TYB
Ukraine destroys giant radio telescope used by Russian military
September 18, 2025
A giant radio telescope in Crimea used in the past to support missions to Mars and Venus and attempt to contact alien civilizations has been destroyed in a drone attack.
Ukrainian defense forces took down the 230-foot (70 meters) antenna dish to prevent Russian forces from using it to guide attacks on its territory.
The RT-70 radio telescope has been under Russian control since the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014.
According to Defense Express, Russians carried out major upgrades to the 5,000 metric ton structure to use it for military communications.
The telescope reportedly served as an antenna for the GLONASS satellite navigation system, Russia's alternative to the American GPS. Reportedly, the use of the RT-70 radio antenna increased the accuracy of GLONASS by around 30%
In late August, footage emerged captured by a drone slamming into the 50-year-old radio telescope. The drone, according to Defense Express, aimed at the 200-kilowatt radio receiver at the heart of the telescope.
The custom-made receiver produced in 2011 in Moscow during the last major upgrade of the telescope will be hard to replace, Defense Express said, meaning Russia will not likely be able to repair the antenna any time soon.
The destroyed dish was one of three RT-70 radio telescopes built across the former USSR in the mid-1970 to form the Soviet Deep Space Network.
Soviet satellite controllers used the radio telescope, near the city of Yevpatoria on the Black Sea coast, to communicate with several missions of the Venus exploration program Venera in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In the 2000s, the telescope featured prominently in several initiatives intended to contact alien life. Over 20 message packages were sent from the telescope in four messaging campaigns targeting potentially habitable planets orbiting stars outside the solar system.
Most of these messages have not yet reached their destinations. The earliest to arrive at its target is heading to an Earth-like planet orbiting the star Gliese 581 some 20.5 light years from Earth, which it is expected to reach in 2029.
The Yevpatoria RT-70 radio antenna also carried out astronomical research, detecting signals from planets, asteroids and distant galactic centers.
In the 2000s the telescope supported the European Space Agency's missions Mars Express and Rosetta, destined for Mars and Comet 67/P respectively.
The RT-70 radio telescope was one of multiple astronomical facilities that fell into Russia's hands after the annexation of Crimea.
The mountainous Crimea used to be a popular holiday destination in the former USSR, known for its sunny climate and sandy beaches. The peninsula's cloudless weather and peaky landscape also made it a hub for astronomy.
According to Orbital Today, the Shain mirror telescope, the largest optical sky-watching machine in Ukraine featuring a 7.8-foot mirror (2.6), is now under the control of the Russian Academy of Sciences and so are the optical telescopes, radio telescope and laser rangefinders at the Simez Observatory located at Crimea's southernmost tip.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, the Giant Ukrainian Radio Telescope in Kharkiv sustained significant damage in 2022 when the region was under Russian occupation.
Orbital Today reported that Russian troops stole instruments and computers from the observatory and lay landmines across the 1.6 million square foot (150,000 square meters) site covered with more than 2,000 dipole radio antennas.
A 2024 UNESCO report estimates the overall damage to Ukrainian science infrastructure from the Russian war at $1.26 billion.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/drone-destroyes-rt-70-radio-telescope-crimea
https://twitter.com/ukrpravda_news/status/1962159897325207613
Breathtaking timelapse photos capture September's blood moon total lunar eclipse over Egypt's White Desert
September 17, 2025
Photographer Osama Fathi has produced a pair of breathtaking images showing the dramatic transformation of the moon during the total lunar eclipse on Sept. 7, as it fell into the deepest part of Earth's shadow above the White Desert National Park in Egypt.
A lunar eclipse takes place when Earth passes directly between the sun and moon during a full moon phase, casting its shadow across the lunar surface.
The most dramatic moment occurs as the moon slips entirely into our world's inner shadow, known as the umbra, and is bathed in the combined light of every sunrise and sunset on Earth, transforming it into a red, blood moon.
Fathi captured the Sept. 7-8 lunar eclipse using a combination of three lenses as the moon rose high over the White Desert's chalk formations.
"Standing under a blood-red Moon while the Milky Way slowly brightened was surreal — time felt elastic," Fathi told Space.com in an email.
"The light fell away in minutes, the horizon cooled, and every click felt like threading a needle while the sky kept changing beneath my hands".
