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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"><head><title>NORAD Tracks Russian Bombers near Alaska</title><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=9; IE=8; IE=7; IE=EDGE" /><style type="text/css">body { margin: 0 !important; } #overall-container table { max-width: 680px !important; } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px) { body { width:100% !important; min-width:100% !important; } table, td { max-width: 100% !important; } table#email-container { width: 100% !important; } img { max-width: 100% !important; height: auto !important; } .bodytext, h2.article-title { margin: 0.8em !important; } .article-hr { margin: 1.0em 0.5em !important; } .footer-small p, .footer-small a { font-size: 0.4em !important; } .wp-post-image { margin: 0.3em 0 !important; } .editors-note { padding: 0.5em 0.8em !important; } }</style></head><body><div style="display: none; font-size: 1px; color: #333333; line-height: 1px; max-height: 0px; max-width: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;">PLUS Miss America 2024 and EW in Space</div><table id="overall-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><table id="email-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 680px;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://san.com/afa" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="90" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/11/SAN-Newsletter-Ad-680x90-–-AFA.png"></a></td></tr><tr class="logo"><td align="center"><img style="margin: 0;" alt="airforcemag daily report logo" height="92" width="450" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/AFM_Daily_Report.jpg"></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #1E4A85; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 .8em !important;">Dec. 23, 2024</p></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0 0 0.8em;">Edited by Greg Hadley with Charles Galbreath, David Roza and Shaun Waterman</p></td></tr><tr class="view-in-browser"><td align="center"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20241223/?src=dr" style="background: #3F6EB2; border-radius: 9px; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.8em 2em; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: .7em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;" target="_blank">View In Browser</a></td></tr><tr class="featured-image"><td align="center"><img width="680" height="452" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2.png" class="attachment-680x9999 size-680x9999 wp-post-image" alt="miss america air force" style="width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 0.8em 0 0.1em;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2.png 1000w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2-450x299.png 450w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2-677x450.png 677w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2-768x511.png 768w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2-900x600.png 900w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/miss-america-2-675x449.png 675w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /><em style='display: block; font-size: 0.8em; margin-bottom: 0.6em'>2nd Lt. Madison Marsh poses in a C-17 from the 145th Airlift Wing at the SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, FL, on April 9, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Miriam Thurber)</em></td></tr><tr class="article"><td class="editors-note" style="background-color: #F4F5F9; padding: 0.8em 1.2em;"><h3 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222;">Editor’s Note</h2><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">The Daily Report will not publish from Dec. 24 to Jan. 1 as our staff takes time to be with family and friends. From all of us here at Air & Space Forces Magazine, Happy Holidays and see you in 2025!</p></td></tr><tr class="spacer"><td> </td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-madison-marsh-miss-america/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By David Roza</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.</p></td></tr><tr><td><hr class="article-hr" style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/norad-tracks-russian-bombers-alaska-coast/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">That’s Not Santa: NORAD Tracks Russian Jets in Alaskan ADIZ</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Greg Hadley</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Four Russian warplanes entered the Air Defense Identification Zone off the coast of Alaska on Dec. 18, North American Aerospace Defense Command announced—the first such incident in three months. </p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.prattwhitney.com/en/products/military-engines/f135/engine-core-upgrade?utm_medium=email&utm_source=a_sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=pratt-whitney-military-engines-f135-ecu&utm_content=countless-solutions"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/09/PW_Oct24_DR_ME_F135_ECU-CountlessSolutions_680x265_FA_ps.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/experts-us-not-organized-equipped-for-space-ew/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Experts: US Not Organized or Equipped for the Coming Electromagnetic Wars in Space </a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Shaun Waterman</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Space-based capabilities like GPS and satellite communications are vital to modern warfighting—and they are also most easily attackable via the electromagnetic spectrum via jamming or spoofing the radio transmissions that provide their command and control. But the Department of Defense’s electromagnetic warfare efforts in space are hamstrung by poor coordination and a lack of communication between stakeholders, experts said. </p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.usaa.com/safepilotaffinity?txid=OTH:TX1:B3AEVV7WRX"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/12/USAA_Dec24_Affinity_AutoSafePilot_DrivingMan_680x265.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/why-do-we-need-a-space-force/?src=dr" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Why Do We Need a Space Force? Here’s This Guardian’s Answer</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Charles Galbreath</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">“The Space Force is now five years old, yet most Americans don’t even know it exists, not to mention what it does or why we need it. That’s an uncomfortable fact and a problem for the entire nation that every Guardian needs to understand and take seriously,” writes retired USSF Col. Charles Galbreath.