Category Archives: Aviation

Chinese Aircraft Carrier, Warships Massing for Major Exercise Near the Philippines

Chinese Aircraft Carrier, Warships Massing for Major Exercise Near the Philippines

A Taiwanese destroyer monitoring the People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17). Taiwan Ministry of Defense Photo

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Philippine Sea, being shadowed separately by Republic of China Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyers, according to both countries. Read More

Temporary Commanders Now Lead Naval Air Forces, NAVSEA

Temporary Commanders Now Lead Naval Air Forces, NAVSEA

Rear Adm. George Wikoff, acting Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF), gives remarks during a change of charge ceremony on Naval Air Station North Island on Sept. 7, 2023. US Navy Photo

Acting commanders have taken over Naval Air Forces and Naval Sea Systems Command in two separate change of office ceremonies this month. Read More

Australia, Philippines Commit to Strategic Partnership, Pledge Joint Patrols

Australia, Philippines Commit to Strategic Partnership, Pledge Joint Patrols

HMAS Anzac sails with BRP Conrado Yap during Exercise LUMBAS as part of a regional presence deployment on June 17, 2023. Royal Australian Navy Photo

Australia and the Philippines agreed to joint patrols in the South China Sea on Friday as the two countries elevated their ties to a strategic partnership. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Bongbong Marcos inked several agreements and a joint declaration during their first-ever bilateral meeting in Manila amid tensions with China. Read More

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Operating Again Near Japan

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Operating Again Near Japan

CNS Shandong (17) underway on Sept. 10, 2023. JMSDF Photo

Five months after it made its first deployment to the western Pacific, People’s Liberation Army Navy carrier CNS Shandong (17) is back conducting drills, according to Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. Also on Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported a total of eight PLAN ships transited the Miyako Strait to enter the Philippine Sea. Read More

Drone Lands and Takes Off from U.K. Royal Navy Carrier for the First Time

Drone Lands and Takes Off from U.K. Royal Navy Carrier for the First Time

Royal Navy airman secures a W Autonomous Systems (WAS) drone following a trip from the Lizard Peninsula and onto the deck of HMS Prince of Wales off the Cornish coast. UK Royal Navy Photo

A drone took off from and landed on a British warship for the first time during HMS Prince of Wales’ (R09) autumn deployment, which will see the Queen Elizabeth–class aircraft carrier assemble its air wing off the U.S. East Coast. Read More

Marines Considering Autonomous Systems for Almost Everything, General Says

Marines Considering Autonomous Systems for Almost Everything, General Says

Lance Cpl. Phillip Banuelos, left, a motor transport operator, with 1st Transportation Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, and Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Genualdi, center, a capabilities integration officer with Combat Development and Integration, and Staff Sgt. Matthew Pitman, right, a tactic and integration instructor with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), disassemble the TRV-150 (TRUAS) drone after experimentation during Battalion Field exercise 1-23 on Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 19, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo

Marines are looking to push as many tasks as possible to autonomous systems as the service aims to operate across wide swaths of the Pacific. Read More

Short-Term Problems are Prime Focus of New Pentagon Drone Initiative

Short-Term Problems are Prime Focus of New Pentagon Drone Initiative

Two unmanned surface vessels, a Devil Ray T-38 and Saildrone Explorer, operate in the Gulf of Aqaba, Sept. 10, during Eager Lion 2022. US Navy Photo

Solving short-term problems for military commanders in the Pacific and Europe is driving the Pentagon’s push to accelerate production of attritable air, sea and ground drones powered by artificial intelligence, USNI News has learned. Read More

Japan Releases $53B Defense Budget Focused on Shipbuilding, Fighters

Japan Releases $53B Defense Budget Focused on Shipbuilding, Fighters

A Japanese Air Self Defense Force F-35A Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter in 2021. JSDF Photo

Japan’s Ministry of Defense requested on Thursday a record defense budget of $53 billion for Fiscal Year 2024, an increase over FY2023’s budget of $46.8 billion. The increased request reflects the Kishida administration’s intention to boost defense spending and capabilities over the next five years, though the final decision will be made by the Finance Ministry in December. Read More