Fathi used a 600 mm telephoto lens to capture exquisite detail on the lunar surface, and 50 mm and 14 mm lenses to image the striking chalk formations of the White Desert.
Throughout, Fathi worked under red light to preserve his night vision, adjusting exposure times, manually focusing and fighting gusts of wind that threatened to blur carefully timed shots.
The result is a spectacular vista that chronicles the shifting face of September's blood moon in contrast to the stillness of the desert below.
"This composite image traces the full sequence of the total lunar eclipse as it arced above the iconic Mushroom and Chicken Rock formations," Fathi said.
"From first contact with Earth's shadow through the deep red glow of totality, and then back to the brilliance of a full Moon, each phase is captured in precise order."
Fathi went on to combine detailed shots of the eclipse — captured using a Nikon Z6III camera with a Nikkor Z 180-600 mm long lens — to create a mesmerizing lunar swirl reminiscent of a cosmic ammonite shell.
"The image highlights both the aesthetic beauty of the event and the scientific principle once used by ancient astronomers to deduce Earth's spherical nature," explained Fathi.
"It is presented as both an artistic mosaic and an educational visualization of Earth's shadow geometry".
https://www.space.com/stargazing/astrophotography/timelapse-photos-capture-september-blood-moon-total-lunar-eclipse-over-egypt-white-desert-september-2025
DAF launches Culture of Fitness initiative
Sept. 18, 2025
The Department of the Air Force announced its Culture of Fitness initiative to transform the way Airmen and Guardians approach physical fitness and readiness.
The initiative aims to reinvigorate a holistic culture of well-being that empowers Airmen and Guardians to be more dominant, agile and lethal through physical fitness.
The transformation to a Culture of Fitness comes after a critical review of existing DAF fitness programs, which revealed necessary improvements to increase overall well-being and operational readiness required for mission success.
The department has structured the initiative around four key lines of effort:
• Being Physically and Medically Ready: Proactively manage health to minimize duty limitations and ensure deployable and employed-in-place forces can execute operations.
• Fostering a Culture of Fitness: Elevate the prominence of regular unit physical conditioning and leadership accountability.
• Fueling a Culture of Fitness: Empower a healthier, fitter force by providing nutritional resources and promoting holistic well-being.
• Measuring a Culture of Fitness: Revolutionize fitness assessments to accurately reflect operational demands and drive data-informed training.
“Having a Culture of Fitness for the Department of the Air Force is more than just physical training," said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink.
“It is about making sure we enable Airmen and Guardians to be wholly resilient, healthy and ready to defend our nation.”
Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier will lead the department through this reform by overseeing the Air Force’s and Space Force’s efforts to cultivate a Culture of Fitness across the force.
“This initiative will ensure our Air Force and Space Force remain capable and lethal,” Lohmeier said.
“I am honored to champion this effort, but its success depends upon proper attention from our command teams across the department.
You have my commitment that I will provide you with the resources and guidance necessary for you to succeed.”
The Air Force and Space Force are actively implementing several initiatives in support of the department’s broader transformation.
One such effort includes improving fitness infrastructure by ensuring 24/7 access to fitness facilities across all installations.
As of now, 77 out of 84 installations have round-the-clock access to their primary fitness centers, representing 139 out of 181 total fitness centers.
Recognizing the crucial role of nutrition in overall well-being, the Air Force is also continuing its “Go for Green” and DAF Dining Facility Menu Modernization efforts, focusing on providing healthier and more nutritious dining options to Airmen and Guardians.
The Space Force is continuing its push to keep Guardians mission ready by looking beyond just physical fitness.
Since 2022, the service has followed a Holistic Health Approach — a science-based program that supports overall well-being across eight areas: social, physical, financial, spiritual, preventive care, environmental, nutritional and psychological. Rather than the traditional approach of strictly focusing on unit workouts and recurring fitness tests, the program emphasizes prevention, resilience and everyday healthy habits.
The goal is to strengthen connections, improve quality of life and help Guardians perform at their best — both mentally and physically.
The Space Force also created Guardian Resilience Teams in 2022. These teams bring together experts in areas like mental health, nutrition, fitness and family support.
By embedding them directly within units, the Space Force aims to give Guardians and their families easier access to resources and find support before challenges become crises.
