• Israel targeted nuclear and military sites in Iran in airstrikes early Friday morning.
• The strikes are a major escalation that threatens to expand into a wider regional conflict.
• These are five key questions in the wake of Israel's air war.

Israel's widespread airstrikes on Iran effectively damaged the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which officials said was a primary goal.

The strikes hit over 100 targets, including Iran's air defense systems, missile launchers, and senior military leadership.

Now, all eyes are on Tehran's response and the specter of a wider conflict. And there are questions over whether the US will get pulled into the fight.

Here are some main questions stemming from the attacks.

How has Iran responded?

Iran initially responded to the attack by firing 100 drones at Israel on Friday, which the Israel Defense Forces said were mostly intercepted.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel "should anticipate a severe punishment" in response to the strikes, and that Iran "won't let them go unpunished."

Hours later, the IDF said Iran had launched "dozens" of missiles at Israel in what appeared to be several waves. The military said its air defenses were actively intercepting threats, and video footage captured several impacts.

"The Iranian response might be delayed or split into multiple phases," said Matthew Savill, the director of military sciences at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute think tank.

"But their main weapon will be ballistic missiles," he added, "which have the best chance of inflicting damage on Israel, whereas drone and cruise missile attacks will face more extensive Israeli defences."

It is not unprecedented for Iran to launch powerful weapons at Israel; Tehran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at its foe in April and October last year. However, those strikes were mostly intercepted by Israel and its allies, including the US.

Beyond direct strikes, another way that Iran could retaliate is through the so-called "Axis of Resistance," a vast network of militias it is aligned with throughout the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis.

Israel has been battling these forces, and Hamas in Gaza, since the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long advocated for destroying Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran claims is for civilian purposes.

The US, however, has been trying to reach a new deal with Iran (and has threatened violence if a deal isn't done). The strikes could derail those efforts and even goad Iran into racing to build a nuclear arsenal.

Could this trigger a wider conflict?

Israel's strikes threaten to spark a wider regional conflict, analysts at London's Chatham House think tank warned Friday.

"Far from being a preventive action, this strike risks triggering a broader regional escalation and may inadvertently bolster the Islamic Republic's domestic and international legitimacy," Sanam Vakil, Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program director, said.

Last year, Tehran reportedly threatened to target Gulf state oil facilities if they allowed Israel access to their airspace for strikes against Iran. It's unclear what routes Israeli aircraft used in the attacks, but there's been speculation Israel could exploit the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria to get its aircraft directly over Iraq for strikes.

Russia is also a close ally of Iran, and the two have increased their defense cooperation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

However, Nikita Smagin, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment, said in December that the Kremlin is unlikely to come to Iran's direct aid in order to avoid direct confrontations with Israel and the US.

Will the US be pulled into a fight?

The US has helped arm and defend Israel, notably in the wake of Hamas' October 7 attacks. The world will be watching to see how President Donald Trump responds.

Trump has sought to broker a new nuclear deal with Iran, and in the wake of the Israeli attacks overnight, warned of "even more brutal" strikes from Israel if Iran refuses a new agreement.

Last year, the US Navy helped shoot down Iranian missiles fired at Israel in two major attacks, and it has rotated multiple aircraft carriers and many warships into the region since 2023, in a show of support for Israel and to deter its enemies, including Iran.

The US and other NATO countries have also defended international shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden from attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.

What forces does the US have in the region?

The US has a substantial military presence in the Middle East, including naval forces, ground troops, and strike aircraft.

A Navy spokesperson told BI that the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group — consisting of an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, and three destroyers — is in the Arabian Sea.

There are also three American destroyers in the Red Sea and another in the Eastern Mediterranean.

All of these warships, and the carrier's dozens of embarked aircraft, are capable of carrying out air defense missions to defeat incoming drones and missiles.

Were the strikes effective?

IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel's strikes "significantly harmed" Iran's main uranium enrichment site at Natanz.

"For many years, the people of the Iranian regime made an effort to obtain nuclear arms in this facility," he said, adding that the site "has the necessary infrastructure to enrich uranium to a military grade."

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed the site was struck, but the extent of the damage remains unverified.

Satellite imagery appeared to show significant damage at the surface level.

There was also a report Friday that Israel had struck Fordow, a nuclear fuel enrichment site guarded deep under a mountain.

The IDF said that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Hossein Salami and other senior military commanders were also killed in targeted strikes.

• Israeli Air Force planes struck Iranian military targets and nuclear facilities on Thursday.
• Israel's F-35I stealth fighter jets participated in the strikes targeting Iran's nuclear program.
• The planes also aided defenses against Iranian missiles in 2023 and 2024.

Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear program on Thursday with its fleet of F-35I stealth fighter jets on the front lines.

The Israeli variant of the US-made Lockheed Martin Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter plane is known as "Adir," meaning "Mighty One" in Hebrew. With advanced stealth capabilities and a customized electronic warfare system, the F-35I is one of the most powerful tools in Israel's air defense arsenal.

In addition to Israel's assault on Iran, the Israeli planes also took down a missile fired by an Iran-backed group in Yemen in 2023 and intercepted hundreds of drones, missiles, and rockets fired by Iran in a retaliatory attack in 2024, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Here's a closer look at the "Mighty One" military aircraft.

F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets, produced by Lockheed Martin, are some of the most advanced military aircraft in the world.

The F-35 stores its weapons and fuel internally, and its aligned edges and radar-absorbent coating also help the aircraft evade detection. The planes cost $44,000 per hour to fly, The National Interest reported in January.

They feature advanced stealth and information-processing capabilities and can reach supersonic speeds of Mach 1.6, or 548.8 meters per second.

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn A. Hewson said in 2018 that the planes "can fly in what we call 'beast mode,' carrying up to 18,000 pounds of internal and external ordnance, in a mix that can include 5,000-pound-class weapons."

In 2016, Israel became the first country other than the US to acquire F-35 fighter jets.

Israel was the first country to select the model through the US Foreign Military Sales process and bought 50 planes, according to Lockheed Martin.

Israel has made significant modifications to the jets.

