The U.S. Department of War has launched an effort to develop a new generation of inexpensive long-range unmanned aircraft capable of performing many of the missions currently assigned to the MQ-9 Reaper. The initiative follows extensive combat losses suffered by the Reaper fleet during operations against Iran, where dozens of aircraft have been shot down, prompting Pentagon planners to reassess whether large, sophisticated unmanned aircraft costing tens of millions of dollars remain economically viable for many routine intelligence, surveillance and strike missions.
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“De Nile,” as they say, “is no longer just a river in Egypt.” The man proving that statement in spades is the President of the Russian Federation, former Soviet-era KGB Lt. Col. Vladimir Putin.
Despite being an officer within one of the more capable intelligence organizations of the 20th century, Putin was never a standout performer as a KGB operative.
Russia Tu-22M Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Tu-22M Bomber from Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
…gloriously done. BZ and beers for all…
It was only a matter of time…and what a way to do it.
Iran: check
Submarine: check
Shipyard: check
Daylight: check
“Just another day in the office.” vibe: check
Yesterday, using multiple one-way attack surface drones, CENTCOM forces successfully struck a submarine and ship maintenance facility in Iran. Three Corsair unmanned surface vessels hit the port at Bandar Abbas Naval Base, marking the first time American forces have employed sea… pic.twitter.com/bOM2kmgRxz
— U.S.
A European intelligence assessment that is circulating among European Union policymakers has warned that Russia’s banking system is at risk.
The two-page report, which was prepared in June and seen by Reuters, describes the vulnerability of Russia’s banking system after more than four years of economic strain caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin in October 2024 Kremlin. Image Credit: Russian Government.
Putin Back in 2023. Image Credit: Kremlin.
Ukraine continues its bid to overwhelm Russia with a dynamic war of maneuver, notably using advanced drones.
Recent reports suggest that more than 50 Russian vessels have effectively withdrawn from the Sea of Azov and are sheltering farther south in the Black Sea following an intense Ukrainian drone campaign.
Kirov-Class Russian Navy. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Kirov-Class Russian Navy Cleaned Up. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Did Generals Ignore Warnings Before Deadly Iranian Drone Strike?: Survivors of an Iranian drone strike that killed six U.S. soldiers at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, have accused senior Army commanders of ignoring repeated warnings that the facility was vulnerable and had already been identified as a likely target for Iranian forces. The shock allegations, which were detailed in a report by the Washington Post following interviews with 17 survivors and witnesses, raise new questions about one of the deadliest attacks on American forces during the U.S.-Iran War.
Ukraine Hits More Than 100 Ships in Eight Days: On 13 July, Ukraine’s drone forces announced that overnight they had struck 15 additional Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov. These successful attacks are part of an ongoing campaign that is targeting Moscow’s maritime logistics. The goal is to close off the Sea of Azov to any Russian shipping that can support either the war effort or the Moscow-installed administration in the occupied zones of Ukraine.
These attacks now bring the total number of vessels in the sea hit over the past eight days to 105.
The Pentagon placed an immediate freeze on forthcoming cybersecurity requirements after government research suggested the policy would drive many businesses out of the defense industrial base at a time when the U.S. military urgently needs their innovations.
Defense Department Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey unveiled plans Monday to suspend the much-anticipated Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Phase 2 requirements that were set to take effect Nov. 10.
Commercial tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level in weeks as renewed US-Iran fighting raises security concerns for shipping companies. Reuters has reported that many vessels are delaying voyages or disabling their AIS tracking systems while transiting the region. The slowdown reflects more than war-related disruptions—it illustrates how even a limited military conflict at a single maritime chokepoint can reverberate through global energy markets, naval operations, and international diplomacy.
The Ford-Class Is Finally Copying the One Thing That Made the Nimitz Great: The Nimitz-class supercarrier got better with each hull, ten ships built over thirty-four years, each one improved on the last until the final ship was the finest conventional carrier ever launched. The Ford-class aircraft carrier began the opposite way, with a lead ship that stumbled through years of delay and public ridicule because the Navy tried to reinvent everything at once.