As the DAF continues to roll out resources, tools and updates — including enhancements to physical training, nutrition and overall fitness initiatives — Airmen and Guardians can expect ongoing communication to help them fully engage with and benefit from this transformative approach to readiness and well-being.
In line with this initiative, the Air Force and Space Force will announce changes to their respective physical fitness programs in the near future.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4307362/daf-launches-culture-of-fitness-initiative/
Former top US Navy commander jailed in bribery case
17 Sep, 2025 21:07
Retired US Navy Admiral Robert Burke has been sentenced to six years in prison and slapped with a hefty fine for bribery, federal prosecutors have announced.
The 62-year-old was found guilty of awarding a government contract to a company in exchange for future employment at the firm.
The four-star admiral was once the second-highest uniformed officer in the Navy, commanding its forces in Europe and Africa.
In a statement on Tuesday, prosecutors said that in May a jury found Burke guilty of bribery and conspiracy, and several other related crimes.
According to the document, the admiral used his position to ensure that the company, identified in the media as Next Jump, was awarded a government contract for providing workforce training to Navy personnel in 2021.
A previous multimillion-dollar contract with the company had been terminated two years prior as it had been “poorly received,” prosecutors said.
It was revealed that Burke had privately met with Yongchul Kim and Meghan Messenger, the co-CEOs of the firm, who offered to provide the commander with future employment with the company in exchange for his patronage.
According to officials, the new $355,000-contract envisaged the provision of “basically the same programming that had failed two years earlier.”
After his retirement from the Navy in 2022, the admiral started working at Next Jump at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 in stock options, the statement read.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro accused the commander of “turning four stars into dollar signs and trading duty for a corporate payday.”
The admiral’s attorneys said they would appeal his convictions, describing his conduct as a “tragic deviation from his well-established character at a time of immense professional and personal stress at the twilight of a demanding forty-year career.”
They also noted that the $500,000 salary and stock options Next Jump had offered as compensation were “substantially below what a retired four-star admiral could command in the private sector,” implying that the scheme made little sense.
https://www.rt.com/news/624839-us-navy-admiral-jailed-corruption-case/
https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/retired-us-navy-admiral-sentenced-six-years-bribery-scheme
FSB detains man dressed as elderly lady in ‘Ukrainian bomb plot’
18 Sep, 2025 07:09
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has thwarted a Ukrainian plot to assassinate the head of a Russian defense company in St. Petersburg, the agency claimed on Thursday.
The male suspect, dressed in women’s clothes “in an attempt to mislead the investigation” but was apprehended by officers while planting the bomb on the target’s vehicle, it added.
Footage released by the agency captured the man posing as an elderly lady.
According to the FSB, Ukrainian spy services recruited a man and two women online to carry out the planned car bomb attack.
On the orders of their handlers, the women surveilled their target before obtaining an improvised explosive device from a stash at a local cemetery and handing it over to the would-be assassin, the agency said in a statement.
Criminal cases have been launched against the suspects on preparing a terrorist act and illegal possession of explosives, the FSB said.
They could also face charges of participating in a terrorist organization and treason, which carry a punishment of up to life in prison, it added.
The agency warned that “Ukrainian intelligence agencies are continuing to actively search the internet for potential perpetrators of terrorist attacks and sabotage,” and urged the public to stay vigilant and refrain from communicating with unknown contacts on messaging apps.
Ukraine has assassinated several officials and public figures inside Russia since the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, often using local operatives.
Last year, a man recruited by Kiev killed Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, commander of Russia’s Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Forces, and his aide with a bomb hidden inside an electric scooter parked outside Kirillov’s Moscow home.
https://www.rt.com/russia/624846-fsb-foils-ukraine-bombing/
chekt
https://burlison.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-burlison-praises-launch-trump-administrations-nuclear-reactor-pilot
Major Change in Earth's Core, Sunspot Watch | S0 News
Sep.18.2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOGcAK8bKEg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLws5BHFIvY (Biggest Earthquakes Are Triggered By The Sun Sep 17, 2025)
https://x.com/SunWeatherMan
Air India crash victims’ families sue US aerospace giants – media
18 Sep, 2025 13:47
The families of four passengers killed when a UK-bound Air India flight crashed earlier this year have filed a lawsuit against US aerospace companies Boeing and Honeywell, the NDTV website reported on Thursday.