Israel manufactures its own wings and electronic warfare system for the F-35I. It also developed its own version of the high-tech helmet that displays the plane's airspeed, altitude, targeting information, and other crucial stats directly on the pilot's visor.

The Israeli Air Force named its F-35I variant "Adir," meaning "Mighty One" in Hebrew.

The Israeli Air Force also added a six-pointed Star of David to the design, a Jewish symbol that also appears on the Israeli flag.

In 2018, Israel became the first country to use the F-35I in combat, its air force chief said.

"We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East and have already attacked twice on two different fronts," then-Israeli Air Force chief Major-General Amikam Norkin said in a speech at a gathering of foreign air force leaders, Reuters reported.

In July 2023, Israel acquired an additional 25 Adir planes in a $3 billion deal.

The deal was financed through the military aid Israel receives from the US, Reuters reported.

In November 2023, Israel's F-35I Adir fighter jets took down a missile fired by an Iran-backed group in Yemen, according to the IDF.

It was the first known intercept of a cruise missile by an F-35 plane.

The Israeli Air Force released footage of the encounter on X, writing in Hebrew that its personnel are "preoccupied at every moment with planning and managing the defense response and are prepared for any threat in any area."

Iran appeared to target the Nevatim air base, which houses Israel's fleet of F-35I jets, during an attack in April 2024.

Out of the over 350 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, launched at Israel by Iran and its proxies in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon, around 99% were intercepted by Israel and its allies. The IDF released photos showing minor damage near a runway at the Nevatim Airbase and to a road in Hermon caused by the few projectiles that landed.

The missiles appeared to target Israel's Nevatim Airbase in the Negev desert, which houses its fleet of F-35I stealth fighter jets. The base remained operational throughout the attack, according to the IDF, with the Adir fighter jets aiding the defensive mission.

"Iran thought it would be able to paralyze the base and thus damage our air capabilities, but it failed," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a statement.

On Thursday, the Israeli Air Force launched over 200 fighter jets, including F-35I planes, in a preemptive strike targeting Iran's nuclear program.

An IDF spokesperson said that Israeli fighter jets struck over 100 sites across Iran on Thursday to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, including military targets and its largest uranium enrichment site in Natanz.

The IDF said that Iran's nuclear program has "accelerated significantly" in recent months and called it "clear evidence that the Iranian regime is operating to obtain a nuclear weapon." Iran maintains that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.

"This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat by an enemy who is intent on destroying us," Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF's Chief of the General Staff, said in a statement.

The IDF released photos showing planes used in the large-scale operation, including F-35I jets.

Iran launched a retaliatory attack with over 100 drones on Friday morning, which were mostly intercepted by Israeli forces, the IDF said.

The ongoing war in Gaza has prompted new scrutiny of US military aid to Israel.

The October 7 terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis and captured over 240. Around 53 hostages remain in Gaza, though it is unknown how many are still alive.

Israel's counteroffensive airstrikes and military actions in Gaza have resulted in over 55,000 Palestinian fatalities, according to figures provided to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza. The IDF reports that 17,000 of these fatalities were Hamas militants.

According to the United Nationals Relief and Works Agency, over 1.9 million Gazans, around 90% of the population, have been displaced by the war.

The devastating human toll of the war in Gaza with US-funded planes like the F-35I has prompted new scrutiny of US aid to Israel, with some lawmakers in Congress raising the possibility of conditioning military and economic aid.

• Israel launched a major operation on Friday targeting Iran's nuclear program.
• Israeli officials said aircraft struck Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz, among other sites.
• It's hard for Israel to completely wipe out Iran's nuclear program, given that much is underground.

Israel launched an air assault against Iran early Friday morning that officials said is intended to damage Tehran's nuclear program.

Hundreds of Israeli warplanes participated in a series of widespread airstrikes targeting sites associated with Iran's nuclear and missile programs, as well as military leaders and air defense systems, in a major escalation that has already drawn a retaliatory attack from Tehran.

Specifically, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his forces "struck at the heart" of the country's nuclear enrichment and weaponization programs, and targeted its main enrichment facility at Natanz. The extent of the damage is unclear so far, but analysts said it appeared to be limited based on satellite imagery.

Netanyahu had long pushed for a military approach to Iran's nuclear program, as opposed to the deal that the Trump administration was hoping to settle to prevent Tehran from building nuclear weapons.

Iran has said that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

However, military and nuclear experts say firepower alone won't be enough to completely wipe out Iran's nuclear program. It has many scientists with nuclear expertise and has stored its most critical facilities in bunkers buried deep underground.

This makes the facilities particularly challenging targets that, from the air, can only be reached by the largest bunker busters, which Israel lacks, or repeated strikes in the same spots.

Natanz, home to Iran's largest uranium enrichment site, is located several floors underground in the center of the country. The Israel Defense Forces said its airstrikes damaged an underground area of the facility that contains an enrichment hall with centrifuges, electrical rooms, and additional infrastructure.

Satellite imagery captured on Friday revealed what appears to be significant damage at Natanz, but only on the surface.

Iran's other main enrichment site, Fordow, is buried even deeper in the side of a mountain and is the country's most "hardened" facility, said Darya Dolzikova, a senior research fellow for proliferation and nuclear policy at the UK-based Royal United Services Institute think tank.

In comments shared with Business Insider, Dolzikova said Fordow has not been affected by the Israeli strikes, nor have other locations. "Should Iran make a decision to produce a nuclear weapon, it would likely do that at hardened and potentially still secret sites," she said.

It's unclear what air-to-ground munitions Israel used to strike Natanz and the other targets affiliated with Iran's nuclear program. However, it would take a very large bunker-buster bomb to reach underground and destroy the more hardened sites.

The likely best weapon for the job is the US military's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, one of the most powerful non-nuclear bombs and the largest bunker buster in America's arsenal at 15 tons. These munitions can only be carried by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and the B-21 Raider in development.

Israel doesn't have bomber aircraft capable of carrying the largest bunker-buster munitions. The IDF shared footage showing its fighter jets — F-35s, F-16s, and F-15s — taking off and landing during the strikes. Weapons experts pointed out that some of the aircraft appear to be carrying 2,000-pound guided bombs. Israel's F-15I, though, can carry 4,000-pound anti-bunker bombs.

