A CBP unmanned aircraft stands ready for patrol along the southern border (file photo). Photo: Gerald Nino / U.S. Customs and Border Protection via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

To address growing concerns of cartel activity employing drones along the southern border, the Trump administration has shut down the airspace above the region to all unauthorized drone flights.

One in every 10 soldiers in the Army works in a special operations role, but the commanders of the service’s most dynamic force are considering how they would fit in a conflict between traditional, large-scale formations.
“Obviously, 90% of the Army is not part of USASOC,” said Lt. Gen. Lawrence “Gil” Ferguson, referring to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, which he leads. “So in our small formation we, you know, punch above our weight so to speak with what we do for the joint force.

Image: The Wellness Company

Originally published at CDM.press.
Over the last two weeks, there has been a ton of coverage of a potential lab leak in eastern Russia – a lab leak that could potentially expose the world to the pneumonic plague.
While many, many questions remain, and while the Russian government remains typically silent on answers, there is one thing that we know for sure – the first response to any potential pandemic is an immediate run on the drugs needed to keep people safe.

After traffic through the Strait of Hormuz briefly recovered in September, transit through the waterway has slowed back down to a crawl after renewed Iranian attacks against civilian vessels in the region.

The drop has further shaken an already volatile energy market, which has not yet fully adjusted to the war’s onset in the Middle East in February.

F-22 Raptor in UK. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

An F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team pilot flies towards Joint Base Langley–Eustis, Va., March 8, 2021.

A Russian soldier downed a Ukrainian drone over Moscow with a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft heat-seeking missile – Igla. Right over cars and everything.
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A week ago, President Donald Trump made the shocking announcement that he had agreed to a deal with Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions and buy hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel oil from Russia, amid concerns about still-rising diesel prices.

The deal was lambasted by some Republican senators, who slammed Trump for abandoning an ally, for not informing Congress that sanctions were being lifted, and for undermining the international regime of sanctions on Russia in response to the war in Ukraine.

From sea to land, Royal Marines storm a former

Ukrainian Fight Drone Simulator (UFDS) is an ul

The V-280 Valor, AKA the MV-75 Cheyenne II from

This video describes the military situation in

The Trump White House Descends Into Infighting – President Donald Trump’s White House is said to be descending into internal conflict as the Republican Party prepares for potentially devastating losses in the upcoming midterm elections, and with various members of the president’s staff embroiled in their own scandals.

After disagreements with Trump, disruptions to Starlink, and a general shortage of air defenses, Ukraine is currently vulnerable. Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Russia is capitalizing on Kyiv’s weakened position and has been increasing its attacks against the country’s energy infrastructure.

Unlike previous years, which relied heavily on strategic aviation and cruise missiles, Moscow’s most recent attacks have used drones, particularly the new jet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5.

Britain must prepare for war, and the sacrifice

The Trump Administration’s posture towards Ukraine, vis-à-vis its war with Russia, has changed quite a few times throughout the last 20 months.

President Donald Trump returned to office and, on his first day, repeatedly promised to end the war. That didn’t happen, but the president later hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance dressed him down in front of television cameras.

U.S.

The post Accelerate defense missions with secure, pre-hardened containers appeared first on DefenseScoop.

Greenland has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claim that a surge of oil, gas, and mineral exploration is on the horizon, asserting such projects are several years from starting in earnest.

“Massive Oil, Gas and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin,” Trump wrote on the social media site Truth Social on October 14, referring to the Danish territory as “our new and beautiful Greenland.

The U.S. military is deploying a sizeable autonomous maritime drone with a Navy carrier strike group to support and enhance a real-world conflict operation for the first time, according to the sea service’s acting Secretary Hung Cao.
“The Teddy Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group just deployed on October 8 with a medium-sized unmanned surface vessel. This is the first carrier strike group to ever deploy with a large-size unmanned surface vessel, and this is a force multiplier,” Cao said Thursday. “Imagine having more guns out there.

Russia has almost finished building a sprawling new base for launching jet-powered attack drones near Ukraine, satellite images show.

The site, in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, was a bare field on August 31, but by October 14 it was largely developed, with satellite imagery showing eight launch platforms.

Su-57 Felon Fighter. Image Credit: X Screenshot.

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

The Army is sending 500 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division to Latin America and a headquarters company to Florida as the Army finds itself further involved in the U.S. campaign in the region against drug trafficking groups.
Hundreds of soldiers from the division are heading to Panama to train in jungle warfare, while a contingent of troops will support the task force command overseeing renewed U.S. military efforts in Latin America. The deployment marks a major escalation in U.S.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused President Donald Trump’s demands to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, as the war rages on.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the end of February 2022.

