting on Strictly professional dance partner Alexis Warr for the first time.

“I didn’t want it to be a thing on the night,” he said. “That’s why they asked in the VT, they were like, ‘Do you want to mention your back?’ and I said, ‘I don’t want it to be a thing.'”

He added: “I had a pinched nerve all week in my back. I had acupuncture half way through the week. I went to physio four times.” As for how he did it, George admitted that the injury happened after a handstand went wrong.

“I was like, ‘I’ll throw in a handstand or something.’ I like doing a handstand, if I keep my legs together I’d probably be better at it but it doesn’t feel fun when you do it that way,” he said.

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Oct. 7 (UPI) — As the U.S. government shutdown drags into its second week, the Federal Aviation Administration was forced to delay flights into and out of three U.S. airports Monday due to air traffic controller staffing issues, including one airport with no controllers.

Newark Liberty International Airport, Denver International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport all experienced delays after a rising number of controllers called out sick.

Air traffic controllers are not being paid during the government shutdown, but are considered essential and are required to work.

“So, we’re tracking sick calls, sick leave and have we had a slight tick up in sick calls? Yes, and then you’ll see delays that come from that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Monday at Newark.

“If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people,” Duffy said, adding that he did not want to see flights canceled.

Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area remained open Monday despite having no controllers show up for work during a six-hour stretch.

“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” the airport wrote in a post Monday. “Please check with your airline — before arriving at the airport — for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”

Air traffic into and out of Burbank was handled by San Diego TRACON on a delayed schedule, a source told NBC News.

Flights into Newark, near New York City, experienced delays of up to an hour Monday due to low air traffic controller staffing, while flights into Denver were delayed by an average of 39 minutes.

The U.S. government has been shut-down since Sept. 30, and will remain closed for a seventh day. On Monday, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a stopgap bill that would have funded federal agencies for the next six weeks.

Warsaw says ground-based air defence, radar reconnaissance systems also brought to the ‘highest state of readiness’.

Polish and allied air defences have been deployed to secure the country’s airspace, its military said, as Russia launched new deadly air strikes on neighbouring Ukraine.

The latest deployment on Sunday comes as the transatlantic security bloc NATO steps up its air patrols across the region in response to suspected Russian airspace incursions and drone sightings in several member states.

“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” Poland’s operational command said in a post on X early on Sunday.

“These actions are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing the airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened region,” the statement added.

The Polish military said it is monitoring the current situation, stating that its forces under its command “remain fully prepared for immediate response”.

Poland shares an estimated 530km (329 miles) with Ukraine.

As of 02:10 GMT, all of Ukraine was under air raid alerts following Ukrainian Air Force warnings of Russian missile and drone attacks.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Ivan Fedorov, head of the southeastern Zapoprizhia region, said that a Russian “combined strike” killed a woman and wounded six other people, including a 16-year-old girl.

In late September, Poland was forced to briefly close part of its airspace southeast of the capital, Warsaw, after Russia launched a major attack across Ukraine.

Earlier that month, Polish and NATO forces also intercepted Russian drones which entered Poland’s airspace, marking their first direct military engagement with Moscow since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

On Sunday, NATO member Lithuania reopened its main airport after shutting it for hours following sightings of a “series of balloons” in its airspace.

Airports in Germany, Denmark, Norway and Poland have also recently suspended flights due to unidentified drones, while Romania and Estonia have pointed the finger at Russia, which has dismissed the allegations.

Match of the Day’s Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney are left impressed by Tottenham Hotspur’s direct, forward-thinking play, which was exemplified by forward Mohammed Kudus, in their 2-1 win away at Leeds United in the Premier League.

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With the Trump administration’s counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean expanding to become a “non-international armed conflict,” the prospects of some kind of confrontation between the U.S. military and Venezuela are rising, too. On top of the counter-narcotics effort, some officials in the Trump administration are pushing to oust Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.

With the possibility of direct actions inland on cartels — now designated as unlawful combatants — becoming a real possibility, it’s worth taking a look at the air defense assets available to Venezuela, which comprise a somewhat unusual mix of older, lower-end equipment and smaller numbers of very capable systems, mainly Russian-supplied.

Yesterday, we reported on the first official imagery of the 10 U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs forward-deployed to the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. These jets are now undertaking patrols in the region, with open-source flight trackers pointing to sorties off the coast of Venezuela.

Venezuela’s Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, has claimed that the country’s armed forces had tracked F-35s flying off the coast in the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR). Today, we have also begun to see imagery indicating that Venezuelan mobile surface-to-air missile systems are being redeployed, perhaps in response to U.S. military activities.

A Venezuelan S-125 Pechora-2M moving west through Peaje La Cabrera from Maracay toward Carabobo, suggesting redeployment to a location closer to the Caribbean coast:

Meanwhile, it’s not only F-35s that are active in the region. A growing mix of U.S. forces is now active in the counter-narcotics operation, with Marine Corps AV-8B attack jets also in theater as part of the Air Combat Element (ACE) deployed to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, and other assets that could be quickly deployed.

MQ-9 Reapers have also previously been used in maritime drug interdiction operations here. Of the U.S. military’s four deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, the latest of which was today, at least two targeted vessels that originated from Venezuela. MQ-9s would be the most likely choice for operations in lightly contested and non-contested airspace, as we have discussed in the past.

