Born January 25, 1930, Thomas Joseph Abate Sr. served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Abate, who died December 9, 2014, at the age of 84, spoke to the Library of Congress for its Veterans History Project. As Veterans Day approaches on November 11, 2026, this is a transcript of that conversation. Edits were made for clarity.
“My opinion of the war was that it had to be fought because of what was going on at the time. Being 21 years old, I didn’t remember everything, but now as I get older, I know more about it.

GDLS and Primordial Labs have agreed to explore the use of natural language command and control technology on combat vehicles.

M.

Dylan Malyasov, Defence Blog
BAE Systems received a Lockheed Martin contract to deliver AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare systems for F-35 Lots 20 through 22 and retrofits for older aircraft

Bruce Allen Lubbering, RealClearDefense
In the strategic planning rooms at the Pentagon and across the sprawling flight lines of the United States Air Force, a dramatic shift in air…

Joseph Trevithick, TWZ
The Air Force Test Center plans to use an evolving blend of real-world and digital testing once the F-47 starts flying.

Chris Gordon, Air & Space Forces Magazine
Northrop Grumman has broken ground on a major new production facility for the B-21 Raider

This video describes the military situation in

For America’s 250th anniversary, Cogs of War ran ten essays on innovations forged in wartime that subsequently diffused throughout the civilian economy, or had a lasting impact on society, governance, and Americans’ relationship with technology. We received submissions on a wide range of technologies, ranging from a copying lathe built for musket stocks after the War of 1812 to the stealth bomber. Over the last few weeks, subscribers to our free newsletter voted, and we’re pleased to announce the winners of our contest below.

In 1914, European armies entered a war with forces designed to move. Within months, they were digging themselves into the earth. Ffires from newly introduced machine guns and heavy artillery made movement across exposed ground a proposition far more deadly than in any war that had ever afflicted humanity. More than a century later, armies are confronting an unsettling echo of that experience in Ukraine.

The Russian Armed Forces Battlegroup West have used a TOS-1 Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower system to neutralise a concentration of Ukrainian ground forces near Krasny Liman. Russian forces have relied heavy on the systems to destroy entrenched hostile forces, particularly in heavily fortified positions. Commenting on the operation, commander of a special operations team of the 25th Combined Arms Army’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Unit observed: “We received an order to destroy enemy personnel near Krasny Liman.

Republicans are on the verge of losing control of Congress in November, with new polling showing Democrats strengthening their national lead and even becoming competitive in states that, under normal circumstances, may not have been considered competitive.

The GOP currently controls both chambers, and neither is safe.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth boards the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Chosin (CG 65), Panama, April 9, 2025. U.S.

A new batch of Su-34 long range strike fighters has been delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces, after having completed the full cycle of required ground and flight factory tests, as the type continues to be prioritised for expanded procurements to rapidly increase the size of the combat fleet. Commenting on the delivery, a Su-34 crew commander was cited by state media reporting: “Fulfilling the Russian Defence Ministry’s objectives for the delivery of much-needed weapons and equipment to the troops, crews of the Russian Aerospace Forces have taken delivery of the Su-34 aircraft.

Russia has been issuing threats to Europe in recent weeks, like never before since the end of the Cold War. A new report from NBC News says Baltic nations bordering Russia are on alert. In Lithuania, NBC reports that a volunteer paramilitary organization called the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union is making its presence felt to prepare

Ukraine’s air defence forces are operating with a personnel shortfall of approximately 25 percent, according to Colonel Yuriy Cherevashchenko, Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force for Air Defence. Speaking before a parliamentary temporary investigative commission on October 6, Cherevashchenko said the forces were currently staffed at approximately 75 percent of their authorised level.

Ukraine’s former Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, envisions a future in which AI-powered robots take center stage on the battlefield.

During an interview, he said that Ukraine is currently in no position to worry about the moral or ethical risks of AI, due to its ongoing existential war against Russia.

T-72 Like Those Fighting in Ukraine.

T-72 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

According to him, the longer the Ukrainian military waits to implement AI-powered robots, the more time it gives Russia, which is also experimenting with its own unmanned forces.

Recently, Western European nations have been sounding the alarm about a growing number of Russian “hybrid warfare” operations to sow dissent in the West and erode support for Ukraine.

With a mounting global fuel crisis, riots in France, and the potential for political upheaval in Germany, all fingers are currently pointed at Vladimir Putin as the orchestrator of Europe’s current woes.

Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.

Lancet Drone from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Seven months into this conflict, nobody can say for sure who is running Iran. President Trump keeps repeating it; the latest was on Tuesday. Asked at the White House who was in charge in Tehran after talks were suspended and the latest strikes landed, he answered, “In my opinion, they don’t know who the leader is.”

Trump called Iran a failed nation and said he couldn’t name a person or faction Washington thinks is calling the shots.

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber July 2025. Image Credit: National Security Journal.

