M. Scanlon, Military T. The Defense Department and Lockheed Martin agreed to a 10-year framework that the Pentagon says guarantees at least 850 F-35 Lightning II fighters for the U.S.

Joseph Trevithick, The WarZone Bombers are now being viewed as another potential air-to-air asset on top of growing the fighter fleet and establishing a CCA force.

On the morning of October 22, Russia and Ukraine again traded blows with each other as the war in Eastern Europe shows no sign of slowing down.

Kyiv launched another large-scale attack against the Moscow region.

Su-57 Felon from Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Su-57 Felon Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

According to Russian authorities, more than 600 attack UAVs were launched against Russian territory on Thursday morning.

Initial reports suggest the attack may have struck a repair depot in the Moscow region.

The safest place on a Ukrainian battlefield may now be underground. As The Atlantic recently reported, the drone saturation over Ukraine has driven both armies beneath the bloody battlefields. On parts of the front today, the most valuable terrain may be a rusting Soviet gas pipe about four and a half feet across.

In four and a half years, this war has moved from the trenches of 1916 to the Cu Chi tunnels.

Neptune Missile. Image Credit: Government of Ukraine.

Ukraine War Map. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Now the tunnels come pre-built, courtesy of Gazprom.

France is experiencing widespread demonstrations that have reportedly escalated into rioting, vandalism, arson, and looting.

More than half a million demonstrators reportedly took part in protests last weekend, and authorities have reported more than 2,500 arrests and thousands of attacks on local businesses.

Meanwhile, an arson attack reportedly devastated the historic town hall in Limoges.

The unrest began innocently enough, with student protests over educational conditions — but quickly expanded to include broader economic and political grievances.

Among the numerous, interlocking theories that Donald Trump has claimed cost him the 2020 presidential election was the idea that some foreign power had interfered.

In July, almost six years after that election, Trump suddenly claimed that China had intervened in 2020.

President Donald J. Trump greets Ambassadors David Perdue and Xie Feng, Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi at Beijing Capital International Airport, China on Friday, May 15, 2025, before boarding Air Force One en route Washington, D.C.

In all his election campaigns, Donald Trump has done well in rural areas, including among Americans who live in farm country or are farmers.

But now, heading into the midterm elections, there are many indications that farm country is beginning to lose faith in Trump and Trumpism.

President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in the Oval Office. Vice President JD Vance attends. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins)

President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in the Oval Office.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum this week barring Pentagon and military personnel from placing financial wagers — specifically “including traditional betting platforms and prediction markets such as ‘Polymarket’ or ‘Kalshi’” — using non-public, government information.
The directive, dated Oct. 20, was obtained by DefenseScoop on Thursday. A source confirmed its authenticity. It comes as the U.S. government and federal law enforcement officials are responding to a rise in insider trading tied to sensitive military operations.

Lib Dem MP and former Army officer Mike Martin

Ukrainian forces appear to have struck a Russian military repair facility near its capital city of Moscow during a massive overnight drone offensive.

The strikes involved hundreds of uncrewed aircraft launched toward Moscow and other regions across Russia.

Putin with a Rifle. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

President Donald J. Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during the G20 Japan Summit Friday, June 28, 2019, in Osaka, Japan.

After losing fellow marines in Iraq, Jeff Lindquist struggled with post-traumatic stress that was steadily destroying his life. Years later, an innovative technology helped him reclaim it. This is the story of Jeff and Erik Won, two veterans who served together, and how efforts to help Jeff recover was the first step on a mission to help others suffering from post-traumatic stress do the same, using Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy (MeRT) and synchronized transcranial magnetic stimulation.

A new poll CNBC released on Thursday, October 22, only reinforces the perception that an unmitigated electoral disaster is coming for the Republican Party this Midterm election cycle.

The election is just 13 days away.

Donald Trump speaking to supporters at an immigration policy speech at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. By Gage Skidmore.

President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. Vice President JD Vance attends. (Official White House Photo by Emily J. Higgins.

According to The New York Times, U.S. and Israeli military planners are preparing a new operation that would place substantially more pressure on the regime in Tehran after nearly eight months of war, even after Iran warns that it will begin targeting more Gulf-region military and political sites connected to the United States.

Among the potential targets being considered are Iranian oil and energy infrastructure, its nuclear sites, including the famed Pickaxe Mountain facility, ballistic missile production sites, and drone stockpiles.

The Iran war has jacked up oil prices dramatically, and Trump has few ways to bring it back down: The average gasoline price in the United States, as of GasBuddy’s weekly report on Monday, was $4.24 per gallon, down slightly from the previous week and month but still high by historical standards, up more than a dollar from a year ago.

Some of the recent decline, analyst Patrick De Haan wrote, was due to some states suspending their gas taxes.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber, deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., lands at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 4, 2020.

A proposed summit between President Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping has once again drawn parallels to the 1945 Yalta Conference.

