Doing battle in the Arctic presents challenges to service members and equipment. NATO’s Joint Viking exercise prepares forces for the harsh conditions they encounter while protecting the Alliance’s northern flank. Joint Viking 2025 took place during the first two weeks of March in northern Norway, known for its challenging terrain and frigid temperatures. United States Marines and U.S. Army Soldiers joined counterparts from other countries to participate in exercises aimed at enhancing their ability to fight and win in extreme, cold weather conditions and enhance interoperability among NATO Allies. Joint Viking is the largest military exercise to take place in…
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United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) provides the U.S. military the capability to operate globally through aerial refueling. “When you see any of these fighter or bomber strikes across the globe, you can guarantee there’s a tanker involved, and they wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the missions without it,” Colonel Cory Damon, Commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing said during a November 2024 interview with Forbes. The KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-46 Pegasus enable forces to reach these corners by transferring fuel — either through a rigid “flying” boom or flexible drogues — to U.S. warplanes during flight. The…
The rapid development of uncrewed surface vessels (USV) has helped NATO bolster its maritime capabilities. The Alliance recently showcased its USV potential in the Baltic Sea near Denmark. Ships from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 led by the Royal Netherlands Navy’s HNLMS Tromp participated in the demonstration in February 2025, along with personnel and equipment from the Royal Danish Navy and German Navy, according to a news release from NATO’S Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM). The operations included tactical maneuvering between crewed and uncrewed vessels and live-fire events to test interoperability. Participating ships also conducted counter-USV training. “This demonstration highlights the…
India and the United States are working together to modernize India’s air defenses. The two countries announced an agreement in February 2025 to develop systems focusing on autonomous aerial and maritime capabilities, according to a joint statement. The Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) aims to scale industry partnerships and production to strengthen the defense industrial base in the Indo-Pacific. “America plays an important role in India’s defense preparedness,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a joint news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., after a meeting between the two leaders. “As strategic and trusted partners, we…
The arrival of United States Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers at Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in the United Kingdom in February 2025 marked the commencement of Bomber Task Force (BTF) 25-2 to underscore the U.S. commitment to Allies and Partners, reinforcing the nation’s strategic capabilities and deterring potential adversaries. The B-52s, hailing from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, are part of a routine deployment aimed at maintaining a high state of readiness and proficiency. The missions are designed to validate the U.S. Air Force’s global strike capability and demonstrate its ability to project combat power rapidly and…
Sentry Contributor The United States Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) conducted a successful test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in February 2025. The missile traveled more than 6,700 kilometers to a predetermined target in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch was part of routine test to ensure the Minuteman III, a cornerstone of the U.S. nuclear triad since the 1970s, remains a credible deterrent against potential adversaries. The missile’s performance during the test confirmed that it continues to meet the standards required for national security. The…
Two new NATO initiatives seek to strengthen air defense to counter evolving threats in member nations’ airspace. Fifteen European Alliance members signed the initiatives during the February 2025 Defense Ministerial in Brussels: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. The first “high-visibility” initiative calls for Allies to develop more efficient solutions to lower-level air threats — specifically threats flying below 150 meters. The second initiative aims to enhance passive air surveillance, such as noise detection, to identify threats that may be missed by active air surveillance systems such…
The Philippines and United States recently conducted joint air patrol exercises over the South China Sea, a region fraught with territorial disputes and geopolitical tensions. The joint exercise, underscoring freedom of navigation, took place near the Scarborough Shoal, a strategic location that has been at the center of a long-standing territorial dispute between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Philippines. The exercise was “a crucial step in enhancing our interoperability, improving air domain awareness and agile combat employment and supporting our shared bilateral air objectives,” Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo, Philippine Air Force spokesperson, said during a briefing. The…
Air force personnel from Australia, Japan and the United States validated their interoperability, readiness and mutual support during COPE NORTH 25 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. COPE NORTH, in its 45th year, took place in February 2025 and focused on air operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills. More than 2,000 personnel from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the U.S. Air Force, including 274 aviators, worked together to enhance their collective response capabilities. The drills served as a platform for combined air tactics, techniques and procedures, ensuring participating nations can operate effectively…
The 2025 Aero India, one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest aerospace exhibitions, commenced in early February. Set against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, the event highlighted the push for enhanced defense manufacturing and exports. “Aero India 2025 is an ideal forum to showcase U.S. defense aircraft and equipment and ultimately contribute toward our compatibility and interoperability with other nations,” Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, said in a news release. “The growth in Indian and U.S. bilateral defense trade has corresponded with growing interoperability through information sharing, liaison officers, training exercises and defense…