NewzIntel.com

Category: Aviation

  • Terror Inc.: How Pakistani Army has hijacked the state acting as an agent of Chaos & Conflict

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Pakistan’s economy has long ceased to be a level playing field. While democratic institutions, civilian enterprises, and private sector innovation struggle to survive under chronic political instability and fiscal mismanagement, one institution not only survives but thrives i.e. the Pakistani Army. Far from being merely a military force, the army has built an unrivalled corporate empire that operates through a vast network of foundations, front companies, and patronage networks. This economic leviathan has embedded itself across vital sectors including real estate, banking, agribusiness, manufacturing, media, and logistics. Its control is not informal it is institutional, legalized through special exemptions, military-backed land ordinances, and bureaucratic dominance. As a result, the military runs a parallel economy that undermines competition, distorts public policy, and undermines democracy.

    The cornerstone of the Pakistan Army’s corporate empire lies in its foundations i.e. semi-governmental yet commercially active entities that were originally set up for the welfare of ex-servicemen but have since evolved into sprawling conglomerates. The Fauji Foundation, founded in 1954, is the most powerful of these entities. Ostensibly a charitable trust, Fauji operates over three dozen subsidiaries including Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL), Fauji Oil Terminal & Distribution Company (FOTCO), and Askari Bank. FFC alone is one of Pakistan’s largest fertilizer producers, consistently generating billions in revenue and dividends, a significant portion of which goes back to the army. Askari Bank, likewise, operates under military supervision, with its board stacked with retired generals, and acts as a key financial vehicle for other military-affiliated ventures.

    Another major player is the Army Welfare Trust (AWT), which controls more than 25 commercial enterprises. These range from AWT Investments and Askari General Insurance to sugar mills, textiles, trucking, and aviation services. In real estate, the Army’s footprint is massive. Through the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), the military has become the largest land developer in Pakistan, with projects in cities like Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Multan, Gujranwala, and Bahawalpur. DHA projects often involve coercive land acquisition, where civilian and minority-owned lands are seized under the pretext of national security or public interest, only to be converted into luxury gated communities for serving and retired officers.

    The Pakistan Air Force operates the Shaheen Foundation, which manages diverse assets including FM radio stations, construction companies like Shaheen Builders, travel agencies, and educational institutions. The Pakistan Navy runs the Bahria Foundation, whose holdings include Bahria Maritime Services, Bahria University, and port-related logistics. Together, these four military foundations operate over 100 subsidiaries spanning dozens of industries, including grain storage, packaging, medical services, cement, and even advertising.

    Despite being commercial entities, these businesses are shielded from competition and financial scrutiny. They enjoy tax exemptions, priority access to government contracts, and the use of military logistics and infrastructure. Their dominance pushes out private enterprises and distorts the market. Civilian regulators often headed by retired officers fail to hold them accountable. Moreover, much of the income generated is not reinvested into national development but siphoned off for the elite military class. The benefits of these ventures rarely trickle down to the rank-and-file soldiers, let alone the public. Instead, they create a closed-loop economy where military officers retire into boardrooms and continue to wield economic and political influence.

    This commercial empire also acts as a platform for political control. The military uses its economic levers to shape media narratives, buy influence in the judiciary, and co-opt politicians. Media groups like the Nawa-i-Waqt Group and Bol News have faced closure or harassment when deviating from military narratives, while ISPR the army’s media wing actively funds propaganda campaigns and online troll armies. Business leaders who fund opposition parties are often subjected to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) probes, tax audits, or asset seizures. Through these tactics, the military consolidates not just wealth but unchallenged authority.

    However, the most dangerous and opaque part of the army’s economic footprint lies in its integration with Pakistan’s narco-terror complex. From the days of the Soviet-Afghan war, when the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) under General Akhtar Abdur Rahman facilitated heroin production and smuggling to fund covert Mujahideen operations, the army’s involvement in narcotics has grown into a transnational pipeline. Opium grown in Afghanistan is processed in makeshift labs across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, then transported via Balochistan’s Makran coast and Karachi ports. The logistics for these movements are often handled through military-controlled transport units, particularly those attached to the National Logistics Cell (NLC), which has long enjoyed immunity from customs inspections.

    Key individuals who are linked to this drug-financed ecosystem include former ISI chiefs like Hamid Gul and Shuja Pasha, both of whom oversaw extensive intelligence operations involving militant financing during their tenures. The Haqqani Network, long a proxy of the ISI, operated with impunity across the Af-Pak region and controlled smuggling routes for both arms and drugs. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have all received funding via hawala channels sourced from narco-trafficking and arms sales. The proceeds are laundered through front charities such as the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and ostensibly other organisational fronts registered in Gulf states.

    In recent years, the growing convergence between Pakistan’s military and drug cartels operating in the Middle East, particularly in UAE and Oman, has given rise to a “military-narco-intelligence” axis. Front companies tied to retired army officials like Lt. Gen. Javed Nasir (former ISI chief) and certain members of the notorious business family have been implicated in narcotics laundering investigations across the Gulf and UK. The black money generated through this system is used to fund proxy wars in Jammu & Kashmir, Afghanistan, and increasingly Africa, where Pakistani mercenaries are now known to operate in conjunction with both Chinese and Turkish military logistics.

    The arms trade is another critical node in this network. Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), based in Wah Cantt, manufactures everything from bullets and grenades to mortars and automatic rifles. While officially intended for the Pakistani military, these arms often find their way into conflict zones. Documented recoveries of POF-manufactured arms in India’s Jammu & Kashmir state, Syria, Libya, and Nigeria underscore how the ISI uses weapon flows to back proxy forces. Smuggling routes operate across the Durand Line, Baluchistan’s desert terrain, and even through diplomatic pouches. Pakistani naval assets, particularly cargo shipments flagged through Bahria Maritime Services, have been used for covert arms transfers. Intelligence intercepts in East Africa and the Persian Gulf have pointed to Pakistani arms deliveries to Hamas and Hezbollah intermediaries.

    Pakistan’s terror infrastructure is essentially sustained through this fusion of narco profits, arms trade, and ideological training. Groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), LeT, and JeM have training facilities, safehouses, and logistical support provided by elements within the army or the ISI. Interrogations of captured operatives have repeatedly revealed training stints at army-run camps in Muridke, Bahawalpur, and Muzaffarabad. These groups serve multiple functions, they destabilize India, threaten Afghanistan, and help maintain chaos that justifies international military aid. Even China, despite its Balochistan investments, has turned a blind eye to this nexus, so long as its economic interests remain protected.

    The role of state-affiliated institutions in laundering terror funds further reinforces the military’s omnipotence. The Habib Bank scandal in the United States, where the Pakistani bank was fined for facilitating transactions linked to terrorism, was just the tip of the iceberg. Banks like Askari Bank and Summit Bank, both closely tied to military interests, have come under scrutiny for suspicious transactions involving Gulf donors and shell companies. In Karachi, businessmen with ties to the MQM and ISI have also been accused of channelling narcotics profits into real estate and construction firms.

    The political consequences of this militarized economy are immense. Civilian governments, lacking control over the purse or arms, are reduced to caretakers. Parliament has little say over defence budgeting. The judiciary, itself often filled with pro-military judges or intimidated through surveillance, rarely challenges army operations. In 2022, the controversial removal of Prime Minister Imran Khan initially backed and later discarded by the military illustrated how no political leader is safe from Rawalpindi’s coercive power once they deviate from script. Khan’s campaign to expose army interference led to mass arrests, internet blackouts, and an orchestrated crackdown, executed with both police and ISI coordination.

    The Pakistani military’s role as an agent of regional chaos has long been subsidized by foreign powers seeking to use it as a counterweight to India’s rise. The United States alone has funnelled over $33 billion in military and economic aid to Pakistan since 2001, including $14.5 billion in Coalition Support Funds, much of which empowered the ISI’s proxy terror infrastructure rather than dismantling it. Simultaneously, the IMF has approved 23 bailout programs, the latest being a $1.02 billion package on 9th May 2025, effectively rescuing a bankrupt regime without civilian accountability. China, under the $62 billion CPEC initiative, has fortified its alliance with Pakistan’s military, funding dual-use infrastructure while arming it with drones, radar systems, and port access.

    Turkey, too, has become a critical enabler exporting Bayraktar drones, expanding joint training, and backing Islamist networks aligned with Pakistani interests. Following India’s recent precision strikes on Pakistani airbases, including key terror installations in Muridke and Bahawalpur, these powers have grown visibly uneasy, fearing that India’s assertiveness could dismantle the utility of Pakistan as a destabilizing tool. Their aid, veiled as strategic cooperation, in reality props up a militarized state whose primary export is instability used not only to bleed India but also to disrupt the emergence of a multipolar Asia where India could assert sovereignty independent of Western or Chinese-led frameworks i.e. G2 Consensus.

    Navroop Singh is an Intellectual Property Attorney in New Delhi and a geopolitical analyst with the ‘Niti Shastra’ platform. He has co-authored three books and writes on foreign policy, law, history, and public affairs.

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Introduces Bill to Block Foreign-Gifted Luxury Jet to President Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, D.C. – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today introduced legislation to prohibit President Donald J. Trump, or any future president, from accepting a luxury aircraft reportedly offered by the government of Qatar. The bill aims to uphold constitutional safeguards against undue foreign influence. The legislation makes clear that such a gift is unacceptable, whether intended for his personal use, while in or out of office, or as a donation to the Trump Presidential Library. The bill reinforces long-standing constitutional principles that prohibit presidents from accepting gifts or titles from foreign governments without congressional consent. It also addresses a broader concern over foreign influence and the erosion of ethical norms surrounding the conduct of the president of the United States. 

    A PDF of the legislation is available here.

    “This is not just about one plane or one president, it’s about drawing a firm line against the appearance—or reality—of foreign governments currying favor by providing a free luxury jet to the President of the United States. Beyond the clear corruption and influence peddling on display, retrofitting this luxury plane to serve as Air Force 1 would be an enormous expense on U.S. taxpayers – estimated as much as $1 billion dollars – and would likely only be completed in time to be placed in Trump’s Presidential Library. Taxpayers should not be footing the bill for Trump’s personal palace in the sky, especially as this administration cuts vital programs in the name of cost-cutting and asks American families to face the consequences of his trade war.  

    “Our national interest must never take a back seat to personal indulgence or foreign flattery. This legislation is a clear statement that the integrity of our democracy is not for sale—on the runway or anywhere else.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Chinese consortium acquires 100 H135s from Airbus Helicopters

    Source: Airbus

    Headline: Chinese consortium acquires 100 H135s from Airbus Helicopters

    A Chinese consortium made up of China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), Qingdao United General Aviation Industrial Development Company (Qingdao United) and CITIC Offshore Helicopter Co. Ltd (COHC) has ordered 100 H135 light-twin helicopters, becoming China’s first customer to form an industrial partnership to launch a H135 final assembly line (FAL) in Qingdao, Shandong province. This is an important step forward, fulfilling the commitment of purchasing 100 H135s signed in the Letter of Intent (LOI) last year.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Urges FAA to Implement EVAC Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    Also suggests Department of Defense helicopters be prohibited in commercial airline corridors

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, discussed implementation of the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization law, including his EVAC Act, at a full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on an update of the measure on the anniversary of its passage.

    During the hearing, Congressman Cohen said in part: 

    “We passed a great bill last year but…implementation is what’s important and right now the FAA is clearly not tracking what they were intended to do, what we expected…” 

    In his questions to expert witnesses, Congressman Cohen suggested that the FAA “immediately” prohibit Department of Defense helicopters from operating in the flight paths of commercial airliners to prevent the kind of accident that led to 67 fatalities near Reagan National Airport in January. He also asked about the telecommunications outages that have been occurring at Newark Liberty International Airport. He also inquired on the status of the study called for in his Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act, to determine whether a realistic cohort of air travelers can evacuate a plane within the mandated 90 seconds, required to be completed by tomorrow’s May 16 deadline. 

    See his line of questions here.

    Witnesses at today’s hearings were:

    • Jodi Baker, Deputy Associate Administrator of Aviation Safety, Federal Aviation Administration;
    • Wayne Heibeck, Deputy Associate Administrator of Airports, Federal Aviation Administration;
    • Frank McIntosh, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration; and
    • Derrick Collins, Director of Physical Infrastructure, United States Government Accountability Office.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Davids Announces $1.8 Million Investment in Airport Safety for New Century AirCenter in Olathe

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

    Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant to improve air safety at Johnson County’s New Century AirCenter in Olathe, KS. The $2 million award will be used to reconstruct 7,330 feet of existing runway and 16 existing points of signage — all of which are currently at the end of their useful lives. Davids, a member of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote for the bipartisan infrastructure law, which made this critical investment in air safety possible. 

    “I’m thrilled to see this investment from the bipartisan infrastructure law coming to the Third District,” said Davids. “By improving New Century AirCenter, we’re not only boosting economic growth and supporting good-paying jobs — we’re also strengthening Kansas’ role as a leader in shipping and logistics, which improves domestic supply chains and lowers costs for Kansas families and businesses”

    “We’re grateful for the federal support for the pavement seal coat project at New Century AirCenter,” said Bryan Johnson, Executive Director, Johnson County Airport Commission. “This investment will help extend the life of our runways and taxiways, enhance safety, and support ongoing operations at a key transportation hub in our region. We appreciate Representative Davids’ continued advocacy for infrastructure improvements that strengthen our local economy and aviation capabilities.”

