Air Force Dubs MQ-9 the ‘MVP’ of Epic Fury as Lawmakers Press Manned-Unmanned Future
The Air Force praised the MQ‑9 Reaper as the most valuable platform in Operation Epic Fury, yet its FY27 budget still pours the bulk of aircraft dollars into crewed fighters. Lawmakers highlighted a $1.2 billion cost from 24 Reaper losses, which exceeds the $996.5 million the service seeks for its first Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) procurement. The Reaper fleet has shrunk to roughly 135 aircraft after production of the MQ‑9A ended in 2025, prompting development of a next‑generation modular UAV. The FY27 request marks the first sizable funding for both readiness and modernization, signaling a shift toward a manned‑unmanned force structure.
AI-Powered Tool Helps Navy Talk Thousands of Sailors Out of Leaving
The U.S. Navy’s AI‑driven “Full Power Navy” pilot has persuaded 3,300 sailors who were about to separate to re‑enlist, lifting stay rates by roughly 20% among high‑need personnel. The effort relies on decision‑support tools that flag at‑risk sailors and enable...
US Plans to Shrink Forces Available to NATO During Crises, Sources Say
The Trump administration is set to tell NATO allies that it will shrink the pool of U.S. forces available under the NATO Force Model for major crises. The move follows recent announcements to cut roughly 5,000 troops from Europe and...
Trump Edges Toward New Strikes on Iran
The Trump administration is weighing a fresh military strike against Iran despite formally ending Operation Epic Fury. CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper testified that U.S. forces remain on high alert and the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has...
Ford Carrier Strike Group Receives Presidential Unit Citation After Historic Deployment
Carrier Strike Group Twelve, led by the USS Gerald R. Ford, received the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism during Operation Epic Fury and related missions. The group completed a historic 326‑day, 57,713‑nautical‑mile deployment—the longest since the Vietnam War—returning to...
No Indo-Pacific Peace without Industry Surge and Burden Sharing, US General Says
U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson told the 2026 Land Forces Pacific Symposium that lasting peace in the Indo‑Pacific hinges on a combined military‑industrial effort, not just battlefield concepts. He highlighted South Korea’s ship‑overhaul work and rising defense budgets across Asia...
Trump’s Golden Dome Missile Shield Estimated to Cost $1.2 Trillion
The Congressional Budget Office released a projection that the Trump administration’s proposed Golden Dome national missile defense system would cost about $1.2 trillion to build and operate over the next two decades. Acquisition costs alone top $1 trillion, dwarfing the $185 billion the...
Pentagon Seeks Additional Funding as Cost of Iran War Tops $29 Billion
The Pentagon disclosed that the war with Iran has now cost roughly $29 billion, up from $25 billion just two weeks earlier, as officials testified before Congress. Acting comptroller Jules Hurst said the rise reflects higher equipment‑repair and operational expenses, and does...
US Navy Open to Building Ships Overseas, New Plan Says
The U.S. Navy’s FY2027 shipbuilding plan introduces the option to contract allied shipyards for certain vessels. It earmarks $2.3 billion to buy five fuel tankers and $450 million for a consolidated replenishment tanker, potentially built abroad. The plan seeks to expand the...
Trump Says War on Iran Not ‘Done’ — but Concerns Rise About Munitions Shortages
President Donald Trump told reporters the war against Iran is not over despite formally ending Operation Epic Fury on May 1. He claimed roughly 70% of Iranian targets have been hit and warned the U.S. could resume strikes within weeks. Israeli...
Marines Expand Arctic Footprint with New Alaska Rotation
The Marine Corps announced Campaign‑Alaska, creating a rotating Marine Rotational Force‑Alaska (MRF‑Alaska) and a permanent Supporting Arms Liaison Team‑Alaska (SALT‑Alaska). The permanent unit will be stationed at Joint Force Elmendorf‑Richardson by fiscal year 2027, incorporating elements of the 6th Air...
5 US Bases Selected for Anti-Drone Pilot Program
The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 has chosen five U.S. military installations—Fort Huachuca, Fort Bliss, Naval Base Kitsap, Grand Forks AFB, and Whiteman AFB—for an anti‑drone pilot program that will evaluate directed‑energy weapons. The effort follows recent laser tests in...
