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Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

A large clear balloon floats on a tarmac at night as workers prepare it for launch.

Valiant Shield

Flight operations personnel prepare to launch a high-altitude balloon in support of Exercise Valiant Shield 2024 at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam, June 10, 2024. The balloons provide the military with long endurance and persistent air-based capabilities that serve as a platform for different payloads such as sensors, communication relays, and weather monitoring systems. Valiant Shield allows the U.S. to work with regional allies in its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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