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  • What to know about every ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff in the works, including ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’

    left: peter claffey as "dunk" in a teaser for a knight of the seven kingdoms, he's a young man in a plain cloak and garb with touseled blonde hair; right: corlys velaryon, holding a fearsome axe and wearing battle armor
    "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" and "Nine Voyages" are two of the "Game of Thrones" spin-off series on the way.

    • Following on from "House of the Dragon," there are more "Game of Thrones" spinoffs in the works.
    • HBO has released a teaser image for "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," which is now in production.
    • Here's the status of every rumored and confirmed "Game of Thrones" spinoff, sequel, and prequel series. 

    HBO has long planned to create a "Game of Thrones" television universe, giving fans of the global fantasy phenomenon more stories based on author George R.R. Martin's various book series that take place in Westeros and beyond.

    With the success of the first season of "House of the Dragon," it appears that the network is keen to continue to mine the world George R.R. Martin created with more spinoffs, sequels, and prequels. Some of the series in development (which Martin prefers to call "successor shows") are based on existing stories the fantasy author has written, while others would feature characters and locales he has created in brand new stories.

    Here's everything we know about all the "Game of Thrones"-related projects that are in development, are rumored to be in development, or returning.

    Kim Renfro contributed reporting to a previous version of this article.

    "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight"

    a man in a blue tunic, and green cloak, walking through a crowd of merchants while clutching his sword. he's tall and blonde
    "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" is an adaptation of G.R.R. Martin's novella "The Hedge Knight."

    HBO announced in June that production had officially begun on "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," the six-episode spinoff series based on Martin's "Dunk & Egg" stories, in Belfast, Ireland. The network also provided fans with the first teaser image of Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall. 

    The show — which the author told Entertainment Weekly in 2016 would be the "most natural follow-up" to the much-loved fantasy series — was given a straight-to-series order. The series is written and executive produced by Martin and Ira Parker, with "House of the Dragon" showrunner Ryan Condal, Vince Gerardis, Owen Harris, and Sarah Bradshaw serving as executive producers. HBO announced in June that director Sarah Adina Smith would helm three of the show's six episodes. 

    The show stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall ("Dunk") and Dexter Sol Ansell as Aegon V ("Egg"), his markedly less-tall squire. The series is set approximately a century prior to the main events of "Game of Thrones": the Targaryen family still holds the Iron Throne, but the memories of dragons still remain. 

    Other cast members include Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, and Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon. 

    Ser Duncan and Aegon V's adventures —  which appear across three novellas in the book "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" — are known fondly by fans as the "Dunk and Egg stories," but Martin explained in a blog entry why he and HBO had opted for a different title for the adaptation.

    "There are millions of people out there who do not know the stories and the title needs to intrigue them too," he wrote. "If you don't know the characters, Dunk & Egg sounds like a sitcom. Laverne & Shirley. Abbott & Costello. Beavis & Butthead. So, no. We want 'knight' in the title. Knighthood and chivalry are central to the themes of these stories."

    The greenlighting of the series may have come as something of a surprise to fans as Martin shared on his blog in 2017 that despite his initial enthusiasm for a "Dunk and Egg" show, he was putting the idea on a back burner since he was not yet done writing for the characters.

    He wrote at the time: "Eventually, sure, I'd love that, and so would many of you. But I've only written and published three novellas to date, and there are at least seven or eight or ten more I want to write."

    "We all know how slow I am and how fast a television show can move. I don't want to repeat what happened with GAME OF THRONES itself, where the show gets ahead of the books," he continued. "When the day comes that I've finished telling all my tales of Dunk & Egg, then we'll do a TV show about them, but that day is still a long ways off."

    Martin was, of course, referencing the way HBO's "Game of Thrones" wound up overtaking his published books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, resulting in a divisive final season that may significantly deviate from Martin's planned (and still unwritten) book ending. 

    The Jon Snow spinoff, "Snow"

    Jon Snow on the beach Game of Thrones Season 7 Spoils of War
    Kit Harington as Jon Snow in "Game of Thrones."

    "Snow," which would have explored what happened to fan favorite Jon Snow (Kit Harington) after the events of "Game of Thrones," was set to be the only spinoff in development that is not based on pre-existing material by Martin.

    However, Harington told Screen Rant in April 2024 that the series was no longer in development.

    "Currently, it's off the table, because we all couldn't find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough," Harington said. "So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being. There may be a time in the future where we return to it, but at the moment, no. It's firmly on the shelf."

    A representative for HBO declined to comment on Harington's remarks.

    Writing on his blog in June 2022, Martin said that he was involved in the series, but revealed that the idea for the show had actually come from Harington himself.

    He explained that Harington "brought the idea to us" and had assembled a "terrific" group of writers and showrunners, although he declined to share their names.