The 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad, India shortly after takeoff on June 12. Only one person on board survived. Nineteen people on the ground were also killed.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in the Delaware Superior Court, alleges that the two companies were negligent and that a faulty fuel cutoff switch caused the accident, according to the report.
A preliminary report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found that cockpit fuel switches had been switched off seconds after takeoff, which shut down both engines.
The litigants believe this was caused by a design defect that “allowed for inadvertent cutoff of fuel supply and total loss of thrust necessary to propel” the plane, according to a BBC report.
They also allege that Honeywell and Boeing, which manufactured and installed the switch respectively, were aware of the risk, particularly after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned about disengaged locking mechanisms on several Boeing aircraft in 2018.
The complaint stated that by placing the switch directly behind the thrust levers, Boeing essentially ensured that normal cockpit activity could result in an inadvertent fuel cutoff.
The litigants also allege the companies failed to warn airlines that these switches needed urgent checks or repairs and did not provide replacement parts to fix the issue, according to the BBC.
In June India’s aviation regulator ordered fuel system checks on all domestic aircraft made by Boeing. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said the fuel control switches in Boeing aircraft are safe.
In a letter to employees in July, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said a preliminary report had found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft or engines.
https://www.rt.com/india/624873-air-india-crash-victims-sue-boeing/
Ukrainian Drones Spark Fire at Gazprom Oil Plant in Bashkortostan
September 18, 2025
Ukrainian drone strikes ignited a fire at a major Gazprom oil and petrochemical facility in the republic of Bashkortostan on Thursday, regional officials said.
“Two drones attacked the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat enterprise,” Bashkortostan regional head Radiy Khabirov wrote on Telegram, describing the incident as a “terrorist attack.”
He said security guards at the facility opened fire on the drones.
Emergency crews were working to contain the blaze, Khabirov said, adding that no one was injured in the attack. The extent of the damage remained unclear.
Videos published by Ukrainian media showed what was said to be thick black smoke rising above the site.
Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat, Russia’s 10th-largest refinery with a capacity of 10 million metric tons of oil annually, produces more than 150 petroleum and chemical products. Ukrainian drones first targeted the plant in May 2024.
Russia’s Defense Ministry did not list Bashkortostan among the regions where it said drones were downed overnight.
The strike came as Gazprom Neft announced that it had postponed scheduled maintenance at its Omsk Oil Refinery due to government measures aimed at stabilizing domestic fuel supplies.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months, hitting at least 10 refineries since early August and forcing Russia to slash refining capacity by nearly 20% at one point, according to Reuters.
Russia’s pipeline monopoly Transneft reportedly warned producers this week that output could be curbed further if drone attacks continue to damage key facilities.
Wholesale oil prices in Russia have surged amid the drone attacks.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/09/18/ukrainian-drones-spark-fire-at-gazprom-oil-plant-in-bashkortostan-a90555
Mademoiselle Goatse
‘Missile Fired by Our Aircraft’: Poland Confirms Interceptor Damaged Residential Building During Russian Drone Raid
Sept. 18, 2025, 5:22 pm
A residential building in the village of Wyryki Wola in eastern Poland was likely hit by a missile fired from a Polish F-16 fighter, not by a Russian drone, officials and analysts say.
On the night of Sept. 10, 19 Russian drones entered Polish airspace during a major Russian attack on Ukraine.
NATO aircraft reportedly shot down at least four drones, while the rest apparently crashed without causing damage except for the Wyryki Wola home.
Polish intelligence coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak told TVN on Thursday that available information suggests an interceptor missile is to blame.
“Everything indicates that this was a missile fired by our aircraft in defense of Poland, in defense of our homeland, in defense of our citizens,” Siemoniak said.
He added that the military will cover the damage to the home.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the drone incursion a “large-scale provocation” by Russia and said Moscow is ultimately responsible for the incident.
Damage from a kinetic impact with no detonation
The Polish news outlet Rzeczpospolita reported that both Polish F-16s and Dutch F-35s engaged the incoming drones.
Experts told the paper that the strike on the Wyryki Wola home was caused by an AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile, which experienced a guidance malfunction and did not explode.
Lt. Col. Maciej Korowaj, a former military intelligence officer, said the damage was from a kinetic impact with no detonation.
Agnieszka Kępka, spokeswoman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin, said the incident remains under investigation, pending a military weapons expert’s assessment.