Ukraine and Russia Fight on Despite US-Mediated Ceasefire
Ukraine and Russia entered a U.S.-mediated ceasefire slated for May 9‑11, yet both sides reported immediate violations. Moscow claimed over 23,800 Ukrainian breaches, while Kyiv logged 180 clashes and civilian casualties along a 745‑mile front. President Trump expressed optimism about extending...
Air Force Experimenting with Using AI for Promotion Boards
The U.S. Air Force has created an "AI Action Team" that now numbers about 100 members to boost AI literacy and explore practical uses of the technology. One pilot project targets the officer promotion board, where AI will automate data‑gathering...
Hegseth Aims to Cut Through the Bureaucracy with ‘Deal Team Six’
The Department of Defense has created “Deal Team Six,” an elite group of private‑sector negotiators embedded in the Pentagon’s Economic Defense Unit. The team’s mandate is to overhaul the legacy Defense Acquisition System, replacing it with a Warfighting Acquisition System...
Marines to Phase Out F/A-18 Maintenance Jobs as Hornet Era Ends
The U.S. Marine Corps will phase out all enlisted jobs tied to the F/A-18 Hornet as it moves to an all‑F‑35 tactical fleet, deactivating the remaining Hornet squadrons by 2030. A MARADMIN outlines that six maintenance specialties—mechanic, avionics and technician...
India to Build Strategic Outpost Near Key Shipping Lane in Indo-Pacific
India is moving ahead with a $9 billion infrastructure program on Great Nicobar Island, a strategic outpost just 150 km from the western entrance of the Malacca Strait. The multi‑phase project will create a container trans‑shipment terminal, a dual‑use airport, a power...
As the US Army Adds Drones to Formations, Here’s How One Base Trains Its Operators
The U.S. Army’s new Marne Unmanned Center of Excellence at Fort Stewart opened in March to train soldiers on combat drones. The curriculum blends classroom instruction, 40‑50 hours of virtual‑reality simulation, and live‑flight tests that include obstacle courses and one‑way...
US and Iran Exchange Fire as Trump Says War Will ‘Be over Quickly’
The U.S. military struck Iranian missile, drone and command sites after Iran launched missiles, drones and small boats at three U.S. destroyers transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the response was defensive and no U.S. vessels were hit. President...
Military Spouses Head to the Hill, Push for Removal of Barriers to Small Businesses to Boost Retention
A coalition of more than 50 military‑spouse‑owned small businesses traveled to Capitol Hill to push the Military Spouse Small Business Recognition Act. The legislation would waive SBA loan fees up to $1 million, lower equity‑injection requirements, and place spouse‑owned firms in...
White House Casts Cartels, Jihadists and Left-Wing Extremists as ‘Significant and Pervasive’ Threats to US
The White House unveiled a 16‑page counterterrorism strategy that brands drug cartels, jihadist groups, and violent left‑wing extremists as the nation’s most significant threats. Senior counterterrorism director Sebastian Gorka said the plan will systematically erode each group’s infrastructure by targeting...
Naval Aviators Will No Longer Command Amphibious Warships, CNO Says
The Navy’s chief of naval operations issued a memo that, starting in fiscal 2028, surface warfare officers will replace naval aviators as commanding officers of all amphibious assault, transport, and landing ships. The change follows a sharp dip in amphibious...
France Moves Aircraft Carrier to Red Sea with Eye on Hormuz Mission
France deployed the Charles de Gaulle carrier group, accompanied by Italian and Dutch warships, to the Red Sea as a forward element for a potential multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. The move backs a Franco‑British diplomatic proposal...
Coast Guard to Stand up Special Forces Command
The U.S. Coast Guard will stand up a Special Missions Command in October 2026 to unify its elite maritime response forces. The new command will oversee units conducting counter‑terrorism, drug interdiction, port security, disaster response, and joint operations with other...