At a rally in Nebraska earlier this week, President Donald Trump, while making his standard argument about why Iran must be prevented from acquiring a nuclear weapon, made a casual comment about Iran taking out two major California cities, Los Angeles and San Diego, and then said it was “a small price to pay.

The Royal Navy’s Gibralter Squadron escor

The Pentagon is launching a pilot program that will use artificial intelligence to manage its classification processes and handling of sensitive military information, according to a memorandum reviewed by DefenseScoop and sources familiar. 
Within the next six months, the department will start an “initial small-scale deployment of an automated security classification capability” intended to “overhaul” the way the department classifies info, according to a memorandum issued Monday by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg.

President Donald Trump wants voters to know that the war with Iran was necessary and that the negative consequences of the war are a “small price to pay” to keep the United States safe.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, on Monday, October 5, the president defended his record and said that the conflict was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon that could threaten the United States.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Lopez, F-22 Demo Team commander, flies through smoke during the Thunder over South Georgia Air Show at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Nov.

Russia has begun adding physical anti-drone protection to more of its naval vessels, with new protective netting spotted on the Project 11661K patrol ship Tatarstan, the flagship of the Russian Navy’s Caspian Flotilla. Footage published on October 6 showed a mesh structure installed around portions of the ship’s superstructure. The appearance of the netting follows similar measures observed on other Russian naval vessels and at naval bases, as Moscow increasingly adapts its force-protection measures to the growing threat posed by unmanned aircraft.

A day ahead of their return to the U.S., the crew of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and the ships in its carrier strike group were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the military’s highest unit-level valor award.
The 5,000 sailors on the Lincoln and several hundred more aboard ships in the strike group will have spent 321 days away from home, including 40 days in combat, upon the ship’s planned return to San Diego this Thursday.

President Donald Trump is issuing billions of dollars directly to Americans just weeks before voters head to the polls for the November midterm elections, and Republicans struggle to convince voters that they are the best party to ease the financial pressures facing households all over the country.

Over 20 million Medicare recipients are preparing to receive one-time $90 payments from the federal government.

President Donald J. Trump holds a press conference at the 2026 NATO Summit, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey.

California Governor Gavin Newsom continues to push back against President Donald Trump over his controversial remarks at a campaign rally in Nebraska earlier this week.

Newsom, who has long been one of Trump’s staunchest critics, called the president “mentally ill,” telling reporters, “Time for the 25th!” in reference to a provision in the US Constitution that allows for the removal of a president for being unable to perform their duties.

Gavin Newsom. Image Credit: Gage Skidmore.

Belfast hasn’t seen a Royal Navy aircraft

The U.S. has lost or sustained damage to 81 fighter jets, helicopters and drones over the course of the war with Iran, according to a new report from Congress. 
The numbers were tallied in a Tuesday report from the Congressional Research Service, which cited news reports, statements from the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command, and a report from the Pentagon’s Inspector General.
The list includes 49 drones, 13 fighter aircraft, seven refueling aircraft, seven helicopters, two ground attack aircraft, two special operations aircraft, and a reconnaissance aircraft.

In the latest massive attack by Russia on Ukraine, 20 people were killed, as 130 drones, 48 cruise missiles, and some ballistic missiles were launched at Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Air Force, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Ukraine claimed that 161 targets were downed overnight.

Putin March 2023 Image Credit Creative Commons

Putin Back in July of 2020 Creative Commons Image

Children were among those killed, Ukraine said.

The attack struck multiple areas within Ukraine, including Kyiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv.

This video describes the military situation in

California Governor Gavin Newsom is calling for President Donald Trump to be removed from office under the 25th Amendment, accusing the president of being “mentally ill” following comments he made about Iran potentially attacking Los Angeles and San Diego.

The problem for Newsom?

President Donald Trump signs executive actions to support the coal industry at an Unleashing American Energy Executive Order event, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in the East Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Donald Trump. Image Credit: White House Flickr.

What does the UK need to defend its bases from

A new Civiqs poll shows public approval of President Donald Trump’s presidential performance is tanking nationwide.

Most Americans in 39 of 50 states believe the president has largely dropped the ball, with Trump earning a positive approval rating in only 11 states.

Vice President JD Vance gives remarks at a Sports Council announcement, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (White House Intern Photo by Julian Casciano)

The new poll results come as Republicans across the country make their final push for the November 3 midterm elections.

Vice President JD Vance recently commented on the war with Iran, offering hopeful tones to those seeking to ease hostilities in the Middle East.

In an interview with Reuters, the vice president said that as long as Iran promised to take “meaningful” measures to take it easy on nuclear enrichment, there may be room for peace talks to progress – which would see not only the cessation of armed conflict, but also the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The rate of suicide among military veterans has remained consistent in recent years, despite efforts to drive it down.
Nearly 18 veterans died by suicide every day in 2024, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual report on the topic. The report found that 6,488 veterans killed themselves in 2024, slightly fewer than a revised number the VA now says died in 2023.
The report, released last week, looked at trends in veteran suicide from 2001-2024, the most recent year for which the VA has data.