    As audiences will remember, in the eighth and final season of "Game of Thrones," Jon discovered that he was not in fact the bastard son of Eddard "Ned" Stark (Sean Bean), but a potential heir to the Iron Throne as the secret child of Ned's sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. 

    He also found himself exiled beyond the Wall to live out his days with the Free Folk after committing regicide by killing the crazed Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke).

    According to Entertainment Weekly, speaking during a panel at a "Game of Thrones" convention in 2020, Harington himself said of Jon's future: "The fact he goes to the Wall is the greatest gift and also the greatest curse."

    He continued: "He's gotta go back up to the place with all this history and live out his life thinking about how he killed Dany, and live out his life thinking about Ygritte dying in his arms, and live out his life thinking about how he hung Olly, and live out his life thinking about all of this trauma, and that, that's interesting." 

    "So I think where we leave him at the end of the show, there's always this feeling of like… I think we wanted some kind of little smile that things are okay. He's not okay."

    "Nine Voyages" 

    Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon in "House of the Dragon."
    Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon in "House of the Dragon."

    Deadline was the first to report in early 2021 that a spinoff series about the adventures of Corlys Velaryon, also known as "The Sea Snake," was being developed at HBO with a script from "The Mentalist" creator Bruno Heller and support from Martin himself.

    Although an older version of the character was introduced in the first season of "House of the Dragon," (played by Steve Toussaint), it's expected he will be recast for the stand-alone series, as it follows a much younger version of the character on his sea-faring journeys to Pentos, Dragonstone and around the bottom of Westeros.

    However, speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2022, Toussaint said he would love to be involved, even if it's just for a brief scene."

    "If I'm lucky, I might say to them, 'Let me just be at the beginning [of the show] sitting with a book saying, 'Let me talk about my life,'" he said. "That'll be me petitioning."

    However, at the end of 2023, Martin announced that "Nine Voyages" would be moving from live-action to animation, and explained why.

    In a blog entry on December 31, he wrote: "Budgetary constraints would likely have made a live action version prohibitively expensive, what with half the show taking place at sea, and the necessity of creating a different port every week, from Driftmark to Lys to the Basilisk Isles to Volantis to Qarth to… well, on and on and on."

    "There's a whole world out there.  And we have a lot better chance of showing it all with animation," he added.

    "Ten Thousand Ships" and "Flea Bottom"

    At the same time that Deadline dropped the news about "Nine Voyages," it was also announced that another spinoff series titled "Ten Thousand Ships" was being considered at HBO too, alongside another project, "Flea Bottom," which would be set in the poorest slum district in King's Landing.

    While "Flea Bottom" has since been shelved, it appears that "Ten Thousand Ships" is still going ahead. In an August 2022 interview with The New York Times, Martin stated that the series is set "like a thousand years before" the flagship series and described it as "an 'Odyssey'-like epic." 

    Martin gave a progress update on the series in a June 2024 blog post, announcing that Pulitzer-winning playwright Eboni Booth was writing a new pilot for "Ten Thousand Ships." Booth isn't the first writer to reportedly take a stab at the series: Deadline reported in 2021 that Amanda Segel ("Person of Interest") was attached to the project, and screenwriter Brian Helgeland told Inverse that he had pitched a script but the series wasn't picked up at the time. 

    "We're all very excited about this one," Martin wrote in the June blog post. "Though we're still trying to figure out how we're going to pay for ten thousand ships, three hundred dragons, and those giant turtles."

    If it goes ahead, the series will tell the story of warrior queen Princess Nymeria (the namesake of Arya Stark's direwolf) and the surviving Rhoynars who traveled from Essos to Dorne following their defeat by Valyria and their dragons.

    "The Golden Empire"

    "The Golden Empire" is the working title for the animated series about Yi-Ti, Martin's own fantasy version of Imperial China, which has only been briefly mentioned in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" books.

    Like "Nine Voyages," the series will be animated, and according to the author, the early concept art and script for the series are shaping up quite nicely — but caveated that it could potentially be shelved.

    Writing on his blog in March 2022, Martin stated that they had "a great young writer" working on the show and described the art and animation he had seen as "beautiful."

    In the same 2022 New York Times interview where he spoke about "10,000 Ships," Martin shared more. "We got a terrific script on that," he said of "The Golden Empire."

    However, he added: "Obviously, not all these shows we're developing are going to make it to air, but I hope that several of them do."

    Untitled Aegon's Conquest series

    Aegon's conquest
    Aegon's conquest takes place before the events of "House of the Dragon."

    Almost a year after Variety reported that a show focusing on Aegon Targaryen and his conquest of Westeros was in early development at HBO, The Hollywood Reporter shared some new details about the series which appears to be actively now heating up.

