HMS Prince of Wales has stopped in Scotland to

The Marine Corps is rebooting how it trains Reconnaissance Marines, with an overhaul of the program’s notoriously tough training curriculum.
Marines who wish to serve as part of a scout or reconnaissance team will no longer go to a 12-week Basic Recon Course, instead will need to complete two new courses: the Ground Reconnaissance Course and the Amphibious Reconnaissance Course. The first now serves as the initial part of the training curriculum, and its first class reported on Monday, April 27.

Weeks after A-10s helped save two downed aviators behind Iranian lines, the Warthog community capped off the month with a third rescue: a 73-year-old Florida man who fell off his boat. 
The rescue came as two A-10s from the 74th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia were training over the Avon Park, Florida bombing range and received a call from local authorities to deconflict nearby airspace as part of an ongoing search. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office was using patrol craft, helicopters and even drones to scour the nearly 4,000-acre Lake Arbuckle for a distressed boater.

Army v Navy is back🏉 — and you can watch t

Eight major U.S. technology companies have signed formal agreements to deploy their frontier AI capabilities on the Defense Department’s classified networks “for lawful operational use,” according to a Pentagon press release published Friday. 
DOD’s new deals with SpaceX, OpenAI, Google, NVIDIA, Reflection, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle follow a major contract dispute between the department and Anthropic that culminated earlier this year over potential ethical constraints that accompany the use of AI in warfare and for national surveillance.

Insiders with access to U.S. military war plans may be placing many more bets on real-world operations than previously understood, a team of researchers said Thursday.
Researchers studying betting patterns on the Polymarket prediction site found that nearly 52% of “longshot” bets placed on recent U.S. military actions were correct and paid off handsomely to unknown bettors. Similar bets on “political” topics have about a 14% success rate on the site, the team said. That success rate, researchers say, suggests that insiders were behind at least some of the bets.

For years there has been talk of body armour ta

President Donald Trump has tapped Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess to be the third person to lead the Space Force as chief of space operations, the service announced Friday.
Schiess currently serves as the Space Force’s deputy chief of operations — a position he has held since November. If confirmed by the Senate, he would receive his fourth star and succeed CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman as the Space Force’s highest-ranking officer.
“The Space Force has made tremendous progress in a short time, and our mission has never been more important,” Schiess said in a statement.

In a major break with tradition, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle has directed that the Navy ships that transport Marines into war zones be commanded by surface warfare officers instead of aviators.
The change applies to amphibious assault ships, transport docks, and dock landing ships, Caudle wrote in an April 24 memo that has been shared on Reddit. The Navy confirmed to Task & Purpose that the memo is authentic.

From Lt Col Asad “Genghis” Khan USMC about the responsibility of command for Marine Officers and NCO’s – You must be willing to die for your men because they are willing to die for you.
Into the Lion’s Den podcast with Commander Dan O’Shea airs Friday May 1st 2026 on AFP.

The post If You Won’t Die With Your Marines, Don’t Wear The Uniform – Into The Lion’s Den Podcast Preview appeared first on Armed Forces Press.

As April comes to a close, so does the Month of the Military Child—a time for our nation to acknowledge and recognize the resilience, adaptability, and strength of the youngest members of military families. But for those living this life every day, the calendar turning to May doesn’t mean the challenges or sacrifices disappear.
It means we carry on, as we always have and always will.
Also Read: 7 exceptional teens win 2026 Military Child of the Year Award
Military children live in a world shaped by change.

When Russian subs are spotted near UK waters, i

This video describes the military situation in

See video below.
John Bolton spoke to Anderson Cooper on CNN last night and commented on Iran War developments.
Overall, he was supportive of their initiative.
Key points:
> He thinks that the Iranian leadership IS badly fractured, a consequence of the number of leaders eliminated.
“That to me is a sign that the collapse of the regime is making progress,” he said. “We should go back at it. Not talk to them, but continue the job.”
> He however thinks that Trump’s current Iran ceasefire “essentially” only benefits the regime.

As the Marine Corps prepares to introduce a robotic wingman drone into its aviation fleet in the next few years, officials are simultaneously parsing out its long-term plans for developing unmanned aerial vehicles for other missions.
The Corps wants to begin operational testing of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) platform by 2029, said Col. Richard Rusnok, branch head of the Cunningham Group, the service’s aviation-focused innovation unit.

Corporals and sergeants usually tasked with the

Axon Vision has successfully completed operational demonstrations for its EDGE ClearSky drone detection system.

Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer Inkas has launched a next-generation M1 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (M1 MRAP) vehicle.

