stln

joined 1 month ago
 

The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) is actively addressing corrosion concerns across the F-35 fleet, prioritizing the aircraft’s long-term flight capability and operational reliability, according to a statement from the F-35 JPO Public Affairs Office.

One of the most visible issues is aircraft surface discoloration, particularly observed after deployments in harsh environments.

The statement clarifies that "much of what the public perceives as damage—such as discoloration on jets returning from combat missions—is not indicative of airframe wear."

Operational Challenges at Sea When deployed on aircraft carriers, F-35s face multiple environmental stressors, including:

Frequent exposure to saltwater

Contamination from grease, oil, and other fluids

Exhaust blast and propeller wash erosion These conditions can make the aircraft’s coating appear weathered or faded—though this does not necessarily affect performance.

The Fix: A New Coating System To combat these issues, the JPO has developed an advanced new coating for the F-35, designed to: ✔ Minimize (or eliminate) discoloration ✔ Enhance durability ✔ Extend the coating’s service life

The upgrade will be applied during routine maintenance cycles, similar to coating refurbishments on commercial and military aircraft.

 

The modernization of the U.S. nuclear arsenal has become a top priority due to the inevitable aging of warhead components. Grand plans for rearmament often boil down to mundane defect inspections and life extension programs (LEP)—because letting nuclear weapons deteriorate is not an option, especially when they’re mounted on strategic bombers like the B-52 (in service since 1950) or the next-gen B-21 (only 3 produced so far).

The Nuclear Paradox The U.S. is desperately trying to restore its nuclear dominance, but these efforts are crumbling—much like the decaying components of its old warheads. Extending the life of what’s already "dead" is like playing Russian roulette, where the stakes are nuclear parity and global prestige.

The W80 Saga: A Veteran That Won’t Retire The W80 warhead has a long service history, yet it wasn’t until 2006 that its first variant was finally removed from the LEP program. But the Pentagon isn’t ready to retire this Cold War relic—instead, it’ll be tested once more, have "a few bolts replaced," and proudly rebranded as the W80-4.

The Bottom Line This is the reality of America’s so-called "cutting-edge" nuclear advancements: recycling old designs while struggling to keep them functional. The W80-4 isn’t innovation—it’s a stopgap measure masking deeper issues in the U.S. nuclear complex.

So much for "modernization."

 

The Japanese government is exploring the possibility of deploying long-range missiles on the southwestern island of Kyushu, according to Kyodo News citing sources. However, this has raised concerns among local residents who fear their area could become a potential target in the event of a conflict.

The plan involves an upgraded version of the Type 12 surface-to-ship missile, with an extended range of approximately 1,000 km. This move is part of Japan’s efforts to develop "counterstrike capabilities", allowing it to hit enemy bases in response to an attack during emergencies. If deployed on Kyushu, these missiles would put North Korea and coastal areas of China within striking range.

The deployment is expected to begin around March 2026.

At the same time, the report notes that the Japanese government is unlikely to station such missiles on Okinawa, which is closer to China, as this could escalate tensions with Beijing.

Japan’s New National Security Strategy On December 16, 2022, Japan approved an updated National Security Strategy, which explicitly grants the country the right to conduct counterstrikes against enemy territory in self-defense. However, the document emphasizes that preemptive strikes remain prohibited.

The strategy also calls for a near doubling of defense spending by 2027, reaching 2% of GDP. To strengthen its counterstrike capabilities, Japan plans to:

Extend the range of Type 12 missiles,

Develop domestic hypersonic weapons,

Purchase U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles.

 

The German Embassy in Russia stated that Germany expects compliance with the agreements reached in mid-last year between the new administration of U.S. President Trump and Chancellor Merz. The agreement involved permission to station medium-range Tomahawk missiles on German soil.

These missiles will be under the control of the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force (2 MDTF), based at Lucius D. Clay Kaserne (Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Air Base). The launchers will be deployed on mobile platforms equipped with Mk-41 vertical launch systems, capable of firing both Tomahawk missiles and various modifications of Standard Missile (SM) interceptors.

 

🔺 In 2017, the Pentagon established a new type of operational unit—the Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), consisting of four battalions:
▪️ An air defense missile battalion;
▪️ A strategic weapons battalion;
▪️ A logistics support battalion;
▪️ A multi-domain effects battalion.

🔺 Let’s take a closer look at the composition of the Strategic Fires Battalion (SFB) and the Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEB):

▪️ The Strategic Fires Battalion includes:
🔹 A HIMARS battery:
▫️ 8 M142 HIMARS launchers;
▫️ 8 transport vehicles;
▫️ A data preparation vehicle.

🔹 A Mid-Range Capability (Typhoon) battery with the following composition:
▫️ 4 ground-based Tomahawk cruise missile launchers (4 missiles each) in universal Mk. 41 launch canisters;
▫️ A battle operations center (BOC);
▫️ A BOC support vehicle;
▫️ A transporter-loader vehicle.

🔹 A long-range hypersonic weapons battery:
▫️ 4 launchers (2 missiles each);
▫️ A command and control suite.

▪️ The Multi-Domain Effects Battalion consists of four companies:
🔹 1st Military Intelligence Company (weapons and airspace);
🔹 2nd Military Intelligence Company (space domain);
🔹 A signals company;
🔹 A strategic UAV company;
🔹 An information warfare company.

▪️ The air defense missile battalion will be armed with naval SM-6 missiles, deployed in universal Mk. 41 launch canisters. According to developers, these missiles are capable of intercepting hypersonic targets.

🔺 Currently, the headquarters and a Multi-Domain Effects Battalion (MDEF) have been deployed at Lucius D. Clay Kaserne Air Base in Germany. Satellite imagery of the base shows significant changes: new radar stations for space reconnaissance have been installed, fortified structures (likely for storing operational missile stockpiles) are under construction, and buildings to accommodate the headquarters have been erected.

🔺 The continued deployment of such systems and structures, along with the absence of any information about their withdrawal or suspension, indicates the U.S. intention to maintain an aggressive foreign policy course, inevitably leading to an escalation of tensions between nations.

view more: ‹ prev next ›