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Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. (August 8, 2024): America’s military has debuted a hypersonic weapon that is truly stunning. In this photo by Captain Ryan DeBooy, a Soldier assigned to Bravo Battery, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (Long Range Fires Battalion), 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, operates the transporter/erector launcher for the Army’s new Long Range Hypersonic Weapon.
Known as Dark Eagle, this truck launched system can fire a missile that travels well over 3,800 mph and can hit a target at a range of 1,725 miles. The projectile reaches the limit of the earth’s atmosphere, above air, and missile defense range, before plunging to strike the enemy before they have time to react.
The Army introduced their new weapon during Exercise Resolute Hunter, a Navy led series of field problems that integrated hypersonic weapons into America’s arsenal for the first time. Each battery includes four launchers with two missiles each, a battery command unit, and an operations support vehicle.
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Fort Hunter-Liggett, California. (August 10, 2024): The U.S. military has adopted a new generation of infantry rifle that owes a great deal to its predecessor, the reliable M-16A1. In this photo by Staff Sergeant Scott Warner, Staff Sergeant Miles Winford, an 821st Contingency Response Squadron weather technician, aims his M-4 carbine during a training exercise. The M-4 is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16 rifle with remarkably similar operating mechanisms that share roughly 80 percent of the same parts. Developed in the 1980s, the M4's design was based on shortening the barrel length from 20 to 14.5 inches without compromising long-range accuracy.
Some of the upgraded features of the M-4 include a faster firing action, a setting for a three-shot pattern, and additional accessories like flash suppressors, silencers, and grenade launchers. It also comes with a collapsible stock making the weapon better suited for an urban environment. It holds thirty bullets, and it is somewhat easier to switch out magazines than the M16. The shortened barrel length makes the rifle lighter than the M-16 (7 v. 9 pounds) although accessories can practically double that weight.
Finally, the M-4 has a much longer service life than other assault rifles and is reasonably priced at $1,250 per unit. By drawing upon the lessons learned from the M-16, America’s military now has a much-improved basic infantry weapon.
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Pacific Ocean. (August 7, 30, 2024): The Navy has managed to combine the best of previous missile technologies into a weapon that plays multiple roles in America’s defense. In this photo by Seaman Joey Sitter, Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Josiah Kirchofer, left, from Dallas, and Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Pierre Ducasse, from Los Angeles, hoist a Mark 54 lightweight torpedo onto the deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance.
Previous torpedo designs were either too expensive for routine use or performed poorly in shallow water, something the Navy anticipates will be a major need in the next conflict. The Mark 54 combines the homing portion and propulsion sections of previous missiles to create a lightweight hybrid which is now the standard for anti-submarine warfare.
Developed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, The Mark 54 uses existing torpedo hardware and software plus state-of-the-art digital signal-processing technology. It incorporates an advanced guidance and control system and tactical software to improve torpedo performance.
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Seattle, Washington. (August 5, 2024): Seattle’s Seafair Fleet Week has arrived giving Washington citizens a chance to meet their Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsman and witness the latest capabilities of today's maritime services. In this photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jacob I. Allison, Navy Seaman Jaxon Moon celebrates after catching a fish at the famous Pike Place Market, much to delight of local spectators. Moon is a Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) Fireman assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson.
Seafair Fleet Week is an annual Seattle tradition that starts with a Parade of Ships through Elliot Bay followed by a week of public events including concerts, static displays, and tours of Navy and Coast Guard ships. The Fleet Week tradition began in 1950 when active military ships would dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. At certain hours, the public can take a guided tour of the ships.
This year’s events included exhibits from the U.S. Navy Applied Physics Laboratory, the Navy League, the Puget Sound Navy Museum, and the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marines put on an artillery static display, a military working dog demonstration, and pugil stick simulations. Sailors manned booths and had opportunities to speak with citizens about military life.
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Chateauroux, France. (August 9, 2024): An Army Soldier set an Olympic record this week and secured a spot in the finals in the 2024 games. In this photo by Army Sergeant First Class Kulani Lakanaria, Sergeant Sagen Maddalena, a shooting instructor assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, fires her rifle from a standing position during the Women's fifty-meter Three Position Rifle Qualifier. Maddalena defeated bronze medalist Qiongyue Zhang of China in a shootout enroute to winning the Silver in her second Olympic appearance. She competed in the same event during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games where she placed fifth overall.
Maddalena walked on at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management in May 2018. She joined the rifle team and earned eight All-American selections in air rifle and small-bore shooting before joining the Army.
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Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. (August 3, 2024): When asked whether they would recommend military service to a friend or family member, only a slim majority of American (51%) said they would encourage them to join according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. Which begs the question: “Where will our next generation of warfighters come from?” In this photo by Airman 1st Class Benjamin Riddle, 12-year-old McCoy Cannon gets to play “Pilot for a Day” while riding in an aircraft rescue and firefighting truck. This program is one of many that the armed forces are using to acquaint young people with careers available in the U.S. military.
According to the Pew Research Center, most Americans continue to express positive views of the military: 60% say it has a positive effect, while 36% say its effect is negative. Unfortunately for recruiting, adults under thirty were the only age group in which a larger share says the military has a negative (53%) than positive (43%) impact.
These attitudes are showing up in the numbers. Last year, the U.S. military fell more than 41,000 people short of its enlisted recruiting with the Army short by about 10,000, the Air Force recruited only 24,100 of the 26,877 it wanted, and the Navy shortfall was well short of its goal of 37,000.
What accounts for these dismal recruiting numbers?