Defense Blogs and Articles
Defense Blogs and Articles
Defense Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
MP Materials posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $52.7 million and net income of $9.4 million, buoyed by a U.S. Department of War price‑floor agreement. The company recorded a 12% year‑over‑year increase in rare‑earth oxide concentrate, producing a record 50,692 metric tons, and more than doubled NdPr oxide output to 2,599 metric tons. It halted sales to China, shifted toward higher‑value separated products, and delivered its first commercial NdFeB magnets while securing a $200 million incentive for a new Texas facility. New long‑term offtake contracts with Apple and a strategic OEM, likely Tesla, underline its expanding downstream footprint.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan erupted into open hostilities after Pakistani forces conducted airstrikes on key Taliban‑run military installations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. The strikes, announced by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, were framed as a response to a...
A wave of phishing campaigns is targeting individuals searching for programming jobs, using fabricated job listings to harvest credentials. At the same time, North Korean APT37 has released new tools that weaponize removable media, raising concerns about air‑gap breaches. The...
Chinese firm MizarVision posted high‑resolution satellite images showing U.S. F‑22 fighters at an Israeli base, sparking speculation that the pictures came from Chinese satellites. Analysts from the South China Sea Probing Initiative, led by Hu Bo, used satellite ephemeris and resolution...
The article proposes converting decommissioned U.S. vessels into sea‑going factory ships and power‑plant ships to slash logistical delays in the Indo‑Pacific against a rising Chinese threat. It argues that current stockpiles could be exhausted within a week of conflict, making...
The 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) reorients U.S. competition with China from a primarily military focus to an economic‑centric paradigm, emphasizing political warfare, gray‑zone activities, and supply‑chain resilience. It calls for leveraging alliances, reindustrialization, and civilian tools such as the...
The article argues that decentralized resistance networks collapse not because combat cells are penetrated, but because connector roles—couriers, logistics, safe‑house managers, communications technicians, and external liaisons—create high‑centrality nodes that become single points of failure. Modern counter‑network tactics such as F3EAD...
Federal immigration agents have begun adopting Special Operations Forces aesthetics and tactics, a shift highlighted by two fatal shootings in Minnesota in early 2026. Data shows only about 5‑6% of ICE arrests involve violent offenders, yet the agency has expanded...
The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) is now being implemented through agency deviations, with the Department of Defense (DoD) issuing class deviations covering most FAR parts from 1 to 52. Twenty‑four agencies have already adopted RFO Part 12, and the DoD’s...
The Ukrainian Ground Forces' 68th Jaeger Brigade has been transferred from the 9th Army Corps to the Air Assault Forces and will be re‑designated as the 68th Airmobile Brigade. The unit will join the 8th Air Assault Corps under new...
The Center for Strategic and International Studies reports that President Xi Jinping has launched a second, far more extensive wave of purges within the People’s Liberation Army, removing 36 generals and lieutenant generals and bringing the total number of senior...
U.S. defense leaders face a persistent tactical edge communications vulnerability as near‑peer adversaries enhance electronic warfare. Elsight’s Halo platform offers a multi‑bearer, beyond‑line‑of‑sight solution that maintains low‑signature, resilient connectivity for unmanned systems and edge sensors. The system has logged more...
On February 17, 2026 the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend the FAR and enforce Section 5949 of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act. The proposal bans federal agencies from acquiring semiconductor parts, products,...
Renewed fighting erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region in January, prompting flight suspensions and mass cash withdrawals as civilians feared a repeat of the 2020‑2022 war. The previous conflict killed up to 600,000 people, displaced millions, and inflicted widespread sexual violence,...
The article argues that military effectiveness in prolonged conflicts erodes primarily due to institutional stress rather than platform loss. It highlights logistics, energy, personnel, civil‑military coordination, and cyber/space vulnerabilities as decisive late‑phase factors, especially for Indo‑Pacific deterrence. Planners are urged...
Wright‑Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio’s largest single‑site employer, is emerging as a premier hub for additive manufacturing within the U.S. Air Force. The Rapid Sustainment Office recently awarded a $2.5 million contract to develop a nine‑foot fused filament printer, aiming to...
