Space Command & Nuclear News | SPACECOM Alerts For Space Force

Japan Set To Discharge ALPS Treated Fukushima Nuclear Waste Into Sea - Starting this year, over 1.3 million tons of ALPS-treated water will be released into the ocean over time over several decades. IAEA releases assessment.

TOKYO - Japan is set to begin discharging the ALPS-treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea on August 24th, if weather and sea conditions permit.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to Japan's plans to discharge the treated radioactive water from the plant, saying that the United States is satisfied with Japan's plans, and considers the water safe, and in accordance with international standards.

"With regard to the release of water from Fukushima, we are satisfied with Japan’s plans, which are safe and in accordance with international standards, including, critically, the IAEA nuclear safety standards.

Japan has coordinated closely, proactively with the IAEA on its plans, and they’ve conducted a science-based and transparent process, one that we’re satisfied with," Blinken said at a Press Availability on August 15th.

IAEA assessment of the ALPS treated nuclear waste water, and more: Read Full Report.

North Korea: Nuclear War Is Approaching The Korean Peninsula Citing Previous Warnings - The DPRK says they will "wait for the time" to "punish the hostile forces" as it goes on the "offensive" and "overwhelming action for war" in response to "provocations".

PYONGYANG - North Korean state media released a statement saying that an “unprecedented large-scale thermonuclear war is approaching the Korean Peninsula,” citing the U.S. and South Korean joint military drills “Ulji Freedom Shield”, which it says is a “nuclear war drill”, or “war rehearsal”.

North Korea’s statement said that the United States had mobilized “war hardware” and “troops” in the operational area of the Korean Peninsula during Ulji Freedom Shield exercises, but also space forces “in its mainland” for the first time in history, and did so “despite our repeated warnings”, noting that the exercises are set to last until August 31st.

It also said that strategic assets such as a carrier, nuclear submarine, B-1B, and B-52H strategic bombers are set to join the military exercises, calling the drill “aggressive” and “conspicuous”.

North Korea laments the number of countries joining the joint drills, Claims US, Japan, and South Korea met at Camp David to formulate nuclear war provocation and that it's going on the "offensive": Read Full Report.

Japan: North Korea To Launch Satellite - Japanese Prime Minister received a report that north Korea plans to launch a satellite between August 24th and August 31st.

The Japanese Prime Minister's office reported that North Korea will launch a satellite between August 24th and August 31st. The Japanese Coast Guard released drop zone coordinates.

Japanese Prime Minister's Office: "[North Korea-related instructions from the Prime Minister] The Prime Minister received a report that North Korea will launch a satellite: Read Full Report & Coordinates.

US Issues Travel Alert To Belarus, Moscow: Attack On Belarus Is Attack On Russia - Russian ambassador to Belarus said that if Belarus is attacked, Russia will respond "with all our weaponry".

MOSCOW - Russia issued a warning that any attack on Belarus will be treated as an attack on Russia, after which the United States issued a Do Not Travel alert for Belarus, citing Belarusian authorities' continued facilitation of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Russian ambassador to Belarus said that if Belarus is attacked, Russia will respond "with all our weaponry," leading Russian state media to report that the comment hints "at the option of a nuclear strike" as a possible response.

The Do Not Travel alert added that the travel alert was issued "due to the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus".

"U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately. Consider departing via the remaining border crossings with Lithuania and Latvia, or by plane. U.S. citizens are not permitted to enter Poland overland from Belarus. Do not travel to Russia or to Ukraine," the State Department travel alert added.

Moscow: All Military Capabilities Will Be Used To Retaliate If Belarus Is Attacked: Read More.

North Korea Tests Cruise Missiles, US-ROK Carry Out Joint Exercises - South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) responded to the statement by North Korean state media saying that much of the statement was "exaggerated and different from facts".

PYONGYANG - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a cruise missile test on board the country's "Patrol Ship No. 661" Amnok-class corvette, which state media says successfully hit its target without error, as the US and South Korea hold joint exercises.

The statement said that the patrol ship staged a drill launching strategic cruise missiles, "aimed to reconfirm the combat function of the ship and the feature of its missile system and make the seamen skilled at carrying out the attack mission in actual war, the ship rapidly hit the target without even an error".

The KCNA statement also said that the leader advanced the country's policy for "strengthening the Navy for making it an all-round and powerful Juche-based service group with rapidly improved combat efficiency and full modern means of surface and underwater offensive and defensive".

South Korean JCS: North Korean Statement "Exaggerated", "Different From Facts": Read More.

Iron Dome Intercepts Unmanned Drone Flying Toward Israel - The unmanned aircraft did not cross over into Israel and was followed by the Israeli Air Force before it was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.

IDF - The Israeli Defense Forces intercepted an unmanned aircraft over the Gaza Strip towards Israel. The aircraft did not cross over into Israel and was followed by the Israeli Air Force. Israel's Air Defense fighters intercepted the unmanned aircraft using the Iron Dome Missile Defense System.

The aircraft did not pose any threat to residents of the Gaza Strip, and no alerts were activated, according to the statement by the IDF. Read Full Statement/Video.

Russia's Luna-25 Crashes Into Moon - The Russian moon lander was scheduled to land on the moon on August 21st, but instead spun out of control and crashed into the moon.

MOSCOW - After Russia launched its first moon lander in nearly 50 years on the Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome on August 11th, the Luna-25, which was scheduled to land on the moon on August 21st instead crashed into the moon after a failed orbital adjustment.

Russian state news said that the Luna-25 automatic station "switched to an off-design orbit" and collided with the moon, after which it "ceased to exist", according to the press service of Russia's state space program Roskosmos.

Efforts To Locate Craft And Restore Contact Were Unsuccessful: Read More | Space Race to Moon's South Pole.

Japan, South Korea, U.S. Strengthen Trilateral Cooperation - The nations agreed to elevate defense collaboration, including speeding up information sharing on North Korea's missile launches, cyber activities, strengthening ballistic missile defense cooperation.