    With more than 60,000 operations each year, roughly 120 aircraft, and a 7,339-foot main runway — the second longest in the region — New Century AirCenter ranks among the busiest towered airports in Kansas.

    Davids has long supported investments in improving local infrastructure and prioritizing aviation safety. Last month, she visited the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Olathe to discuss the urgent need for investments in aviation safety amidst the Trump Administration’s firings of air safety workers. She also pressed former FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, who served under former President Biden, on the slow pace of modernizing critical landing systems in Kansas. 

    The bipartisan infrastructure law, which is paid for through a combination of new revenues and savings, has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In all, more than $3.2 billion in federal bipartisan infrastructure law funding has been announced for Kansas, with more than 311 specific projects identified — from lead pipe replacement in Olathe to safety initiatives in KCK to long-overdue upgrades to K-68 in Miami County.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Airbus announces launch customer for its new In Flight Entertainment experience

    Source: Airbus

    Headline: Airbus announces launch customer for its new In Flight Entertainment experience

    Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) and Alpha Star Aviation have signed a Letter Of Agreement at Dubai air show for the new and unique In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) technology – “The ACJ Smart LiFi Monitor” in presence of Abdulnaser Al Kheraif CEO, and Ibrahim Al Yaheyan VP-Tech, Alpha Star Aviation and Benoit Defforge, ACJ President.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Nigerian Ibom Air purchases ten Airbus A220 aircraft

    Source: Airbus

    Headline: Nigerian Ibom Air purchases ten Airbus A220 aircraft

    Akwa Ibom state government owned airline in Nigeria, Ibom Air has signed a firm order for ten (10) A220s at the Dubai Airshow. The signing was done by Mfon Udom, the chief Executive Officer of Ibom Air, and Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International in the presence of the Akwa Ibom state Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Blumenthal Demand Transparency From Avelo Airlines About Deportation Flights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Blumenthal Demand Transparency From Avelo Airlines About Deportation Flights

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) raised serious concerns to Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy about the airline’s contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to fly domestic and international deportation flights, even as the Trump Administration is unlawfully removing immigrants without due process.

    “Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants — without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders — it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is ‘too valuable not to pursue,’” wrote the Senators.

    “The Trump Administration has used airline contractors to carry out hasty deportations without judicial review,” continued the Senators. “President Trump has even suggested deporting U.S. citizens convicted of certain unspecified crimes to be imprisoned abroad — a suggestion that is blatantly unconstitutional. By partnering with ICE, Avelo risks being complicit with the Administration’s illegal actions.”

    Avelo Airlines entered into a long-term contract with ICE on April 7 and flew its first deportation flight for ICE on May 12, despite the Trump Administration’s reckless deportations and repeated ignoring of due process. The Senators specifically criticized the Administration’s deportations of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, refusing to return people to the United States despite a federal judge’s orders. They cited the erroneous deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally in Maryland with his family until the Trump Administration wrongfully deported him without due process to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Earlier this week, he joined immigration advocates and his House colleagues to speak out against the extreme anti-immigrant provisions in Republicans’ reconciliation bill and to call on Congressional Republicans to reject harmful policies targeting immigrant communities. Last month, Padilla, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07) issued a joint statement condemning the Supreme Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, and he joined 14 lawmakers in condemning President Trump’s unlawful invocation of the antiquated law.

    Senator Padilla has strongly pushed back against wrongful deportations to El Salvador. Last month, he joined 24 Senators in urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE leadership to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Padilla also joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) to meet with Abrego Garcia’s family and wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to discuss the ongoing effort to secure his immediate release. Padilla promised to keep fighting for Abrego Garcia so he can be reunited with his family. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Mr. Levy,

    On April 7, 2025, it was reported that Avelo Airlines entered into a long-term contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to fly domestic and international deportation flights and had begun recruiting flight attendants to serve on those flights. On May 12, 2025, Avelo reportedly flew its first deportation flight for ICE. Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants—without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders—it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is “too valuable not to pursue.”

    The Trump Administration has used airline contractors to carry out hasty deportations without judicial review. The Administration used an ICE contractor to fly Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, persisting with the flights even though a federal judge ordered the planes returned to the United States. That judge has found probable cause to hold the government in contempt for violating his order, noting that the planes touched down in Honduras after the judge issued his order for their return and remained in Honduras for several hours before proceeding to El Salvador. The Administration’s hastiness has caused further error and harm. The Administration deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, despite a court order that prohibited his removal to El Salvador. The Supreme Court unanimously held that the government must facilitate Mr. Garcia’s “release from custody in El Salvador;” yet, the Trump Administration refuses to do so. President Trump has even suggested deporting U.S. citizens convicted of certain unspecified crimes to be imprisoned abroad—a suggestion that is blatantly unconstitutional. By partnering with ICE, Avelo risks being complicit with the Administration’s illegal actions.

    Avelo is also reportedly closing its base at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and ending certain West Coast routes to accommodate its new contract with ICE. The growth of Avelo’s commercial flight service has been subsidized by the State of Connecticut, which has granted Avelo an exemption from aviation fuel taxes and a guarantee against losses of up to $2 million. Avelo’s apparent decision to shrink its commercial service to accommodate its ICE contract is a betrayal of Connecticut’s support and of Avelo’s customers.

    On April 8, 2025, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent you a letter asking for more information on your agreement with ICE. You refused to provide a copy of your contract with ICE, and your response, in which you state that Avelo is committed to “the rule of law,” indicates that you fail to grasp the scope of the Trump Administration’s illegal actions. As Senators from Connecticut and California—states in which Avelo is based—and in furtherance of our oversight responsibilities as members of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as your stated value of “being open, honest, and transparent,” we write to seek information on your partnership with ICE. Please provide your responses to the following questions by May 30, 2025:

    1. Do you have policies and procedures in place to confirm the immigration status of individuals you are deporting?

    2. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight cannot or should not be removed from the country, do you have policies and procedures in place for addressing this situation?

    a. If so, please provide copies of those policies and procedures.

    3. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is protected by a court order preventing their removal or that they have other lawful status (such as asylum, cancellation of removal, and withholding of removal), will you refuse to fly the individual out of the country?

    a. If the government nevertheless directs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you comply with the government’s instruction or the court’s order?

    b. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is protected by a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction preventing their removal, and the government nevertheless directs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you inform the judge that issued the order of the government’s actions?

    4. If you become aware that an individual aboard your deportation flight is a U.S. citizen, will you refuse to fly the individual out of the country?

    a. If the government nevertheless instructs you to fly the individual out of the country, will you comply with the government’s instruction?

    5. What changes have been made or will be made to existing or planned commercial service as a result of this contract?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Debunks Fake News Narratives About Law Enforcement During Police Week

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security today released the following facts about Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) recent operations and Customs and Border Protection arrests to set the record straight on misleading news narratives and reporting.

    “Even during National Police Week, the media, members of Congress, and sanctuary politicians have demonized ICE and CBP officers who bravely serve their country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Attacks and smears against ICE have resulted in officers facing a 413% increase in assaults. We are setting the facts straight and reassuring America that President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to support ICE and CBP in their efforts to make America safe again.

    Debunking the Biggest False News Stories this Week 

    Delaney Hall Storming was “oversight” by Congressional members  

    • At least three members of Congress, Representatives Robert Menendez, Jr., LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman, claimed that breaking into Delaney Hall was “oversight”—but it is actually trespassing and put ICE officers and detainees at risk.
    • Video footage shows McIver assaulting an ICE officer.
    • The allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney Hall does not have the proper permitting are false. ICE maintains valid permits and inspections for plumbing and electricity and fire codes have been cleared.
    • Delaney Hall currently confines murderers, rapists, suspected terrorists and gang members.
    • There was no need for Congressional members to storm Delaney Hall—they could have just scheduled a tour. ICE will comply with the law and accommodate Members of Congress seeking to tour an ICE detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight.
    • Safety, security, and good order are always primary considerations in a detention facility, and visitors must be properly identified and attired. 

    Nashville Mayor Smears ICE Enforcement  

    • Mayor Freddie O’Connell and biased news media framed ICE operations in Nashville as “not focused on making us safer.”
    • In reality, of the 196 illegal aliens ICE arrested, 95 had prior criminal convictions and pending criminal charges and 31 were previously removed individuals who reentered the U.S. illegally, which is a felony offense under federal law.
    • The successful operation resulted in the arrests of an MS-13 affiliate, a murderer, sex offenders, and illegal aliens convicted of assault. 

    ICE’s Hawaii Operation focused on “coffee farmers” 

    • Completely leaving out the facts and rap sheets of criminals arrested, the New York Times peddled a misleading narrative about ICE’s operation in Hawaii targeted criminal illegal aliens.
    • The operation resulted in the arrest of illegal aliens charged with kidnapping, assault, firearms offenses, drug offenses and theft. 

     Yamal Said, Lord Buffalo drummer, detained by border officials at airport

    • Yamal Said is a Mexican national and lawful U.S. permanent resident.
    • Yamal Said had a warrant for his arrest after violating a restraining order at least TWICE.
    • When he was attempting to leave the U.S., he was apprehended by CBP and has been turned over to local law enforcement.
    • If you come to our country and break our laws, you will be arrested. 

    Boston ICE agents arrest mother in front of her daughters 

    • What the media failed to report is the target of this ICE operation was a violent criminal illegal alien, Ferreira de Oliveira. She was arrested by local police for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery of a pregnant victim.
    • District Councilor for the City of Worcester Haxhiaj pulled a political stunt and incited chaos by trying to obstruct law enforcement. ICE officers and local police regained control of the situation and ICE arrested Ferreira de Oliveira.
    • The previous administration’s open border policies allowed this criminal to illegally enter our country in August of 2022. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem this criminal is off our streets.  

    Lies for likes: Influencer claims he was targeted for “political beliefs”  

    • Claims that Hasan Piker’s political beliefs triggered a CBP inspection are baseless.
    • CBP officers follow the law, not agendas. Upon entering the country, this individual was referred for further inspection—a routine, lawful process that occurs daily, and can apply to any traveler.   

    Once his inspection was complete, he was promptly released. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump signed plenty of contracts in the Middle East, but he’s no closer to the two ‘deals’ he really wants

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Director, Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), Deakin University

    US President Donald Trump’s visit to Arab states in the Middle East this week generated plenty of multibillion-dollar deals. He said more than US$1 trillion (A$1.5 trillion) worth of deals had been signed with Saudi Arabia alone, though the real total is likely much lower than that.

    Qatar also placed an order for 210 Boeing aircraft, a deal worth a reported US$96 billion (A$149 billion). Trump will no doubt present these transactions as a major success for US industry.

    The trip also helped counter concerns about US disengagement from the Middle East. For more than a decade, local elites have viewed Washington’s attention as shifting away from the region.

    This trip was a reaffirmation of the importance of the Middle East – in particular the Gulf region – to US foreign policy. This is an important signal to send to Middle Eastern leaders who are dealing with competing interests from China and, to a lesser extent, Russia.

    And from a political standpoint, Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Syria and meeting with the former rebel, now president, Ahmed al-Sharaa was very significant – both symbolically and practically.

    Until recently, al-Sharaa was listed by the United States as a terrorist with a US$10 million (A$15 million) bounty on his head. However, when his forces removed dictator Bashar al-Assad from power in December, he was cautiously welcomed by many in the international community.

    The US had invested considerable resources in removing Assad from power, so his fall was cause for celebration, even if it came at the hands of forces the US had deemed terrorists.

    This rapid turn-around is dizzying. In practice, the removal of sanctions on Syria opens the doors to foreign investment in the reconstruction of the country following a long civil war.

    It also offers an opportunity for Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as well as Turkey, to expand their influence in Syria at the expense of Iran.

    For a leader who styles himself a deal-maker, these can all be considered successful outcomes from a three-day trip.

    However, Trump avoided wading into the far more delicate diplomatic and political negotiations needed to end Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and find common ground with Iran on its nuclear program.

    No solution in sight for the Palestinians

    Trump skirted the ongoing tragedy in Gaza and offered no plans for a diplomatic solution to the war, which drags on with no end in sight.

    The president did note his desire to see a normalisation of relations between Arab states and Israel, without acknowledging the key stumbling block.

    While Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates have no love for Hamas, the Gaza war and the misery inflicted on the Palestinians have made it impossible for them to overlook the issue. They cannot simply leapfrog Gaza to normalise relations with Israel.

    In his first term, Trump hoped the Palestinian issue could be pushed aside to achieve normalisation of relations between Arab states and Israel. This was partially achieved with the Abraham Accords, which saw the UAE and three other Muslim-majority nations normalise relations with Israel.

    Trump no doubt believed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreed to just before his inauguration would stick – he promised as much during the US election campaign.

    But after Israel unilaterally broke the ceasefire in March, vowing to press on with its indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, he’s learned the hard way the Palestinian question cannot easily be solved or brushed under the carpet.

    The Palestinian aspiration for statehood needs to be addressed as an indispensable step towards a lasting peace and regional stability.

    It was telling that Trump did not stop in Israel this week. One former Israeli diplomat says it’s a sign Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lost his leverage with Trump.

    There’s nothing that Netanyahu has that Trump wants, needs or [that he] can give him, as opposed to, say, the Saudis, the Qataris, [or] the Emiratis.

