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Leaked Russian government documents have indicated that the PAK DA next generation bomber program currently under development is using considerable numbers of components derived from the Su-57 fighter program. Examples include the fighter’s hydraulic actuators and geared hinges which control its internal weapon bays, with the bomber expected to also store its armaments internally to preserve its stealth capabilities.

There are plenty of elements to praise in Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s acquisition transformation announcement last week. The emphasis on speed and commercial solutions, the overhaul of training for the acquisition workforce, the extension of tour lengths for program managers and executives, and a holistic portfolio approach to military capability are just a few.

I served 20 years in the Army and today is the first Veterans Day since joining the War on the Rocks team last year. We publish articles and podcasts on war, diplomacy, military strategy, defense policy, and foreign affairs. As such, the use (or threat) of force as an instrument of policymaking, and by extension those who wield it, is entwined with everything that appears on our outlet. We benefit immensely from the perspectives of those who have served or are currently serving in uniform.However, this Veterans Day feels different.

The U.S. Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing has retied its final F-15C/D Eagle fourth generation fighters atBarnes Air National Guard Base, marking the end of the fighter type’s more than 30 years of service in the Guard. Developed as a high performance air superiority fighter during the Cold War, the F-15C/D has served in the Air Force since 1975, and joined the Air National Guard in the early 1990s.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has marked the 76th anniversary by releasing a film that for the first time showed the country’s GJ-11 Dark Dragon unmanned fighter flying in formation with the J-20 air superiority fighter and J-16D electronic attack jet. Although the three aircraft have long been expected to operate together, this is the first publicly available imagery of them doing so.

The Pentagon’s pool of acquisition experts may grow in the months ahead, following major reforms senior officials announced on Friday to drastically revamp the organization’s processes and approach to developing, selling and purchasing products and services.
Many open questions will be puzzled out in the initial implementation phase, according to the Defense Department’s top weapons buyer.

Decades after surviving more than 2,600 days as a prisoner of war, Vietnam veteran Harlan Chapman has been laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
During the war, he was a Marine captain piloting his F-8E Crusader, deep in enemy territory. On Nov. 5, 1965, Chapman was flying fast and low over Vietnam, as he dodged heavy anti-aircraft fire and tried to get his Crusader’s 2,000-pound bombs to his target.
The last fighter in his 32-aircraft strike group, Chapman was facing the brunt of the enemy’s air defenses.

General Dynamics Land Systems unveiled their PERCH drone launcher for Abrams and Stryker, but it could also integrate onto LAV and AJAX too.

For most of its 250-year history, the Marine Corps has been defined by its ability to project power from the sea. That meant beach landings, first at Nassau in 1776, then on a massive scale during World War II. But today, the concept of storming a beach has evolved into something far more complex and far less visible.
The Marines’ first amphibious landing happened in March 1776, just a few short months after Capt. Samuel Nichols recruited the first two battalions of Marines at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in late 1775.

The post appeared first on Armed Forces Press.