Department of Defense: The trilateral ties among Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States will make the world safer and the three countries stronger, President Joe Biden said at the conclusion of talks at Camp David, Maryland today.

The United States has decades of solid relations with both South Korea and Japan bilaterally – both nations are treaty allies of the United States. But forging a trilateral relationship has long proved difficult, as there have been roadblocks to relations between South Korea and Japan. Read Full Report.

DOD and Japanese MOD Commencement of Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Cooperative Development - Department of Defense: "Due to repeated missile launches and progress in the development of hypersonic weapons around Japan, missile attacks on Japan have become a real threat. It is an urgent need".

Department of Defense: During the January 2023 Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) meeting, the United States and Japan concurred with beginning discussions on the potential joint development of a future interceptor.

Based on subsequent studies, the U.S. Department of Defense and Japan Ministry of Defense decided to initiate a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) Cooperative Development program as an important part of implementation for the 2023 U.S.-Japan bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Projects (RDT&E).

The development of a counter-hypersonic capability is a pressing need for both countries to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including the emergence of offensive hypersonic and other sophisticated missile capabilities for potential acts of coercion.

The GPI co-development will build upon long-standing U.S.-Japan missile defense cooperation and strengthen the Alliance deterrence posture.

Japanese Ministry Of Defense: Japan And US To Start Interceptor Discussions: Read Full Report.

DoD: General Says Deterring Two 'Near Peer' Competitors Is Complex - Department of Defense: U.S. Strategic Command is focusing on extended deterrence during a time when the country faces two near-peer rivals, said Air Force Gen. Anthony J. Cotton yesterday.

The command continually assesses the threats and examines the command "for sizing and the right force posture to meet the challenges which we would face," he said during U.S. Strategic Command’s Deterrence Symposium in Omaha, Nebraska.

Russia has long been a near-peer competitor to the United States, with around 5,900 nuclear weapons in manned bombers, intercontinental missiles and submarine-launched platforms.

China today has around 350-400 nuclear weapons, and Chinese leaders have announced a program to have more than 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. Read Full Report.

Current Active Wildfires: United States & Globally - US database as of today, Copernicus is data from the last 7 days using global thermal sensors.

Current active wildfires in the United States (US government database), as well as globally (European Copernicus government database). US database as of today, Copernicus is data from the last 7 days using global thermal sensors. Global Wildfire Maps | California Incidents | Canadian Wildfire Map.

International Space Race To Moon's South Pole Begins - Luna 25, Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years, as well as India's Chandrayaan 3, are expected to land on the moon at the end of August.

FLORIDA - NASA administrator Bill Nelson said on Tuesday at the Kennedy Space Center that the Moon's South Pole may become another "South China Sea" with China staking claims and telling other countries to "stay out" if they end up getting there first.

The United States, Russia, India, and China are in a race to get to the moon, namely the South Pole where it is believed ice is trapped. Luna 25, Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years, as well as India's Chandrayaan 3, are expected to land on the moon at the end of August. Read Full Report.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant's Reactor 4 Switched From Hot Shutdown To Cold After Water Leak Detected - IAEA and Ukrainian state energy company Energoatom: "There was no radiological release to the environment".

KYIV - After a water leak was detected in one of the steam generators in the containment of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant's Reactor Unit 4, the reactor unit was switched from hot shutdown to cold shutdown, according to a statement from the IAEA, as well as Ukraine’s state energy company Energoatom.

A statement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cited the agency’s Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi as saying that the ZNPP will place unit 4 into cold shutdown in order to “determine the precise cause of the water leak that has been detected,” as well as to “conduct maintenance to repair the affected steam generator”.

The IAEA statement said, “There was no radiological release to the environment”. Read Full Report

Likely Carcinogen Found At US Missile Base After Military Investigates Blood Cancer Cases In Base Personnel - In 2001 U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFAM) completed a review of Malmstrom cancer concerns showing no increased rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among missileers.

MONTANA - After the U.S. Military carried out an investigation as to what was causing blood cancer cases in officers who had previously worked at a nuclear missile base in Montana, a "likely carcinogen" was found above the recommended "safe" levels, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As of January this year, nine military officers who worked at the Malmstrong Air Force Base had developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at earlier ages than the median age for the disease, which has caused the military to launch an investigation probe into the incidents to see if there's a connection between the cancer development and exposure at the base.

Despite this, the Air Force Medical Service states on its website that "U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFAM) completed a review of Malmstrom cancer concerns in 2001 showing no increased rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among missileers. Read Full Report On This.

USAF/NOAA: High Solar Activity Past 24 Hours, Solar Cycle 25 Ramped Up Faster Than Predicted - Solar Cycle 25 has ramped up much faster than scientists predicted producing more sunspots and eruptions than experts had forecast.

IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 06/2100Z to 07/2100Z: Solar activity has been at high levels for the past 24 hours. The largest solar event of the period was an X1 event observed on 07/2046Z from Region 3386 (N11W0*). There are currently 8 numbered sunspot regions on the disk.

IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is likely to be moderate with a slight chance for an X-class flare on days one and two (08 Aug, 09 Aug) and expected to be low with a chance for M-class flares on day three (10 Aug).

IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 06/2100Z to 07/2100Z: The geomagnetic field has been at quiet to unsettled levels for the past 24 hours. Solar wind speed reached a peak of 504 km/s at 07/1942Z.

Total IMF reached 13 nT at 07/1156Z. The maximum southward component of Bz reached -9 nT at 07/0136Z. Protons greater than 10 MeV at geosynchronous orbit reached a peak level of 4 pfu at 07/0245Z. Electrons greater than 2 MeV at geosynchronous orbit reached a peak level of 153 pfu.

IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be active to major storm levels on day one (08 Aug), quiet to active levels on day two (09 Aug), and quiet to unsettled levels on day three (10 Aug). Protons greater than 10 Mev have a chance of crossing the threshold on days one and two (08 Aug, 09 Aug).

Solar Cycle 25 has ramped up much faster than scientists predicted producing more sunspots and eruptions than experts had forecast.

