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☆ PHOTO: A U-2 pilot took a selfie with the Chinese spy balloon the day before the Air Force shot it down
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A US Air Force pilot took a selfie with the Chinese spy balloon before it was shot down. The pilot, flying a U-2 spy aircraft, took the image a day before the balloon was downed by an F-22. A US Air Force pilot looked down at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovered over the Central Continental United States February 3, 2023. Photo courtesy of the Department of DefenseThe U-2's involvement in gathering intelligence on the spy balloon was first reported by The Drive on February 6. Just days later, US Air Force fighter jets downed three unidentified aerial objects flying in North American airspace in three separate engagements on February 10, 11, and 12.

☆ Fact Check-Mike Pompeo has not been executed by the U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

There is no evidence to support social media claims that former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was executed by the U.S. army in Washington D.C. The Department of Defense has told Reuters that these rumors are fabricated. U.S. Army executed Mike Pompeo under the order of VP19 Mission Complete! American Politician Michael R. Pompeo served as the 70th U.S Secretary of State from 2018-2021 (here). Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

☆ The UFO shoot-downs show the hardest part of discovering alien life may be announcing it. Here's how NASA might break the news.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Extraterrestrial life likely wouldn't show up as flying objects, but finding it could cause similar chaos. An illustration of the CoLD scale for determining confidence in a detection of alien life. The president or other countries could be involved in announcing extraterrestrial life existsPresident Joe Biden speaks at Delaware State University. Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesAnnouncing the existence of alien life would be an "administration-level" affair, Glaze said, referring to the US presidency. Needless to say, any discovery of alien life would likely lead to chaos — at least in public discourse.

☆ Here's what happens to the thousands of weapons the US military seizes from smugglers and gunrunners
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tim Hawkins, a public affairs officer with the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), told Insider. In one incident, US forces seized dual-use chemical fertilizer, which can be used for agricultural purposes and also to make explosives. U.S. naval forces seized 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles from a fishing vessel transiting along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen. US Navy photoEarlier in 2022, UK naval forces confiscated surface-to-air missiles and cruise-missile rocket engines. Shortly after that, and most recently, French special forces seized over 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition, and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles.

☆ Relax, those objects in the sky are probably just from one of the 90 countries and 10,000 companies that make up the nearly $1 trillion space economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US shot down three unidentified objects over the weekend, following the downing of a Chinese balloon earlier this month. The space economy was valued at nearly $500 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow to over $1 trillion by 2030. Over the weekend, the US shot down three unidentified objects over Alaska, Canada, and Lake Huron. These entities, none of which have claimed ownership of the objects, include the 90 countries and roughly 10,000 companies currently involved in the global space industry. But on Monday, the White House said President Biden will establish a team to analyze unidentified objects in the US airspace.

☆ U.S., China, other nations urge 'responsible' use of military AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

However, the statement was a tangible outcome of the first international summit on military AI, co-hosted by the Netherlands and South Korea this week at The Hague. Signatories said they were committed to developing and using military AI in accordance with "international legal obligations and in a way that does not undermine international security, stability and accountability." Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Bonnie Jenkins put forward a U.S. framework for responsible military AI use. China representative Jian Tan told the summit that countries should "oppose seeking absolute military advantage and hegemony through AI" and work through the United Nations. "It paves the path for states to develop AI for military purposes in any way they see fit as long as they can say it is 'responsible'," she said.

☆ The US military let artificial intelligence fly a fighter jet and even battle simulated enemies in air-to-air combat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A recent series of US military tests saw AI fly a fighter jet and battle simulated enemies. The modified jet practiced beyond-visual-range engagements and dogfighting, the 412th Test Wing revealed. It can be piloted by autonomous AI programs and mirror the flight characteristics of aircraft like the F-16 jet or MQ-20 drone. One of the two programs tested by the US military was a product of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Autonomous Air Combat Operations, or AACO. This program piloted the VISTA in one-on-one engagements against a simulated enemy beyond visual range, the 412th Test Wing said.

