Page 4 - Us Military

4th US soldier found dead in Lithuania training mishap, 3 others identified

The final US soldier who went missing in Lithuania has been found dead, bringing to an end a massive weeklong search for the four service members whose armoured vehicle was pulled from a swampy training area, the US military said Tuesday. The bodies of the three other soldiers were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and authorities dug the M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras ukauskas training ground in the town of Pabrade. The Army released the identities of the three soldiers recovered Monday, but the fourth soldier's name has not been made public as family notifications continue. They were Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam. The soldiers, part of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, were on a tactical training exercise when they and their vehicle were reported missing a week ago, the Ar

UK, Mauritius near Chagos Islands deal after US signals its consent

Britain and Mauritius are finalising a deal to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, a disputed UK territory that is home to a major US military base, the UK government said Tuesday. The government signalled that President Donald Trump's administration, which was consulted on the deal, has given its approval and no further action is needed from the US. We are working with the Mauritian government to finalise and sign the treaty, said Tom Wells, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Once signed it will be laid before both houses of Parliament for scrutiny and for ratification. Britain and Mauritius have been negotiating a deal for the UK to hand over the Indian Ocean archipelago, which is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. The UK would then lease back the base for at least 99 years. But the deal has faced criticism from the opposition Conservative Party and from some allies of Trump. Last year the ...

US defence secy orders fitness norms to be gender neutral for combat jobs

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to make fitness standards for all combat jobs gender neutral, formalizing a process that largely exists for many of those jobs already. In a new memo, Hegseth told leaders of the military services to distinguish which jobs are considered combat arms such as special operations or infantry, and require heightened entry level and sustained physical fitness" and which are not. The memo released Monday said all physical fitness requirements for those combat arms positions must be gender neutral, based solely on the operational demands of the occupation and the readiness needed to confront any adversary. The new order expands on a memo Hegseth put out March 12 that said the undersecretary for personnel must gather information on military standards pertaining to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, which includes but is not limited to beards. Both reflect Hegseth's public complaints about fitness standards well before

Trump says using military force in Greenland still an option after rebuke

The Danish foreign minister on Saturday scolded the Trump administration for its tone in criticising Denmark and Greenland, saying his country is already investing more into Arctic security and remains open to more cooperation with the US. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen made the remarks in a video posted to social media after US Vice President JD Vance's visit to the strategic island. Later Saturday, though, US President Donald Trump maintained an aggressive tone, telling NBC News that I never take military force off the table" in regards to acquiring Greenland. Many accusations and many allegations have been made. And of course we are open to criticism, Rasmussen said speaking in English. But let me be completely honest: we do not appreciate the tone in which it is being delivered. This is not how you speak to your close allies. And I still consider Denmark and the United States to be close allies. Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the United Stat

Pentagon's Hegseth texted timing of strike that killed Yemeni militant

The chat did not appear to include any names or precise locations of Houthi militants being targeted or to disclose information that could have been used to target

US strikes in Yemen: 53 killed, oil prices up, Houthi attacks continue

US vows continued military action to protect shipping routes, launches major strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels as tensions escalate

Ex-defense chiefs ask congressional hearings on Trump firing top officials

Five former secretaries of defence are calling on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump's recent firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The five men - who represented Republican and Democratic administrations over the past three decades - said the dismissals were alarming, raised troubling questions about the administration's desire to politicise the military" and removed legal constraints on the president's power. Late last week, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed that by firing Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations; Gen. Jim Slife, vice chief of the Air Force; and the judge advocates general for the military services. Hegseth has defended the firing of Brown, saying that other presidents made changes in military personnel and that Trump deserves to pick his own

