The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) continues to grapple with the unsolved mystery surrounding the tragic UH-60JA helicopter crash that occurred on Apr. 6, 2023, off the coast of Miyakojima, Okinawa. The accident, which claimed the lives of all ten personnel on board, including Lieutenant General Yuichi Sakamoto, commander of the 8th Division, remains the deadliest involving a JGSDF aircraft.
Soldiers from the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team recently conducted a critical live-fire exercise at McGregor Range Complex, New Mexico, showcasing the capabilities of the M-LIDS (Mobile-Low, Slow, Small-Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System). M-LIDS is a mobile counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) designed to detect, track, and neutralize drone threats encountered during deployments.
The U.S. Army has successfully demonstrated the capabilities of its next-generation Extended-Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS) during a recent operational test conducted at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
A Utah National Guard AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter involved in a landing exercise crashed at the South Valley Regional Airport on Monday, Feb. 12, at approximately 1:20 PM. While both pilots (one is from the 419th Fighter Wing) onboard sustained injuries, they are reported to be in stable condition. No other casualties were reported.
In a move echoing the urgency exposed by the recent attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, the U.S. Army awarded a $75 million contract to RTX Corporation on Jan. 16 for the production of 600 Coyote 2C Interceptors. This swift action, leveraging the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s rapid acquisition authority and completed within 30 days, underscores the critical need to strengthen counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) capabilities following the tragic loss of three American soldiers on Jan. 28.