Latest news with #AmericanAirForce
The National
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP minister leaves door open to US war planes refuelling at Prestwick
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson refused to say whether the American Air Force would be banned from using the state-owned Ayrshire airport, which is often used by allied militaries as a refuelling stop. Labour backbencher Carol Mochan (below) asked whether the Scottish Government would rule out allowing America and Israel access while they carried out strikes on Iran. (Image: Carol Mochan) She said: 'Can he assure my constituents that sites like Prestwick Airport will not be used to facilitate attacks on Iran by the USA or indeed to support Israeli aircraft given these efforts have no UN backing whatsoever? And can he be clear what US activity is currently happening at the Prestwick Airport site?' It comes after former first minister Humza Yousaf warned that the Scottish Government risked becoming complicit in war crimes if it continued to allow access to the Americans. Robertson said that he had 'not seen any information that would support any conclusion about involvement of Scottish facilities being used directly in terms of military attacks on Iran' saying that previous strikes did not involve the airport. READ MORE: Glasgow arts centre shut down after pro-Palestine protest occupies building American bombers were refuelled 'in the air' before bombing Iran and then returned back to the US without stopping at Prestwick, Robertson said. He added: 'I understand the point that she's making more generally about Prestwick Airport, if she has any information that would support the conclusion, the concern that she has, I would be grateful to hear that. 'We remain in dialogue with the UK Government – her party is in government in the UK, perhaps she would take the opportunity through her good offices to raise this with responsible UK ministers. 'In terms of devolved responsibilities, we will do everything that we can but she will appreciate that there are limits.' (Image: PA) Later asked by Tory MSP Stephen Kerr (above) whether there were any formal arrangements with the US to allow military access to Prestwick Airport, Robertson replied: 'I would have to check the status. 'I'm not aware of any memoranda of understanding but he will appreciate, it's a matter of public record, Prestwick Airport is used by the US Air Force, the Canadian Royal Airforce, a number of air forces from the Middle East.' Kenny MacAskill, leader of the Alba Party, said that the Scottish Government must ban American military planes from using the site. In a statement, he said: 'It's not Kneecap or Palestine Action who are the threat to our society and planet but those complicit in the genocide and war. 'We should be ceasing fuelling US war planes at Prestwick not deplatforming an Irish rap band at a music event.'
Hindustan Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pentagon video shows B-2 bombers taking off from US base to strike Iran under Operation Midnight Hammer
The Pentagon released footage of the B-2 Stealth bombers, involved in the US's 'Operation Midnight Hammer' against Iran's nuclear facilities, taking off from the Whiteman Air Force base near Missouri. The B-2 stealth bombers can carry two GBU-57 MOP bombs, each weighing around 13 tons (13,000 kg) and penetrate up to 200 feet of earth.(Reuters/File Image) The B-2 bombers flew for 37 hours nonstop while striking the nuclear facilities in Iran's Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, and refuelled several times mid-air before returning to their home base. Follow Israel Iran war live updates Estimated to be worth around $2 billion, the stealth bombers roughly covered 11,400 kilometers from the Missouri airbase to Iran and then back to the US. The video, released by the US, shows the advanced jets leaving the aircraft hanger at the airbase and taking off at 12:01 am. The footage then cuts to the B-2 bombers returning to base in the morning hours after striking the Iranian nuclear sites. WATCH: The B-2 jets dropped their payload of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a bunker buster bomb that can only be carried by the stealth bombers. The 'Spirits' can carry two GBU-57 MOP bombs, each weighing around 13 tons (13,000 kg). These US-built bombs can reportedly penetrate deep underground, smashing through rock or concrete, before exploding. ALSO READ | Operation Midnight Hammer timeline: Here's how US carried out 18 hour long mission against Iran The GBU-57 penetrates up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of concrete, ideal for fortified sites such as Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Operation Midnight Hammer: US strikes Iran Amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and the US offering support to its ally, Jerusalem, against the backdrop of its nuclear deal with Tehran, the American Air Force hit Iranian nuclear sites this weekend. The US strikes on Iran were executed under 'Operation Midnight Hammer', which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said was "an incredible and overwhelming success". ALSO READ | B-2 stealth bomber: How many bunker busters can it carry? Can it be detected? All FAQs answered Air Force General Dan Caine disclosed during a press briefing that the US deployed 75 precision-guided munitions, including 14 GBU-57 bunker buster bombs. In addition, over two dozen Tomahawk missiles and more than 125 military aircraft were used in the operation. The B-2 bombers took off from the Whiteman Air Force base at 12:01 am (EDT) and joined the support package at the US CENTCOM (Central Command). Following this, a US submarine launched the Tomahawk missiles at around 2 am in Iran. The stealth bombers first struck the Fordow underground nuclear facility. Between 6:40 pm and 7:05 pm (EDT), all three nuclear sites were hit. After carrying out the strikes, the B-2 bombers successfully returned to the Whiteman Air Force base on the morning of June 22.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Khamenei says ‘Iran Does Not Surrender' before Trump's claim of Iran-Israel ceasefire
