Ops Brief 040: Daily Drop - 5 May 2025 (Boneyard F-16s & Untethered Spacewalks)

Today’s Ones Ready Daily Drop is packed tighter than the Pentagon’s missing budget. Jared breaks down how the DoD is basically playing Jenga with defense funding, while the Air Force quietly raids the Boneyard for junkyard F-16s to prop up Ukraine’s air force. Meanwhile, the Space Force is out here casually “dogfighting” Chinese satellites in orbit and looking for AI to figure out where their satellites even are.

Oh, and we’ve got a guy in a literal jetpack doing an untethered spacewalk (because apparently the 80s were WILD), the Army making a Space Ops MOS (because soldiers apparently needed another badge), and the Pentagon’s latest brainstorm: drone-killing tech that’s safe for civilians. Sure, buddy.

Also: Israel’s airport just got smoked by a Houthi missile despite US and Israeli missile defenses. And Russia? Yeah, Russia’s dusting off its NATO war plans. Totally chill.

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🔥 Key Takeaways:

💸 Trump’s proposed $900B defense budget = basically a spending freeze. But don’t worry, the Pentagon’s already $200M in the hole.
🦾 Pentagon wants drone-killing tech that won’t explode civilians. Good luck with that.
🖥️ NSC says “let’s get offensive” with cyber attacks. Better than sitting around.
🤖 Beale AFB kicks off Collaborative Combat Aircraft missions. Robo-wingmen inbound.
✈️ Ukraine getting retired F-16s… for spare parts. Literally. From the boneyard.
🛰️ US Space Force does close flybys of Chinese satellites. Totally normal behavior.
🚀 SpaceX wants 120 launches next year; Cape Canaveral’s bracing for it.
👨‍🚀 Untethered spacewalk legend tracked down a satellite by hand. Find that video.
🛰️ Space Force wants AI tools that don’t suck. Still looking.
💥 Houthis nail Israeli airport with a missile. Defenses couldn’t stop it.
⚔️ Russia prepping for NATO war by 2030. Lithuania’s sweating.
🎯 Pilot crash at Langley may’ve been caused by a loose elevator counterweight.
🪖 Army adds enlisted Space Ops MOS. Space badges incoming.
⚡ China’s rolling out AI-powered anti-drone energy weapons. Great.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro + Cardo Max Promo
01:20 – Trump Budget Drama + Pentagon Dumpster Fire
02:30 – Pentagon Wants “Safe” Drone Killers
03:10 – NSC Calls for Offensive Cyber
04:00 – Beale AFB Starts Collaborative Combat Aircraft Ops
05:00 – Ukraine Gets Boneyard F-16s
05:45 – US & Korea Run Anti-Satellite Exercises
06:20 – Space Force Satellites Pull Up Next to Chinese Satellites
07:10 – Space Force in Huntsville Clarified
07:50 – Cape Canaveral Plans 100+ Launches in 2025
08:30 – Untethered Spacewalk Jetpack Story
09:20 – Space Force Wants Better AI
09:50 – Houthi Missile Hits Israeli Airport
10:20 – US Pulling Back on Ukraine Peace Talks
11:00 – Russia Planning for NATO War
11:30 – Langley Crash Linked to Counterweight Issue
12:10 – Army Launching Enlisted Space Ops MOS
12:40 – China Builds AI Anti-Drone Weapons
13:10 – Wrap + Call to Action