• The US Navy destroyer USS Stockdale came under Houthi fire multiple times last year.
• The Stockdale's captain, then the executive officer, described to BI what it was like to battle the rebels.
• He said his heart was racing and that seeing the warship's missiles launch was "unlike anything else."

Cdr. Jacob Beckelhymer remembers vividly the first time his warship came under attack in the Red Sea.

It was late September of last year, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Stockdale was already several months into its lengthy Middle East deployment. Beckelhymer, then the warship's executive officer, knew that the ship and its sailors could be pulled into combat at any moment against the Iran-backed Houthis who had been launching missiles and drones into shipping lanes.

"We went into it with the expectation that there was a high probability that we would come under fire," he told Business Insider in a recent interview.

When the attack came, the destroyer was prepared. Sailors had received their pre-briefing, and the crew was well-rested. The watch teams were ready.

That day, the Houthi rebels fired a barrage of missiles and drones.

Beckelhymer was in the pilot house with the warship's commanding officer and watched as the bridge team, from lieutenants down to junior sailors, performed as they were trained. He said he experienced a heart rate increase and some excitement. Seeing a surface-to-air missile come out of the launchers for real, and not in a training scenario, is "unlike anything else."

Beckelhymer recalls thinking about his composure. He briefly thought about how he'd always wanted to teach his eldest daughter how to ride a bike. The most pressing thought, though, was that the destroyer needed to make it home.

A mix of Navy warships in the Red Sea, including the Stockdale, thwarted the Houthi attack.

Beckelhymer said that "the biggest takeaway" for him "was how quickly we did the things that we were supposed to, we reset, and then we all got back on the same page to do it again."

The Stockdale came under Houthi fire several times during its combat-packed deployment, which ended in February. The Navy said that the destroyer "successfully repelled" multiple attacks, shooting down a tough combination of drones and missiles and emerging unscathed each time.

"The mission sets that we performed over there were a combination of standard missile defense, contested straight transit, and civilian escort," said Beckelhymer, who is now the Stockdale's commanding officer.

"We had occasion to use weapons in defense of ourselves and ships in company a number of times. In all of those instances, the team responded really, really great," he told BI. "We didn't incur any sort of stress reactions. The overall resilience of the crew was great."

Several weeks after Stockdale returned to its homeport in San Diego, the destroyer deployed again — this time to the waters off the coast of southern California, where, until recently, it supported the US military's southern border mission. Two other warships that fought the Houthis also participated in these operations.

While the threat environment was different in the Pacific compared to the Red Sea, Beckelhymer said the approach to the mission was relatively similar, even if Stockdale's weapons system was placed in a different configuration.

"It takes every single person on board this ship, all-in, every single day, to operate safely at sea," he said. "Whether you're off the coast of California or you're in the Red Sea, the business that we do is inherently dangerous. And flight operations, small boat operations, underway replenishment — all of those things take our collective focus."

Beckelhymer said he saw his crew's confidence grow consistently from September until the end of the most recent deployment. The sailors, he said, had every reason to be proud of their abilities. Receiving the training is one thing, but it's another to be tested in real-world conditions and have everything validated.

"We experienced that in the Red Sea, and I think we experienced that again over the last 40-ish days off the coast of California," he said. "When the Navy needs us, Stockdale is ready."

• The US Navy dispatched three of its destroyers to support the military's southern border mission.
• USS Stockdale's captain explained to BI that his warship is an ideal platform for this mission.
• He said the Stockdale brings high-end comms and sensors to the table, along with an embarked helicopter.

The captain of one of three US Navy destroyers that deployed this spring to support the military's southern border mission after spending months battling the Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea says his warship was well-suited to both assignments.

Amid questions of whether the southern border deployments were overkill, the military acknowledged that it was "a bit unique to deploy a capability of this level for this mission set." But it sent an unmistakable message.

Unlike the Red Sea mission, at the southern border, the value of these warfighting ships isn't as much the firepower they bring to a potential fight but rather the capabilities that other vessels lack, such as robust communications and sensor suites, and endurance.

Cdr. Jacob Beckelhymer, the commanding officer of USS Stockdale, told Business Insider that the maritime security missions are familiar taskings and "part of the broad set of things that destroyers do."

The Stockdale just recently returned to its homeport in San Diego after spending weeks deployed off the coast of southern California in support of US military operations at the southern border.

Transnational criminal operations coming out of Mexico were at the top of the US intelligence community's 2025 Annual Threat Assessment, and the Trump administration has made cracking down on maritime criminal activity, from illegal immigration to human and drug trafficking, priorities.

In addition to thousands of military personnel, the administration has dispatched a range of military assets to the border area, including the three destroyers that battled the Houthis last year.

The Stockdale, like USS Spruance and USS Gravely, had an embarked US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment for its southern border deployment. These are Coast Guard teams that specialize in law-enforcement operations at sea, such as counterterrorism, counter-piracy, and anti-immigration missions.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers like the Stockdale are equipped with missile tubes that carry a mix of surface-to-air and land-attack munitions and different guns, such as a five-inch deck gun, machine guns, and a Phalanx Close-In Weapons System.

This extensive loadout was needed to battle the Houthis, as the Stockdale and other Navy warships routinely came under rebel missile and drone attacks. The warships faced a very different threat environment at the southern border than in the Red Sea. Beckelhymer said Stockdale's weapon system was in a "different configuration" since they didn't expect to be shot at. At the southern border, the emphasis was on other capabilities.

"The sensor suite is incredible. My surface radar tracking ability, I think, far exceeds what we normally see, particularly on the smaller Coast Guard cutters," Beckelhymer said. "And then I've also got a much larger team."

He touted the ship's combat information center, a multimission room with many monitors that display maps and radars, as an essential tool for monitoring possible smuggling situations and recommending whether it's worth following up.

As Henry Ziemer, an Americas Program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, previously wrote, a destroyer has "powerful sensors and electronics that can be assets for detecting small boats and semisubmersibles used for illicit activities."

These ships can also coordinate additional assets, he said, and function as a force multiplier.

Beckelhymer said the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter embarked on the Stockdale provides faster air coverage than relying on something from the shore. The helicopter is equipped with a very capable radar and communications suite and can share real-time data and video feed with the destroyer.

The captain said the Stockdale is also an endurance platform. The ship can "stay on station considerably longer" and carry more fuel and food.

During its deployment, Stockdale served as a command-and-control platform, providing maritime awareness and surveillance to the Coast Guard assets operating in the area. The destroyer played a role in helping them apprehend suspected smuggling vessels, and Beckelhymer's crew saved the lives of mariners who were caught adrift with no food or water on board.

Speaking to the missions that his warship has supported, Beckelhymer said "it's really, really humbling to watch young men and women put to action the things that it takes to operate a destroyer at sea in support of priority missions for two separate fleet commanders."

• US Navy planes recently carried out history's "largest airstrike" from an aircraft carrier, a top US admiral said.
• The bombardment targeted terrorist groups in Somalia, said the acting chief of naval operations.
• The carrier USS Harry S. Truman spent months engaged in combat operations in the Middle East.

US Navy planes recently launched the largest-ever airstrike from an aircraft carrier, dropping 125,000 pounds of ordnance, a top admiral said this week.

The USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group "launched the largest airstrike in the history of the world — 125,000 pounds — from a single aircraft carrier into Somalia," Adm. James Kilby, acting chief of naval operations, said on Monday.

A defense official told Business Insider the operation — a single bombing run involving around 16 F/A-18 Super Hornets — occurred on February 1 while the Truman was operating in the Red Sea.

