Japan Just Unveiled a Game-Changing New Combat Drone—And You Won’t Believe What It’s Made Of
An innovative new Japanese combat drone was recently unveiled by the country’s defense minister, who said the unmanned aerial systems are already being deployed in support of the country’s air defense capabilities.
The fixed-wing aircraft, developed by the Japanese defense company AirKamuy and appropriately named the AirKamuy 150, has been billed as a low-cost, environmentally friendly aerial system that can be produced quickly from readily available materials.
However, unlike most modern unmanned aerial systems developed for combat situations, the AirKamuy 150 is constructed almost entirely from something most wouldn’t expect: cardboard.
“Today, I had the opportunity to exchange opinions with everyone from Air Kamuy, which is renowned for its cardboard drones,” Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in a recent posting that appeared on his official X account.
“The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is already utilizing them as targets,” Koizumi said.
(Image Credit: AirKamuy)
Last month, it was announced that Japan would be moving to institutionalize its drone warfare capabilities, with the launch of a new initiative involving the country’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF).
The move highlights a notable shift in Japan’s preparations for future combat, particularly amid heightened tensions in the Pacific region. Japanese officials have also cited a “shrinking workforce” as another primary factor behind the recent ramp-up in drone capabilities.
On April 13, an official ceremony was held in Tokyo to recognize the launch of a pair of new offices that will manage the country’s drone production: the “Unmanned Defense Capability Promotion Office” and the “Unmanned Systems Office,” both launched on April 8.
“Taking into account the geographical characteristics of our nation as a maritime nation, we must realize new ways of fighting at the earliest possible time,” Shinjiro said during the April ceremony.
Shinjiro also said he aspires to see Japan’s Self Defense Forces become “the organization that makes the greatest use of unmanned assets in the world.”
In a December 2022 document detailing Japan’s National Defense Strategy, defense officials noted specifically that in the event of an invasion, “Japan would need to ensure asymmetric advantage by leveraging, in addition to these capabilities, manned as well as unmanned assets and gain superiority across domains such as underwater, surface, and air.”
The document further outlined the country’s objectives to strengthen its unmanned defense capabilities, as well as “crossdomain operation capabilities” and “command and control/intelligence-related functions.”
“Unmanned assets are often relatively affordable compared to manned equipment and have the great advantage of being able to minimize human loss and operate continuously for a long period of time,” the strategic document stated, noting that combining such capabilities with emerging technologies that include artificial intelligence could be “a game-changer that fundamentally transform force structure and way of warfare, enabling Japan to gain asymmetrical advantages in the air, sea, and underwater domains.”
“For this reason, these unmanned assets will be effectively utilized not only for information gathering and surveillance, but also for a wide range of missions including combat support,” the document states.
Defense Minister Koizumi said in his recent posting on X that his meeting with AirKamuy representatives produced “an extremely in-depth discussion,” adding that he hopes the collaboration will help Japan reach its goals for transforming and optimizing its air defense capabilities in the months ahead.
“In aiming to become the Self-Defense Forces that makes the most extensive use of unmanned assets, including drones, in the world, strengthening collaboration with startups enthusiastic about the defense sector is indispensable,” Koizumi said.
Second biggest tsunami EVER recorded: Huge wave 1.5 times the size of the Eiffel Tower shook a popular tourist spot in Alaska last year, study reveals
A huge tsunami 1.5 times the size of the Eiffel Tower hit a popular tourist spot in Alaska last year, a new study has revealed.
Measuring 1,578ft (481 metres) high, the tsunami ran up the wall of Tracy Arm fjord on 10 August, 2025.
This makes it the second highest tsunami ever recorded – second only to a tsunami in Lityua Bay, Alaska, in 1958, which measured 1,720ft (524 metres).
While Tracy Arm is a popular spot for cruise ships, thankfully no one was caught in the wave as it hit early in the morning, at around 5.30am.
The tsunami was triggered by a landslide, which was ultimately a result of climate change, according to researchers from UCL.
'Fjords with retreating glaciers have seen a sharp increase in tourism,' explained co–author Dr Stephen Hicks.
'More people are visiting these beautiful places in the polar and sub–polar regions but they are at the forefront of climate change impacts and so can be dangerous.
'This event took everyone by surprise. The area had not been identified as hazardous.'
A huge tsunami 1.5 times the size of the Eiffel Tower hit a popular tourist spot in Alaska last year, a new study has revealed. Note the trimline along the far side of the fjord, caused by the tsunami stripping the walls of vegetations
Measuring 1,578ft (481 metres) high, the tsunami ran up the wall of Tracy Arm fjord on 10 August, 2025. This makes it the second highest tsunami ever recorded – second only to a tsunami in Lityua Bay, Alaska, in 1958, which measured 1,720ft (524 metres)
While no–one was caught in the wave, there were several eyewitnesses, whose accounts were used in combination with numerical modelling and data from satellites and seismometers to piece together exactly what happened.
According to the researchers, the glacier holding up the mountain had retreated rapidly – by 500 metres in a matter of weeks – leaving the rock unsupported.
As the rock plunged into the water, it triggered an enormous wave in the water below.
The wave scraped off trees and plants along the walls of the fjord, leaving a sheer rock face.
This allowed the researchers to infer the wave at a height of 1,578ft (481 metres) for over 0.6 miles (1km).
A group of kayakers camped out further down the fjord reported waking up at around 5:45am to find water flowing past their tent, carrying away one of their kayaks and much of their gear.
Another eyewitness described a two–metre wave coming along the beach.
Meanwhile observers on a cruise ship anchored near the mouth of the fjord saw currents and white water, but no obvious wave.
While no–one was caught in the wave, there were several eyewitnesses, whose accounts were used in combination with numerical modelling and data from satellites and seismometers to piece together exactly what happened
According to the researchers, the glacier holding up the mountain had retreated rapidly – by 500 metres in a matter of weeks – leaving the rock unsupported
Given the size of the tsunami, the researchers estimate that the amount of rock that crashed into the water was equivalent to 24 Great Pyramids of Giza.
Dr Dan Shugar, lead author, based at the University of Calgary, said: 'Normally with these gigantic rock avalanches, they often give some sort of warning signs in the weeks, months, years prior when the slope is slowly moving down the mountain.
'It's sagging and then it catastrophically gives way in a rock avalanche.
'In this case, that didn't happen.'
Given the popularity of the site, the researchers say that urgent action is needed to avoid a repeat incident.