Tracking and predicting the Sun’s solar cycles gives a rough idea of the frequency of space weather storms of all types – from radio blackouts to geomagnetic storms and solar radiation storms – and it’s used by many industries to gauge the potential impact of space weather on Earth.

Though we are seeing increased activity on the Sun, we expect this solar cycle to be average compared to solar cycles in the past century.

Solar Cycle 25 began in December 2019 with a marked increase in solar activity. Here is a timeline of some of the more interesting solar events we observed this cycle so far: Read Full Report.

Space Weather Conditions: Strong (G3) Geomagnetic Storms Observed - Temporary or complete loss of High-Frequency radio signals on the sunlit side of the Earth was possible during this event.

An X1.6 flare was observed from Region 3386 on 05 Aug. This flare lasted 59 minutes, peaking at 05/2221 UTC. Temporary or complete loss of High-Frequency radio signals on the sunlit side of the Earth was possible during this event.

A partial halo CME was associated with this flare. Analysis of this CME is ongoing, but preliminary results indicate an Earth-directed component, with the bulk of the plasma directed ahead of Earth’s orbit.

Strong (G3) geomagnetic storm conditions were observed at 0559 UTC on 05 Aug 2023 following the arrival of a CME. Moderate and Strong (G2-G3) geomagnetic storms are expected to continue until 1200 UTC on 05 Aug.

Other significant activity over the day included an R3 (Strong) radio blackout at 05/2221 UTC from Region 3386. A CME was associated with the event and is currently being analyzed and modeled to determine if/when Earth might see geomagnetic effects as it propagates through the solar system. | Read Full Report

Poland: Wagner Soldiers Moving Close To Polish Border, Suwałki Gap - A Russian lawmaker had earlier this month also claimed Wagner forces were sent to Belarus to train Belarusian soldiers for an attack on Poland and a potential seizure of the Suwałki Gap. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

WARSAW - After Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that the Wagner group of soldiers that had been sent to Belarus were putting a "strain" on him because they wanted to go "West" on an "excursion", a group of 100 Wagner soldiers are now moving close to the Polish border, according to the Polish Prime Minister.

A Russian lawmaker had earlier this month claimed Wagner forces were sent to Belarus to train Belarusian soldiers for an attack on Poland and a potential seizure of the Suwałki Gap [aka Suwałki Coordidor].

IAEA Observes Mines At Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant Site - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that experts have observed directional anti-personnel mines "on the periphery of the site of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

The agency said that the mines were spotted during a walk-down on July 23rd when IAEA personnel saw mines planted "in a buffer zone between the site’s internal and external perimeter barriers".

The agency also noted the planned transition of reactor 4 from cold to hot shutdown.

It added that the experts reported the mines being situated in a restricted area that personnel operating the nuclear power plant are not allowed to access, and that they are facing away from the site.

The statement said that the team did not observe any mines within the inner site perimeter during their walk down at the nuclear power plant.

North Korea Launches At least One Missile Into Eastern Sea - SEOUL - The South Korean military has reported that North Korea has launched at least one ballistic missile into the eastern sea. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

The Japanese Prime Minister's office also released a statement that said, "North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow".

North Korea Fires Cruise Missiles Into Yellow Sea, After Saying US Nuclear Submarine Could Be Reason To Use Nuclear Weapons - North Korea: The presence of the US nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine which recently surfaced while visiting South Korea could be justification for North Korea to use nuclear weapons. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

SEOUL - North Korea fired "several" cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea early on Saturday morning, according to the South Korean military, but did not address U.S. Army Pvt. Travis King who had crossed over into North Korean territory recently.

North Korea: Presence Of US Nuclear Sub In South Korea May Justify The Use of Nuclear Weapons:

In a recent statement released by North Korean state media, it said that the presence of the U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine which recently surfaced while visiting South Korea could be a reason for North Korea to use nuclear weapons.

North Korea has been ramping up claims that the United States and its allies are planning to use nuclear weapons against it, saying that the "hostile forces" pose "the most undisguised and direct nuclear threat to the DPRK [North Korea]".

US Carries Out Airstrike In Somalia, Africa Against al-Shabaab Terrorists - AFRICOM: "At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike in a remote area near Hareeri Kalle". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

SOMALIA - USAFRICOM has released a statement that said the U.S. Africa Command carried out a “collective self-defense” airstrike in a remote area near Hareeri Kalle, located about 15 minutes south of Galcad, Somalia against al-Shabaab terrorists in support of the Somalian National Army.

The statement said that the Somalian military was engaged by the terrorist organization when U.S. Africa Command carried out the airstrike on al-Shabaab militants.

According to an assessment by AFRICOM and the Somali National Army, the U.S. airstrike killed 5 al-Shabaab terrorists. The statement also said that “no civilians were injured or killed” in the airstrike.

North Korea Fires Two Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Into East Sea - SEOUL - North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea after an American nuclear ballistic missile submarine arrived at the Korean Peninsula, according to the South Korean military. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that it detected the missile launches from Sunan, in Pyongyang at between 3:29 in the morning, and 3:45 in the morning.

It said that missile 1 flew for 550 kilometers (342 miles) before splashing down into the East Sea, and missile 2 flew about 600 kilometers (373 miles) with a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles).

The South Korean military said that the launches are "acts of significant provocation" and are a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to South Korean media.

The South Korean JCS sent out a text message to reporters that said, "Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture based on capabilities to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocations".

NASA’s Starling Mission Deployed Swarm Of CubeSats Satellites Into Low Earth Orbit - NASA: "The Starling swarm will power up and attempt initial contact with the ground; a process that may occur overnight or in the next several days". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

NASA: "Our four CubeSats have successfully deployed in space. Their mission to test swarm technologies continues over the next six months, around 355 miles above Earth".

NASA’s four Starling CubeSats are confirmed to have deployed from the Rocket Lab’s Electron kick stage. The spacecraft, which are designed to work together as a “swarm,” have reached low Earth orbit to begin their mission to test technologies for autonomous positioning, networking, maneuvering, and decision-making.

Now, the Starling swarm will power up and attempt initial contact with the ground; a process that may occur overnight or in the next several days.