Were the United States to decide to strike the cartels directly at their inland bases in Venezuela, or even expanded operations against the Maduro regime directly, the F-35 may well be the weapon of choice. These jets have the ability to penetrate into enemy airspace, even when relatively heavily defended, and strike fixed and moving targets.

At the same time, as we originally highlighted, the F-35s can also use their powerful sensor suite for surveillance and reconnaissance, meaning they can also operate as critical assets in a non-kinetic capacity.

Nevertheless, comments from Venezuelan officials suggest that they, too, are planning for a possible U.S. attack on the country, with Maduro saying that he is gearing up to call a state of emergency should that happen.

At the sharp end of the Venezuelan military’s capabilities to disrupt or degrade any U.S. air operations directed against the country are its air defense systems. These include ground-based systems that are operated by the Venezuelan Army (Ejército Bolivariano, EB, or Bolivarian Army of Venezuela), as well as fighter jets flown by the Venezuelan Air Force (Aviación Militar Bolivariana Venezolana, AMBV, or Bolivarian Venezuelan Military Aviation). Certain air-defense-capable warships also serve with the Venezuelan Navy (Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela, or Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela).

Venezuelan Air Force

In terms of the AMBV, the mainstay of its fighter force is provided by 21 Su-30MK2V Flanker fighters, 24 of which were delivered between 2006 and 2008. These can be armed with beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, but they are multirole types, also able to carry a variety of precision-guided air-to-ground ordnance, including Kh-31A (AS-17 Krypton) supersonic anti-ship missiles.

Air-to-air armament for the Su-30s includes the R-77 beyond-visual-range missile known to NATO as the AA-12 Adder. With a reported maximum range of 50 miles, the R-77 is typically launched under inertial guidance, with midcourse updates provided by datalink, before using its active radar seeker for the terminal phase. Reportedly, the R-77 can switch to a home-on-jam mode if it encounters heavy electronic countermeasures, engaging the source of the jamming.

The Flankers can also carry the older R-27 (AA-10 Alamo) series beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. Basic versions are the semi-active radar-homing R-27R and the infrared-guided R-27T, as well as the longer-range radar-guided R-27ER and the infrared-guided R-27ET. The extended-range versions add a more powerful dual-pulse engine section to the same missile.

The maximum range of the R-27R is reportedly 37 miles, and 31 miles for the R-27T. The extended-range versions are able to hit targets at a maximum range of 59 miles (R-27ER) or 56 miles (R-27ET).

Close-range missile armament for the Su-30 is provided by the R-73, known in the West as the AA-11 Archer. It has an all-aspect infrared seeker, high off-boresight capability, thrust-vectoring controls, and can be cued by the pilot’s helmet-mounted sight. It has a maximum range of around 18.6 miles against a head-on target, or 8.7 miles in a tail-on engagement.

Nowadays far less important within the AMBV inventory is the F-16A/B, once the pride of the air force.

Perhaps only three of these fighters are still operational, although a pair was involved in a ‘show of force’ near the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Jason Dunham last month.

The F-16s have no beyond-visual-range weapons, relying on the Israeli-made Python 4 infrared-guided air-to-air missile, supplementing the AIM-9L/P-4 Sidewinder, 150 of which were supplied when the F-16s were first ordered. At this stage, the Venezuelan F-16s remain as a mainly token capability, which you can read about in detail here.

Venezuelan Army

Turning to the Army, its most powerful air defense system is the S-300VM, an unspecified number of which were acquired from Russia by Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez. The purchase was reportedly part of a deal for a loan of $2 billion provided by Moscow. The EB’s S-300VM made its first public appearance in Venezuela during a military parade in Caracas in 2013.

The S-300VM (SA-23 Gladiator/Giant), sometimes marketed as the Antey-2500, is a modernized version of the Cold War-era S-300V1 (SA-12, also Gladiator/Giant), originally designed for the Soviet ground forces. This is a long-range surface-to-air/anti-ballistic missile system carried on tracked transport-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicles, for improved cross-country mobility, something that could be a big problem for the U.S. military, as we will come to later.

In the S-300VM, the two primary types of missiles offered in the S-300V1 — the 9M83 (SA-12A Gladiator) with a maximum engagement range of around 47 miles and the 9M82 (SA-12B Giant) that can engage targets out to 62 miles — are replaced with new 9M83M and 9M82M missiles. These are claimed to be able to hit targets out to a range of 81 miles and 124 miles, respectively.

Launcher units can either be loaded with four 9M83M missiles or two 9M82Ms.

The S-300VM can engage ballistic missiles, as well as aircraft and cruise missiles. While its anti-ballistic-missile capability is relatively limited, the Antey-2500 marketing name highlights its claimed ability to engage 2,500-kilometer (1,553-mile) range intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), with re-entry velocities around 4.5 kilometers/second (2.8 miles/second).

Venezuela reportedly fields a single battalion equipped with two S-300VM units, with their main operating base at Capitán Manuel Ríos Air Base in Guárico state.

Making a stark contrast with the S-300VM is Venezuela’s S-125 Pechora (SA-3 Goa) medium-altitude surface-to-air system, the first version of which entered Soviet service in the early 1960s. However, the EB’s S-125s have been modernized to Pechora-2M standard, with different reports stating that 24 or 44 systems have been fielded.