Military analysts with RUSI estimated in March that the Fordow site could be as deep as 260 feet underground, likely beyond the reach of even America's MOP. Damaging it would almost certainly require repeated strikes, likely over days or weeks.

US officials said Washington was not involved in the Israeli strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not to retaliate against American forces in the region, something Tehran and its allies have done in the past.

The US Navy has one aircraft carrier and seven surface warships in the Middle East right now. These assets are capable of providing air defense in the event of a larger Iranian response. So far, Tehran has retaliated by launching dozens of drones at Israel.

Beyond the nuclear sites, Israeli officials said forces also went after other high-profile Iranian targets, including its top scientists, senior military commanders, air defenses, and ballistic missile program.

• NATO member Poland has put on hold plans to buy 32 Black Hawk helicopters.
• It suggested that Russia's invasion of Ukraine shows they're not the right weapon to focus on.
• It's not abandoned helicopters, but they have proven vulnerable in Ukraine.

NATO member Poland has postponed its purchase of 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, with military officials there suggesting the way Russia is fighting in Ukraine shows they're not the right equipment for it to focus on.

General Wieslaw Kukula, the Polish armed forces chief of staff, said at a Friday press conference that "we have decided to change the priorities of the helicopter programs" in order to "better adapt to the challenges of future warfare," Reuters reported.

Poland's deputy defense minister, Pawel Bejda, said on X that his country's military, pilots, and experts were analyzing the geopolitical situation, as well as "the war in Ukraine" and what Russia is buying and equipping its military with.

Poland shares a land border with Ukraine.

Grzegorz Polak, a spokesman for Poland's Armament Agency, which buys equipment for its military, told Reuters that its priorities needed "some correction" and that it might be necessary to buy other equipment instead of the helicopters, "such as drones, or tanks, or some kind of communication."

He also told Polish outlet Defence24 that the armed force's priorities have changed amid evolving threats.

Poland, like other European countries, has warned that Russia could attack elsewhere on the continent.

Its prime minister, Donald Tusk, warned in March that Russia's big military investments suggest it's readying for a conflict with someone bigger than Ukraine in the next three to four years.

Poland is already the highest spender on defense in NATO, as a proportion of its GDP, and has been a major ally of Ukraine throughout the invasion.

Helicopters over Ukraine

Helicopters have played a role in Russia's invasion, with both sides using them to counter drones, offer air support, and launch attacks.

They were particularly effective for Ukraine against Russia's attempts to seize a key airfield shortly after the invasion began in February 2022, and for Russia during Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive.

But they have also proved vulnerable.

The proliferation of air defenses has meant that they, like other aircraft, have had to hang back from frontline fighting more than in past conflicts, making them far less useful.

Ukraine's success at taking down Russia's Ka-52 helicopters in 2023 meant Russia started using them less. Many were hit by US-provided M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS.

Reports suggest that Russia lost more than 100 helicopters in the first two years of the war.

Ukraine has also destroyed some Russian helicopters at bases far from the front lines.

Even so, losses could have been higher. Mark Hertling, a former commander of United States Army Europe, told BI in January that Russia has been "very poor" in the way it used helicopters and other air assets, but also that Ukraine's air-defense shortages have protected them.

Andrew Curtis, an independent defence and security researcher who spent 35 years as a UK Royal Air Force officer, told BI last year that one lesson Western countries could take from the war is "about the vulnerability of helicopters in the modern battlefield where hiding and seeking is not a child's game, it's a matter of life and death."

A helicopter strategy

The S-70i is a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk made by PZL Mielec, a Polish company owned by the US's Lockheed Martin.

Poland's plan to buy them began in 2023, under a previous government. The aim was for the helicopters to be used for combat and logistics, and to work with AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters ordered from the US.

Bejda, the deputy defense minister, said the latest move did not involve terminating a contract, as one was never signed.

But it has still led to some domestic issues.

Mariusz Blaszczak, Poland's former defense minister, described the decision as a disgrace in a post on X, saying it would lead to job losses, delays in replacing the country's helicopter fleet, and a loss of interoperability because Poland's military already uses some Black Hawks.

The postponement comes after Poland spent years investing in helicopter technology, including ordering 96 Apache Guardians in a deal signed last year, and 32 Leonardo AW149s in a deal signed in 2022.

Bejda said Poland would still prioritize some helicopters, including training and combat helicopters, a heavy transport helicopter, and search and rescue helicopters.

But the government, which took office at the end of 2023, clearly views increasing the fleet as less important than investing in other military assets.

The war in Ukraine has led Western countries to boost their own defense spending and to change their priorities, including through buying more air defenses and drones, investing more in tanks, and even bringing back old types of training like trench warfare.

• My mom was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 uterine cancer and is going through chemotherapy.
• I join her for each chemotherapy treatment, and we talk about her exciting days in the Air Force.
• Her stories are the remedy we needed. They are helping us both cope with the pain.

As a child, my mother had a habit of pointing out various military planes in the sky and explaining their names and purposes.

I heard those same planes zoom overhead on various military bases when I watched her, clad in an Air Force uniform with her short red hair peeking out stubbornly under her hat, command the respect of fellow officers with an ease I admired.

It seemed like nothing could phase her — when it came to overseeing aircraft maintenance squadrons, Lieutenant Colonel Stinson — my mother — was in her element.

How ironic it was that after everything she faced fearlessly in the Air Force, cancer was the one thing that scared her.

Hearing my mom had cancer was a shock

Having retired as a lieutenant colonel after 20 years of service in the early 2000s, my mom had enjoyed post-retired life in San Antonio.

Early this year, she told me of pains in her abdomen that were unbearable. Her doctor recommended a hysterectomy, and during her operation, the doctor removed a large cancerous tumor on her uterus. However, some of her lymph nodes also looked concerning, so some biopsies were taken.

After her hysterectomy, my mom seemed more energetic, returning to the vibrant woman I remembered. During the two-week wait for those biopsy results, I truly believed they wouldn't show cancer. I was wrong.