On December 25, the United States conducted its first airstrike against a jihadist stronghold in northern Nigeria, followed by the deployment of roughly 100 U.S. advisors to train local counter‑terrorism forces. The initial team is expected to be supplemented by...
The article argues that the United States must restructure its Special Operations Forces (SOF) to confront adversaries’ gray‑zone tactics. It proposes dropping counterinsurgency and foreign humanitarian assistance from SOF’s core activities and adding Persistent Gray Zone Operations (PGZO). PGZO would...
New America’s Future Security Scenarios Lab released a report titled “Threat Complacency and Nuclear Risk,” examining how repeated nuclear warnings have dulled urgency among policymakers and the public. The lab will host a virtual conversation on March 4, 2026, featuring lab director...
A U.S. Air Force C‑146A Wolfhound collided with a concrete barrier while attempting a road take‑off during a joint training exercise in Laoac, Pangasinan, injuring all five crew members. The drill, conducted with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, was...
Four years after Russia’s 2022 invasion, the conflict has settled into a grinding stalemate, with Russia controlling roughly one‑fifth of Ukrainian territory and both sides suffering up to 1.8 million casualties. Civilian deaths exceed 15,000 and millions remain displaced, while reconstruction...
The Joint Special Operations University released "Resilience and Resistance," the first comprehensive canon guiding SOF, interagency, and conventional forces on irregular warfare, competition, and deterrence. The volume blends military science, political science, sociology, and history, offering case studies from Cuba...
The essay by Austin Gray in Proceedings draws on his experience with Ukrainian intelligence near Bakhmut, highlighting four lessons for modern warfare. He argues that countertargeting, a survivable‑or‑attritable platform paradigm, organic information‑warfare capabilities, and resilient leadership are essential for naval...
Researchers at Nanchang Hangkong University have created a dual‑phase silicon carbide ceramic reinforced with multilayer boron nitride nanosheets, delivering a 94.5% increase in flexural strength to 477 MPa and a 50% boost in fracture toughness. The composite, called DS@4MBNS, also achieves...
On February 18, 2026 the General Services Administration issued a proposed revision to the System for Award Management (SAM) certifications required of federal financial assistance recipients. The draft adds attestations covering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) compliance, immigration status verification,...
![Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Feb 25, 2026] Mesh Feigenbaum on Global Industrial Capacity](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/1cb37981ae9f3cdac29002d825392184.webp)
Mesh Feigenbaum, a leading forging‑press expert, released an updated benchmark revealing that global capacity for massive aerospace and defense forging presses is shrinking as aging equipment retires faster than replacements arrive. The study warns that unplanned press failures can stall...
The United Nations will adopt the ninth Global Counter‑terrorism Strategy (GCTS) by June, marking the 20th anniversary of the original resolution. Recent budget turmoil and Security Council tensions have raised doubts about achieving consensus among 192 member states. Co‑facilitators from...
The United States dispatched a dozen F‑22 Raptor jets from the United Kingdom to Israel and has moved more than 150 aircraft to bases across Europe and the Middle East following the collapse of the second round of nuclear talks...
Australian security agencies have linked Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to two high‑profile firebomb attacks in 2024‑25, exposing a direct crime‑terror nexus. The attacks were facilitated through Australia’s lucrative illicit tobacco market, a $10 billion underground industry driven by the...
On Dec. 26, 2025 Israel became the first nation to recognize Somaliland’s independence, prompting an emergency UN Security Council session where 14 members condemned the move. Israel cited cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and mineral access, while the United Nations...
Dr. Nathan Jones, associate professor at Sam Houston State University and senior fellow at SWJ El Centro, has been featured in major media outlets discussing the fallout from the reported death of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes,...
Intelligence and National Security announces a special issue dedicated to sources and archives for Cold War European intelligence history. Editors Matteo Giurco and Christopher Moran seek papers that examine institutional archives, open‑source material, memoirs, and the gaps left by classified...
Shield AI announced that its X‑BAT vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing combat drone will begin flight testing near Newton, Kansas, later this year. The company highlighted VTOL capability as the program’s core differentiator during the AFA Warfare Symposium. X‑BAT is designed to combine stealth,...
The U.S. Department of Defense has warned AI firm Anthropic that it could be labeled a “supply chain risk” unless the company lifts its self‑imposed bans on autonomous weapons and surveillance use. Anthropic, which was cleared for classified work in...