Fired top military lawyers because they weren't suited for jobs: Hegseth

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that he was replacing the top lawyers for the military services because he didn't think they were well-suited to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given. Speaking at the start of a meeting with Saudi Arabia's defence minister, Hegseth refused to answer a question about why the Trump administration has selected a retired general to be the next Joint Chiefs chairman, when he doesn't meet the legal qualifications for the job. President Donald Trump on Friday abruptly fired the chairman, Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., and Hegseth followed that by firing Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and Air Force Gen. James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force. He also said he was requesting nominations for the jobs of judge advocate general, or JAG, for the Army, Navy and Air Force. He did not identify the lawyers by name. The Navy JAG, Vice Adm. Christopher French, retired about two months ago, and there was already a

Donald Trump replaces a top military commander amid widespread shakeup

Trump said he'd nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine in place of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Q. Brown

US military plane carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants lands in Amritsar

Opposition parties allege that the deportees were handcuffed and humiliated

US military conducts airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia

The US military has conducted coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trump's second term. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that the strikes by US Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalia's government. An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that multiple operatives were killed. The Pentagon said is assesses no civilians were harmed in the strikes. Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn't act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said. The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU! Trump did not identify

Trump to end DEI, bring back troops who refused Covid vax: US defence secy

Hegseth's nomination was divisive, as the military's top job has historically gone to candidates with deep experience running large organizations and who enjoy broad bipartisan support

US Army carries out airstrikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels

The US military says it carried out a wave of strikes against what it said were underground arms facilities of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. US Central Command said in a statement that Wednesday's strikes targeted weapons used by the rebels to attack ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis said seven strikes targeted sites in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and the northern Amran province, without providing further details. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The United States and its allies have carried out repeated strikes on the Houthis, who have continued to target shipping. The rebels say they target ships linked to Israel, the US or the UK to force an end to Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.

China to impose sanctions on US military firms for selling arms to Taiwan

The step follows China's strong objection to the United States authorising a potential $385-million sale of spare parts and support for F-16 jets and radars to Taiwan

Meta gives US military access to its AI, raising ethical concerns for users

The situation highlights the increasing fragility of open source AI software. It also means users of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, some versions of which use Llama may inadvertently

US military says THAAD anti-missile system is 'in place' in Israel

THAAD, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, is a critical part of the US military's layered air defense systems

Project 33: US Navy unveils plan to counter China's military aggression

US Navy is shifting its focus towards maximising efficiency and leveraging cutting-edge technologies

US military acknowledges Houthi rebels shot down 2 MQ-9 Reaper drones

Yemen's Houthi rebels shot down two American MQ-9 Reaper drones in under a week, the United States military acknowledged Wednesday, further highlighting the regional spread of the Israel-Hamas war. As the one-year anniversary of the war approaches, Houthis continue a campaign to target ships travelling through the Red Sea as US-led airstrikes pound their positions in Yemen. That's imperiled a waterway that typically sees USD 1 trillion of trade pass through it, as well as crucial shipments of aid to war-torn Sudan and Yemen. The US military said Houthis shot down the first Reaper on September 10, and the second on Monday. Online video showed the downing and the flaming wreckage on the ground afterward in Yemen's Dhamar province. General Atomics Reapers, which cost around USD 30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15,240 metres) and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land. The aircraft have been flown by both the US military and the CIA over Yem

Intel receives $3 bn from Pentagon for mfg chips for military; shares gain

The effort, called the Secure Enclave, aims to establish a steady supply of cutting-edge chips for defense and intelligence purposes

US military completes withdrawal from junta-ruled Niger, says official

The withdrawal of US troops from Niger is complete, an American official said Monday. A small number of military personnel assigned to guard the US Embassy remain, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters. Earlier this year, Niger's ruling junta ended an agreement that allowed US troops to operate in the West African country. A few months later, officials from both countries said in a joint statement that US troops would complete their withdrawal by the middle of September. The US handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities last month, but about two dozen American soldiers had remained in Niger, largely for administrative duties related to the withdrawal, Singh said. Niger's ouster of American troops following a coup last year has broad ramifications for Washington because it's forcing troops to abandon critical bases that were used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel. Groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate in the vast .