One of her lymph nodes had cancer. Hearing the Stage 3 uterine cancer diagnosis shattered my delusion. A sense of shock surged through my body that left me feeling strangely numb. I heard the doctor say, "Chemo," and "hair loss," and after weeks of holding back tears, I started to cry.

No prescription can ease the shock of a loved one's cancer diagnosis. However, stories from my mother's past have become the remedy we sorely needed, as I sit with her through each chemotherapy treatment.

We got to talk a lot about the past during her treatment

The older I got, the more I told myself that I would record her story one day, but time slipped by. Then, when I heard the doctor diagnose her with cancer, time seemed more finite.

"You were doing the 'Captain Marvel' thing before it was cool," I'd told her one day while we were sitting in the chemotherapy treatment center.

Becoming a commissioned officer in the Air Force after college had always been my mom's dream. But as she jokingly told me, the Air Force wasn't exactly seeking experts in radio—her major in school.

Instead, there was a greater demand for aircraft maintenance officers. So, after graduating, she found herself in maintenance school — a path she hadn't planned for — and nearly failed out. Still, she was determined to succeed.

Despite the initial setback, my mom slowly but surely rose up the ranks. A combination of her hard work and aptitude for leadership, recognized by the performance boards of her superiors, determined who should be promoted.

Watching her eyes light up with every story she tells is medicine my heart didn't know it needed.

I had taken the stories for granted

My mom had repeatedly told me that she had two major life goals — one was to serve her country. The other was to be a mother.

She had dealt with her fair share of workplace sexism during her tenure, rode in a fighter jet twice as a passenger (another requirement for officers in maintenance squadrons), fallen asleep in cargo planes, helped found a Logistics Scho, overseen the flyover for the late senator Barry Goldwater's funeral, and been invited to be a White House aide.

I had taken her stories for granted growing up, and now I hungered for more of my mother's memories: how a wing commander visited her in the hospital after she gave birth to me, seeing a picture of her in uniform, back turned to the camera, walking toward a fighter jet with her hair firmly in place.

Lost in a sea of memories that weren't mine, I felt a spark reignite in my soul, a fire that had dimmed ever since I had heard the cancer diagnosis. Her stories kept the blaze of the future alight in us both, something more powerful than any fighter jet engine could muster.

My mother has always been a fighter, and she still is. I was doing her a disservice by being sad.

• The Royal Navy is building 12 new SSN-AUKUS attack submarines.
• They're set to replace the UK's Astute-class attack submarines by the 2030s.
• It comes as part of the UK government's bid to boost its armed forces amid rising global threats.

The UK plans to build 12 new attack submarines as part of sweeping plans to boost the country's military.

The Ministry of Defence said Sunday that the SSN-AUKUS vessels would be built as part of the UK's Strategic Review to enhance its military strength amid rising global threats.

They'll be deployed as part of the AUKUS alliance between the UK, Australia, and the US, with the submarines having been developed alongside the Australian navy.

"Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression," UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.

He added: "With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly-skilled jobs across the country."

The submarines are set to replace the UK's current fleet of seven Astute-class attack submarines by the 2030s.

The Astute class submarines are nuclear-powered and carry Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM) and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, the UK government said.

The Naval Lookout analysis website described the new submarines as an "apex naval predator."

"In preparing for potential conflict with other states, SSNs are arguably the most important conventional assets the UK can deploy," it said, adding that they can be used to take out enemy vessels, create blockades, land special forces operatives, and gather intelligence.

But Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, told journalists that questions remain over how the target of building 12 submarines would be met on schedule.

"There is going to have to be a pretty major culture change within the forces, within the MOD and their relationship with industry to make that more viable," he said.

"I would be fascinated to know how they're going to do that because the record is not great up until now," he added.

The UK government has pledged to boost defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

Under the plans outlined in its latest Strategic Defence Review, released this week, it will also provide the equivalent of $20 billion in extra funding for the UK's nuclear weapons program.

• Defense Department civilians were asked to submit ideas to save money.
• The request marked the end of DOGE's five-bullet exercise every week.
• Employees were instructed to exclude classified info from their submissions.

Defense Department employees received an all-staff email asking them to submit ideas on how to "root out waste."

The request marked the end of the controversial five-bullet exercise, in which federal employees were asked by the Department of Government Efficiency to send five bullet points of their accomplishments every week.

The final email, seen by Business Insider, was sent last week by Jules Hurst III, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Hurst thanked Pentagon staff for "submitting weekly achievements over the past couple of months," adding that the weekly emails had served as reminders for "the depth and breadth of the Department's mission."

The email said that to conclude DOGE's five-bullet exercise, which was introduced in February, "we need one last input from you."

It asked civilian staff to "please submit one idea that will improve the Department's efficiency or root out waste" by May 28.

"It can be big or small. It can be focused on a particular program or on larger Department operations," wrote Hurst. "I invite you to be creative."

Employees were instructed to "exclude classified or sensitive information" from their submissions.

The email stressed that employees "without email access due to leave, shift work, temporary duty, or other valid reasons must comply with 12 hours of regaining access" and asked the supervisors of warehouse and shipyard employees without regular office or email access to liaise "directly with their employees."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said that he hopes that DOGE, overseen by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, can bring "actual businesslike efficiency to government."

Mara Karlin, who previously served as the assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities, wrote in a commentary for Foreign Affairs last month that running the Pentagon like a business could backfire.

She said the DoD has to consider risk "far more soberly and carefully than in the corporate world," because the risk factor in defense is "uniquely high."

The Trump administration has prioritized efforts to increase efficiency at the Defense Department, but it also abruptly fired the department's top inspector general, who was charged with finding waste, fraud and abuse.

The administration plans to shift as much as $50 billion from existing programs to new priorities.

Hegseth announced in April that the DoD would be scrapping billions of dollars worth of IT and consulting contracts, affecting companies such as Accenture and Deloitte.

Last week, Business Insider reported that the Pentagon's IT agency was facing a 10% cut to its civilian workforce.

Karlin said, "The Pentagon needs change, but effective reform will require appreciating the uniqueness of the organization. So far, the signs are not encouraging."