China’s Ministry of Commerce escalated economic pressure on Japan by adding 20 Japanese firms to its export control list and another 20 to a watch list, targeting dual‑use items. Foreign Minister Wang Yi intensified rhetoric, accusing Japan of harboring ambitions...
Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, unveiled on 17 February 2026, places critical minerals at the core of national security and industrial policy. The government frames domestic mining as essential for defence supply chains, reducing reliance on China’s near‑monopoly over rare earths and...
![DEFAERO Strategy Series [Feb 24, 26] Bendett and Rumer on Latest Russia-Ukraine Headlines](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/09bdd3a3c64821d9c72edc0ae467a7c1.webp)
The DEFAERO Strategy Series podcast examined the Russia‑Ukraine war as it enters its fifth year, highlighting evolving warfighting tactics, the impact of SpaceX’s Starlink suspension, and Russia’s strained finances. Experts discussed whether economic pressure could coax Moscow away from maximalist...
Four years into Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s Internet has not collapsed despite extensive damage to its telecom infrastructure. Roughly 25 % of cables and equipment were destroyed, representing a $1.6 billion loss, yet service persisted through rerouting, redundancy and rapid repairs. The resilience...
The GAO’s Morrish‑Wallace Construction decision clarified that an amendment to an Invitation for Bids is material when it adds new performance requirements, even if the price impact is negligible. In the case, a revised sheet‑pile cap size increased material costs...
Lawfare’s new article argues that judicial review of executive national‑security claims enhances democratic legitimacy and strengthens defense outcomes. The authors contend courts can competently assess sensitive security matters without compromising classified information, preventing abuse and improving decision‑making. They link judicial...
The article argues that the United States must seize early leadership in space mining to secure economic, energy and geopolitical advantages as extraction technologies become viable. It highlights the trillion‑dollar profit potential of asteroid resources and the strategic value of...
Global defence spending reached $2.63 trillion in 2025, a 2.5% year‑on‑year increase driven by heightened great‑power rivalry. The United States shifted its strategy toward homeland defence and burden‑sharing, proposing a multi‑layered “Golden Dome” missile shield while scaling back direct aid to...
Taiwan’s integrated, multi‑layered air‑defence system is designed to detect, track, and engage ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and aircraft across the Taiwan Strait. The architecture combines early‑warning radars such as Pave Paws, airborne E‑2K Hawkeyes, and a network of fixed and...
Operation MacroMaze, a Russia‑linked APT28 campaign, targeted Western and Central European organizations from September 2025 to January 2026. The attackers embedded an INCLUDEPICTURE field in Word documents that fetched a JPG from webhook.site, creating a covert tracking pixel and confirming document opening....
ACUA Ocean’s Pioneer is a 14.2‑metre SWATH‑based uncrewed surface vessel that prioritises stability and endurance over speed. Certified by Lloyd’s Register within 16 months, it can operate in sea state 5, carry up to 7 tonnes of payload through a central moonpool,...
The essay argues that conspiracy theories function as cognitive environments that can be weaponized in modern conflict, influencing threat perception, trust, and identity before overt actions occur. It presents the Existential Threat Model, detailing five structural elements—pattern, agency attribution, meaningful...
The essay warns that Western reliance on the Internet is underpinned by Amphibious Critical and Defensive Infrastructure (ACADI)—the global network of undersea and landing‑station fiber‑optic cables. Roughly 900,000 miles of cable move $22.4 trillion of data daily, and a 24‑hour outage...
The Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) has reopened its Call for Special Operations Papers, targeting concise, high‑impact research that bridges education and operational practice. Submissions must focus on one of ten technology‑centric topics, ranging from AI‑driven targeting to space‑cyber‑STRATCOM integration,...
The opinion piece warns that a shrinking federal workforce is widening talent gaps for U.S. national security. It highlights that government, academia, nonprofits, international bodies, think tanks, and industry all provide viable pathways for young professionals. The author stresses the...
The Pinnacle conference highlighted cognitive warfare as the new decisive terrain, where narrative dominance can outweigh kinetic force. Repeated, low‑level disinformation creates cognitive attrition that erodes public resolve faster than traditional cyber attacks. Decision‑centric, agentic AI and open, modular systems...