MFOR Rocket Creative Commons Photo

HIMARS Test US Military Creative Commons Photo

Tensions spiraled after Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Previous rounds of peace talks have floundered after Moscow continued to demand that Ukraine cede territory that Russia has failed to occupy.
“The block [on attacking refineries] is out.

A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter has airlifted 18

Republicans’ Tax Cut Strategy Isn’t Winning Over Voters – Every new poll appears to be bad news for the Republicans and President Donald Trump these days, and it looks as though their efforts to win over American voters with sweeping tax cuts aren’t turning their fortunes around. The latest polling suggests that the signature legislative achievement of President Trump’s second term is failing to generate the enthusiasm the party needs ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as Republicans spend hundreds of millions of dollars promoting their economic policy victories.

Relations between Washington and Kyiv continue to spiral downward as Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump keep escalating tensions.

Currently, Zelenskyy is in Brussels, shoring up support from Europe while the White House expresses its frustration with Kyiv’s attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure.

Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

Lancet Drone from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Ukrainian President has accused his American counterpart of betraying Kyiv and restricting Ukraine’s Starlink access for the Ukrainian military for political purposes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Urged to Resign Over U.S. Talks – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is facing calls to impeach his foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, after reports that he contacted American officials to negotiate terms to end the ongoing war.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Faces Challenges

Capt. Kristin “Beo” Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot and commander, banks hard left making vapor trails over and behind the wings during a practice demonstration at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Mar. 23, 2021.

Throughout the first nearly two years of Donald Trump’s second term, the stock market has risen more than 30 percent, while unemployment has remained low. However, because inflation remains stubbornly high, voters don’t see the economy as strong, and it could cost the president’s party the midterm elections.

“It’s still the economy, stupid,” Eduardo Porter wrote in a Friday analysis for The Guardian, referencing Bill Clinton’s adviser, James Carville, and his famous slogan from the 1992 presidential election.

President Donald J.

From treatment to extraction, teamwork is key🟥 The Tactical Medical Wing at RAF Brize Norton demonstrated how its teams deliver critical care and transport patients, wherever the mission takes them✈️ #bfbsforcesnews #forcesnews #news #uk #shorts #army #navy #airforce #military #medical

Army Spc. Nicholas Cabo was visiting a Sam’s Club near a small airfield outside Fort Hood, Texas, when a small plane buzzed overhead.
“I was like, ‘oh, drone,’ and so I stopped and looked. I’m like, ‘it’s coming,’” Cabo recalled.
Finally, he spotted the source of the noise.
“I saw the plane,” Cabo said. “I was like, ‘oh crap, it’s just in my head.’”
Cabo was one of three soldiers at Fort Hood awarded Purple Hearts on Oct. 1 for a ballistic missile attack on a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia last March.

Strikes on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz reached a wartime record last week amid intensified Iranian activity in the vital international waterway.

At least 12 vessels were struck the week beginning Monday, 5th October, the highest weekly tally of the conflict so far, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 27, 2019) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russel (DDG 59) and the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) transit the Eastern Pacific Ocean Nov. 27, 2019.

Hundreds of thousands of homes across Ukraine were left without power overnight into Friday, 16th October, following yet another night of Russian bombardment.

At least 15 people were injured overnight – the latest in a steep rise in civilian casualties in recent weeks.

Putin Back in March of 2025 at Desk Creative Commons Image.

Putin in 2023 Image Credit Creative Commons

The strikes came as tensions remain between the United States and Ukraine, one week after Washington and Moscow agreed to a surprise diesel deal.

Trump Has Few Good Options Left In Iran – President Donald Trump is closing in on the November 3 midterm elections and the second half of his final term as president — and his options in the fight against Iran are narrowing. American military planners are preparing for another potential escalation, including the deployment of the famed “Mother of All Bombs” against Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, and Iranian attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz continue.

Hanwha Systems’ Cheongwang laser air-defence system has recorded a 100% interception rate after neutralising three target drones during a live demonstration for the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country is “done” with a short-lived energy ceasefire in the conflict with Russia.

Kyiv had ceased attacks on Russian oil refineries since Sunday, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which only the latter had observed.

Main battle tank T-14 object 148 on heavy unified tracked platform Armata. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

T-14 Armata. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Trump Threatens Pickaxe Mountain Site – President Donald Trump is threatening to launch a new military strike against Iran — and this time, he’s offering specifics. Trump says that Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear complex could be the target for the next round of strikes, telling Newsmax on Thursday, October 15, that U.S. conventional weapons are capable of reaching it. The president’s comments came just hours after new reports were published about the Pentagon’s plans to attack Iran using the largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal.