Russia denies involvement
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that “no targets on Polish territory were planned,” and the Russian Foreign Ministry denied involvement.
“The maximum range of the Russian drones allegedly crossing into Poland does not exceed 700 kilometers [435 miles],” the Russian ministry said in a statement following the incursion.
According to AP News, one of the drones that traveled farthest inland was found in Mniszków, a village southeast of Łódź, about 260 kilometers (161 miles) from the Belarusian border – within the range stated by Moscow.
While the specific drones that entered Poland remain unconfirmed, Moscow’s preferred Shahed/Geran drones used against Ukraine can reach up to 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles).
Drone incursion triggers NATO response
Warsaw invoked Article 4 of the NATO treaty, calling for consultations on threats to national security.
NATO launched Operation “Eastern Shield” to strengthen defenses on its eastern flank, and Polish President Karol Nawrocki authorized NATO troop deployments in Poland.
Tusk warned that “the line has been crossed” and said Poland is now “closer to a military conflict than at any time since World War II.”
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/60407
Army confirms drone attack ‘from east’
September 18, 2025 7:15 pm
The IDF confirms that a drone launched “from the east,” normally code for Yemen, struck Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat a short while ago.
The army often describes attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels as “from the east.”
No injuries are reported in the attack.
Footage from the scene shows rescue forces working to extinguish a blaze sparked by the drone impact.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/army-confirms-drone-attack-from-east/
https://twitter.com/manniefabian/status/1968704472122523803
Houthi Telegram account praises drone attack
September 18, 2025 7:09 pm
There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the drone that struck Eilat, though the city has been targeted repeatedly by UAVs launched by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
A Telegram account closely linked with the Houthi leadership posts videos of the drone attack shared by Israelis online and praises the attack, without claiming it as a Houthi attack.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/houthi-telegram-account-praises-drone-attack/
IDF strikes several Hezbollah targets, weapon depots in southern Lebanon
Updated: SEPTEMBER 18, 2025 20:16
The IDF attacked several Hezbollah military targets in southern Lebanon on Thursday, the military said.
The targets included arms depots that Hezbollah has set up in southern Lebanon as part of its reconstruction efforts.
An evacuation order was issued for three areas in southern Lebanon ahead of the strikes, the military's Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee said, including Mays al-Jabal, ️Kafr Tibnit, and Dibbine.
"You are located in buildings used by the terrorist Hezbollah. For your safety, you are required to evacuate those buildings and the adjacent buildings immediately and stay away from them for a distance of at least 500 meters," the evacuation order said.
Hezbollah targets located within Lebanese villages
The targets were located within Lebanese villages, sometimes right in the heart of the village, which might be the reason behind the early warning from the IDF Arabic spokesperson, according to Army Radio.
Several videos shared illustrate how the buildings were not properly marked for military use, with many resembling civilian buildings. At the same time, secondary explosions after the attack confirmed the presence of weapons inside the compounds.
The IDF also issued another series of evacuation orders for the Tayr Zebna (Al-Shahabiya), and Burj Qallawiya areas, with strikes expected in those Lebanese towns.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-867995
https://twitter.com/AvichayAdraee/status/1968672488725876882
Gaza City nearly half emptied, IDF says
September 18, 2025 7:31 pm
More than 450,000 Palestinians have so far evacuated Gaza City to the Strip’s south, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a press conference.
Around 1 million Palestinians were estimated to be residing in Gaza City before the IDF began its major offensive against Hamas there.
Defrin says that since the start of the offensive on Monday night, more than 1,200 terror targets have been struck.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gaza-city-nearly-half-emptied-idf-says/
Part of an unknown drone found on the beach in Latvia
September 18, 2025 18:17
A drone fragment was found on a local beach in Latvia. This was reported to by police, law enforcement officers are working at the scene.
The remains of the drone were found in the Ventspils region on the beach in Varva, the area is cordoned off.
"According to preliminary information, there is no danger at the scene. It is possible that the wreckage was washed ashore by the sea," the report says.
The police notified the relevant authorities, and an unexploded ordnance disposal team of the Latvian National Armed Forces arrived at the site.
The photo published by the military shows a part of the drone with components, and letters and several numbers are visible on the tail.
Currently, the police do not have information about what kind of drone it is and who owns it, , said, a representative of the municipality Marlena Zwaigze.