    More harsh rhetoric for Iran

    Trump also had no new details or initiatives to announce on the Iran nuclear talks, beyond his desire to “make a deal” and his repeat of past threats.

    At least four rounds of talks have been held between Iran and the United States since early April. While both sides are positive about the prospects, the US administration seems divided on the intended outcome.

    The US Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have called for the complete dismantling of Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium as a sure safeguard against the potential weaponisation of the nuclear program.

    Trump himself, however, has been less categorical. Though he has called for the “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, he has also said he’s undecided if Iran should be allowed to continue a civilian enrichment program.

    Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium, albeit under international monitoring, is a red line for the authorities in Tehran – they won’t give this up.

    The gap between Iran and the US appears to have widened this week following Trump’s attack on Iran as the “most destructive force” in the Middle East. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s remarks “pure deception”, and pointed to US support for Israel as the source of instability in the region.

    None of this has advanced the prospects of a nuclear deal. And though his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE was marked by pomp and ceremony, he’ll leave no closer to solving two protracted challenges than when he arrived.

    Shahram Akbarzadeh receives funding from Australian Research Council. He is affiliated with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, a non-profit research centre in Doha, Qatar.

    – ref. Trump signed plenty of contracts in the Middle East, but he’s no closer to the two ‘deals’ he really wants – https://theconversation.com/trump-signed-plenty-of-contracts-in-the-middle-east-but-hes-no-closer-to-the-two-deals-he-really-wants-256778

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newly Organized IAM Union Network Operations Control Customer Planners Reach Strong Tentative Agreement with Southwest Airlines

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) District 142 members who are Network Operations Control Customer Planners (NOCs) announced a tentative agreement with Southwest Airlines, marking a significant milestone in the union’s efforts to deliver strong first contracts across the airline industry.

    The IAM members are part of the Southwest Customer Service Employees, also known as Passenger Service Employees (PSEs), which is the class and craft of employees. PSEs process passengers at the airport and handle customer reservations.

    This tentative agreement is the first for the NOC group after a majority of the workgroup signed authorization cards to join the IAM in 2024. It reflects months of negotiations and represents a major step forward in recognizing the essential work performed by these professionals in maintaining and enhancing Southwest’s operational network.

    The 2.5-year tentative agreement includes:

    • Transition wage scale with an 8% wage increase on the date of ratification, effective first full pay period. (True Up)
    • A pay increase of 3% on Dec. 15, 2026.
    • New wage scale with anniversary pay increases
    • 3% of the current wage from March 1, 2025, to date of ratification paid in a lump sum.

    Click here for full highlights of the agreement.

    “An industry-leading IAM Union contract is exactly what our newest Southwest Airlines members have earned,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “Southwest Airlines’ NOCs are critical to the carrier’s everyday operations – and we couldn’t be prouder to have delivered this agreement for our members and their families.”

    “These members know just how important they are to Southwest Airlines, and this industry-leading first contract will set the stage for many years to come,” said IAM District 142 President/Directing General Chair John M. Coveny, Jr. “I am especially proud of our negotiating team. Their dedication and commitment to their fellow members were unmatched, and this agreement resulted from their hard work.”

    “As a Southwest Customer Service employee, I know that our power grows when we have more members in the IAM family,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Chief of Staff Edison Fraser. “This agreement sets a new standard in the industry and shows all airline workers the true power of North America’s largest airline union.”

    “It was a pleasure to work with Southwest NOCs in their successful quest for a first agreement,” said IAM Airline Coordinator Tom Regan. “We’re excited to build on this momentum and continue to grow our bargaining strength at Southwest and throughout the airline industry.”

    IAM District 142 represents thousands of airline industry workers across the United States and continues to lead the way in securing strong contracts and workplace protections.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The meeting took place on the sidelines of the XVI International Economic Forum “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2025”.

    Alexey Overchuk held a meeting with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar

    During the conversation, a keen exchange of opinions took place on the current state and prospects for the development of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan.

    Both sides noted significant potential for growth in trade volumes. “For the full development of trade and economic cooperation between our countries, it is important to ensure stable and predictable conditions for business interaction,” said Alexey Overchuk, noting the need to work on the formation of a regulatory framework for bilateral interaction.

    “We are convinced that sustainable development and stability in Afghanistan are in the interests of the entire Eurasian region,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    In turn, Abdul Ghani Baradar noted the high interest of the Afghan Government in the comprehensive development of trade and economic ties with Russia, including joint projects that will allow the realization of Afghanistan’s transport and logistics potential and strengthen economic connectivity in Eurasia.

    The parties agreed to establish a regular interdepartmental dialogue to discuss the parameters for implementing projects in various sectors of the economy and increasing the volume of mutual trade.

    Following the intergovernmental meeting, a number of bilateral documents were signed, including a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in the field of transport and transit.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: Reducing administrative barriers for the implementation of socially significant projects

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The government has expanded the list of areas within the framework of the implementation of the Guillotine 2.0 project, which is aimed at revising and reducing mandatory requirements for the construction and operation of social infrastructure facilities. The project has been implemented since 2024 in such areas as “School”, “Redevelopment (re-equipment) of premises”, “Hospital”, “Runway (airport)”, “Hotel”. To these have been added “Organization of cultural events” and “Development and improvement of the availability of infrastructure for sports”.

    “The idea of the “regulatory guillotine” is to reduce redundant and irrelevant norms and rules. The business community is actively involved in this work. Together, we have already reviewed over 300 thousand mandatory requirements, and more than a third of them have been cancelled. Now we have moved on to more targeted work in individual areas with the aim of further reducing administrative barriers to the implementation of social projects,” commented Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.

    For example, within the framework of the “Hotel” direction, the period for checking the grounds for putting a land plot up for auction has been reduced from two months to one. And within five days, the winner of the auction will be required to send a signed contract for the sale and purchase or lease of the land plot. The corresponding changes have been made to the Land Code.

    By September 2025, a simplified procedure for connecting to power grids will become available for hotels with 120–200 rooms (medium-sized hotels with energy consumption of up to 670 kW), as is currently the case for facilities with energy consumption of up to 150 kW. The period for reviewing an application for technological connection will be reduced from 20 to 10 days.

    A number of changes are planned within the framework of the direction “Organization of cultural events” and “Development and improvement of accessibility of infrastructure for sports activities”. For example, the Government has lifted restrictions on the frequency of free visits to parks, museums and exhibitions for large families. Now large families can visit them free of charge at any convenient time when the institution is open. This rule has become uniform throughout the country. The corresponding Government resolution has already been issued. Also, within the framework of the project, it is planned to eliminate excessive requirements for the preservation of cultural heritage sites. Applications for assignment of sports titles can be submitted electronically.

    Large-scale work to revise mandatory requirements for carrying out business activities (the so-called regulatory guillotine) began in 2019 on the instructions of the President. It is carried out jointly with business representatives and the expert community – 43 industry groups have been created. They analyze both old and new mandatory requirements for their redundancy and irrelevance. According to business communities, the annual economic effect of the “regulatory guillotine” is about 200 billion rubles. These groups are also actively involved in the new project – “Guillotine 2.0”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FACT CHECK: DHS Requests to Replace 20-Year-Old Coast Guard Jet is for Safety

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today fact-checked false accusations by media outlets surrounding the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) planned replacement of a jet that is more than 20 years old. 

    “The current CG-101 G550 is over 20 years old, outside of Gulfstream’s service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft. This is a matter of safety. Much like the US Coast Guard’s ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard’s aircraft are, too. The Trump Administration is taking action to restore our Nation’s finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 

    The majority of authorized users for the Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA) program are Coast Guard leadership, including four-star and three-star admirals. 

    One of the Service’s two aircraft is 22 years old and faces significant avionics and communications obsolescence issues.   

    The maintenance issues of the older jet directly impact its availability for critical missions and hinders the USCG’s ability to provide reliable and secure transportation for Coast Guard leadership. 

    The Coast Guard and its leadership—which includes the Secretary of Homeland Security—require world-class, effective command and control capabilities.

    • Significant constraints on capabilities and communications in the current aircraft program threaten to limit the Department and USCG’s ability to carry out its critical mission.
    • These efforts will ensure secure, reliable communications and meet the demand for continuity of operations and mission-ready command and control capability. 

    Presently, the Coast Guard has only two Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft to provide safe and reliable air transportation and communications capability for key leadership within DHS and the Coast Guard.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Willis Lease Finance Corporation Appoints Z. Clifton Dameron as General Counsel

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COCONUT CREEK, Fla., May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (“WLFC” or the “Company”), the leading lessor of commercial aircraft engines and global provider of aviation services, is pleased to announce the internal appointment of Z. Clifton (“Clif”) Dameron to the role of Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. Clif will report directly to Chief Executive Officer, Austin C. Willis, and will be responsible for overseeing all legal matters for WLFC.

    Clif succeeds Dean M. Poulakidas, who has stepped down from the role to pursue other opportunities.

    “We are grateful to Dean for the many years he selflessly dedicated to WLFC,” said Austin C. Willis. “Under his thoughtful guidance and counsel, we achieved many milestones that have been instrumental in building the brand we have today.”

    “I am very thankful for my almost 14 years at Willis Lease, working on many industry-leading transactions with fantastic people, said Dean M. Poulakidas.”

    Clif joined WLFC in 2024 as a Senior Vice President, bringing an extensive background in aviation and general corporate law. Since then, he has worked to strengthen and streamline the Company’s legal functions. Prior to joining WLFC, Clif served as Chief Legal Officer at Carlyle Aviation Partners (formerly Apollo Aviation Group) and held roles at Sciens Capital Management LLC, Bingham McCutchen LLP and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

    “I look forward to building upon the great work Dean has done during his tenure and working more closely with our talented team,” said Clif Dameron. “I am proud to represent WLFC as a leader in aviation leasing and innovation and believe there is great market opportunity ahead.”

    Willis Lease Finance Corporation

    Willis Lease Finance Corporation (“WLFC”) leases large and regional spare commercial aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing activities are integrated with engine and aircraft trading, engine lease pools and asset management services through Willis Asset Management Limited, as well as various end-of-life solutions for engines and aviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Through Willis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation Services Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine maintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking and storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services. Willis Sustainable Fuels intends to develop, build and operate projects to help decarbonize aviation.

    Except for historical information, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Do not unduly rely on forward-looking statements, which give only expectations about the future and are not guarantees. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which the forward-looking statement is based, except as required by law. Our actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: the effects on the airline industry and the global economy of events such as war, terrorist activity and the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in oil prices, rising inflation and other disruptions to world markets; trends in the airline industry and our ability to capitalize on those trends, including growth rates of markets and other economic factors; risks associated with owning and leasing jet engines and aircraft; our ability to successfully negotiate equipment purchases, sales and leases, to collect outstanding amounts due and to control costs and expenses; changes in interest rates and availability of capital, both to us and our customers; our ability to continue to meet changing customer demands; regulatory changes affecting airline operations, aircraft maintenance, accounting standards and taxes; the market value of engines and other assets in our portfolio; and risks detailed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other continuing and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is advisable, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in such filings. These statements constitute the Company’s cautionary statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

    CONTACT: Lynn Mailliard Kohler
      Director, Global Corporate Communications
      lkohler@willislease.com
      415.328.4798

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Moran National Space Day Resolution Unanimously Passes Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Jerry Moran, members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, celebrated the unanimous Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution designating May 2, 2025, as National Space Day.

    “From one small step for man to giant leaps for mankind, the U.S. has redefined what’s possible in space,” said Hickenlooper. “National Space Day will honor that legacy, especially here in Colorado—and keep us reaching for what’s next.”

    “Kansas has a rich history in aviation and aerospace manufacturing and is an important contributor to this new era of space exploration,” said Moran. “The aerospace community in Wichita – the Air Capital of the World – and across the country has secured America’s leadership in space exploration. This resolution honors America’s pioneering achievements in space and is a commitment to continue supporting new advancements in space exploration.”

    “Space Foundation applauds the effort led by Senators Moran and Hickenlooper to introduce a resolution recognizing the first Friday in May, May 2, 2025, as National Space Day,” said Heather Pringle, CEO of the Space Foundation. “The resolution highlights the importance of reflecting on the incredible space achievements of the past, recognizing the advancements of today, and inspiring the limitless possibilities of tomorrow.”

    “As one of the nation’s premiere STEAM education centers and space museums, the Cosmosphere is proud to call Kansas home,” said Jim Remar, President and CEO of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas. “Through applied, hands-on education programs, the Cosmosphere strives to inspire the next generation of workforce.  It is an honor to have our work included in the National Space Day Resolution.”  

    Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA X-59’s Latest Testing Milestone: Simulating Flight from the Ground

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft successfully completed a critical series of tests in which the airplane was put through its paces for cruising high above the California desert – all without ever leaving the ground.
    “The idea behind these tests is to command the airplane’s subsystems and flight computer to function as if it is flying,” said Yohan Lin, the X-59’s lead avionics engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
    The goal of ground-based simulation testing was to make sure the hardware and software that will allow the X-59 to fly safely are properly working together and able to handle any unexpected problems.
    Any new aircraft is a combination of systems, and identifying the little adjustments required to optimize performance is an important step in a disciplined approach toward flight.
    “We thought we might find a few things during the tests that would prompt us to go back and tweak them to work better, especially with some of the software, and that’s what we wound up experiencing. So, these tests were very helpful,” Lin said.
    Completing the tests marks another milestone off the checklist of things to do before the X-59 makes its first flight this year, continuing NASA’s Quesst mission to help enable commercial supersonic air travel over land.
    Simulating the Sky
    During the testing, engineers from NASA and contractor Lockheed Martin turned on most of the X-59’s systems, leaving the engine off. For example, if the pilot moved the control stick a certain way, the flight computer moved the aircraft’s rudder or other control surfaces, just as it would in flight.
    At the same time, the airplane was electronically connected to a ground computer that sends simulated signals – which the X-59 interpreted as real – such as changes in altitude, speed, temperature, or the health of various systems.
    Sitting in the cockpit, the pilot “flew” the aircraft to see how the airplane would respond.
    “These were simple maneuvers, nothing too crazy,” Lin said. “We would then inject failures into the airplane to see how it would respond. Would the system compensate for the failure? Was the pilot able to recover?”
    Unlike in typical astronaut training simulations, where flight crews do not know what scenarios they might encounter, the X-59 pilots mostly knew what the aircraft would experience during every test and even helped plan them to better focus on the aircraft systems’ response.

    Aluminum vs. Iron
    In aircraft development, this work is known as “iron bird” testing, named for a simple metal frame on which representations of the aircraft’s subsystems are installed, connected, and checked out.
    Building such a testbed is a common practice for development programs in which many aircraft will be manufactured. But since the X-59 is a one-of-a-kind airplane, officials decided it was better and less expensive to use the aircraft itself.
    As a result, engineers dubbed this series of exercises “aluminum bird” testing, since that’s the metal the X-59 is mostly made of.
    So, instead of testing an “iron bird” with copies of an aircraft’s systems on a non-descript frame, the “aluminum bird” used the actual aircraft and its systems, which in turn meant the test results gave everyone higher confidence in the design,
    “It’s a perfect example of the old tried and true adage in aviation that says ‘Test what you fly. Fly what you test,’” Lin said.
    Still Ahead for the X-59
    With aluminum bird testing in the rearview mirror, the next milestone on the X-59’s path to first flight is take the airplane out on the taxiways at the airport adjacent to Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, where the X-59 was built. First flight would follow those taxi tests.
    Already in the X-59’s logbook since the fully assembled and painted airplane made its public debut in January 2024:

    Testing the aircraft’s ability to maintain a certain speed while flying, essentially a check of the X-59’s version of cruise control.

    The X-59 Tests in 59

    [embedded content]
    Watch this video about the X-59 aluminum bird testing. It only takes a minute. Well, 59 seconds to be precise.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “I never had a day off and barely left the house in two years”

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Katherine* is one of thousands of Kenyan women who migrate to Saudi Arabia each year for jobs as domestic workers in private households. She was recruited through an agent who sold her a dream of economic fortunes, which fast turned into a nightmare of human rights abuse.

    The abuses faced by migrant domestic workers are enabled by their exclusion from Saudi Arabia’s labour laws, poor enforcement of existing regulations, structural racism embedded in the country’s kafala sponsorship system and the legacies of slavery and colonialism that continue to manifest in human rights abuses today. Migrant domestic workers remain among the least protected, despite being essential to the functioning of households and the broader economies in both countries.

    Here, Katherine, reveals what life was like as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia for two years, and what she thinks the Kenyan and Saudi authorities can do to end the exploitation of domestic workers and the structural discrimination they face as Black African women.

    A few years ago, my mother became ill and had to have heart surgery. She was the main breadwinner of the family. Being the first born, I had to step in.

    After three months, my mother was discharged from hospital, but by that time we had three months’ rent and school fees arrears because I was jobless.

    Around this time, I met a man in a local shop who told me that he heard that my mother was sick and that he had a job opportunity. I was shocked when he told me it was in Saudi Arabia, because of all the stories I’d heard.  But he said I will not have to pay any fees; everything would be taken care of. So, I accepted.

    After that, I was given a contract to sign. I remember it said the working hours would be eight daily with a weekly day off, the salary would be SAR 800 (around USD 215) monthly with paid overtime, and it would be increased after a few months. They were rushing us to sign, and I didn’t have time to do research.

    Soon after, the agent called to tell me I would be leaving on a flight the following day.

    At the airport, together with at least 30 other women, we were given our travel documents. Some were going to Dubai, others, like me, flew to Riyadh.

    On landing, I was greeted by another agent, who took my passport and handed it to my employer a few days after our arrival. At this point I did not know that I should not give my passport to anyone. To my relief, my employer handed it back to me after checking it. This is when I thought I was going to a good place. Indeed, my room was good with air conditioning and a lock. I was going to work for my 60-year-old employer, his wife and their six children. In the beginning, things were okay, and the workload was manageable.

    Soon the madam (employer’s wife) started complaining and shouting that I was not cleaning properly. She said I wasn’t clean, and I didn’t know how to clean. I was shocked at how she spoke to me.

    I never had a day off and barely left the house in two years.

    Katherine

    Each day I would start work at 6am and regularly work until around midnight, with just a few hours to rest and eat early in the evening. On Fridays, there used to be a party, so I would work even later, preparing, cleaning and then washing up after the guests had left. Even when I had to stay up into the early hours, my morning began at the same time, so I was sleeping just two hours on those days.

    I never had a day off and barely left the house in two years.

    Honestly speaking, this left me traumatized. Once, I asked my employers if I would ever be allowed outside to get some fresh air. That summer, they did take me out. But even this time I was not allowed to relax – I had to look after the grandchildren. These kids were very rude to me. They used to shout at me and tell me “you are a shaghala (maid/servant), you are supposed to do everything I tell you!”

    The madam would also often shout and scream at me in Arabic, calling me names, and sometimes she would physically abuse me. Once, she asked me to take one of the baby grandchildren to the bathroom to be washed, but this was not part of my job. When I said no, because I was worried if something happened to the baby they would say I hurt her, my employer slapped me. She said: “I bought you. You belong to me, and you do what I say!” I wanted to reply, but I remembered, this is Saudi Arabia, not your country. So, I sat in the corner and cried.

    The madam would also often shout and scream at me in Arabic, calling me names, and sometimes she would physically abuse me.

    They were spiteful too. They would make me wash the family’s clothes by hand using bleach, even though there was a washing machine, which gave me chest problems and discoloured my hands. Sometimes they would cut off my internet. Once, the madam took my mobile and broke it into pieces after I asked the husband for a smartphone so I could talk to my family. I was the only helper, but the grown-up children would refuse to help me carry heavy cartons of water up multiple flights of stairs when 100 boxes were delivered to the house at a time.

    They would resist taking me to get medical treatment too. I have a heart condition and one time it got worse. On that occasion they took me to the hospital where I was given medicine and asked to go back after two weeks. But when the two weeks came my madam said that going back is a waste of money as I have recovered.

    The madam would also often shout and scream at me in Arabic, calling me names, and sometimes she would physically abuse me.

    Katherine

    Food was the main issue, though. They would deprive me of food or only give me leftovers or gone-off food. The madam scolded me for taking bread from the cupboard when I was hungry. The rotten food caused me stomach problems, but they would only give me painkillers or Cardamom tea, and they would tell me off for being in the bathroom too long. When I made my own food, my madam complained that it smelled bad. Instead, I cooked dried noodles. but when she found out she threw it in the bin, saying that her children were the only ones allowed to eat noodles. So, I used to survive without eating or just drank black tea and ate biscuits.

    They would deprive me of food or only give me leftovers or gone-off food.

    Thankfully, I was paid on time, but because I was not allowed outside, they would just give me SAR 100 each month and send the rest directly to my family in Kenya. They didn’t increase my salary, like my contract had said. It was only after two years when I was about to go home that they offered to. By then I wanted to leave.

    Since returning to Kenya, I have started working with some local organizations to raise awareness about the risks people face when travelling to the Gulf for work. Us Kenyans have this habit of standing with each other like bees – when you attack one of us, others will come to help. Having heard the stories of many other women, I actually thank God, because I think my experience was better than some.

    Since returning to Kenya, I have started working with some local organizations to raise awareness about the risks people face when travelling to the Gulf for work.

    The problem in Kenya is that the government is not strict on the recruitment agents, who send us abroad and then abandon us – no one checks how we are doing.

    Our work as migrant domestic workers is vital in Saudi Arabia. If we did not do the work, everything would come to a standstill in the country, so the governments should make sure we are safe. The rights of human beings should apply to everyone, whatever their skin colour or nationality – policies in Saudi Arabia should protect the nationals but they should also protect us migrant workers. We domestic workers should be included under the Labour law so that we have the same rights as other workers. We call on the government to punish employers that mistreat foreigners and take real action to stop racism against migrant domestic workers.

    Read Amnesty International’s report Locked in, left out: the hidden lives of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.