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://go.flightsafety.com/l/897491/2024-10-25/vm7jd"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/11/FSI_Dec24_Training-That-Delivers-KC46_680x265.png" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="radar-sweep" style="background-color: #F4F5F9;"><table id="radar-sweep" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" valign="top" width="90%"></tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="24"><td> </td></tr><tr class="title""><td align="center"><h3 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.3em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">Radar Sweep</h3></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height=12><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Trump Announces Picks for Deputy Secretary of Defense, Other Top DOD Posts </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://defensescoop.com/2024/12/22/trump-picks-stephen-feinberg-michael-duffey-emil-michael-elbridge-colby-dod/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">DefenseScoop</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of selections Dec. 22 for key Pentagon positions, including deputy secretary of defense and undersecretaries for the acquisition and sustainment, research and engineering, and policy directorates. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">US Ship Shoots Down Jet in Friendly Fire over Red Sea, Military Says </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://wapo.st/3DufLM4" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">A Navy fighter pilot and a weapons system officer ejected over the Red Sea after friendly fire from a warship early Dec. 22, according to the U.S. military. Both survived after ejecting from their F/A-18 Hornet, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Each sustained minor injuries, according to a military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Taiwan Is Getting Its U.S. Weaponry—but Years Behind Schedule </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/taiwan-is-getting-its-u-s-weaponrybut-years-behind-schedule-11c151b1?st=iYxMgY&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Taiwan hailed the arrival of its first state-of-the-art American tanks this week, celebrating what it described as “the world’s greatest war machine.” Less prominently mentioned was the long wait that preceded the arrival of the 38 Abrams tanks: Taiwan placed the order five years ago, in June 2019, during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Houthi Missile Strike Injures More Than a Dozen in Tel Aviv </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3we936v266o" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">BBC</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">A Houthi missile strike has injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Israeli military said attempts to shoot down a projectile launched from Yemen had been unsuccessful and it landed in a public park early on Dec. 21. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Russia’s Abrupt Setback in Syria Creates Headaches for Putin </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/us/russia-syria-military-bases-middle-east-setbacks.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk4.OCuO.0Mv85rDhcSfk&smid=url-share" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The New York Times</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">For decades, Russia has been trying to rebuild its influence in the Middle East. But after the rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the Kremlin is scrambling to salvage whatever it can. President Vladimir V. Putin sought to spin events in Syria as a success for Russia, which provided crucial military support for President Bashar al-Assad during the country’s long and brutal civil war, and received two important military bases in return. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">PODCAST: Global Spacepower: Allied Perspective </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/episode-215-allied-perspective/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">In this episode of the Aerospace Advantage, Heather “Lucky” Penney and members of the Mitchell Institute team discuss allied spacepower with French Space Command Commander Maj. Gen. Philippe Adam. Join us as we learn more about French spacepower and what it means for U.S. operations on orbit. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Congress Authorizes Free Wi-Fi for Troops in Barracks </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/free-wifi-barracks-2025-ndaa/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Task & Purpose</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Troops living in barracks will be getting free Internet in the near future, after Congress approved the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The sweeping $895.2 billion defense bill includes authorization from Congress for the military to roll out high-speed wireless Internet access for troops living in unaccompanied barracks. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.afa.org/afa-warfare-symposium/" target="_blank"><img width="300" height="250" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/10/AWS_25_300x250.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Pentagon, Lockheed Ink Pricier F-35 Deal for Next Lot </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/pentagon-lockheed-ink-pricier-f-35-deal-next-lot" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Inside Defense</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Subscription Required)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon have reached an agreement on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lot 18 to manufacture the stealth jet's frame and technical functions, the Pentagon announced. An informal, handshake deal regarding production of the fifth-generation jet's next two Lots—18 and 19—was settled in November, according to a joint statement issued at the time from Lockheed and the F-35 Joint Program Office. Today’s contract marks the formal arrangement for Lot 18. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">New Air Force Review Supports Manned 6th-Gen NGAD Fighter Concept </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://breakingdefense.com/2024/12/exclusive-new-air-force-review-supports-manned-6th-gen-ngad-fighter-concept/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Breaking Defense</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">A recent internal Air Force analysis supports the development of a manned, next-generation fighter jet, three sources told Breaking Defense—a finding that comes amid a high-profile debate over the future of the multibillion-dollar Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Troop Pay Safe After Congress Approves Extension of Government Funding </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/12/21/troop-pay-safe-after-congress-approves-extension-of-government-funding.html" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Military.com</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Troop pay is no longer in jeopardy after Congress approved legislation early Dec. 21 to keep the government funded through mid-March and prevent a holiday season government shutdown. Passage of the bill in the Senate came right up to the precipice of a shutdown heightening anxiety that service members could miss paychecks due to them at the end of the month at a time when financial stressors could be adding up because of the holidays. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Air Force Reopens F-16 Ejection Seat Deal, Setting Up Contest Between Collins, Martin-Baker </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://breakingdefense.com/2024/12/air-force-reopens-f-16-ejection-seat-deal-setting-up-contest-between-collins-martin-baker/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Breaking Defense</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The Air Force is formally recompeting a deal with Collins Aerospace to provide modernized ejection seats for the service’s F-16 fleet, and could do the same for the F-22 and B-1 based on the results, the service announced Dec. 20. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Navy, Air Force Cleared to Fly Ospreys After Inspecting Gears </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2024/12/20/navy-air-force-cleared-to-fly-ospreys-after-inspecting-gears/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Air Force Times</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The Navy and Air Force are now cleared to resume flying their grounded V-22 Ospreys after conducting inspections on a crucial gearbox in the tiltrotor aircraft, and some are already back in the air. The military temporarily stopped flying some Ospreys on Dec. 9 after a near crash in New Mexico in November. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Turion Space Secures $32.6 Million Military Contract for In-Orbit Space Surveillance </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://spacenews.com/turion-space-secures-32-6-million-military-contract-for-in-orbit-space-surveillance/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">SpaceNews</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Startup Turion Space has been awarded a $32.6 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to launch three small satellites designed to monitor and track objects such as space debris. The contract is part of a Strategic Financing Initiative (STRATFI) agreement from SpaceWERX—the Space Force’s technology innovation arm—that matches government funds with private investment to accelerate the development and deployment of commercial space systems. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Stratolaunch Succeeds with Second Talon Launch </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://aviationweek.com/defense/missile-defense-weapons/stratolaunch-succeeds-second-talon-launch" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Aviation Week</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Subscription Required)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Hypersonic testing company Stratolaunch has launched its Talon TA-2 high speed test vehicle on the third attempt and is believed to have successfully landed the autonomous vehicle at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Dec. 20. </p></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="dark-block" style="margin: 1em 0; background: #F4F5F9;" valign="top" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-top-right-radius: 9px; border-top-left-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="background: #1f2a39;" align="center"><table width="90%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left"><h3 style="font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; margin: 0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.8em; font-weight: normal">One More Thing</h3><h2 style="font-size: 1em; color: #eeeeee; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">Santa and Mrs. Claus Use Military Transports to Bring Christmas to an Alaska Native Village </h2><p class="bodytext-radar"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-decoration: underline #bbbbbb solid;" href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-guard-santa-indigenous-village-3f59beb5e942ba275d8a7742bb38a459" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #eeeeee; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">Forget the open-air sleigh overloaded with gifts and powered by flying reindeer. Santa and Mrs. Claus this week took supersized rides to southeast Alaska in a C-17 military cargo plane and a camouflaged Humvee, as they delivered toys to the Tlingit village of Yakutat, northwest of Juneau. </p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-bottom-left-radius: 9px; border-bottom-right-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://shopafa.org/" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="265" style="margin: 0.8em 0;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/11/ShopAFA_Dec24_Holiday_680x265.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="padding: 1.1em 0 1em; text-align: center; background: #2d3d44;"><table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tbody><tr class="footer-logo"><td align="center"><img width="171" style="margin-bottom: 0.8em;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/ASF_mag_logo_white.png"></td></tr><tr class="footer-nav"><td align="center" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 0.9em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Daily Report</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Contact Us</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Advertise</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org/join/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Join AFA</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Air & Space Forces Association</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/?src=dr" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Reprints</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p style="margin: 0.8em 0 0;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn2.