South Korea has dispatch a military transport aircraft and 50 military personnel, including security and medical staff, to evacuate its nationals from Sudan as fighting between the country’s armed forces and paramilitary groups continues to escalate.
Based on a news report by Kyodo News, the U.S. Marines are planning to establish a new artillery battalion within the 11th Marine Regiment, which is expected to be activated by 2030. The new unit will be based in California, making it less likely for the Pentagon to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles to Japan. This move comes in response to Japan’s decision to acquire “counterstrike capabilities” to address China’s growing military power and North Korea’s missile and nuclear threat.
The Japanese government has ordered the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to dispatch aircraft to Djibouti in preparation for the evacuation of approximately 60 Japanese nationals from Sudan. The move comes as military clashes in Sudan continue to intensify, leaving over 270 people dead and more than 2,600 others injured, according to the World Health Organization. The conflict has also made it difficult for people to evacuate, particularly from the airport in the capital, Khartoum.
Japan’s military is currently seeking foreign assistance to develop a railgun, a weapon that uses electromagnetic forces to launch projectiles at incredibly high speeds. The technology is still in its early stages of development, but Japan sees it as an important asset for its military to counteract the threat posed by neighboring countries.
The Kadena Eagle Sunset Celebration was held on Apr. 14-15 to pay tribute to the legacy of the F-15C/D Eagle aircraft, which is being phased out of service after 44 years at the base. The event in Japan brought together F-15 pilots, intelligence professionals, maintainers, families, and others who directly contributed to the success of the aircraft over the years.