    According to the outlet "The Batman II," screenwriter Mattson Tomlin is working on the treatment for the series, which does not yet have a title. 

    Tomlin will adapt the story of Aegon's bloody and brutal conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, which Martin wrote about in the first half of "Fire & Blood," the same book that "House of Dragon" is adapted from.

    The story is essentially a prequel to the events of "HoD," as it details how Aegon successfully unified six of the Seven Kingdoms with his sister wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, and their dragons in just two years.

    "House of the Dragon"

    Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."
    Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon."

    "House of the Dragon" was the first "Game of Thrones" spinoff series to air, after an untitled prequel series starring Naomi Watts, co-written by Jane Goldman and directed by S.J. Clarkson, was dropped in 2019. 

    Its first season hit screens in 2022 and was a huge success. Its premiere episode broke viewership records at HBO and it went on to earn eight Emmy nominations.

    Unsurprisingly, a second season was quickly confirmed by the network and will be premiering on June 16, 2024.

    In a December 2023 blog entry, Martin stated that while visiting the set of "House of the Dragon" season two, he had discussed the third and fourth seasons of the show with showrunner Ryan Condal and the writing staff. Sure enough, the network ordered a third season before the second had even premiered.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • ‘Bridgerton’ introduced Lady Danbury’s brother, but he’s not in the books — here’s what to know about Lord Marcus Anderson and his future on the show

    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."
    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."

    • Season three of "Bridgerton" features Lady Danbury's brother, Lord Marcus Anderson.
    • He won't be familiar to fans of the "Bridgerton" book series.
    • Lord Anderson was created just for the TV show, but he'll probably be back in season four.

    Warning: There are major spoilers ahead for season three of "Bridgerton."

    Season three of "Bridgerton" delivers plenty of romance — not just for Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, but also for other members of the ton.

    Season three premiered on Netflix in May and concluded on Thursday. Among the returning faces were a handful of new characters, including Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), the brother of Lady Agatha Danbury (Adjoa Andoh).

    Here's everything to know about Lord Anderson and his blossoming romance with another "Bridgerton" character, which seems likely to continue into season four.

    Lord Marcus Anderson doesn't exist in Julia Quinn's 'Bridgerton' novels

    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."
    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton in season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."

    In Quinn's romance novels, Lady Danbury doesn't have a brother. Like newcomer Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), Lord Anderson is an original character created specifically for the TV series.

    When filming for season three began in 2022, Lord Anderson was described as "a charismatic presence who lights up any room he enters, attracting the notice of certain matriarchs in the town — and the ire of others."

    Some fans suspected that he'd be a potential suitor for Penelope, but when promotional materials for season three were released, it became clear that his storyline would be intertwined with Lady Danbury and Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell).

    In one teaser, Lord Anderson and Lady Bridgerton were seen exchanging glances — with the matriarch biting her lip — as Lady Danbury observed with dissatisfaction.

    Fans who watched the "Bridgerton" spinoff series "Queen Charlotte" will recall Violet telling Lady Danbury that she was considering opening herself up to romance again. So, it made sense that Violet's season three storyline would involve the possibility of love.

    Lord Anderson and Lady Violet Bridgerton have a slow-burn flirtation in 'Bridgerton' season 3

    Daniel Francis as Lord Marcus Anderson and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton on season three of "Bridgerton."
    Daniel Francis as Lord Marcus Anderson and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton on season three of "Bridgerton."

    Marcus and Violet first meet outside the Hawkins' Innovations Ball of 1815 during episode three, as he helps her pick her glove off the ground. Marcus approaches her later that night at the ball and Lady Danbury interrupts to reveal that he's her brother who's just visiting town. Even though Violet and Lady Danbury have been friends for years, Violet isn't aware that she has a brother.

    Marcus isn't seen again until episode four, when he dines with Lady Danbury. When asked why he returned to London, Marcus says that his lack of company — and ladies — at his country estate brought him back to town.

    Marcus and Violet talk at another ball, where he tells her that he hasn't been to Mayfair since the early days of marriage. When Marcus asks how she passes time in the city, Violet says that she and Lady Danbury enjoy meddling in the lives of the young people. She adds that Lady Danbury "molds society to her will." This is surprising to Marcus, who says that they're becoming "reacquainted," hinting at some tension between him and his sister.

    Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury and Daniel Francis as Lord Marcus Anderson on season three of "Bridgerton."
    Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury and Daniel Francis as Lord Marcus Anderson on season three of "Bridgerton."

    As Marcus and Violet observe Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) on the dance floor, they talk about their past relationships. Marcus says that his marriage wasn't a love match or even passionate at the onset, but he became fond of her and they were happy until her death.

    Violet then mentions that she had a love match with her late husband, Edmund Bridgerton. In response, Marcus says he's envious, but hopeful of finding a love match in his "second act."

