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The U.S. Army 1-12 Cavalry Regiment has deployed M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks to participate multinational live-fire exercise in Lithuania, during which the tanks demonstrated the engagement capabilities of their 120mm main guns. Exercises held on December 2 focused on developing crew-level skills, improving target engagement, and building interoperability with allied units positioned along NATO’s eastern flank with Russia. The Pabrade Training Ground where the exercises were held continues to undergo significant upgrades, with increasingly large NATO exercises expected to be hosted there.

The Pentagon plans to purchase more than 200,000 industry-made drones by 2027 — with forthcoming orders for 30,000 of those unmanned assets to be delivered by July 2026 — via its new Drone Dominance Program.
This initiative builds on policies and guidance that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued this summer to spark growth across the U.S. industrial base and rapidly equip the military with a trusted arsenal of cheap and lethal options for small uncrewed aerial systems.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle has selected Matthew Swartz to serve in a new executive director position on the CNO’s staff, the service announced this week.
Swartz’s duties will include overseeing “staff integration” and cross-functional coordination for the sea service and being the “senior advocate” for its civilian workforce, according to a Navy press release.
“Our Total Force, comprised of Sailors, civilians, and the industrial workforce, is our most decisive warfighting advantage,” Caudle said in a statement.

Pentagon, Washington, D.C. – Department of War Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson briefed the ‘new media’ today in the Pentagon press briefing room. Legacy media was forced out of the Pentagon Press Corp when they resigned en masse rather than sign the new press guidelines issued by DOW.
Social media was abuzz yesterday with images of new media occupying legacy media desks in the Pentagon press room.
Yes, AFP now occupies one of those desks.
Wilson discussed many topics of interest the DOW is currently involved in.

Since 2013, synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, have driven an enormous crisis in overdose deaths in the United States, along with the other damaging consequences of addiction and the illegal drug trade. China is a major source of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors — a key challenge in U.S.-Chinese relations. In late 2023, China resumed some cooperation with the United States to reduce the supply of precursors.

Ukraine’s DOT-Chain defence procurement network has been a success since being launched, delivering much-need equipment to combat units.

Adm. Karl Thomas officially took the helm of U.S. Fleet Forces Command on Monday, putting him in a key leadership role for the Navy as the sea service works to boost readiness and carry out its operational responsibilities.
USFFC is responsible for training, certifying and providing combat-ready forces; commanding and controlling subordinate Navy forces and shore activities during the planning and execution of assigned service functions in support of the chief of naval operations; providing operational planning and coordination support to U.S. Northern Command, NORAD and U.S.

By now, most veterans have probably encountered a for-profit company that promises VA disability compensation or a VA disability rating increase. Some charge a flat fee, others charge a percentage of your compensation back pay, and still others might charge a percentage of disability pay for an undetermined amount of time.
Related: The early projections for the VA’s 2026 disability COLA increase
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) calls them “claim sharks.” Disabled American Veterans (DAV) calls them “predatory.

Key Points and Summary: While the U.S. military met its 2025 recruitment goals, it faces a catastrophic retention crisis, losing highly specialized talent faster than it can be replaced.

-The Drain: Critical experts in cyber, AI, and logistics are leaving for the private sector, with officer attrition rates in the Air Force skyrocketing 350-550% above the national average.

An Estonian Defense Forces M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) fires a training rocket during a live-fire exercise in Undva, Estonia, July 11, 2025. U.S.

Key Points and Summary: The U.S. Navy has canceled the Constellation-class frigate program at a Wisconsin shipyard due to excessive design modifications and delays, opting for faster-to-build alternatives.

-The Failure: Initially based on a proven Italian design, constant government-mandated changes pushed the launch from 2026 to 2029, costing $2 billion without a single ship in the water.

An artist rendering of the U.S. Navy guided-missile frigate FFG(X).