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-icons-33/128/Facebook-512.png" width="33"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn0.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-network-7/50/4-512.png" width="35"></a></p></td></tr><tr class="footer-small"><td align="center"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #555555; font-size: 0.6em; margin: 0.8em 0">Published by the Air & Space Forces Association.<br/><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/?src=dr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #214a86; font-size: 1em;" target="_blank">airandspaceforces.com</a> material is under copyright by the Air & Space Forces Association. 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Air & Space Forces Magazine Daily Report for Dec. 23, 2024 View in your Web Browser: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20241223/?src=dr Edited by Greg Hadley with Charles Galbreath, David Roza and Shaun Waterman -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://san.com/afa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Editor’s Note The Daily Report will not publish from Dec. 24 to Jan. 1 as our staff takes time to be with family and friends. From all of us here at Air & Space Forces Magazine, Happy Holidays and see you in 2025! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New By David Roza When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-madison-marsh-miss-america/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That’s Not Santa: NORAD Tracks Russian Jets in Alaskan ADIZ By Greg Hadley Four Russian warplanes entered the Air Defense Identification Zone off the coast of Alaska on Dec. 18, North American Aerospace Defense Command announced—the first such incident in three months. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/norad-tracks-russian-bombers-alaska-coast/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.prattwhitney.com/en/products/military-engines/f135/engine-core-upgrade?utm_medium=email&utm_source=a_sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=pratt-whitney-military-engines-f135-ecu&utm_content=countless-solutions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Experts: US Not Organized or Equipped for the Coming Electromagnetic Wars in Space By Shaun Waterman Space-based capabilities like GPS and satellite communications are vital to modern warfighting—and they are also most easily attackable via the electromagnetic spectrum via jamming or spoofing the radio transmissions that provide their command and control. But the Department of Defense’s electromagnetic warfare efforts in space are hamstrung by poor coordination and a lack of communication between stakeholders, experts said. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/experts-us-not-organized-equipped-for-space-ew/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.usaa.com/safepilotaffinity?txid=OTH:TX1:B3AEVV7WRX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why Do We Need a Space Force? Here’s This Guardian’s Answer By Charles Galbreath “The Space Force is now five years old, yet most Americans don’t even know it exists, not to mention what it does or why we need it. That’s an uncomfortable fact and a problem for the entire nation that every Guardian needs to understand and take seriously,” writes retired USSF Col. Charles Galbreath. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/why-do-we-need-a-space-force/?src=dr -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://go.flightsafety.com/l/897491/2024-10-25/vm7jd -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Radar Sweep -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trump Announces Picks for Deputy Secretary of Defense, Other Top DOD Posts President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of selections Dec. 22 for key Pentagon positions, including deputy secretary of defense and undersecretaries for the acquisition and sustainment, research and engineering, and policy directorates. https://defensescoop.com/2024/12/22/trump-picks-stephen-feinberg-michael-duffey-emil-michael-elbridge-colby-dod/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- US Ship Shoots Down Jet in Friendly Fire over Red Sea, Military Says A Navy fighter pilot and a weapons system officer ejected over the Red Sea after friendly fire from a warship early Dec. 22, according to the U.S. military. Both survived after ejecting from their F/A-18 Hornet, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Each sustained minor injuries, according to a military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. https://wapo.st/3DufLM4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Taiwan Is Getting Its U.S. Weaponry—but Years Behind Schedule Taiwan hailed the arrival of its first state-of-the-art American tanks this week, celebrating what it described as “the world’s greatest war machine.” Less prominently mentioned was the long wait that preceded the arrival of the 38 Abrams tanks: Taiwan placed the order five years ago, in June 2019, during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term. https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/taiwan-is-getting-its-u-s-weaponrybut-years-behind-schedule-11c151b1?st=iYxMgY&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Houthi Missile Strike Injures More Than a Dozen in Tel Aviv A Houthi missile strike has injured more than a dozen people in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Israeli military said attempts to shoot down a projectile launched from Yemen had been unsuccessful and it landed in a public park early on Dec. 21. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3we936v266o -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Russia’s Abrupt Setback in Syria Creates Headaches for Putin For decades, Russia has been trying to rebuild its influence in the Middle East. But after the rapid collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, the Kremlin is scrambling to salvage whatever it can. President Vladimir V. Putin sought to spin events in Syria as a success for Russia, which provided crucial military support for President Bashar al-Assad during the country’s long and brutal civil war, and received two important military bases in return. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/us/russia-syria-military-bases-middle-east-setbacks.