    *Name has been changed

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $1.6 Million for Airport Improvements Across Louisiana from His Infrastructure Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is granting Louisiana a total of $1,627,346.00 in funding from his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to improve airport infrastructure in Minden, Shreveport, Monroe, Vivian, Mansfield, Eunice, and Reserve.
    “Communities always want their airports to leave a good first impression,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These investments will help them do so. They’ll boost safety, support local economies, and help smaller airports better serve their communities.”
    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description
    $585,000.00
    City of Minden
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a 3,600 sq. ft. sponsor-owned hangar for aircraft storage to help the airport be self-sustaining by generating revenue.
    $292,125.00
    Shreveport Airport Authority
    This grant will provide federal funding to acquire a new sweeper/vacuum truck to bring the airport into conformity with current safety standards.
    $355,679.00
    City of Monroe
    This grant will provide federal funding to rehabilitate 2,153 feet of Runway 14/32 to maintain structural integrity and minimize foreign object debris.
    $57,770.00
    Town of Vivian
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a new fuel farm by adding one fuel tank to expand availability of an existing fuel type and help generate airport revenue.
    $131,772.00
    De Soto Parish Police Jury
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a 10,920 sq. ft. sponsor-owned hangar and a 735-foot taxilane to improve airfield access and meet current standards.
    $95,000.00
    City of Eunice
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a new sponsor-owned hangar for aircraft storage to support revenue generation and self-sufficiency.
    $110,000.00
    Port of South Louisiana
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct an 8,400 sq. ft. sponsor-owned hangar to assist the airport in becoming self-sustaining through increased revenue.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Trillions in Great Deals Secured for America Thanks to President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    President Donald J. Trump’s first official trip was a huge success, locking in over $2 trillion in great deals—including a $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia, a $1.2 trillion economic exchange agreement with Qatar, $243.5 billion in U.S.-Qatar commercial and defense deals, and $200 billion in U.S.-United Arab Emirates commercial deals.
    President Trump’s historic collaboration with these Middle Eastern nations not only strengthens America’s economy but also fosters greater safety and stability in the region, paving the way for a more prosperous and secure future.
    The companies securing these landmark deals are grateful for the Trump Administration’s leadership and the economic climate President Trump has fostered to make these agreements possible:
    U.S.-Saudi Arabia Deals
    Alphabet and Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat: “We acknowledge and are grateful for the engagement and policies of the Trump Administration and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who are enabling strong execution to accelerate AI innovation in both countries. We are proud of the partnership with PIF for a global AI hub that will deliver innovation, economic growth and societal benefits not only to Saudi Arabia, but also to American and global companies doing business in the region. Together, we will create highly-skilled jobs and deliver AI training programs to open new, rewarding career pathways.”
    Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: “We appreciate President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman convening business leaders in Saudi Arabia to strengthen economic ties and drive innovation between our two countries. Amazon is excited to partner with HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s newly created AI innovation company, to collectively invest more than $5 billion to build a groundbreaking ‘AI Zone’ there, which will bring multiple innovative AWS AI capabilities to Saudi Arabia along with skills training for 100,000 citizens from the Kingdom.”
    DataVolt CEO Rajit Nanda: “This partnership was made possible in large part due to the enabling technology and trade frameworks advanced during the Trump Administration—policies that championed high-tech exports, strengthened U.S.-Saudi strategic ties, which have empowered entrepreneurial collaboration in the digital era.”
    Oracle CEO Safra Catz: “Thanks to the decisive actions and strong leadership of President Trump and his administration, Oracle is providing the world’s most advanced cloud and AI technology to Saudi Arabia. Our expanded partnership with the Kingdom will create new opportunities for its economy, deliver better health outcomes for its people, and fortify its alliance with the United States, which will create a ripple effect of peace and prosperity across the Middle East and around the world.”
    GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik: “As the world’s energy equipment manufacturer, GE Vernova is proud to deploy world class technology to help deepen the longstanding relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, advance energy security, and strengthen the economic prosperity and competitiveness of both nations. We are thankful for the leadership of both governments for putting energy manufacturing, innovation, and technology front and center, setting the strongest possible precedent for the role of equipment to unlock more solutions globally. We are committed to continuing our work to grow capacity and jobs in the U.S. and beyond to meet these critical needs.”
    Shamekh IV Solutions, LLC Chairman and Founder Stephen Shaya, M.D.: “We extend our profound gratitude to President Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Administrations of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and our future partner Alturki Holding for their unwavering support and shared vision in making this endeavor possible. The Trump Administration’s policies and engagements have shown leadership and laid the groundwork for international partnerships and investment opportunities. As we embark on this transformative journey, we are committed to generating employment, stimulating industrial growth, and contributing to the development of a robust pharmaceutical industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. Together with our esteemed partners, we are fortifying global competitiveness and positioning ourselves as leaders in the healthcare sector. This venture represents a monumental leap forward in our mission to deliver innovative healthcare solutions. By leveraging advanced technologies and fostering international collaborations, we aim to set new standards in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research, ultimately improving patient outcomes worldwide.”
    Saudi Excellence Co. Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Zaid Al-Meleihi on the Energy Investment Fund: “This vehicle represents more than capital—it is a bridge of trust and ambition between two great nations. We are proud to recognize the legacy of President Trump, which positioned the United States as a magnet for innovation and opportunity and elevated the conditions necessary for meaningful bilateral engagement.”
    New Era Fund and New Vista Capital General Partners Adam Kaplan and Kirsten Bartok Touw, along with Saudi Excellence Co. Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Zaid Al-Meleihi: “We extend our gratitude to President Donald J. Trump and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud for their exceptional leadership and support in making this initiative possible. The launch of the New Era Fund reflects a shared vision of investing in industrial capability and innovation to build a stronger and more resilient future together.”
    Palantir Co-Founder and CEO Alex Karp: “This historic visit builds on decades of strategic cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Palantir is proud to play a role in forging the next generation of that alliance by enhancing U.S.-Saudi cooperation on AI and defense.”
    Lockheed Martin Chairman, President, and CEO Jim Taiclet: “At Lockheed Martin, we build the world’s best air defense systems, powerful radars, and most lethal fighter aircraft and we thank President Trump for including us in this groundbreaking defense partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We look forward to working with his administration to support a pathway to fifth generation air dominance capabilities while further strengthening the Kingdom’s defenses against air and missile threats.”
    L3Harris Chair and CEO Christopher E. Kubasik: “L3Harris was proud to enter a defense-focused joint venture with Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) in 2019 under the first Trump administration, and today’s agreement represents another significant step forward in our collaboration in the Kingdom. We look forward to expanding our partnership in communications; datalinks; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to protect the joint security interests of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.”
    Jacobs Chair and CEO Bob Pragada: “Jacobs is honored to have participated in the Saudi–U.S. Investment Forum, held this week, which reinforces the strength of the commercial partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing of our Memorandum of Understanding with Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) reflects Jacobs’ continued commitment to delivering sustainable infrastructure that supports Vision 2030 and contributes to long term prosperity and job creation in the Kingdom.” 
    Bechtel Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel: “Bechtel’s announcement to deliver three new terminals at King Salman International Airport marks a significant new chapter in our more than 80-year partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This project reflects our shared commitment to advancing world-class infrastructure that fuels long-term economic growth and underscores the enduring strength of U.S.-Saudi economic and development ties. We appreciate the leadership of President Trump and the vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made together—including more than 300 projects across Saudi Arabia, such as the recently opened Riyadh Metro—and we’re energized by the opportunities ahead.” 
    Franklin Templeton CEO and President Jenny Johnson: “President Trump is visiting the Middle East to build on historic progress made in his first term to bring peace and stability to the region by brokering the Abraham accords. His focus on enhanced economic and military cooperation advances the interests of the US, our partners in the region, and all who rely on the benefits of a more stable region and safe passage of critical resources and services. The United States is home to the leading global asset managers. For over 75 years, Franklin Templeton has been one of the largest, most innovative, and truly global firms; having maintained a physical presence in the Gulf region more than 25 years, we are renowned for our pioneering approach to emerging market investments, as we were one of the first global asset managers to invest in the Saudi capital market and now we offer a suite of investment and research services from our Riyadh location, in addition to our leadership in global Sukuk and Sharia-compliant investing. Our USA-based teams manage many of our global portfolios in close collaboration with our local teams on the ground in Saudi Arabia and around the world. The Trump Administration’s policies, including those designed to open foreign markets to US-based global leaders like us – have already helped Franklin Templeton to export more of our world-class services. And the Administration’s bilateral approach to trade in both goods and services is a welcome, direct approach that allows for quick and meaningful successes like those we have announced this week with our Saudi partners.”
    Edrevel Founder and CEO Anita Selwyn: “President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the announcement of more than $600 billion in U.S.–Saudi investment agreements mark a major step forward in global economic partnership. Edrevel thanks the U.S. Department of Commerce for bringing together innovative startups and enterprises to power the dialogue at the forum, and set the stage for long term investments in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The investments in both countries generate a surging demand for talent, requiring fast, scalable upskilling. AI-powered learning delivers speed, precision, and measurable ROI. Edrevel is proud to advance workforce development through strategic partnerships with the Saudi Entertainment Academy, Alfaisal Center for Research and Consultancy Studies, and Aosha Training and Consulting in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to expanding Edrevel’s role in building capacity, driving innovation, and unlocking opportunity across both nations.” 
    Mitchell Rubber Arabia Founder, Chairman, and CEO Stephen J. Lautenschlager:  “President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia represents a historic affirmation of the enduring strength and strategic importance of the U.S.–Saudi relationship. Mitchell Rubber exemplifies the kind of industrial collaboration that advances Vision 2030 while delivering real economic value back to the United States—through expanded trade, advanced technology integration, and the growth of U.S.-based engineering and services exports. This partnership is made possible by forward-looking policies from both governments and the coordinated support of the Ministry of Investment, the Royal Commission for Yanbu, the U.S. Embassy, and the U.S.–Saudi Business Council—all of whom have played a vital role in enabling this cross-border investment and industrial localization initiative.” 
    I Squared Capital Chairman and Managing Partner Sadek Wahba: “Today’s forum represents the best of U.S.-Saudi cooperation—built on a long-standing partnership and poised for future growth. The MoU I Squared Capital signed with the Public Investment Fund highlights the vital role of private capital, particularly in infrastructure, and reflects what’s possible when two nations share a commitment to innovation, investment, and economic progress. We are especially grateful to the U.S. and Saudi leadership for their vision and collaboration in setting the stage for high-impact partnerships like ours. As part of our commitment to the Kingdom, I Squared Capital hopes to invest roughly $1 billion in Saudi Arabia over the coming years, supporting the ambitions of Vision 2030 and contributing to a more connected, sustainable, and prosperous future.”
    Armada CEO Dan Wright: “We’re grateful for President Trump’s focus on American leadership in enhancing global economic prosperity and look forward to continuing to strengthen key international partnerships through collaboration, technology, and innovation. This visit marks a significant moment in the historic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Aligned with this milestone, we are proud to announce that Armada is partnering with Alturki Holding to bring real-world AI and edge infrastructure to the region and help advance Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. This $30 million investment will accelerate American and Saudi innovators, create highly-skilled jobs, and expand opportunities for collaboration between our nations.” 
    Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon: “This marks a pivotal time for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it makes significant strides in becoming a global hub for digital and AI innovation. As a long-standing American innovator and semiconductor company, we are proud to work with HUMAIN, Aramco and ALAT to deploy our leading technologies in 5G, AI and next generation edge and cloud computing. The Saudi-US Investment Forum showcased the importance of collaboration between leading enterprises of two great nations, and we applaud President Trump and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for their leadership.” 
    Doroni Aerospace CEO and Founder Doron Merdinger: “It was an honor to represent Doroni Aerospace at the U.S.–Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh — a historic moment where American innovation met global collaboration. This partnership, to develop and manufacture the H1-X, next generation personal eVTOL, will directly support U.S. job creation, help alleviate traffic through advanced personal air mobility, and unlock new economic opportunities by reimagining how we move. This milestone would not have been possible without President Trump’s leadership, fostering a business environment that welcomes international investment and accelerates next-generation technologies.”
    Parsons Corporation Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer Carey Smith: “Parsons is proud to be a part of President Trump’s initiatives to strengthen strategic relations in Saudi Arabia. As a global infrastructure leader with a presence in the Kingdom spanning more than six decades, Parsons has leveraged our global experience to build trusted partnerships and deliver critical infrastructure, supported by over 3,000 employees across the country with 50 active projects in the Kingdom, including mega and giga projects. We are working on some of the Kingdom’s premiere projects including the world’s largest urban park; King Salman Park, NEOM’s THE LINE and Oxagon projects, Soudah Peaks and Riyadh Metro, the largest driverless metro system in the world. Our unwavering focus on the country’s future is underlined by a combination of a dedicated team of experts and our understanding of the local environment and vision, reinforcing our commitment to building this nation and supporting its transformation.”
    Hill International Global CEO Raouf Ghali: “We extend our profound gratitude to President Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Administrations of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and our future partner National Water Company and Lucid Motor for their unwavering support and shared vision in making this endeavor possible. The Trump Administration’s policies and engagements have shown leadership and laid the groundwork for international partnerships and investment opportunities. As we embark on this transformative journey, we are committed to generating employment, stimulating industrial growth, and contributing to the development of a robust infrastructure industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. Together with our esteemed partners, we are fortifying global competitiveness and positioning ourselves as leaders in the infrastructure sector. This represents a monumental leap forward in our mission to deliver infrastructure top notch services.”
    Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill: “Woodside was pleased to sign a collaboration agreement with Aramco today as part of the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, which is focused on building economic ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia as part of the President’s goal to build a long-term economic partnership between the two countries. Under the collaboration agreement, Woodside and Aramco will explore global opportunities, including Aramco’s potential acquisition of an equity interest in and LNG offtake from the Louisiana LNG project as well as exploring opportunities for a potential collaboration in lower-carbon ammonia.”
    Global AI Director and CEO Sami Issa: “The Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum has exceeded our expectations. We are deeply grateful to President Trump for his remarkable efforts to strengthen cooperation with our close ally, Saudi Arabia, and to promote mutual investment in AI between our two nations. We would be honored to invite President Trump and Secretary Lutnick to tour our state-of-the-art, water-cooled data center located in his home state of New York.”
    Intelligent Security Systems Chairman Richard Burns: “We were delighted to close our deal at the Summit. No question at all that President Trump’s visit was the major accelerant. Our deal is proof that you don’t need to be Fortune 500 to do well in Saudi if you have the right products and services.”
    Phosphorus Cybersecurity CEO and Founder Chris Rouland: “President Trump’s historic visit to Saudi Arabia marks a significant milestone in the enduring partnership between our countries. We are proud to support this shared commitment to economic growth and innovation by providing advanced cybersecurity technologies that empower the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 while also driving technological leadership here in the United States. We thank the Trump administration for its policies that promote global collaboration and open new opportunities for American technology companies to contribute to critical digital infrastructure projects around the world.”
    Hydrotech CEO Tarek Khouri: “President Donald Trump’s historic visit to Saudi Arabia marks a significant milestone in the enduring partnership between the United States and the Kingdom. At HydroTech Environmental Engineering and Geology DPC, we take immense pride in contributing to this collaboration by delivering innovative environmental and infrastructure solutions that drive economic growth and sustainability. We sincerely appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his administration’s commitment to fostering international cooperation, foreign investment, and technological advancement. These policies have paved the way for strengthened economic ties and new opportunities that benefit industries across both nations. We remain dedicated to leveraging our US and international expertise to support this evolving partnership and to create lasting positive impacts for a sustainable future. Thank you, President Trump, for upholding your commitment to Make America Great Again and for implementing policies that have reinforced America’s global leadership toward a new golden age.”
    Science Technology Co CEO Eng. Idris Al-Zakari: “The unprecedented opportunity provided by President Trump’s historic visit to the Kingdom underscores and surpasses the evolutionary relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.  The spectacular investment package negotiated between the two allies is the most significant step forward for the two nations since the meeting between Franklin Roosevelt and King Abdualaziz aboard the USS Quincy during WW-II.”
    Cimcor, Inc. President and CEO Robert E. Johnson, III: “This moment marks more than a business milestone—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when American innovation aligns with visionary leadership in the Gulf. Through this partnership, we are helping to build a digital future that’s more secure, more resilient, and deeply connected across borders. We’re proud to contribute to Vision 2030 and thank the Administration for fostering global cooperation that drives real progress.”
    Enfield Investment Partners Chairman and Co-Founder Jake Silverstein: “It is an extraordinary honor to be part of President Trump’s historic visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to witness the collaboration between President Trump and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Enfield Investment Partners is built on the belief that sports is a universal language. Enfield invests in sports teams, leagues, and sports-focused real estate that drive economic value, uplift communities, and bring people together around the shared experience of sports. The sports ecosystem in the United States is the strongest and best in the world because core to our national identity are the traits that make sports so compelling: competition, meritocracy, and constantly seeking the leading edge of excellence. A portion of our Fund is directed to developing the Saudi Arabian sports ecosystem. I would like to thank President Trump for leading a transformation and ushering in a new Golden Age and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a once-in-history visionary leader whose bravery and determination has rapidly propelled the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our two countries have been friends for eighty years, but this visit marks the start of a new chapter, built on mutual trust, shared vision, and an exciting new path.”
    Tricion Defense Group President and CEO Eng. Nasr al-Ghrairi: “We extend our sincere congratulations to President Trump on his historic visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a moment that marks a renewed and elevated chapter in U.S.–Saudi relations. We deeply appreciate the Administration’s vision and policies that continue to foster bilateral engagement, unlock economic opportunity, and reinforce America’s global industrial leadership. Tricion Defense Group is proud to stand at the forefront of this strategic transformation. As one of the largest private U.S. direct investment in Saudi Arabia’s defense sector, we are not only enabling the Kingdom to localize critical capabilities in electronic warfare, air defense, and C4I—but we are also contributing to U.S. economic growth by injecting capital into innovation, technology development, and advanced manufacturing across both nations. This SR4 billion ($1.06 billion) commitment—announced in partnership with NESMA Information and Technologies (NIT)—represents more than an MOU; it is a declaration of our belief that Saudi Arabia must lead from the front—not follow. It is also a bold affirmation of our support for the American innovation engine, which remains the most valuable strategic asset of the United States. President Trump’s visit has reignited a new era of industrial alignment between our two nations. Through this investment, we are laying the foundation for a next-generation model of defense collaboration: faster, bolder, and unapologetically strategic. We thank the leadership of both nations, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, for enabling a partnership of this scale and consequence.”
    U.S.-Qatar Deals
    Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg: “We are grateful for the trust Qatar Airways has placed in us with this historic order, the largest-ever for Boeing’s widebody planes, including the largest-ever purchase of 787 Dreamliners and more 777X jets. Thank you to President Trump for supporting the agreement, which grows our longstanding partnership with the airline. As one of America’s top exporters, Boeing is proud that our aircraft sales to global customers strengthen U.S. manufacturing and sustain jobs in our factories and at suppliers across the United States.”
    GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr.: “We are extremely honored to deepen our relationship with Qatar Airways and grateful to them for placing their trust in us with our largest ever widebody engine deal. Our widebody engines – the GE9X and GEnx – are marvels of modern engineering, with the durability and reliability to power flight across the longest distances. We appreciate President Trump’s support for this historic agreement.”
    Northrop Grumman Spokesperson: “Northrop Grumman has a long history of delivering advanced defense technologies to Qatar. Thanks to the President’s leadership, we have a historic opportunity to accelerate security cooperation and defense technology sales that will greatly expand U.S. jobs and economic strength.”
    Quantinuum President and CEO Dr. Rajeeb Hazra: “Quantinuum is deeply committed to advancing quantum capabilities with partners like Qatar to further solidify U.S. innovation and global leadership in a technology critical to our collective future. We are honored to be highlighted as part of this historic visit by the President of the United States to Qatar and look forward to helping create the future of our industry.”
    Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet: “At Lockheed Martin, supporting American armed forces and our international defense partners drives everything we do. We build the most advanced integrated air and missile defense systems with cutting-edge radars. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we will help accelerate Qatar’s next-generation air and missile defense capabilities, enabling a more secure and stable region, sustaining American manufacturing jobs, and reinforcing our defense industrial base.”
    Parsons Corporation Chair, President, and CEO Carey Smith: “I’m proud to be here on behalf of Parsons, and to be a part of President Trump’s initiatives to strengthen strategic relations in Qatar. As a global infrastructure leader with over six decades of experience in the region, including two-plus decades in Qatar, Parsons has partnered with organizations across the country to deliver on many of its premier infrastructure projects in Doha, Lusail, and beyond.”
    McDermott International President and CEO Michael McKelvy: “The partnership between McDermott, Qatar Energy and The State of Qatar has been developed over decades. We remain committed to bringing McDermott’s +100 years of experience to support Qatar’s energy development plans for decades to come and were honored to be part of this historic visit by the President.”
    U.S.-United Arab Emirates Deals
    Saildrone CEO Richard Jenkins: “This groundbreaking deal unites the best of American innovation with a partner committed to regional security and stability. We are proud to play our part in President Trump’s vision, for regional maritime superiority, to enable the safe passage of trade and the interception of illegal or destabilizing activity, throughout the Middle East region.”
    Occidental President and CEO Vicki Hollub: “We are proud to participate in President Trump’s visit to the UAE, where we signed a strategic energy enhancing agreement with our longstanding partner ADNOC, whose investment company XRG will consider making a $500 million investment in the United States, alongside a grant award from the U.S. DOE, to advance Occidental’s South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub, Development of DAC is essential for ensuring our country’s long-term energy security. We also signed an agreement with ADNOC to examine the expansion of production at our successful joint venture energy development project in the UAE’s Shah Gas field, using U.S. technologies.”
    Oracle CEO Safra Catz: “In support of President Trump’s vision and commitment to peace through prosperity and the Abraham Accords, the greatest diplomatic accomplishment in modern history, we are pleased to continue to invest in and deliver cloud and AI technology to power the UAE’s most important systems. Our Oracle Cloud Infrastructure footprint, Oracle Alloy sovereign cloud partnerships, and groundbreaking work in healthcare will help accelerate the UAE’s technology modernization efforts and advance patient health outcomes. Together, the UAE and U.S. will redefine what is possible in technology, business, and healthcare.”
    Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg: “As one of the launch customers for the 777X, Etihad is a valued customer, and we are grateful for the airline’s continued confidence in Boeing. We appreciate the support of the President and his administration as we partner with Etihad to enable their growth while sustaining highly skilled U.S. manufacturing jobs.”
    Northrop Grumman Spokesperson: “Just as we have invested in the UAE, such as Northrop Grumman’s grant to the American Community School in Abu Dhabi, we welcome increased partnership and investment by the UAE in our world-class defense sector. This historic trip will increase U.S. jobs and economic strength.”
    Lockheed Martin Chairman, President, and CEO Jim Taiclet: “Through President Trump’s leadership, Lockheed Martin and the United Arab Emirates are building on 50 years of partnership to strengthen regional defense with advanced airpower, integrated air and missile defense, precision radars, and next-generation command and control. Our high-tech innovation benefits both nations by sustaining American manufacturing jobs and driving industrial growth.”
    Parsons Chair, President, and CEO Carey Smith: “Parsons is proud to be a part of President Trump’s initiatives to strengthen strategic relations in the UAE. As a global infrastructure leader with a presence in the Emirates spanning nearly five decades, Parsons has leveraged our global experience to build trusted partnerships and deliver critical infrastructure, supported by 2,700 employees across the country and have successfully completed more than 3,000 projects. We have worked on some of the UAE’s premiere projects including the region’s first metro line in Dubai, the iconic Infinity Bridge, Dubai Municipality’s Strategic Sewerage Tunnel project, the Sharjah and Abu Dhabi International Airports and Etihad Rail, the region’s first high speed rail network. Our unwavering focus on the country’s future is underlined by a combination of a dedicated team of experts and our understanding of the local environment and vision, reinforcing our commitment to building this nation and supporting its transformation.”
    Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli: “We congratulate President Trump on his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates — A key moment that underscores the enduring partnership between two nations committed to innovation, progress, and shared prosperity. As we look to the future, energy will remain central to economic growth and broader cooperation that supports stability and opportunity for both countries, and Baker Hughes remains steadfast in our dedication to help both nations meet their goals.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israel launches retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    SANAA/JERUSALEM, May 16 (Xinhua) — The Israeli military launched retaliatory air strikes on Yemen’s Red Sea ports of Hodeida and As-Salif on Friday, the Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV channel reported.