'We need to reduce the risk of these expeditions by better identifying the riskiest areas and getting investment into warning systems that might give us a few hours' or days' notice of a potentially catastrophic event,' Dr Hicks explained.
'With hindsight, there were some warning signs.
'Tiny earthquakes occurred at an increasing rate in the days to hours before the landslide, signalling that this mass of rock was starting to crack.
Given the size of the tsunami, the researchers estimate that the amount of rock that crashed into the water was equivalent to 24 Great Pyramids of Giza
'Many seismic monitoring stations provide data in real–time, so this gives us some optimism that we can turn what we have learned into a warning system.'
So far this year, at least six cruise lines have been forced to change their itineraries to avoid the Tracy Arm fjord.
Dr Shugar added: 'Ultimately what we hope is that coastal municipalities, the cruise ship industry and other stakeholders take these threats seriously.'
The news comes shortly after scientists warned the French Riviera is 'overdue' a tsunami.
Experts say there is a '100 per cent' chance a great wave will form in the Mediterranean Sea in the next 30 years.
The tsunami could hit France's southern coastline in as little as 10 minutes from the trigger, causing chaos for tens of thousands of people who flock there during the summer months.
A tsunami, sometimes called a tidal wave or a seismic sea wave, is a series of giant waves that are created by a disturbance in the ocean.
The disturbance could be a landslide, a volcanic eruption, an earthquake or a meteorite; the culprit is most often an earthquake.
If the landslide or earthquake triggering the tsunami occurs nearby the shore, inhabitants could see its effects almost immediately.
The first wave of the tsunami can arrive within minutes, before a government or other institution has time to issue a warning.
Areas that are closer to sea level have a higher risk of being affected by the waves.
Researchers have found that a layer of the remains of microscopic organisms at the bottom of the ocean can cause tsunamis (file photo)
Those less than 25 feet from sea level are the most dangerous.
The cause of death most frequently associated with tsunamis is drowning. Additional hazards include drinking water contamination, fires and flooding.
Initial tsunami warnings are usually based on seismic information only.
Inhabitants of coastal areas that might be exposed to a tsunami are encouraged to follow evacuation routes in the event that they receive a tsunami warning.
They should seek higher ground or move inland immediately to get away from the ocean.
Hantavirus outbreak could just be the beginning: Scientists issue urgent warning about spillover of other rodent–borne viruses amid rising global temperatures READ MORE: More than 20 Brits battling to get off rat virus vessel By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIO
The recent outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship could just be the beginning, scientists have warned.
In an ominous new study, researchers reveal that climate change will lead to enhanced 'spillover' of rodent–borne viruses.
As global temperatures rise and rodent populations shift, deadly arenaviruses will be driven into areas that have never faced these diseases before.
Researchers predict this will trigger outbreaks that threaten to reach 'millions' of people across South America.
The warning comes as more than 20 Brits remain trapped aboard a cruise ship infected with rat–borne hantavirus off the coast of Cape Verde.
Three passengers have now died after contracting the viral infection, including a Dutch couple and a German national.
The Dutch–flagged MV Hondius had previously docked in Argentina, where both hantavirus and arenaviruses kill dozens every year.
However, the researchers warn that similar outbreaks will only become more common the faster the climate warms.
Scientists predict that climate change will lead to a massive spread of rodent–borne viruses in South America
Like hantavirus, arenaviruses are hosted by rodents and usually spread to humans from animals rather than person–to–person infection.
These extremely common but poorly studied infections include Guanarito virus in Venezuela and Colombia, Machupo virus in Bolivia and Paraguay, and Junin virus in Argentina.
Infection causes severe hemorrhagic fevers with high hospitalisation rates, with fatality rates between five and 30 per cent.
Since these diseases are spread by rodents, their impact is closely connected to changes in rodent habitats.
However, studies have shown that the warming climate is producing dramatic changes in the ranges of disease–spreading animals.
Previous research has shown that factors such as temperature and precipitation have a massive impact on the risk of rodent–borne diseases such as Lassa fever and hantavirus.
Meanwhile, the distribution of the drylands vesper mouse, which transmits Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever, will undergo 'substantial changes' due to climate change.
In their paper, the researchers use machine learning to combine climate projections, population density predictions, infection risks, and habitat suitability for six rat and mouse species linked to the viruses.
As the climate becomes hotter, the habitats of rodents which carry arenaviruses will shift. This will bring more rodents into contact with humans
This comes as more than 20 Brits remain trapped aboard a cruise ship infected with rat–borne hantavirus off the coast of Cape Verde. The infection has already killed three passengers, including a Dutch couple and a German national
This revealed that the infection risk posed by these dangerous diseases would change dramatically in the next 20 to 40 years under different climate change scenarios.
Lead author Dr Pranav Kulkarni, of the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, says: 'As climate change accelerates, our study shows how the outbreak risk of dangerous New World arenaviruses could ride on shifting rodent populations to reach millions more people across South America.'
The new model shows that the guanarito virus, which is currently contained to central Venezuela, will spread to parts of Colombia, the border regions of Suriname, and northern parts of Brazil.
The machupo virus, which causes often fatal Bolivian Hemorrhagic Fever, will expand from the flatlands of Bolivia to the Andes foothills and mountain regions.
Meanwhile, the Junin virus that causes Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever will move out of the grassland areas and expand to the rest of Argentina.
This will reduce the risk in some areas that have already learned to deal with the disease, but increase the dangers of infection in others.
In all cases, Dr Kulkarni and his co–authors warn that populations with little or no prior exposure will be encountering these viruses for the first time, potentially increasing their vulnerability to infection and severe disease.
Senior author Dr Pranav Pandit says: 'Our study connects the dots between changing climatic conditions and land use, shifting rodent populations and human infection risk, making it possible to see where the next generation of zoonotic arenaviral outbreaks could emerge.'
Modelling shows that climate change will cause significant changes in the habitat of the drylands vesper mouse, which transmits Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever
These changes were primarily driven by expanding agricultural and urban areas, bringing more humans into the habitats of rodents capable of carrying arenaviruses.
Combined with climate–driven changes in the rodents' habitats, triggered by temperature and precipitation shifts, major outbreaks in previously safe areas are likely.
This research comes after an outbreak of rodent–borne hantavirus left a luxury cruise ship stranded at sea.
The MV Hondius vessel has been anchored in the Atlantic since Sunday, following the death of three passengers after an outbreak of the deadly disease.