Just an hour before US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on Truth Social, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday (June 23) sent out a defiant message, asserting that the Iranian nation 'isn't a nation that surrenders.' His post came a few hours after Iran launched missiles at US air bases in Qatar and Iraq in response to the bombings of its nuclear sites by the American Air Force and Navy in the early hours of June 22. Khamenei's post on X came just before Trump wrote 'CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!' on Truth Social and two hours before the US President claimed the two warring Middle Eastern countries had agreed to a ceasefire. Khamenei's statement read: 'Those who know the Iranian people and their history know that the Iranian nation isn't a nation that surrenders.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Chi phí cấy ghép răng là bao nhiêu vào năm 2025 (kiểm tra giá) Cấy ghép răng | Quảng cáo tìm kiếm Tìm hiểu thêm Trump, using his social media platform, later declared an end to what he called the '12 Day War,' crediting both Israel and Iran for averting a wider Middle East conflict. He said Iran would begin the ceasefire, followed by Israel 12 hours later, with the war officially ending after a full day of calm. Live Events A senior Iranian official also confirmed to Reuters that Tehran had agreed to the ceasefire, which was reportedly mediated by Qatar. However no official confirmation came from either side. According to the report, Trump had reached out to Qatar's Emir after Israel's consent, asking for help in persuading Iran to stand down. Qatar's close ties with Tehran helped facilitate a swift agreement, the official said. However, Khamenei's post casts uncertainty over the strength and longevity of the ceasefire. The Supreme Leader's statement, though ambiguous, may be seen as a symbolic rejection of the idea that Iran had been pressured into de-escalating. As of now, the ceasefire's implementation timeline is expected to begin within hours.
Scottish Sun
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Scots traitor who lost eye fighting for Putin now pals with paedo US turncoat
The twisted pair enjoyed a meeting in their adopted homeland THE TRAITOR & THE PAEDO Scots traitor who lost eye fighting for Putin now pals with paedo US turncoat Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SCOTS traitor who lost an eye fighting for Russia is now pals with a US fugitive wanted on paedo photos charges, we can reveal. Ross McElvenny, 26 — pictured for the first time with a patch — shook hands with disgraced American Air Force defector Wilmer Puello-Mota, 28. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Disgraced American Air Force defector Wilmer Puello-Mota Credit: AP 2 Ross McElvenny lost an eye fighting for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine The twisted pair, who signed up for Vladimir Putin's army after its bloody invasion of Ukraine, enjoyed a meeting in their adopted homeland. Next to the sickening social media snap, McElvenny gushed: 'I finally managed to meet Will Puello.' The half-blinded mercenary, from Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, is now a Russian citizen. And he has been travelling the country since leaving hospital after getting surgery on his left eye. Selfies he posted show him in the capital Moscow and also visiting Mamayev Kurgan, a huge memorial commemorating the savage Second World War Battle of Stalingrad, now called Volgograd. McElvenny, who also sustained serious shrapnel injuries after being shelled by Ukrainian forces, had previously shrugged off his plight, saying: 'St happens in conflict.' And the Kremlin squaddie, whose call sign is 'Whisky', insisted he had 'zero regrets'. The Rangers fan added: 'I came here to do what I could to support Russia. I love this country.' We told how McElvenny was hurt in a blast before being fitted with a 'fake eyeball inside what remained of my left eye'. He first hit the headlines last November after it emerged he had been injured while serving in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Scottish brewer fighting as mercenary for Putin in Russia Previously, he had studied IT at a college in Glasgow after attending Falkland House, a residential school for boys in Fife. We revealed he once had a work experience stint as a schoolboy with the Scottish Government at offices in Atlantic Quay, Glasgow. It was in a placement tailored for pupils with additional support needs. McElvenny told The Scottish Sun on Sunday: 'It was a s**y programme by a school I should have never been in the first place — so they could get some publicity.' He travelled to Russia on a tourist visa last August, then volunteered for Putin's 1099th Motorised Rifle Regiment. The renegade Scot is being probed by cops here and faces prosecution if he returns. We told in December how McElvenny had boasted of becoming 'a citizen of the Russian Federation' after a short ceremony. He called it: 'One of the happiest moments of my life.' His new chum Puello-Mota was in the US Air Force and Massachusetts International Guard before fleeing the sex rap and landing in Russia. The ex-city councillor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, was arrested in nearby Rhode Island in 2020 after cops found explicit images of an underage girl on his phone. He reportedly told officers he thought she was 22, and only later learned she was 17. Puello-Mota was later charged with forgery, counterfeiting and obstructing justice after claiming the seedy snaps were fake. He vanished in January last year, just two days before he was scheduled to answer the charges in a Rhode Island court. US authorities said he boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul before disappearing. It is understood the fugitive, who used the call-sign 'Boston', has been fighting as a volunteer mercenary alongside Russian troops in the war with Ukraine. In April last year, footage from propaganda channels showed him signing a military contract. They have spun Puello-Mota's defection as a coup for the Moscow regime.