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jk4.OCuO.0Mv85rDhcSfk&smid=url-share -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PODCAST: Global Spacepower: Allied Perspective In this episode of the Aerospace Advantage, Heather “Lucky” Penney and members of the Mitchell Institute team discuss allied spacepower with French Space Command Commander Maj. Gen. Philippe Adam. Join us as we learn more about French spacepower and what it means for U.S. operations on orbit. https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/episode-215-allied-perspective/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Congress Authorizes Free Wi-Fi for Troops in Barracks Troops living in barracks will be getting free Internet in the near future, after Congress approved the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The sweeping $895.2 billion defense bill includes authorization from Congress for the military to roll out high-speed wireless Internet access for troops living in unaccompanied barracks. https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/free-wifi-barracks-2025-ndaa/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.afa.org/afa-warfare-symposium/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pentagon, Lockheed Ink Pricier F-35 Deal for Next Lot Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon have reached an agreement on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lot 18 to manufacture the stealth jet's frame and technical functions, the Pentagon announced. An informal, handshake deal regarding production of the fifth-generation jet's next two Lots—18 and 19—was settled in November, according to a joint statement issued at the time from Lockheed and the F-35 Joint Program Office. Today’s contract marks the formal arrangement for Lot 18. https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/pentagon-lockheed-ink-pricier-f-35-deal-next-lot (Subscription Required) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Air Force Review Supports Manned 6th-Gen NGAD Fighter Concept A recent internal Air Force analysis supports the development of a manned, next-generation fighter jet, three sources told Breaking Defense—a finding that comes amid a high-profile debate over the future of the multibillion-dollar Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. https://breakingdefense.com/2024/12/exclusive-new-air-force-review-supports-manned-6th-gen-ngad-fighter-concept/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Troop Pay Safe After Congress Approves Extension of Government Funding Troop pay is no longer in jeopardy after Congress approved legislation early Dec. 21 to keep the government funded through mid-March and prevent a holiday season government shutdown. Passage of the bill in the Senate came right up to the precipice of a shutdown heightening anxiety that service members could miss paychecks due to them at the end of the month at a time when financial stressors could be adding up because of the holidays. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/12/21/troop-pay-safe-after-congress-approves-extension-of-government-funding.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force Reopens F-16 Ejection Seat Deal, Setting Up Contest Between Collins, Martin-Baker The Air Force is formally recompeting a deal with Collins Aerospace to provide modernized ejection seats for the service’s F-16 fleet, and could do the same for the F-22 and B-1 based on the results, the service announced Dec. 20. https://breakingdefense.com/2024/12/air-force-reopens-f-16-ejection-seat-deal-setting-up-contest-between-collins-martin-baker/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Navy, Air Force Cleared to Fly Ospreys After Inspecting Gears The Navy and Air Force are now cleared to resume flying their grounded V-22 Ospreys after conducting inspections on a crucial gearbox in the tiltrotor aircraft, and some are already back in the air. The military temporarily stopped flying some Ospreys on Dec. 9 after a near crash in New Mexico in November. https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2024/12/20/navy-air-force-cleared-to-fly-ospreys-after-inspecting-gears/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Turion Space Secures $32.6 Million Military Contract for In-Orbit Space Surveillance Startup Turion Space has been awarded a $32.6 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to launch three small satellites designed to monitor and track objects such as space debris. The contract is part of a Strategic Financing Initiative (STRATFI) agreement from SpaceWERX—the Space Force’s technology innovation arm—that matches government funds with private investment to accelerate the development and deployment of commercial space systems. https://spacenews.com/turion-space-secures-32-6-million-military-contract-for-in-orbit-space-surveillance/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stratolaunch Succeeds with Second Talon Launch Hypersonic testing company Stratolaunch has launched its Talon TA-2 high speed test vehicle on the third attempt and is believed to have successfully landed the autonomous vehicle at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Dec. 20. https://aviationweek.com/defense/missile-defense-weapons/stratolaunch-succeeds-second-talon-launch (Subscription Required) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing... Santa and Mrs. Claus Use Military Transports to Bring Christmas to an Alaska Native Village Forget the open-air sleigh overloaded with gifts and powered by flying reindeer. Santa and Mrs. Claus this week took supersized rides to southeast Alaska in a C-17 military cargo plane and a camouflaged Humvee, as they delivered toys to the Tlingit village of Yakutat, northwest of Juneau. https://apnews.com/article/alaska-guard-santa-indigenous-village-3f59beb5e942ba275d8a7742bb38a459 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://shopafa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Daily Report: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/ - Contact Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/ - Advertise With Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/ - Purchase/Reprint: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/ - Air & Space Forces Assoc.: https://www.afa.org - Join AFA: https://www.afa.org/join/ - A&SF Mag on Facebook: https://facebook.com/ASForcesMag - A&SF Mag on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Air & Space Forces Association All airandspaceforces.com material is under copyright of the Air & Space Forces Association. 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