Around 150 people remain aboard the vessel following the deaths and illnesses, while the World Health Organisation has confirmed six cases of hantavirus.
It is suspected that the virus may have been transmitted during a stop in South America, either directly to humans or to rodents aboard the ship.
A spokesperson for the Netherlands' National Institute for Public Health and the Environment told Reuters: 'You could imagine, for example, that rats on board the ship transmitted the virus," he said.
'But another possibility is that during a stop somewhere in South America, people were infected, for instance via mice, and became ill that way.'
Top scientist shares unsettling theory about what happens after death
One of America's most popular scientists has revealed what happens after we die - and why it led him to choose a burial over being cremated.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, the famed astrophysicist, writer and podcast host, recently explained the science of what happens after death, revealing how the human body breaks down and is consumed by microbes and bacteria, feeding on a person's leftover chemical energy.
Since scientists believe energy cannot be created or destroyed, Tyson noted that a person's body is still full of energy, mostly from the food they took in over the years, even after the heart and brain stop functioning.
That leaves two options people have for releasing this energy. One is cremation, which sees a person's remaining energy converted to heat after the body is burned, which then travels out into space.
The other choice is a traditional burial, which lets the body decompose naturally, allowing the Earth's microscopic organisms to absorb all of your remaining energy in the endless cycle of renewal between humans and nature.
Tyson said: 'That's my choice. So that the energy content of my body, which is still there when you die, your molecules were built up from your lifetime of eating and exercising and the building of your organs and your muscles and other tissue.'
'In death, those molecules still contain energy. If I'm buried and I decompose, all that energy gets absorbed by microbes, by flora and fauna dining upon my body the way I have dined upon flora and fauna my whole life. In that way, giving back to the Earth.'
While the astrophysicist chose a burial for himself, he revealed that cremation did not mean people were wasting their energy, and even said their final journey would have more far-reaching consequences.
Neil deGrasse Tyson (Pictured) revealed that the human body is still full of energy that is not destroyed when the body dies
Tyson declared his intention to be buried in order to return his energy to nature and 'give back' to the environment
(Stock Image)
Tyson explained that the heat produced by cremating a body does not stay on Earth. Instead, that radiation is capable of reaching other planets within our galaxy.
'The energy content of those molecules, it doesn't go away. It gets transferred to heat that then radiates infrared energy that was once the energy content of the molecules of your body, radiates it out into space, moving at the speed of light,' the scientist detailed on his StarTalk podcast on March 31.
From the moment someone is cremated, Tyson said their loved ones could actually keep a timeline of where their radiant energy had traveled to in the Milky Way.
'If they were cremated four years ago, they would have reached the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. So that in a way you're still a part of the universe just in a different form.'
Tyson's thoughts on what happens after death were more than just a theory. The scientist's comments were grounded in some of the most fundamental laws of science.
It all begins with the first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of conservation of energy. The law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another.
In this case, the chemical energy, which had been stored in a person's molecules mostly from everything they ate or drank, will transform either through decomposition or cremation.
In a natural burial, decomposition is carried out by bacteria, fungi and other microbes that break down the body’s proteins, fats and carbohydrates after death.
Tyson noted that cremation releases the energy of a deceased person into space in the form of radiation, which then moves through the cosmos
(Stock Image)
This process converts most of the original chemical energy into heat that warms the soil. However, a small portion of a person's remains becomes new chemical energy stored in the microbes and is then passed up the food chain to more complex plants and animals.
Tyson's comments have been viewed more than a million times and sparked a public conversation about how people want their remains handled once they die.
However, many of his followers disagreed with his funeral plans and chose cremation for themselves.
'I will return to the stars,' one person replied.
'That travelling to Alpha Centauri at the speed of light sounds much more romantic and appealing than being eaten by bugs,' another commenter said.
'Being eaten by bugs and microbes, the particles you're composed of get recycled on Earth and stay a useful resource for long past your passing. One day you'll be a tiny but functional part of billions of creatures and plants,' one person countered.
Some of the replies to the StarTalk YouTube channel claimed that modern coffins would make it much harder for a person's microbes to actually reach the soil and contribute to Earth's ecosystem.
Others suggested opting for a 'green burial,' where people request their remains to be placed directly in the ground without embalming chemicals, metal caskets or concrete vaults.
Families or burial grounds often plant a tree right above the grave. As the body decomposes, it releases nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium into the soil - exactly what a young tree needs to grow strong.
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Europe is warming more than TWICE as fast as the global average, report reveals - as scientists warn 'climate change is not a future threat, it is our present reality'
Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average due to climate change, a report has revealed.
Over the past 30 years, the planet's average temperature has been creeping up at a steady 0.27°C (0.49°F) per decade.
However, the annual European State of the Climate report shows that Europe has been warming by a staggering 0.56° (1°F) every ten years.
So, as the world hits 1.4°C (2.52°F) above the pre-industrial average, Europe's is now 2.5°C (4.5°F) hotter than before the Industrial Revolution.
Experts say that Europe's rapid warming is driving a wave of extreme weather, heat-related deaths, and devastating wildfires.
Last year, over 1,034,550 hectares (3,994 square miles) of land were destroyed by fire in Europe - the largest area ever recorded.
Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, says: 'With rising temperatures, and widespread wildfires and drought, the evidence is unequivocal.
'Climate change is not a future threat, it is our present reality.'
Europe is warming more than twice as fast as the global average, scientists have warned. Europe is now warming at a staggering 0.56° (1°F) every ten years
In 2025, 95 per cent of Europe saw above-average temperatures as a new report warns that Europe's average temperature is now 2.5°C (4.5°F) hotter than the pre-industrial average
According to data gathered by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), 2025 was Europe's third hottest year on record.
Average temperatures soared to 10.41°C (50.74°F) across the continent, just 0.30°C (0.54°F) cooler than the warmest year in 2024.
This led to almost the entirety of Europe seeing temperatures well above normal levels for large parts of the year.
Professor Hannah Cloke, an expert on climate extremes from the University of Reading, says: 'To see 95 per cent of Europe experiencing above-average temperatures in a single year shows that we are not dealing with isolated extremes in one or two regions. The baseline has shifted.'
Experts say that Europe is warming faster than the rest of the world due to a combination of geography, human factors, and changing weather patterns.
In part, Europe has warmed faster than average due to its proximity to the Arctic, which is the fastest-warming region on Earth.