    There are no reports of casualties yet.

    The Xinhua source said the new strikes came as the Houthis were preparing ports to receive fuel shipments. Houthi-controlled areas, including the capital Sanaa, have been suffering from fuel shortages since a previous round of Israeli airstrikes on May 6. The shortage has worsened since then.

    Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed in a joint statement that the Israeli Air Force attacked and “severely damaged” the Red Sea ports of Hodeida and Salif in an effort to disrupt Houthi operations in those harbors.

    The current Israeli airstrikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen are the eighth since the rebel movement began firing drones and rockets into Israel in November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis also regularly target Israeli-linked commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

    On May 6, the Jewish state shelled Sana’a International Airport, causing significant damage: the runway, a passenger plane, and critical infrastructure were destroyed, rendering the airport inoperable. According to Houthi-controlled health authorities, three people were killed and at least 39 were injured in the strikes on the Yemeni capital and the nearby province of Amran.

    Today’s airstrikes came after the Houthis reached a ceasefire with the United States, brokered by Oman. Under the agreement, the Houthis agreed to suspend attacks on American shipping in the Red Sea in exchange for an end to U.S. airstrikes against their positions. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Illuminated Landmarks to Recognize National Police Week

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced 15 State landmarks will be illuminated blue on the evening of May 16 in recognition of National Police Week, which runs from May 11, 2025 through May 17, 2025.

    “Our police officers are heroes, putting their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers safe from harm,” Governor Hochul said. “On National Police Week, we recognize their immense courage and their commitment to serving their communities — stepping up when disaster strikes, protecting our loved ones and walking bravely into the unknown in service of our safety. To all of our officers: Thank you.”

    Recognized every May, National Police Week honors the law enforcement community, with a special recognition of fallen officers and their surviving families from law enforcement agencies from across the nation.

    The following landmarks will be illuminated blue tonight:

    • 1 World Trade Center
    • Albany International Airport Gateway
    • Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
    • Empire State Plaza
    • Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
    • Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
    • Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
    • Kosciuszko Bridge
    • Moynihan Train Hall
    • Niagara Falls
    • State Education Building
    • State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
    • The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
    • The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
    • Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “During National Police Week, we gather to honor the memory of our brothers and sisters who gave their lives to protect ours. These individuals had that extra something in their character that made them willingly put others before themselves and are the true definition of heroes. The lighting of landmarks pays homage to the courage, bravery, and selflessness that they displayed and what we honor this week.”

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “During National Police Week, we honor the bravery, service, and sacrifice of the law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to protect our communities. We are grateful for their unwavering dedication and proud of the strong partnerships we’ve built to make New York safer for all.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Man sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for smuggling eggs of endangered parrot species (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Man sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for smuggling eggs of endangered parrot species  
    A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said that the 30-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong on March 1 last year from Thailand. He was intercepted for customs clearance upon arrival at the airport. A total of 188 eggs were found in his carry-on baggage. AFCD officers then arrived at the scene to inspect the eggs. Upon inspection, the eggs were suspected to belong to parrot species listed in the Appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The eggs were subsequently seized for further investigation. 
     
    Subsequent to forensics testing, 187 of the eggs were confirmed to be from CITES-listed endangered parrot species, including seven eggs from CITES Appendix I species, namely the Moluccan cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) and the African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), and 180 eggs from CITES Appendix II species, namely the yellow-crowned amazon (Amazona ochrocephala), the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna), the red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus), the sulfur-breasted parakeet (Aratinga maculata), the sun parakeet (Aratinga solstitialis), the white cockatoo (Cacatua alba), the sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), the red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii), the eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus), the yellow-bibbed lory (Lorius chlorocercus) and the red-bellied macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata). The value of the seizure was estimated at $1.4 million.
     
    The man was charged with illegal import of endangered species and was convicted today at the District Court. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison. 
     
    Parrot populations have been decimated by illegal trade, which incentivises poaching in the wild worldwide. With the exception of four species, all parrots have been listed on the CITES Appendices. In Hong Kong, their international trade and local possession are regulated under the Ordinance. Any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of HK$10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
     
    For information on the regulation of endangered species under the Ordinance, please visit www.cites.hkIssued at HKT 18:17

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 128th Air Refueling Wing Hosts Joint Tactical Training with U.S. Marshals and Milwaukee Police

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Milwaukee, WI – The 128th Air Refueling Wing partnered with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Milwaukee Police Department to conduct a two-day combined training event, April 16–17, 2025, on base at General Mitchell Air National Guard Base.

    The joint training brought together 128 ARW Security Forces personnel and local law enforcement agencies for a series of advanced tactical exercises designed to strengthen interagency coordination, improve tactical response, and enhance mission readiness across all organizations involved. The event was led by instructors from the U.S. Marshals Service and featured realistic, hands-on training scenarios.

    Training events kicked off inside one of the Wing’s aircraft hangars with vehicle operations, where teams practiced high-risk vehicle approaches, tactical maneuvers, and suspect extraction techniques in confined spaces. The realistic environment allowed both military and civilian law enforcement personnel to work side by side, learning and refining techniques for use in operational settings.

    The second portion of the training focused on vehicle ballistics using paint rounds. This exercise provided participants with a safe but realistic simulation of weapons engagement around vehicles, emphasizing the effectiveness of cover, angles of fire, and decision-making under pressure.

    The final segment took place in an open-air environment and included instruction on coordinated movement, suspect pursuit and apprehension, and communication strategies between agencies. The training highlighted the importance of interoperability and real-time decision-making in complex, evolving situations.

    “Joint training events like this one with the Wisconsin Air National Guard allows our agency to utilize additional training venues and strengthen inter-agency relationships that enhance community law enforcement initiatives,” said Anna Ruzinski, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “We are very grateful to the WI ANG for their support in providing an excellent training location and the opportunity to collaborate with their security forces personnel, as well as for support from the city of Cudahy Emergency Medical Services in conducting a realistic medical response scenario.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Trump Racks Up Corrupt Deals, Kaine & Colleagues File Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to Block $3.5 Billion in Arms Sales to Qatar and the UAE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Brian Schatz (D-HI), all members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) filed four joint resolutions of disapproval (JRD) to block a $1.9 billion arms sale to Qatar and three arms sales—totaling $1.6 billion—to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as President Donald Trump racks up corrupt deals with those countries. The Senate is required to vote on JRDs.
    The introductions come after Qatar offered to gift President Trump a $400 million luxury Boeing 747 jumbo jet; an investment firm backed by the Emiratis announced that it would use a stablecoin issued by a crypto company directly backed by the Trump family to facilitate a $2 billion investment in the Binance cryptocurrency exchange; and after the Trump Organization signed a $5.5 billion golf course and real estate deal with Dar Global and Qatari Diar, a firm established by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund.
    “Everywhere I go in Virginia, I hear about how worried folks are about price hikes because of President Trump’s tariffs and the massive cuts he’s trying to implement on basic government services, including Medicaid. Meanwhile, he’s hatching secret plans with corrupt foreign governments to enrich himself with crypto deals, golf courses, and a luxury plane?” said Kaine. “I’m glad to be working with my colleagues to force votes on legislation challenging arms sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to make it clear that bribing an American president is one of the fastest ways to poison your relationship with the United States. Countries around the world should take notice.”
    The JRDs would block the following sales:
    A $1.9 billion arm sale to Qatar, which would include:
    Eight MQ-9B Armed Drones and associated equipment, including 200 JDAM tail kits, 300 500-lb bombs, and 110 Hellfire II missiles.

