Latest news with #USSGeraldR.Ford
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Biggest Naval Showdown: US Deploys World's Largest Warship, Russian Warship Arrives At Iran Port
A major naval showdown is unfolding as the U.S. deploys its newest and largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Mediterranean with 4,500 sailors, as per RT News. Simultaneously, Russia has sent a warship to Iran's Anzali port for joint naval drills named "Together for a Safe & Secure Caspian Sea," involving Iran's full naval defense apparatus and observers from other Caspian states. Watch Read More
Business Insider
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Why the US military wants troops to be able to fix their own stuff
Troops often find themselves surrounded by gear they cannot legally fix. A bipartisan push is trying to allow troops to turn to their own wrenches to repair military equipment rather than relying on civilian contractors. Service members are allowed to fix a lot of military equipment on their own, with many troops specializing in mechanical repair for guns, aircraft, and even weapons optics. But some equipment contracts come with strict provisions that stipulate that repairs can only be performed by contractors and limit the technical data and intellectual property that can be shared with troops for repairs. Some lawmakers say these stipulations are problematic for troops in need of urgent repairs and take advantage of DoD funding. "When you're deployed in the field and you have a mission to complete and you have people's lives to protect, it just doesn't make sense to be constrained by some commercial agreement that you have with the manufacturers," said Greg Williams, the director of the Center for Defense Information at the Project on Government Oversight. Now, a bipartisan push from senators Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, and Tim Sheehy, a Montana Republican, is calling for a change amid new movement on the National Defense Authorization Act. These lawmakers highlight instances of the Navy ferrying contractors to sea for simple fixes, Marines in Japan forced to send engines to the US for repair instead of repair on site, and one contractor that "charged $900 a page for upgrades to its maintenance manuals for an Air Force aircraft." These moves mark the latest in a string of actions to overcome right-to-repair barriers. A 2023 California bill, for example, spurred Apple to endorse the ability for consumers to repair and modify their own devices. Medical device manufacturers came under fire during the pandemic for troublesome restrictions on ventilator repair. And US farmers have criticized farming equipment manufacturer John Deere, now embroiled in a federal lawsuit, for what they see as prohibitively restrictive controls on repair part access and burdensome diagnostics tech tools. President Donald Trump's tariffs could strengthen the right-to-repair movement throughout the nation, as some consumers grow increasingly reluctant to toss out high-priced goods that are damaged and seek to repair them instead. Top Pentagon brass have pushed for comprehensive changes to repair policies since January. Amid major transformation initiatives within the Army, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have each called for the inclusion of right-to-repair provisions in all new and existing Army contracts. Navy Secretary John Phelan told lawmakers in June that when visiting the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, he discovered six of the ship's eight ovens, essential tools required to feed thousands of sailors, were out for repair, adding that crewmembers aboard the vessel were legally prohibited from performing repairs. "It is crazy. We should be able to fix this," he said. Such high-level advocacy comes as other military leaders have observed that future warfare will require more innovative fixes from troops on the front lines. "The force of the future will fix on the spot," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said during a congressional hearing on military spending last month. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars saw robust base build-ups for troops, where equipment could be sent for intensive maintenance needs with the near-assurance of US air supremacy. Such guarantees are almost certainly a thing of the past, experts say, at least for high-end fights. Right now, "it all comes down to the particulars of the contract involved," Williams explained. "Different contractors have arrived at different arrangements with the Defense Department about when they have a chokehold on repairs and when they don't." "And so it needs to be negotiated on a contract-by-contract basis," he said. Williams pointed to a near-miss naval incident and subsequent relief of USS John McCain's captain as a clear example of what can happen when repairs go unaddressed. The destroyer nearly collided with another vessel during a refueling operation when the ship's lingering steering problems arose unexpectedly. It's unclear whether the right to repair would have prevented that outcome, but the argument for it is that it eliminates the unnecessary tension that exists today. As things stand now, Williams said, "it comes down to a push and pull between the manufacturer and the consumer."