The Air Force has been trying to retire the A-1

THIS IS WHERE BOYS END — MEN BEGIN | Military

Iranian-aligned hackers sent threatening WhatsApp messages to some U.S. service members at bases in the Persian Gulf, warning that they were about to be targeted by missiles and drones.
“Your identities are fully known to our missile units,” at least one of the messages sent Monday read. “Very soon, you will be targeted by our Shahed drones and Kheibar and Ghadeer missiles.”
Both the FBI and military authorities are investigating the texts, which were claimed by the Handala Hack Team.

The U.S. Armed Forces are considering deploying the country’s first ground-based hypersonic missile system, the Dark Eagle, to support an expected resumption of hostilities against Iran. The system was designed to provide a high-speed, long-range precision strike capability able to penetrate advanced multi-layered defences, making it optimal for attacks on strike time-sensitive targets. The U.S.

Nobody ever warns you about the Army’s drinkable water. There’s no pamphlet at the recruitment office, no orientation slide at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station). One day, you’re a civilian, sipping the finest of faucet water, the next, you’re filling a canteen from an old container that smells like it was last cleaned during Desert Storm.

The WarZone
Active Protection Systems will give Marine ACVs a critical new layer of defense against anti-armor threats that could also help down incoming drones

CDR Salamander
There is a point an officer’s career when they take a double take, and ask the question, “Why is that amphib commanded by an aviator?

Riley Ceder, Navy T.

BD
Navy and Marine Corps leaders said they are considering shaking up the 36-month Optimized Fleet Response plan, in lieu of a longer cycle that can accommodate two deployments

Riley Ceder, Navy T.
The U.S.

Since the inaugural women’s Inter Service

This video describes the military situation in

Modern peer combat has blown apart the myth of protected combat medical units. On the battlefields of Ukraine, scores of medical personnel, shielded in theory by both international law and historic norms, now lie dead. To survive in this environment while rescuing others, medics ranging from junior enlisted caregivers to senior physicians need tactical experience under fire. Skipping this training leaves them vulnerable and turns them into a security risk — a losing formula in modern combat.

As American and Iranian diplomats gathered in early April in Islamabad for Pakistan‑mediated ceasefire talks to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and its regional allies, including Hizballah, a sticking point emerged: whether the ceasefire was to include Lebanon. The United States and Israel initially rejected the notion that Lebanon had been part of the agreement, with President Donald Trump referring to Israeli operations there as a “separate skirmish.

The Russian Aerospace Forces has deployed Tu-95MS bombers for a flight over the international waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas, as the aircraft continue to be relied on heavily to serve as the air arm of the country’s nuclear triad. The Russian Defence Ministry reported on April 30: “Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ long-range aviation performed a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Barents and Norwegian Seas. The flight lasted over seven hours.

The United States Department of Defence is requesting a $6.1 billion funding boost for the B-21 Raider next generation bomber program, as part of a major surge in defence spending to over $1.5 trillion for Fiscal Year 2027. The increase in funding is intended to accelerate development work, following years of delays plaguing the program. The funding increase was confirmed to reflect the Department of War’s prioritisation of accelerating the deployment of a survivable bomber capable of operating in highly contested environments.

One day, the uniform is laid out on a twin bed, and your schedule is built around PT, formations, and the grinding mental gymnastics of military life. Then, somewhere between having 300 copies of your DD-214 paperwork made and the first civilian bill, something cracks, and an epiphany is born.
Also Read: The M113 armored personnel carrier was supposed to be obsolete
A service member wants to become a student, and the spouse who spent years managing every PCS, every deployment, every emergency with a broken furnace and two kids is now forced to plan for a completely different operation.

Brent Wachter bought his Albuquerque home in 2023 for $679,000. He wasn’t speculating or flipping properties. He was an Air Force service member who expected to stay where he was. His previous posting in Wichita had lasted over a decade, and nothing would ever change.
Then came the overseas assignment, and with it, the question that has become the defining financial anxiety of PCS season 2026: Do you sell, or do you rent it out?
Also Read: Why military family life is like a permanent time loop
Wachter listed at $689,000, just above what he paid and just enough to walk away clean.

One minute, your remote work career is humming along. Your calendar is full, the Slack notifications are manageable, and the boss thinks you live in Virginia. Then the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, or the Air Force reminds you who actually runs your schedule.
Also Read: RED Friday returns as combat deployments ramp up
A new duty station, with a new time zone to get wrong for six weeks. Possibly a new country. Definitely a new zip code nobody at work has ever heard of, but you’ll be able to recite flawlessly 20 years from now.
Your job does not automatically survive the move.