    Three separate arms sales totaling $1.6 billion to the UAE, which would include the sales of:
    Six CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters and associated equipment, valued at $1.32 billion;
    F-16 aircraft components, accessories, and defense services, valued at $130 million;
    Spare and repair parts to support the UAE’s fleet of AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Black Hawk, and CH-47 Chinook aircraft, and other logistics and program support, valued at $150 million.

    Full text of the Qatar JRD is available here.
    Full text of the UAE JRDs are available here (Chinook helicopters), here (aircraft equipment), and here (helicopter equipment).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Urge Social Security Administration to Reverse Decision to Maliciously & Illegally List Immigrants as “Dead”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Colleagues Urge Social Security Administration to Reverse Decision to Maliciously & Illegally List Immigrants as “Dead”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined 15 of his Democratic Senate colleagues in condemning and demanding the reversal of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) recent decision to list certain immigrants as “dead” in the master files.
    The Senators highlighted the departure from previous uses of SSA master files, noting that they normally share the files with federal agencies, banks, credit bureaus, or other financial institutions to prevent them from mistakenly paying deceased individuals or fraudsters trying to impersonate them. These files prevent over $50 million in improper payments per month. The death master files are now being weaponized against noncitizens, however, in a malicious attempt to keep them from participating in the U.S. economy.
    “These arbitrary actions—intended to weaponize Social Security in the Administration’s attack on immigrants—are disgraceful and will erode the integrity of and trust in Social Security,” wrote the Senators.
    “These noncitizens were lawfully present and granted work authorization by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), making them eligible for Social Security numbers (SSNs) to work and contribute to our nation. SSNs allow noncitizens to participate in the economy by obtaining housing, bank accounts, and insurance. Their work helps to boost the United States’ Gross Domestic Product by trillions of dollars,” continued the Senators. “But now, these noncitizens will no longer have access to their own financial resources because SSA has taken the unprecedented action of declaring them ‘dead’ in a cruel and Orwellian attempt to force them to leave the United States.”
    The Senators continued by highlighting incorrect designations of living, legal immigrants as “dead” without a chance to appeal, calling out the Department of Homeland Security for labeling these noncitizens as “criminals” or “suspected criminals” without sufficient investigations, as demonstrated by the erroneous deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Most of the more than 6,000 noncitizens who were declared “dead” had lawfully received their SSNs and had lawful authorization to be in the country. The Senators further emphasized that SSA lacks the authority to make these false categorizations for living noncitizens.
    “Such use of the death master files raises the question of whether SSA may list other living legal immigrants—or even American citizens—as ‘dead’ in the death master files without justification,” added the Senators. “It should frighten every American that SSA could make the unilateral decision to ruin their financial lives without even a chance to appeal.”
    The Senators concluded by denouncing misinformation spread by President Trump regarding Social Security, criticizing his baseless claim that people over 300 years old were receiving Social Security benefits. They urged SSA to immediately reverse their cruel, fraudulent mislabeling scheme.
    The letter was led by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
    Senator Padilla has fought against the Trump Administration’s weaponization of migrants’ personal information and files. Senator Padilla, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Wyden, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Warren recently urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to DHS and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden previously condemned the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants and led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency had illegally requested this information.
    Full text of the letter to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano is available here and below:
    Dear Commissioner Bisignano: We write to strongly object to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) apparent decision to list living noncitizens as “dead” in the agency’s master files. These arbitrary actions—intended to weaponize Social Security in the Administration’s attack on immigrants—are disgraceful and will erode the integrity of and trust in Social Security.
    SSA collects death records from families, financial institutions, and government agencies and compiles them into death master files, which the agency then shares with certain federal agencies, banks, credit bureaus, and other financial institutions to prevent improper payments to people who have died or those fraudulently seeking to impersonate someone who is deceased. In fact, the death master files help to prevent more than $50 million in improper payments each month. However, it appears that SSA is now using the death master files for another purpose: a weapon against living noncitizens.
    In April, the New York Times reported SSA maliciously has listed living noncitizens as “dead” in its death master files. These noncitizens were lawfully present and granted work authorization by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), making them eligible for Social Security numbers (SSNs) to work and contribute to our nation. SSNs allow noncitizens to participate in the economy by obtaining housing, bank accounts, and insurance. Their work helps to boost the United States’ Gross Domestic Product by trillions of dollars. But now, these noncitizens will no longer have access to their own financial resources because SSA has taken the unprecedented action of declaring them “dead” in a cruel and Orwellian attempt to force them to leave the United States.
    According to an internal memo, DHS claims that these noncitizens are “criminals” and “suspected terrorists.” But the proper procedure if a noncitizen is a criminal or a suspected terrorist is to initiate proceedings against them in immigration court, not for the SSA to arbitrarily declare them “dead” without any proof. In addition, DHS, not the SSA, makes determinations as to whether or not a noncitizen is eligible to work and whether to terminate or revoke work authorization. Finally, SSA has procedures the agency follows when it is determined that an individual no longer has work authorization or has lost status, and they do not involve declaring an individual dead. For example, a noncitizen’s Social Security card may state “Valid for work only with DHS authorization” or “Not valid for employment.”
    Yet, according to press reports, most of the more than 6,000 noncitizens declared “dead” were lawfully authorized by DHS to be in the United States and lawfully obtained SSNs. They were thoroughly vetted and underwent mandatory security checks before receiving authorization to travel to United States airports, where they then were individually screened by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers before being cleared to enter. The New York Times report indicated SSA has listed several minors, including a 13-year-old, as “dead” in the death master files, while the Washington Post reported that SSA workers “found no evidence of crimes or law enforcement interactions” for others. Further, SSA has no authority to erroneously categorize living noncitizens as “dead” in its death master files. Such use of the death master files raises the question of whether SSA may list other living legal immigrants—or even American citizens—as “dead” in the death master files without justification. It should frighten every American that SSA could make the unilateral decision to ruin their financial lives without even a chance to appeal.
    In his Joint Address to Congress in March, President Trump claimed there were people over the age of 300 receiving Social Security benefits, simply because some of the death master files lacked a recorded death date. His assertion was not true, and SSA’s actions now are turning this tool to prevent fraud into one that instead facilitates it. We urge SSA not to use the death master files in this manner and to remove noncitizens falsely listed as “dead” from the files.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: The CEO’s guide to building a Frontier Firm

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: The CEO’s guide to building a Frontier Firm

    Illustration by Alex Robbins

    Imagine stepping onto a steamship along the Hudson River in 1900, setting off on a transatlantic journey that will take a full week. You turn to a fellow passenger and say, “In just a few decades, this same trip will take seven hours—and we’ll do it in the sky.” You’d likely be met with polite disbelief, maybe even a chuckle. The idea would sound more like fantasy than foresight. And yet, that’s exactly what happened. What once seemed impossible quickly became the new normal.

    And that’s about to happen with AI and business, but with once unimaginable progress compressed into a few years instead of decades. Many organizations are in the initial phase of AI transformation, with humans tapping AI as an assistant. Some have already reached the second phase, forming teams of humans and agents working together toward common goals.  

    But phase three, the Frontier Firm, where humans empower AI to become the operational engine of business—and agents become the primary producers of work—is harder to envision. It’s “imagining the impossible” territory. And the main barrier to getting there is not the limits of technology; it’s the challenge of imagining a totally new way to work and structure organizations, then figuring out how to execute that transformation. 

    The three phases of AI transformation 

    As we said last month in the 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report, we see organizations moving through three phases on their way to becoming entirely new businesses, powered by intelligence on demand. Knowledge workers will no longer handle all knowledge work, with agents executing more and more of it. Human roles will refocus around vision, strategy, relationship building, and managing agents. 

    At Microsoft, we’re not just talking about this transformation—we’re living it. Our sales organization is actively navigating all three phases at once. By testing and scaling new tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot, Sales Chat, and our autonomous Sales Agent, we’re learning what works, where the friction points are, and how to evolve both our technology and our ways of working. These internal experiences are helping us refine the path forward—not just for ourselves, but for every organization on this journey.  

    “The core of what makes a good seller hasn’t changed,” says Pam Maynard, our Chief AI Transformation Officer for Microsoft Commercial. “They deeply understand the customer’s context, priorities, and pain points, and then map our solutions to those needs.” Increasingly, that will come from hybrid teams of humans + agents. 

    Phase 1: Human with assistant 
    Every employee uses AI as a personal assistant to work better and faster—writing, analyzing data, generating code. This is about productivity on a personal level rather than team or organizational. At scale, the impact means organizations working in the same way, using the same processes but more efficiently. In phase one, humans still drive the work. 

    For our sales organization, this step has focused on high-volume tasks: the administrative work that sellers often repeat dozens of times a day, like updating CRM records or taking meeting notes. “Copilot tackles the administrative minutiae so sellers can spend more time connecting with customers,” Maynard says. 

    The results? One sales team of nearly 700 people has already reported 9.4% higher revenue per person and 20% more deals closed compared to their peers with lower Copilot usage1—concrete gains that show how AI is driving real business outcomes. 

    Phase 2: Human-agent teams 
    Agents join the team as digital colleagues, taking on specific tasks at human direction—triaging support tickets, handling project management, facilitating meetings, contributing to brainstorming sessions. Agents boost efficiency and productivity at the team level, augment employees with new skills, and free them up to take on new, more valuable tasks. 

    At Microsoft, this shift is embodied in Sales Chat, an extension of Copilot that brings rich CRM and sales context directly into the seller’s workflow. Instead of toggling between dozens of tools to prepare for a customer meeting, sellers can now get instant access to detailed account and opportunity information, including licensing details, renewal timelines, and key decision-makers. It also surfaces high-level account summaries and revenue breakdowns, gives real-time coaching, and provides predictive insights to forecast deal outcomes and suggest next steps. “Before Sales Chat, sellers had to swivel between 20 different tools just to get the full picture,” Maynard says. “Now they can simply ask, ‘What do I need to know before my meeting with this customer?’ and get everything in one place. It points them straight to the highest-value action they can take.”  

    Phase 3: Human-led, agent-operated
    Humans define strategy and assign goals to agents. These agents work mostly with other agents to perform complex operations, escalating issues to humans for guidance when necessary. Agents will design workflows and even evaluate one another. Humans will monitor their progress through dashboards that summarize agentic activities, intervening only for critical decisions. We’ll see the emergence of a new career opportunity for humans in the AI age: agent manager, charged with building, delegating to, and supervising digital colleagues.  

    Progress through these phases won’t necessarily be linear—many companies will find themselves in more than one at the same time—and there will be a “jagged frontier” of AI transformation as you roll out phase three approaches across projects and teams. That’s part of progress, after all—people crossed the Atlantic via steamship well beyond the dawn of the aviation age. 

    The phase 3 frontier 

    Letting go of a more hands-on human role in day-to-day operations will feel daunting—especially in these early days. And being the first mover will always feel risky, but granting machines such unprecedented autonomy requires a new level of trust in our tools, and an understanding of what they can and cannot do well. 

    But with a little imagination you can move forward boldly and with manageable risk by taking a step-by-step approach: experimenting on low-stakes projects, verifying that they’re working well, documenting your learnings, and then scaling them. 

    For example, many companies hire sales development representatives to do the necessary but repetitive work of prospecting potential customers. An agent can take on that entry-level job in a territory where you weren’t planning to hire a human anyway. It’s the difference between hiring a digital worker—and finding value in an otherwise uncovered market—or no worker at all. 

    Our sales team uses our new Sales Agent to handle exactly that type of work. It can research leads, set up meetings, and email customers. A human seller takes over when it’s time to close the deal, just like they would with any early-in-career sales development rep. (Eventually, the agent will be able to close the deal itself.) 

    We’ve started in our small-to-medium business segment, where the scale of opportunity far exceeds what human sellers can cover. “There is absolutely zero chance we could effectively cover that opportunity with humans,” Maynard says. “It’s not about replacing sellers—it’s about unlocking value that was previously out of reach.” Many of these customers are already using Microsoft products but haven’t had a direct relationship with a seller. Sales Agent changes that, proactively identifying needs, offering tailored solutions, and improving the customer experience in a way that’s both scalable and cost-effective. In just the past three months, the agent has reached out to 36,000 prospects to generate sales leads, converting 10.4% into sales opportunities.2 

    Phase three is still early days for us. Even so, the shift is already giving rise to a new concept: the AI territory. “In a traditional territory, you assign a seller. In an AI territory, you assign an agent that can operate independently and deliver value,” Maynard says. “It’s a new business model for scale.”  

    A new perspective on AI and trust 

    It’s well established that we readily accept the risks that come with human mistakes while holding machines to a much higher standard (self-driving cars, for example). In the context of business, we worry AI might say or do the wrong thing, though we tolerate these same flaws in people every day. This asymmetric risk tolerance deserves examination, especially since AI systems can already do much more than we let them.  