US Africa Command said in February that airstrikes at the start of the month targeted senior ISIS-Somalia leadership in a series of cave complexes. The military assessed that over a dozen terror operatives were killed. Kilby's comments this week shed more light on the bombardment.

US forces have executed dozens of airstrikes this year against ISIS and Al Qaeda affiliate group al-Shabaab in Somalia. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence considers both groups to be a threat to American interests.

The Truman carrier strike group recently left the Red Sea and is participating in NATO maritime exercises in the Mediterranean Sea before heading back to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia.

The strike group, consisting of the carrier and several other warships, deployed last fall and spent months operating in the Middle East, where it was a pillar of US combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that were paused earlier this month.

Kilby, speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event, said the Truman strike group engaged 160 drones and missiles that the Houthis had fired at Israel, the Navy, or shipping lanes. He also said the ships carried out 670 strikes in Yemen, targeting rebel assets.

The munitions used in these engagements could include a mix of surface-to-air missiles, land-attack missiles, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface bombs, and air-launched standoff weapons. Multiple carriers have been a part of operations against the Houthis, expending significant amounts of ordnance to curb the group's attacks.

"We've seen an increase in how the Houthis are acting," Kilby said. "Sometimes, I hear people speak dismissively of them. They're not China, but they are a threat. And they are hunting our ships."

The Truman has had an eventful deployment. In December, one of the warships in its strike group accidentally shot down an F/A-18, which is estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece, over the Red Sea. The military described the engagement as an "apparent case of friendly fire."

Several weeks later, in mid-February, the Truman collided with a commercial vessel in the Mediterranean. The aircraft carrier suffered some damage, and the incident led to the firing of its commanding officer.

In late April, with Truman back in the Red Sea, an F/A-18 and a tow tractor fell overboard from the carrier's hangar bay. A sailor had to jump from the cockpit just before the fighter jet went into the water.

And just over a week later, in early May, an F/A-18 was landing on the flight deck when Truman's arresting cables failed, sending the jet overboard. The two aviators safely ejected and were rescued from the water.

• An F-35 flying in Texas recently sent classified data to a command center in Denmark.
• The demonstration showed how the stealth fighter can gather critical intel and export it to allies.
• The F-35's advanced sensors and avionics allow it to act as the quarterback for a given mission.

US defense contractor Lockheed Martin said one of its F-35 stealth fighters sent classified data from Texas to a command center about 5,000 miles away in Denmark, calling this a milestone and a successful demonstration of how systems work together.

Danish military F-35s flying out of Fort Worth exported the data via DAGGR-2, made by Lockheed's Advanced Development Programs, also known as Skunk Works. The command-and-control system then passed the classified information through commercial satellite communications to Denmark's Skrydstrup Air Base.

In a statement on Monday, Lockheed said that "this is another success in a series of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations proving the F-35's ability to serve as a powerful force multiplier, enabling allied forces to rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities to connect systems across the battlespace."

Simply put, the advantages of the F-35 aren't limited to the munitions it carries. The stealth fighter can boost situational awareness and quarterback assets to make them more effective.

Danish Air Chief Maj. Gen. Jan Dam hailed the recent data demonstration as a "significant milestone toward enhancing Denmark's capabilities, as it enabled our MDO staff to witness in real-time the potential of the F-35's ability to collect, analyse and share advanced data across geographically dispersed networks."

Denmark is one of the eight countries that made up the original multinational F-35 program. The fifth-generation stealth fighter jet has been sold to 12 additional countries around the world, and over 1,200 aircraft have already been delivered to these militaries, including the US, since the first plane rolled off the production line nearly two decades ago.

The F-35 is considered to be a key component of American airpower. Not only can it penetrate contested airspace, but it can also quarterback the mission, leading the team even if it doesn't fire any weapons using its high-end sensors and advanced networking capabilities.

The recent demonstration highlights how the F-35 can effectively gather critical information and distribute it to allies. Past exercises involving the aircraft have underscored this capability.

In April, Lockheed shared that a Danish F-35 relayed sensitive data to a command center at Leeuwarden Air Base during the NATo air exercise Ramstein Flag 2025, and that information was then passed to a rocket artillery system to enable a kill.

OJ Sanchez, Skunk Works' vice president and general manager, said that the collaboration with Denmark has "enabled us to do what we do best at Skunk Works — rapidly deploy ready-now capabilities at a pace unparalleled in the industry and prove it through real-world flights."

The US operates all three F-35 variants — the A for conventional take-off and landing, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for ship-based operations — and has used each one in combat operations in the Middle East. Denmark's air force uses the F-35A for its operations.

• The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is finally going home after an eventful deployment.
• A defense official said the ship is in the Mediterranean after recently leaving the Red Sea.
• Truman lost three fighter jets during its combat-packed Red Sea deployment.

The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is at last making its way home after an eventful extended deployment that saw the ship participate in combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthis but also lose three aircraft.

A US defense official told Business Insider on Monday that the Truman had left the Red Sea and is now in the Mediterranean Sea on its way home. It's unclear when, exactly, the carrier will arrive back at its homeport in Norfolk, Virginia.

NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Naples wrote on social media earlier that Truman and its strike group were participating in maritime exercises in the Mediterranean. Open-source intelligence accounts spotted the carrier heading north in the Suez Canal over the weekend.

The Truman entered the Middle East in December and experienced a string of unfortunate mishaps over the following months, including the loss of three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, which are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.

In late December, the missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of Truman's strike group, shot down an F/A-18 over the Red Sea in what the US military described as an "apparent case of friendly fire." The details of that incident remain limited.

In mid-February, the Truman collided with a large commercial vessel in the Mediterranean, near Egypt's Port Said. The carrier was damaged and had to sail to a US naval base for repairs. That incident led to the firing of the ship's commanding officer.

Several months later, in late April, when Truman was back in the Red Sea, an F/A-18 and a tow tractor fell overboard while the fighter jet was actively under tow in the carrier's hangar bay. A sailor was forced to jump from the cockpit just before the plane went into the water. Some reports indicated the ship was taking evasive action at the time of the incident.

A little over a week later, in early May, an F/A-18 was landing on the flight deck of the Truman when the arresting cable, the thick black wires used to catch the tailhook on the back of carrier-based aircraft and slow them down, unexpectedly failed. The fighter jet went overboard. Both naval aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter.

The Truman was one of two Navy aircraft carriers that participated in combat operations against the Houthi rebels in Yemen during the military's weekslong bombing campaign known as Operation Rough Rider, which the Trump administration abruptly put on pause earlier this month.

Truman's departure from the Red Sea means that only one aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, is left in the Middle East. The Vinson features a mixed air wing that includes the fifth-generation F-35C, a stealth fighter made for carrier operations.

• A Houthi surface-to-air missile reportedly forced a US F-35 to take evasive action.
• The highly advanced F-35 is considered one of the top stealth fighter jets in the world.
• The aircraft, however, is not invisible or invincible.

What does it mean for a jet to be a "stealth fighter?" It means it's hard to detect and tough to strike, but it doesn't mean the jet is invisible or invulnerable.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, a top US stealth fighter, has been flying combat missions against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. During an intense two-month bombing campaign, both US Air Force F-35As and Navy F-35Cs were in the Middle East.

This week, multiple news reports citing anonymous US officials indicated an F-35 took evasive action during Operation Rough Rider to avoid being struck by a Houthi surface-to-air missile.

It's unclear if the F-35 was the target or to what extent the fighter was at risk. Neither the Pentagon nor US Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, has responded to Business Insider's queries on this incident.