The Arctic has warmed by an average of 0.75°C (1.35°F) per decade over the last 30 years, which is having a significant knock-on effect on Europe.
Although it might seem counterintuitive, Europe is also warming faster because of efforts to limit pollution.
Europe's rapid warming has led to a record number of wildfires across the continent, with 1,034,550 hectares (3,994 square miles) of land burned last year
Scientists say that Europe's rapid warming is partially due to declining snow cover, which would usually reflect radiation from the sun back into space
Since the 1980s, European policies have slashed air pollution and, as a byproduct, reduced the amount of radiation reflected, leading to more warming.
At the same time, the effects of human-caused climate change are creating 'feedback loops' which accelerate warming even further.
As the climate warms, weather patterns have shifted to favour more frequent and intense summer heatwaves in Europe, pushing up the average temperature.
Warmer weather also leads to less snow coverage, which would normally act like a reflective thermal blanket, bouncing radiation back into space.
In March last year, snow coverage in Europe reached its third-lowest point since records began in 1983.
The compounding effects mean that the continent is now warming far faster than the global average.
Professor Cloke says: The impacts of climate change are now moving really very fast in Europe.
The only region warming faster than Europe is the Arctic, where temperatures are increasing by 0.75°C (1.35°F) per decade
Almost half of Europe saw an above-average number of days with strong heat stress - a day which has a maximum feels-like temperature of 32°C (89.6°F) or higher
'The scale and range of these changes show that we cannot rely on old certainties about nature when planning our societies for the future.'
Worryingly, this heating is also occurring in the normally cool higher latitude regions.
In the sub-arctic regions of Scandinavia, a three-week heatwave saw temperatures in the Arctic circle climb above 30°C (86°F).
This warming is already beginning to manifest in measurable ways that have a profound effect on human lives.
Glaciers across Europe are retreating, with Iceland seeing its second-largest yearly glacier loss on record.
Similarly, the Greenland Ice Sheet alone lost 139 billion tonnes of ice last year, contributing directly to rising sea levels.
Dr Akshay Deoras, of the University of Reading, says that this trend is 'deeply concerning'
Dr Deoras adds: 'Conditions have shifted dramatically since the 1950s, with warmer, wetter and shorter winters driving major changes in snow and ice cover and contributing to some of the most striking heat extremes on record.'
In an alarming trend, some of the worst heating was seen in the sub-Arctic regions of Finland and Scandinavia, where a three-week heatwave sent temperatures soaring
Europe's rapid heating is leading to rapid melting in the continent's glaciers, including in the vital Greenland Ice Sheet
Almost half of Europe saw an above-average number of days with strong heat stress - a day which has a maximum feels-like temperature of 32°C (89.6°F) or higher - with Spain experiencing 50 more days of strong heat stress than average.
According to the World Health Organisation, heat stress is the single largest cause of weather-related deaths worldwide.
Heat stress also creates the conditions for wildfires, which caused havoc across Europe in 2025.
Last year, Spain, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany recorded their highest wildfire emissions on record, causing three deaths and affecting 500 people.
Likewise, since a warmer atmosphere holds more water and energy, Europe's heating has led to an increase in the frequency and severity of storms.
At least 21 lives were lost, and an estimated 14,500 people were affected by storms and flooding across Europe in 2025.
'Europe is warming faster than any other continent, and this report shows the scale of the consequences is already impossible to ignore,' says Dr Deoras.
'Climate change is shifting into a faster gear, and our response needs to as well.'
U.S. Lockheed Martin Skunk Works unveils Vectis stealth drone for future air combat.
U.S. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has unveiled Vectis, a stealth Group 5 drone built to team with U.S. and allied fighters, with flight testing targeted within two years.
On September 21, 2025, U.S. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works® introduced Vectis, a Group 5 collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference 2025. The stealthy drone is designed to integrate with U.S. and allied fighters for precision strike, electronic warfare, and ISR missions, with Lockheed pledging to build and flight-test it within two years, a move that repositions the company in the Air Force’s competitive CCA race.
Artist illustration of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® Vectis, a Group 5 stealth-enabled collaborative combat aircraft designed for survivability and high-end lethality in contested airspace.
(Picture source: Lockheed Martin)
With Vectis, Lockheed Martin is not responding to a formal contract award. Instead, the company is bypassing traditional acquisition timelines by investing internal capital to accelerate the system’s development. Parts are already on order, and assembly is underway. This move signals Lockheed's intent to outpace rival media narratives and technical competitors by bringing a flight-ready prototype to the skies within two years.
Unlike other platforms positioned as low-cost, attritable wingmen, Vectis is being developed as a survivable, multi-role combat asset, designed from inception to operate deep within contested battlespace. Skunk Works engineers have integrated decades of stealth innovation, fighter jet systems expertise, and digital design tools into a single modular platform that Lockheed describes as “highly capable, customizable and affordable.”
The aircraft features a fully open mission architecture, compliant with emerging Department of Defense reference models, enabling rapid payload reconfiguration and multi-vendor system integration. Lockheed has confirmed that Vectis will be interoperable with existing common control standards such as MDCX™, ensuring seamless integration with legacy and future C2 systems.
From a mission standpoint, Vectis is designed to support precision strike, electronic warfare, ISR targeting, and both offensive and defensive counter-air operations. The platform is also optimized for team-based operations with manned aircraft such as the F-35 and the upcoming NGAD fighter. Operational range and endurance are tailored for strategic theaters including INDOPACOM, CENTCOM and EUCOM, reflecting its intended role in high-end air campaigns.
Crucially, Vectis will leverage next-generation digital engineering and advanced manufacturing techniques to reduce cost and accelerate production. The aircraft is built to meet the U.S. Air Force’s aggressive CCA affordability targets, even while incorporating low observable materials, advanced sensor fusion, and adaptable mission systems. Lockheed claims this balance of survivability and cost control will allow for scalable production, operational redundancy, and global relevance.
The airframe itself remains closely held, but initial renderings suggest a tailless, stealth-optimized design with internal payload capacity and blended body shaping, drawing from Skunk Works’ historic expertise in platforms like the F-117, RQ-170, and F-22. Analysts expect the design to include passive and active sensor apertures, modular bays for kinetic and non-kinetic effects, and hardened data links for secure multi-domain operations.
