Steve Balestrieri

(Aug. 9, 2020) Members of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command’s Nuclear Examining Board ride a boat from the Ohio-class guided- missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729), operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility toward Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain’s pier after an inspection. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eduardo Otero)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

When Ohio-Class Submarines Retire, Navy SEALs and Green Berets Lose Their Only Way to Deploy 66 Operators From a Submarine

The US Navy’s Ohio-class Missile Submarines And The Special Operations Forces Component The retirement of the Ohio-class missile submarines will be a tough proposition,...

Steve BalestrieriApril 2, 2026

A-10 Warthog 19FortyFive.com Original Image

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Trump Says the Iran Air Campaign Ends in 2–3 Weeks — The U.S. Military’s Own Objectives Say Otherwise

Air Campaign Over Iran To End In 2-3 Weeks? Only If Goals Are Met President Donald Trump appeared on a national broadcast Wednesday night,...

Steve BalestrieriApril 2, 2026

(Jan. 10, 2025) Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Anderson, of Severna Park, Md., waits for launch in an F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the “Warhawks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97, on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Jan. 10, 2025. Vinson, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE, is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nate Jordan)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

F-35 Stealth Fighter Haters Now Have New ‘Ammo’. But It Still Doesn’t Change the Fact That This Plane Dominates Everything

F-35 Crashed In The Nevada Desert, Pilot Safely Ejected. That Doesn’t Mean This Stealth Fighter Is a Failure On Tuesday, about noon, a U.S....

Steve BalestrieriApril 2, 2026

Carrier Air Wing 8 F/A-18E Super Hornets attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 37 fly by the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), during the squadron's in-flight change of command ceremony, August 1, 2025. Gerald R. Ford, a first-in-class nuclear aircraft carrier and deployed flagship of Carrier Strike Group Twelve, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality, and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied, and partner interests in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brianna Barnett)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

11 Brutal Months at Sea: USS Gerald R. Ford Might Break the Aircraft Carrier Deployment Record Post-Vietnam

Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford 11-Month Deployment Rivals USS Nimitz’s 341-Day Record The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is expected to complete an...

Steve BalestrieriApril 2, 2026

The USS Constitution sails past the Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) during Massachusetts’ commissioning in Boston, on March 28th, 2026. Massachusetts is the newest fast-attack submarine and the fifth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lucas J. Hastings)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Navy Just Launched Its Most Advanced Nuclear Attack Submarine Yet Armed with Tomahawk Missiles

Meet the Navy’s Newest Virginia-Class Submarine, USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) The U.S. Navy officially welcomed its newest Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine over the past weekend....

Steve BalestrieriApril 1, 2026

ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 31, 2026) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) departs Naval Station Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group departed Naval Station Norfolk on March 31, 2026. The strike group, comprised of nearly 5,000 Sailors, provides combatant commanders and America’s civilian leaders increased capacity to underpin American security and economic prosperity, deter adversaries, and project power on a global scale through sustained operations at sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jayden Brown)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

China Has 230 Times the Shipbuilding Capacity of the United States — And the U.S. Navy Is Shrinking to 287 Ships While China Passes 370

The U.S. Navy Has a Shipbuilding Crisis. China Plans to Take Full Advantage Of It The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is a highly...

Steve BalestrieriApril 1, 2026

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The X-43A Flew at Mach 9.6 and 110,000 Feet — No Air-Breathing Aircraft Has Gone Faster in the 22 Years Since

The X-43A Hit Mach 9.6, But NASA Canceled the Program: Why? NASA’s X-43A was a small, unmanned experimental hypersonic aircraft. It was part of...

Steve BalestrieriApril 1, 2026

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

620 ‘Flying Dorito’ Stealth Bomber: The U.S. Navy’s Avenger II Was a Great Idea That Was Destined to ‘Crash Land’

The A-12 Avenger II, The Navy’s Flying Dorito, Never Had a Chance to Shine The US Navy made history about ten years ago by...

Steve BalestrieriMarch 31, 2026

CIA A-12 Spy Plane. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

You Got It All Wrong: The CIA Had a Spy Plane Faster Than the SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71 Blackbird Story (and Nearly Forgotten A-12) The SR-71 Blackbird was a fantastic aircraft. It was designed and built by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson’s...

Steve BalestrieriMarch 30, 2026

(July 14, 2024) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) returns to Naval Station Norfolk, July 14, 2024, concluding a nine-month deployment to the Atlantic. Eisenhower, the flagship of the Ike Carrier Strike Group, departed Norfolk October 14, 2023 to conduct a scheduled deployment to U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts, and enhanced vigilance activities operations with NATO Allies and Partners. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hunter Day)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Navy Has the Most Aircraft Carriers on Earth. And That’s Nowhere Near Enough

The US Navy Needs More Than 11 Aircraft Carriers…But Won’t Get Them The United States Navy currently has 11 aircraft carriers. That is impressive,...

Steve BalestrieriMarch 30, 2026

19FortyFive

Steve Balestrieri

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

When Ohio-Class Submarines Retire, Navy SEALs and Green Berets Lose Their Only Way to Deploy 66 Operators From a Submarine

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Trump Says the Iran Air Campaign Ends in 2–3 Weeks — The U.S. Military’s Own Objectives Say Otherwise

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

F-35 Stealth Fighter Haters Now Have New ‘Ammo’. But It Still Doesn’t Change the Fact That This Plane Dominates Everything

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

11 Brutal Months at Sea: USS Gerald R. Ford Might Break the Aircraft Carrier Deployment Record Post-Vietnam

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Navy Just Launched Its Most Advanced Nuclear Attack Submarine Yet Armed with Tomahawk Missiles

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

China Has 230 Times the Shipbuilding Capacity of the United States — And the U.S. Navy Is Shrinking to 287 Ships While China Passes 370

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The X-43A Flew at Mach 9.6 and 110,000 Feet — No Air-Breathing Aircraft Has Gone Faster in the 22 Years Since

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

620 ‘Flying Dorito’ Stealth Bomber: The U.S. Navy’s Avenger II Was a Great Idea That Was Destined to ‘Crash Land’

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

You Got It All Wrong: The CIA Had a Spy Plane Faster Than the SR-71 Blackbird

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Navy Has the Most Aircraft Carriers on Earth. And That’s Nowhere Near Enough

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