South Korea, US, Japan Hold Joint Missile Defense Exercise - SEOUL - The South Korean Navy held a joint missile defense exercise with the United States and Japan on Sunday in order to counter growing missile threats from North Korea, according to the South Korean Navy. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ. Email alerts and full articles only available for paid subscribers.

The trilateral missile defense exercise comes after North Korea claimed to have launched the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile as a "strong practical warning" to what it says are nuclear threats from the United States and its allies due to previous joint military exercises around the Korean peninsula.

The trilateral missile defense exercise was held in international waters between the Japanese islands, and South Korea and included destroyers equipped with Aegis radar systems, according to the navy.

China Plans To Build Massive Remote-Sensing Satellite Network Before 2030 - BEIJING - China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp announced plans to build a “massive” remote sensing satellite network before 2030, which will include 300 remote sensing satellites in extra-low orbits around the earth that would be capable of taking high-resolution photos anywhere in the world within 15 minutes time of being requested. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ - Email alerts and full articles only available for paid subscribers.

Although the agency said that the satellites will be used for public services, such as emergency response and rescue and disaster prevention, it added that they will also be used to carry out “real-time, high-resolution observation of designated areas and specific targets in according with user’s requests”, citing CASIC Space Engineering Development, which it says is a CASIC subsidiary in Beijing leading the project.

The 300 remote-sensing satellites would be set in orbit around the earth at just 300 kilometers altitude, or about 186 miles above the earth’s surface. Low-altitude orbits for satellites can be anywhere between 160 – 2,000km (99 – 1243 miles) above the Earth.

UN Claims North Korean Missile Landed In Russian EEZ, Russia Investigates Crash Site - MOSCOW - The United Nations has claimed that the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launched by North Korea on Wednesday, July 12th landed in Russia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which has led Russia to investigate the site where the ICBM crashed down. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ - Email alerts and full articles only available for paid subscribers.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova initially said that the claims by the United Nations were unsubstantiated.

“There’s currently no data confirming the fall [of the North Korean missile] in our exclusive economic zone,” she stated on Telegram.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari had claimed that the North Korean Missile “flew around 1,000km… before falling into the sea, inside the Russian Federation’s exclusive economic zone".

He added that the launch was potentially the "longest ballistic missile flight" on record.

Russia Says It Will Treat F-16s To Ukraine As Nuclear Threat - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow cannot ignore the nuclear capability of US-designed F-16 fighter jets, and how the aircraft could carry nuclear weapons. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

Lavrov said that Western plans to give US-designed fighter jets to Ukraine is an "extremely dangerous development" and that it would see it as a nuclear threat.

North Korea Says It Test-Fired Hwasong-18 Solid-Fuel ICBM - PYONGYANG - On Thursday North Korean state news said that the missile it had test-fired the previous day (July 12th) was a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). North Korea Says Military Situation Has Reached Nuclear Crisis Beyond Cold War Era. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

The statement released by North Korea said that the missile flew for 1,001 kilometers ( 622 miles) for 4,491 seconds (75 minutes) at a maximum altitude of 6,648 kilometers (4,131 miles) before splashing down into the East Sea.

North Korea said that the firing of the missile was in order to “bolster the just right to self-defense to reliably defend the security of our state and regional peace from the disaster of a nuclear war and thoroughly deter the dangerous military moves of the hostile forces”.

The statement said that the “military security situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached the phase of nuclear crisis beyond the Cold War era,” due to provocations against the DPRK (North Korea) by the United States and its “vassal forces”.

North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile Toward East Sea - The launch comes after North Korean state media claimed that U.S. reconnaissance aircraft made an intrusive flight into its EEC, and made threats to shoot down the American aircraft. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

SEOUL - North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, according to a statement by the South Korean military.

The South Korean military detected the launch and is currently analyzing the details.

This associated articles on our platforms will be updated with new information as it is released.

Cuba Says American Nuclear Submarine In Guantanamo Bay A "Provocative Escalation" - HAVANA, CUBA - The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying that it “strongly rejects” the arrival of a nuclear-powered submarine in Guantanamo Bay on July 5th, 2023, and called it a “provocative escalation” and warned of the danger in of its presence and circulation of U.S. nuclear submarines in the Caribbean region. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

The statement said that the submarine stayed at the American military base located in Guantanamo until July 8th, and said that it was a “provocative escalation of the United States, whose political or strategic motives are not known”.

Russia Responds To US Decision To Send Cluster Munitions To Ukraine - Russia Responds To US Decision To Send Cluster Munitions To Ukraine. In 2022, in response to reports Russia had used cluster bombs in Ukraine, the White House said the usage of cluster munitions would "potentially" be a war crime. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry said that the decision of the United States to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions is the manifestation of the "aggressive anti-Russian course of the United States" and claims that it aims to drag out the conflict in Ukraine.

In 2022, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki had commented on reports that Russia had used cluster bombs in Ukraine, to which she stated that the usage of cluster munitions would "potentially" be a war crime.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, "So the bottom line is this: We recognize that cluster munitions create a risk of civilian harm from unexploded ordinance, this is why we deferred the decision for as long as we could".

Department Of Defense Reports Third Day Of Repeated Russian "Unprofessional Behavior" Over Syria - Department of Defense: Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said today that the U.S. mission to defeat ISIS remains undeterred by Russia's recent harassment of U.S. aircraft operating in Syria after third day of Russian "unprofessional behavior" and harassment by Russia over Syria. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

His remarks were in response to an unsafe engagement on Wednesday in which Russian SU-35 fighter aircraft harassed three U.S. MQ-9 drones conducting a mission against ISIS targets.

Ryder condemned the interaction as "clearly unprofessional and unsafe behavior on the part of the Russians."

IAEA Says No Evidence Nuclear Power Plant In Ukraine Has Been Mined With Explosives - IAEA: The nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is "extremely fragile". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

IAEA - The International Atomic Energy Agency says that it has been granted additional access at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine which is currently being held by Russian forces and has not found any evidence that it has been mined with explosives.