The summit, which took place in the Ukrainian resort city on what is now Russian-occupied Crimea, saw the leaders of the US, Britain and the Soviet Union negotiate the future of postwar Europe – ceding swathes of Europe to Moscow.

President Donald J.

Sometimes the most important airborne strike packages never drop a bomb.

On Monday night, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets and their refueling aircraft flew more than 800 miles east, crossed Syrian and Iraqi airspace, and pushed right up to the Iranian border before turning around and heading home.

Iron Dome from Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-15I Ra’am from Israel. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

11 million sold.

If Democrats have a big night in the midterm elections in early November, President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a war in Iran will be a major reason why.

The war has been unpopular since it began, for several reasons.

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors assigned to the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and Philippine Air Force FA-50PH light jet fighters conduct joint combined exchange training, above Basa Air Force Base, Phillipines, on Aug. 9, 2024. Joint combined exchange training is critical to enhancing U.S. and Philippine Air Force interoperability in a free and open Indo-Pacific.

President Donald Trump continues making his bold promises in the last two weeks before the Midterm elections here in the United States.

He promised to give us 5,000 dollars extra if Americans just turned out to vote for the GOP.

The forty-seventh president, acting less like a statesman and more like a carnival barker, is throwing goodies at anyone who will listen to his increasingly desperate pleas for support.

U.S. Special Operations Command is conducting market research as it looks to fulfill a requirement for a common platform-as-a-service environment near its headquarters.
The command is eyeing an “integrated contracting vehicle” for the initiative, according to a draft performance work statement published Wednesday night on a government contracting website.
A common PaaS environment is needed near MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, to enable collaboration among traditional and non-traditional vendors, users, and government program teams, per the draft PWS.

Ukraine has made no secret of its desire to join NATO, viewing the alliance as the strongest hedge against future Russian aggression.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is still advocating Ukrainian accession today, even as negotiations to end the war loom.

F-16 fighter from Lakeland, Florida Air Show. National Security Journal Original Photo.

Yet despite years of advocacy, NATO membership remains highly unlikely for Ukraine in the foreseeable future.

While NATO has repeatedly affirmed that Ukraine belongs in the alliance, significant obstacles to accession remain.

Global Ordnance has signed a master supply agreement with battery manufacturer Sparkz for the production of drone battery packs for the US military.

BFBS Forces News has discovered that the MOD is

President Donald Trump has run out of options to lower gasoline and diesel prices before Americans vote on November 3, as Republicans face a high likelihood of losing control of Congress.

With less than two weeks to go, fuel prices remain significantly higher than a year ago, and energy analysts overwhelmingly agree that the administration’s most recent interventions will do little to improve the situation, at least before election day.

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

After a 10-month deployment that was extended twice, including 40 days of combat operations against Iran that kept sailors at sea for 265 days without a port call, the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln and their families are preparing to move to a new base just weeks after arriving home. 
By the end of this year, the aircraft carrier will shift its home port from San Diego, California, to Bremerton, Washington, for long-planned maintenance, a Navy spokesperson told Task & Purpose. The Navy has set Dec. 31, 2026, as the administrative date for the change.
As of Oct. 22, the Navy’s Dec.

Russia has claimed that its air defense system shot down 808 Ukrainian drones overnight, as a munitions factory near Moscow was apparently targeted in a major blow to its air defense capability.

Airports Closed as Moscow Shot Down Hundreds of Drones, Mayor Claims

Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

Lancet Drone from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that 163 drones were brought down by air defense systems near Moscow.

The United States and Israel could be set to launch a fresh wave of strikes against Iran in early November, according to a source brief on military planning who spoke to NPR.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously ruled out any further military action before the midterm elections, which are due to take place on Tuesday, 3rd November.

An A-10C Thunderbolt II sits under a sun shade July 29, 2014, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The A-10’s primary weapon is a single 30mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun.

The Northern Ireland Troubles – MPs back

Iran’s floating piggy bank, its shadow fleet of oil tankers, is empty.

For much of this conflict, the Iranian regime had a cushion that never showed up on a balance sheet. Dozens of tankers sat in Asian waters holding millions of barrels of crude, and the regime sold that oil to Chinese refineries one tanker at a time.

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

An HH-60H Seahawk, from the “Eightballers” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 8, flies past Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) during flight operations.

Airmen training to join the Air Force’s special operations roles are moving through the service’s training courses months faster and with less downtime, officials said. 
Over the last year, the Air Force has changed its training pipeline for airmen who want to join pararescue, combat control, Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), or special reconnaissance fields, which the Air Force refers to as its special warfare roles.

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) claimed seven boats have been attacked or mined in the Persian Gulf and the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz.

The IRGC is listed as a foreign terrorist group by the U.S. government.

An F/A-18C Hornet, assigned to the “Stingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 113, transits over the haze of southern Afghanistan. VFA 113, part of Carrier Air Wing 14 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

As Russia looks set to return to negotiations with the United States and Ukraine, and as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicates he is willing to freeze the front lines in a new ceasefire, Moscow authorized a massive missile strike campaign against the Ukrainian capital city overnight into Thursday, October 22.