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First Post
21-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Did US really name fighter jet F-47 after Trump?
In March this year, US President Donald Trump announced 'the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet, F-47. Many thought the number honoured Trump, but there is more to the story. read more On March 21, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced from the Oval Office that he had directed the American Air Force to move forward with the development of 'the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet .' He was flanked by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, who went on to boast about the fighter jet's 'speed, manoeuvrability and payload.' Hegseth said that the fighter jet promises to be something 'the likes of which nobody has seen before.' Trump went on to interject his defence secretary, pointing to the name 'F-47' for the fighter jet. 'Nothing in the world comes even close to it,' Trump said. 'It'll be known as the F-47. The generals picked the title. It's a beautiful number.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The announcement of the fighter jet's name came as a surprise since it was supposed to succeed the F-22 aircraft. Many soon started to wonder if the fighter jet was named F-47 to honour the 47th President of the United States, Donald J Trump. Well, the assessment might be partially true, but there is more to the story. To understand the reason why number 47 was chosen for the new line of fighter jets, let's first see how the United States names its weapon systems and aircraft. How do they get the names? It is pertinent to note that the US military has a longstanding naming protocol for its aircraft. The rules of the game are governed by something called the 'Mission Design Series', established by the Defence Department in the 1960s. 'This system uses letters and numbers to symbolise identifying characteristics of military aerospace vehicles of direct interest to the DoD,' an Air Force memo obtained by Bloomberg read. The first letter depicts the basic mission of the aircraft. For example, the letter 'B' denotes that it is a bomber and the letter 'P' denotes that it will be used for patrolling. Then there is a dash, which is followed by a number, called the 'design number'. According to an article by the US Naval Institute, this number conveys that the 'aircraft is a specific design of that particular type or basic mission.' The number tends to follow a sequential pattern. However, the article made it clear that 'there are many gaps and numerous exceptions to these sequences.' there are many gaps and numerous exceptions to these sequences.' Since the F-47 is succeeding the F-22, the fighter jet would fall in the exception category. Honouring history or Trump When a journalist from Bloomberg filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the US Air Force, he received the real reason behind the naming of the aircraft. The records from the Air Force showed that the name F-47 had its roots in an iconic World War II fighter plane, and the generals also found it an interesting way to honour the current US President. The records showed that General David Allvin, the Air Force's chief of staff, had an 'urgent' request for information about a World War 2 aircraft. A few hours later, Air Force researchers sent a two-page description of the P-47 aircraft, popularly known as 'Thunderbolt'. Airmen adopted their moniker for the P-47, calling it 'Juggernaut.' Over time, since the jet looked like a glass milk bottle, it was soon referred to as 'Jug'. In the memo obtained by Bloomberg, the US Air Force described the P-47 as 'probably the best ground-attack aircraft fielded by the United States. From D-Day, the invasion of Europe launched on June 8, 1944, until VE Day on May 7, 1945, pilots flying the Thunderbolt destroyed the following enemy equipment: 86,000 railway cars, 9,000 locomotives, 6,000 armoured fighting vehicles, 68,000 trucks.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How the Air Force was left by surprise by Trump's announcement When Trump announced the F-47 jet, neither he nor Hegseth mentioned the legacy of the P-47. Bloomberg's assessment showed that there is a possibility that the Air Force may have been caught off guard or were just unprepared when the president said the new fighter jet would be called F-47. It is pertinent to note that Trump's press conference took place at around 11:30 am (local time). The email obtained by the news outlet showed that they were sent soon after the presser. 'Sir, Request coordination with SECDEF office,' an Air Force public affairs official wrote in an email sent to Lieutenant General Dale White, the military deputy in the Air Force's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. However, General Allvin's team dismissed the claim that the decision to honour P-47 was taken after Trump's announcement. At least one reporter pressed an Air Force spokesperson for more details about the 'designation for the F-47.' 'The nomenclature system exists to maintain an orderly, non-chaotic process of naming systems,' the reporter asked. 'Why was it abandoned in this case? And who decided to do that?' the reporter asked. Ann Stefanek, the Air Force spokesperson, did not share additional details on the matter and just remarked: 'General Allvin made the decision.' It will now remain unclear exactly when the decision to honour the aircraft was taken. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies.