With one month remaining until the 2026 midterms, President Trump’s decision to execute Operation Epic Fury is starting to look politically foolish.

With the war in its eighth month, the global energy market still disrupted, and domestic gas prices still sky-high, voters are understandably disgruntled.

Donald Trump Back in 2025 White House Photo

President Donald J. Trump watches the liftoff of Artemis II in the Outer Oval Office, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Republicans are therefore staring at a difficult election.

A new Congressional Research Service report has revealed that 81 aircraft, helicopters and drones have been lost or damaged during the seven-month-long war against Iran.

The damage costs $3.3 billion, according to the report published on Monday, 5th October, by the nonpartisan body.

F-15 Fighter Taken on July 19, 2025. Image Credit: National Security Journal.

F-15 Fighter at the U.S. Air Force Museum. Image Taken on July 19, 2025 by National Security Journal.

A four-alarm political fire is burning inside the Republican Party as we’re less than three weeks away from the 2026 midterm elections. And clearly Donald Trump and his Iran War are the biggest reasons the flames just keep growing.

Right now, the smart money is on the Republicans losing the House of Representatives.

A B-2 Spirit soars after a refueling mission over the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, May 30, 2006. The B-2, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is part of a continuous bomber presence in the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Bennie J.

Hitch a ride Royal Marines style💪
Take a loo

At least 20 people have been killed after Russia launched an enormous attack on Ukraine overnight into Wednesday, 7th October.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attacks as “vile,” adding that the Ukrainian armed forces were unable to shoot down the sheer number of ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.

Ukraine President Zelensky 2026 Creative Commons Photo

Zelensky Speaking in UK Ukraine Government Photo

The strike took place on the morning of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 74th birthday.

Drone warfare is expanding from the skies to the seas, and the United States must be ready. The Russia-Ukraine war, which has become synonymous with aerial drone warfare, has now featured the “first naval battle in history between unmanned boats,” according to the Ukrainian Navy. On Sept. 14, a Ukrainian Sargan 300 drone boat fired at and sank a Russian unmanned surface vessel (USV) in the Black Sea — a significant milestone in warfare’s rapid evolution.
Unmanned naval platforms are also startin​​g to see combat beyond the battlefield laboratory of Eastern Europe.

President Donald J. Trump is anticipating an electoral defeat for the Republican Party in the coming midterms, and he is already formulating excuses for why this new reality will occur.

Is it his policies?

President Donald J. Trump tours the White House with Fox News host and daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

The unpopular war that he started?

No.
According to the forty-seventh president, the real reason the GOP is set to lose is because of mail-in voting and voter-registration rules.

As part of the government’s new plan to quickly secure domestic military assets and infrastructure against cyberattacks, sabotage, power grid failures, and foreign supply chain disruptions, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief on Tuesday initiated the process to set up the new FORTRESS America Program Office.
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey instructed eight senior officials to take concrete steps to begin operationalizing the initiative, according to an official memorandum obtained by DefenseScoop on Wednesday.

At this point, Ukraine’s summer “influence operation” to force Russia to the negotiating table has failed. In fact, it seems to have had the opposite effect of what President Zelenskyy originally intended.

With the front line moving at a snail’s pace and diplomatic efforts in a gridlock, Russia is opting to play the long game in Ukraine, hoping to wear down Kyiv and its Western supporters.

T-14 Armata Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

T-14 Armata Tank from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Gotta be pretty sweet to have a sub kill markin

President Donald Trump generated an immediate backlash Monday after appearing to suggest Iran could “take out” Los Angeles or San Diego. Speaking at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, Trump was defending the costs of the ongoing war with Iran when he made the statement. “It’s a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe,” the president said. “They can take out a city.” He elaborated: “Let them take, let — let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego.

The Household Cavalry is testing how horses cou

Oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz again. Whether it keeps moving is another matter. The numbers, at least on paper, are looking much better. Tanker traffic through the strait is running at roughly 81 percent of its pre-conflict level, depending on the tracking data used.

Kpler reported that oil and petroleum product flows totaled 13.1 million barrels per day last week, down from 17.1 million before the conflict.

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025.

Earlier this week, oil prices seemed to be easing, but they jumped again on Wednesday because of several global factors.

As of Wednesday morning, Brent crude was trading just under $102 a barrel, continuing gains from the previous day.

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command operating area, Nov. 23. Costing approximately $35,000 per platform, LUCAS drones are providing U.S.

The last time the U.S. military executed one of its death row inmates was in 1961, when Army Pvt. John A. Bennett was hanged for the rap and attempted murder of an 11-year-old Austrian girl. Despite being the newest addition to the military’s death row, Nidal Hasan (sentenced in 2013) will be next, according to a statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.
Also Read: The only 4 inmates on the US military’s death row
Hasan was tried and convicted for perpetrating a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009.