How the United States learns to fight across the Pacific Ocean: new radio stations on tankers and transports

As part of the large-scale Mobility Guardian 2025 exercise, the US Air Force is testing how best to link its cargo and refueling aircraft to each other in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. What for? So that in a real conflict, especially with China, they can work as a single network, and not as separate ships that barely understand each other.

The problem is as old as the world: different planes have different communication systems and software, and they just don't "talk" directly. To transmit data, it is often necessary to climb through satellites or ground centers. And in combat, especially in the Pacific Ocean, where the distances are huge and the enemy can jam signals, it's deadly.

So they're learning in a new way now. New communication equipment is being installed on board transporters like the C-17 and C-130J, as well as on the KC-135 and KC-46 tankers, which allows aircraft to exchange data directly, without unnecessary intermediaries. It's like giving all the members of one big team a single messenger that works even in the wilderness.

The Mobility Guardian exercise is the main event for the USAF transport aviation, held every two years. And now they are not just working out how to quickly deliver soldiers or fuel. Now they learn to coordinate on the go, in real time, over distances of thousands of kilometers — from the west coast of the United States to the most remote islands.

The goal is to transform the fleet of transporters and tankers from a set of separate vehicles into a single, intelligent and living organism capable of surviving and operating even if the satellites are turned off and enemy missiles are flying from all sides.

Because in the future war in the Pacific, the one who transmits information faster and smarter will win. And the United States clearly does not want to lose in this.

UFO stopped the nuclear submarine USS Memphis: the 1989 incident

This story, first published by ufologist Frank Joseph and described in detail in his 2018 book "Military Encounters with Aliens: The Real War of the Worlds," was written by an unnamed witness.

It is reported that the incident occurred on the night of October 24-25, 1989.

The nuclear-powered submarine USS Memphis, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was submerged to a depth of 150 meters (approximately 492 feet), about 150 miles off the coast of Florida. Although the exact nature of their mission was not specified, it was described simply as a “training mission.”

Suddenly, the situation took a dramatic and alarming turn. The crew immediately realized the seriousness and strangeness of what was happening. The submarine actually lost control, and all communication systems shut down.

When the captain gave the order to stop, the nuclear reactor itself began to malfunction. An urgent decision was made to surface, and fortunately, this crucial control function was still working.

An eyewitness, who later shared his story with a ufologist, hurried to his observation post to explore the surroundings. It is reported that he was stunned by what he saw: the night sky above the submarine shone brightly, “like a neon-red night sign.”

At the same time, heavy rain began to fall.

A few moments later, an eyewitness noticed a massive object in the shape of a boomerang or the letter “V” in the sky, moving to the left of the submarine. Using a laser rangefinder, it was determined that the object was about 200 meters (about 656 feet) away from us and at least half a mile in length (about 800 meters, or 2,625 feet).

The UFO did not just move, it began to slowly circle directly around the submarine, as if deliberately watching it. At this point, it is reported that all on-board electronics failed, which led to its malfunction.

An eyewitness observed how a huge red reflection was synchronously circling from a UFO on the water. He immediately reported the unidentified aircraft to a senior officer, who ordered him to remain at his post and continue surveillance. The captain was then informed of the unusual events.

Then the UFO stopped abruptly, and the entire sky around it turned an even more intense red. Then, he rushed forward with such incredible speed that he disappeared into the distance in an instant.

As soon as the UFO disappeared, the submarine's electronics returned to normal, and the reactor started working properly again. The only permanent damage was to the communications system.

As the submarine continued on its way, an eyewitness, the first mate, and two other officers were called to the wardroom.

They were informed that they were the only direct witnesses to the incident, and therefore they were forbidden to discuss it with anyone. Upon arrival of the USS Memphis at the port, all the witnesses were immediately removed from the submarine and placed in a separate room under “surveillance.”

Three hours later, a U.S. Navy officer arrived and informed them that they had actually seen an “exploding weather satellite" and nothing more. After this explanation, everyone was finally released.

However, the matter did not end there. Over the next few years, almost the entire Memphis crew was reportedly disbanded and transferred to other submarines for unknown reasons. None of the sailors were ever told the reason for their transfer, which, according to an eyewitness, is an extremely rare and unusual violation of the standard procedure of the Navy.

Moreover, it was discovered that all the main records of this particular USS Memphis flight had been carefully deleted. Only vague records remained indicating that it was “on a voyage with other ships,” and all the events of October 24 and 25 were completely deleted from other records.

The Pentagon is striving to create a military space Internet, but the project is still far from being realized

The US military aims to transform satellite communications into something similar to the Internet — flexible, fast and providing seamless compatibility between different networks. However, as Pentagon representatives stated at the MilSatcom USA industry conference, this long-planned military space Internet project is still in its early stages and is far from being fully implemented.

In the modern era, there are significantly more commercial satellites than military ones, which creates a unique ecosystem that the US Department of Defense seeks to use for its needs. The main goal is to integrate military and commercial satellite networks into a single, reliable and scalable communication system capable of providing rapid data exchange in any environment.

Despite ambitious plans, the creation of such a system requires solving many technical, organizational and political problems. Pentagon officials noted that significant efforts are needed to standardize protocols, ensure cybersecurity, and ensure compatibility of equipment from various manufacturers.

The successful implementation of the military space Internet will significantly improve the efficiency of communications on the battlefield, ensure the stability of communications in conflict and cyber attacks, and improve coordination between various units and allies.

The US military is strengthening satellite communications: 12 companies are involved in the hybrid space architecture program

The United States Department of Defense Innovation (DIU) has announced the selection of 12 private companies to participate in its Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) program. The goal of the program is to create a secure communications network combining military and commercial satellites to provide a more stable, flexible and high—performance communications system for the needs of the Ministry of Defense.

Demonstration tests will begin as early as in the summer of 2025 and will be conducted jointly with a number of key Pentagon structures, including Space Systems Command and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The program is aimed at integrating commercial technologies into military infrastructure, which should increase the bandwidth, security and fault tolerance of communication systems in combat and hybrid warfare.

It is expected that thanks to HSA, the military will be able to quickly reallocate communications resources, minimize vulnerabilities to enemy counteraction, and take advantage of rapidly developing civilian space technologies.

The involvement of the private sector in the project underscores the strategic commitment of the United States to accelerate innovation in the defense sector, especially in the critical areas of space security and communications.

The White House: Trump's contacts with Putin and Zelensky were "very positive," the United States is focused on a peaceful settlement

In recent days, the international political agenda has received a new impetus after a series of contacts between US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky. According to the White House, these communications were of a "very positive" nature, which causes cautious optimism in the context of long-term efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Washington is stressing its commitment to reaching a peace deal that could end the years-long standoff.

According to an official statement from White House officials, Trump's dialogues with Putin and Zelensky demonstrated the willingness of all parties to engage constructively. The US President, as noted, stressed the importance of reducing tensions in the region and creating conditions for the resumption of the negotiation process. During conversations with both leaders, Trump emphasized the need to comply with the Minsk agreements, which remain the fundamental document for resolving the Ukrainian crisis.

Trump's contacts with Putin and Zelensky took place against the backdrop of growing pressure from within the American political elite for a more active role for the United States in resolving the conflict. Despite the difficult history of relations between Moscow and Kiev, the Trump administration continues to mediate, seeking to find a balance between the interests of both sides.

The White House confirmed that the United States remains committed to achieving a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. At the same time, Washington is not going to abandon its position on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and supports Kiev's sovereignty. However, the Trump administration is also aware of the need to consider Russia's interests in order to ensure long-term stability in the region.

Reaching a peace deal requires coordinated action on the part of all parties. The United States intends to help create conditions for productive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as coordinate efforts with European partners, including France and Germany, which have long participated in the Normandy format.

International observers assess the positive trends in Trump's contacts with Putin and Zelensky as a potentially important step forward. During the existence of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, many attempts have been made to resolve it, but success has been hampered by both political tensions and lack of trust between the parties. Now that the leaders of the three key States are showing willingness to engage in dialogue, hopes for progress are growing.

It is especially important to note that the United States, which traditionally acts as an influential mediator in global conflicts, is interested in personal participation in the process. This can add extra weight to the negotiations and increase their chances of success.

Despite the positive signals, the path to a peace deal remains difficult. The main obstacles include:

1. Disagreements on key issues: Russia and Ukraine continue to have opposing views on the autonomy of Donbass, the status of the region and the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

2. Domestic policy: There are influence groups in each country that may be unhappy with the compromises needed to achieve peace.