Lockheed Martin’s decision to unveil Vectis now is also a clear response to the increasing visibility of competing platforms, including the General Atomics YFQ-42 and Anduril YFQ-44, both of which were selected under the U.S. Air Force’s CCA Increment I earlier this year. By taking a self-funded path and revealing a higher-end alternative, Lockheed appears to be positioning Vectis for consideration in CCA Increment II or as a bespoke solution for allied procurement, Foreign Military Sales, or emerging tri-service unmanned programs.
Beyond its airframe and mission architecture, Vectis also reflects Lockheed Martin’s broader strategy to dominate future air dominance ecosystems. The program is aligned with the company’s investments in digital twin technologies, AI-enabled autonomy, and advanced propulsion systems. While engine specifics have not been released, internal sources suggest the platform is being built around a high-efficiency powerplant designed to sustain extended missions across vast operating theaters.
Strategically, Vectis enters the CCA race at a pivotal moment. With U.S. and allied air forces preparing for potential operations in highly contested environments, such as the Taiwan Strait or Eastern Europe, the demand for autonomous systems that can survive and fight in GPS- and communications-denied battlespaces has never been higher. Lockheed’s ability to deliver a fast-track, high-performance CCA could fundamentally reshape the cost-per-effect equation in future air campaigns.
The use of open architecture, digital engineering, and mission reconfigurability also means Vectis can be adapted to support a range of evolving concepts of operation, from autonomous suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), to escort jamming, to forward ISR and targeting in support of hypersonic weapon delivery.
While much of the internal technology and system maturity remains classified, Lockheed’s aggressive development posture and public unveiling of Vectis represent a direct challenge to existing defense media narratives and a strategic effort to lead the public discourse around what the next generation of unmanned combat aviation should be.
As development progresses, Army Recognition will continue to provide exclusive coverage of Vectis, including future technical disclosures, prototype testing milestones, and strategic implications across the U.S. joint force and NATO allies. The coming months will be decisive in determining whether Vectis becomes a cornerstone of future air dominance or simply a bold vision that reshaped expectations for what unmanned systems can do.
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Hidden 'horned figure' in Trump's Jesus AI-generated image fuels end-times warnings
A hidden figure spotted in an AI image shared by President Donald Trump has sparked end-times speculation online.
Trump posted the AI-generated artwork on Truth Social, showing himself dressed in red and white robes in a Jesus-like pose, appearing to heal a man as American symbols, including the flag, military personnel and fighter jets, fill the background.
But viewers quickly zeroed in on a shadowy figure high above the scene, which some claimed resembled a winged being with three horns, imagery they linked to biblical prophecy.
The figure appears suspended between soldiers, with what looks like large wings and three horn-like shapes rising from its head.
Social media users likened the imagery to the warning in Daniel 7, which describes a rising ruler who overthrows three kings or kingdoms as he gains power, though the biblical text does not identify which nations those kingdoms represent.
'I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn… and three of the first horns were uprooted before it,' reads Daniel 7:8.
'Three horns subdued in Revelation. That's what WW3 is about, subduing or destroying three kingdoms, it seems,' one user shared.
Trump shared the AI-generated image after attacking Pope Leo, accusing the Church leader of being 'weak on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,' and claimed that 'if I [weren't] in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.'
The figure appears suspended between soldiers, with what looks like large wings and three horn-like shapes rising from its head
The Book of Daniel is often considered the 'prophetic twin' to the Book of Revelation, as both are major apocalyptic books of the Bible that many believers see as outlining end-time events.
Daniel is viewed as the Old Testament foundation, while Revelation is seen as its New Testament counterpart, using similar imagery, symbols and themes.
Daniel 7 describes a vision of powerful kingdoms rising and falling, symbolized by beasts and horns, before God ultimately judges them and establishes his eternal kingdom.
Specifically, Daniel 7:8 introduces a 'little horn' that rises among others and uproots three kings or kingdoms, imagery many prophecy interpreters associate with the rise of a dominant ruler before the end of the age.
That symbolism quickly became a focal point in online discussions surrounding the image.
Many social media users noted that while Trump himself did not post the AI-generated image on his account, suggesting a social media manager likely did, one person wrote: 'The reference to the antichrist was intentional.'
However, some users insisted that Trump was not portraying himself as the Antichrist but rather as a figure meant to draw attention and division.
According to the interpretation shared online, Trump is portrayed as 'bait,' a deliberately controversial leader who sparks outrage, setting the stage for the arrival of a more deceptive figure.
![Trump shared the AI-generated image after attacking Pope Leo, accusing the Church leader of being 'weak on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy, ' and claimed that 'if I [weren't] in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2026/04/13/14/107857113-15728873-image-a-4_1776085626812.jpg)
Trump shared the AI-generated image after attacking Pope Leo, accusing the Church leader of being 'weak on crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy, ' and claimed that 'if I [weren't] in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican'
Some posts claimed the true Antichrist will appear as an 'angel of light,' described as charismatic and widely admired, who will seemingly rescue the world from turmoil, a concept the author linked to 2 Corinthians 11:14, which warns that 'Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.'
Regardless, the image has sparked outrage among many Christians, who deemed it 'blasphemy.'
'Equating yourself to Jesus? You'll burn in hell,' one user wrote in response to Trump's post.
'If you call yourself a Christian and you're not outraged by this, you really need to re-evaluate your faith,' another user posted.
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also criticized the AI-generated image, saying: 'It's more than blasphemy. It's an Antichrist spirit.'
Moments before sharing the image, Trump accused Pope Leo of 'toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon.'
He lashed out again at the pontiff on Sunday night, writing on Truth Social: 'I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.'
'Three horns subdued in Revelation. That's what WW3 is about, subduing or destroying three kingdoms, it seems,' one user shared. Pictured is the three-horned figure in the AI-generated image
Trump has described himself as a 'non-denominational Christian.' He has stated he is a 'religious person' who believes in God and has praised the Bible
'I don't want a Pope who thinks it's terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country,' Trump said.
The President went deeper into his opposition to Pope Leo and the church's stance on several issues, including COVID lockdowns.
'He talks about 'fear' of the Trump Administration but doesn't mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church and all other Christian Organizations had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers and everybody else for holding Church Services, even when going outside and being ten and even twenty feet apart,' Trump wrote.
The President then claimed that Pope Leo 'criticizes the President of the United States because I'm doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.'
The outburst followed recent criticism from the Pope over the weekend about the actions of the US military in Iran.