    Consider how OpenAI o3’s ability to reason has brought breathtaking progress on key intelligence benchmarks. With AI developing so rapidly, is it more of a risk to take a leap or to keep waiting? Remember: companies have countless systems in place to mitigate risk caused by humans, and they can and will develop them for AI as well. 

    What’s more, no company is traveling the path to becoming a Frontier Firm for its own sake. Phase three–style transformation won’t just impact organizational structures; it will also drive growth. As you progress through this journey, the cost of human labor will decrease while digital labor costs rise, albeit marginally. Over time, new revenue streams will emerge, leading to an overall increase in profit margins. 

    Phase three means moving from directing people to designing systems. Leadership, meanwhile, shifts beyond managing people to orchestrating performance. To get started, test a new approach: choose one process in an area of low risk and strong potential, and try making it agent-led.  

    Worrying about the unknown is understandable. But the real risk here is inaction. The groundbreaking Frontier Firms that will reimagine knowledge work and dominate their industries in the coming decade are already pulling ahead. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Missouri National Guard Adjutant General Promoted to Major General

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MAY 16, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, during a ceremony at the Missouri State Capitol, Missouri National Guard Adjutant General Charles D. Hausman was promoted to the rank of Major General. 

    “This promotion is a testament to Major General Hausman’s remarkable leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our state and nation,” said Governor Kehoe. “In the months since General Hausman assumed command, he has led Missouri’s soldiers and airmen at home and abroad through both day-to-day trainings and missions to their vital assistance with multiple rounds of winter storms and flooding across the state. On behalf of all Missourians, congratulations to General Hausman and the Hausman family on this well-deserved promotion.”

    Governor Kehoe selected Major General Hausman as the next Adjutant General of the Missouri National Guard on January 8, 2025, and he took command on February 1. With over 36 years of service in the Missouri National Guard, the General has an extensive military career with a high level of expertise in operational leadership, military strategy, and interagency coordination.

    “It is an honor and privilege to be entrusted with this responsibility,” General Hausman said. “Leading the exceptional soldiers and airmen of the Missouri National Guard as we carry out our mission of serving the people of Missouri and this great nation is the honor of a lifetime.”

    General Hausman enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1988, joined the Missouri National Guard in 1989, and transferred to Aviation in 1993. He has commanded at every level from company to brigade and held key staff positions such as Executive Officer of the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade, Deputy Director of Manpower and Personnel of Joint Force Headquarters, Deputy Commander of 70th Troop Command, and Director of Aviation and Safety of Joint Force Headquarters.

    In addition to his assignments within the United States and Missouri, General Hausman has had several assignments abroad including in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.

    A seasoned aviation officer and combat veteran, he has earned multiple military awards including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with Numeral Two, and the Master Army Aviator Badge. He is qualified in the TH-67, UH-1 Huey, AH-1 Cobra, AH-64D Apache, and is qualified as an instructor pilot in the OH-58A/C and AH-64A Apache.

    The General received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Technology from the University of Central Missouri in 1991 and a Master of Science degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri in 1993. He completed a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies through the United States Naval War College in 2015.

    General Hausman is a native of Saint Joseph, Missouri, and currently resides in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, and has two adult children, Alex and Libby.

    Pictures of the promotion ceremony will be available on Governor Kehoe’s Flickr page.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Akashteer: the invisible shield behind India’s new-generation air defence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a defining moment for India’s defence preparedness, the indigenous Akashteer system played a pivotal role in neutralising Pakistan’s most intense coordinated air assault in recent times. During the night of May 9 and 10, when multiple drones and missiles targeted Indian military and civilian installations, it was Akashteer—the country’s automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System—that intercepted and eliminated every incoming threat.
     
    Unlike traditional air defence responses, this was not about visible firepower or headline-making strikes. Akashteer worked silently and decisively. Designed and developed under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the system proved its mettle in real-time warfare, offering automated detection, tracking and engagement capabilities. It delivered a rapid response, integrating multiple radar and sensor platforms to assess threats and neutralise them without delay or error.
     
    This advanced air defence solution stands in sharp contrast to Pakistan’s imported HQ-9 and HQ-16 systems, which reportedly failed to counter Indian offensives during Operation Sindoor. In that operation, Indian forces demonstrated an unprecedented level of coordination and speed, largely enabled by Akashteer’s battlefield intelligence and real-time decision-making ability.
     
    Akashteer is more than just a defence system—it is the embodiment of a strategic shift in India’s military doctrine. From passive defence models to proactive, technology-driven retaliation, India has entered a new phase of warfare preparedness. The system provides a shared, real-time air picture to all units involved, from command centres to ground-based defence units. It allows precise engagement with hostile targets while ensuring complete safety for friendly forces operating in contested airspace.
     
    What distinguishes Akashteer is its integration into India’s larger defence command infrastructure. As part of the C4ISR framework—Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance—Akashteer functions in synergy with the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Its vehicle-mounted design ensures high mobility, allowing deployment even in the most active and volatile war zones.
     
    The system links seamlessly with the Indian Air Force’s IACCS and the Navy’s TRIGUN network, creating a unified and coordinated defence front. This tri-service integration not only improves situational awareness but also significantly reduces the risk of friendly fire, ensuring fast and accurate retaliation.
     
    Akashteer is a product of India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem. Under the Make in India programme, the country is rapidly moving towards self-reliance in defence production. India has set a target of ₹3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029. Currently, 65% of defence equipment is manufactured domestically—a reversal from earlier trends where imports dominated the sector. This transformation is powered by contributions from 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), over 430 licensed companies, and nearly 16,000 MSMEs, alongside private sector participation accounting for 21% of the output.
     
    The indigenous defence portfolio now includes critical platforms such as the Dhanush and ATAGS artillery systems, Arjun Main Battle Tank, LCA Tejas, ALH, LUH, and a range of naval vessels including destroyers, corvettes and aircraft carriers. Akashteer stands tall among these as a symbol of India’s advanced technological capabilities and strategic clarity.
     
    Global defence analysts have described Akashteer as a “seismic shift” in India’s approach to modern warfare. By developing and operationalising a fully indigenous and automated air defence network, India has joined an elite group of nations capable of real-time air threat assessment and response. Akashteer’s successful deployment during Operation Sindoor is seen as proof that India is not only capable of defending itself but also prepared to lead with innovation in future conflicts.

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues Demand Information on $400 Million Qatari Plane Bribe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is joining his colleagues today in demanding the Department of Defense be transparent with them about the substantial national security risks of the $400 million Air Force One bribe from the Qatari royal family. Just days after Senator King told Scripps News that the jet transfer “poses a serious national security risk,” he signed a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink, seeking answers about the unnecessary danger that an unsecure and unprotected Air Force One would present to the President.
    The Air Force has been working with Boeing to deliver two brand new 747 jets to be used as Air Force One. However, with the delivery date of the new aircraft not expected until 2027, the White House has proposed accepting the Qatari plane as a short-term alternative. Nevertheless, Article I of the Constitution, specifically the emoluments clause, bars anyone holding government office from accepting any gift or bribe from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.
    “[We] write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities,” the lawmakers said.
    The Senators continued, “Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers… President Trump is claiming that this ‘gift’ of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.”
      
    In addition to King, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
    The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    +++
    Dear Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Meink:
    We write today with alarm over the dangers to operational and national security presented by President Trump’s desire to execute an unconstitutional and unseemly acceptance of a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family in the form of a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft. To serve as Air Force One during his administration, the U.S. Department of Defense would be required to accelerate a comprehensive upgrade to the aircraft, with the direct cost to the American taxpayer likely exceeding $1 billion. We are especially concerned about the operational security and counterintelligence risks of potentially using this aircraft for sensitive Presidential travel— and the massive cost to American taxpayers to identify and close critical vulnerabilities.
    This announcement alone could pose a threat to Presidential protection now and in the future. President Trump’s public statement on May 12 that the U.S. would accept the Qatari aircraft— before the aircraft was in our Nation’s custody—provides a dangerous opportunity to exploit for foreign intelligence agencies and adversaries seeking to do harm to the United States, who have a great incentive to gain access to the aircraft and individuals with sensitive knowledge and understanding of the Qatar royal family’s “Palace in the Sky.”
    Importantly, protecting Air Force One from compromise, attack or disruption is a critical mission of the Air Force and the entire U.S. Department of Defense. A threat to an Air Force One aircraft would not only endanger the President, but also the Air Force pilots and servicemembers in the 89th Airlift Wing who serve on or maintain the aircraft.
    We know that the Air Force One fleet has extensive technical requirements each aircraft must meet in order to protect the President from any threats during travel, ensure the aircraft can continue to operate at the ranges necessary (such as through refueling capabilities) and guarantee that the President can communicate continuously and securely, a capability that would prove essential in an unforeseen foreign or domestic crisis. One of the most consequential aspects of this mission is to ensure nuclear command and control remains intact even while the President travels—a cornerstone of our deterrent.
    It is unclear whether and how, if President Trump proceeds with this plan to accept this aircraft, the Department plans to ensure the aircraft can meet the necessary high standards for operational security, counterintelligence and Presidential protection under the hastened timeframe arbitrarily set by President Trump to use it for travel before the end of his term in 2029.
    An unsecure and unprotected Air Force One presents clear dangers to our national security. Having the President travel without the necessary security precautions or secure communications renders the aircraft an easy target for adversaries to gain access to sensitive Presidential-level discussions or classified information, impeding the success of ongoing military operations and endangering our servicemembers.
    This potential move also presents concerning indications of waste, fraud and abuse. Experts estimate that upgrading this unvetted aircraft to meet essential security specifications could cost upwards of $1 billion. President Trump is claiming that this “gift” of an aircraft worth $400 million is saving taxpayers money, but in reality, his decision will force taxpayers to foot an unnecessary bill – potentially more than $1 billion—to convert a foreign-provided aircraft into the fortress necessary to protect him and his communications—all while taxpayers are already paying at least $3.9 billion for the contract for two aircraft currently being built by Boeing to add to the Air Force One fleet.
    One expert speaking to Defense News said that, to achieve all the features of Air Force One with this unvetted plane, this option would “be a step backward.” Instead of accelerating delivery of a secure plane for Presidential travel, as the administration contends, “they’d have to start over again with what they’ve been working on with the other 747-8” under the existing Boeing program. “Starting over again with the same plane would take a lot longer.”
    This administration has been vocal about its commitment to efficiency and cost-savings in the federal government. But spending taxpayer money on efforts to upgrade this Qatari jet – when the President currently travels securely – is unnecessary and wasteful. We require answers to the following questions regarding the operational risks surrounding the President’s possible acceptance of this aircraft, either in writing or in a briefing to us no later than June 1, 2025. Please provide answers at whatever classification level necessary.
    Please detail the mitigation steps and counterintelligence countermeasures that the U.S. Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community would take to prevent foreign intelligence services from exploiting the aircraft before it is safely in U.S. custody.
    Which agencies will perform counterintelligence and technical surveillance countermeasures?
    What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these countermeasures?
    Please detail the certification procedures and standard technical requirements for Presidential protection, operational security, counterintelligence and secure communications required of Air Force One.
    Please provide a detailed plan for how the Air Force will retrofit this aircraft to certify that it meets these standard requirements.
    Which agencies will be responsible for certifying that there are no physical or cyber vulnerabilities?
    What resources will be required for these agencies to perform these certifications?
    Please provide a cost estimate and required timeline for retrofitting this aircraft, including certifying against vulnerabilities, installing secure communications and installing other protective or other equipment necessary to meet the security and counterintelligence requirements for the Air Force One fleet.
    What timeline has been directed for clearing the aircraft for Presidential use, and can the required certifications and preparations be conducted in such timeline?
    What risks have you been directed to accept?
    What vulnerabilities will remain as a result?
    What mitigation steps will you take to address these remaining vulnerabilities?
    How will these vulnerabilities impact the operations of the 89th Airlift Wing?
    How will these vulnerabilities impact other core missions of the Department of Defense, such Presidential command and control during crises and contingencies?
    Please provide a risk assessment, in coordination with the Intelligence Community, regarding if and how increased public scrutiny of Air Force One capabilities has affected threats to our Presidential protection procedures and capabilities.
    Please provide details and documentation of what analysis of alternative aircraft or options the U.S. Department of Defense undertook before settling on the proposal for the Qatari aircraft.
    Please provide copies of any communications between the Department of Defense and the Qatari government or its representatives regarding this proposal.
    Reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Defense may be considering “loosening” requirements of the contract with Boeing to deliver 747-8 aircraft to serve in the Air Force One fleet in order to accelerate delivery from 2029 to 2027. Please provide details 3 of any proposed or decided changes to these requirements and documentation of the Department of Defense’s analysis of tradeoffs of this desired acceleration.
    Please provide the assessed impacts of the Department’s plans vis a vis this aircraft on the planned delivery timelines for the existing contract for the other Boeing 747-8 aircraft currently in development, including the potential diversion of specialized DoD personnel to conduct or oversee these upgrades as opposed to work on the existing contract.
    The American people deserve to understand this administration’s plans for securing this aircraft, the vulnerabilities its use will present to our national security and the price tag they will be asked to pay for President Trump’s decision to integrate this aircraft into our most sensitive fleet.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –