Latest news with #C-17
West Australian
7 hours ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Israel-Iran war: Deputy PM Richard Marles confirms nearly 4000 Australians are seeking evacuation
Deputy Prime Minister Minister Richard Marles says nearly 4000 Australians have sought evacuation support from the Israel-Iran conflict, as the Middle East war intensifies in the wake of US-led airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the US military had struck three sites in Iran, marking a direct entry into Israel's campaign to dismantle Tehran's nuclear program. Mr Marles on Sunday struggled to explain Australia's position on whether the government supports potential US strikes, instead continuing to urge 'de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy'. 'The Iranian nuclear ballistic missile program is most definitely a threat to the peace and stability of not only the Middle East,' Mr Marles said. 'We have used our voice to urge de-escalation. And that's our position in respect of both the Iranian program, but also, more specifically, in respect of this conflict.' He said Australia had ramped up their support network in the region and were ready and willing to evacuate stranded citizens out of both nations with charter flights at the ready. However, he said a key obstacle to evacuation efforts was that Iranian airspace remained closed. 'The numbers of Australians, both in Iran and Israel, seeking assisted departures has grown,' he told Sky News on Sunday. 'This number is probably already out of date, but the last briefing is around 2600 Australians in Iran are seeking assisted departures, and around 1200 in Israel. Australia has deployed consular officials to Azerbaijan to assess how they can assist citizens trying to cross the border out of Iran. The government has also positioned civilian charter planes and military aircraft — a C-17 and a KC-30 capable of carrying hundreds — at the El Minhad base near Dubai, where its usual team of 40 personnel has been boosted to around 300 to support a range of scenarios. 'So, we really are poised to provide whatever assistance we can in the event that airspace opens up,' Mr Marles said. 'We have had a couple of groups leave Israel by land through Jordan. We're hoping to do a couple of more groups today.' Mr Marles said he has been in contact with the United States and that Australia would continue to maintain communication on the Middle East situation, though he declined to disclose further details. He also mentioned that the upcoming NATO meeting in the Netherlands he will attend instead of Prime Minister Anthony Alabnese will focus on strengthening strategic alliances and defense spending. Mr Marles said rearranged plans for a meeting between the PM and Mr Trump after they one-on-one was canned on the sideline of the G7 in Canada would occur in the 'not too distant future'. 'We continue at ministerial level and at official level to have pretty real constant contact with the United States, as you would expect,' he said. 'Our alliance with the US is the cornerstone of our strategic and foreign policy. 'We are managing all the equities associated with that relationship, and it is fundamentally going well.' Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan said the Albanese government has isolated itself from Israel and needs to show clearer moral resolve on wanting Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program. 'One of the real problems with the way the government has pursued the current issues in the Middle East is they seem to have isolated themselves from the Israeli government,' Mr Tehan told Sky News. 'I think that has left them in a situation where they're really trying to walk two sides here. 'I think what we need to see from the government is greater moral clarity as to whether they do, once and for all, want to see Iran rid of its nuclear weapons program.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
As World War III looms, will Boeing restart the production of its iconic heavy lift jet the C-17 Globemaster III?
Boeing C-17 Production Restart Talks Begin Amid Rising Global Demand for Strategic Airlift - Boeing is exploring a possible C-17 production restart, nearly a decade after the last aircraft left the assembly line. The Globemaster III, a backbone of the U.S. and allied airlift capability, could return to production as Boeing confirms early-stage discussions with at least one unnamed foreign customer. This development comes amid growing global demand for strategic transport aircraft, especially as no immediate replacement for the C-17 currently exists. According to Turbo Sjogren, VP and general manager of Boeing Global Services-Government Services, the talks are in their "early infancy," as reported by Shephard Defense at the Paris Air Show. Why is Boeing considering restarting C-17 Globemaster III production now? The interest in restarting Boeing C-17 production stems from a lack of comparable alternatives and growing international airlift needs. Countries across Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East are expanding their military capabilities and looking for aircraft that can meet both strategic and tactical lift roles. The C-17's unique ability to carry up to 100,000 pounds of cargo over 4,500 nautical miles while landing on runways as short as 3,500 feet makes it nearly unmatched. While Boeing hasn't revealed which country is involved in the current talks, speculation includes Japan, whose Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, recently expressed interest in acquiring C-17s. Previously, Tokyo would have needed to source used aircraft from allies. A new production line changes that possibility entirely. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Who currently operates the C-17 and why is demand increasing? The U.S. Air Force remains the largest operator of the C-17, but it's also used by Australia, Canada, India, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and the United Kingdom, among others. Additionally, NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability operates several C-17s. In recent years, the usage rate of U.S. C-17s has risen sharply due to global operations in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and ongoing tensions in the Indo-Pacific. The fleet is aging faster than expected, creating urgency for more aircraft—even as the Air Force explores long-term replacements like Next-Generation Airlift (NGAL) or blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. Live Events What makes the C-17 so hard to replace? There simply isn't a true C-17 alternative in production today. Competing platforms like the Airbus A400M and Embraer C-390 Millennium offer varying capabilities but don't match the C-17's payload and runway versatility. The A400M, for instance, carries only 30,000 pounds over 2,400 nautical miles—just a fraction of the C-17's range and lift. The C-390, often dubbed a "jet-powered C-130," is also more limited in strategic applications. Notably, the C-17 is capable of airlifting an M1 Abrams tank, a feat beyond the reach of these other aircraft. That outsized capacity is critical for modern military logistics, particularly in fast-moving or remote theaters of operation. What challenges would Boeing face in restarting the C-17 line? Restarting C-17 production won't be easy—or cheap. Boeing shut down its Long Beach, California facility in 2015, after producing 279 aircraft. The site, once operated by McDonnell Douglas (before Boeing's acquisition in 1997), was later put up for sale in 2018. That move effectively ended full-scale military aircraft production in Southern California. A RAND Corporation report in 2013 estimated it would cost around $8 billion to restart production and build 150 new C-17s with improved fuel efficiency. At the time, Boeing was expected to shift manufacturing to a different location. Today, Boeing continues to provide maintenance under the C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP), which could form a foundation for any new production effort. Could the U.S. Air Force also order new C-17s? Yes, and that might be key. Although the U.S. Air Force once considered adding three more C-17 squadrons to its inventory, those plans were shelved. Now, with airlift demand surging and future conflicts likely requiring rapid, distributed logistics, there's renewed interest. The Air Force may not be able to wait for next-gen airlift solutions to become reality. Restarting C-17 production—if foreign interest is strong enough—might give the Pentagon a chance to place a gap-filler order. It's a move that could help extend global reach and support new missions, such as standoff weapons delivery, which adds a new layer of capability to the C-17. What is C-17 Globalmaster The C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft developed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) for the U.S. Air Force. It is designed to carry heavy cargo, troops, and equipment over long distances and into remote or undeveloped airfields. Key Features of the C-17 Globemaster: Can carry up to 100,000 pounds of cargo Flies over 4,500 nautical miles without refueling Operates on short, narrow, or rough runways Can transport tanks, helicopters, troops, and supplies Used for combat missions, humanitarian aid, and aerial delivery What's next for the C-17 and global strategic airlift? At this stage, it's unclear whether restarting C-17 production is feasible or cost-effective. Boeing hasn't confirmed where it would build new aircraft or how soon production could ramp up. However, with growing international demand, aging global fleets, and limited alternatives, the pressure to bring the C-17 Globemaster III back into production is real. Whether Boeing and the U.S. Air Force move forward may ultimately depend on foreign orders—and whether Washington is willing to support the restart to preserve a capability many see as essential in today's rapidly shifting global defense environment. For now, the possibility is back on the table—and it's one many military planners are watching closely. FAQs: Q1: Why is Boeing considering a C-17 production restart? Because rising global demand and no existing replacement make the C-17 vital for military airlift missions. Q2: Which countries are interested in buying new C-17s? Japan and other unnamed nations have shown interest as strategic transport needs grow.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing In Talks To Restart C-17 Production
Two decades after the last example rolled off the production line, Boeing says it's in negotiations with at least one customer to build more C-17 Globemaster III airlifters. The development comes as countries around the world look to boost their armed forces' capabilities, and with no immediate successor to the C-17 waiting in the wings. Turbo Sjogren, VP and general manager of Boeing Global Services-Government Services, confirmed to Shephard Defense at the Paris Air Show today that 'early infancy' talks were underway with one country, with a view to a potential C-17 production restart.'It is a very extraordinary effort to do,' Sjogren told the same publication, noting that it was 'reflective of the utility of the aircraft.' He added that interest in new-build C-17s was being expressed by several other countries, too. None of those countries was named, but TWZ has approached Boeing for more details. The nations involved may or may not be drawn from the C-17's existing customer base. As well as the U.S. Air Force, its biggest operator, the C-17 is flown by Australia, Canada, India, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Finally, NATO's multinational Strategic Airlift Capability Heavy Airlift Wing also operates C-17s. One potentially new customer for the C-17 is Japan. Earlier this year, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba disclosed an interest in buying C-17. Previously, we speculated that any such aircraft for Japan would have to be transferred from the U.S. Air Force or from the inventory of an allied operator. If a new production line were to open, that would change things entirely. Certainly, a continued demand for the C-17 is understandable among both established operators and potential new customers. Outside of China and Russia, there is no real equivalent to the C-17, with many countries instead turning to the Airbus A400M or the Embraer C-390 Millennium for their airlift needs, which offer a very different set of capabilities. The A400M was originally marketed as a gap-filler between the C-130 Hercules at one end and the C-17 at the other. Meanwhile, the C-390 has often been described, in loose terms, as a jet-powered C-130. The C-17 can transport 100,000 pounds of cargo more than 4,500 nautical miles. It can make high-angle, steep approaches at relatively slow speeds, allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields and onto runways as short as 3,500 feet long and just 90 feet wide. While it has tactical capabilities, it's equally adept as a long-range, heavy-lift strategic transport. Unlike the A400M, the C-17 can lift everything up to an M1 Abrams main battle tank, so its outsized load-carrying capabilities are impressive and useful. The A400M, in contrast, is much more of a tactical transport that offers certain strategic capabilities. It can carry 30,000 pounds of cargo over 2,400 nautical miles, and it can also operate from unprepared or semi-prepared strips. Clearly, the A400M isn't a direct replacement for the C-17, but at the same time, Boeing says it has no planned replacement for the Globemaster III. But bringing the C-17 back into production, whatever the demand, will not be straightforward. Back in 2018, we reported on how Boeing had put the Long Beach, California, facilities where it built the C-17 up for sale. This appeared to bring a definitive end to C-17 production, as well as Boeing's serial manufacture of military aircraft in Southern California. But even at that time, there was a question about whether emerging U.S. Air Force demands might make a restart an attractive idea. Specifically, the U.S. Air Force was, back then, looking to add three C-17 squadrons as part of a larger push to drastically expand the size of its force and to enhance its ability to move personnel and materiel across the globe. Those plans fell by the wayside, but the C-17 aspiration seemed something of a non-starter at that time. When it was active, Boeing's Long Beach facility, comprising a nearly four-million-square-foot plot of land adjacent to Long Beach Airport, produced 279 C-17s for the U.S. Air Force and foreign customers. McDonnell Douglas had developed and first started production of the C-17 at the site in 1991. Boeing bought that firm in 1997, taking over the Globemaster III program and the production facilities in the process. Though Boeing still provides C-17-related maintenance and other services in Southern California, the production facilities at Long Beach have been idle since the last Globemaster III left the plant in 2015. Even before that, in 2013, the RAND Corporation conducted a detailed analysis of what it might cost to reboot C-17 production after a multi-year pause. The figure was close to $8 billion to support the production of up to 150 new derivatives with improved fuel efficiency. RAND assumed that Boeing would build those aircraft somewhere else rather than in Long Beach. We have also reached out to Boeing today to get a better idea of what it would now take to start building C-17s again. A production restart could perhaps also be aligned with Boeing's Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP), which provides modernization and support to the existing C-17 fleet. If a new production run proved to be feasible, Boeing would likely look again at an updated configuration, which would be a more capable and efficient subtype. Some of these improvements might also be relevant for upgrades of C-17s built in the original series. In the longer term, the U.S. Air Force has been eyeing more exotic airlift capabilities, like blended-wing-body (BWB) designs. While there are still many unknowns about the kinds of capabilities and platforms that the service will need in the future, one thing that seems to be central, at least at this stage, is the requirement for a much greater degree of survivability compared to legacy airlift platforms. A revamped C-17 would not deliver on that front. On the other hand, the requirement to replace the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 fleets is becoming increasingly urgent. The program to field new U.S. Air Force airlift capabilities is still at an early stage and it's unclear if it will be pursued under the (currently still unofficial) Next-Generation Airlift (NGAL) name, or if it will be reconfigured under the name Next-Generation Airlift System, to better represent that fact that it will involve a family of different platforms and capabilities. Regardless, the service doesn't have much time to stand up and deliver on an entirely new strategic airlifter or family of strategic airlifters. Absolutely critical to the fate of the U.S. Air Force C-17 fleet is the fact that these vital aircraft are being tasked at a far higher rate than planned. Major contingencies all over the world, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, in particular, have put many extra hours on these airframes. A potential future contingency in the Pacific would see the fleet taxed even harder and possibly over a longer period of time. Some argue that more C-17 capacity is needed just to fight that conflict in the distributed manner the Pentagon wants. On top of this, promising new capabilities are giving C-17s the ability to execute kinetic roles via standoff weapons delivery, which could be a great way to take some pressure off the bomber force. At the same time, the question of where the capacity to actually execute that mission would come from during a time when aerial logistics would be pushed to the max isn't clear. Hence why the call for more C-17s, or something that is similarly capable, is growing louder. With all this in mind, the U.S. Air Force might well welcome the opportunity to buy additional C-17s, if it can find the funds to do so, even if only as a gap-filler. In fact, depending on the level of foreign interest in new-build C-17s, an order from the Pentagon may well be critical in order to get any production restart off the ground. At this point, it remains very questionable whether restarting C-17 production is possible, let alone economical. On the other hand, there's little doubt that customers looking for an airlifter that's able to land on an unimproved airstrip in the middle of nowhere or carry an Abrams main battle tank have very few realistic options at this point in time. Contact the author: thomas@
Indianapolis Star
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Afghan refugees. A scientist. A birthright citizen. Hear from Indianapolis immigrants
When a Mexican family learned that ICE agents could enter U.S. churches to detain undocumented immigrants, they changed their habits. Instead of sitting in the pews of an Indianapolis church every Sunday morning, the family now gathers in their living room to pray to Christ while watching Mass on TV. The United States' crackdown on illegal immigration — which occurred under President Joe Biden even before President Donald Trump became far more aggressive about it in January — has affected many Indianapolis residents' daily lives in ways large and small. Almost 100,000 of the 970,000 people living in Marion County are foreign-born. Some have become naturalized citizens; others are here on visas. Many are undocumented — living here without legal authorization. They account for a quarter of the state's foreign-born population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And they're sad and afraid. Many migrants living in Indiana in 2025 worry that they or those they love will become the Trump administration's next target for deportation. It's constantly on their minds, whether warranted or not, and regardless of their legal status or nationality. Indiana has seen several international students have their legal status wrongfully removed by the Trump administration, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducting raids in cities and the deportation of Indiana migrants. These actions have led a number of migrants to ask: "What is my future in this country?" IndyStar sat with a few of the city's foreign-born residents to learn about their stories and share their feelings. Sulaman Akbarzada could hardly maintain his balance or sit up straight as he and his then-fiancée, Arzo, left their country of Afghanistan, packed in an American C-17 transport plane with hundreds of other Afghans. As the plane bobbed and weaved through the sky, he held onto his one suitcase full of clothes for stability. He remembers the sobbing that echoed in the plane as he and hundreds of other Afghans fled as part of Operation Allies Refuge, an evacuation effort undertaken by the United States in the final weeks of the war in Afghanistan in 2021. He relives that moment as his 2-year-old daughter jumps onto his lap in their apartment in South Indianapolis. It's been four years since Sulaman, Arzo and members of his family fled from Afghanistan for fear that they would be killed for their Shia Islamic beliefs. They soon found themselves living in a completely new country as refugees, hardly knowing the language. They left behind Akbarzada's engineering company and almost every worldly possession they owned, all in hopes of finding peace. 'It was a hard transition,' Akbarzada said. Over the last few years, the Akbarzadas have moved forward. The pair got married. They applied for and received their lawful permanent residency cards, and welcomed two daughters into the world. The last four years have been hard on the couple, but it's also given them a glimpse of the American Dream. Arzo has been trying to balance the life of a mom while also completing an adult general education certificate. Akbarzada works long hours at a local warehouse to provide his family with 'a good life.' Since becoming lawful permanent residents, the dream of owning a home has become more of a realistic possibility for Sulaman and Azro. On the weekends, the family loads up in their Honda Passport and explores homes recently placed on the market. But still, they fear that at the drop of a hat, the United States could change its policies toward refugees, ultimately making their family vulnerable to deportation. If they are sent back to Afghanistan, Akbarzada said, he will be killed, and his wife and daughters will be sold into slavery, due to their history of helping the United States. 'The idea of buying a car and buying a house, these are all things I want to do, but that fear stops me sometimes. From doing those big life jumps,' he said. 'All my life I work hard, working 16 hours a day and then in the blink of an eye, you lose everything. That's not easy. That fear is similar to something that happened to me in Afghanistan.' Akbarzada understands America's current political climate, and he understands why some people may not want him in the country. 'I will always be thankful to America even if they say bye to me,' he said. 'Even if (America) decides about us that we should leave — honestly — I will leave. But I cannot go back to Afghanistan. (America) should send us somewhere safe.' The only thing Akbarzada truly wants in this world is for his daughters to grow into successful women. "They shouldn't have to experience what I've experienced," he said. "They should only know peace." The Rev. Fatima Yakubu-Madus left her home country of Nigeria in 1979 to study chemistry and biology at Mississippi State University. "When I went to that school, I felt welcomed. I didn't know any history about what had happened at that school (during desegregation), and yet they gave me all the opportunities I needed to succeed," she said. After graduating from Mississippi State, Yakubu-Madus continued her education, ultimately receiving her master's from Vanderbilt University, before starting her three-decade career at Eli Lilly in Indiana. She played a pivotal role in the pharmaceutical company's efforts to hire some of the country's best Black scientists. "I remember when I first started, there were very few Black people at Lilly," Yakubu-Madus said. "I could walk all the way from one corridor to the other and not see another Black person." When Yakubu-Madus retired from the company in 2018, not only was she a mentor figure to a generation of scientists, but she also had four patents under her name for ideas that she helped develop during her career. In 2010, Yakubu-Madus was ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church, after hearing the call from the Lord to expand her spiritual journey and help people in Indianapolis. Raised Muslim, she converted to Christianity after moving to the United States. She wanted to help bring communities together through a greater interfaith understanding. She now serves as a deacon at Christ Church Cathedral for the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis. A naturalized citizen, Yakubu-Madus says that the only reason she could have the life and career she did was because of the country's once-welcoming nature toward immigrants. It wasn't until recently that Yakubu-Madus felt singled out for being an immigrant. During Trump's recent campaign and following his election, she heard people discuss the idea that immigrants entering America were either coming illegally, were criminals or had some other negative connotation attached to them. These discussions sat negatively with her, because they challenged the image of America she knew, the one that would open its arms to a young Nigerian woman and allow her to achieve the American Dream, even as an adopted daughter. "I am really disappointed with the way things are going," she said. "This is not what I knew when I came here. People were more welcoming — and I think they still are. "I think it's just a segment of other people that think the immigrants are here to cause problems. But they are not," Yakubu-Madus said. "People leave their countries not because they want to be criminals. They leave their countries because they want life." When Yakubu-Madus learned that the Indiana General Assembly was considering several bills in early 2025 aimed at bolstering law enforcement powers against immigrants, she knew she needed to speak up for those who couldn't defend themselves. The immigration legislation created a wave of fear that rippled through Indianapolis' immigrant communities, Yakubu-Madus shared. Those fears remained even after the General Assembly ended for the year. But she hopes that by sharing her story and the word of the Lord, she can remind Indiana leaders and residents of one of God's most important lessons: 'When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God,' reads Leviticus 19:33-34. Kelin Peraza-Argueta, 18, doesn't remember a life outside the United States. Her parents risked the journey from El Salvador to America while Peraza-Argueta's mother was pregnant with her in 2007. They had witnessed their country fall into chaos after political policies failed to curb El Salvador's growing gang violence problem, which would result in the highest murder rate in the world by 2009. The couple knew they wanted to give their family a better life, which is why they brought their daughters to the United States, where they made sure Peraza-Argueta and her younger sister were born. Those born in the United States are automatically American citizens, according to the Constitution — even if the mother is in the country illegally — although Trump is trying to end birthright citizenship. Peraza-Argueta's family settled in Indianapolis after arriving in the country. The couple raised their three children knowing that they and their oldest daughter could be deported at any moment. Peraza-Argueta spoke to IndyStar on condition that her family members not be named. After Trump, a Republican, was elected president for the first time in 2016, Peraza-Argueta remembers her parents sitting her and her siblings down to explain the possibility that they could be forced to leave the United States. She was in fourth grade at the time and vividly remembers the fear that hung over everyone after that discussion. 