By: Jake Johnson July 28, 2020 In a floor speech late Monday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described the GOP’s newly released coronavirus stimulus package as a “carefully tailored” plan to provide financial relief to desperate Americans. But a look at the legislative text (pdf) released by Senate Republicans shows the HEALS Act is replete […]
By: Joe Gould July 29, 2020 WASHINGTON ― Senate Republicans’ proposed $1 trillion coronavirus relief package includes at least $7 billion for weapons programs, part of $29 billion for defense overall. The 177-page draft appropriations legislation unveiled Monday would include funding for military helicopters, aircraft, ships and missile defense systems. The bill also includes $11 […]
By: Valerie Insinna June 25,2020 WASHINGTON — The most widely used variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is currently unable to fly in thunderstorms after the discovery of damage to one of the systems it uses to protect itself from lightning, its prime contractor Lockheed Martin said Wednesday. To safely fly in conditions where lightning […]
By Ryan Pickrell June 9, 2020 An F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter’s landing gear collapsed after it landed at Hill Air Force Base following a routine training flight Monday. The pilot made it out and is currently being medically evaluated, Air Force Times reported, citing a statement from the base. The latest incident involving […]
By Aidan Quigley June 8, 2020 Burlington International Airport is asking the Federal Aviation Administration to fund a noise monitoring system following the arrival of the F-35 jets to the region last year. The move follows requests from city leaders in Winooski, South Burlington and Burlington. The airport is owned by Burlington but located in […]
By Aidan Quigley May 27, 2020 The Vermont National Guard is continuing F-35 flights after one of the stealth aircraft crashed in Florida earlier this month. The F-35 fighter jet crashed at the Eglin Air Force Base May 19 during a routine training flight, according to an Air Force statement. The pilot ejected from the […]
By Steven Klafka and Rosanne Greco May 8, 2020 The alarming coronavirus pandemic is a reminder that we must be less wasteful and much wiser in how we spend taxpayer money. The enormous human and economic toll of this pandemic has been exacerbated by our failure to invest in societal needs like our health care […]
By Kevin McCallum April 24, 2020 The Vermont Air National Guard dramatically increased the number of F-35 flights from its South Burlington base in the first week of April, despite official claims that there had been “no change” in flight operations. The 158th Fighter Wing flew five times as many times during the week of […]
By Aidan Quigley April 13, 2020 The Burlington City Council is asking Gov. Phil Scott and the state’s congressional delegation to attempt to stop the Vermont Air National Guard’s F-35 training flights during the coronavirus pandemic. The resolution, passed in an 11-1 vote, asks the governor and congressional delegation “to do everything within their power […]
By Courtney Lamdin April 10, 2020 The Burlington City Council on Monday will consider a resolution asking the governor to suspend the Vermont National Guard’s F-35 training flights and reassign Guard members to coronavirus response efforts. Introduced by Councilor Perri Freeman (P-Central District), the resolution calls on Gov. Phil Scott to direct “all 4,000 members” […]