The incident is notable because the F-35, a fifth-generation fighter jet with advanced stealth capabilities built by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin, was made to pierce contested airspace defended by sophisticated air defenses and advanced enemy aircraft and suppress enemy capabilities or feed targeting data to other assets. Last year, Israeli F-35s demonstrated the fighter jet's ability to fulfill this role by striking inside Iran. Though capable, Houthi air defenses fall short of the kind of threats the jet was made to confront.

What, exactly, this means for the jet, if anything, is unclear considering the unknowns in this story. But there are aspects of the F-35 and stealth aircraft in general that are worth keeping in mind when thinking about these reports.

Thinking about stealth aircraft

Billie Flynn, a former Royal Canadian Air Force combat commander and Lockheed employee who was involved with the F-35 program for around 20 years, said that one aspect of stealth, the part most commonly looked at, is an aircraft's radar cross-section — something the size of a ping pong ball or a golf ball or smaller for a fighter aircraft like the F-35.

"We can imagine how impossible that would be to detect high up in the air, many, many miles away," Flynn told BI.

The F-35 — along with the F-22 Raptor, the B-2 Spirit bomber, and its eventual successor, the B-21 Raider — are defined as "very low observable" aircraft, and that capability comes from a combination of factors.

The F-35 was designed with stealth in mind. According to Lockheed, the signature gray paint the jet is coated in at the end of the production line is intended to reduce and absorb radar signals. The aircraft's design also contributes to its low observability by eliminating flat surfaces and right angles, using composite materials, and allowing for the storage of weapons and fuel internally. The engine design also limits emissions.

Those passive capabilities enhance the F-35's stealth, but it also features active systems like an advanced electronic warfare suite that can jam or inhibit enemy radars to prevent detection.

President Donald Trump, who said this week he's not a big believer in stealth, said repeatedly during his first term that the F-35 is "invisible." It is not. These aren't cloaked Klingon warbirds from Star Trek, but they are tough to detect and difficult to hit. But no system is infallible.

The US learned this lesson during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s, when the Yugoslav Army shot down a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, marking the loss of one of America's first operational stealth planes.

Nothing is invincible

"Everything is spotable. The idea that you've got a cloaking device is very dangerous," said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation expert and the managing director of the US consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory.

"The most important asset of the F-35 is not its low observability," Aboulafia told BI, "it is its extremely advanced mission equipment package that allows it to spot dangers and targets, threats and targets." He said that's the real capability.

Aboulafia said that being a low-observable aircraft means that there is less of a risk of being spotted and tracked, not that the plane is entirely stealthy all of the time.

The way a jet is employed, such as if munitions are carried externally in what has been described for F-35s as "beast mode," can compromise stealth. Adversary air defenses can turn on their system at the right place at the right time and get lucky as well.

In the case of the recent media reports, the US F-35 avoided the Houthi missile. But it's unclear whether the jet was actually targeted or if the rebels just fired in that general direction and happened to get somewhat close to the aircraft, forcing evasive maneuvers.

Houthi air defenses are "a significant threat to military and civilian aircraft and platforms operating in the vicinity of Yemen," Gordon Davis, a retired US Army major general and NATO's former deputy assistant secretary-general for its Defense Investment Division, told BI.

Davis, now a non-resident senior fellow with the Center for European Policy Analysis' Transatlantic Defense and Security Program, said that the rebels have the "most capable and sophisticated" air defense array of any non-state actor in the Middle East, thanks to Iranian training, equipping, and assistance.

Houthi air defenses include surface-to-air missile systems of varying ranges, and these have reportedly shot down a number of US military MQ-9 Reaper drones, though not any crewed aircraft.

Davis said that although it is theoretically possible that a Houthi air defense system could have locked onto an F-35 and fired at the aircraft, it's "highly improbable" that a properly operating jet would be struck. That's because the jet is equipped with advanced electronic warfare and self-protection capabilities, like its AN/ASQ-239 system, that can detect and defeat threats. Also, the pilot would appropriately maneuver in response.

"An F-35 would've had to go to great lengths to expose itself enough that any system — whether it be Houthi, or Russian, or Chinese — could actually see it in the air," explained Flynn, the former Canadian commander. "That's almost inconceivable to me."

• Trump wants an F-35 stealth fighter with two engines because he doesn't like single-engine planes.
• He wants to call this new twin-engine F-35 the F-55.
• A former F-35 program manager told BI that this would basically mean building a new aircraft.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter is equipped with the world's most powerful fighter engine. It only has one of them, though, and President Donald Trump wants it to have two.

That's no small change. Redesigning an F-35 for twin engines is essentially building a whole new aircraft, a former US Air Force pilot who was involved with the F-35 program told Business Insider. That could take decades and require huge expenditures from an administration that's set on slashing government spending.

"The airframe is completely designed around a single engine," explained retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Gunzinger, who worked on the advanced F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter as a program manager for flight simulation test and evaluation.

"To put two engines in it would be a complete redesign of not only the hardware and the airframe, but also the software," he said. The plane would need to be larger and could see decreased range.

Trump pitched an idea on Thursday for a new twin-engine version of the F-35 that he said he would call the F-55.

"The F-35, we're doing an upgrade — a simple upgrade — but we're also doing an F-55. I'm going to call it an F-55," Trump said during a business roundtable in Qatar. He said that the jet would be a "substantial upgrade" with two engines because "I don't like single engines."

"We're going to do an F-55" if the price is right, Trump said. "And that will be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35."

The F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth aircraft made by US defense giant Lockheed Martin. It was developed and manufactured as part of a multinational program, and since the first jet rolled off the production line, more than 1,100 have been delivered to the US and militaries overseas.

The F-35 stealth fighter is a cornerstone of US airpower, with not just the ability to penetrate contested airspace but also quarterback American combat assets. While some Trump allies have criticized the aircraft over its high costs and questioned its ability to compete with drones, the president appears to be supportive of the program and the plane's prime contractor, as Trump also wants to upgrade the F-22 Raptor.

Both the F-35 and the F-22 are receiving upgrades, the most notable for the former being the Block IV upgrades and Tech Refresh 3 expected to deliver significantly improved capabilities. The president's plans appear to be outside of these ongoing efforts on the fifth-gen fighters.

In the case of the F-55, it almost certainly amounts to building a new fighter rather than modernizing existing F-35s considering the engineering challenges.

Trump's comments came several weeks after Lockheed Martin's CEO James Taiclet said his company would "supercharge" the fighter aircraft and turn it into a "fifth-generation-plus" aircraft with nearly the capabilities of a sixth-generation fighter like the F-47, which will be built by competitor Boeing. The upgraded F-35 could include improved stealth tech and materials, better sensors, and longer-range weapons. The CEO made no mention of a second engine.

A twin-engine F-35? More like a new F-55 fighter

The F-35's powerful single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine sets it apart from other fifth-generation aircraft like the American F-22 Raptor, the Russian Su-57, and the Chinese J-20 and new J-35, which all have twin engines. The J-35 resembles a twin-engine F-35, at least in appearance.

The F-35's lone F135 engine produces a whopping 43,000 pounds of thrust. The F-22's engines are each less powerful, by contrast, but together create 70,000 pounds of thrust.

Gunzinger, a former F-111 Ardvaark pilot who served with the US Air Force for over 20 years, said that the F-35 has only one engine because compromises were made during development to ensure that the plane met the needs of multiple services simultaneously.

The F-35 comes in three variants: the A for conventional take-off and landing, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for carrier-based operations. These three variants are generally operated by the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, respectively.

The Marine-operated F-35B is especially unique because of the lift fan that allows it to land and take off in a hover. A twin-engine F-35B is unlikely considering the daunting technical hurdles to build it. "Technologically, it's a bridge too far to put two engines in an F-35B," Gunzinger said.

