https://www.scmp.com/rss/522275/feed US Air Force: A branch of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. Its primary mission is to "fly, fight, and win... airpower anytime, anywhere," ensuring global vigilance, reach, and power. Key activities include air superiority, global strike, and rapid global mobility. As the world’s largest air force, this governmental body is central to national security and is significantly investing in the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme to develop... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press Authorities have found the body of one of the six missing crew members from a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon. US Air Force divers “used an underwater remotely operated drone to search the interior of the vessel” and recovered the body on Tuesday, the US Coast Guard said in a news release. Additional divers from the Japan Coast Guard further examined the ship. They did not find any additional crew members, the US Coast Guard said. “Coastguard... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:48:53 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service The bomb placed outside a US Air Force Base visitors centre in Florida last month was built inside two 2-litre cherry Pepsi bottles, according to federal prosecutors. Alen Zheng, 20, of Land O’Lakes, is accused of planting the bomb and lighting the fuse at the base on March 10. He drove the explosive to MacDill Air Force Base in the boot of his Mercedes SUV, according to a document filed by prosecutors Friday. The bomb did not detonate. US Attorney Gregory Kehoe has said it had the “potential to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349057/bomb-allegedly-left-us-base-alen-zheng-was-built-inside-2-pepsi-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349057/bomb-allegedly-left-us-base-alen-zheng-was-built-inside-2-pepsi-bottles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:32:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A man who fled to China and his sister have been charged after an explosive device was left outside a gate at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa this month. Their mother was detained for deportation, having overstayed her visa, a federal prosecutor said on Thursday. Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann Mary Zheng, 27, were charged Wednesday in separate federal indictments. The sister was arrested upon her return from China, where she flew with her brother after the threat. Both have US citizenship, US Attorney... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348056/siblings-who-fled-china-charged-over-bomb-planted-outside-us-air-force-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348056/siblings-who-fled-china-charged-over-bomb-planted-outside-us-air-force-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:47:20 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen The People’s Liberation Army has announced a new AI-assisted task dispatch system for China’s aerial refuelling tankers, days after a US military tanker crashed in the Middle East. According to the official PLA Daily, the Chinese air force has streamlined its aerial refuelling operations with a smart artificial intelligence (AI) system to improve efficiency and safety. The report on Monday came just days after a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 “Stratotanker” aerial refuelling tanker crashed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347011/chinas-pla-reveals-ai-assisted-aerial-refuelling-tech-days-after-us-military-tanker-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held a call on Sunday about the Middle East war, the UK government said, after fierce criticism of the British premier by the US leader. Trump had insulted Starmer over the latter’s initial refusal to have any role in the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28. “The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF bases in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345906/starmer-holds-call-trump-discuss-war-middle-east-after-latest-rebuke-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345906/starmer-holds-call-trump-discuss-war-middle-east-after-latest-rebuke-over-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 17:23:13 +0000 dpa dpa More United States bombers have landed in Britain after a week of strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. A first 146ft B-1 Lancer arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday evening and three more followed on Saturday morning. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases. The huge plane, capable of carrying 24 cruise missiles, weighs 86 metric tons and is the fastest bomber in the US Air Force, according... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345834/4-us-bombers-land-uk-iran-war-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345834/4-us-bombers-land-uk-iran-war-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:43:24 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Since Iran came under US and Israeli attack on Saturday, its retaliatory missile and drone barrages have struck Saudi oil refineries, the world’s largest LNG plant in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates’ trade and transit infrastructure. Now the Gulf is signalling it has had enough of just absorbing the hits. None of the six Arab monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council wanted this war, analysts say. They had spent months trying to mediate a way out of the confrontation, warning of precisely... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345259/gulf-states-take-fight-iran-missiles-target-oil-gas-and-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345259/gulf-states-take-fight-iran-missiles-target-oil-gas-and-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:47:50 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A former fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, once entrusted with flying some of America’s most advanced combat aircraft, has been arrested for allegedly training pilots from China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) without authorisation, the US Department of Justice said. In a press release on Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that 65-year-old Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., also known by his call sign “Runner”, was taken into custody in Jeffersonville, Indiana,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344792/former-us-air-force-fighter-pilot-accused-secretly-training-chinese-military?