On Saturday, he told worshippers at St Peter's Basilica: 'Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!'
Last week, he criticized the President over his threats against the country when he warned that 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.'
The Pope called it a 'truly unacceptable' statement.
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The Boeing F-47: Everything We Know About America's Sixth-Generation Fighter
On March 21, 2025, President Trump announced that Boeing had won the contract to build the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, designated the F-47. It was the first time a new American air superiority fighter had been awarded since the F-22 Raptor over three decades earlier. The announcement ended a competition that had been running since at least 2015, survived a near-cancellation, and produced classified experimental aircraft that flew for years before the public ever heard about them.
This article covers what is publicly known about the F-47 as of early 2026, drawn from official Air Force statements, congressional budget documents, and credible defense reporting. Much about the aircraft remains classified, and where information is uncertain, that uncertainty is noted.
The program traces back to a 2014 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency study called the Air Dominance Initiative. According to Aviation Week, that study concluded a single aircraft would not be enough for future air superiority. The future required a "family of systems" centered on a crewed fighter but supported by networked drones, advanced sensors, and new weapons.
In 2015, DARPA began funding full-scale X-plane demonstrators under a classified program worth roughly one billion dollars. Boeing and Lockheed Martin each built and flew experimental aircraft. Boeing's demonstrator first flew in 2019; Lockheed's followed in 2022, as confirmed by Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin after the contract award.
The public first learned about these demonstrators in September 2020, when Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper told reporters that a full-scale NGAD flight demonstrator had "broken records." He provided almost no details, but the disclosure signaled the program was far more mature than anyone outside the Pentagon had realized.
By 2024, NGAD was in trouble. Then-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall paused the program, telling Defense News that the Air Force "just didn't have enough money" to afford both the sixth-generation fighter and its other modernization priorities. Estimates at the time placed the per-unit cost near $300 million, roughly three times the cost of an F-35.
Kendall ordered a cost reduction study. Options reportedly included a smaller airframe, fewer engines, reduced range, and offloading some capabilities to unmanned platforms. The study concluded that NGAD remained necessary but needed to be redesigned for affordability. That redesign shaped the final competition.
The selection surprised much of the defense world. Lockheed Martin had built every Western stealth fighter in production: the F-22 and the F-35. Boeing had not built a new fighter since the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered service in 1999.
According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force selected Boeing based on "best overall value." Several factors appear to have contributed.
The contract is worth at least $20 billion for engineering and manufacturing development, according to Breaking Defense, with potential lifetime production orders valued in the hundreds of billions. Northrop Grumman, the only other company that might have competed, dropped out in 2023.
The F-47 is classified. The Air Force released a single artist rendering alongside the March 2025 announcement, but no photographs of the actual aircraft have been made public. The Air Force has, however, disclosed a handful of specific performance parameters through official statements and budget documents.
In May 2025, General Allvin confirmed that the F-47 will have a combat radius exceeding 1,000 nautical miles and a top speed above Mach 2, as reported by The War Zone. The combat radius is nearly double the F-22's estimated 590-nautical-mile range and substantially greater than the F-35A's roughly 600 nautical miles.
That range reflects the geography of a potential Pacific conflict. A fighter with 1,000-plus nautical miles of combat radius can reach contested areas around Taiwan or the South China Sea from bases in Guam or Japan without tanker support, or at least with tankers positioned much farther from threat zones. The F-22, by contrast, requires extensive tanker support for Pacific operations, and those tankers are themselves vulnerable to long-range Chinese missiles.
The Air Force has described the F-47 as featuring "all-aspect, broadband low-observability," meaning reduced radar and infrared signatures from every angle and across multiple radar frequency bands. Some defense analysts have described the F-47's stealth shaping as "bomber-like," according to the National Security Journal, suggesting a design that prioritizes signature reduction over traditional fighter agility.
The F-47 is expected to use a next-generation adaptive cycle engine from the NGAP program. Both General Electric (XA102) and Pratt & Whitney (XA103) are building prototypes, according to congressional budget documents. These "three-stream" engines can switch between high-thrust combat mode and high-efficiency cruise mode, promising roughly 30 percent more range and double the cooling capacity compared to current engines.
The cooling capacity is not a minor detail. Sixth-generation fighters generate enormous heat from their sensors, computers, and electronic warfare systems. Managing that heat without degrading performance or creating a detectable infrared signature is a defining engineering challenge of this generation. Budget documents released in July 2025 revealed the NGAP program has slipped more than two years due to supply chain challenges, per Breaking Defense.
Specific sensor details are classified, but the F-47 is expected to carry a significantly more capable suite than any existing fighter. It will fuse electro-optical, infrared, synthetic aperture radar, and signals intelligence data into a single tactical picture, an evolution of the sensor fusion architecture pioneered on the F-35.
AI is central to the design. The aircraft will use edge computing for predictive threat modeling, processing sensor data and recommending tactical decisions faster than a human pilot could manage alone. This capability becomes essential when the F-47 operates as a command node for multiple autonomous wingmen.
No weapons loadout has been officially confirmed. Based on current Air Force procurement programs, analysts expect the F-47 to carry the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (replacing the AIM-120 AMRAAM), the AIM-174B for long-range engagements, and potentially the AGM-158D JASSM-XR cruise missile for strike missions. All weapons would be carried internally to preserve stealth.
The F-47 is not designed to fight alone. It will operate with Collaborative Combat Aircraft, autonomous drones that fly alongside the crewed fighter as "loyal wingmen." The Air Force envisions each F-47 controlling two or more CCAs that handle sensor coverage, weapons delivery, electronic warfare, or decoy missions.
Two CCA designs are in development. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the General Atomics YFQ-42A completed its first flight in August 2025, and the Anduril YFQ-44A (called "Fury") followed on October 31, 2025, flying semi-autonomously. Both are fighter-sized unmanned combat aircraft with internal weapons bays.
The Department of Defense has allocated $8.9 billion between 2025 and 2029 for CCA development, according to budget documents. The Air Force plans to buy more than 1,000 CCAs, roughly two for each F-47 and each F-35A in the fleet.
A flight of four F-47s with eight CCAs creates a twelve-platform formation sharing sensor data and distributing weapons. The CCAs can be sent into the most dangerous threat environments first, absorbing risk that would otherwise fall on crewed aircraft. If a CCA is lost, the cost is measured in dollars, not in pilots. The concept also builds on the broader shift toward autonomous systems that has accelerated from drone warfare lessons in Ukraine and other recent conflicts.