During his remarks Thursday, Trump said he likes having more engines because there's a backup if one goes out. The only other US single-engine fighters are the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the AV-8B Harrier, the STOVL aircraft the F-35B is replacing.

Gunzinger said two engines are, indeed, better than one, pointing to several instances when single-engine aircraft with engine issues wouldn't have been lost had it had a second engine. But the F-35 is a single-engine aircraft through and through. Anything else is a effectively a different plane.

Talking about transforming the F-35 into a twin-engine aircraft is "talking about a completely different aircraft" that's years — if not decades — away, Gunzinger said. Unless there's a secret fighter jet program underway in the desert somewhere or it is based on Lockheed's failed bid to build the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, this idea could mean starting from scratch to create a design with the right aeronautics, carrying capacity, and small radar cross-section.

Frank Kendall, who was secretary of the Air Force until late January, told Breaking Defense that "a two-engine version of F-35 would be virtually a complete redesign," adding that the idea is "an option that was never presented and that we never considered."

The White House did not provide further details on the F-55, and neither did the Air Force when BI asked. Lockheed Martin would not say whether it has been in discussions with the White House about a twin-engine F-35 or a new F-55. Lockheed said only that it looks forward to working on the administration's "vision for air dominance."

Gunzinger said that building both the F-55 and Boeing's NGAD doesn't make sense. "The Air Force really can't afford another major fighter program," he added. "With the current budget and capabilities, you really have to decide on do you want an F-55, which is a brand new aircraft, or do you want the NGAD," another brand new aircraft. And both planes would likely bring similar capabilities to the fight.

• President Donald Trump on Thursday floated the idea of a supercharged F-35 called the F-55.
• He said this aircraft would have two engines because he doesn't like single-engine planes.
• Lockheed Martin's CEO recently suggested upgrading the F-35 to become a "fifth-generation-plus" jet.

President Donald Trump on Thursday pitched plans for a new twin-engine version of the F-35 stealth fighter jet. He referred to the jet as the "F-55."

"The F-35, we're doing an upgrade — a simple upgrade — but we're also doing an F-55. I'm going to call it an F-55," Trump said during a business roundtable in Qatar, the second stop on his Middle East tour.

"That's going to be a substantial upgrade," with two engines, Trump said, "because an F-35 has a single engine; I don't like single engines." He then touted the four engines on a 747 because there's a backup if an engine goes out.

"We're going to do an F-55, I think, if we get the right price — we have to get the right price," the president said. "And that will be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35."

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is a fifth-generation stealth aircraft made by the US defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The jet was developed and manufactured as part of a multinational program. Since the first one rolled off the production line, over 1,100 have been delivered to the US and militaries around the world.

Some prominent figures inside Trumpworld have sharply criticized the expensive F-35 program, saying that it has been a wasteful debacle and unnecessary amid the rise in drone technology, but the president's comments in Qatar on Thursday appear to indicate continued support for the program. The F-35 is considered within the Defense Department to be a cornerstone of US airpower.

Last month, Lockheed CEO James Taiclet said that the defense firm would "supercharge" the F-35's capabilities to make it a "fifth-generation-plus" aircraft that could bring it nearly on par with a sixth-generation fighter jet.

"So the F-35. So we're basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari. It's like a NASCAR upgrade, so to speak," Taiclet said during a first-quarter earnings call. He said Lockheed could outfit the F-35 with capabilities like better sensors, improved stealth technology, better systems, and longer-range weapons.

Taiclet's remarks came shortly after Lockheed lost a bid to build the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, which Trump named the "F-47," to Boeing. The coming NGAD is expected to fight alongside drones and succeed the F-22 Raptor as the US Air Force's top air-superiority fighter.

On Thursday, Trump also proposed big upgrades to the F-22, saying the US is going to make an "F-22 Super."

• The US Army is closely watching drone warfare in Ukraine and the Middle East.
• What it's learning is that drones are becoming deadlier, and the technology is evolving fast.
• A top Army officer outlined some of the ways the US is readying for future fights.

As the US Army closely watches the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, military planners are gathering critical intelligence about drones and how they're being used in combat.

Among the lessons being learned are that drones are fast becoming much deadlier and that US soldiers need to be ready to defend themselves from the evolving threat, an Army officer told Business Insider. And what the world is seeing unfold in conflicts now might be just the beginning.

"We're seeing the technology advance faster," said Col. Glenn Henke, commandant and chief of the Army's Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. But it's not just the technology that's advancing; it's how the tech is being employed in combat.

The Ukraine war ushered in a new era of drone warfare that has been unprecedented in scope and scale. Uncrewed systems are used for reconnaissance and strike missions on the ground, in the air, and at sea, and both Kyiv and Moscow are constantly trying to innovate with their technology to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

In the sprawling conflicts in the Middle East, drones have been employed by a number of actors, including the US, Israel, Iran, and Tehran-backed groups across the region, from Lebanon down to Yemen. In the Red Sea, American warships have squared off against attack drones in a sustained first-of-its-kind fight.

"I think we're kind of at the front end of this. So, the evolution of the capability is happening very quickly," Henke said. "The evolution of how it's being employed is happening very quickly. I don't think any of us believe that we've seen the plateauing of what is in the realm of the possible."

"We still think it's sort of ahead of us," he said. "The platforms are becoming much more capable, much more lethal." The defenses that work one day may not be as effective the next.

Henke oversees the Army's Joint C-sUAS (Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System) University, or JCU, where American servicemembers learn to identify, engage, and defeat hostile drones. It is just one element of the military's broad response to the rising threat of uncrewed systems.

While US troops have not faced the kind of large-scale drone warfare seen in Ukraine, they have gotten a taste of the action. Since October 2023, Iran-backed groups have launched scores of drone attacks against American bases and assets in the Middle East.

The US military has, for the most part, defeated these attacks, but there have been losses. In January 2024, a drone managed to slip past the defenses at Tower 22, a small military outpost in Jordan. It struck the facility, killing three soldiers and wounding dozens more. The deadly attack highlighted the threat these systems pose and the need for greater readiness.

Late last year, the Pentagon unveiled a new counter-drone strategy to meet the challenges presented by its adversaries, who are rapidly developing drone capabilities. "These cheap systems are increasingly changing the battlefield, threatening US installations, and wounding or killing our troops," then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the time.

When it comes to drone defense, Henke said, "one of the enduring lessons that we've seen in many cases is focusing on the command and control aspects of this and bringing in all of this into the single C2."

He explained that the Army is very focused on its next-generation C2 initiative, "which would streamline some of the command and control software that we use" and "allow us to bring everything onto sort of a single pane of glass."

Henke said that the Army is also focused on distributing counter-drone equipment at different levels.

At the division level, for instance, this includes the Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System, or LIDS. This system comes in fixed and mobile variants and is designed to defend against higher-end drone threats, as opposed to the smaller, quadcopter-style systems running rampant in Ukraine.

There's also an effort to proliferate capabilities down to individual soldiers, squads, and platoons, too. Last year, BI observed US soldiers training with the mobile Smart Shooter and Dronebuster devices, which use kinetic (physical strike) and non-kinetic (electronic warfare) methods to defeat small drones, respectively.

The challenge, though, is that "it's not reasonable for me to figure out what I'm going to buy three years from now, knowing how quickly this technology is moving," Henke said, emphasizing the idea of "flexible funding" to ensure the Army can pivot to procure new capabilities as the drone threat evolves.