In the Pechora-2M, which is a joint Russian/Belarusian upgrade, the missiles are moved from the previous static launchers to a wheeled TEL. Meanwhile, the modernized 5V27D and 5V27DE missiles feature new fuses and warheads, and enhanced electronics. The Low Blow engagement radar is also mounted on the same 6×6 MZKT-8022 truck as the missile launchers.

Unlike the S-125, the more modern Buk-M2 (SA-17 Grizzly) medium-range surface-to-air system was designed to be fully mobile from the outset. It is a further development of the 9K37 (SA-11 Gadfly) developed toward the end of the Soviet era. However, while Soviet and Russian versions of the Buk series are based on a tracked TEL vehicle carrying four ready-to-fire missiles, as well as the fire control radar, the variant supplied to Venezuela is on a 6×6 wheeled chassis.

With its combination of high mobility and independence of operation, as well as its reported ability to hit targets operating as high as 80,000 feet, the Buk-M2 is one of the most capable and versatile ground-based air defense systems available to the EB. In Russian hands, the Buk-M2 has proven to be a fearsome adversary for the Ukrainian Air Force.

Speaking to TWZ, the late Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 pilot known as “Juice,” Andrii Pilshchykov, singled out the Buk-M2 and the latest Buk-M3 version among the most concerning threats.

Venezuela is understood to have received 12 Buk-M2 systems, which are also shared with the Navy, for the defense of naval installations and in amphibious operations by the Venezuelan Marine Corps.

All these Russian surface-to-air missile systems are road-mobile, with varying degrees of high-mobility capability. This makes them especially threatening to even advanced combat aircraft, including the F-35, as they can pop up without warning and in close proximity. They are also much harder to find and fix, with this unpredictability making them a significant threat.

Lastly, the EB has received around 300 ZU-23-2 towed twin-barreled 23mm anti-aircraft guns. A first unit was reportedly equipped with these autocannons in 2011, somewhat surprising given that this is a relatively antiquated system. With a maximum engagement altitude of around 6,500 feet, the ZU-23-2 is most relevant for engaging helicopters, low-flying drones, and cruise missiles. At the same time, it can be very effective when used against ground targets.

First fielded in the 1950s, the versions of the ZU-23-2 used by the EB are more advanced than their predecessors, with a computerized fire-control system and an electro-optical sighting system.

Finally, the EB also issues man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), including the Russian-made Igla-S (SA-24 Grinch) and the Swedish RBS 70.

The Igla-S is among the latest versions of the Igla family and among the most advanced such weapons available on the market today. Compared to older variants, the Igla-S has a longer range and a significantly larger warhead. Its maximum range of 20,000 feet is more than 5,000 feet greater than that of the U.S.-made FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS.

In 2017, Reuters reported that it had obtained a Venezuelan military record that showed the country had a total inventory of approximately 5,000 Igla-S missiles. These would pose a significant threat to any low-flying aircraft or cruise missiles.

The EB also has a smaller number of RBS 70s. This laser-beam-riding MANPADS was attributed with the destruction of an OV-10 Bronco close-support aircraft during the military coup launched against President Carlos Andres Perez in November 1992.

It should be noted that, despite the influx of new Russian-made equipment, the EB has also lost some of its previous capabilities in recent years, primarily due to the effect of sanctions and ostracization from much of the international community.

In this way, the EB has been forced to decommission its three Israeli-supplied Barak-1 ADAMS short-range air defense systems (SHORADS), which were decommissioned relatively soon after they were acquired, after appearing only once in a public parade in 2006. These towed systems were primarily acquired for point-defense of airbases, a requirement highlighted during the 1992 coup attempt. Reportedly, the ZU-23-2 is now the primary weapon for defending Venezuelan airbases against low-level attack.

Venezuelan Navy

Something of a wildcard is the air defense capability of the Venezuelan Navy.

As well as Igla-S and RBS 70 MANPADS, as well as Buk-M2 systems shared with the Army, the Venezuelan Navy has a single operational Mariscal Sucre class frigate, the Almirante Brión. The Italian-made warship was supplied armed with a Mk 29 octuple launcher for Sea Sparrow/Aspide air defense missiles, providing a point-defense capability. The operational status of this system should be considered questionable.

Conclusion

Overall, Venezuela has an unusually varied collection of air defense assets, including smaller numbers of more capable systems. However, even most of the older surface-to-air missile systems have been upgraded and, as stated earlier, are generally highly mobile, meaning they can appear virtually anywhere, disrupting carefully laid mission plans. They could still pose a threat that would have to be taken seriously during any kind of offensive U.S. air operation directed against Venezuela.

As we have discussed in the past, after the Houthis got worryingly close to downing a U.S. F-35, and reportedly several F-16s, even largely rudimentary air defense capabilities can pose a very real challenge for American combat aircraft. It should be noted that the same Houthi militants, often using improvised systems, claim to have damaged or destroyed Tornado, F-15, and F-16 combat jets, as well as drones, belonging to Saudi Arabian-led forces during fighting in the late 2010s and early 2020s.

At the very least, it might be expected that the Venezuelan air defense picture would prompt the U.S. military to rely heavily on stealthy aircraft like the F-35, especially for any direct strikes on targets in defended areas of the country, as well as costly standoff munitions. Such a campaign would also require the support of defense-suppression assets and other support aircraft with their associated capabilities. Using any crewed aircraft complicates operations dramatically, with a combat search and rescue (CSAR) package needing to be ready at a moment’s notice.