• Nearly 30 M1A1 Abrams tanks will roll down Constitution Ave. in DC for the Army's 250th birthday.
• The service is finalizing plans to prevent the heavy 70-ton tanks from damaging the road.
• Engineers will use steel plates and track pads to protect roads during the parade.

The powerful M1A1 Abrams tank, with its heavy armor and 120mm cannon, is a massive hulk of steel, and dozens are set to hit the streets in the nation's capital next month.

Nearly 30 of the tanks are expected to rumble down Constitution Avenue as part of the US Army's 250th anniversary celebration on June 14, set to coincide with President Donald Trump's birthday.

The street, which runs parallel to the National Mall and serves as a major route for city traffic, isn't built to easily accommodate each tank's nearly 70-ton frame. Most cars weigh only about two tons.

So how is the Army going to keep its tanks from chewing up Constitution Avenue? The service's engineers are putting the finishing touches on plans to protect the busy street's pavement from biting tracks.

Officials aren't too concerned with the straight path down Constitution, which will likely see a single file of tanks. It's turning points that will be the most vulnerable to tears from the heavy tracked vehicles.

"We are targeting those areas that we have concerns," said Army Col. Jesse Curry, Executive Officer for the Army's Chief of Engineers, during a media roundtable with reporters on Wednesday. "Particularly the areas where the surface of the pavement would typically, you know, receive an exaggerated level of stress."

To prevent such stress, military engineers are figuring out which turn points will be layered with steel plates at least one inch thick.

Such large plates are commonly seen on city streets where heavy equipment is used, Curry said, adding that equipment staging areas and the parade route were specially chosen to minimize weight-related damage.

Heavy tracked vehicles like the M1A1 often make turns by using differential steering — one side will roll forward while the other reverses, or the tracks will operate at a different speed. That can cause tracks to "pinch," a problem for asphalt.

Inbound parade tanks will also don new "track pads," rubber components that create some separation between the metal tracks and the pavement, Curry told reporters.

Additional measures to prevent damage are still being examined, with help from DC's Department of Transportation, the National Park Service (which oversees maintenance of the National Mall), and the Federal Highway Administration.

The tanks and other vehicles, such as Bradley fighting vehicles and Strykers, will arrive in the DC area via rail and will then depart to parade staging areas via heavy-duty trailers, similar to those used to move houses down highways.

Troops will not be conducting any full-scale rehearsals for the parade, a notable deviation from typical military planning. Normally, complete rehearsals are an important part of any military mission, including small unit ceremonies.

Officials said Wednesday that while the Army has been planning a major 250th birthday event for two years, the idea to include heavy vehicles like tanks and other armored vehicles in a parade only arrived this year. The officials did not specify how the idea originated.

Even moving at a slow parade pace, any military activity using heavy equipment and vehicles is fraught with concerns that require meticulous planning for safety precautions, especially when it comes to the equipment offloads required to stage for such a parade. Large vehicles must rely on ground guides to ensure no one is inadvertently run over.

Officials said Wednesday that Hercules wreckers will be available to recover any tanks that break down. How roads might handle the behemoth 70-ton M88 Hercules recovery vehicle with a downed tank on its trailer bed is unclear.

• Israel has one of the world's most advanced air defense systems.
• Its air defenses are being tested amid its war against Hamas and Iran's retaliatory attacks.
• President Donald Trump said his plan for a "Golden Dome" was inspired by Israel's missile defenses.

Israel touts one of the most advanced air defenses in the world, systems that have defended Israeli troops and citizens from rocket and missile barrages for over a decade.

These layers of air defenses are essential to Israel's security and include the legendary Iron Dome that downs incoming rockets. Much of its population is within reach of rockets and missiles fired by Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as the ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis.

After his return to the White House in January, President Donald Trump proposed a next-generation missile shield inspired by the Israeli missile defense systems — but on a vast scale.

Aptly named the "Golden Dome," the president said the ambitious weapons and sensory system to intercept threats like nuclear-armed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles will cost about $175 billion, with plans to field it by the end of his presidential term, though it could take longer to fully construct.

The system is so vast and its components so new that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated it could cost between $160 billion and $830 billion.

Golden Dome

Earlier this week, Trump detailed his plans to build the "Golden Dome," previously known as the "Iron Dome for America," as defense contractors and tech companies already line up to be considered for development.

"We'll have it done in three years," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 21. "Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world."

While Israel's air defense network is considered one of the most advanced aerial defense systems in the world, the missile shield is responsible for defending a country roughly the size of the state of New Jersey — the second smallest US state — from short-range threats.

Trump aims to make the Golden Dome a space-based missile system to defend the US — about the size of continental Europe — against advanced ballistic and hypersonic missile threats from the world's most powerful countries. Russia has an estimated 4,300 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, each of which a system like Golden Dome must be capable of defeating, necessitating an even larger number of intercept missiles and other weapons.

"I think that this year, we're going to see a different national conversation about space," Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider.

US foreign aid to Israel

About 15% of Israel's defense budget comes from the US. Since its founding in 1948, the US has sent Israel about $300 billion in economic and military aid, making it the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid.

Nearly all of the aid the US has sent in recent months has been allocated to its advanced defense systems and military equipment. But America's involvement in Israel's war in the Gaza Strip has grown controversial. The US is providing limited humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza while also providing military support and weapons to Israel.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

Iron Dome

The most well-known of Israel's air defense systems, the Iron Dome, consists of a network of radar detectors and missile launchers used to intercept enemy fire, including short-range rockets and artillery.

Deployed in southern Israel in 2011 following the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the US helped and funded the development of the short-range rocket defense system. It contributed at least $1.6 billion to the Iron Dome system from 2011 to 2021, as well as another $1 billion in 2022.

The first layer of defense

The Israel Defense Forces said the objective of the Iron Dome is to "protect Israeli civilians from the constant threat of rockets by intercepting them." The IDF described the Iron Dome with three adjectives: "accuracy, speed, and capacity."

Armed with Tamir interceptor missiles, the multi-mission defense system can shoot down enemy rockets and artillery up to 43.5 miles away. The advanced missile system has a radar station that detects and tracks the course of enemy rockets before launching a missile to intercept them. The missiles track their target with electro-optical sensors and detonate in the air when close.