On September 11, Latvia announced that would close airspace with Belarus and Russia for at least a week - until September 18.
On September 17, it was reported that a Latvian spied on military facilities for Russia. He was also interested in NATO soldiers.
https://news.liga.net/en/world/news/part-of-an-unknown-drone-found-on-the-beach-in-latvia
Drone shows 'digital siege' at Jaguar Land Rover centre in the West Midlands as hackers cause mass lay-offs
Last updated September 19, 2025
Aerial views capture vehicles at Jaguar Land Rover distribution centre, after an ongoing cyber attack led to 'lay-offs in their hundreds'.
Liam Byrne, chair of the Commons business and trade committee and Labour MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill & North Solihull, said: "We fear if the government doesn't step up soon, people will be laid off in their thousands."
The firm said on Tuesday factory production would not resume until 24 September at the earliest and apologised for the ongoing disruption.
The hack happened more than two weeks ago and has forced the company to shut down computer systems and halt production.
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2025/09/18/aerial-views-capture-hundreds-of-jaguar-and-land-rovers-during-ongoing-cyber-attack-in-the-west-midlands/
Eagle in the arm: Army scales up drone warfare training for future-ready force
UPDATED: Sep 18, 2025 17:18 IST
The Indian Army is rapidly integrating drones and counter-drone systems across its units, with a long-term vision of making unmanned platforms a standard part of every soldier’s arsenal.
At the heart of this shift is the concept of “Eagle in the Arm”, a new doctrine that envisions every soldier equipped and trained to operate drones specific to their mission, be it surveillance, combat, logistics, or medical evacuation.
"Just like every soldier carries a weapon, every soldier must be able to operate a drone," a senior Army official said, calling it a defining step toward a modern, technology-driven force.
To realise this vision, the Army is rapidly inducting both drones and counter-drone systems across its formations.
Infantry battalions are being equipped with dedicated drone platoons, while artillery regiments are receiving counter-drone systems and loiter munitions.
In addition, composite Divyastra batteries are being raised to enhance precision firepower and survivability on the battlefield.
On Thursday, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi visited a newly operational drone training and deployment facility at Likabali in Arunachal Pradesh.
The visit underscored the Army's growing focus on integrating unmanned systems directly into frontline operations.
The transformation is being institutionalised through the establishment of drone centres at key training academies including the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the Infantry School in Mhow, and the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
These centres are already running courses that train officers and soldiers in operating drones as a core battlefield skill.
The Army Chief had first outlined this direction during the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas ceremony at Dras on July 26, where he announced that drone and counter-drone capabilities would be embedded across arms and services.
"Humari maarak kshamata ab aane waale dino mein kayi guna badh jaayegi," he said. (Our firepower will increase manifold in the coming days.)
The Army’s approach reflects a dual strategy: building offensive drone capabilities while also deploying a layered defence against hostile UAVs.
The counter-drone systems will form a protective net around sensitive assets and formations, especially in forward areas.
Officials say the adoption of unmanned systems is no longer seen as a technological add-on but a core component of future combat.
The “Eagle in the Arm” doctrine marks a decisive shift in how the Army trains, equips, and fights, where the soldier of tomorrow is expected to carry not only a weapon, but also an eagle in hand, a drone that extends his reach, vision, and power on the battlefield.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/eagle-in-the-arm-army-scales-up-drone-warfare-training-for-future-ready-force-2789501-2025-09-18
Drone drops phones into prison yard, inmates scam people in several states including Iowa
Sep. 18, 2025 at 8:17 AM PDT
Four men scammed people across the United States, including in Iowa, from a Georgia state prison, officials say.
Between March 2022 and April 2024 officials said four men - Russell Tafron Weatherspoon, 26, Karl Andre Dieudonne, 23, Demonte Tequis Brazil, 32 and Gregory Lamar Scorza, 25 - ran a fraud scam across multiple states.
Officials said Weatherspoon led and organized the scam from a Georgia state prison where he was serving a sentence for aggravated assault and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act from 2020.
A drone was used to fly over the prison and drop cell phones into the yard which were then used by inmates to make scam calls.
Officials said the scammers made victims in several states, including Iowa, believe there was a warrant for their arrest for failure to appear in court.
The scammers used names of local law enforcement offices and an app to spoof law enforcement phone numbers.