Coast Guard to Deploy Autonomous Saildrones on Great Lakes
The U.S. Coast Guard will field Saildrone’s autonomous, wind‑ and solar‑powered surface vessels on the Great Lakes from May through October. The uncrewed USVs, equipped with radar, optical sensors and collision‑avoidance tech, will augment maritime domain awareness across the 90,000‑square‑mile...
Here’s What’s Behind the US Army’s $2.1B R&D Funding Increase
The U.S. Army is proposing a 12.9% boost to its research and development budget, adding $2.1 billion to reach $18.7 billion in FY2027. The increase funds a $2.9 billion science‑and‑technology pool aimed at next‑generation systems for the Army of 2040, as well as...
US Army Fires Tomahawk Missile From New Typhon Launcher During Philippines Drill
The U.S. Army Pacific’s 1st Multi‑Domain Task Force and the Philippine Army Artillery Regiment test‑fired a Tomahawk cruise missile from the new Typhon launcher in Ilocos Norte, striking a target 995 km away in Nueva Ecija within 61 minutes. The launch was...
Career Submariner Selected to Perform Duties of Under Secretary of the Navy
Retired Navy Captain William Toti, a 26‑year submarine veteran and former Pentagon aide, has been named to perform the duties of Under Secretary of the Navy as of May 1. He steps in after Hung Cao assumed the role of Acting...
US Destroys Six Iranian Small Boats, Shoots Down Missiles, Drones, Admiral Says
The U.S. military reported destroying six Iranian small boats and intercepting cruise missiles and drones as it launched a large‑scale operation to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial traffic. Admiral Brad Cooper said the effort involved about 15,000...
Impacts of Strait of Hormuz Tensions Stifle Searches for US Missing in Laos
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) cancelled four recovery teams in Laos scheduled for April 27‑June 10 because fuel shortages—sparked by the Strait of Hormuz blockade—have crippled diesel supplies. Earlier, the same shortage forced a 10‑day curtailment of a Feb‑April mission. An...
US Denies Iranian Reports of Strike on Warship, Says Ships Transit Hormuz
U.S. Central Command confirmed that two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, refuting Iranian media reports that a U.S. warship had been struck. Tehran claimed it forced a warship to divert after firing a warning shot,...
US Withdrawing 5,000 Troops From Germany, US Officials Say
The Pentagon announced that 5,000 U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Germany over the next six to twelve months, cutting the American presence back to pre‑2022 levels. The drawdown follows President Donald Trump’s criticism of German officials for what he...
Marine Corps Fields 3,500 First-Person View Attack Drones
The U.S. Marine Corps has fielded over 3,500 first‑person view (FPV) attack drones, up from zero in October 2024. The surge follows a top‑down directive and the creation of the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team in January 2025, backed by...
US to Close Its Flagship Gaza Mission as Trump Plan Stalls
The U.S. military‑run Civil‑Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel is set to be closed by the Trump administration, according to Reuters sources. Its duties will be transferred to a newly created International Stabilization Force (ISF), which will operate with roughly...
Air Force Units Earn Honors for Rescues During US Evacuation From Afghanistan
Three Air Force units from Davis‑Monthan Air Force Base received the Presidential Unit Citation for their pivotal role in the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. The 55th and 48th Rescue Squadrons and the 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron formed part of a 176‑member...
‘A Beans and Rice Diet’: Government Watchdog Finds Issues with Military Cost of Living Pay
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report revealing that the Department of Defense (DoD) relies on flawed sampling and inconsistent processes when setting cost‑of‑living allowances (COLAs) for service members. The audit highlighted disparities between overseas (OCONUS) and continental‑U.S. (CONUS)...
US Marine Corps Replaces Basic Reconnaissance Course with Expanded Training
The Marine Corps has launched a new Ground Reconnaissance Course (GRC) that replaces the long‑standing Basic Reconnaissance Course. Debuted on April 27 at Camp Pendleton, the GRC pairs with the Amphibious Reconnaissance Course to form the initial phase of the...