• The Trump administration is set to possibly receive a luxury 747 jet from Qatar's royal family.
• Trump wants to use the 747 as the new Air Force One since the replacement plane is delayed.
• The possible transfer raises significant questions about potential security risks that could be costly to address.

President Donald Trump wants a luxury aircraft gifted by Qatar's royal family to be his new Air Force One. Beyond the legal and ethical questions, there are a host of security concerns.

Air Force One is a call sign for any US Air Force aircraft the president flies on, but it most commonly refers to the well-known light blue and white plane used for presidential transport. The aircraft is custom-built to operate as a secure, self-sufficient flying command center if need be. Using a plane gifted by a foreign country to fill this role would demand significant work to deliver the necessary capabilities and mitigate potential security risks.

Marc Polymeropoulos, a former senior CIA operations officer who served multiple Middle East tours, said that there are standards that the US Air Force, Department of Defense, and Secret Service are required to uphold to move the president securely.

"It's going to cost an exorbitant amount of money to get that up to standard with a plane gifted by a foreign government," he told Business Insider.

Trump said on Sunday evening in a Truth Social post that the Defense Department will receive a 747 "free of charge" to temporarily replace his aging Air Force One. He said the US would take possession of it in what he described as "a very public and transparent transaction." The White House says that while Qatar has offered the jet, the details are still being sorted.

The specially configured version of Boeing's 747-200B, built to transport the president of the United States, is a highly recognizable aircraft with its iconic livery that has become synonymous with the Air Force One call sign. It is fitted with secure communications equipment and can refuel mid-flight.

The plane is also equipped with electronic warfare capabilities and missile countermeasures.

The Air Force has operated two of these militarized 747s, which the service designates as VC-25A, for 35 years. The tail numbers are 28000 and 29000. A new aircraft, the VC-25B, is set to replace these planes and has been in development since 2015. However, the program has faced a number of issues that have forced its start date to be pushed back from 2024 to 2027 at the soonest.

On Monday, Trump told reporters he was "very disappointed that it has taken Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One."

ABC News, which first reported Sunday on the gift, said that Trump would use the Qatari-donated 747 (which has an estimated price tag of $400 million) as the new Air Force One until just before he leaves office in 2029.

Asked Monday whether Qatar had asked for anything in exchange for the luxury 747, Trump said the US has provided the Gulf country with lots of security over the years. He described the gift as "a great gesture" and said he "would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer."

"I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane," he said.

The president said that the US has kept Qatar — and its neighbors, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — secure and will continue to do so. "If it wasn't for us, they probably wouldn't exist right now. And I think this was just a gesture of good faith," he added. The US military operates out of several key bases in these three countries.

In response to further questions, Trump said that he does not plan to use the 747 after he leaves office and that the plane would go directly to his presidential library foundation.

Beyond raising questions about the legality of accepting an expensive gift from another country, the Qatar 747 news quickly triggered criticism from some US lawmakers and stoked concerns about the potential security risks of receiving such an important asset from a foreign state.

Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services subcommittee that oversees Air Force One, said that "retrofitting a plane from Qatar would create huge costs & a security nightmare that would impede the work underway to deliver the actual AF1 by 2027."

Boeing, the US aerospace giant, reportedly built the 747 as a private jet for Qatar's royal family, which acquired the aircraft in 2012. It is significantly larger than the 757-200 "Trump Force One" that the president and his organization have been using as a personal plane.

Tearing apart the plane 'piece by piece'

Once the Qatari 747 is eventually received by the Air Force, assuming the transfer takes place, it would need to be modified and essentially militarized by the Pentagon to meet the requirements of transporting a president — a high-stakes job that is unlikely to be cheap.

"The idea of getting it from a foreign government, you literally would have to tear it apart piece by piece," said Polymeropoulos, now a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He said acquiring this 747 isn't cost-effective because it would be expensive for the government and military to retrofit the aircraft to bring the plane up to the necessary standards.

"I suppose you can, but basically, you're building a whole new plane," he said.

BI asked the White House about addressing the security concerns and whether these surfaced during discussions of the aircraft's transfer. The administration pointed to Trump's remarks from the press conference earlier on Monday.

Qatar has stressed that a decision to transfer the aircraft is not final. A Pentagon spokesperson referred BI to the White House for questions about Air Force One procurement.

Joseph LaSorsa, a former Secret Service agent who protected several presidents during his 20-year-long career, identified multiple potential concerns with acquiring the 747.

LaSorsa, president and CEO of J.A. LaSorsa & Associates, told BI that these possible risks include sabotage to the 747's mechanical or operational features, tracking of the aircraft, and any surveillance through audio or video recording devices. He stressed that the American government would thoroughly examine the entire plane in a process that could take up to a year or longer.

"They're going to do their due diligence, if they do, in fact, use it," he said, but that's time and money.

• India launched strikes into Pakistan earlier in the week, kicking off a new round of fighting.
• Pakistan said it responded with its Chinese-made fighter jets and shot down five Indian aircraft.
• The Indian aircraft have since been identified as French-made Rafales and Soviet-era fighters.

Nuclear powers India and Pakistan are clashing again, and there are claims of aircraft kills from air battles that sound like a hodgepodge of foreign-made fighters.

Pakistani officials said Thursday that the country had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a number of drones since India launched cross-border strikes earlier this week, kicking off a new round of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's foreign minister, said the country's air force "engaged with the Indian fighter jets in self-defense" and shot down five aircraft and an undisclosed number of aerial drones.

Dar said Wednesday Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C jets in its response to India's strikes the night before. He identified some of the Indian aircraft downed as the French-made Rafale fighters, according to the state-run national news agency.

The five aircraft said to have been shot down consisted of three Rafales and two Russian-designed fighter aircraft: a MiG-29 and a Su-30, per reports citing Pakistan's military.

That is quite the mix of fighter aircraft. Both countries fly jet designs from all around the world, and conflict has the potential to bring jets into battle that might otherwise not engage one another.

Pakistan, for instance, flies Chinese-made J-10s, the joint Pakistani-Chinese J-17 fighter, American-made F-16s, and French Mirages, while India operates the French-made Rafales and Mirages, Russian-origin Su-30s, MiG-29s, and MiG-21, UK Jaguars, and a homemade fighter jet known as the Tejas.

The J-10C Pakistan touted, as it claimed victories over the Indian Air Force, is a single-engine, multi-role aircraft manufactured by the Chinese aerospace conglomerate Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group. Pakistan received its first batch of these fighter jets — upgraded versions of the original J-10 — in 2022. They can carry bombs, air-to-air missiles, and rockets.

The Rafale is a twin-engine multi-mission fighter aircraft manufactured by the French aerospace company Dassault Aviation. India is one of only a small number of countries that operate these fighter jets and fields 36 of them. Recently it signed a deal to purchase more than two dozen more for its navy.

And then the Mikoyan MiG-29 and much larger Sukhoi Su-30 are twin-engine fighter aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Russian aerospace firms. These two jets are operated by dozens of countries around the world and can carry out various missions.

The MiG-29, introduced in the early 1980s, was built to counter the American-made F-15 and F-16. Meanwhile, the Su-30 entered service in the following decade. These aircraft represent a major component of India's air power. The country fields hundreds of them.

Business Insider could not independently verify Pakistan's claims that it shot down the five aircraft. India's defense ministry and its embassy in the US did not respond to queries about the aerial engagements.

Information from these clashes can be unreliable. During the 2019 conflict, India claimed that one of its MiG-21 pilots defeated a Pakistani pilot flying an F-16. The US later called that into question.

Reuters reported that US officials confirmed that in the latest clashes, Chinese-made J-10s were used to down at least two Indian aircraft.