    Lady Danbury leaves the party early but is stopped by Marcus, who asks her to put her molding skills to use in his quest for love. Lady Danbury dismisses him, saying that she's not interested in aiding his raking. But he claims he has pure intentions.

    Season 3 ends on a promising note for Marcus and Violet

    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton on season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."
    Daniel Francis as Lord Anderson, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, and Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton in season three, episode four of "Bridgerton."

    During season three, part two, Marcus pursues Violet as Lady Danbury tries to intervene and set him up with other eligible women in the ton. Lady Danbury's hostility toward her brother isn't explained until episode six, when it's revealed that he prevented her from escaping town and took away her chance at freedom the night before her wedding to Lord Danbury.

    Lady Danbury and Marcus hash out their childhood grievance during episode seven, with Marcus explaining that he snitched on her to their father because he thought he was protecting her from the dangers of the outside world.

    He said that he was always in awe of Lady Danbury's courage but was also afraid of her — hence why he never told her any of this before. Lady Danbury, in response, explains that her life has been so full of joy lately, and she was concerned that he'd take it away from her.

    In the season three finale, Violet asks for Lady Danbury's blessing to see where her feelings for Marcus take her. Lady Danbury tells her that they're adults who are free to do as they please, but if the relationship sours, she's taking Violet's side over her brother's.

    Violet and Marcus are then seen having their first dance together at the Dankworth-Finch ball as Lady Danbury smiles at them in support.

    With a fourth season already in the works, showrunner Jess Brownell teased that fans haven't seen the last of Violet and Marcus' blossoming romance.

    "I love that relationship," she told Entertainment Weekly. "I love what a slow burn it is. For Violet, who hasn't dipped her toes in the dating pool for so long, she needs a very slow burn."

    Season three of "Bridgerton" is streaming on Netflix.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • The US Air Force’s next-gen stealth fighter faces an uncertain future amid modernization cost woes

    The F-22 Raptor.
    The F-22 Raptor.

    • The next US stealth fighter hangs in the balance as the Air Force weighs modernization costs.
    • Officials suggest AI-enabled drone wingmen have a clearer future than the next-gen fighter jet.
    • The drones could end up flying with the upcoming F-35 fleet and other modernized-but-older jets.

    America's next stealth fighter, slated to replace the F-22 Raptor by the close of this decade, may no longer be a sure thing as Air Force officials struggle to balance the ledger amid a long list of high-profile modernization programs.

    This new fighter, being developed within the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, has long been touted as the centerpiece of a new "family of systems" meant to fly alongside a constellation of AI-enabled drone wingmen. Yet recent remarks from Air Force officials suggest those wingmen have a more certain place within America's future airpower apparatus than the NGAD fighter itself.

    When asked directly about the future of the NGAD program, which was supposed to have a contract announced this year, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin made it clear that the 6th generation fighter's future may be far from certain.

    "The deliberations are still underway, there's been no decision made. We're looking at a lot of very difficult options that we have to consider," Allvin told reporters last week.

    In what could mark an even more dramatic shift away from the status quo, Air Force officials have also hinted at a potential return to a fighter development model proposed by Air Force Acquisition Chief Will Roper back in 2019, in which smaller batches of fighters would be designed to operate with shorter lifespans, allowing for rapid design and technology changes as the threat landscape evolves.

    This concept was dubbed the "digital century series" approach at the time, thanks to its emphasis on modern all-digital aircraft design and its similarities to the rapidly changing fighter designs of the 1950s and '60s — ranging from the North American F-100 Super Sabre to the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Most modern fighter designs, like Lockheed Martin's F-35, for example, are meant to fly for a half-century or more, with long service lives seen as justification for their massive developmental budgets. Nevertheless, the F-35's model comes with at least two significant drawbacks.

    Two F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) successfully landed onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth on 1 November 2018 marking the beginning of the second phase of Development Testing (DT-2) of first-of-class flying trials (FOCFT).
    Two F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) successfully landed onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, marking the beginning of the second phase of Development Testing (DT-2) of first-of-class flying trials (FOCFT).

    The first is technological, as purchasing a new fighter today that can remain dominant into the 2070s is all but impossible without adapting to or adopting a variety of new technologies along the way. Being married to a single air superiority fighter design until what could conceivably fly until the close of this century, the Air Force may not be able to rapidly adjust to counter new threats as they emerge.

    "We cannot pursue a lot of eggs in one basket and then find that the threat has advanced," Allvin explained.

    The second drawback is economic, with lifespan sustainment representing a huge portion of a fighter program's overall cost. To use the F-35 as an example again, its overall program cost is now estimated to exceed $2 trillion over the jet's lifetime, but some $1.6 trillion of that — a whopping 80% of the total cost — comes from maintenance and sustainment over its decadeslong lifespan.

