Bruce Allen Lubbering, RCDefense
Deep within the Silent Service, a subtle but monumental shift is occurring beneath the waves, reshaping the future of American maritime strike capability
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Warrior Maven
The yet-to-be-fully-seen F-47 will operate an unprecedented number of drones from the cockpit
With Russia reportedly preparing to launch what looks like a major winter offensive in its war against Ukraine, the Russian government has reportedly been engaging in aggressive tactics in order to get people to sign up to fight.
According to an Al Jazeera report this week, there have been recent reports about “press-ganging” in the town of Penza, Southeast of Moscow.
Every crisis in the Middle East returns the world’s attention to the same stretch of water. When tankers are seized, or missiles fly near the Persian Gulf, oil prices move, insurers reprice risk, shipping reroutes, and the United States repositions naval and airpower to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The reflex is sound, because the strait carries volumes nothing else can. Alongside the maritime map, a second geography of energy security is taking shape: the pipelines, railways, power lines, and transit corridors linking the Caspian Basin and the South Caucasus to Europe.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has demonstrated one of the most important advantages of its fighter aircraft with the deployment of J-16s to Egypt for the Eagles of Civilisation exercises, as the aircraft traveled more than 6,000 kilometres in a single intercontinental range flight supported by YY-20A aerial tankers. The deployment provides a striking demonstration of the ability of China’s large fighters to operate over distances far exceeding those of Western aircraft.
Western-supplied tanks that Ukraine once regarded as among its most important battlefield assets are increasingly being kept out of direct combat due to their very limited survivability. A New York Times report on Ukraine’s 33rd Separate Mechanised Brigade found that German-built Leopard tanks are spending much of their time concealed beneath camouflage netting in forest positions in the Kharkiv region. Instead of spearheading assaults, some are now primarily used to recover damaged vehicles.
Chinese state media has revealed that its YY-20A aerial tanker performed an airborne command role during the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s deployment of J-16 fighters to Egypt for the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 exercise. Described as operating as an “airborne command node,” its ability to contribute to command and coordination in addition to providing aerial refuelling could make it significantly more valuable for operations than previously thought.
Why the secret trip to Russia? According to multiple news outlets, the American CIA Director John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, 25 August, for previously unannounced meetings with senior Kremlin officials. Sources who spoke to CBS News also confirmed that the US Central Intelligence chief was in the Russian capital.
Reports of the CIA Director’s trip began not long after a US Air Force (USAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (call sign RCH4555, tail number 07-7181) cargo lifter aircraft was seen landing at the VIP terminal of Moscow’s Vnukovo airport.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Before Operation Epic Fury, the Army’s Network Enterprise Technology Command transferred digital services across theaters for the first time, according to the unit’s top officer, so the Army’s Middle East hub could have network support in the event Iran targeted its critical communication infrastructure.
Maj. Gen.
The Air Force announced Tuesday that VivSoft Technologies will develop and field a new platform intended to consolidate the service’s fragmented aircrew scheduling, training and readiness-management capabilities.
The company received a $100 million Other Transaction Authority production agreement for the Aerospace Readiness Enterprise System (ARES) program, which will consolidate multiple Air Force scheduling software tools into a single enterprise environment enabled by artificial intelligence. The service plans to begin rolling out ARES across major commands in 2027.