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Friday, July 7th that there have been no visible indications of any mines or explosives at the nuclear power plant after there had been reports that Russia had mined the nuclear facility with explosive devices, an allegation which the IAEA has denied being supported by evidence.

Poland Ready To Joint NATO's Nuclear Sharing Program In Light Of Russian Nukes In Belarus - While Russia says it is maintaining control of the nuclear weapons, Belarus claims that it has control of the weapons, and is creating an algorithm for their use. Read Full Story On Patreon | Read Full Story On Defcon Alerts | Read Full Story On SJ.

WARSAW - Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland is now ready to join NATO’s nuclear sharing program which would allow NATO-allied countries to deploy nuclear warheads on its territory, in light of Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear warheads in Belarus, which borders Poland.

"Due to the fact that Russia intends to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, we are asking the entire NATO to participate in a nuclear exchange program. The final decision will depend on our American partners. We declare our will to act quickly on this issue,” the Polish Prime Minister stated.

NORAD Aware Of Reports Of High-Altitude Balloon Over Montana - North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD): "NORAD is aware of reports of a high-altitude balloon over Montana".

"The object is a privately-owned civilian balloon registered with the FAA and operating within FAA regulations and requirements. Be assured, when an object is suspicious or unknown, NORAD responds".

Putin: Attempted Armed Rebellion By Head Of The Wagner Mercenary Group - The Ukrainian-Crimean Tatar partisan movement Atesh claims that the Wagner PMC is preparing to seize warehouses where Russia’s nuclear weapons are stored and have its eyes set on the warehouse known as 375 Object C. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts.

It also claims that the Russian military would be unable to protect the warehouse on its own due to having “very little manpower and resources” due to the military resources being locked up in the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

American Bombers In Sweden For First Time In Modern History - Swedish Armed forces: "On Monday, June 19, two American B-1B Lancers from the Bomber Task Force (BTF) landed at Luleå-Kallax airport to base Norrbotten's air fleet, F 21. For the first time in modern times, American bombers have thus landed in Sweden". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

"This is a historic event. In these troubled times and while waiting for NATO membership, it is important to have strong partners.

We have repeated joint exercises with the Bomber Task Force where we practiced the entire chain, from escort and liaison to sharp weapons action and now we are taking the next step in our cooperation by basing the B1-B Lancer on Swedish soil, says Deputy Air Force Chief Brigadier General Tommy Petersson.

The USA is, together with Finland, Sweden's most important cooperation partner. In 2016, a letter of intent was signed between Sweden and the USA, which includes bilateral exercises.

Sweden has invited and leads the exercise, which has been planned for a long time.

Strong X1.0 Class flare Solar Flare Erupts from Sun - NASA/SDO: The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 1:09 p.m. EDT on June 20, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. X-class solar flares are the most intense. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact high-frequency (HF) radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare [Images and more information posted on our platforms] is classified as an X1.0 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength."

Russia: Nukes In Belarus "Indefinitely" Unless US Removes Its Nuclear Weapons From Europe - U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said that the threat of Russian President Vladimir Putin using a tactical nuclear weapon is "real" but "absolutely irresponsible". Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

MOSCOW - A Russian Foreign Ministry director has said that the country's tactical nukes being placed within Belarus are indefinite, unless the United States removes its own nukes from Europe.

Russia has blamed the presence of nuclear weapons by NATO-allied countries in Europe, as well as the West sending depleted uranium shells to Ukraine on its decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said that the threat of Russian President Vladimir Putin using a tactical nuclear weapon is "real" but "absolutely irresponsible".

"When I was out here about two years ago saying I worried about the Colorado River drying up, everybody looked at me like I was crazy," he said.

"They looked at me like when I said I worry about Putin using tactical nuclear weapons. It's real," Biden added.

US To Send Depleted-Uranium Shells To Ukraine

Read the rest of the article here: Patreon | The Standeford Journal.

Swedish Defense Ministry: Russia Attack On Sweden Cannot Be Ruled Out - Swedish Defense Ministry: "An armed attack [by Russia] against Sweden cannot be ruled out. It also cannot be ruled out that military means of force or further threats of such may be used against Sweden". Read More On Patreon | Read More On SJ.

STOCKHOLM [Report based on a translation from Swedish] - The Swedish Defense Ministry says that an attack on Sweden cannot be ruled out and that even though Russia is currently fighting Ukraine, there is a capability for operations against Sweden.

The conclusions that were reached were included in the Defense Ministry’s “Allvarstid” report, according to a translated report by the Swedish news agency SVT.

The Swedish news agency said that the Allvarstid report’s origination comes from the “preparedness years” of 1939 to 1945 during the time that Sweden was under a similar security threat as it currently faces today.

SVT said that the security policy analysis is based on the same letter as another analysis that was published 5 years ago that said, "An armed attack against Sweden cannot be ruled out. It also cannot be ruled out that military means of force or further threats of such may be used against Sweden”.

“Now it’s time to rush”

It also said that it is generally viewed in the preparation that it is now urgent, and the report will “send signals” that now it is “serious time” regarding the country’s “total defense”.

According to the report, although Russia’s forces are tied up on the ground in Ukraine, Sweden still faces “several military threats”… Read Full Report On Patreon | Read Full Report On SJ

USINDOPACOM Statement on DPRK Missile Launches - North Korea Fired 2 Short Range-Ballistic Missiles Towards The East Sea. South Korea says the launches are in "apparent protest" over recent live-fire military drills between the United States and South Korea, which it says targeted North Korea. Read More On Patreon | Read More On SJ News.

Yonhap reported that the missiles fired on Thursday were in “apparent protest” over the recent joint live-fire military drills between the United States and South Korea which ended this week.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that it detected the launches from the Sunan area in Pyongyang, North Korea between 7:25 pm and 7:37 pm. Yonhap said that the details are “pending analysis”.

It cited a text message the JCS sent to reporters as saying, “While strengthening its monitoring and vigilance against additional provocations, our military is maintaining a readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States”.