    Roper's Digital Century Series model aimed to curtail these costs by instead leaning into agile software development, digital engineering, and open-system modular architecture to allow the Air Force and its prime contractors to rapidly develop and field new fighter designs with enough regularity to limit the lifespan of each to just a decade or two. This would allow the Air Force to continuously field the most advanced airpower assets on the planet while also eliminating the most expensive (later) years of the sustainment cycle.

    "'Built to last' is a tremendous 20th-century bumper sticker, and the assumption then was, whatever you had was relevant as long as it lasts," Allvin said. "I'm not sure that's true anymore."

    There are indeed several good reasons to transition to a model that could produce a new fighter design every decade or two. Not only would such a model mean cutting out the most expensive decades of a fighter's lifespan, but it would also allow for the rapid adoption of emerging technologies in the steady flow of new fighters maturing toward service. That steady flow of new designs could be a boon unto itself, as it could potentially make fighter designs a truly competitive industry once again.

    Today, there are really only three American firms left in the fighter business, all of whom trade largely on other types of military and commercial technologies across their portfolio, as fighter contracts have been few and far between in the modern era. With Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works winning both 1991's Advanced Tactical Fighter competition and 2001's Joint Strike Fighter Competition, it's been 49 years since any company other than Lockheed Martin has won the right to field a new clean-sheet fighter.

    lockheed martin
    The Lockheed Martin logo is displayed near a company-made drone during an exhibit.

    But the Digital Century Series model would see new fighter designs being fielded every five to 10 years, which would mean the development cycle for the next new fighter would likely begin almost immediately after a contract is awarded for the current one. This could create the necessary incentive for a wider variety of firms to compete in the fighter design space, and that competition could be made even greater by separating design and production contracts into separate awards. This could allow newer or smaller firms that lack the production infrastructure required to mass produce new stealth fighters to compete in the design space, with production contracts potentially still awarded to long-standing primes like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, or Northrop Grumman.

    But, there are also some glaring issues with the Air Force potentially reverting to Roper's concept for fighter production this late in the game for NGAD, which has been in active development since 2014.

    "We've already built and flown a full-scale flight demonstrator in the real world, and we broke records in doing it," Roper told Defense News at the Air Force Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference in 2020. "We are ready to go and build the next-generation aircraft in a way that has never happened before."

    These aircraft designs, as well as the more powerful and efficient engines being developed to power them, have continued to mature since, with Northrop Grumman bowing out of the competition in early 2024 and Lockheed Martin and Boeing seemingly competing for the contract award. This could spell a significant cost problem: With this effort maturing for about a decade now, transitioning away from a traditional fighter acquisition model at this stage would force a revision of the designs in testing to embrace lower costs and shorter operational lifespans — which is why Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall described such a change as "far too expensive" in 2022 when the concept of the Digital Century Series lost favor.

    Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall
    Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.

    The Air Force now appears to be coming around to Roper's way of thinking but now must weigh the costs of changing the requirements of a program that's already seen well over a billion dollars and several years' worth of investment. The stakes of these deliberations are already high, but they're made even higher because of the tight timetable created by what some might call short-sighted decision-making around the branch's last air superiority fighter program, the F-22 Raptor.

    Despite first taking flight in 1997, the F-22 Raptor is still broadly considered to be the most capable air superiority fighter on the planet thanks to an awe-inspiring combination of stealth, sensor fusion, and good old-fashioned power. But, because the F-22 entered service after the collapse of the Soviet Union and well before Xi Jinping's rise to power, its production run was cut short after just 186 airframes were produced, only around 150 of which were combat coded (or equipped with all the necessary systems for combat).

    With much of its production infrastructure then cannibalized by the F-35 program, it became all but impossible to produce more Raptors. With each F-22 airframe rated for around 6,000 flight hours, these aircraft can undergo expensive service-life extension programs, but eventually, they will simply wear out. And without a new air superiority fighter in production to replace them, the US runs the risk of leaving the air superiority mission gapped for some time as the new Digital Century Series fighters take shape.

    F-22 raptor f 22

    However, Allvin's comments may have come with something of an ulterior motive. With competition for the NGAD contract underway and the Air Force clearly recognizing how the future of fighter acquisitions may be in flux, these statements may be a means of placing public pressure on Lockheed and Boeing to revise their proposals, particularly in terms of cost. In other words, the Air Force may intend to transition toward the Digital Century Series acquisition model moving forward but may be using the public groundwork for that transition to create negotiating leverage with Lockheed Martin and Boeing today.