For now, it remains unclear whether U.S. military activities directed against suspected drug-smugglers and/or the Maduro regime will be escalated. However, as U.S. assets continue to arrive in the Caribbean, that scenario seems to be becoming more likely.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Gaza’s civil defence agency has reported that Israel conducted dozens of air strikes and artillery shelling on Gaza City – despite United States President Donald Trump’s demand to halt bombardments following Hamas’s partial acceptance of a ceasefire deal.

“It was a very violent night, during which the (Israeli army) carried out dozens of air strikes and artillery shelling on Gaza City and other areas in the Strip, despite President Trump’s call to halt the bombing,” civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal told AFP.

Basal, who works for a rescue force, said 20 homes were destroyed in the overnight attacks.

Gaza City’s al-Ahli Hospital, also known as the Baptist Hospital, reported receiving casualties from a strike on a home in the city’s Tuffah neighbourhood, including four deaths and multiple people injured.

At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, officials confirmed two children were killed and eight people were wounded when a drone struck a tent in a displacement camp.

The proposal for Gaza, unveiled by Trump this week with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s support, outlines a ceasefire, the release of captives within 72 hours, disarmament of Hamas, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

On Friday, Hamas expressed willingness to release captives held in Gaza under the Trump plan but requested negotiations on some specifics and participation in decisions regarding the Palestinian territory’s future.

Airlines will not know exactly how many flights they need to cancel until the action is confirmed and almost underway, but Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said he expects Ryanair to be told to cancel up to 600 daily, affecting up to 100,000 passengers.

Ryanair and easyJet have issued warnings to passengers ahead of a run of disruptive strikes that could impact more than 100,000 passengers.

The main French air traffic control union, SNCTA, has announced a strike scheduled from 7 to 10 October 2025, which is expected to trigger a large number of flight cancellations and delays throughout western Europe.

Airlines will not know exactly how many flights they need to cancel until the action is confirmed and almost under way, but Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said he expects Ryanair to be told to cancel up to 600 daily, affecting up to 100,000 passengers.

He said: “We cannot have a situation in the EU where we have a single market yet we close that market every time the French go on strike. They have the right to strike, but if flights are to be cancelled they should be flights arriving to and from France. They should not be overflights.”

Have you been impacted by the strikes? Email [email protected]

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The union’s reasons for striking include concerns over air traffic control governance, highlighting “mistrust, punitive practices, and harsh managerial methods,” along with demands for pay increases to offset inflation.

Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, said: “While this is outside of our control, we will be doing all we can to minimise the impact this will have on our customers. Our passengers and crew have been impacted by ATC related disruption for too long and so a solution must be found.

“We are calling on the new head of the French aviation authority to urgently address this issue by building more resilience into the system and crucially, by protecting overflying on strike days to ensure the travel plans of passengers whose flights do not take off or land in France are not needlessly ruined.

“We need action on this now, so the rest of Europe is not held hostage when French Air Traffic Controllers go on strike.”

This industrial action is likely to cause major disruptions, especially affecting flights crossing French airspace, with past strikes having resulted in thousands of cancellations and substantial costs for the aviation sector.

By law, airlines must reroute passengers and provide accommodation and meals for cancelled flights, regardless of the strike’s cause—though managing these obligations becomes difficult during widespread disruption.

Latest analysis by AirAdvisor shows the strike will impact over 129,600 UK passengers, with mass cancellations expected on routes to Spain, Italy, France, and beyond. AirAdvisor expects a 50-60% disruption rate, which means 240 UK flights per day or over 720 flights to and from the UK will be disrupted, affecting 129,600 Brits over three days.

According to AirAdvisor, the routes that are most vulnerable to being disrupted are:

UK to Spain (all routes except northern Spain via the Bay of Biscay)

UK to Portugal (including Madeira and Azores)

UK to Italy (especially southern Italy)

UK to Greece (western routes)

UK to the Canary Islands

UK to Morocco and Tunisia

French airspace acts as Europe’s bottleneck. More than 30% of all UK-to-Mediterranean flights, and a huge chunk of UK-Spain, UK-Italy, and UK-Portugal routes, are about to face either outright cancellation or one to four hour delays. The disruption isn’t limited to French airports, but will affect every hub from Barcelona, Madrid, and Palma to Amsterdam and Brussels.

Airlines cannot simply fly around France as alternate, oceanic or North African routes add time, cost, and complexity. Fuel, crew, and slot constraints mean not every flight gets an alternative path.

Travellers headed to Spain and Portugal from London, Manchester, and Bristol are expected to be especially hard hit, with flights being axed at the last minute and others rerouted hundreds of miles out of the way, resulting in arrivals creeping into the early hours or simply overnighting at hubs.

Russian mercenaries of the Wagner Security Group have been accused of shooting at farmers from the air in the Central African Republic (CAR). The air raid happened on Monday, Sept. 29, in Lakata, a village 69 kilometres from Bouar in the Djotoua Banguerem council area.

Sources privy to details of the attack told HumAngle that the Russian mercenaries hovering in two helicopters opened fire on defenceless civilians, killing four and seriously wounding nine others. The sources asked not to be named in this report over fear of retribution, but reiterated that the air raiders unleashed heavy weapons on local farms and artisanal mining sites, shooting sporadically at the civilian population.