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
New US Aircraft Carrier Hit by Significant Delays
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The USS John F. Kennedy, the second ship in the new Ford class of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, could be delayed by up to two years, according to a new report. Why It Matters Many U.S. Navy shipbuilding projects have been plagued by setbacks and ballooning costs, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, the first Ford-class aircraft carrier. The Gerald R. Ford was commissioned, or formally marked as in active service, by President Donald Trump during his first term in office. What To Know The USS John F. Kennedy, also known as the CVN-79, was expected to be handed over to the U.S. military in July this year, but will instead be ready in March 2027, according to U.S. Navy budget documents for the coming year. The delay was first reported by the USNI News outlet attached to the Naval Institute non-profit on Monday. The USS Gerald R. Ford heads to the Norfolk, Virginia naval station on April 14, 2017 after almost a week of trials during which the ship's systems were tested. The USS Gerald R. Ford heads to the Norfolk, Virginia naval station on April 14, 2017 after almost a week of trials during which the ship's systems were tested. Bill Tiernan/The Virginian-Pilot via AP The USS John F. Kennedy is the second of the new Ford-class aircraft carriers, replacing the decades-old Nimitz-class. The third aircraft carrier in the class, the USS Enterprise, will be delivered in July 2030, rather than September 2029, according to the U.S. Navy budget documents. The delay was chalked up to issues getting hold of materials for the vessel, and hold-ups with industry and supply chains. The delay in delivery of the USS John F. Kennedy is "not surprising," bearing in mind the changes it needed after its initial building phase and "challenges throughout the U.S. shipbuilding industry," said Robert Murrett, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral who is now a professor of practice of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University. The USS John F. Kennedy needs to take on board the lessons from the first of the new class of aircraft carriers, Murrett told Newsweek. It also needs to build in new technology, like updated radars, and equipment for F-35C fighter jets, Murrett said. Although the U.S. Navy's fleet of operational carriers will hit just 10 for a year, he added, "this can be mitigated with careful management of existing CVNs' maintenance and overhaul schedules, as well as equally careful management of longer deployments for our carrier sailors, which is already an issue." CVN is shorthand for nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. A Navy spokesperson told USNI News that the military was "exploring opportunities for preliminary acceptance of the vessel prior to formal delivery and is coordinating closely with stakeholders to ensure the fastest possible transition to fleet operations and a combat-capable carrier." Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Navy for comment via email. The Navy budget documents put the delay to the USS John F. Kennedy down to the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the ship and Advanced Weapons Elevator work. AAG is a new system for the second and third Ford-class aircraft carriers, according to the military. It is designed to make sure aircraft landing on the carriers slow down quickly and safely. Advanced Weapons Elevators help move weapons and ammunition around a ship. What People Are Saying The U.S. military has hailed the USS John F. Kennedy as "the most agile and lethal combat platform globally," kitted out with "improved systems" that link the carrier up more closely with other forces.
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- General
- Newsweek
US Nuclear Command Plane Seen Flying Over Atlantic
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A specialized United States Navy aircraft designed to serve as an airborne command post during a nuclear conflict was spotted flying over the North Atlantic Ocean. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Navy for comment via email. Why It Matters The E-6B aircraft, also known as Mercury, is designed to serve as a communications relay for the nation's nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines and to facilitate the launch of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, according to the Naval Air Systems Command. In April, an E-6B aircraft simulated the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, testing its Airborne Launch Control System—which can launch nuclear-capable missiles if ground-based command centers are compromised. A United States Navy E-6B aircraft arriving at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on September 17, 2024. A United States Navy E-6B aircraft arriving at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on September 17, 2024. Tech. Sgt. Chris Thornbury/U.S. Air Force The Atlantic Ocean is a major operating area for the U.S. military. Last month, a pair of U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carriers—USS Gerald R. Ford and USS George H.W. Bush—sailed in formation while conducting resupply operations and ammunition transfers at sea. What To Know Citing flight tracking data, TheIntelFrog—an open-source intelligence analyst on X, formerly Twitter—reported spotting an E-6B aircraft conducting flight operations over waters near Portugal's Azores islands on Sunday. The Azores are in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 