The strikes came only hours after Putin agreed to resume U.S.-mediated talks.

Su-35 Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Su-57 Felon Screengrab from Russia. Image Credit: X Screengrab.

Russia launched a major ballistic missile attack overnight into the morning of Thursday, 22nd October, killing two people and injuring 34 others.

The strikes, which saw at least 21 ballistic missiles launched towards Kyiv in three separate waves, damaged buildings and infrastructure across a dozen Ukrainian regions.

Putin in August 2021 Russian Federation Photo

Putin at a Conference 2026. Kremlin Handout Photo.

The strikes came hours after U.S.

Today, the Royal Navy ensures that one of its V

Iran is threatening to launch strikes against U.S. military bases and other U.S.-linked targets across the Middle East if President Donald Trump goes ahead with rumored plans to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran ahead of the November 3 midterms.

The warning was issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on October 22, and comes as attacks against commercial shipping continue to intensify.

The Democrats have sued U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration amid ongoing accusations of electoral fraud.

The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration has tried to pressure state election officials to remove eligible voters from voter rolls, refuse ballots, and comply with federal demands based on questionable claims of noncitizen voting.

Both the White House and the Department of Justice reject the allegations, insisting that their actions are lawful efforts to prevent election fraud.

A Lengthy Lawsuit
The 44-page lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, 20th October.

To cool red-hot diesel prices, the Department of Energy aims to boost diesel refining capacity in the United States and abroad.

The reason? Looming midterm elections in November.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a federal agency, diesel prices are up nearly $2.66 from a year ago and average nearly $6.30 nationwide today.

Oil fields. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Oil Platform. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested his greater willingness to exercise presidential power is a key reason to support the Republican Party at next month’s midterm elections.

Speaking in Northern Kentucky on Saturday, 17th October, Trump pointed to his administration’s adoption of the name Gulf of America as evidence that his second presidency operates differently.

President Donald J. Trump speaks with members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April 16, 2026, en route Joint Base Andrews for a trip to Las Vegas.

This video describes the military situation in

US Air Force fighter fleet mix today and in 2035, based on Air Force figures cited by Tabor. Chart: CDR Salamander / Substack

I think I have posted as many pro-USAF posts in the last year as I have in the last decade…and I ain’t happy about it.
However, you have to give the Boys-in-Blue a tip of the hat. They have their new fighter by number, even if they have not given it a name yet or given everyone a good view of it.
They have their new bomber on the way.

Griffin Jax stands alone in Major League Baseball as the only active player to graduate from one of the United States military service academies. Jax graduated from the Air Force Academy and completed two years of active-duty service before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve.
Jax is still in the Reserve, but now, his focus is elsewhere. Jax, who will turn 32 years old next month, is a starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays. His team will face the Milwaukee Brewers in the 122nd World Series, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night.

Gulf oil exports are surpassing prewar levels despite Iranian attacks, as U.S. Navy and military protection, offshore cargo transfers, and alternative pipelines keep supplies flowing.

Tanker charges, insurance premiums, and crew bonuses make delivering Gulf oil expensive.

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Mediterranean Sea, August 1, 2025. Gerald R. Ford, a first-in-class nuclear aircraft carrier and deployed flagship of Carrier Strike Group Twelve, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S.

Ukraine War Update – Here Are Some of the Latest Updates on the War That Just Won’t End: As winter approaches and temperatures in Eastern Europe start to drop, Russia is increasing its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

According to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, Russia has already stockpiled enough missiles and drones to destroy Ukraine’s energy grid, and it keeps producing more.

M109 Artillery Creative Commons Photo.

Because of the ongoing war in the Middle East, transporting oil through the Strait of Hormuz has become dangerous.

With the threat of Iranian attacks still present and naval mines still present in the waterway, many tankers have decided that sailing through the Strait simply isn’t worth the risk.

(March 7, 2016) An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Warhawks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97 performs a flyby during an aerial change of command ceremony above USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Ukrainian drone operators caused approximately 70 percent of the simulated casualties suffered by a U.S. Army armoured brigade during the first three days of a major military exercise in Germany, exposing vulnerabilities in American forces’ ability to operate under persistent aerial surveillance and drone attack.

This video describes the military situation in

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that B-21 Raider next generation strategic bombers could assume a substantially greater role in air-to-air combat, potentially carrying dozens of long-range missiles to supplement the firepower of conventional fighters. The concept is being examined as the service prepares for a potential high-intensity conflict with China, where advanced Chinese combat aviation capabilities and the distances involved in operations across the Pacific could place considerable pressure on American fighter forces.

DefScoop The Marine Corps has instructed organizations across all of its echelons to provide authorized personnel with their own Maven Smart System accounts on the applicable networks that they…

Warrior M.

TWZ The image of the VX-31 Super Hornet gives us a glimpse of what’s soon to appear in the fleet, and the two missiles will also be joined by the AIM-424 Malice