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344792/former-us-air-force-fighter-pilot-accused-secretly-training-chinese-military?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:19:03 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A red, white and blue colour scheme championed by US President Donald Trump will become the new look for Air Force One, the US military said on Thursday. The Air Force said a “red, white, gold and dark blue paint scheme” will be used for the updated jet that is slated to serve as Air Force One as well as other, smaller jets that routinely fly other top government officials. The military released a rendering of the new look that matches an aeroplane model that has been seen in the Oval Office for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343954/baby-blue-out-gold-how-air-force-one-will-look-after-trumps-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343954/baby-blue-out-gold-how-air-force-one-will-look-after-trumps-order?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 02:07:32 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain With the recent arrival of a US Navy aircraft carrier task force in the Middle East near Iran, President Donald Trump is set to have all the military assets in place needed to launch a war against Tehran by the end of this week. While a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough is still on Washington’s cards, Trump may soon have to pick one of the plans drawn up by the Pentagon to meet his desired outcomes – none of which have been made public. Washington has maintained diplomatic backchannels open... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341529/us-naval-strike-force-sails-near-iran-trump-faces-no-easy-levers-against-tehran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341529/us-naval-strike-force-sails-near-iran-trump-faces-no-easy-levers-against-tehran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:03:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iranian authorities unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in a central Tehran square on Sunday with a direct warning to the United States to not attempt a military strike on the country, as US warships head to the region. The image shows a bird’s-eye view of an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck. The deck is strewn with bodies and streaked with blood that trails into the water behind the ship to form a pattern reminiscent of the stripes of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341218/iran-unveils-bloody-anti-us-billboard-carrier-force-nears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3341218/iran-unveils-bloody-anti-us-billboard-carrier-force-nears?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:11:46 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned airlines on Friday to exercise caution when flying over Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing the risks of potential military activities and GPS interference. The FAA said it had issued “Notices to Airmen” covering Mexico and Central American countries, as well as Ecuador, Colombia and portions of airspace within the eastern Pacific Ocean. They say: “Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340243/us-airlines-warned-potential-risks-when-flying-over-mexico-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340243/us-airlines-warned-potential-risks-when-flying-over-mexico-south-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:34:51 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Dick Van Dyke turns 100 today, on December 13, and the world is celebrating this milestone with him. The Mary Poppins icon and author of 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life recently admitted to The New York Times that while he’s “super old ... sometimes I feel like I’m 15 again”. The secret to ageing gracefully, Van Dyke says, is exercise, pets and playfulness. In a chat with Today’s Al Roker, the Emmy-winning actor also shared that his 54-year-old wife, Arlene... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3335999/dick-van-dyke-turns-100-5-things-know-about-mary-poppins-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3335999/dick-van-dyke-turns-100-5-things-know-about-mary-poppins-star?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Charges against the man accused of shooting two National Guard members have been upgraded to first-degree murder after one of the soldiers died, the US attorney for the District of Columbia announced on Friday, while investigators continue to seek a motive. Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24 were hospitalised in critical condition after the Wednesday afternoon shooting near the White House. Trump announced on Thursday evening that Beckstrom had died. US Attorney... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334576/afghan-national-charged-first-degree-murder-national-guard-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3334576/afghan-national-charged-first-degree-murder-national-guard-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:47:01 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s Jinglei-1 (JL-1) missile could pose a nuclear threat to Alaska – and potentially the rest of the United States – though it still has significant limitations, according to a Chinese military magazine. The JL-1, which made its debut at China’s Victory Day parade in September alongside other strategic missiles, is a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile. It can be carried by the Chinese air force’s H-6N strategic bombers and is believed to be the final jigsaw piece needed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333709/chinas-jl-1-missile-beats-us-rivals-will-launch-platform-hold-it-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333709/chinas-jl-1-missile-beats-us-rivals-will-launch-platform-hold-it-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:00:30 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars Set in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong towards the end of World War II, Against All Odds sees the attempted rescue of an American pilot intersecting with an assassination plot to eliminate a top Japanese official. Written and directed by Lau Ho-leung (Caught in Time) and boasting a mostly Hong Kong crew, this mainland-produced wartime thriller may lack the epic scale flaunted by so many of its contemporaries, but spins an entertaining yarn that should nonetheless capture the attention of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332576/against-all-odds-movie-review-plucky-hong-kong-set-wwii-thriller-punches-above-its-weight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3332576/against-all-odds-movie-review-plucky-hong-kong-set-wwii-thriller-punches-above-its-weight?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 03:45:09 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Chinese air force has released video of its GJ-11 stealth attack drone flying alongside and linked to the J-20 fighter jet in what is the first footage of the country’s crewed and uncrewed aircraft working together. The footage appeared in a promotional video released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Tuesday to mark the 76th anniversary of its founding. It shows the drone flying in formation with the J-20, China’s most advanced fighter jet, as well as the J-16D fighter, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332383/pla-shows-first-footage-chinese-gj-11-drone-collaborating-crewed-j-20-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332383/pla-shows-first-footage-chinese-gj-11-drone-collaborating-crewed-j-20-fighter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:02:07 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Half a century after the fall of Saigon, the United States and Vietnam are edging towards deeper defence cooperation built on shared anxieties about China and Washington’s desire to wean Hanoi off its historical dependence on Russian arms. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in Hanoi last Sunday for a two-day visit, declaring that establishing stronger security ties would be a win-win. “Deeper [military] cooperation will benefit both of our countries,” said Hegseth, who had travelled to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331983/avoiding-strategic-suicide-vietnams-us-russia-china-diplomatic-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3331983/avoiding-strategic-suicide-vietnams-us-russia-china-diplomatic-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 05:30:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Notable changes have been observed in both of China’s sixth-generation fighter programmes, with updated prototypes seen flying just 10 months after their first public appearance, indicating rapid progress as the country vies with the US for air supremacy. Photos circulating on Chinese social media since Tuesday showed what appeared to be Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s sixth-generation fighter, bearing a tailless and three-engine design, conducting a test flight. Unofficially referred to as the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331234/chinas-updated-6th-generation-fighter-jets-put-us-notice-air-supremacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3331234/chinas-updated-6th-generation-fighter-jets-put-us-notice-air-supremacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 14:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned the military’s top officers – hundreds of generals and admirals – to a base in northern Virginia for a sudden meeting next week, according to three people familiar with the matter. The directive did not offer a reason for the gathering on Tuesday of senior commanders of the one-star rank or higher and their top advisers at the Marine Corps base in Quantico. The people, who described the move as unusual, were not authorised to publicly discuss the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326900/trump-defence-chief-hegseth-summons-top-us-military-commanders-mystery-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326900/trump-defence-chief-hegseth-summons-top-us-military-commanders-mystery-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:24:26 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The United States has started manufacturing its F-47 sixth-generation fighter jet and plans for it to be flying in 2028, a senior US Air Force official announced on Monday, three weeks after China showcased its new fighter jets during its Victory Day military parade. During his keynote address at the 2025 Air, Space and Cyber Conference, US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin said Boeing had started production of the F-47. In March, US President Donald Trump announced that Boeing would... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326558/us-official-declares-f-47-sixth-gen-fighter-production-and-set-2028-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326558/us-official-declares-f-47-sixth-gen-fighter-production-and-set-2028-take?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:03:08 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A wartime bomb unearthed in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay neighbourhood was “very likely” to have been dropped by the US military on April 2, 1945, with its explosive power “practically intact” because of high production standards, experts have said. The 1,000lb (454kg) bomb that included 227kg of TNT explosives was found on Friday at a construction site, resulting in the evacuation of 6,000 residents overnight. The bomb was successfully defused on Saturday morning after a nine-hour effort. Professor... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326259/wwii-bomb-hong-kongs-quarry-bay-linked-us-military-air-strike-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3326259/wwii-bomb-hong-kongs-quarry-bay-linked-us-military-air-strike-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:08:12 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Previously unknown drones are making their debut at the five-day Changchun air show, which opened on Friday in the provincial capital of Jilin in northeast China, just two weeks after the Victory Day military parade showcased several new models. Among those attracting attention during pre-opening preparations was a twin-engined flying-wing tailless drone developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the country’s leading scientific institution. The show – which highlights the PLA Air Force... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326177/china-reveals-more-its-drone-power-air-show-2-weeks-after-victory-parade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326177/china-reveals-more-its-drone-power-air-show-2-weeks-after-victory-parade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Among the many pieces of advanced military hardware showcased during Wednesday’s Victory Day parade in Beijing were at least four unnamed drones, at least one of which was a “loyal wingman”, a stealth attack drone supposedly capable of coordinated aerial warfare alongside crewed jets, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The appearance left military observers to speculate about what they had seen, and raised many new questions. Some experts believe the advanced aircraft are capable of hypersonic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324385/beyond-parade-what-chinas-new-stealth-drones-mean-future-air-combat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3324385/beyond-parade-what-chinas-new-stealth-drones-mean-future-air-combat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 02:00:22 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that US Space Command will be located in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era decision to keep it at its temporary headquarters in Colorado. The long-expected decision from Trump caps a four-year tug of war between two states and opposing administrations about where to locate US Space Command, an intense fight because the headquarters would be a significant boon to the local economy. Alabama and Colorado have long battled to claim Space Command, with elected... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3324110/trump-moves-us-space-command-colorado-alabama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3324110/trump-moves-us-space-command-colorado-alabama?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 20:01:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Trump administration has approved a US$825 million arms sale to Ukraine that will include extended-range missiles and related equipment to boost its defensive capabilities as US efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia appear stalled. The US State Department announced on Thursday that it had notified Congress of the sale of air-launched cruise missiles and navigation systems for Ukraine. The sale will cover 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles, 3,350 GPS units,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3323562/us-unveils-us825-million-arms-sale-ukraine-including-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3323562/us-unveils-us825-million-arms-sale-ukraine-including-long-range-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 23:32:40 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China is on a mission to turn its military into a modern fighting force. In the second of this four-part series, we look at how its massive defence industry can support China’s military goals, and during wartime could be further bolstered by the civilian manufacturing sector. In the northeastern city of Shenyang, the future of China’s defence manufacturing capacity is rapidly taking shape – an enormous new aviation industrial complex that will eventually occupy an area about the size of 600... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322933/china-bets-military-industrial-might-outproduce-and-outlast-rivals-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 22:00:18 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Plans for a Singaporean fighter jet training presence in the US territory of Guam have been shelved, both governments have confirmed, despite years of preparation and investment in upgrading the US Air Force base on the Pacific island. Singapore and the United States had agreed to “discontinue discussions” on deploying 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15 fighter jets to Guam, the city state’s defence ministry announced on Tuesday. This followed an earlier statement from the US Air... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321552/singapore-us-scrap-plans-f-15-fighter-jet-training-guam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3321552/singapore-us-scrap-plans-f-15-fighter-jet-training-guam?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:08:13 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi America’s view of China as a “pacing threat” has shaped its defence priorities as the military seeks to maintain an edge over a rapidly modernising PLA. In the second of a three-part series on how US budget tensions will affect efforts to deter China, we look at the race for air superiority. The high-stakes race for air superiority between China and the United States will have profound implications should a conflict break out – including how a war over Taiwan would be fought. Both militaries are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3316518/what-budget-infighting-means-americas-f-47-and-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3316518/what-budget-infighting-means-americas-f-47-and-conflict-over-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 22:00:08 +0000