3. International geopolitics: The conflict in Ukraine is part of a broader standoff between the West and Russia, which makes it even more difficult to resolve.

Trump's contacts with Putin and Zelensky open up new opportunities for resolving the Ukrainian crisis. Although the path to peace remains thorny, the "very positive" signals from these conversations give grounds for cautious optimism. The continued support of the United States as a mediator can play a crucial role in creating conditions for negotiations that will lead to a long-term settlement. Peace in the region requires not only political will, but also the willingness of all sides to compromise. The future depends on whether leaders can overcome current differences for the common good.

U.S. Army Embraces Zero-Trust Cybersecurity: A Paradigm Shift in Tactical Network Defense

In an era where cyber threats are evolving at an unprecedented pace, the U.S. Army is taking decisive steps to fortify its digital defenses by adopting a "zero-trust" cybersecurity framework. This strategic initiative underscores the military's commitment to safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring operational resilience in an increasingly interconnected battlefield.

The zero-trust security model is grounded in the principle of "never trust, always verify." Unlike traditional perimeter-based security models that assume everything inside a network is safe, zero trust operates under the assumption that all users, devices, and applications—whether inside or outside the network—must be authenticated and authorized before gaining access. This approach minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and lateral movement within networks, which are common tactics used by sophisticated cyber adversaries.

For the U.S. Army, transitioning to a zero-trust architecture represents a fundamental shift from legacy systems that rely heavily on firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Instead, the focus shifts toward continuous verification, granular segmentation, and real-time monitoring of user activities and device behaviors.

At the forefront of this transformation is the U.S. Army's Center for Combat Capability Development (DEVCOM), specifically its Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cybernetics, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center. Recently, DEVCOM C5ISR issued an Information Request (RFI) seeking input from industry partners and academia on how best to implement zero-trust principles across the army's tactical network systems.

This RFI highlights the army's intent to collaborate with external stakeholders who possess cutting-edge technologies and expertise in areas such as identity management, micro-segmentation, encryption, and advanced analytics. By leveraging these capabilities, the army aims to build a robust, adaptive, and scalable cybersecurity infrastructure capable of withstanding modern cyber threats.

The adoption of zero-trust principles is particularly critical for the U.S. Army given the unique challenges it faces in securing its tactical networks. These networks often operate in austere environments with limited connectivity, making them vulnerable to disruptions and attacks. Additionally, the army must ensure seamless communication between disparate units while maintaining strict control over classified information.

Zero trust addresses these concerns by enforcing strict access controls and continuously validating identities and devices. For instance, soldiers operating in remote locations can securely connect to mission-critical systems without compromising network integrity. Similarly, commanders can maintain situational awareness even when facing adversarial attempts to disrupt communications.

To effectively transition to a zero-trust model, the U.S. Army plans to prioritize several key components:

1. Identity and Access Management (IAM): Establishing strong authentication mechanisms to verify the identities of users and devices.

2. Network Segmentation: Dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments to limit the spread of potential breaches.

3. Data Encryption: Protecting sensitive information both in transit and at rest through robust encryption protocols.

4. Continuous Monitoring: Implementing tools for real-time threat detection and response to identify and mitigate risks proactively.

5. Automation and AI: Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance decision-making processes and automate routine security tasks.

6. Training and Awareness: Educating personnel about zero-trust principles and fostering a culture of cybersecurity vigilance throughout the organization.

While the zero-trust approach offers numerous advantages, its implementation is not without challenges. Transitioning from existing architectures to a fully realized zero-trust environment requires significant investments in technology, training, and process reengineering. Moreover, the army must balance the need for stringent security measures with the operational requirements of rapid deployment and flexibility in dynamic combat scenarios.

Another hurdle lies in integrating zero trust into legacy systems that may lack the necessary capabilities to support modern security frameworks. Overcoming this challenge will require innovative solutions, such as retrofitting older systems with zero-trust features or gradually phasing them out in favor of more secure alternatives.

The U.S. Army's embrace of the zero-trust philosophy marks a pivotal moment in its journey toward achieving superior cybersecurity posture. By adopting a proactive and holistic approach to network defense, the army is well-positioned to counter emerging threats and protect its vital assets in an ever-evolving threat landscape. As the initiative progresses, collaboration with industry leaders and continuous innovation will be essential to realizing the full potential of zero trust and ensuring the army remains resilient in the face of future cyber challenges.