New Arctic Combat Course Teaches Troops to Fight and Win in Extreme Conditions
The 673d Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson has begun trial runs of a five‑day Arctic Combat Development Course, designed to teach Airmen combat‑ready skills in extreme cold. The curriculum covers arctic medicine, snow‑machine mobility, cold‑weather weapons handling, and...
US Navy to Extend Service Life of Amphibious Assault Ship USS Wasp by 5 Years
The U.S. Navy has approved a five‑year service‑life extension for the lead Wasp‑class amphibious assault ship, pushing USS Wasp’s operational window to 2034. The move follows a Navy‑Sea Systems Command study and signals a broader review of life‑extension options for other...
Trump Says He Discussed a Ukraine Ceasefire with Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he suggested a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine during a 90‑minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The proposed pause would coincide with May 9, the anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II, and...
Brain Function Evaluations to Be Part of Marine Health Records
The U.S. Marine Corps is embedding computerized brain‑function assessments (ANAM) into its health records to track blast‑related injuries. Baseline ANAM testing now covers high‑risk personnel such as weapons instructors, with full integration into annual health exams slated for September 2027....
Navy Releases List of Ships It Plans to Inactivate This Year
The U.S. Navy announced it will inactivate 14 ships during fiscal year 2026, including two Los Angeles‑class submarines, an Ohio‑class ballistic‑missile sub, two Ticonderoga‑class cruisers, and a Freedom‑class littoral combat ship. The vessels will be recycled, dismantled, repurposed as logistics support...
US Marines Help Gun Down Beach Invaders in Simulated Philippines Defense
Exercise Balikatan 2026 staged a live‑fire counter‑landing on Palawan’s west coast on April 27, with U.S., Australian, New Zealand and Philippine troops repelling a simulated amphibious assault. Over 500 soldiers participated in the beach drill, part of a larger multinational exercise...
Pentagon’s FY27 Budget Seeks 85 F-35s, but Most Ride on Reconciliation
The Pentagon’s FY 2027 budget request calls for 85 F‑35 Lightning II fighters, up from 47 in FY 2026, marking the largest single‑year buy since 2022. Only 32 of those jets are funded through the base discretionary budget; the remaining 53 depend on...
Golden Dome Has ‘Pathways to Pivot’ if Delays Arise, General Says
Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the $185 billion “Golden Dome” national missile‑shield initiative is on track to achieve operational capability by mid‑2028. He highlighted a scalable, modular architecture and a new “ecosystem hub” that...
Why Aircraft Carriers Are the Best (and Worst) Place for Laser Weapons
In October 2025 the Nimitz‑class carrier USS George H.W. Bush successfully used a 20 kW palletized high‑energy laser (P‑HEL) to track, engage and neutralize 17 hostile drones, including swarms, during a live‑fire test. The system, derived from AV’s LOCUST laser and supplied by the Army’s...
US Air Force Looks to Launch Cheap Missiles From Cargo Aircraft
The U.S. Air Force issued a Request for Information for a new Family of Affordable Mass Missiles – Beyond Adversary’s Reach (FAMM‑BAR), a low‑cost, long‑range air‑to‑surface weapon that can be launched from cargo‑plane pallets, fighter lug mounts, and naval platforms....
US Army Eyes a Heavier, Hybrid-Powered Infantry Squad Vehicle
The U.S. Army is expanding its Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) fleet by procuring a heavier, hybrid‑electric variant known as the ISV‑Heavy. Under a three‑contract effort, the service plans to add 606 ISV‑Heavy units to the existing 1,105‑vehicle fleet, shifting the...
Global Military Spending Surges and Reaches Record High
Global military spending hit a record $2.9 trillion in 2025, marking the 11th straight year of growth, even as U.S. defense outlays fell 7.5% to $954 billion. Europe led the surge, increasing 14% to $864 billion, while Asia‑Oceania rose 8.1% to $681 billion. Russia...
A Century of the ‘Ma Deuce’: How the M2 Browning Became America’s Workhorse Machine Gun
The M2 Browning .50‑caliber machine gun, affectionately called “Ma Deuce,” has been in continuous U.S. service for over a century. Designed by John Moses Browning and refined after World War I, it proved adaptable to aircraft, naval vessels, and ground platforms,...