USINDOPACOM Statement on DPRK Missile Launches - US Indo-Pacific Command statement: "We are aware of the ballistic missile launches [By North Korea] and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Read More On Patreon | Read On Defcon Alerts.

While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launches highlight the destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs.

The U.S. commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad."

F-22 Raptors Demonstrate Air Superiority in CENTCOM - U.S. Central Command statement: "TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors deployed to U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility as part of a multifaceted show of U.S. support and capability in the wake of increasingly unsafe and unprofessional behavior by Russian aircraft in the region. Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On Patreon.

The F-22's combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and mission systems make it the best fifth-generation fighter in the world.

While in the CENTCOM area, the 94th Fighter Squadron will integrate with coalition forces on the ground and in the air.

"Russian Forces' unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command. "Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region."

British Royal Air Force: Typhoons Scrambled In Estonia To Intercept Russian Air Force Flying Close To NATO Airspace - British Royal Air force: "RAF Typhoons from 140 EAW in Estonia were scrambled this afternoon to intercept a Russian Air Force IL-20 COOT A and 2x Su-27 FLANKER B flying close to NATO airspace. The Russian aircraft failed to comply with international norms by not liaising with relevant FIRs." Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On Patreon.

Syrian State Media Reports Air Defenses Activated Around Damascus - DAMASCUS - Syrian state media is reporting air defenses have been activated in Damascus to confront "hostile targets". Read On Defcon Alerts | Read On Patreon.

A translated statement by the Syrian state news agency SANA said, "Our air defenses are confronting hostile targets in the sky around Damascus”.

An update said, "Military source: At about 01:05 in the morning today, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some points southwest of Damascus".

A second update said, "A soldier was wounded and material damage occurred as a result of an Israeli missile attack that targeted points in the countryside of Damascus, while our defenses shot down a number of the aggression's missiles". See the Defcon Alerts platform for more on this.

Dutch Official: Training Ukrainian Pilots for F-16s Can Begin This Summer - Russia Says Modification Can Enable The Jets To Be Equipped With Nuclear Warheads, accuses the West of seeking to escalate tensions. Read More On Patreon | Read More On SJ.

NETHERLANDS - The Dutch Minister of Defense Kaysa Ollongren said that pilots from Ukraine can begin training on American-made F-16 fighter jets this summer. Russia says that a modification on the jets could enable them to be equipped with nuclear warheads, and is accusing the West of seeking to escalate tensions.

The Defense Minister said, "Ukrainian pilots can begin training this summer to fly US-made F-16 fighters. This will be the first step towards providing Ukraine with a strong and long-term potential in the war with Russia".

She also said that the training should be completed within six months’ time:

Israel: Iran Knows If It Reaches 90% Uranium Purity It Will Result In Israeli Strike - JERUSALEM - A senior Israeli official was cited by an Israeli news agency that Iran knows that if it reaches 90% uranium enrichment purity, it will result in an Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities. Read On SJ | Read On Patreon.

The official told Israel Hayom that "Iran knows that breaking out to 90% purity in uranium enrichment will result in an Israeli strike".

The official also told the news agency that the United States and other Western countries are aware that Israel has set this "threshold" and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "made it clear" that this is Jerusalem's "red line" when he recently visited Europe.

Countries Increase Nuclear Arsenals In 2023, With China Leading The Way - As geopolitical tensions continue to mount across the world, global powers are beginning to increase their usable nuclear warheads, with China leading the way. Read On Patreon | Read SJ Article.

SWEDEN - The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released a report that shows the arsenals of some of the nine nuclear powers are growing as tensions on the geopolitical stage continue to mount, with China leading the way by increasing their nuclear stockpile by 60 warheads.

The nine nuclear powers include: Britain, China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States, and had a total known combined nuclear arsenal of 12,512 at the beginning of 2023.

Although the previous year the total combined nuclear arsenal was at 12,710, which was 198 fewer than in 2022, 9,576 of the current stockpile is considered “military stockpiles for potential use” which is 86 more than in 2022.

Only the stockpile considered ‘potential use’ are considered available to be used due to the fact that the total stockpile also includes older, out-of-commission nuclear warheads, and those scheduled for dismantling.

Iran: West Cannot Stop Us If We Want To Become A Nuclear State - The IRGC has repeatedly threatened to wipe out Israel if it makes any 'mistakes', and also threatened to turn locations within the United States into "hellish ruins". Read On SJ | Read On Patreon.

TEHRAN - During a meeting with Iran’s nuclear workers, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that although whoever says that Iran wants nuclear weapons is lying, if Iran wants to become a nuclear state, the West will not be able to prevent it.

Iran has unveiled its new hypersonic missile that Tehran has dubbed “Fattah”, which means “Conquerer” in Farsi, though Iranian state television claimed that the missile is intended to be used as a deterrent, and an “anchor of lasting security and peace for the regional countries”.

Despite Iran’s claims that its nuclear program is not intended to be used to pursue nuclear weapons technology, but only to enhance civilian programs, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has a history of issuing threats to destroy not only Israel but has also threatened to turn U.S. states into “hellish ruins”.

Last year, the IRGC said that it could move its "peaceful nuclear program to a nuclear weapons program" in a rapid amount of time, and turn New York into “hellish ruins”, "if the US or the Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes".

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also unveiled a surface-to-surface ballistic missile situated within a missile launcher in Isfahan, displaying the words "Death to Israel" on it last year which had specifically been written in Hebrew, shown in a post by the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.

In his first address after being reinstated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in March of this year that the world will break out in a "horrible nuclear war" if it does not stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

International nuclear inspectors detected 84% enriched uranium in Iran, "just below" the level needed to manufacture a nuclear weapon, according to a report by Bloomberg in February of this year.

In March, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during his visit to Israel that "The United States will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon," and spoke of Iran's "destabilizing actions". Israel also said at the time that "all possible means" are on the table in order to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

In January, the Israeli defense establishment requested an additional 10 billion Israeli New Shekels (Nearly $3 billion USD) for the country's defense budget for 2023 in order to prepare for a military operation in Iran and to deal with the effects of inflation.

