A kill chain measured in seconds cannot depend on processes measured in weeks or months. The Pentagon recognizes that drone proliferation and AI-enabled lethal targeting are reducing decision cycles and increasing the premium on speed. The 2025 drone and acquisition reforms and the 2026 Artificial Intelligence Strategy call for faster procurement, fewer integration barriers, open architectures, continuous experimentation, and greater access to emerging technology.

In 79 A.D., Gaius Plinius Secundus, known today as Pliny the Elder, was the supreme commander of the Roman imperial fleet, permanently stationed at Misenum near Naples. He died during the eruption of Vesuvius, after sailing across the bay on a valiant but unsuccessful rescue mission. Amid such heavy responsibilities, Pliny also wrote one of antiquity’s great encyclopedic works. He read and excerpted books of all kinds, and he knew something about Roman monuments.

Soldiers and families gather at a memorial ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2010, the first anniversary of the 2009 shooting (file photo). Photo: SPC Alisha Hauk / U.S. Army via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas on December 3, and the public will be able to watch it, ABC News reports. A Pentagon official told the network that the execution will be live-streamed.
The execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas is scheduled to take place on December 3 at 1 p.m.

The U.S. Air Force is preparing an advanced flight-testing program for its F-47 sixth generation fighter, combining conventional flight tests with digital modelling, simulation and earlier operational evaluations to accelerate the aircraft’s development. The Air Force Test Center (AFTC), based at Edwards Air Force Base in California, is working to ensure it can begin testing the aircraft’s critical capabilities as soon as the first example takes to the air, currently scheduled for 2028.

Pete Hegseth has served as Secretary of Defense—or, as he calls it, “Secretary of War”—since Donald Trump began his second term.

In his first term, however, Trump had much more turnover at the Pentagon.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Turner, 40th Flight Test Squadron commander flies 40 FLTS Senior Enlisted Leader, MSgt Tristan McIntire during a test sortie in the F-15EX Eagle II over the Gulf of Mexico on Jun. 14, 2022. Assigned to the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., the F-15EX Eagle II is the Air Force’s newest 4th generation fighter being tested at the 40 FLTS.

In September, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rose sharply after a lull in the U.S.-Iran war.

For a brief period, oil flows through the Strait approached, and at times exceeded, prewar levels, much to Iran’s displeasure.

U.S.

The Russian state defence conglomerate Rostec has confirmed that new batches of Su-34 strike fighters are already being manufactured, following confirmation of the delivery of the latest batch. This follows multiple indicators that the Russian defence sector has prioritised efforts to expand production of the aircraft, with output by 2025 reported to have reached double that seen before 2022 at close to 30 fighters per year. “The Su-34 is the undisputed best seller in the world of combat aviation.

The US has announced that it is taking decisive action against Iran’s “shadow fleet” – a group of vessels with offshore stockpiles of crude oil that Tehran is attempting to sell at below-market prices.

Iran Evades US Sanctions Through Ship-to-Ship Transfers

PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 1, 2024) The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26) comes alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) for a fueling-at-sea, Oct. 1, 2024. Theodore Roosevelt, flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9, is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S.

A bipartisan bill proposed in the Senate would require the Pentagon to continuously vet the commercial tech giants from which it buys frontier AI for security vulnerabilities, algorithmic failures and other emerging risks accompanying the models that could compromise U.S. defense and national security. 
Put forward by Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., the 18-page legislation would direct the secretary of defense to create new “reporting requirements and voluntary guidance for large” AI contractors.

With the onset of Russia’s latest campaign to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Moscow has widened its strategic bombing campaign to include bridges.

In recent days, Russia has been targeting major bridges in some of Ukraine’s largest cities, including Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia.

MSTA Artillery Firing Creative Commons Image

MSTA Russian Artillery Creative Commons Image

The tactic aims not only to disrupt Ukraine’s rear-area logistics but also to make life in Ukraine’s cities as difficult as possible.

President Donald Trump doesn’t seem to believe in surprise when it comes to military attacks.