870 miles west of mainland Portugal. US Navy E-6B Mercury using tactical hex #AF049C as CRISP77. CRISP77 is temporarily deployed to Lajes AB in the Azores, Portugal. — TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) July 6, 2025 IslandAviation Terceira Azores, a YouTube channel that records takeoffs and landings at Lajes Airport—which is on Terceira Island in the Azores and shares a runway with an air base—uploaded a video on Sunday showing the landing of an E-6B aircraft. The U.S. Air Force describes Lajes Field as the "Crossroads of the Atlantic," serving as a vital mid-Atlantic link for forces traveling to and from Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Details of the E-6B aircraft's temporarily deployment from its main operating base at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma remain unclear. In June 2024, trackers showed the Mercury fleet conducting deployments in Norway and the United Kingdom. The aircraft—derived from the Boeing 707 passenger jet—provides the National Command Authority, including the president and the secretary of defense, with what the Navy describes as "survivable, reliable, and endurable" nuclear command, control and communications. What People Are Saying Hans Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, wrote on X in June 2024: "The [E-6B] aircraft is designed to provide secure communication link between the U.S. National Command Authority and nuclear ballistic missile submarines. E-6Bs occasionally visit Europe but not often." The War Zone, a specialist outlet, wrote on June 5: "Today, the Mercury fleet supports two critical nuclear deterrence mission sets: a Navy one called 'Take Charge And Move Out' (TACAMO) and an Air Force one referred to simply as the Airborne Command Post (ABNCP), but better known by the nickname Looking Glass." TACAMO involves the relaying of orders to the Navy's ballistic missile submarines, while the Looking Glass mission relays orders to the Air Force's nuclear-capable bombers and silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. What Happens Next The aging E-6B fleet—which includes 16 aircraft in service—is scheduled to be replaced by the newer E-130J aircraft, maintaining a survivable communication link between the National Command Authority and the U.S.'s air-, land- and sea-based nuclear forces.
Euronews
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Trump swears as he blasts Iran and Israel for ceasefire violations
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at both Israel and Iran, accusing them both of violating a ceasefire he had announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said he was very unhappy with Israel after they "dropped a load of bombs" on Iran after the truce to end almost two weeks of fighting was announced. "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing. Do you understand that?" he railed. Just after 0700CET, Trump announced that a ceasefire between the two countries had taken effect, saying "Please do not violate it!" in a post on Truth Social. Around an hour later, the Israeli government confirmed it had agreed to the ceasefire proposal with Iran indicating it would stop attacks if Israel did the same. Two hours after Israel agreed to the truce, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had identified missiles launched from Iran. That prompted Defence Minister Israel Katz to instruct the IDF to continue attacking Tehran, slamming the "complete violation" of the truce's terms. Iran denied it had fired any missiles after the ceasefire came into effect with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later saying it had struck "military and logistical centres" in Israel "in the final moments before the ceasefire was imposed on the enemy." After the apparent shaky start to the ceasefire and Trump's exasperated outburst, the US president later posted on Truth Social saying, "Both Israel and Iran wanted to stop the War, equally! It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!" After US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday, Trump claimed that they had been "obliterated" but there is doubt as to the extent of the damage that has actually been caused to Iran's nuclear programme. Satellite images from the three sites the US hit show damage, but experts agree none of the facilities have been destroyed. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said "very significant damage is expected to have occurred" but gave no indication any of the three sites – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan – had been destroyed. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi maintained that Iran would stop its attacks if Israel would, while Israel claimed that it had reached its aims of its operations and would also cease hostilities. USS Gerald R. Ford heads west Meanwhile, the US' most advanced aircraft carrier has left its base in Virginia for a previously scheduled deployment that could position it close to Israel. The US was already planning to deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford before American warplanes bombed Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday. The carrier is currently sailing for the European theatre of command, which includes the Mediterranean Sea. "What a naval mission does is, as you know, we're mobile and manoeuvrable. So we can go where we're tasked and then respond as necessary. So within one day, we can move this whole strike group seven hundred plus miles," Rear Admiral Pail Lanzilotta said. Nearly 4,500 American sailors departed on Tuesday from the US' largest Navy base in Norfolk.