The Republican Party is looking at a potentially brutal midterm election, thanks to discontent with the high cost of living and the Iran war, among other issues. And while gas prices get a lot of attention, new reporting suggests higher-than-usual grocery prices are also bothering many voters.

The Grocery Prices Elections 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing consumer prices are up 3.7 percent from a year ago, with food costs up 2.5 percent. Some specific food items were notably more expensive year over year, including fruits and vegetables (up 3.

Key Voters Blight GOP Hopes in Latest Pre-Election Poll – Key voter groups remain critical of U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic management as the midterm elections approach in under three weeks.

A new Harris Poll for the Guardian found that 58% of Americans said the economy was getting worse, up 10 percentage points from the final comparable poll of Joe Biden’s presidency.

President Donald Trump greets President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Friday, February 28, 2025, in the West Wing Lobby.

A £6bn plan to transform submarine maintenance

The views and opinion expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities mentioned.
They die when we abandon them; we lose trust and the strategic advantage. We saw it in Vietnam; we witnessed it in Syria; we continue to see it in Afghanistan; and now we risk repeating the same tragedy with the Iraqi Kurds… again.
If the moral implications of abandoning our allies and leaving them to their fate do not move you, then consider the dire consequences to America’s national security.

BUILT DIFFERENT | Military Motivation
✓ Milit

The war in Ukraine has been a breeding ground for new technologies. Some, like today’s explosive-laden, AI-controlled drones, began their lives as civilian hobbies. Others, like Elon Musk’s Starlink network, initially offered global connectivity, but thanks to its low-latency, high-speed internet, it has become a vital dual-use tool for Kyiv’s forces and is used to direct their weaponry against Russian forces. Another shift that the war has revealed is the precarious position of air traffic.

Civilian airports today appear more vulnerable than they have in decades, perhaps ever.

A U.S. Space Force Guardian assigned to Space Delta 5 monitors a computer workstation at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Dec. 18, 2025. Photo: U.S. Space Force via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

The Space Force activated a dedicated component command for U.S. Special Operations Command, its ninth component command, according to a Space Force announcement and an internal memo first reported by Axios. Space Forces Special Operations, or SPACEFOR-SOC, activated October 7.
The new component command will be headquartered at MacDill AFB, Florida, home of U.S.

Conditions at a cemetery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, recently sparked outrage among veterans and service members on social media following a post to the Army subreddit over the weekend that showed a collapsed burial vault and an exposed casket at the grave marker of a U.S. Army soldier who died during the Korean War.
Pfc. Samuel Pierre Jr. was 23 when he died in Korea in July 1952. Military casualty records list his death as nonhostile. His grave marker now stands beside a collapsed brick tomb at Sweet Olive Cemetery, a historically Black burial ground established in 1898.

Serving in the Army wreaked havoc on Johnny Vargas’ body.
In the past couple of years, doctors fused vertebrae in Vargas’ neck and spine in separate operations. He also has undergone other procedures, including one to fix a torn biceps. Vargas speaks with a youthful exuberance, but he feels the aches and pains of military service.
He is going through another one now. Vargas is in the midst of transitioning out of the military. He did not enter the process unprepared, and speaking recently at the 2026 Military Influencer Conference (MIC) in Tampa, Florida, he thanked his mother for that.

This video describes the military situation in

Mongilio, USNI N.

Joseph Trevithick, WarZone The Army sees modular laser systems not tied to specific vehicles as key to truly operationalizing and distributing counter-drone laser capabilities

Sydney Freedberg the Army’s special operations school is building a cadre of expert warrant officers to wrangle the robots on the battlefield

Courtney Albon, Chris Gordon, A&SF the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.

Bloomberg The Army said it still hasn’t fully fielded the country’s first hypersonic weapon, acknowledging a more than three-year delay in deploying the advanced technology

As China and India have improved their relations in recent months, many observers have attributed this improvement to the end of U.S. strategic altruism toward India. Indeed, in the past year, China has watched India lose its balance and simmer in a sense of strategic disorientation due to America’s change of heart. Delegation after delegation of Indian strategists visited China, trying to mend ties in search of balance in the Chinese view.

An unidentified foreign government has committed a further $18.8 million to developing and integrating a customised version of the F-35 fifth generation fighter, extending a long-running program whose intended customer and technical requirements remain undisclosed. The U.S. Department of War announced the contract modification on October 15, with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics receiving $18,789,801 for additional system development, demonstration and integration work under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.