Not just planes, but drones too

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a spokesperson for the Pakistani Army, said Thursday that Islamabad had destroyed a dozen of India's Harop drones — loitering munitions, or one-way attack drones, packed with explosives. The weapons, which can linger over a target area before striking, are made by Israel Aerospace Industries.

Chaudhry, during a press conference, displayed images purporting to show debris from the downed Indian drones. "The armed forces are on a high degree of alert, and neutralizing them as we speak," he said.

India on Tuesday night said that it launched strikes against nine "terrorist infrastructure sites" in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, signaling the start of a new military operation — Operation Sindoor — that Islamabad has labeled an act of war.

The latest round of fighting, which has sent tensions soaring between the two rivals, follows a massacre last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, which left 26 people dead. India has historically accused its neighbor of supporting cross-border terror, though Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack.

India's defense ministry initially said that no Pakistani military facilities were hit, "reflecting India's calibrated and non-escalatory approach." But on Thursday, New Delhi said that it had targeted air defense systems and radars across the border.

Pakistani leadership vowed to respond to the Indian strikes, and the country has already hit back at India with mortars, artillery shells, drones, and missiles, New Delhi said. Several people have been killed in both countries over the past two days.

• The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has suffered a series of mishaps during its deployment.
• Since December, the ship has lost three fighter jets and collided with a commercial vessel.
• These incidents have cost the Navy at least $180 million so far.

It's been a rough few months for the USS Harry S. Truman, which has suffered a string of serious and expensive mishaps since the aircraft carrier sailed into the Middle East at the end of last year.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has lost three F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets in the Red Sea — the most recent incident occurred on Tuesday — and collided with a commercial vessel, an incident that cost its skipper his job.

While it's unclear how much damage the Truman sustained from the collision, F/A-18s are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece, meaning the carrier has racked up at least $180 million in lost planes and damage.

It adds to the mounting costs the US military has borne from the Trump administration's seven-week air war against the Yemen-based Houthi militants attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea.

Arrestment failure

On Tuesday, an F/A-18F Super Hornet was landing on the Truman's flight deck when the arresting cable failed, sending the aircraft over the edge and into the water. Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.

"The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries," a defense official told Business Insider. "No flight deck personnel were injured."

It's unclear exactly what went wrong during the landing. US carriers have catapults to launch aircraft and arresting gear to recover them. The wire cables are tensioned across the flight deck to catch an aircraft's tailhook and rapidly decelerate it, a process repeated dozens of times daily during flight operations. Physical damage to a cable or a failure of the hydro-pneumatic systems that absorb the force of the landing aircraft.

Towing incident

On April 28, an F/A-18E was actively under tow in Truman's hangar bay, an area under the flight deck where aircraft are maintained, when the move crew "lost control" of the fighter, the Navy said. At the time of the incident, the jet was likely on one of Truman's four elevators, which move aircraft between the hangar bay and the flight deck.

The jet and the tow tractor fell overboard. A defense official later told BI that a sailor jumped from the cockpit of the F/A-18 right before it fell into the Red Sea, and was lightly hurt as a result of the incident.

The Navy said at the time that the Truman carrier strike group and its air wing "remain fully mission capable."

At least four fighter squadrons are deployed on the Truman, with likely 10 or more fighters per squadron.

Collision

On February 12, the Truman collided with a commercial vessel in the Mediterranean Sea near Egypt's Port Said, at the mouth of the Suez Canal.

The aircraft carrier suffered some damage, including to the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space. There was also damage external to the ship, including a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above one of the storage spaces. Truman sailed to a US naval base in Greece for repairs.

Capt. Dave Snowden, Truman's commanding officer at the time, said the ship was "fully mission capable" and even continued to conduct flight operations after the crash. He was later fired and replaced by Capt. Christopher Hill, who previously captained the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first aircraft carrier to take on the Iran-backed Houthi group in Yemen that's been attacking shipping lanes.

Friendly fire

On December 22, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of Truman's strike group, shot down an F/A-18 Super Hornet over the Red Sea in what the US military said was "an apparent case of friendly fire."

The fighter jet had launched from the Truman. Both aviators ejected safely.

That incident occurred just a few days after the Truman and its strike group entered the Middle East region. It became the Navy's fourth aircraft carrier to join the fight against the Houthis.

After weeks of calm, the US military began a new bombing campaign against the Houthis on March 15. The Truman participated in these intensive combat operations for over seven weeks until Tuesday, when President Donald Trump said American forces would stop.

• Cheap drones have been used to destroy expensive systems like tanks in the Ukraine war.
• US military leaders are watching this trend closely and evaluating the threat for future conflicts.
• The Army secretary said it's not worth it to buy expensive weapons if they're vulnerable to drones.

The US can't keep building and buying expensive weapons that are vulnerable to drones that are produced at a fraction of the cost, the Army secretary said.

"We keep creating and purchasing these exquisite machines that very cheap drones can take out," Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said during an episode of the "War on the Rocks" podcast that aired Tuesday.

"If the number is even remotely right, that Russia has manufactured 1 million drones in the last 12 months, that just makes us have to rethink the cost of what we're buying," he continued.

"We are the wealthiest nation, perhaps in the history of the world, but even we can't sustain a couple-million-dollar piece of equipment that can be taken out with an $800 drone and munition," he said.

Driscoll was responding to a question about whether the US military was walking away from the Robotic Combat Vehicle. He said that while the concept was valuable, the cost ratio didn't work.

The US military has been watching the war in Ukraine, where cheap drones packed with explosives are damaging or destroying expensive combat equipment like tanks, other armored vehicles, air defenses, and even warships, highlighting the vulnerability of larger and more prized weapons that are insufficiently defended.

The proliferation of cheap drones — some of which cost as little as a few hundred dollars — has become a growing concern for the US military as it readies for the possibility of a large-scale confrontation between NATO and Russia in Europe or a fight with China in the Pacific.

Moscow said it produced 1.5 million drones last year. A Ukrainian tank commander called Russian drones a major threat to his American-made M1 Abrams tank, which costs about $10 million.

Ukraine has outfitted its Abrams tanks and other systems, including European-made tanks and American-made armored fighting vehicles, with additional armor to help protect the expensive equipment from drones, but it's not a perfect solution.

Armored vehicle losses in this war have been high. Ukraine, for example, has lost more than 4,400 armored vehicles, while Russia has lost more than 12,600, according to Oryx, an open-source intelligence site that tracks military equipment losses on both sides.

And drones aren't just a threat to land assets. Ukrainian naval drones packed with explosives have wreaked havoc on Russia's Black Sea Fleet. These drones have even been upgraded to launch missiles. Ukraine said one managed to take down two of Russia's $50 million Su-30 fighter jets over the weekend.

• An F/A-18 fighter jet went overboard after trying to land on the USS Harry S. Truman on Tuesday.
• It's the second Super Hornet the Truman has lost in just over a week and the third of this deployment.
• F/A-18s are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.

Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet fell off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and into the Red Sea on Tuesday, a US defense official confirmed to Business Insider.

It's the second fighter jet lost from the Truman in a little over a week and the third of the carrier's deployment. Super Hornets are estimated to cost roughly $60 million apiece.

The F/A-18F was landing on the flight deck of the Truman on Tuesday when the arrestment failed, causing the fighter jet to go overboard, the official said. Both the aviators safely ejected and were rescued by an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.

Navy aircraft carriers have catapults for launch and arresting gear for recovery. The thick cables help aircraft quickly decelerate on landing. It's unclear what exactly failed during Tuesday's recovery.

"The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries," the official said, adding that "no flight deck personnel were injured."