Throughout the Iran War, he has frequently spoken about wanting to attack specific locations or targets, often stating in interviews or at rallies that he’s thinking about going forward with such attacks. Sometimes he has carried out those attacks, and other times he hasn’t.

Gas Prices in Davenport, Florida. Image by National Security Journal.

Multiple projectiles struck a tanker ship sailing off the coast of Qatar, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, an emergency contact body known by its acronym UKMTO, reported. It added that casualties were also reported.

The ship in question was struck while 94 kilometers, or about 58 miles, north of Madinat ash Shamal, a city in the country’s north.

USS John C. Stennis Carrier. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

ARABIAN SEA (Dec. 14, 2018) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C.

More than 2,000 troops from six nations are tak

Cobra Warrior is the UK’s biggest homeland ai

Sparrows Point and the Baltimore waterfront. Image: Google Maps via CDR Salamander / Substack

The Sparrows Point Shipyard outside Baltimore has a history dating back to 1887.
She is one of the many neglected and underused monuments to a once great industrial power just waiting for the right people with the right vision to return.
I think we have it.

Donald Trump very clearly sees himself as one of history’s greatest presidents. Most other people, though, don’t see it that way.

In a bizarre August social media post, Trump posted a tiered ranking of presidents, naming himself “The Greatest” above the tier he called “Great,” which included Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson.

Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: Gage Skidmore.

U.S. President Donald Trump poured cold water on reports that Washington was preparing new strikes against Iran before the November midterms, announcing that the U.S. would not launch new strikes in the short term.

In a Truth Social statement, the president hinted at a possible diplomatic breakthrough with Iran, citing productive discussions with officials in Tehran.

B-2 Bomber Dropping Bomb. Image Credit: DOD.

The war, however, is far from over.

Veterans looking to find a dentist through Department of Veterans Affairs health clinics waited nearly two months for a first appointment, according to new figures provided by the VA to Task & Purpose. That delay is about three times as long as the typical time a returning patient can expect to get dental care in the VA system.
Established patients, who accounted for more than 90% of VA dental appointments, wait an average of 14 days, VA officials told Task & Purpose, compared with an average wait of 51 days for new patients.

The Chief of the Defence Staff has told BFBS Fo

The Strait of Hormuz is not the whole map; it is only one part of the broader 2026 U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, although it is a critical maritime chokepoint through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and LNG transited before the conflict began.

U.S. airstrikes have spanned far beyond the strait, including strikes by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on military targets across Iranian territory such as Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas.

F-14 Tomcat like flown by Iran. 19FortyFive.com photo taken by staff.

Iran’s Drones That Russia Is Using.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Iran has “lost complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, as he touted what he believes to be the return to normalcy of the world’s oil supply routes, particularly to the US, where the ongoing conflict has seen pump prices rise sharply over the last couple of months.

Nuclear Capabilities are Unacceptable

Donald Trump. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Donald Trump in 2023. Image Credit: Gage Skidmore.

Only 26 days remain until the midterm elections on November 3. The situation in Iran looms large over the entire election.

The White House wants everyone to believe the president controls the clock. A White House official told The Hill that “the president holds options.”

A-10 Warthog. National Security Journal Photo Taken on 9/26/2026.

“The Commander-in-Chief has all options available at any time.

The United States is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing,” the official said.

An oil tanker in the Gulf reportedly came under fire from “multiple projectiles,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported.

The attack also caused casualties, and the tanker was identified as the Acers, which flies the Antigua and Barbuda flag.

War in Iran Causing Heightened Attacks

U.S. Navy Diagram. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 9, 2012) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits the Pacific Ocean. John C. Stennis is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility while on a seven-month deployment. (U.S.

Drone simulators are giving cadets hands-on pil

Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby approved a departmentwide instruction that went into effect this week and details how the Pentagon will award action-based financial bonuses to innovative cyber warriors.
The directive, approved on Sept. 30 and effective Oct. 5, establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for the “Cyber Operations-Peculiar Awards” program authorized by Section 1124a of Title 10 U.S.C.

The US may soon see the resumption of large-scale attacks against Iran in the coming weeks, as the country also prepares for the midterm elections in November.