☆ Japan says 3 balloons that floated into its airspace years ago are 'strongly presumed' to have been Chinese spy balloons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Cenciotti | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Three balloon-shaped flying objects were spotted in Japanese airspace in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that they were "strongly presumed" to have been Chinese reconnaissance balloons. "If a balloon enters Japan's airspace without permission, it constitutes an infringement of Japan's airspace. Three additional unidentified objects, later appearing to have been much smaller commercial or research balloons, were also spotted and shot down. The Chinese balloon carried "multiple antennas" capable of collecting signals intelligence, a senior State Department official said, and the balloon maker has proven ties to the Chinese military, according to a CNBC report by Abigail Williams.

☆ The US Navy's struggle to keep ships in fighting shape is leading sailors to 'cannibalize' more parts from other ships
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Shortages of spare parts is driving US sailors to take more and more parts from other ships. The spare parts shortage only exacerbates an already dismal Navy maintenance situation, with overburdened and understaffed shipyards unable to perform necessary overhauls on schedule. The study listed a cascade of causes for the shortage of spare parts: "Parts obsolescence, diminishing manufacturing sources, and material shortages are common issues." Likewise, militaries have long cannibalized equipment during operations when spare parts may not be available. Steaming hours have also declined for Navy ships, though by how much isn't clear, as the Department of Defense has classified the data.

☆ Senior Biden official says the US can't keep doing 'anything and everything' for Ukraine in the war: The Washington Post
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A senior official told The Washington Post that US aid for Ukraine may not go on indefinitely. The official said Biden's staff has told Ukraine the US "can't do anything and everything forever." Other officials told The Post aid to Ukraine might be harder to pass with a GOP-controlled House. The senior official told The Post the Biden administration has a "very strong view" that continually approving large aid packages for Ukraine will be difficult with a Republican-led House. But the senior official told The Post that Biden's undertaking did not "pertain to the amount of assistance" that the US might give Ukraine in the future.

☆ Dutch host first summit on 'responsible' use of AI in the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Tosterling Stephanie Van Den Berg | Stephanie Van Den Berg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We're taking the first step in articulating and working toward what responsible use of AI in the military will be." The event may be an early step toward someday developing an international arms treaty on AI, though that is seen as far off. Some 2,000 people including experts and academics are attending a conference alongside the summit, with discussion topics including killer drones and slaughter bots. Hoekstra said the summit will not replace that debate but will look at other aspects of military AI. Examples include definition of terms, how AI could safely be used to accelerate decision-making in a military context, and how it could be used to identify legitimate targets.

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‘Until a few months ago we didn’t know of these balloons,’ Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. U.S. and Canadian officials were seeking Sunday to determine the origin and purpose of two objects shot down by military jet fighters over Alaska and Canada in the wake of increased aerial surveillance following the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon. U.S. officials said they had stepped up monitoring of high-altitude airspace following the discovery of the Chinese balloon. In two separate incidents this weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily closed off airspace to civilian operations—first over Montana, and later over Lake Michigan—to support Department of Defense operations.

☆ 3 suspicious objects have been downed across North America this week. Officials have no idea where 2 of the UAP came from and the pilots who shot them down can't agree on what they even look like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

US fighter aircraft shot down an object threatening airspace over Alaska yesterday. On Saturday, another unknown object, described as "cylindrical," was shot down over Canada. Here is what we know about the object shot down on Friday. The object shot down on Saturday was spotted in the Northern Canadian territory of Yukon. It is unclear if the object shot down off the Alaskan coast was of similar size or shape.

☆ FAA temporarily closed airspace above Lake Michigan due to 'national defense' amid reports of a hovering 'object'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | Kadia Tubman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Aviation Administration declared a "national defense airspace" over part of Lake Michigan. Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale said Sunday that officials advised him that "there IS an object and it WAS NOT an anomaly." The FAA declared a "national defense airspace" over Lake Michigan, the agency said in a notice according to Fox News. The FAA said that it "briefly closed some airspace over Lake Michigan to support Department of Defense activities" in a statement to Insider on Sunday. The US Department of Defense said that the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be working "very closely" to investigate the object shot down over Canada in a statement.

