Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Monday called for growing the Air Force from its current size of 312 operational squadrons to 386 by 2030, as it prepares for a possible conflict against a major nation such as China or Russia.
This 24 percent increase in squadrons is the centerpiece of the service’s “Air Force We Need†proposal, which has been in the works for six months. This proposal seeks to lay out what it would take for the Air Force to fight a peer adversary and win, as well as defend the homeland, provide a credible nuclear deterrent, counter a medium-sized rogue nation that might try to take advantage of the Air Force’s focus on the major adversary, and fight violent extremists such as the Taliban and the Islamic State.
This follows the National Defense Strategy that the Pentagon unveiled earlier this year, which is structured around the need to shift away from the violent extremist fight and instead focus on deterring or fighting nations with significant, well-developed militaries.
In her keynote address at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space, Cyber Conference, Wilson referenced the massive Russian military exercises launched last week, involving more than 300,000 of their troops, and China’s unveiling of its first aircraft carrier and its ongoing militarization of islands in the South China Sea to extend its long-range bombers' reach.
“We must see the world as it is,†Wilson said. “That was why the National Defense Strategy explicitly recognizes that we have returned to an era of great power competition.â€
More than 13,000 soldiers are on call to provide search and rescue, temporary shelter and supplies to residents of North and South Carolina affected by Hurricane Florence, according to a Sunday release.
Active duty, National Guard and Reserve units activated over the weekend as the storm slammed into the East Coast, bringing days of high winds and rains that left roads and neighborhoods flooded and without power or access to transportation.
“All roads in [North Carolina] are at risk of floods and can be washed away in a matter of minutes,†the release said.
Along with personnel, the Army committed about 300 helicopters and other aircraft for search and rescue efforts, along with about 30 watercraft and a few thousand high-water vehicles.
For those who have evacuated, 4,500 cots and 200 medical beds were available. Along with 18 water purification systems, the Army Corps of Engineers had more than 200 generators ready.
(CNN)Syria inadvertently shot down a Russian military plane after an Israeli attack on Syrian positions, killing 15 people on board, Moscow said.
The Russian military said Tuesday that the Russian maritime patrol aircraft was shot by by Syrian regime anti-aircraft artillery amid the Israeli attack on Monday, state news agency RIA-Novosti reported.
Moscow blamed Israel for putting its aircraft in the line of fire, Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti reported.
"As a result of the irresponsible actions of the Israeli military, 15 Russian servicemen were killed, which is absolutely not in keeping with the spirit of Russian-Israeli partnership," said Russian Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, spokesperson for the Russian military, according to RIA-Novosti.
A US official with knowledge of the incident said Monday that the Syrians were trying to stop a barrage of Israeli missiles when the Russian aircraft was hit. A second official confirmed that Israel was responsible for the missile strikes on Syria.
An official in Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's office told CNN there had been a conversation between Liberman and his Russian counterpart. The official would make no further comment.
Could you be any more irresponsible to your constituents, Senator?
— Brian Macfarlane (@sc00p401) September 18, 2018
Quote by Scoopster:
Could you be any more irresponsible to your constituents, Senator?
— Brian Macfarlane (@sc00p401) September 18, 2018
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all!
Welp I guess it's our turn for some wet & wild stuff up here in New England. I get my umbrella out just in time for the random downpour to stop.
Quote by livingonli:
What Stormy has revealed can't be unseen.
Quote by Raine:Quote by livingonli:
What Stormy has revealed can't be unseen.
and, ICK.
Quote by livingonli:Quote by Raine:Quote by livingonli:
What Stormy has revealed can't be unseen.
and, ICK.
Should be a lot of jokes and penis drops tonight on the show.
My spouse says that Trump's going to respond to the Stormy Daniels Mario Kart mushroom penis claim by sending the first-ever presidential dick pic using the new FEMA text system saying "Does this look like a mushroom dick to you?"
— Botelicious (@farnorthsider) September 18, 2018
Quote by Scoopster:
please... no...My spouse says that Trump's going to respond to the Stormy Daniels Mario Kart mushroom penis claim by sending the first-ever presidential dick pic using the new FEMA text system saying "Does this look like a mushroom dick to you?"
— Botelicious (@farnorthsider) September 18, 2018
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— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 19, 2015
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. pic.twitter.com/cRppuLARGe
Quote by TriSec:
Well, all hell just broke loose in Waltham.
Kennedy Middle School is being evacuated due to flooding.
Not the school, mind you - it's on high ground. But the access road is currently under 3 feet of water. There's no way in or out of the school right now, so everybody is being trucked out somehow.
Quote by wickedpam:
Well played Nintendo, well played.
We apologize for this unfortunate tweet from our social media intern. He'll be collecting the covfefe for the rest of the week! pic.twitter.com/oud8M4eBnj
— Nintendo Life (@nintendolife) September 18, 2018