The National Interest

5 Best Planes of the U.S. Air Force: As a core pillar of any Western air force, gaining and maintaining air superiority has regularly been prioritized in America’s military doctrine.

Summary: The Chengdu J-10C "Vigorous Dragon," a medium-weight, single-engine multirole combat aircraft, was showcased by the People's Liberation Army Air Force's August 1st, 2023 Aerobatics Team at the Dubai Air Show.

Summary: The U.S. Air Force is preparing for a significant transition in its bomber fleet, phasing out the supersonic B-1 Lancer and the stealthy B-2 Spirit in favor of the new B-21 Raider and an upgraded version of the B-52, designated the B-52J. The B-52, a stalwart of U.S. military capability since its introduction in 1952, is undergoing extensive modernization to extend its service life potentially through 2060.

Summary: The F-35 Lightning II program achieved a significant milestone at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, with the 56th Fighter Wing completing its 100,000th sortie on May 9, 2024. This sortie, flown by Captain Garrett Ellis of the 308th Fighter Squadron, underscores the program's growing maturity and operational success. Luke AFB, home to the world's largest F-35 wing, plays a crucial role in training pilots, with each receiving extensive academic and flight training.

Summary: The resurgence of amphibious operations in the U.S. Navy highlights a strategic shift as tensions rise with China, especially in the South China Sea. Amphibious assault ships, specifically the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) and Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) vessels, are crucial to the Navy's ability to land and support ground forces on hostile territory. The America-class LHA ships, successors to the Tarawa class and derivatives of the USS Makin Island, are designed to deploy Marine... Читать дальше...

Summary: China's Type 003 Fujian, the People's Liberation Army Navy's latest aircraft carrier, recently returned to Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard after completing its first eight-day sea trial. As the nation's third carrier and the first Chinese vessel with electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), similar to the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, the Fujian marks a significant advancement in China's naval capabilities.

Summary: The F-15E Strike Eagle holds the title for the fastest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, capable of reaching speeds between MACH 2.4 and 2.5, or about 1,875 miles per hour. This surpasses the top speeds of both the F-35 and F-22 Raptor.

Summary: The F-35C variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, designed specifically for U.S. Navy carrier operations, distinguishes itself as a pivotal element of modern naval aviation. Part of the Joint Strike Fighter program, which began in the early 1990s and expanded to include several nations, the F-35C has been tailored to meet the rigorous demands of carrier-based activity.

April 17 was election day in the Solomon Islands, a country of around 750,000 people northeast of Australia that is best known to most Americans as the site of the World War II battles of Guadalcanal, Iron Bottom Sound, and Bloody Ridge. 

Summary: The U.S. Air Force has decided not to repair one of its B-2 Spirit bombers, which was damaged during an incident at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. This decision will reduce the active fleet of B-2s from 20 to 19.