☆ Biden administration set to propose largest Defense budget in US history as GOP pushes for spending cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Biden administration is close to asking Congress for the largest-ever US defense budget, per Politico. Lawmakers in December authorized $858 billion in defense spending, more than what President Biden had requested. Lawmakers in December authorized $858 billion in national defense spending, a number that was $45 billion higher than what President Joe Biden had requested. While Biden has called for a clean debt limit increase, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California and his GOP conference are insistent on spending cuts. GOP leaders have not ruled out curtailing some Pentagon spending, but the more hawkish members of the Republican conference will be apt to push back against major defense cuts.

☆ US fighter aircraft shot down an 'object' threatening flights over Alaska just days after downing a Chinese spy balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The US military recently shot down an unidentified object in US airspace over Alaska, a senior official said Friday. "I can confirm that the Department of Defense was tracking a high-altitude object over Alaska airspace in the last 24 hours. On that order, a fighter jet assigned to US Northern Command shot down the object off the northeastern part of Alaska, near the Canadian border. "We do not know who owns it, whether it's state owned or corporate owned or privately owned. This incident comes nearly a week after a US Air Force F-22 fighter jet fired a single AIM 9X air-to-air missile to take down a high-altitude Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina.

"We don't know who owns this object," said White House spokesperson John Kirby, adding that it was unclear where it began its flight. President Joe Biden ordered the shootdown, which was announced from the White House. Some lawmakers criticized the president for not shooting down the Chinese balloon sooner. The object was shot down off the coast of northeastern Alaska over frozen U.S. territorial waters near the Canadian border. UNMANNED VESSEL[1/4] White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby takes questions during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S. February 10, 2023.

☆ Ukrainian troops equipped with devastating HIMARS are waiting for US targeting data before firing on Russian forces, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian troops usually won't fire their HIMARS without targeting data from the US, officials said. The US-provided HIMARS have been a key weapon for Ukrainian forces throughout the war. According to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke to the Post, the targeting process often involves Ukrainian forces identifying a Russian target, requesting more accurate coordinates from US partners, and then waiting to receive said coordinates. In one particular noteworthy incident from earlier this year, Ukrainian troops used their HIMARS to carry out a deadly strike on Russian positions in the eastern occupied city of Makiivka. The attack left scores of Russian troops dead and triggered widespread criticism of Moscow's military leadership.

That number includes both rocket launches and capsule reentries, and has been steadily climbing. A Falcon Heavy rocket launches the USSF-67 mission on January 15, 2023 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Air space is going to be a critical, critical issue," Isom said, calling on new industries to contribute to the cost of air traffic control. A graph of FAA-licensed or permitted commercial space launches (excludes launches licensed by other U.S. government agencies, such as NASA or the Department of Defense). Together they create a moving target for space launches and the commercial airlines eyeing the same air space.

☆ A secret Russian satellite has broken apart in orbit, creating a cloud of debris that could last a century
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A secretive Russian satellite broke apart in Earth's orbit, the US Space Force said on Monday. Kosmos 2499 launched secretly and made "suspicious" maneuvers to complete a mysterious mission. The 18th Space Defense Squadron said on Twitter Monday that it had confirmed a satellite called Kosmos 2499 had broken apart into 85 pieces. The bizarre behavior led to speculation that Russia was testing technology to follow or wreck other satellites, according to Space.com. The first secret satellite, Kosmos 2491, broke apart in 2019.

SPRING HILL, Tenn./ WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday that she still hoped to be able to visit China but offered no details on plans or timing. The United States shot down the balloon on Saturday. "I still hope to be able to visit China to meet with economic counterparts. China's foreign ministry has said it was a weather balloon that had blown off course and accused the United States of overreacting. When Yellen met Chinese Vice Premier Liu He in January in Zurich, they both agreed to enhance communication about macroeconomic and financial issues.

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☆ The US military says China now has more ICBM launchers than it does, but the US still has the nuclear edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US military says that China now has more ICBM launchers than Washington does. However, the US still has an edge in the number of ICBMs and nuclear warheads it has. "The number of land-based fixed and mobile ICBM launchers in China exceeds the number of ICBM launchers in the United States," Cotton wrote in letters sent to the respective committees on January 26, letters obtained by Insider. He also said that the "number of nuclear warheads equipped on such missiles of China has not exceeded the number of nuclear warheads equipped on such missiles of the United States." That said, China's edge in land-based fixed and mobile launchers does bring Beijing closer to fielding a more robust ICBM capacity.

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