In December, Outgoing Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz spoke to air force graduates that were graduating on Wednesday and told them that Israel is preparing for the possibility of an attack on Iran and that they may take part in attacking Iranian nuclear sites within two to three years time.

In November of last year, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and United States Air Force (USAF) held large joint air drill exercises simulating an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Russia To Deploy Tactical Nuclear Weapons To Belarus In July After Readying Storage Facilities - MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will begin deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus in July after storage facilities are readied. Read SJ News Article | Read On Defcon Alerts | Read On Patreon.

During the conversation, Putin told Lukashenko that everything is “going according to plan” and that from July 7th to July 8th, the “preparation of the relevant facilities will be completed,” adding, “We will immediately begin measures related to the deployment of the relevant types of weapons on your territory. So everything is according to plan, everything is stable”.

They also talked about the growing relationship between Russia and Belarus, and the discussions of “economic issues”, which Lukashenko said were “issues” but “not problems” that are “being resolved”.

Current Air Quality Status: Canada & United States - US/CANADA - Many areas within the eastern United States that were condition purple are now red, orange, or yellow indicating that the air quality is improving. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On SJ.

NOAA: Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blankets U.S. - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): NOAA satellites are monitoring more than 400 fires currently burning across Canada after unusually hot and dry weather triggered an early and intense start to the wildfire season. Canada is on track to have the worst wildfire season on record. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts.

"Smoke caused a historic Code Red (unhealthy) in New York, eastern Pennsylvania, and western Connecticut. There was even a Code Purple (very unhealthy) in some parts of New York City and Philadelphia".

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): NOAA satellites are monitoring more than 400 fires currently burning across Canada after unusually hot and dry weather triggered an early and intense start to the wildfire season. Canada is on track to have the worst wildfire season on record.

Earlier last month, smoke from wildfires burning in Alberta and British Columbia produced a smoky haze that moved across New England. Last week, smoke from wildfires in Nova Scotia was seen moving over the area as well.

This week, even more thick smoke from fires burning in Ontario and Quebec is blowing over the eastern and central U.S. much lower to the surface, triggering air quality alerts throughout those regions.

As of June 8, 2023, there were significant fires burning in every Canadian province and territory—save for Prince Edward Island and Nunavut—including 81 active wildfires in British Columbia, 73 active wildfires in Alberta, 30 active wildfires in Saskatchewan, 14 active wildfires in Manitoba, 54 active wildfires in Ontario, 137 active wildfires across Quebec, five active wildfires in Nova Scotia, and 72 active wildfires in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Already this year, there have been more than 2,200 wildfires that have scorched over 12,700 square miles of Canadian wildland—an area larger than the state of Maryland.

To put that into perspective, the 10-year average for this time of year is 1,624 fires and roughly 980 square miles burned. In an average year, only about one square mile would be burned by June 5, according to SOPFEU.

In eastern Canada, roughly 5,000 residents were ordered to evacuate an area near the city of Sept-Îles in eastern Quebec soon after the fires erupted. Later, an additional 9,000 people in surrounding communities and in western Quebec’s Val-d’Or and Normétal municipalities were ordered to evacuate.

So far this year, fires have prompted some 120,000 people to evacuate in six provinces and territories. Of those, approximately 26,000 are still unable to return home.

Some of these wildfires were ignited by lightning, and Quebec’s fire prevention agency, Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), has warned residents that there are more out of control fires than the agency can handle with available resources.

They are currently focusing on protecting residential communities and strategic, essential infrastructure. Officials have asked for aid from the Canadian Armed Forces and reached out for help from foreign firefighting teams, such as those from the U.S.

Why is all this smoke moving into the United States? NOAA meteorologist, Brian Jackson, explained that the smoke is between a large low-pressure system swirling over Maine, an area of high pressure over the center of the U.S., and a stationary front spanning from Minnesota to North Carolina.

This combination of conditions is literally fanning the flames and funneling the smoke southward.

According to NOAA’s Aerosol Watch, the smoke caused a historic Code Red (unhealthy) daily Air Quality alert of 2.5 parts per million across New York, eastern Pennsylvania, and western Connecticut on June 6.

There was even a Code Purple (very unhealthy) in some parts of New York City and Philadelphia. As of the morning of June 7, historically high fine particulate concentrations were seen further south into the Mid-Atlantic region, and reports from the ground stated limited visibility and campfire-like smells.

Code Red means the air is considered unhealthy for some sensitive members of the public, such as children, the elderly, and those who have asthma, heart disease, and other lung diseases. However, it is recommended that everyone should reduce exposure.

NOAA’s geostationary satellites provide timely and potentially life-saving information in a dynamic fire environment. GOES East and GOES West frequently detect fires before they are spotted on the ground, which is particularly important in remote areas. The satellites also track fires in real time, identify and track smoke, and determine a fire’s size and temperature.

The Joint Polar Satellite System’s NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP satellites play an important role in detecting and tracking wildfires, especially in remote regions.

Their high spatial resolution imager detects smaller and lower-temperature fires and also provides nighttime fire detection.

The data from these satellites is also critical to smoke models used by fire crews, first responders, and air traffic controllers.

NASA: Smoke Smothers the Northeast - NASA: Wildfire smoke from Canada has passed over the northeastern U.S. multiple times each summer in recent years, but it often goes unnoticed because it is relatively high in the atmosphere. That was not the case in June 2023. Read More On Patreon | Read More On Defcon Alerts.

In the first week of the month, large amounts of smoke from fires in Quebec poured south into the eastern U.S. and degraded the quality of surface-level air that tens of millions of people breathe.

Winds typically move smoke from fires in Quebec toward the east and out to sea. But in June 2023, a persistent coastal low centered near Prince Edward Island instead steered smoke south into the United States.

This image, from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 16 (GOES-16), shows smoke sweeping into New York and Pennsylvania on the morning of June 7, 2023. GOES-16 is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); NASA helps develop and launch the GOES series of satellites [posted on our platforms].