CNN first reported on the incident, which was the latest in a series of mishaps for Truman and its strike group.

On April 28, an F/A-18E and a tow tractor fell off the Truman and into the Red Sea after a move crew lost control of the aircraft. A sailor who jumped from the cockpit just before the fighter jet went overboard was lightly hurt.

In February, the Truman collided with a large commercial vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, resulting in the firing of the carrier's commanding officer.

And in December, the missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the Truman's strike group, shot down a Super Hornet in what the US military described as "an apparent case of friendly fire." Both aviators ejected safely.

The Truman has been deeply involved in combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. But Tuesday's incident came as President Donald Trump said the US would end a seven-week intensive bombing campaign against the rebels.

• Small drones have been a serious threat to tanks in the Ukraine war.
• It's forcing US military leaders to think about how they will use tanks in future conflicts.
• The Army secretary said tanks will need to hang back in battle to avoid getting hit by drones.

The US is learning from the war in Ukraine that tanks will no longer be able to charge forward in combat like they used to because they're vulnerable to enemy attacks with cheap drones, the new Army secretary said.

"You cannot move without being seen," Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said of the battlefield in Ukraine during an episode of the War on the Rocks podcast that aired on Tuesday.

"The amount of sensors on the battlefield, the amount of ability from both sides to see what's going on" has created a situation in which Army commanders cannot push tanks "as far forward in the formation as you used to be able to because very cheap drones are able to take them out of any usefulness," he said.

"We have got to be a lot leaner," the secretary said. "We have got to work on hiding ourselves from the air." His remarks echo the concerns of other Army leaders, who have warned that uncrewed systems are always watching the battlefield.

Tanks have taken a serious beating in the Ukraine conflict. Oryx, an open-source intelligence site that visually tracks military equipment losses, says Moscow has lost at least 3,900 tanks; Kyiv has lost over 1,100. A majority of these were destroyed in combat, while some have been damaged, abandoned, or captured.

Drones are a major threat to tanks in Ukraine. The commander of an American-made M1 Abrams in service with Kyiv's military told Business Insider that Russian FPV drones specifically are dangerous. He said the tank relies on additional protective armor and electronic warfare capabilities to stay safe. Still, there have been losses.

The heavy losses have led to assessments that tanks may be obsolete in wars dominated by drones. However, Driscoll recently told BI that the role of US tanks will change rather than disappear. Instead of combined-arms assaults led by armor, where tanks are the first to hit the front lines and lead breaching operations, uncrewed systems may spearhead the charge instead.

Driscoll said that tanks will stay in safe, defended positions until there is a clear path that allows them to move forward. This is a break from the traditional role of tanks, but it is seen by military planners as necessary in a world where armored vehicles worth millions can be easily picked off by drones worth as little as a few hundred bucks.

Using cheap drones to destroy expensive armored vehicles has proven to be an effective asymmetrical warfare tactic. US forces have enjoyed air superiority in recent conflicts, not needing to be constantly looking up for enemy airpower. That's changing with drones.

American soldiers training on tanks and other armored vehicles are learning they need to be aware of their surroundings. That includes looking up for possible incoming threats.

• The UK just unveiled a new drone designed to operate alongside F-35s and Typhoons.
• The drone, called StormShroud, will jam enemy radars so the fighter jets can operate more freely.
• It comes as the UK and others, including the US, look to integrate drones with crewed aircraft.

The British Royal Air Force unveiled a new drone on Friday that's designed to jam enemy radars in combat to clear a path for F-35 and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to operate freely.

The RAF wrote in a statement that the new drone, called StormShroud, is now in operational service and is the first in a new family of autonomous systems that will fight alongside crewed platforms.

It said StormShroud will support the UK's F-35B and Typhoon pilots "by blinding enemy radars, which increases the survivability and operational effectiveness of our crewed aircraft." It added that uncrewed systems are not new to the UK and this drone was made by taking lessons from the war in Ukraine and other conflicts.

Among the aircraft the drone can support, the F-35B is a fifth-generation stealth aircraft made by US defense contractor Lockheed Martin; the UK operates them from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. And the Eurofighter Typhoon is a fourth-generation multi-role fighter manufactured by a consortium of European companies.

The RAF said the delivery of the StormShroud "marks a significant step" in efforts to blend autonomous systems into front-line operations.

The drone's platform — the Tekever AR3 — is made in two locations in the UK and will carry Leonardo UK's BriteStorm electronic warfare payload that can jam the radars of enemy air defenses, creating openings for crewed aircraft to engage in combat missions.

StormShroud is part of the UK's Autonomous Collaborative Platforms strategy. This effort is centered on having crewed and autonomous systems operating together to reduce pilot risk in hostile environments by relying on flexible and cost-effective systems, like drones.

The US has a similar initiative to the UK's ACP called the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. The US has tested "loyal wingman" drones alongside its F-35s, and there is an expectation that the coming sixth-gen F-47 will fly with CCAs.

"This is a seminal moment for the RAF to maintain our advantage in Air Combat and national security," Air Chief Marshal Rich Knighton, the chief of the air staff, said in a statement.

Knighton said the RAF is committed to pursuing cutting-edge technologies that can enhance the force's "lethality and survivability in a more contested and dangerous world," explaining that "autonomous collaborative platforms will revolutionize how we conduct a range of missions, from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support."

The RAF said conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East show that drones have majorly changed modern warfare, both for offensive and defensive missions.

• The US is finally sending F-16s to Ukraine, except they are non-operational aircraft.
• An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the US is transferring disused fighter jets for spare parts.
• European countries have sent Ukraine's air force operational American-made fighter jets.

The US is taking retired, non-operational F-16s and sending them to Ukraine so they can be used for spare parts, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed on Thursday.

Ukraine's air force has received operational American-made F-16 fighter jets from European countries over the past year. The US authorized the transfer, but it has not sent any operational aircraft itself.

The Air Force spokesperson told Business Insider that the department "has supported the sustainment of European donated F-16s to Ukraine by providing disused and completely non-operational F-16s to Ukraine for parts."

"These F-16s were retired from active US use and are not flyable," the spokesperson explained. "Importantly, they lack critical components, such as an engine or radar, and could not be reconstituted for operational use."

Images began to circulate on social media last week showing shrink-wrapped F-16 airframes being loaded into a Ukrainian transport aircraft in Arizona. Open-source intelligence accounts tracked the flight from Tucson to Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport in Poland, a key hub for Western military equipment on its way to Kyiv.

The War Zone first reported the F-16 transfer, which appears to be the first evidence that the US was sending the airframes. The Trump administration has not commented publicly on the F-16 delivery, but it notably came as Washington and Kyiv were poised to sign a long-awaited minerals deal, which they did on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about sending military aid to Ukraine, and his administration even cut it off for a brief period in March. The transfer of F-16s for spare parts, however, could be a sign that Washington is still willing to send much-needed equipment to Kyiv.

Last month, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, the top US commander in Europe, talked about the status of the F-16s in Ukraine.

"The planes are active, and they fly every day," Cavoli, who heads US European Command, said, adding that there are more F-16s coming with more pilots in the training pipeline.

"They've defeated a large number of cruise missile threats, and they delivered an awful lot of offensive attacks as well, specifically, bombing attacks in the east. None of the F-16s have been from the US, though; they've mainly been from northern European countries," the general said.

The Biden administration authorized the transfer of F-16s to Ukraine in 2023, and Denmark and the Netherlands began sending their jets last summer. Belgium and Norway also pledged to donate the aircraft. The four NATO countries planned to send dozens of fighters.

Though the US has not sent operational aircraft, it played a critical role in training Ukrainian F-16 pilots, as did Romania.