The sudden assault plunged the village into chaos. Farmers abandoned their tools mid-harvest, and miners fled their sites in terror. Survivors described the attack as “death from heaven,” a chilling escalation in Wagner’s operational tactics, which have previously relied on ground patrols and motorbike raids.

“The question we are asking now is why? What military objective justifies shooting at farmers and local miners? What ‘rebels’ were neutralised by Wagner and how many ‘terrorists’ were eliminated?” a local witness queried, insisting that the Russians have no tangible answers to these questions because there were neither rebels nor terrorists in Lakata on that day. “Those who were there were just poor Central Africans working to survive. The lives lost were those of Central Africans, which the Wagner mercenaries consider are of no value.” 

The local also stressed that this aerial attack against civilians constitutes a war crime, according to international humanitarian law. The utilisation of combat helicopters against unarmed civilian populations violates the Geneva Conventions and all the fundamental principles of war law. 

These killings mark a terrifying escalation in the methods of the Wagner operatives. The mercenaries have only been operating on the ground from village to village, and most of the time, on motorbikes. The Central African Republic government has made no statement about the attack, but the disquieting silence by the Bangui authorities has caused concerns. 

“The nine wounded in Lakata will probably not benefit from medical attention paid by the government. If they survive, they will do so with their wounds,  trauma, and injuries while abandoned by a state that has chosen to work to the advantage of Russian mercenaries rather than for their own people,” said Severin Dougouguele, who identified himself as an activist.

He is also concerned by the international community’s silence over the matter. 

“The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which is present in the country, seems overwhelmed to the point it hardly investigates reports of such killings, while international human rights organisations find it difficult to access the areas where such killings take place. The international media is also handicapped by a lack of the necessary means and resolve to penetrate the hinterlands where these atrocities take place,” Severin claimed. 

He also believes that the distance of these communities from civilisation makes news of these atrocities late reaching the authorities and international agencies that can intervene to curb their constant repetition.

The incident shows a broader pattern of abuse documented by Human Rights Watch (HRW). A 2022 report by the HRW details summary executions, torture, and arbitrary detentions by Russian-linked forces in CAR. Wagner operatives have been accused of targeting civilians under the guise of counterinsurgency, often with no accountability. As the crisis deepens, calls for independent investigations, medical aid, and international oversight grow louder.

It comes after an EasyJet flight was involved in an incredible near-miss incident last week

A French mayor has argued that air traffic controllers should be replaced with military personnel following a near-miss accident involving an EasyJet flight at Nice airport. On September 21, EasyJet flight 4706 to Nantes experienced a near-miss incident with a Tunisian Nouvelair jet.

Reportedly, the flight was forced to apply power in order to avoid a collision. According to preliminary findings from the Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA) investigation, the aircraft from Tunisia was preparing to land on the incorrect runway – as a result, the BEA is classifying the event as a ‘serious incident’.

While the investigation is ongoing, Nice mayor Christian Estrosi pledged that he would ask the French government to replace air traffic controllers with military personnel. The surprise announcement was made during a Nice City Council meeting on Wednesday, October 1, with the subject not initially being put on the meeting’s agenda.

‘We’ve had enough of air traffic controllers’

Instead, the city council was debating a survey of Nice airport users with the goal of improving expectations. However, during the debate Mr Estrosi said: “At our next city council meeting, I will propose that the French government replace our air traffic controllers with military personnel. We’ve had enough of air traffic controllers and the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), which is incapable of keeping them in check.”

He later told the press: “‘We are increasingly penalised by the unacceptable behaviour of air traffic controllers in both Nice and Aix-en-Provence. This has economic and social consequences.”

At the time of the incident, an EasyJet spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is EasyJet’s highest priority and in line with procedures, we are fully cooperating with the safety investigation that has been launched in order to understand what happened.”

If full, the two aircrafts would have been carrying over 300 passengers and crew members between them. It has been reported that the EasyJet pilot said there was only three metres between the two planes.

The mayor’s request will be put to a vote at the next city council meeting.

Air traffic control in France is currently operated by civil servants. In order to get the job, they generally must have graduated from the French National Civil Aviation School (ENAC). While there is some airspace which is controlled by military air traffic controllers, this is currently not the case for Nice Airport.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, 72 air traffic controllers are currently active in Nice.

The late night circuit got its version of a unique crossover event Tuesday night as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert appeared as guests on each other’s shows.

It was a fitting stunt considering both talk show hosts have been at the center of noteworthy professional situations shrouded in political and national significance, and both orbit in the same universe of President Trump’s contempt. The two hosts, who have vocally supported each other through the respective ordeals on their shows, were now able to continue the mutual backing in full force, face-to-face.

In the wake of the fallout of Kimmel’s suspension earlier this month over comments he made related to the death of conservative pundit Charlie Kirk, the recently reinstated host charged ahead with moving his L.A.-based show to Brooklyn for a week as planned, with Colbert among the star-studded list of guests. Colbert was effusive in his support of Kimmel after ABC pre-empted his talk show, criticizing the decision as “blatant censorship.”

