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Key Points and Summary – Born to replace the A-6, the A-12 Avenger II promised a stealth, carrier-based strike jet with internal weapons and composite skins.

-Carrier robustness and low-observable design collided: weight ballooned 30%, coatings hated saltwater, and performance slipped.

(Dec. 31, 2022) An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Mighty Shrikes” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94 prepares to launch from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to participate in a long-range maritime strike demonstration. Nimitz is in 7th Fleet conducting routine operations.

you aren’t paranoid if people are actually trying to get you
Though there are aspects of this that are more Mel Brooks than Tom Clancy, this should cause people in positions of responsibility for our strategic defense to pause and ponder.
We don’t hire enough imaginative thinkers, and the clock watchers and pension counters who seem to do most of the domestic risk mitigation work have never met with a functional Red Team.

Key Points and Summary – Sweden is backing financing talks that could send up to 150 JAS 39 Gripen E fighters to Ukraine—potentially with part-production on Ukrainian soil.

-The E model upgrades the lightweight multirole Gripen with a GE F414 engine, more fuel, added hardpoints, AESA radar, IRST, and fused avionics, while keeping 10–20 minute turnarounds and dispersed-basing ops that thrive on minimal infrastructure.

JAS 39 Gripen SAAB Image Handout

JAS 39 Gripen Flying in Formation.

Key Points and Summary – Europe’s Eurofighter Typhoon isn’t going stealth—and that’s the point.

-The “Super Typhoon” refresh adds ECRS Mk2 AESA, Arexis EW, Praetorian DASS, structural life extension, and new weapons like Meteor and standoff strike. It then leans on networking with F-35s, drones, and ground sensors to survive, find, and kill.

A German Air Force pilot, assigned to the German Air Force Weapons School, conducts strafing runs with an Eurofighter Typhoon in conjunction with U.S.

The Jeep is one of those vehicles that will forever be tied to the U.S. military. From the iconic Willy’s Jeep that helped win World War II to the modern Jeep Wrangler found on literally every single military base (seriously, you see them out everywhere, from Yokosuka and Wiesbaden), the Jeep might be more closely associated with troops than even the Toyota Tacoma or Chevrolet Camaro at 15% interest. Appropriately, the Fox Factory V8 Jeep Wrangler Commando will only be sold to active military or veterans.

Key Points and Summary – Canada’s Air Force is running out of runway. Aging CF-18s are costly to keep flightworthy, readiness is sliding amid pilot and maintainer shortages, and Arctic threats are growing.

-Ottawa’s Future Fighter plan points to 88 F-35As, but sustainment, facilities and training costs are daunting—and only an initial tranche is assured.

JAS 39 Gripen E Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

-Saab’s Gripen E tempts with lower operating costs, Arctic basing flexibility and promised industrial work.

BrDefense
A recent Pentagon directive officially broadens the responsibility of irregular warfare (IW) well beyond the remit of special operations forces

Bloomberg
The Pentagon inflated the government shutdown’s national-security impact on a secretive, ultra-long-range missile that’s key to helping the U.S.

USNI N.
The stopgap spending bill – which would fund the government through Jan.

Naval Technology
These ships are intended to deliver fuel and dry cargo to navy ships at sea and include aviation capability.