Dear Friends,
On Sunday, two U.S. Navy aircraft, an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, crashed into the South China Sea within thirty minutes of each other while conducting separate routine operations from the USS Nimitz. Thankfully, all five crew members were rescued and are reported to be in stable condition. Veterans on Duty extends our deepest well wishes to the sailors and their families as they recover.
These incidents occurred as President Trump traveled through Asia, meeting with Chinese Premier Xi Jinping to address a range of security and trade issues. At the same time, Beijing announced continued military exercises near Taiwan, the latest in a series of deliberate provocations aimed at the democratic island nation and its allies.
Against this backdrop, the loss of two U.S. aircraft in the South China Sea raises serious questions about the scope of China’s electronic warfare capabilities and the potential vulnerabilities within our own military systems. Veterans on Duty has long warned of the dangers posed by Chinese infiltration across key sectors of American infrastructure, from agriculture and manufacturing to telecommunications and energy.
China’s control over rare earth minerals, which are critical components of U.S. defense systems, and other vital defense technology gives Beijing significant leverage over our national security. It is imperative that we take concrete steps to identify, mitigate, and ultimately eliminate these dependencies. Our nation’s freedom and our military’s effectiveness depend on ensuring that American defense systems are built on secure, sovereign, and resilient foundations.
Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook—and help spread the word by sharing our newsletter with friends, family, and veterans in your community. Together, we can preserve the blessings of American liberty.
Signed,
Hooff Cooksey
Executive Director, Veterans On Duty
