Author: Michael

Summary and Key Points: National security analyst Steve Balestrieri examines the Dassault Mirage 2000-5F’s critical 2026 role as France expands its military support for Ukraine.

-The Ukrainian Air Force expects to double its operational fleet to four airframes, primarily utilizing MBDA MICA and Magic 2 missiles to intercept Shahed-type drones and Kh-101 cruise missiles.

Mirage 2000 Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

-However, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu faces a strategic crisis; high-tempo Rafale interceptions in the UAE have depleted MICA stockpiles.

Could you tell the difference between real war

Summary and Key Points: National security expert Harrison Kass analyzes the U.S. Navy’s decision to extend the service of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) until March 2027.

-As the lead ship of its class, the 51-year-old supercarrier is shifting homeports to Norfolk to begin a $96 million inactivation process at Newport News Shipbuilding.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts rudder turns during sea trials.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts rudder turns during sea trials. Dwight D.

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war.

Summary and Key Points: National security columnist Steve Balestrieri analyzes the U.S. Army’s strategic cancellation of the M1A2 SEPv4 Abrams and the M10 Booker programs.

-Facing a “weight-gain crisis” where platforms reached a prohibitive 80-ton threshold, the Pentagon is pivoting to the M1E3.

Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 68th Armor regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division execute platoon live fire exercises Dec. 7, 2021, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Summary and Key Points: National security journalist Stephen Silver examines the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, the definitive Cold War nuclear standoff. Initiated by the discovery of Soviet MRBMs and IRBMs in Cuba via U-2 surveillance, President John F. Kennedy implemented a naval “quarantine” to force the removal of offensive weapons. The crisis reached DEFCON 2 before a secret deal—brokered between Robert Kennedy and Anatoly Dobrynin—swapped the removal of Soviet missiles for the withdrawal of American Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

Summary and Key Points: National security columnist Steve Balestrieri examines the U.S. Army’s decision to bypass the AbramsX technology demonstrator in favor of the M1E3 Abrams upgrade.

-While General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) designed the AbramsX with a hybrid electric diesel engine, AI-driven targeting, and an unmanned turret, the Army prioritized logistical agility over high-tech complexity.

AbramsX Tank U.S. Army Image.

The Department of Defense released the names of the six airmen who died when their LC-135 Refueling plane crashed in western Iraq on Thursday. 
They are: Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington.; and Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky, who were all assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing. Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana.; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing.

Summary and Key Points: National security journalist Stephen Silver reports that the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and Carrier Strike Group 10 have successfully completed their Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) as of March 5, 2026.

-Under the command of Rear Adm. Alexis Walker, the strike group is now certified for major combat operations, likely joining the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East to attack Iran.

A U.S. Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopter with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 transfers ammunition between aircraft carriers USS George H.W.

Editor’s Note: The USAF leadership has tried hard to get rid of the A-10, good thing they were not successful
The A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the Warthog, has once again demonstrated its enduring utility, despite repeated retirement efforts by the U.S. Air Force. Originally engineered during the Cold War to counter massed Soviet armored formations in Central Europe—primarily through its GAU-8/A 30mm Avenger cannon and AGM-65 Maverick missiles—the platform has repeatedly adapted to evolving operational demands.