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US B-2 Bomber Showcases Ability To Launch Stealth Anti-Ship Missile For First Time

Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. Air Force confirmed, for the first time, that a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber successfully launched an AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) against a target vessel during a naval exercise.

A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, deploys an AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile to support a live-fire sinking exercise as part of Valiant Shield 2026 over the Philippine Sea, June 27, 2026. U.S. Air Force/Tech Sgt. Thomas Barley

Designed as a stealthy anti-ship cruise missile with semi-autonomous targeting capabilities, the LRASM reached early operational capability with U.S. combat aircraft in 2018. The pairing of this missile with the B-2, however, is a newly disclosed capability.

A B-2 demonstrated the LRASM launch capability during Valiant Shield 26, a multinational joint exercise that involved the sinking of the decommissioned amphibious transport dock ship USS Juneau on June 27. The sinking exercise took place in an area of the Philippine Sea north of the Marianas Islands.

"This is the first time we have publicly released the B-2's demonstrated ability to carry and deploy an AGM-138C LRASM," an Air Force spokesperson said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times on June 30.

The pairing of the stealthy anti-ship missile and the stealth bomber could enhance their effectiveness against adversary forces, and is particularly relevant in a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, where China has rapidly expanded its naval forces in recent years.

In 2020, China overtook the United States as the nation with the most warships, and has continued to modernize its naval forces in the years since.

"The B-2's impressive performance underscores the US military's commitment to adaptability and flexibility in the face of emerging security challenges," Gen. Kevin B. Schneider, the commander of the Pacific Air Forces, said in a June 29 statement.

"By prioritizing counter-maritime strike operations, we can maintain a decisive edge over adversaries, protect our national interests and ensure the free and open Pacific that underpins our global security."

Last year, the U.S. military demonstrated the stealth prowess of the B-2 by using the bombers to breach Iran's air defense network to deliver a set of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.

U.S. military analysts have assessed that China is gearing its military development toward what's known as an Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2AD) strategy, wherein they may quickly lay claim to a sea region and then install defensive measures that make it hard for outside forces to intervene.

The U.S. military has hoped to position the LRASM as a counter to the A2AD strategy by designing it to be less reliant on external guidance systems, which may be limited in a U.S.-China conflict.

Lockheed Martin developed the LRASM for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. The missile was first integrated with the Air Force's B-1B Lancer bomber and the Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet.

Efforts are underway to integrate the LRASM with other aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet, and the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Since 2020, the U.S. government has also sold LRASMs to Australia to integrate with their F/A-18 fleet.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/01/2026 - 20:30

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Xi Touts Communist Party's Global Reach, Hails PLA's Rising Strength In 105th Anniversary Address

Chinese President Xi Jinping used a major speech marking the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday to both tout China's global influence and pledge a stronger armed forces build-up while staying steadfast in an ongoing crackdown on corruption within top military ranks.

Bloomberg concluded of the speech, "Xi Jinping signaled China's ambition to play a more high-profile role, a strategy that involves rallying developing nations as a counterweight to what he views as fading US influence."

via Associated Press

This is of course not a 'new' message out of Beijing, but is some renewed messaging at a moment Washington risks getting permanently bogged down in the Middle East after Trump launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran while struggling to extricate itself from the resulting Hormuz crisis. The Iran war remains deeply unpopular especially among BRICS and Global South countries and populations.

The Chinese leader in the fresh comments vowed to "uphold the party’s absolute leadership” over the People's Liberation Army (PLA) while continuing to give it all needed support and advancement in defense technology.

“We must advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces,” Xi told party members. He described that the CCP remains on course to "resolutely wage the critical, protracted, and comprehensive battle against corruption."

Just in the past three years, no less than two defense ministers have been dismissed by Xi, and the once seven-member Central Military Commission - China’s top military body - has been drastically reduced to just Xi and one other general.

Interestingly, in the Beijing speech Xi also made direct reference to the Taiwan crisis.

"Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete unification of the motherland is an unswerving historical mission of our party and the shared aspiration of all Chinese people," he said.

While not specifically naming the United States or anything country, he said that "we oppose interference by external forces."

As for the years-long military purge, a former CIA analyst who follows Chinese elite politics, Christopher K. Johnson, recently told the NY Times of the ongoing purge trend, "This move is unprecedented in the history of the Chinese military and represents the total annihilation of the high command."

"When Xi says the Party leads everything, he means it. When he says security comes before development, he means it. When he says capital must be guided and disciplined, he means it. And when he says Taiwan is central to national rejuvenation..." https://t.co/zgGEQdiEvn

— Christoph Rehage🇪🇺 (@crehage) July 1, 2026

The PLA has seen significant internal turmoil, especially since the Communist Party’s 20th Congress in late 2022. Several top military figures - including Defense Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, and CMC Political Work Department head Miao Hua - have disappeared or been removed, and many more followed. 

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/01/2026 - 20:00

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Nancy Pelosi Institute To Launch At UC Berkeley After Former Speaker Leaves Congress

Authored by AG News Staff via American Greatness,

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will lend her name to a new institute at the University of California, Berkeley after retiring from Congress, with the university announcing it has already raised $35 million toward a $50 million fundraising goal.

The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy is scheduled to open in January 2027, when Pelosi is expected to leave Congress.

According to the university, the institute will serve as a center for research, teaching and civic engagement focused on representative democracy and public leadership. Pelosi also is expected to co-teach a course on Congress.

UC Berkeley said the institute will focus on four primary areas: strengthening American democracy, addressing major social, economic and environmental challenges, promoting human and civil rights, and "ensuring political leadership that represents the full spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds in California and the country."

The university said the institute's location at UC Berkeley would give a diverse student body, including first-generation and low-income students, access to opportunities often associated with Ivy League institutions.

"The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest calling," Pelosi said in a statement. "UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time. I am honored to partner with this exceptional community of scholars and students so we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to strengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good."

UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said the institute would combine the university's faculty and students to advance its mission.

"We intend to do more than simply study democracy; we are building this institute to strengthen it," Lyons said.

The institute will be established at UC Berkeley, a university known for progressive activism, and will open after Pelosi concludes her congressional career.

Pelosi, 86, served two terms as House speaker and remains the only woman to hold the position. She served from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/01/2026 - 19:30