'I always thought that my parents were going to be taken away from me,' Peraza-Argueta said. 'It just made me sad to know that so many young children out there and so many people in our community are so afraid to go out, to buy groceries or even too scared to leave their homes.' During the Biden administration, Peraza-Argueta began to believe that her parents were safe. Then one day in early 2024, her mother didn't come home from running errands. 'It was terrifying; she had just disappeared,' Peraza-Argueta said. Peraza-Argueta remembers her family calling every law enforcement station in the area. 'It was a very frustrating process because you don't know what's happening," she said. "… You just have to wait.' For days, she entered her mother's name in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detainee locator system but found no results. Finally, while Peraza-Argueta was taking their two family dogs to the veterinarian, her ICE search turned up information about her mother's whereabouts. After hours of navigating the system, the family got hold of their mother and asked what had happened. But their mother was just as confused as they were, Peraza-Argueta said. She remembered being pulled over by law enforcement before being hauled away and placed in an immigration detention center in Clay County, Indiana. The mother didn't know why she was initially arrested or how long she would be held in ICE's detention center, but she was happy that her family was able to find her. For the next few months, Peraza-Argueta and other family members would call their mother almost every day. Peraza-Argueta couldn't visit her mother at the detention center as she was only 17 and still in high school. The older members of her family were afraid of visiting the facility because of their own immigration status. 'We ended up celebrating Mother's Day over the phone,' Peraza-Argueta said. "We celebrated my mother's birthday over the phone, and we sang her 'Happy Birthday.' Cutting her birthday cake and blowing out her candles was so heartbreaking because she wasn't there to actually enjoy any of it." Her mother was deported to El Salvador a few months later. She has tried to start a new life there, hoping to be reunited with her daughters and husband one day. 'It was a horrible feeling. It was like my mom had died, even though she didn't actually die, she was just very far away from us,' Peraza-Argueta said. 'Losing a parent like that is probably one of the most traumatic things I've ever experienced in my life, and nothing could have ever prepared me for that.' Since her mother's deportation, Peraza-Argueta has decided to use her privilege as a U.S. citizen to speak out against the Trump administration's position on immigration and organize youth, while still juggling her responsibilities as a high school student. She's also a member of the Indianapolis Mayor's Youth Leadership Council, where she advocates for immigrants in the community. "Most of the time, our voices aren't heard because people don't take us seriously because of our age," she said. "These are our parents, these are our family members, so it's really important to us that we take a stance for the people that sacrificed everything for us to have a better life." Immigrants who have come to this country illegally they should have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream like prior immigrants, she said, if they've been good neighbors.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army to lead nuclear microreactor development to power bases
Some Army installations could be powered by nuclear microreactors under an executive order recently issued by President Donald Trump. The order, published May 23, calls for deploying advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security and directs Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll to establish a program using the technology for both installation and operational energy. It orders the operation of a nuclear reactor at a domestic military base or installation by Sept. 30, 2028. 'Advanced nuclear reactors include nuclear energy systems like Generation III+ reactors, small modular reactors, microreactors, and stationary and mobile reactors that have the potential to deliver resilient, secure, and reliable power to critical defense facilities and other mission capability resources,' according to the order. Pentagon to build micro nuclear reactor to power far-flung bases Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George took multiple questions from various committee members on the initiative. Driscoll indicated his support for the move in response to a question from Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., as to where microreactors fit into America's national security strategy. 'I think microreactors can be an incredible asset as we solve against the future energy needs of the United States Army, both CONUS [continental United States], OCONUS [outside the continental U.S.] and peacetime and wartime,' Driscoll said. 'We are excited to lead that effort.' Neither Driscoll nor George had details as to which installation might feature such a reactor. But both said the reactors could provide energy resilience and independence for some installations. Pentagon officials announced in early 2022 that the Defense Department would build a nuclear microreactor that could be flown to an austere site by a C-17 cargo plane and set up to power a military base. The initiative, dubbed 'Project Pele,' outlined a 40-ton reactor that could fit in three to four 20-foot shipping containers and provide one to five megawatts of power on full power for up to three years before refueling. The name is a reference to the Hawaiian deity Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanos. The acronym also stands for Portable Energy for Lasting Effects. The Pentagon awarded an initial $300 million contract in June 2022 to Lynchburg, Virginia-based BWX Technologies to build the reactor.