    It's also possible that the Air Force has made these announcements to sound the alarm among the lawmaker class, which could potentially bolster the branch's buying power in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act to ensure NGAD continues unfettered despite the Air Force's pressing need to also fund the production of new B-21 Raider stealth bombers and the already well-over-budget Sentinel ICBM meant to replace America's aging Minuteman III missiles.

    Whether or not either of the above two possibilities is the case won't likely be clear until well after the NGAD contract — in whatever form it may ultimately manifest — has been awarded.

    But while the future of the NGAD fighter itself may now be in question, the AI-enabled drones meant to fly alongside it, being developed within the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, seem to be progressing at full steam ahead, with Allvin pointing to similar 10-year acquisition timelines for new CCA drones as well.

    This would similarly allow the branch to rapidly field new technologies and capabilities as they emerge while keeping costs relatively low for each iteration of these drones — with modular systems shared across platforms to keep prices down. These drones are already expected to fly alongside the forthcoming Block 4 F-35 and could certainly end up accompanying other modernized-but-older jets like the F-22 and F-15EX a bit further down the road.

    The question, however, will soon become whether it makes more sense to extend the lifespan of the F-22 long enough to compensate for delays in fielding its replacement or fielding a new high-end fighter that might not have what it takes to remain competitive into the 2070s.

    Regardless of which path the Air Force ultimately chooses, that choice will only get pricier the longer the branch waits to decide.

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  • Biden’s new immigration policy will allow half a million people to stay in the US

    Joe Biden announced his policy shielding 500,000 immigrants from deportation on the 12th anniversary of the DACA program. The protection is for migrants who are married to US citizens.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Katy Perry’s comeback single is already being criticized — and it’s not even out yet

    katy perry american idol
    Katy Perry recently served as a judge on "American Idol."

    • Katy Perry announced her new single, "Woman's World," will be released on July 11.
    • Perry also shared a short snippet of the song on TikTok, teasing a female empowerment theme.
    • The production and lyrics have already been criticized as "dated" and "cliché" on social media.

    Katy Perry's new song won't be released until next month, but the pop star's much-hyped comeback may already be in jeopardy.

    On Monday, Perry unveiled the cover art and title for her forthcoming single, "Woman's World," out July 11, which will serve as the lead single for Perry's seventh album.

    "Get ready to pop off," Perry wrote.

    The as-yet-unnamed album will be Perry's first full-length release since 2020's "Smile," which drew an underwhelming response from critics and fans alike. (Business Insider's music team gave the album a score of 4.6 out of 10.)

    At the time, "Smile" was similarly marketed as a rebirth following backlash to Perry's previous album, 2017's "Witness."

    Since then, Perry has laid relatively low for a chart-topping, record-breaking superstar. She gave birth to her first child with Orlando Bloom, a daughter named Daisy Dove, in August 2020. The following year, she launched "Play," an 80-show Las Vegas residency. Perry has also served as a judge on "American Idol" for seven seasons, wrapping her final episode in May.

    As these endeavors neared their ends, Perry began dropping hints about a big pop comeback — and the timing has not gone unnoticed.

    Over a decade has elapsed since Perry released a celebrated album (2013's "Prism"). Her most recent charting hit was "Daisies," which peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.

    In the words of @mazzypopstar, a pop music commentary account on X: "Last two albums flopped, no hits since bon appetit and swish swish, harleys in hawaii streams aren't paying the bills anymore, landlord knocking on the door, she has ONE chance…"

    When Perry finally kicked off her new era this week, she paired the announcement with a short snippet of "Woman's World" on TikTok. The lyrics seem to focus on female empowerment, individuality, and strength, themes Perry has explored many times in songs like "Firework" (2010), "Roar" (2013), and "Resilient" (2020).

    "Sexy, confident / So intelligent," Perry sings. "She is heaven-sent / So soft, so strong."

    However, Perry's retreat to a familiar formula has not inspired faith in the masses — at least not judging by the reactions on social media.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    "I was rooting for Katy but these lyrics are so dated," one skeptic wrote on X. "It's giving 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign material."

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Some people mocked the song's production and overall sound, leaving harsh comments across TikTok.

    At the time of writing, the top comment on Perry's own video reads, "Get in the studio right now and re-record this song." Another says, "Are these AI lyrics??"

    In separate videos, various creators said the snippet sounds like "cliché drivel" and "an ARTPOP reject track," referring to Lady Gaga's 2013 album.

    Many others criticized Perry's new visual direction, accusing her of cribbing aesthetics from niche pop musicians like Charli XCX — who's enjoying a wave of positive reviews for her new album "Brat" — and the Venezuelan producer Arca.

    One disapproving post on X, which has racked up over 57,000 likes, accuses Perry of manufacturing a certain look in order to appeal to "the lowest common denominator gay guys."