In March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the country had received a new shipment of F-16s. It's unclear exactly how many fighter jets Kyiv is flying now.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a decades-old but capable fourth-generation aircraft. The transfers were meant to give Ukraine's aging fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets a much-needed boost for both defensive and offensive missions. They can be armed with powerful air-to-air missiles and air-to-ground munitions.

Ukraine has lost at least two F-16s on combat missions since they started flying last year. Kyiv has not disclosed any other potential losses.

• Ukraine has launched a program that gives points to soldiers who kill Russians or destroy their tanks.
• The Ukrainian units can use the points to buy drones and other equipment from an online store.
• The store is like "Amazon" but with military technology, a top Ukrainian official said this week.

Ukraine has launched a program that awards points to soldiers who verifiably kill Russian troops or destroy their equipment. They can then use these rewards to purchase drones and other weapons from an online "Amazon"-style marketplace.

Mykhailo Fedorov, who serves as Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, said this week that his government has launched the Brave1 Market, a website that showcases military technology from the defense industry, including drones, robots, and electronic warfare devices, that are available for purchase.

Ukrainian military units can use their funds to purchase equipment directly from the website, which functions "like Amazon," Fedorov wrote on Telegram on Monday. However, instead of selling common items, the Brave1 Market offers "innovations."

Military units can also use reward points for purchases. Units are awarded points for killing enemy soldiers or destroying Russian military equipment, so long as they confirm the attack with drone footage and upload it to a military situational awareness network.

Once the kill is verified, units receive "ePoints;" the amount depends on the target. Eliminating a Russian soldier reportedly awards six points, while destroying a tank earns 40. These points can be exchanged for military equipment through the Brave1 Market.

"The marketplace will significantly simplify the interaction between developers and the military," Fedorov said, per a translation of his remarks on Telegram. He said that military units can choose the right tech in just a few clicks, compare different equipment, contact the manufacturer, and make a deal directly.

Fedorov said military units are often unaware of certain equipment available to them, so the new site is intended to offer more transparency. He said that over 1,000 different types of equipment, including various drones, ground robots, guns, and electronic warfare devices, are already on the Brave1 Market.

The catalog is extensive — units can even buy cameras, batteries, engines, and satellite communication devices. Much of the material is readily available for viewing on the site, but some sensitive information can only be accessed by certain users.

Alex Eine, the section commander of a drone unit in Ukraine's Separate Presidential Brigade, told Business Insider that the points system works best for soldiers who work with small first-person-view (FPV) or bomber drones on the front lines. More frequent missions mean a greater chance of earning points.

Eine's unit, known in English as the "Birds of Fury," uses a drone called the Backfire to strike Russian positions behind the front lines. The drone is available on the Brave1 Market for around $60,000 for a pack of three; its value in points is unclear.

A popular bomber drone called "Baba Yaga" costs around 43 points, according to Politico, which cited Fedorov's comments at a recent tech conference in Kyiv. The Ukrainian government will pay for the drones ordered with points and deliver them to the units.

Fedorov said one unit, Magyar's Birds, had already accumulated over 16,000 points, enough to buy hundreds of drones. The unit's front-line drone operations are well known. The Brave1 Market website lists the unit as the top earner of combat points in March.

Other high-earning units include the 59th Separate Assault Brigade, part of the Unmanned Systems Forces, and the 3rd Separate Special Purpose Regiment, part of the Special Operations Forces.

• Ukrainian long-range drones struck a defense manufacturing site deep inside Russia.
• A security source told BI that the attack caused damage at the Murom Instrument-Making Plant.
• It's Ukraine's latest deep strike as it continues to target Russia's military and energy sites.

Ukraine attacked a defense manufacturing site deep inside Russia on Tuesday night with long-range drones, starting a fire and causing damage at the facility, a security source told Business Insider.

A source in the Security Service of Ukraine said that the agency launched drones at the Murom Instrument-Making Plant, around 180 miles east of Moscow in the Vladimir region. The facility produces ammunition ignition devices and parts for Russia's navy and military aviation.

The SBU source said the attack caused five explosions at the plant and triggered a fire, which was said to have damaged two buildings at the facility. Local video footage and imagery appeared to show the fire.

Alexander Avdeev, the governor of the Vladimir region, said that a "major fire" set a warehouse ablaze at a plant in Murom. He said there were no casualties, and dozens of first responders were able to extinguish the fire.

Later, in a Telegram post, Avdeev said that several drones had been taken down by Russian electronic warfare. One of the drones that fell caused the fire at the warehouse, he said, reporting that two buildings were left damaged by the attack.

Meanwhile, Russia's defense ministry said that it intercepted three Ukrainian drones over the Vladimir region on Tuesday night. Kyiv has not publicly commented on the attack. BI could not independently confirm the details of the incident.

The Murom plant, which is on Ukrainian and European sanctions lists, plays "a significant role" in supporting Russia's war machine, the security source explained, per a translation of their remarks shared with BI. They said "the SBU continues to work effectively for legitimate military purposes on the territory of the Russian Federation."

The attack marks Ukraine's latest deep strike into Russia. Kyiv has used domestically produced long-range drones and missiles to hit military and energy sites, including ammunition storage facilities, weapons production factories, airfields, and oil terminals.

The latest incident marks another setback for Russia's military in the Vladimir region. Last week, a large ammunition depot in the area caught fire and exploded.

• An F/A-18 Super Hornet fell off the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman on Monday.
• A defense official said a sailor was in the jet's cockpit but jumped out before it fell overboard.
• The Truman, which has been battling the Houthis, was in the Red Sea at the time.

A US Navy sailor jumped from the cockpit of an F/A-18 fighter jet just before it fell off an aircraft carrier into the Red Sea on Monday, a defense official confirmed to Business Insider.

The sailor was involved in moving the jet when the incident occurred, the official said.

The Navy revealed earlier this week that an F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor fell off the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and into the sea after the move crew "lost control" of the fighter aircraft. It didn't say why the crew lost control of the plane, but it did say a sailor was hurt.

A US defense official told BI on Wednesday that the sailor, who was lightly injured, bailed out of the F/A-18 cockpit when it became clear the aircraft was going to go overboard.

It's unclear how much time passed between the sailor leaving the plane and it falling into the water. The defense official said it's standard practice for a sailor to be in the jet's cockpit when the aircraft is being moved in case the crew needs to use the emergency brake or steer.

In its statement on the incident, the Navy said sailors towing the jet "took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard." CNN first reported that a sailor was in the cockpit at the time.

The Navy said Monday that the F/A-18, which is estimated to cost about $60 million, was under tow in the Truman's hangar bay, an area underneath the flight deck where aircraft receive maintenance, when it fell into the Red Sea.

At the time, the fighter jet was likely on one of Truman's four aircraft elevators, which move aircraft between the hangar bay and the flight deck. The Navy said an investigation is underway.

"The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and embarked air wing remain fully mission capable," the sea service said.

Monday's incident marks the second time Truman's air wing has lost an F/A-18 during its Red Sea deployment. In December, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, part of the strike group, shot down a Super Hornet in what was described at the time as "an apparent case of friendly fire." Its two aviators ejected safely.

The Truman is one of two Navy carriers involved in combat operations against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The US began an intense bombing campaign against the rebels on March 15 and has hit over 1,000 targets in the weeks since.

The Houthis, meanwhile, continue to attack American ships. Before the Super Hornet incident on Monday, the rebels said they launched missiles and drones at the Truman, forcing the carrier to turn around. Some reports have suggested that the ship made an evasive maneuver that caused the F/A-18 to go overboard. BI could not confirm these reports.