While the Iron Dome doesn't have a perfect interception record, it has blocked a majority of enemy fire in Israeli airspace, especially at times of intense barrages from Hamas militants.

But the Iron Dome is just one layer of what is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world.

Missiles have a much longer range than shells, but they also have the disadvantage of being expensive. The Tamir missiles fired by Iron Dome are estimated to each cost around $50,000.

David's Sling

The middle layer of Israel's Iron Dome defense system is David's Sling, a medium- to long-range air defense system designed to intercept missiles as far as 185 miles away.

Also known as the Magic Wand, the versatile missile system carries up to 12 interceptors. Its command and control center, known as the Golden Almond, provides threat assessment and plans and controls interception, complemented by the system's multi-mission radar used to detect and track airborne threats.

The middle layer of defense

Developed in collaboration with the US and Israel, David's Sling is "a central factor in Israel's multi-tiered defense array," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense. It supports other layers of its air defense system by "tackling large-caliber rockets, short-range ballistic missiles," and other types of enemy fire.

Arrow Weapon System

The top layer of Israel's sophisticated air defense system is Arrow-3, which is capable of engaging targets at longer ranges and higher altitudes and more precisely intercepting ballistic missiles.

Arrow-3 interceptor operates with the Arrow Weapon System, the world's first operational, national, stand-alone anti-tactical ballistic missile defense system, according to Israel Aerospace Industries, the primary contractor for the AWS. The system was developed in partnership with Boeing and with significant funding from the United States.

Arrow-3 works in conjunction with its predecessor, Arrow-2, to intercept ballistic missiles and other warheads using a two-stage interceptor.

Arrow-3

Arrow-3's "interceptor is a world-class missile that, together with the Arrow-2, significantly expands the State of Israel's defense capabilities," according to Israel's Ministry of Defense.

In November 2023, Israel confirmed the first operational use of the Arrow-3 to stop an inbound enemy missile launched by Houthi militants from Yemen, marking the first time all three layers of Israel's aerial defense were working simultaneously.

"All of these provide protection in every layer of aerial defense and enable optimal protection of the Israeli home front," the IDF said in a statement at the time.

Countering Iran's retaliatory attacks

Last October, Iran attacked Israel with a large barrage of ballistic missiles — a rare direct attack that came after a White House warning to its ally.

The missile attack came after the IDF killed the head of Hezbollah and then launched a "limited" ground offensive against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. At the time, the US adjusted its force posture in the Middle East, stationing a substantial force of warships and fighter aircraft across the region to defend Israel and its bases.

Israel also deployed Arrow 3 to intercept the drones and missiles Iran fired during its retaliatory attacks in mid-April last year.

Israel's chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters at the time that Arrow 3 had "proved itself against a significant number of ballistic missiles" fired by Iran.

C-Dome

Israel's air defense system isn't just limited to land. The country also has a naval version of its Iron Dome system, mounting it aboard Israeli missile boats.

The naval version of the aerial defense system, known as C-Dome, is deployed aboard Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, four German-made warships ordered for Israel's navy.

In addition to the C-Dome, Sa'ar 6 vessels are also equipped with a 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid main gun, which is effective against close aerial threats.

Israeli missile boats

After two years of development, Israel's military announced Monday that the seaborne defense system was used for the first time to intercept a "suspicious aerial target" that entered Israeli airspace near the city of Eilat, which has been frequently targeted by Houthis in Yemen in support of Hamas.

"Overnight, for the first time ever, an IDF Sa'ar 6-class corvette missile ship successfully intercepted a UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) that had approached from the east and had crossed into the area of the Gulf of Eilat," the IDF said.

In addition to the four Sa'ar 6-class corvettes, the Israeli naval fleet includes 11 other warships and five Dolphin-class submarines.

SPYDER

To further bolster its air defenses, Israel is also looking at a new "all-in-one" surface-to-air missile system called SPYDER, manufactured by Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Israel, in collaboration with Rafael, is testing a new configuration for the weapons system, taking the missile launcher, radar, command and control system, and technology for surveillance and target acquisition, and fitting it to an eight-wheel drive vehicle.

"Developed to address the critical operational needs of the modern battlefield, the SPYDER AiO provides an agile, autonomous, air defense asset, capable of rapid deployment within minutes, in challenging terrains, and with short reaction times," according to a fact sheet from Rafael.

'All-in-one' missile system

Designed to carry up to eight canisterised missiles, including I-Derby SR, I-Derby ER, and Python-5 SR, it can engage up to four targets at a time, with a maximum range of up to nearly 25 miles and an altitude of 7.4 miles, according to the fact sheet.

In January 2024, Israel's defense ministry announced a successful test run of the new weapons system configuration, which is capable of intercepting drones, aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and precision-guided munitions.

Rafael's SPYDER air defense system, in its All-In-One configuration, achieved a direct and effective hit during a recent, first of its kind test with the Israeli Ministry of Defense DDR&D. Watch the live fire test here: [YouTube Link] Another milestone in our commitment to… pic.twitter.com/FvU2iS7t5u

— Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (@RAFAELdefense) January 10, 2024

Editor's note: This article was originally published in April 2024 and has been updated in May 2025.

• Boeing secured a record-breaking $96 billion order from Qatar Airways during Donald Trump's trip.
• It was one of several wins this week, showing the planemaker is recovering from a troubling 2024.
• Trump's support came after tensions over Air Force One delays and concerns over a Qatari gift.

Boeing showed it's bouncing back from its turmoil as it won several victories from Donald Trump's trip to the Middle East.

On Wednesday, Qatar Airways agreed to buy at least 160 Boeing jets, in a deal the White House valued at $96 billion. It is the planemaker's largest-ever order for wide-body aircraft.

While the two CEOs signed certificates and shook hands, Trump and the Emir of Qatar applauded from behind the ornate desk. The president gave Boeing's Kelly Ortberg a pat on the back.

It's rare to see heads of state attend aircraft-order ceremonies. Trump's show of support for Boeing was a notable turn from the tensions between the two over delays in building the next Air Force One.

Receiving such a huge vote of confidence from an industry-leading airline is also a significant boost, especially since the order includes 30 Boeing 777X planes and options for dozens more.

