National Security and Defense

Two F-35B combat aircraft from the United States Marine Corp depart after re-fueling from an RAF Voyager aircraft over the North Sea on October 08, 2020 in flight, above Scotland.
Edited version of US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps aircraft along with US Army Patriot missile batteries line up on the runway for an elephant walk during a routine operational readiness
Caption
Cover: Edited version of US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps aircraft along with US Army Patriot missile batteries line up on the runway for an elephant walk during a routine operational readiness exercise at Kadena Air Base in Japan on May 6, 2025. (US Air Force)
Reports
Timothy A. Walton Hudson Institute
Timothy A. Walton Hudson Institute
Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology
dan_patt
dan_patt
Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology
13 Min Read
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7, prepares to land on the flight deck of Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) as the ship transits the Atlantic Ocean during Builder's Trials, Jan. 28, 2026. This was the first aircraft to land on the Kennedy. Builder’s Trials provide an opportunity to test ship systems and components at sea for the first time, and make required adjustments prior to additional underway testing. (U.S. Navy photo by
Caption
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter prepares to land on the flight deck of Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy as the ship transits the Atlantic Ocean on January 28, 2026. (US Navy)

Commentary
bryan_clark
bryan_clark
Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology
Bryan Clark
1 Min Read