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Another significant chunk of the critiques on social media stems from a rumor that "Woman's World" is produced by Dr. Luke, whom Kesha publicly accused of emotional and sexual abuse.

    Kesha herself added fuel to the fire, simply writing "lol" on X shortly after Perry shared her announcement.

    However, Business Insider could not verify the production credits for "Woman's World." A representative for Perry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Buy BHP and these ASX dividend shares

    Smiling woman with her head and arm on a desk holding $100 notes out, symbolising dividends.

    Fortunately for income investors, the Australian share market is home to a large number of dividend-paying shares.

    But which ones could be good options for them right now? Let’s take a look at three options from very different sides of the market that analysts are tipping as buys this month.

    Here’s what they are forecasting for these top ASX dividend shares:

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    If you are happy to invest in the mining sector, then it could be a good idea to look at mining giant BHP.

    That’s because Goldman Sachs thinks the Big Australian will provide investors with a combination of big gains and attractive dividend yields.

    The broker currently has a $49.00 price target on the miner’s shares. This compares favourably to the current BHP share price of $42.80.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of US$1.42 (A$2.13) per share in FY 2024 and then US$1.26 (A$1.89) per share in FY 2025. At current levels, this equates to dividend yields of 5% and 4.4%, respectively.

    Dexus Convenience Retail REIT (ASX: DXC)

    Another ASX dividend share that analysts are positive on is Dexus Convenience Retail REIT.

    It is a property company that owns a portfolio of service station and convenience retail assets located across Australia.

    The team at Morgans is feeling very positive about the company and has an add rating and $3.23 price target on its shares.

    In respect to income, the broker is expecting dividends per share of 21 cents in both FY 2024 and FY 2025. Based on its current Dexus Convenience Retail REIT share price of $2.67, this will mean very large dividend yields of 7.85% in both years.

    Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

    A third ASX dividend share that could be a top buy for income investors according to analysts is Transurban.

    It is a toll road giant that manages and develops road networks in Australia and North America. In Australia, this includes key roads such as the Cross City Tunnel, the Eastern Distributor, and Westlink M7.

    Analysts at Citi are bullish on Transurban and currently have a buy rating and $15.50 price target on its shares.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 63.6 cents in FY 2024 and then 65.1 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Transurban share price of $12.58, this will mean yields of 5% and 5.2%, respectively, for income investors.

    The post Buy BHP and these ASX dividend shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bhp Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Why are these experts so bullish on ASX copper shares?

    A smiling miner wearing a high vis vest and yellow hardhat and working for Superior Resources does the thumbs up in front of an open pit copper mine, indicating positive news for the company's share price today following a significant copper discovery

    Leading ASX copper shares have returned some outsized gains over the past year amid a fast-rising copper price.

    12 months ago, the red metal was trading for US$8,540 per tonne. Today, that same tonne is worth US$9,665, up 13% at the time of writing.

    That’s helped S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) copper share Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) rocket 36% in a year.

    Dual-listed, Canadian-based Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC) only began trading on the ASX on 8 April. The Capstone Copper share price soared 25% between the close on 8 April and 20 May, when copper prices were near record highs of US$10,889 per tonne.

    Amid the past week’s retrace in copper prices, both Capstone Copper and Sandfire shares have fallen since 20 May, though Capstone shares remain up 3% since 8 April.

    In potentially good news for the miners, however, Citi believes the run higher for the red metal is only beginning.

    Why Citi is bullish on ASX copper shares

    “Citi’s global commodity team continues to highlight copper as their top pick,” Citi analyst Paul McTaggart said last week (quoted by The Australian).

    “Against a backdrop of increasing confidence in traditional non-energy transition demand”, the broker lifted its 2025 forecast for the copper price to US$12,000 per tonne. That’s some 24% higher than current levels and could provide some heady tailwinds for ASX copper shares.

    Indeed, Citi also upgraded Sandfire Resources to a neutral rating, boosting its share price forecast by 13% to $8.90 a share. That’s more than 5% above yesterday’s closing price.

    The broker expects that copper will benefit from looming interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve and other leading central banks. And Citi foresees strong demand amid an improving outlook for global economic growth.

    And then there’s the ongoing energy transition.

    What’s been boosting the copper price?

    A large part of the price boost driving ASX copper shares higher is an ongoing demand growth from the world’s energy transition.

    You’ll find the highly conductive, non-corrosive metal in abundance in wind turbines, EVs, and all manner of electric wiring.

    The rapid advance of artificial intelligence (AI) is also going hand in hand with a sizeable increase in forecast electricity demand. Nations the world over, including Australia, are building new AI-enabled data centres, which require far more juice to run the programs. Not to mention the copper that goes into the facilities themselves.

    And all this comes as miners struggle to meet the growing demand.