Estimated unit costs near $300 million make the F-47 one of the most expensive fighters ever built, roughly three times the cost of an F-35, according to multiple congressional analyses. The Air Force plans to buy approximately 185 aircraft, a fleet size that invites comparison to the F-22, which was capped at 187.
The pattern is familiar. The F-22 was originally planned for 750 aircraft before being cut to 187. The B-2 Spirit was designed for 132 bombers before being cut to 21. Some analysts have warned of a "math death spiral," per 19FortyFive, where rising costs lead to reduced orders, which further increase per-unit costs.
Congressional reaction has been mixed. The FY2025 NDAA cut $30.9 million from the NGAD budget, and the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended redirecting $557.1 million toward the CCA program, as reported by The Aviationist. But the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025 provided $400 million specifically to accelerate F-47 production.
The Air Force's counterargument: if each F-47 operates with two affordable CCAs, the cost per combat-relevant platform drops considerably. One F-47 with two CCAs might cost the same as two or three F-35s while providing more capability. Whether that math holds will determine the program's long-term viability.
Air Force officials said the "47" honors the P-47 Thunderbolt, one of the most produced American fighters of World War II. The P-47 was a massive, rugged aircraft that excelled at both air combat and ground attack across every theater. After the Air Force became an independent service in 1947, the Thunderbolt was redesignated the F-47, making the modern designation a direct echo of that lineage.
The number also coincides with the founding year of the Air Force as an independent service in 1947, and with the number of the sitting president. Some defense outlets have reported that internal Air Force emails obtained through FOIA requests suggest the historical justification may have been developed after the designation was selected rather than before it, though the Air Force has not commented on this claim.
The F-47 does not exist in isolation. At least four other sixth-generation programs are underway, and the competitive dynamics between them are shaping force structure decisions across multiple continents.
The program is moving faster than most expected. According to Air & Space Forces Magazine, the Air Force confirmed within months of the March 2025 award that the first F-47 was already in production and on track for first flight in 2028. Operational capability is targeted for 2029, with initial fielding in the early 2030s.
That timeline is aggressive by historical standards. The F-22 took 14 years from contract award to initial operational capability. The F-35 took even longer. The F-47 aims to compress that schedule through years of X-plane testing, digital engineering, and a deliberate decision to begin manufacturing before all design work is complete.
The War Zone has reported that the Air Force is considering building the program in increments, with multiple versions of the F-47 produced over time, each incorporating new technologies as they mature. This approach, inspired by the "Century Series" fighters of the 1950s and 1960s, would avoid locking the fleet into a single design for decades.
The F-47 is arguably the most ambitious fighter program the Air Force has undertaken since the F-22. It combines stealth, range, speed, AI, and unmanned teaming in a package designed to maintain American air superiority through the 2060s and beyond.
But ambition and execution are not the same thing. The program faces escalating costs, potential schedule delays, congressional scrutiny, and the tension between building the best possible weapon and building enough of them to matter. The F-22's production was cut short not because the aircraft failed but because it was too expensive to buy in the numbers the Air Force needed. The F-47 could face the same fate.
What is clear is that the United States, China, and several allied nations have all concluded that sixth-generation air power is necessary. The investments are too large to be hedged. The F-47 is America's answer. Whether it becomes another F-22, a brilliant aircraft built in insufficient numbers, or something genuinely transformational will depend on decisions that have not yet been made, in a threat environment that is still evolving.
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Earth's climate is more out of balance than EVER before: Shocking report confirms humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record – as scientists warn 'every key indicator is flashing red'
The Earth's climate is more out of balance than at any other time in observed history, a shocking new report has revealed.
Scientists from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) say that humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record from 2011 to the end of 2025.
Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, with an average temperature 1.43°C (2.57°F) above the 1850–1900 average.
From global temperature and greenhouse gas concentrations to sea levels and glacier retreat, scientists now warn that every indicator is 'flashing red'.
The WMO's annual State of the Climate report identifies large–scale changes that experts say could impact the planet for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
Importantly, the report gives the first clear view of Earth's energy imbalance, which measures the rate at which energy enters and leaves the atmosphere.
Our planet's energy imbalance is now at its highest in the 65–year observational record, triggering rapid warming of the atmosphere and oceans.
UN Secretary–General António Guterres says: 'Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red.'
Scientists warn that Earth's climate is more out of balance than ever before, as a shocking report shows that we have just endured the hottest 11 years on record
2025 was the second or third hottest year on record, with an average temperature 1.43°C (2.57°F) above the 1850–1900 average
In an ideal world, the rate at which energy arrives from the sun would be roughly equal to the rate at which heat escapes through the atmosphere.
However, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide trap infrared radiation in the atmosphere, throwing Earth's energy off balance.
The WMO now confirms that concentrations of these gases have reached their highest levels in history.
Carbon dioxide is now present at 423 parts per million in the atmosphere, which is 152 per cent of the concentration before the Industrial Revolution and the highest it has been in the last two million years.
Likewise, nitrous oxide and methane are at their highest concentrations in the last 800,000 years.
The concentration of methane is 266 per cent of the pre–industrial level, while nitrous oxide is at 125 per cent of pre–industrial concentrations.
That means heat is building up faster than it can escape, producing enormous amounts of excess energy.
WMO Secretary–General Celeste Saulo says: 'Scientific advances have improved our understanding of the Earth's energy imbalance and of the reality facing our planet and our climate right now.
The energy balance, which measures how fast energy enters and leaves the atmosphere, was at its most imbalanced since measurements began 65 years ago
Over 90 per cent of the world's excess heat is absorbed by the ocean, driving rapid warming and an increased frequency of marine heatwaves
'Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years.'
While the last 11 years have been the hottest on record, experts say that it is likely to get hotter in the coming years due to the natural El Niño weather cycle.
Dr Akshay Deoras, senior research scientist at the University of Reading, says: 'El Niño naturally releases a lot of heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, and when that sits on top of very high greenhouse gas levels it can push global temperatures to new records.
'There is a good chance we will see El Niño conditions develop again later this year. Thus, it could bring another spike in global temperatures in 2026–2027 on top of the already high baseline.'
However, the part of the atmosphere that we feel only absorbs one per cent of that excess energy.
Of the remaining energy, five per cent is stored by the continental land masses, three per cent goes into melting ice, and more than 91 per cent is absorbed by the ocean.