The victims were told they would be arrested if a cash bond was not posted. Officials said the scammers directed the victims to bond companies or to meet in other locations to pay a bond.
Weatherspoon was sentenced on April 9 to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison
Dieudonne was sentenced on May 13 to 3 years in federal prison
Brazil was sentenced on May 13 to 4 years and 3 months in federal prison
Scorza was sentenced Sept. 9 to 6 years in federal prison
One other man has been charged in the conspiracy but has not yet been arrested
After serving their sentences, each man will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release.
https://www.kwqc.com/2025/09/18/drone-drops-phones-into-prison-yard-inmates-scam-people-several-states-including-iowa/
Treyarch Co-Founder Sentenced To Federal Prison After Flying Drone Into Firefighting Aircraft In January
September 18, 2025
Treyarch Co-Founder Peter Tripp Akemann Sentenced To Prison And House Arrest
In January, Peter Tripp Akemann flew a drone into a large firefighting aircraft that was helping to stop the horrible Palisades fire in the area around Los Angeles.
The damage took the aircraft out of commission for a period of time. In February, Akemann pleaded guilty to the crime.
And on Monday, Akemann was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald to serve 14 days in federal prison, followed by 30 days of home arrest.
Akemann, who helped create the studio that is now part of Activision’s massive Call of Duty machine, will also have to pay around $156,000 in various fines.
As part of a previous plea agreement, Akemann will also complete 150 hours of community service.
His lawyers shared a message from the Treyarch co-founder earlier this year stating he was “deeply sorry” about damaging the aircraft and that he “accepts responsibility for his grave error in judgment, and is cooperating with the government in effort to make amends.”
https://kotaku.com/treyarch-co-founder-game-dev-drone-firefighting-plane-jail-time-federal-court-2000626833
Guam man sentenced for flying drone over military installation
September 18, 2025 · 8:05 AM PDT
Shawn N. Anderson, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Billy Cao Cruz, 54, was sentenced on Sept. 11, 2025, to two months home confinement for Violation of National Defense Airspace.
The Court also ordered two years of supervised release and a mandatory $25 special assessment fee.
On Feb. 1, 2025, Cao Cruz uploaded a video to his YouTube channel, “Planet Guam,” which depicted sensitive footage of a military installation in Guam.
The video garnered close to 12,000 views before being taken down. Cruz was previously warned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation about photographing military installations.
On April 16, 2025, FBI agents met with Cruz at his residence.
During this meeting, Cruz admitted to continuing to operate a specific drone, citing its fewer restrictions and the absence of notification requirements to local airports, according to the Department of Justice.
In using this specific drone, Cruz stated, “You get away with a lot of things,” authorities reported in a news release.
Following a discussion about the national security concerns raised by the FBI and military, Cruz removed the video from YouTube and expressed understanding the potential threats posed by foreign adversaries, who might use the footage to target United States military installations.
“Nearly all of the airspace over Guam is subject to flight restrictions by aircraft operators,” stated United States Attorney Anderson.
“These restrictions help ensure the safe operation of commercial, military, and private aircraft.
As this case demonstrates, they also protect our national security, including the military personnel who keep our homeland safe.
We encourage anyone with knowledge of this activity to contact the FBI at the earliest opportunity.”
“Defending the homeland is at the core of the FBI’s mission, and that includes safeguarding the security of our national defense installations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter.
“This was not the first time Mr. Cruz had been warned about operating a drone over a military site, and this case demonstrates the consequences drone operators face when they choose to ignore the law in this manner.
The FBI will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who compromises the national security of the United States and its citizens.”
This investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Leon Guerrero prosecuted this case in the District of Guam.
https://mauinow.com/2025/09/18/guam-man-sentenced-for-flying-drone-over-military-installation/
U.S. Army Oklahoma National Guard tests counter-drone tactics in Thunderstruck 2.0 exercise.
18 Sep, 2025 - 13:33
On September 13, 2025, the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team wrapped up its training year with Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0, a capstone counter-unmanned aircraft system drill staged at Camp Gruber Training Center.
The event challenged soldiers to confront simulated drone incursions under battlefield conditions, applying detection, jamming, and kinetic interception tactics to match a rapidly evolving threat environment that has already reshaped modern combat.
Thunderstruck 2.0 was not simply a training milestone but a proving ground for how the Guard integrates electronic warfare, early warning, and kinetic defense into maneuver formations.
