Author: Michael

Summary and Key Points: Defense expert Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, evaluates the retirement of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers, the “quarterbacks” of the Carrier Strike Group.

-Despite their 122 VLS cells, the aging fleet faces prohibitive maintenance costs, leading to a planned phase-out by 2027—though the USS Gettysburg, Chosin, and Cape St. George have received extensions through 2029.

Tomahawk Block IV Missile. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Tomahawk Launch. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

OCCAR has awarded a £53m ($70m) contract to Artec for the long-lead production of 37 weapon systems for the British Army’s RCH 155 artillery.

The US Army has entered into an massive enterprise contract with Anduril, with a value of up to $20bn, deliverable over the next decade.

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.