Ocean heat content hit a record high in 2025, and the rate at which the seas are warming has doubled from 1960–2005 to 2005–2025.
In fact, each of the last nine years set a new record for the amount of heat stored in the ocean.
Warming oceans have eroded the polar ice caps, with Arctic sea ice at or near its lowest point on record in 2025
Mass loss from glaciers has also been accelerating due to the warming planet, with 2025 seeing some of the most extreme melting in the last five years
The WMO now estimates that the oceans absorb between 11 and 12.2 zetajoules of heat energy every year – equivalent to 18 times humanity's yearly energy consumption.
This is warming the oceans at a rapid rate and triggering profound consequences for the global climate, including marine heatwaves, sea level increases, and retreating polar ice.
In 2025, 90 per cent of the ocean's surface experienced an ocean heatwave, despite a cooling La Niña weather pattern.
Professor Scott Heron, of James Cook University, says: 'Intensifying marine heatwaves have already impacted ocean systems through coral bleaching and mortality across the tropics, seagrass death and catastrophic marine disease outbreaks in tropical and temperate zones, as well as episodes of salmon lice in polar aquaculture.
'If rainforests are thought of as the lungs of our planet, the ocean provides the heart and circulation – and human–induced climate change is giving us all heart disease.'
The WMO's research shows that sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate due to the melting of ice sheets and the natural expansion of warming water.
Sea levels in 2025 were comparable to their record highs in 2024, sitting 4.3 inches (11 cm) higher than they were at the start of satellite records in 1993.
Currently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that sea levels could rise by 3.2ft (one metre) by 2100 if climate change is not slowed.
Since the warmer atmosphere holds more energy, recent years have also seen an uptick in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events
However, a recent study has suggested that sea levels at the end of the century could be around 11 inches (28 cm) higher than expected in the UK and between 3.2ft and 4.9ft (1–1.5 metres) higher in parts of Southeast Asia.
With an estimated 50 to 80 million people currently living below sea level, even small increases could be devastating for millions of people in coastal areas.
Warming oceans are also causing the retreat of polar sea ice, with the annual sea ice extent in the Arctic at or near record lows in 2025 and average extents in the Antarctic at their third lowest on record.
Likewise, mass loss from glaciers in 2024 to 2025 was among the five worst years on record, with exceptional levels of mass loss in Iceland and the Pacific coast of North America.
At the same time, the warming of the climate is producing serious consequences that are already taking their toll on human life.
A warmer atmosphere carries more energy and water, which means that extreme weather events are more frequent and more devastating when they do occur.
Late last year, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in the Caribbean as the most powerful storm in Jamaica's history.
Researchers found that the catastrophic category 5 hurricane had been made four times more likely by climate change.
While some regions experienced record rainfall (dark blue), other areas saw record–breaking droughts (dark brown). These patterns are leading to more flooding and wildfires
In a cooler world without climate change, a Melissa–type hurricane would have made landfall once every 8,000 years.
Meanwhile, back–to–back periods of extreme drought and heavy rainfall are leading to a greater number of more intense wildfires and flash floods around the world.
Dr Mortlock, head of climate analytics at the University of New South Wales, says: 'Even seemingly small increases in temperature can have outsized effects on extreme weather.
'The frequency and intensity of bushfires, floods, cyclones and hailstorms are all linked to the warming of the atmosphere. At the same time, more people are living in harm's way.'
Recent research shows that these shifting weather patterns also risk fuelling the outbreak of deadly diseases such as dengue fever.
Warmer, wetter weather is pushing the habitat of the disease–spreading Asian and Egyptian mosquitoes northwards, into cities including London, Vienna, Strasbourg, and Frankfurt.
Although the species is not in these cities yet, its rate of northward spread in France has been accelerating from about 6km (3.7 miles) per year in 2006 to 20km (12.4 miles) per year in 2024.
A new study has shown that storms make outbreaks of this disease far more dangerous.
As the climate warms, it is becoming more suitable for mosquitoes that spread diseases such as dengue fever. Scientists now warn that these insects' breeding grounds could spread into northern Europe
Following a cyclone in Peru during 2023, an outbreak of dengue fever was 10 times larger than normal for the area.
Experts say the weather which triggered the outbreak is now three times more likely due to climate change.
Mr Guterres concludes: 'The State of the Global Climate is in a state of emergency.
'Today's report should come with a warning label: climate chaos is accelerating and delay is deadly.'
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Amerikaanse luchtmacht versnelt productie van nieuwe B-21 Raider-stealthbommenwerper
De Amerikaanse luchtmacht versnelt de productie van de Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealthbommenwerper, de opvolger van de verouderde B-2 Spirit. Al bijna drie decennia lang vormt de B-2 een hoeksteen van de Amerikaanse nucleaire triade. Hoewel de vliegtuigen nog steeds operationeel zijn, naderen ze hun pensioen en moeten ze worden vervangen door een even geavanceerde bommenwerper.
B-21 Raider
Wikicommons
De B-21, die al in de inventaris van de Amerikaanse luchtmacht is opgenomen met ten minste twee geleverde testvliegtuigen, belooft de wereldwijde aanvalscapaciteiten van de luchtmacht aanzienlijk te verbeteren. Hoewel het uiterlijk doet denken aan de B-2, zijn er belangrijke verschillen, zoals minder motoren en een kleinere voetafdruk.
Omdat het Ministerie van Luchtmacht de dringende behoefte aan de B-21 inziet, heeft het onlangs een overeenkomst gesloten met Northrop Grumman om de productie met ongeveer 25 procent te verhogen. Deze versnelling heeft tot doel de bommenwerpers sneller te leveren dan oorspronkelijk gepland, zodat er in de nabije toekomst een groter aantal gevechtsklaar is.
Het versnelde schema beperkt ook mogelijke budgetoverschrijdingen door meer vliegtuigen binnen een korter tijdsbestek te leveren. Het initiatief vereist 4,5 miljard dollar (3,9 miljard euro) extra, wat al eerder is goedgekeurd onder de Reconciliation Act voor het boekjaar 2025.
Het B-21-programma heeft zich grotendeels aan het oorspronkelijke tijdschema en budget gehouden. Dat is opvallend in vergelijking met andere Amerikaanse militaire projecten, die vaak kampen met vertragingen en kostenoverschrijdingen. Het valt nog te bezien of de versnelde levering invloed zal hebben op dit positieve trackrecord. (jv)
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