Soldiers rehearsed countering swarming drones while synchronizing responses with higher command nodes, testing communication resilience as much as firepower.
“We know from recent conflicts that the side able to deny the enemy’s drone advantage will own the initiative on the ground,” said one Oklahoma brigade officer overseeing the event.
The exercise drew attention beyond Oklahoma, with visitors from the National Guard Bureau, active-duty Army units, defense contractors, and state emergency management offices attending.
Their presence highlighted a recognition that counter-drone warfare is not confined to overseas battlefields.
In the words of one emergency management official observing the drill, “The threat of drones isn’t just tactical, it is homeland security.
What happens here has direct relevance for protecting critical infrastructure across the United States.”
Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have accelerated U.S. efforts to field scalable C-UAS capabilities, and Thunderstruck 2.0 reflects how those lessons are filtering into the Guard.
Oklahoma soldiers trained with jamming devices and handheld detection systems, tested engagement drills with small arms, and practiced coordinating fires against drones flying low over defensive positions.
Industry representatives showcased prototype detection radars and modular jammer systems, giving soldiers exposure to the tools that may soon become standard kit.
For the broader U.S. armed forces, counter-drone tactics are no longer niche training but a critical survival skill.
Small, commercially available drones can now provide real-time reconnaissance, disrupt logistics, or deliver explosives at a fraction of the cost of traditional weapon systems.
U.S. Army doctrine increasingly treats the skies just above the battlefield as a contested layer where soldiers must fight for freedom of maneuver, much like armor units once fought to dominate open terrain.
Mastering counter-drone operations ensures not only the protection of frontline troops but also the safeguarding of command posts, supply convoys, and air defense assets that adversaries actively target with loitering munitions.
Lessons from Guard exercises like Thunderstruck 2.0 feed directly into Pentagon-wide modernization programs such as the Joint Counter-UAS Office, which is tasked with unifying the services’ efforts into a coherent defense against drones.
Beyond technical trials, the exercise underscored the Guard’s dual mission.
Overseas, Oklahoma brigades could face hostile loitering munitions on deployment; at home, they may be called upon to counter drones interfering with disaster response or targeting energy facilities.
By involving both civilian officials and defense industry in the training loop, Thunderstruck 2.0 bridged the gap between battlefield requirements and domestic defense imperatives.
Strategically, Thunderstruck 2.0 demonstrates how the National Guard is becoming a key laboratory for counter-drone doctrine.
Unlike large-scale NATO maneuvers that rehearse established playbooks, brigade-level Guard events are increasingly where innovation happens, where tactics can be tested and refined before being integrated across the Army.
The Oklahoma Guard’s work feeds directly into broader Pentagon efforts to harden U.S. formations against a threat that has proven devastating in modern conflict zones.
https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/u-s-army-oklahoma-national-guard-tests-counter-drone-tactics-in-thunderstruck-2-0-exercise
Bizarre Zig-Zagging Light Spotted Over Illinois Pumpkin Farm
September 18, 2025
What's creepier than a pumpkin farm at night? One in Illinois that has a strange light zig-zagging over it which is what one eyewitness just reported in Illinois.
The National UFO Reporting Center says this strange encounter of the pumpkin kind happened during the overnight hours around 3am of August 26, 2025 in Illinois
A person near Homer Glen, Illinois reported that they witnessed something odd near Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm. Here's a snippet of their exact words from the NUFORC UFO report:
"At around 3:00 AM, I observed a very faint light in the sky while outside in suburban Chicago. The object moved very quickly and smooth…One faint light making swift zig zag movements and then disappearing.
Checked again 5 minutes later and there was another one. Moving slightly in unison, they made weird sharp yet swift unusual and not straight movements"
For reference, here's the pumpkin farm that the eyewitness mentions this strange light being close to.
This is not far from O'Hare International Airport, but there are no conventional aircraft that I'm aware of that make those kinds of movements unless they were drones.
If that were the case, why would they be over this Illinois pumpkin farm at around 3 in the morning?
The good news is no women on brooms were sighted in the report which is a good thing since October is just around the corner.
It remains a bizarre UAP/UFO report from something that behaved in the sky unlike anything known.
https://101theeagle.com/illinois-pumpkin-farm-ufo/
https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=191887