Kimmel, meanwhile, appeared on “The Late Show,” alongside pop star Sam Smith. Earlier this year, CBS announced it was canceling “The Late Show” and would end after the season wraps in May 2026 — marking not only the end of Colbert’s run at the helm, but also bringing the late night institution to a close after a 30-year run. The decision, the company said, was due to financial reasons and not — as many have speculated — because of Colbert’s criticism of a deal between the Trump administration and Paramount, the parent company of CBS, the network that airs “The Late Show,” over.a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Kimmel was one of the many who expressed disdain over the decision, even campaigning for Colbert to win an Emmy though Kimmel was on the same ballot. (Colbert ultimately won.)

Ahead of Kimmel’s appearance on “The Late Show,” Colbert hosted another late-night host, Conan O’Brien, who appeared as a guest Monday, opening the conversation with, “Stephen, how’s late night? What’s going on? I’ve been out of it for a little bit — catch me up on what’s happening.”

“I’ll send you the obituary,” Colbert replied.

Here are five standout moments from the night of shared grievances.

Stephen Colbert, left, and Jimmy Kimmel backstage at “The Late Show.”

(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)

Colbert says he ‘sweat through his shirt’ the day he told his staff ’The Late Show’ was canceled

In his first sit-down interview since the “The Late Show” was canceled, Colbert walked Kimmel through the timeline of his show’s cancellation. He said he received the news from their mutual manager, James Dixon, after the taping of his show on July 16. He got home to his wife, Evie McGee-Colbert, two and a half hours later. As he walked into the apartment, according to Colbert, his wife said, “What happened? You get canceled?”

Dixon knew for a week but had been hesitant to relay the news to Colbert, who was on vacation. Once he learned the show’s fate, Colbert said he was unsure about when he should break the news to his staff, debating whether to wait until after the summer break or in September. His wife, though, said he would tell them the following day.

“We get into the building,” he said, “I go up the elevator, I walk through the offices. By time I get to my offices, I have sweat through my shirt because I didn’t want to know anything my staff didn’t know. And I said, ‘I’m going to tell my staff today,’ but then we couldn’t do a show if I told them because everybody would be bummed out and I would be bummed out.”

He only told executive producer Tom Purcell at first. He got through the whole show. And then he asked the audience and staff to stick around for one more act so he could record the announcement.

“My stage manager goes, ‘Oh no, we’re done, Steve, we’re done.’ And I said, ‘nope, there’s one more act of the show. Please don’t let the audience leave.’ And he goes, ‘No, boss, no. Boss. I got that. I got the thing here. We’ve done everything.’ And I said, ‘I’m aware of that. And I’m here to tell you there’s one more act of the show,’” he explained. “So I went backstage, I said, ‘Everybody, get on Zoom.’ I told everybody as briefly as I could so they wouldn’t find out about it on air. And then I went back out on stage to tell everybody. And I was so nervous about doing it right — because there was nothing in the prompter, I was just speaking off the cuff — that I f— up twice. And I had to restart and the audience thought it was a bit and they started going, ‘Steve, you can do it.’ Because I always messed up on the sentence that told them what was happening. And then I got to the sentence that actually told them was happening, and they didn’t laugh.”

Kimmel, in turn, shared that he found out about “The Late Show’s” cancellation while attending a No Kings protest march.

Kimmel says he took the call from ABC about his suspension from the bathroom

Jimmy Kimmel on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Tuesday.

(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)

Like Colbert, Tuesday marked the first time Kimmel had been interviewed since his suspension earlier this month, and he detailed the day he got the news he was being pulled from the air.

Kimmel’s office is busy — there’s roughly five other people working in there with him at all times, he told Colbert. So when ABC executives wanted to speak with him less than two hours before he was set to tape that night’s episode, Kimmel resorted to the bathroom to take the call in private.

“I’m on the phone with the ABC executives, and they say, ‘Listen, we want to take the temperature down. We’re concerned about what you’re gonna say tonight, and we decided that the best route is to take the show off the air,’” Kimmel said before the audience interjected with boos.

“There was a vote, and I lost the vote, and so I put my pants back on and I walked out to my office,” before telling some of his producing team the news, he said. “My wife said I was whiter than Jim Gaffigan when I came out.”

The decision on Kimmel’s suspension came so late in the day that the audience was already in their seats and had to be sent home, Kimmel told Colbert.

A sign of the times?

While touting the crossover event in his monologue (“We thought it might be a fun way to drive the President nuts so…”), Kimmel took time to stress the groundswell of support Colbert has both in New York, where he does his show, and in Kimmel’s homebase of L.A. To prove it, the camera cut to a photo showing signs that were displayed over the 101 freeway in L.A. when Kimmel went back on the air following his suspension. They read: “Public pressure works — Kimmel is back!”

“And this is the sign that is up now,” Kimmel continued, cutting to video of more recent signage over the freeway. “It says, “Now do Colbert.”

Gavin Newsom traveled to Brooklyn. Or did he?

Seth Meyers, left, Josh Meyers as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Jimmy Kimmel on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

(Randy Holmes/ABC)

The California governor — who also moonlights (by proxy of his social media team) as the unofficial No. 1 Trump troll — made the cross-country trip to Brooklyn to surprise Kimmel on stage. Or did he? As the host mentioned the politician’s latest jab at Trump during his monologue, Newsom barreled onto the stage on a bike before finding his place next to Kimmel for a roughly six-minute spiel, delivered in his best California bro speak, on his mission to bring people together.