The movers finally leave. As the door closes, you are almost physically hit by the sound of sudden silence—you probably didn’t read about that on Reddit. Not the packout. Not the drive. Not delivery day. It’s the post-PCS moment when the adrenaline of the long haul finally drains, and you are standing in a strange kitchen holding a roll of packing tape.
Boxes are stacked to the ceiling. Your service member is already counting down to report day. Kids are overstimulated or asleep in rooms that don’t smell right yet.

Your 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing increase sounds like relief. The fine print has been there the whole time. The Pentagon announced in December that military families would see an average 4.2% increase in Basic Allowance for Housing in 2026. Roughly one million service members. An estimated $29.9 billion in payments. A headline that, on the surface, sounds like the system is working.
The part that nobody puts in the press release is that it is actually working.
Also Read: Some military forces call autism a disqualifier. The IDF calls it an advantage.

The first two Leopard 2A8 battle tanks have been delivered from German production lines, arriving atRena camp on April 30 to equip the Norwegian Army. The tank’s delivery marks a significant landmark as the first European tank type with an active protection system (APS), namely the Israeli Trophy system, as European industry has fallen increasingly behind in tank modernisation. The system detects, classifies, and neutralises incoming threats before they reach the vehicle, providing an outer layer of protection that complements that provided by passive armour alone.

Footage from southern Lebanon has over several weeks confirmed that the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah is continuing to launch successful strikes on Israeli Army targets, primarily armour, as high intensity hostilities between the two parties continue. Reports on April 30 confirmed that a first person view drone strike on an Israeli Army M548 tracked vehicle caused a large explosion which caused 12 Israeli casualties, with videos published from the scene appearing to show ongoing secondary detonations of ammunition. The vehicle had been carrying 155mm shells for U.S.

Footage from southern Lebanon has over several weeks confirmed that the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah is continuing to launch successful strikes on Israeli Army targets, primarily armour, as high intensity hostilities between the two parties continue. Reports on April 30 confirmed that an first person view (FPV) drone strike on an Israeli Army M548 tracked vehicle caused a large explosion which resulted in 12 Israeli casualties, with videos published from the scene appearing to show ongoing secondary detonations of ammunition. The vehicle had been carrying 155mm shells for U.S.

It’s a Cold War-era bomber developed in the 1970s, but the Russians aren’t giving up on it. The MACH 2 Tu-160M Blackjack strike aircraft is a massive “White Swan” that can swoop in for the kill, making the enemy duck for cover in fear. The Russians have already acquired two brand new Tu-160Ms at the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. One reason for this is not that the Tu-160M is a modern marvel, but that the Russian air force has few other options for deep-strike missions.

The United States once had to hold its breath on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. There were delays and cost overruns. Accidents plagued the program. The huge expense of building out the fleet still stings. Many foreign partners stood up and ordered the fifth-generation jet, though. Israel was one ally that has made their version of the F-35 Lightning II, an almost invisible hot rod that can dominate the airspace. The Israelis call their F-35I the Adir, which means “Mighty One,” and oh, how mighty this airplane is.

The U.S. Air Force’s decision to deploy F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to the Philippines for Exercise Cope Thunder 26-1 has been described in different ways by analysts, with some suggesting it was more symbolic than anything. But that assessment may miss the point.

The deployment – conducted from April 6 to April 17, 2026, with flight operations centered on Basa Air Base – was never about proving the F-22 could win a war with China on its own.

Back last December, MBDA and Lockheed Martin, the U.S. prime contractor for the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighter, “completed a series of critical ground-based integration tests” to bring the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) closer to operational use on the F-35A.

Testing at Edwards AFB included ground-vibration work and internal bay fit checks to confirm that the missile can be safely stowed and deployed from the F-35A’s internal weapons bay, preserving the aircraft’s valuable stealth profile.

U.S. Air Force Maj.

As photographs of the first “two” U.S. Air Force B-21 bombers blast onto the public scene, most observers can only speculate about the mysterious, yet paradigm-changing suite of technologies said to be woven into the platform.

There is, by design, very little information available about the platform’s critical technical elements that are less visible to the observer’s eyes.

A B-21 Raider is unveiled at Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility on Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, Dec. 2, 2022.

Around 900 UK troops are training alongside all

The RIPSAW M1 is an all-new uncrewed ground veh

As the Pentagon goes all-in on “drone dominance,” the U.S. military must pivot away from existing service-by-service stovepipes and institute a connected, joint approach to deploying autonomous and robotics assets in warfare, according to Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle.
“I want to be direct on something here — the Navy and Marine Corps should not be independently building two versions of the same autonomous future,” Caudle said onstage Thursday morning at the Modern Day Marine conference.