The 777X is yet to be certified, running years behind schedule, meaning Qatar's order is a big show of faith in Boeing's future. Flight tests for the 777X had to be paused last August after damage was found on a key structure.

Several customers, including the largest, Emirates, voiced their frustrations after Ortberg then announced its launch would be further pushed back to 2026.

However, Qatar Airways has never dwelt on the delays. "Let us not cry over spilled milk," CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer told Business Insider last July.

Boeing is also likely to benefit from Tuesday's defense deal with Saudi Arabia, which the White House called "the largest defense-sales agreement in history," at roughly $142 billion.

These are all significant signs that the planemaker hasn't lost too much of its reputation after an ignominious 2024.

The year began with a door plug falling off a 737 Max in midair. Regulators subsequently capped Boeing's production as it works to overhaul its processes.

This week has seen progress here, too, as Boeing said it delivered 45 commercial planes last month — almost double the number in the same period last year.

Trump's change of heart

Even before Qatar Airways' order, planes were dominating the headlines around Trump's trip.

The president said Monday he would be "stupid" to turn down the Qatari royal family's proposed gift of a Boeing 747.

It has raised ethical and legal concerns, with politicians on both sides of the aisle questioning the gift. The luxurious $400 million plane would be one of the most expensive gifts ever received by the government from another country.

The timing may also raise questions about Qatar's motivation for announcing the mammoth Boeing order during Trump's visit, rather than at next month's Paris Air Show.

Trump wants the 747 to serve as Air Force One because Boeing is running years behind schedule in building the next presidential jet. He renegotiated the contract in his first term, and the planemaker has since lost billions on the project.

In February, Trump showed his frustration with the delays by touring a Qatari Boeing 747 in Palm Beach — believed to be the one now on offer.

So, his support for Boeing in Qatar shows a change of heart that will likely please the planemaker and help settle any apprehension over Air Force One.

The country's top exporter, Boeing, was also under threat from Trump's tariff plans.

Jets destined for Chinese airlines had to be sent back across the Pacific Ocean after they refused to accept them due to the trade war. On Monday, China and the US agreed to lower tariffs by 115%.

But overall, that may not be as valuable as the reputation boost provided during Trump's trip.

This week has helped the storied planemaker prove that it's moving on from the woes of 2024.

• Trump wants an F-35 stealth fighter with two engines because he doesn't like single-engine planes.
• He wants to call this new twin-engine F-35 the F-55.
• A former F-35 program manager told BI that this would basically mean building a new aircraft.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter is equipped with the world's most powerful fighter engine. It only has one of them, though, and President Donald Trump wants it to have two.

That's no small change. Redesigning an F-35 for twin engines is essentially building a whole new aircraft, a former US Air Force pilot who was involved with the F-35 program told Business Insider. That could take decades and require huge expenditures from an administration that's set on slashing government spending.

"The airframe is completely designed around a single engine," explained retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Gunzinger, who worked on the advanced F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter as a program manager for flight simulation test and evaluation.

"To put two engines in it would be a complete redesign of not only the hardware and the airframe, but also the software," he said. The plane would need to be larger and could see decreased range.

Trump pitched an idea on Thursday for a new twin-engine version of the F-35 that he said he would call the F-55.

"The F-35, we're doing an upgrade — a simple upgrade — but we're also doing an F-55. I'm going to call it an F-55," Trump said during a business roundtable in Qatar. He said that the jet would be a "substantial upgrade" with two engines because "I don't like single engines."

"We're going to do an F-55" if the price is right, Trump said. "And that will be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35."

The F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth aircraft made by US defense giant Lockheed Martin. It was developed and manufactured as part of a multinational program, and since the first jet rolled off the production line, more than 1,100 have been delivered to the US and militaries overseas.

The F-35 stealth fighter is a cornerstone of US airpower, with not just the ability to penetrate contested airspace but also quarterback American combat assets. While some Trump allies have criticized the aircraft over its high costs and questioned its ability to compete with drones, the president appears to be supportive of the program and the plane's prime contractor, as Trump also wants to upgrade the F-22 Raptor.

Both the F-35 and the F-22 are receiving upgrades, the most notable for the former being the Block IV upgrades and Tech Refresh 3 expected to deliver significantly improved capabilities. The president's plans appear to be outside of these ongoing efforts on the fifth-gen fighters.

In the case of the F-55, it almost certainly amounts to building a new fighter rather than modernizing existing F-35s considering the engineering challenges.

Trump's comments came several weeks after Lockheed Martin's CEO James Taiclet said his company would "supercharge" the fighter aircraft and turn it into a "fifth-generation-plus" aircraft with nearly the capabilities of a sixth-generation fighter like the F-47, which will be built by competitor Boeing. The upgraded F-35 could include improved stealth tech and materials, better sensors, and longer-range weapons. The CEO made no mention of a second engine.

A twin-engine F-35? More like a new F-55 fighter

The F-35's powerful single Pratt & Whitney F135 engine sets it apart from other fifth-generation aircraft like the American F-22 Raptor, the Russian Su-57, and the Chinese J-20 and new J-35, which all have twin engines. The J-35 resembles a twin-engine F-35, at least in appearance.

The F-35's lone F135 engine produces a whopping 43,000 pounds of thrust. The F-22's engines are each less powerful, by contrast, but together create 70,000 pounds of thrust.

Gunzinger, a former F-111 Ardvaark pilot who served with the US Air Force for over 20 years, said that the F-35 has only one engine because compromises were made during development to ensure that the plane met the needs of multiple services simultaneously.

The F-35 comes in three variants: the A for conventional take-off and landing, the B for short take-off and vertical landing, and the C for carrier-based operations. These three variants are generally operated by the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, respectively.

The Marine-operated F-35B is especially unique because of the lift fan that allows it to land and take off in a hover. A twin-engine F-35B is unlikely considering the daunting technical hurdles to build it. "Technologically, it's a bridge too far to put two engines in an F-35B," Gunzinger said.

During his remarks Thursday, Trump said he likes having more engines because there's a backup if one goes out. The only other US single-engine fighters are the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the AV-8B Harrier, the STOVL aircraft the F-35B is replacing.