What’s On the Table?

U.S. Air Force Maj. Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot and commander, flies an F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 421st Fighter Generation Squadron during Naval Air Station Key West 2023 Southernmost Air Spectacular over Boca Chica Field in Key West, Florida, April 14, 2023. The F-35 demonstrated its capabilities during the airhshow, along with the U.S.

Air Force bases in Florida are prepping for Hurricane Isaias, issuing evacuation orders and moving aircraft ahead of the storm’s potential landfall on Friday. 
On Wednesday, the 1st Special Operations Wing commander directed residents in private military housing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and an RV site associated with the base to evacuate “out of an abundance of caution.” About 1,000 residents were ordered to evacuate by 5:00 p.m. Thursday.

After decades of believing the risk of air-stri

Washington’s Difficulty in Enforcing its Economic Sanctions on Iran – The United States is expanding its crackdown on Iran’s shadow fleet, targeting not only the tankers that move sanctioned oil but also the maritime companies that fuel, repair, and guide them through some of Asia’s busiest shipping lanes.

Under heavy sanctions that severely limit its ability to export oil, Iran is using ship-to-ship cargo transfers to sell millions of barrels of sanctioned oil to trading partners.

F-35. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin.

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Jan.

Ukraine Reclaims Territory Amid Russian Donbas Offensive – Ukraine appears to be clawing back some of its territory in the eastern Donbas region, complicating Russia’s efforts to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held cities throughout Donetsk. It raises new questions about Moscow’s ability to achieve its objectives on the battlefield, with President Vladimir Putin setting a deadline for Russian forces to capture the remainder of Donetsk Oblast by the end of 2026.

Pneumonic plague infographic. Image: The Wellness Company

No, you aren’t dreaming, no you haven’t been teleported back to the Middle Ages, and no this isn’t the script to a summer Hollywood blockbuster. No, sadly, this is reality – we are really hearing and reading about a potential outbreak of the pneumonic plague in Russia.
According to Axios:
The White House is monitoring a suspected outbreak of pneumonic plague in Russia, raising immediate concerns for scientists, researchers and health officials worldwide.

The Air Force is revamping how F-16 crews inspect a “blind spot” in the plane’s engine that has been at the root of at least two crashes in the last two years, including one that destroyed an Air Force Thunderbird in late 2025.
Pilots of two F-16s bailed out safely after their engines partially blew apart during routine flights in 2025 and 2024. In both cases, Air Force investigators traced the failure that doomed the planes to unrepaired damage within a “blind spot” inside the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine.

Over the last decade, Donald Trump has often relied on an extremely loyal base that has shown up for him in all three of his presidential runs.

But now, with the midterm elections weeks away, shaping up to be a bloodbath for Trump’s party, there are signs that the president is losing some support from voters of his own party — and that many Republicans may stay home this November.

Gas Prices on May 9 outside of Orlando, Florida. Image Credit: National Security Journal.

Rheinmetall and Praetorian Aeronautics have delivered a prototype of the Autonomous-Engagement-Rapid-Interceptor-Effector (AERIE), a containerised counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) launcher.

In 1620, Dutch inventor Cornelis Drebbel built

With less than a month before the November 3rd midterm elections, President Donald Trump faces increasingly dire polling. New state-by-state data from Civiqs shows Trump with positive net approval in just 11 states. That leaves him behind in 39 states. National surveys tell a similar story.

Recent Reuters/Ipsos and AP-NORC polls place Trump’s approval at approximately 31–32 percent.

President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City, New York, Friday, August 14, 2026.

Pentagon Ordered to Prepare For New Strikes On Iran – The Pentagon has reportedly ordered U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to prepare for a large new military offensive against Iran amid reports that President Donald Trump is considering fresh attacks ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Per Axios, a directive was issued several days ago, and the operation being considered could involve extensive bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure — as well as other strategic targets.

President Donald Trump doubled down on his warning that Iran could eventually use a nuclear weapon to strike American cities, insisting during a campaign rally speech in Texas on October 7 that the United States had no choice but to launch strikes against Iran.