“L.A and N.Y.C., we’re not so different,” Newsom said. “I mean, we both just want to be free to smoke weed while riding our electric scooters to a drag queen brunch.”

As Kimmel pressed how exactly they can succeed in coming together, a blustering Newsom responded: “We already started, dog. These people get it. They have their own great late night hosts here in NYC, but tonight they chose my homie from L.A. They could be partying with my dude, J-Fall and The Roots crew — they’re a rap band … because you did look confused. Anyway, these Brooklyn-istas came to see you instead of checking out the political commentary of John Oliver or J-Stew or pay their respects to Colbert before he shipped off to Guantanamo Gay, or they could have gone and watched whatever that little creep Seth Meyers is doing … dude dresses like a substitute Montessori teacher. I mean, do you know why he sits down for his jokes? Same reason yo’ mama sits down to pee.”

Cue a special appearance from Seth Meyers, Kimmel’s friend and fellow late night host to rein in … his brother? For the non-late night connoisseurs reading this: Meyers’ brother, Josh, played the “Covid bro” version of Newsom during the pandemic in sketches that aired on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Newsom took the gag further on Tuesday, impersonating Josh impersonating himself on Kimmel’s stage.

“We’re bros, but no, we’re not,” Newsom as Josh said. “Look, I get this all the time, probably because we’re both so hot.”

Meanwhile, keeping the planned awkwardness going, Kimmel took the opportunity to mention to Meyers that he was in town if he wanted to get dinner. Meyers responded: “What happened with your show? I thought this whole thing was, you know … “

“We’re back on the air,” Kimmel said. “We’re back on now.”

It should also be noted that Kimmel, Colbert and Meyers later posed for a photo onstage and uploaded it to their respective social media accounts with the caption, “Hi Donald!”

Guillermo brings the fun (and the tequila)

Guillermo Rodriguez, left, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert taking a round of shots on “The Late Show.”

(Scott Kowalchyk/CBS)

Looking ahead at the remaining months Colbert will be on the air, Kimmel asked the host when he was going to “go nuts,” and suggested he lose his glasses and “maybe do some ayahuasca on set.” Kimmel then gifted him a bong with a Statue of Liberty design, which he called a “chemistry set.”

Colbert started playing along by unbuttoning his blazer and saying “f— that” to a signal that he only had a minute left in the segment. (“What are they gonna do, cancel me?” Colbert asked). Then, as if right on cue, Guillermo Rodriguez, Kimmel’s friend and sidekick on his show, came onto the stage with tequila (and three shot glasses) in hand.

On the first round of Don Julio, Colbert made a toast: “To good friends, great jobs and late-night TV.”

Colbert then poured another round and Kimmel pulled out the bong he had gifted the host. The group then took one more shot together and Kimmel toasted to Colbert.

Guillermo, who got a round of hearty cheers from the crowd, is known for giving out shots and toasting with A-Listers at awards shows and other Hollywood events.

A design of a patch for the F-47 System Management Office (SMO) that has been circulating on social media was indeed created by members of that organization, but is still being refined and hasn’t been formalized, the Air Force has confirmed. The patch’s central feature, which appears to be a phoenix or a firebird, raises the question of whether the sixth-generation fighter may already have a nickname.

User @SR_Planespotter on X was first to share a look at the patch earlier this month. In March, Boeing’s next-generation fighter was officially declared the winner of a competition for what had previously been referred to as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet or “platform.”

“The patch is an early design concept that was generated within Air Combat Command’s F-47 System Management Office,” an Air Combat Command (ACC) spokesperson told TWZ. “It is still being developed, and there is currently no official patch being worn by anyone in the Air Force.”

In addition to the phoenix or firebird, the circular patch has “ACC F-47 SMO” in white lettering and three yellow or gold-colored triangles/arrows/deltas with trailing lines along the left side. On the right side, there is “FBC” written in black lettering and a white-colored ‘path,’ which we will come back to later on. There are six red stars of equal size, three above and three below the central ‘bird’ motif, as well.

Under the main body of the patch is the Latin “Superamus Perstamus Letamus” written in white lettering. A basic machine translation of this is “We overcome. We Persist. We Rejoice.” The same motto has been seen on other patches and insignias, some dating back many years now, associated with the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative and the Agile Development Office within the Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC). The Agile Development Office evolved from the Program Executive Office for Advanced Aviation, first created in 2019 to serve as a central manager for NGAD efforts, including the work that led to the F-47, which you can read more about here.

Much about the meaning of the various elements of the F-47 SMO patch design otherwise remains unconfirmed.

Triangles, arrows, and delta shapes are often used in Air Force heraldry to symbolize aircraft or subordinate units. The Agile Development Office insignia seen earlier in this story also has three deltas with trailing lines, but in gray. In addition to Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman had also competed in the NGAD combat jet competition, but whether any of this is a reference to that fact is not known. Northrop Grumman had bowed out in 2023, and there are indications that its entrant would have otherwise been cut.

Stars are also common. Six of them together often refers to the top-secret flight test center at Groom Lake in Nevada, better known as Area 51. It is worth noting here that Boeing and Lockheed both built top-secret X-plane demonstrators as part of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) efforts that fed into NGAD and ultimately the F-47. They are understood to have been flight tested at Area 51.

