Author: Michael

The United States claims to have heavily countered Iran’s influence in the Strait of Hormuz after months of fighting.

“That sucker is open. The Iranian response is very mild. They don’t want us to go back at them. That’s the whole ball game,” U.S. President Donald Trump told Axios on Thursday.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 participates in an air power demonstration near the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) April 24, 2013, in the Pacific Ocean. The John C.

Illustration of a light water small modular nuclear reactor. Photo: U.S. Government Accountability Office / Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

The U.S. Army plans to spend up to $2.2 billion to power five military bases with nuclear microreactors, a move the service hopes will help it develop a way to keep critical operations running without depending on commercial power for extended periods.
These five companies, listed in the Army announcement in no particular order, will compete for funding over a five-year period to achieve the required milestones.

Marines can now wear their college or academy class rings with their uniforms, the service announced today. The new uniform regulation change is “effective immediately.”
The single uniform adjustment, announced in a Marine administrative notice released Aug. 28, allows Marines to wear their college or commissioning-source class rings in conjunction with wedding rings. 
According to the wider regulations under MCO 1020.34H, released in 2018, this means class rings can be worn with all issued uniforms, from everyday cammies to service and dress uniforms.

The military task force assigned to the U.S.-Mexico border zapped three “cartel-linked” drones using a high-energy laser developed by AeroVironment, according to industry and military officials.
Over two days this week, Joint Task Force-Southern Border used the Army Multipurpose High Energy Laser (AMP-HEL) system to “engage and defeat three hostile” unmanned aerial systems the unit determined were being used by cartels, according to a Thursday press release, citing the drones’ “use in direct support of activities posing a physical threat to” troops and border agents.

On Friday, Iran signaled that talks with the United States could still be revived. Long-term peace prospects are currently on ice, with Polymarket traders now estimating a mere 1% chance of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz returning to pre-war levels by September 15.

“Putting diplomacy back on track isn’t impossible,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, following talks with Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister in Tehran.

The French Marine Nationale aircraft carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91), and the aircraft carrier USS John C.

A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber has been struck by Ukraine, Kyiv claimed on Friday.

Russian Bomber Hit
The so-called “Bear” aircraft was hit at the Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast, some 370 miles into Russian territory. The base is also home to vast stocks of ammunition and fuel, as well as aircraft maintenance facilities.

Tu-95. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Tu-95 Bomber from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Tu-95s are used by Russia to launch long-range cruise missiles. “These are the aircraft that are carrying out strikes against Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign against Russia grows ever more devastating for Moscow, with a Tu-95MS strategic bomber being hit in one of the worst overnight strikes beginning on Thursday night.

The strikes also targeted one of the country’s largest oil refineries, once again hitting Russia’s domestic fuel market and complicating ongoing efforts to stabilize domestic supplies.

Yaryna Chornohuz joined Ukraine’s military as

Until six months ago, few people had heard of the Strait of Hormuz.

The key shipping route — through which 20% of the world’s oil once passed — was merely a body of water in the Middle East to many across the world.

(Dec. 01, 2020) – The guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) launches a Block V Tomahawk, the weapon’s newest variant, during a missile exercise. This event marked the first time a Block V Tomahawk missile was operationally tested, marking the Navy’s transition to a more advanced capability for the fleet.

Indra has developed a new AR system for military vehicles, designed to provide crews with 360-degree coverage from inside the hull.