The comments follow days of controversy over his earlier suggestion that Iran could attack Los Angeles or San Diego, with media outlets and Democratic politicians wrongly describing his words as a call for Iran to strike the U.S.

The morning of October 7th, local time, marked the 74th birthday of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and also the start of Russia’s annual air campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Throughout the night, Russia launched the first of what is likely many missile attacks against Kyiv’s critical heating infrastructure, ahead of the incoming winter.

T-90M from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

T-72 Russian Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The attack utilized more than 70 missiles of various types and dozens of attack drones.

Russia launched a large drone and missile strike on Ukraine overnight on Wednesday, in an attack that struck a residential building in Pryluky, located in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region.

The strikes, which killed at least 18 people, coincided with the 74th birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin at SCO Conference Creative Commons Image

Vladimir Putin In March 2018 Creative Commons Image

Taking to social media, the Ukrainian president posted a video of cleanup efforts following the Russian bombardment.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed on Wednesday, 7th October, that Iran has “lost complete control” over the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio, speaking at a press conference during a visit to Greece, said the vital waterway was “open,” even as traffic fell to a two-month low that same day.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal 1st Class Christopher Courtney assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six (EODMU-6), Det. 16 assist his team members during Special Purpose Insertion Extraction (SPIE) training from an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter.

Watch the moment HMS Dragon comes home!

This video describes the military situation in

Is Trump Preparing to Strike Iran Again? – U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a fresh military offensive against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections — a departure from his former strategy of “low-keying it” with Iran until after the American people choose the makeup of the next Congress. The Pentagon is said to be preparing options for potentially massive strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.

Whether your aviation community is fixed-wing or rotary, attack or transport, tailhook or not, there’s likely someone in your unit who played an Ace Combat game as part of their journey into military aviation. The arcade flight simulator series debuted in 1995 and merges face-paced action with semi-realistic gameplay.
Also Read: 7 of the most realistic military games available
While that latter aspect of the game has varied between entries, developer Bandai Namco put in serious work to make its latest game one of its best yet.
Don’t worry, no spoilers here.

Oil prices are rising again as Iran ramps up shipping attacks in the Strait of Hormuz: Optimism grew that prices would decline after Middle Eastern oil exports returned to pre-war levels at the end of September as producers sought alternative export routes.

However, Iran has ramped up strikes on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with traffic returning to the lowest level seen in months.

USS Iowa Harpoon Canister. Image Credit: Harry J. Kazianis/National Security Journal.

Harpoon Missile Onboard USS Iowa. Image Credit: National Security Journal.

U.S.

Donald Trump Fails to Heal Wounds with Californian Cities Clarification – Donald Trump has sought to clarify his controversial remarks in which he invited Iran to strike two Californian cities.

Speaking at a rally in Nebraska on Monday, 5th October, the President joked that “taking out” Los Angeles or San Diego would be a “small price to pay for keeping the world safe.”

President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the 450th mile of the new border wall Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, near the Texas Mexico border.

Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz is slipping. Maybe for good, Washington says.

Early last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran has lost control of the Strait of Hormuz. He added that the United States will target anything that threatens its forces or global navigation in the waterway. He also confirmed what everyone already knew.

(Dec. 01, 2020) – The guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) launches a Block V Tomahawk, the weapon’s newest variant, during a missile exercise.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the war with Ukraine and the hostilities with the West could reach a “fatal point of no return” – right as Moscow intensifies its war against Ukraine and tensions between the Kremlin and NATO countries rise to levels not seen since the Cold War.

Putin issued the warning during an October 1 speech at the Valdai Discussion Club, arguing that a cycle of increasingly aggressive retaliation between major powers risks becoming uncontrollable.

As the conflict in Iran threatens economies worldwide, officials are doing everything they can to keep their countries’ economies from spiraling further.

Iraq, for example, has devalued its currency against the US dollar, putting the exchange rate at roughly 1,500 Iraqi dinars per 1 US dollar.

The French Marine Nationale aircraft carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91), and the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) are underway in formation in the Red Sea, April 15, 2019. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S.