Smoke reaching the northeastern United States from Canada in 2023 from fires raging in western Canada has mostly arrived at fairly high altitudes. But since the fires in Quebec are relatively close to the northeast U.S., a much larger proportion of the smoke arrived in surface-level air.

Around the time of the image, AirNow air quality monitors measured levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) soaring above 400 micrograms per cubic meter of air in Syracuse, New York—the highest on record for the city since routine measurements began in 1999.

“The surface smoke pollution from New York to the D.C. region is easily the most significant since at least July 2002, when a similar situation occurred with nearby fires in Quebec,” said Ryan Stauffer, an atmospheric scientist based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “This event is rivaling, and in some cases will likely surpass the observed 2002 smoke pollution.”

According to Stauffer, the air quality index for PM2.5 in New York City surpassed 175 (code red) on June 6, topping the previous record of 167 from 2002. The next day, on June 7, 2023, “the D.C. region joined New York City and experienced some of its most smoke-polluted air in the past 25 years,” Stauffer said.

Several NASA satellites are collecting data throughout the event. For example, the Terra, Aqua, and Aura satellites observe how smoke particles affect how much light the atmosphere absorbs and reflects (aerosol optical depth), while the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission collects observations of smoke height.

Meanwhile, data from NASA’s ground-based Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) indicate that a significant amount of smoke is present near the surface.

Such thick smoke at ground-level is rare in the eastern U.S., prompting many people to notice the optical effects smoke can have on sunlight.

“Smoke particles scatter and absorb shorter wavelengths of sunlight like blues, greens, and yellows more easily compared to the longer-wavelength oranges and reds, so we see muted red sunrises and sunsets under heavy smoke conditions,” explained Stauffer. “In extreme cases like this week, the Sun may become obscured entirely.”

The photograph [posted on our platforms] shows smoke reddening the morning Sun and turning skies gray over NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on June 7, 2023. It was taken by Colin Seftor, an atmospheric scientist based at the center.

At the time of the photograph, MPLNET data show a multi-layered smoke plume overhead, with thick smoke near the surface up to about 3 kilometers (2 miles), followed by a thinner layer at about 6 kilometers, and a faint layer of smoke hovering at about 12 kilometers.

“There are different histories to each one of those layers that would be interesting to untangle,” said Michael Fromm, an atmospheric scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, after seeing the MPLNET data.

“The layer lurking at 12 kilometers is a month old and can actually be traced back to intense fires in Alberta on May 5.”

FAA Slowed Air Traffic To And From New York City Due To Reduced Visibility From Wildfire Smoke - Federal Aviation Administration statement: “The FAA has slowed traffic to and from New York City area airports due to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke. The agency will continue to adjust the volume of traffic to account for the rapidly changing conditions”. Read Notices On Patreon | Read Notices On Defcon Alerts.

Chinese And Russian Bombers Fly Together Over Waters Surrounding Japan - Chinese and Russian bombers both flew together over waters surrounding the Japanese islands, causing the Japanese Self-Defense Force to scramble fighter jets in response, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Read More On SJ | Read More On Defcon Alerts | Read More On Patreon.

The Chinese and Russian bombers did not violate Japanese airspace, but the move caused Japan to lodge complaints to China via diplomatic channels as Japan views the flights of the military aircraft as provocative.

The flights involved two Chinese H-6 bombers, and two Russian Tu-95 bombers, which flew over the Sea of Japan, and jointly flew over the East China Sea, according to the Ministry.

The Ministry also said that the Chinese and Russian bombers were joined by what it believes to have been two Chinese fighter aircraft.

Israel: Will Set Lebanon Back To Stone Age If Hezbollah Starts A War - JERUSALEM - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday that if the Hezbollah terrorist organization starts a war against Israel, it will hit them hard and send Lebanon back into the Stone Age, a comment that appears to be a response to Iran revealing its new hypersonic missile. Read More On SJ | Read More On Patreon.

“I hear our enemies boasting about weapons they are developing. For any such development, we have a superior response – by air, by sea, and on land and in both defense and offense,” he said while touring the IDF’s Northern Command during a Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise.

He continued by saying, “After observing the forces in the command, the divisions, and the brigades, I want to assure the public in Israel – we have excellent fighters”.

“If Hezbollah makes a mistake and starts a war against Israel, we will hit them hard and send Lebanon back to the Stone Age.”

Russia Reports Planned Flight Over Barents And Norwegian Seas, NATO Reports Scrambling Fighter Jets - MOSCOW - Russia reported a "planned flight" over the Barents and Norwegian seas for around five hours. A report by The Barents Observer cited Spokesperson Marius Vågenes Villanger from the Norwegian Armed Forces as saying NATO F-35 fighter aircraft were scrambled between 8:30 and 11:00 Norwegian time to meet "a group of Russian military planes" flying west from the Kola Peninsula. Read On News Platform | Read On Alert Platform.

The report said that there were at least nine aircraft that flew to the western Barents Sea but then returned home before reaching the region where the USS Gerald R. Ford" was operating.

It said that three Russian Tu-160 bombers, two Tu-95 bombers, one Il-78M tanker, and "at least one" MiG-31BM interceptor were spotted, adding that Villanger reported that there were two Tu-95 strategic bombers, two Il-78 tankers, and four MiG-31 jets, but said that the Norwegian pilots "did not see any Tu-160 bombers".

NORAD Responds To An Unresponsive Aircraft Over The National Capital Region - Continental U.S. NORAD Region: "TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - In coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, NORAD F-16 fighter aircraft responded to an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft over Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia on June 4, 2023. More Defcon Alerts Platform

The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region.

The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region. During this event, the NORAD aircraft also used flares - which may have been visible to the public - in an attempt to draw attention from the pilot.

Flares are employed with highest regard for safety of the intercepted aircraft and people on the ground. Flares burn out quickly and completely and there is no danger to the people on the ground when dispensed.

The civilian aircraft was intercepted at approximately 3:20 p.m. Eastern Time. The pilot was unresponsive and the Cessna subsequently crashed near the George Washington National Forest, Virginia.

NORAD attempted to establish contact with the pilot until the aircraft crashed."