Miscellaneous News

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

The USS Pinckney (DDG 91) successfully completed Flight Test Other 40 (FTX-40), also known as Stellar Banshee, using Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Combat System to detect, track and perform an engagement against a live advanced hypersonic ...
news.lockheedmartin.com

Kauai, Hawaii, March 25, 2025 – The USS Pinckney (DDG 91) successfully completed Flight Test Other 40 (FTX-40), also known as Stellar Banshee, using Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Combat System to detect, track and perform an engagement against a live advanced hypersonic Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target using a simulated SM-6 Block IAU.

FTX-40, backed by the Missile Defense Agency, United States Navy, Lockheed Martin, and industry partners, tested a real-world hypersonic scenario, showcasing several capabilities. Stellar Banshee introduced a new target and simulated missile, marking the successful use of the latest Aegis software in a virtualized configuration for a Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Flight Test mission.


The Hypersonic Highlight

“Our Aegis Combat System successfully defended against a simulated hypersonic threat,” said Chandra Marshall, vice president of Multi-Domain Combat Solutions at Lockheed Martin. “Aegis Baseline 9’s hypersonic defense advantage against a MRBM target brings incredible capability that allows our warfighter to see the unseen, sooner, ensuring our sailors get in front of threats quickly.”

The successful test also highlights the Aegis Combat System's capacity to adapt to the constantly evolving defense environment. With both sea-based and land-based configurations, Aegis demonstrates the flexibility and scalability of the system, making it a key pillar of missile defense.

Personally I find it very disingenuous of LockMart to label a SM-6 simulation of a Medium Ranged Ballistic Missile as 'hypersonic'. It's not a HGV, it's a ballistic missile. This capability isn't anything new.

mind china does not make the same mistake as japan did in the 20th century and think that just because the white man looks decadent and ridiculous in the moment that their base nature has changed. the moment the tight binds of their societies are loosened, their true nature will reemerge and the most cursory examination of western history amply demonstrates the source of their ascendancy in the world is not due to any lack of savagery, nor want for tenacity and ability to endure pain.

Tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States began in Washington on Wednesday with goodwill being expressed by both sides but little progress made, other than an agreement to meet again.


Significantly, exchange rates were not discussed, according to Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief tariff negotiator, although defense may have been on the agenda.



The value of the yen had become a point of contention in recent weeks, with the U.S. indicating that the Japanese currency might be too weak, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would like Japan to pay more for hosting American troops.

Prime minister to relaunch Amaravati construction work on May 2

Click to expand...

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming on May 2 to relaunch Amaravati construction works and in this regard all arrangements are being made," said the Chief Secretary in an official release.

Click to expand...

Laviduce said:

Piracy is legal according to the US (when the US does it):

With a massive numerical advantage in the Pacific, China's People's Liberation Army-Navy would present a potentially overwhelming challenge for American forces in the event of open war... but could a little-discussed concept from centuries ago help America overcome China's numerical advantage? Let's talk about issues Letters of Marque in the modern era... and why American pirates might not be as crazy as they seem. - Alex Rollings

TL,DR: Far-right jingoistic nutjob justifies US piracy.

Question: How would China counter this form of terrorism ?

Click to expand...

LMFAO, China drove the US from "lone superpower," "unrivaled hegemon of the world," to, "But what if we became pirates? Would that finally piss China off?"

lych470 said:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Spending on the AUKUS submarine program is growing so dramatically that it is approaching the size of a standalone branch of the Defence Force, draining funding for other military equipment, a group of the nation’s top defence experts has warned.
As Opposition Leader Peter Dutton prepares to announce the Coalition’s defence spending policy, the experts warn the Australian military is becoming dangerously dependent on the United States and should start hedging its bets to prepare for a more self-interested and less reliable ally under President Donald Trump.

Lol. Lmao, even.

If only Labor got the spine to get out of this terrible, horrible, no good and very bad deal.

Click to expand...

This Australian dollar of $17b in next 4 years is not much for nuclear sub construction when Poland has to spend $16b in next 5 years on land Nuclear reactor. There is no one else for Nuclear Subs.

RedBaron said:

The White House said China is now facing up to a 245 percent tariff on imports to the U.S. "as a result of its retaliatory actions," another escalation in a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The top potential tariff is higher than the previously stated 145 percent and was referenced in a fact sheet published by the White House late on Tuesday.

It accompanied an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that launched an investigation into the "national security risks posed by U.S. reliance on imported processed critical minerals and their derivative products."

Newsweek has contacted the White House press office by email outside of normal business hours for comment.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Click to expand...

1. Saw this story early in the day, thought it was the usual nonsense so I ignored it.

2. Now late at night, maybe this is a sign that Trump is going to back off and call the Chinese. But he has to look tough so the plebs will continue to support him.

3. Like it or not, in my case I do not like it, as I think it would be better for China strategically to decouple fully from America, and maybe Europe, there is an expectation from the MAGA base and the financial markets.

The MAGA base wants a pound of flesh. The financial markets wants this trade war to end. What the MAGA base wants does not matter. They can replace Trump, and the show goes on.

The financial markets expect a resolution to the trade war and that must happen relatively soon. If not, then Trump is finished. It must happen by this month or next month.

The financial markets expects the obvious to happen with a full and hard decoupling, which is what some people in America want. It will be sort of a covid like contraction, but with inflation, in America. While in China, they still got considerable ammo to boost their economy.

Trump has weakened himself and America with this ill advised trade war, that has accomplished nothing.

I thought it was a clean divorce. I wish it was a clean divorce, lol.

GulfLander said:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Click to expand...

And they want to become the LEADER of the global south? Lol

lube said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1912513600582791188

Click to expand...

Is a major war coming?