The white ‘path’ on the right side of the patch looks to be an outline of a portion of China’s eastern coastline. The Air Force has framed the F-47 as key to ensuring it can achieve air superiority in future conflicts, especially high-end fights against an opponent like China. The sixth-generation fighters would be at the ‘tip of the spear’ to penetrate through the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) extensive anti-access and area denial ‘bubbles’ in any such scenario in the Pacific.

The central phoenix/firebird motif (which may or may not be tied in some way to the as yet unexplained “FBC” acronym) is particularly interesting to consider in light of what is known about the history to date of the F-47 program and the work that preceded it. Until President Donald Trump’s administration decided to proceed, there was a very real chance of the program being cancelled in favor of other priorities. In April, former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, who left his post in January, penned an opinion piece questioning the decision to move ahead.

Whether it is the intended symbolism of the patch or not, a phoenix would certainly be appropriate for the F-47 program. A legendary immortal bird commonly associated with ancient Greek mythology, but also found in other traditions, it is often depicted ‘rising from the ashes’ of its own demise.

There is also the mythical firebird found across Slavic folklore, which is both a blessing and a curse to anyone who tries to capture it.

In the same way, phoenix or firebird might be plausible nicknames for the F-47, officially or unofficially. However, phoenix, at least, is unlikely to become the formal name for the jet. The U.S. military just announced in August that Phoenix II is now the official moniker for the U.S. Navy’s future E-130J aircraft. Some kind of double-up (Phoenix III on top of Phoenix II), or a renaming of the E-130J, are possibilities, but seem less likely. The E-130J is a so-called ‘doomsday plane’ that will be tasked with acting as an airborne command and control node for the Navy’s nuclear ballistic missile submarines, including being able to send orders to them to launch strikes while submerged, a mission set referred to as Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) that you can learn more about here.

We already know the F-47 designation is tied to the Republic P-47 of World War II fame, the official nickname for which was Thunderbolt. The Air Force has also said the “47” is a reference to the year the Air Force was founded (1947) and President Trump (the 45th and 47th President). The P-47 was subsequently redesignated the F-47 before the type was retired.

It’s worth noting here that the A-10, better known by its unofficial nickname, Warthog, is also officially dubbed the Thunderbolt II, in homage to the P-47. The Warthogs are set to be retired well before the new F-47s start to enter service, which would free up the Thunderbolt name.

As the A-10 underscores, unofficial nicknames for American military aircraft are also common, in general, and sometimes become more widely used than the official ones.

The formal naming of an aircraft like the F-47, expected to be a centerpiece of Air Force power projection for decades to come, is likely to be the subject of significant debate, whatever unofficial monikers it might pick up along the way. Prime contractor Boeing is now building the first of the jets, and the hope is that a first flight will occur in 2028. When operational units might begin to receive F-47s is unclear.

More details about the F-47 SMO patch’s symbolism may emerge as the program gets more underway. In the meantime, we at least know it is a real design that is still a work in progress.

Howard Altman contributed to this story.

Contact the author: [email protected]

During last night’s launch, Big Brother revealed the ‘cruellest twist yet’ as we learnt one housemate would go during the first episode – as Will Best ‘lets slip’ a huge spoiler

Last night, Big Brother opened with one of the cruellest twists yet, as it was revealed by AJ Odudu and Will Best that one housemate would be leaving on the first night.

When all 12 housemates had entered the house, it was revealed that viewers had just four minutes to cast their votes for who they wanted to put up for eviction.

It was later revealed that 25-year-old political events organiser Emily, Zumba instructor Sam, 22, and PR worker Caroline, 56 were facing eviction as they were placed into a room away from the rest of the housemates. It also meant that those watching the live stream wouldn’t be able to see who’s left before tonight’s show.

READ MORE: Big Brother favourite element axed as ‘horrible’ twist airs in show firstREAD MORE: Big Brother fans slam ‘brutal’ format change just minutes into live launch show

Many assumed that the housemate with the least amount of votes would be evicted, however, on Big Brother Late and Live, it was revealed that they would have to fight amongst themselves on who would go.

The announcement was made on Big Brother’s Late and Live after the launch show, but many viewers thought this twist was ‘let slip’ accidentally by host Will Best.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter when the announcement was made, one penned: “Will seems to have just (accidentally?) confirmed on #BBLL that Emily, Caroline and Sam will have to decide amongst themselves WHO gets evicted tonight! #BBUK“

Another wrote: “WILL JUST LET SLIP ANOTHER TWIST BECAUSE HE IS SOMEHOW THE WORST SECRET KEEPER IN BIG BROTHER PRESENTING HSTORY !! The 3 housemates in danger will “decide amongst themselves” who gets evicted #bbuk #bbll“.

Another said: “Will just revealed on Late & Live that the 3 housemates in the exit room will be deciding amongst themselves who will be leaving the house! #BBLL #BBUK.”

This series marks the 25th anniversary of Big Brother, and they weren’t wrong when they said they wouldn’t be holding back.

Along with the return of Big Brother was the return of the iconic live stream. Viewers were able to sit down and watch the aftermath of the chaotic launch show after Big Brother Late and Live last night, but they were left annoyed with one feature, the bird sounds.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter to express their frustrations, one penned: “Once again the #BBUK ‘live feed’ is endless bird tweets… WTF is the point of offering a live feed when @bbuk is terrified that fans will leak what we’ve seen!!! Nobody fucking cares!! Just put the fucking cameras on!!”