Gunzinger said two engines are, indeed, better than one, pointing to several instances when single-engine aircraft with engine issues wouldn't have been lost had it had a second engine. But the F-35 is a single-engine aircraft through and through. Anything else is a effectively a different plane.

Talking about transforming the F-35 into a twin-engine aircraft is "talking about a completely different aircraft" that's years — if not decades — away, Gunzinger said. Unless there's a secret fighter jet program underway in the desert somewhere or it is based on Lockheed's failed bid to build the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, this idea could mean starting from scratch to create a design with the right aeronautics, carrying capacity, and small radar cross-section.

Frank Kendall, who was secretary of the Air Force until late January, told Breaking Defense that "a two-engine version of F-35 would be virtually a complete redesign," adding that the idea is "an option that was never presented and that we never considered."

The White House did not provide further details on the F-55, and neither did the Air Force when BI asked. Lockheed Martin would not say whether it has been in discussions with the White House about a twin-engine F-35 or a new F-55. Lockheed said only that it looks forward to working on the administration's "vision for air dominance."

Gunzinger said that building both the F-55 and Boeing's NGAD doesn't make sense. "The Air Force really can't afford another major fighter program," he added. "With the current budget and capabilities, you really have to decide on do you want an F-55, which is a brand new aircraft, or do you want the NGAD," another brand new aircraft. And both planes would likely bring similar capabilities to the fight.

• Far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized Lockheed Martin and its F-35 jet over the weekend.
• She became the latest Trump ally to lash out against the expensive and highly capable jet.
• Elon Musk has also rebuked the fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

Laura Loomer, the far-right activist who has a direct line to President Donald Trump, criticized Lockheed Martin's F-35 program over the weekend, decrying the US defense giant as "woke" and lashing out against the expensive stealth aircraft.

In a lengthy post on X, Loomer suggested Lockheed Martin is delivering F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters that "are simply not ready for combat."

"The F-35 program, one of the most expensive weapons programs in history, is plagued by delays, defects, & downright incompetence," she wrote Saturday. She said the US Air Force is accepting jets that lack "functional" radar systems, without offering evidence.

She also claimed that Lockheed is "increasingly obsessed with pushing a woke agenda." Like many other US defense contractors, Lockheed scrapped its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in January after Trump returned to the White House.

The $2 trillion F-35 program is an appealing target for activists and officials seeking to slash government spending, and it has a well-documented list of problems. The Pentagon's top weapons tester said earlier this year that the program had problems delivering functional software and had fallen behind schedule to test upgraded mission systems.

Despite the issues, the F-35 is fast becoming the centerpiece of US air superiority fighters; the Pentagon approved full-rate production a year ago and plans to buy nearly 2,500 of the stealth fighters. The US military and its allies widely consider it one of the world's top fighter aircraft.

Lockheed has described the F-35's AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar as "the most capable in the world." Northrop Grumman, which manufactures the system, called it the "cornerstone" of the jet's advanced sensor suite.

Loomer criticized the F-35 program's software development, saying some systems are behind schedule, and called out its "deteriorating" stealth paneling capabilities. She cited various media reports to support her case.

The F-35 is the world's most expensive weapons program, with an estimated lifetime cost of over $2 trillion. Other Trump allies, like Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, have attacked the aircraft as essentially obsolete. Loomer's attack was in some ways the most thorough.

"This is government and taxpayer WASTE on an unimaginable scale, & it's coming out of our pockets!" wrote Loomer, whose opinion swayed Trump to fire the NSA director in early April.

"The F-35 is the cornerstone of the battlespace for 20 allied nations, enabling peace through strength in the 21st century," a Lockheed spokesperson told Business Insider. "It is combat proven, offers the most advanced capability and technology, and is the most affordable option to ensure the US and allies remain ahead of emerging threats."

Loomer could not be reached for additional comment.

The F-35 is constantly being upgraded and reworked to improve its capabilities. It is widely recognized as the world's top fifth-generation fighter, and is in service with militaries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Right now, no US adversary has a comparable platform.

Musk, who criticised Lockheed in the fall, responded to Loomer on Saturday and wrote in a brief post on X: "Crewed aircraft will be destroyed instantly by cheap drone swarms."

Musk made similar comments last year about the F-35's survivability and how drones would make a better alternative. However, airpower experts pushed back on this and said the technology isn't quite there yet.

Musk's DOGE was tasked with eliminating government waste, and defense spending is a big target. Loomer singled out the Tesla CEO in her post and suggested that he — and Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — investigate the F-35 program.

• A US Navy aircraft carrier deployed to the Red Sea lost a $60 million fighter jet on Monday.
• The aircraft fell overboard after a move crew "lost control" of the jet, the Navy said.
• It's the second time that the USS Harry S. Truman strike group has lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet.

An F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet fell off the USS Harry S. Truman on Monday while the aircraft carrier was operating in the Red Sea, leaving a sailor hurt, the US Navy said.

The F/A-18E, which is estimated to cost roughly $60 million, was actively under tow in Truman's hangar bay — an area underneath the flight deck where aircraft receive maintenance — when the move crew "lost control" of the fighter aircraft. The plane then fell overboard alongside the tow tractor.

"Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard," the Navy said, adding in a statement that one sailor received minor injuries and an investigation is underway.

"The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and embarked air wing remain fully mission capable," the Navy said.

The Truman is one of two US Navy aircraft carriers that are launching aircraft for daily strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The US military began an intense bombing campaign against the rebels on March 15 and has struck hundreds of targets in the weeks since.

Earlier on Monday, the Houthis said they launched missiles and drones at the Truman and the warships in its strike group, claiming that the attack forced the carrier to turn around. Business Insider could not immediately verify these details.

A defense official told BI that "very few details can be provided currently as the incident is under investigation," adding that the crew is safe and accounted for.

The loss of a Super Hornet this week marks the second time during its involvement in the Red Sea conflict that the Truman strike group has lost one of the air wing's F/A-18.

In late December, the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg accidentally shot a Super Hornet down in what the military described as "an apparent case of friendly fire."