    On the supply side, ASX copper shares have benefited from numerous disruptions at major copper mines across the world in recent months, sending the copper price soaring.

    The post Why are these experts so bullish on ASX copper shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Capstone Copper right now?

    Before you buy Capstone Copper shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Capstone Copper wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    A female stockbroker reviews share price performance in her office with the city shown in the background through her windows

    On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a very strong session and raced notably higher. The benchmark index stormed 1% higher to 7,778.1 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to edge lower

    It looks set to be subdued day for the Australian share market on Wednesday despite a reasonably positive session in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 3 points lower. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones rose 0.15%, the S&P 500 pushed 0.25% higher, and the Nasdaq edged higher.

    Oil prices rise

    ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good day after oil prices pushed higher again overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.4% to US$81.44 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.2% to US$85.28 a barrel. This recent rally has been driven by optimism over summer fuel demand.

    Buy Life360 shares

    The Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price is good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. In response to news that the location technology company has surpassed 2 million paying circles, the broker has reiterated its buy rating and lifted its price target to $17.75. It commented: “Life360 put out a media release saying it has just reached 2m global paying circles. This was notably ahead of our forecast which was 1.98m at 30 June 2024 and an increase of 86k in 2Q2024.”

    Gold price rises

    ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.65% to US$2,334.3 an ounce. This follows the release of US economic data which was supportive of US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

    Beach Energy rated as a buy

    Beach Energy shares could also be worth buying according to Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has responded to the energy producer’s strategic review by retaining its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $1.75. It said: “The Strategic Review outcomes are largely as expected; strong on cost out targets and capital discipline. Adjusting for the updated outlook, EPS changes in this report are: FY24 +11%; FY25 -25%; and FY26 -11%.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you buy Life360 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360 and Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 7 of the most faked seafoods in the world

    Seafood is one of the most commonly fraudulent foods we come in contact with, according to the ocean-conservation nonprofit Oceana. Your red snapper could actually be a tilapia fillet. That wild-caught salmon? It could be farm-raised. Crab, lobster, and scallops have also been victims of fraudulent swaps — and some of the substitutions could be harmful to human health. But there are also entire criminal rings smuggling seafood across the world. They often fish illegally and have been involved in human trafficking. Why is it so hard to catch bad actors in seafood supply chains? And how can we make sure we're getting the seafood that's on the label?

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • EV charging company says Fisker ‘abandoned its contract’ — so it’s yanking promo credits from Fisker customers

    Fisker warned staff they might be laid off if efforts to course correct are unsuccessful.
    Fisker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.

    • ChargePoint said it is rescinding charging credits for Fisker Ocean owners who received promos.
    • ChargePoint cited Fisker's contract and said the company had not paid for the credits.
    • Fisker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.

    Fisker filed for bankruptcy on Monday and Ocean owners are already beginning to feel the pinch.

    EV charging company ChargePoint notified some Fisker Ocean owners that the company had rescinded their promotional charging credits on Tuesday morning. The company said in an email to owners who had received charging credits through Fisker that Henrik Fisker's company had "abandoned its contract with ChargePoint."

    "It has done so without paying for any of the promotional charging offers given out to its customers, including the one you redeemed to your ChargePoint account," the email reads, according to a screenshot viewed by Business Insider. "ChargePoint has done everything in our control to reach Fisker and find a way to take care of its drivers, however they have abandoned all communication without resolving payment."

    As a result, ChargePoint said in the email that it would have to relinquish any charging credits on the owners' accounts, but Ocean owners would not have to pay for any credits they had already used via Fisker's promo codes.

    ChargePoint customer service confirmed the email when contacted by Business Insider. A spokesperson for Fisker did not immediately respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

    A ChargePoint electrical vehicle charger next to a Tesla.
    A ChargePoint electrical vehicle charger next to a Tesla.

    Fisker had given some of its customers ChargePoint credits or credits that could be used to subsidize their charging needs to mitigate long repair waits or delivery issues, several owners and two former employees told BI. Fisker first announced a partnership with ChargePoint ahead of the SUV's release in 2023. The company had also said it would offer owners of the Ocean One, a special version of the SUV that was limited to 5,000 cars, a $1,000 ChargePoint credit.

    ChargePoint is not the first company to accuse Fisker of stiffing them. Last month, an engineering company sued Fisker seeking $13 million in damages, alleging the company failed to meet the terms of its agreement. At the time, a Fisker spokesperson said the lawsuit was "without merit."

    The charging credits are just one of many problems Fisker Ocean owners might face in the coming months. Business Insider previously reported that owners were concerned their cars might become unusable if Fisker were to go under. The company told BI last week that it has delivered about 7,000 cars to date.

    Do you work at an EV company or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at gkay@businessinsider.com or 248-894-6012

    Read the original article on Business Insider