J. Trevithick, The WarZone
Wolf is competing against a variant of the German-designed Lynx to become the Army’s XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle.

Brady Knox, WashExaminer
The XM1776 self-propelled howitzer is the latest weapon to emerge from the flurry of weapons development influenced by lessons from the modern battlefield

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Pierce Gallegos engages a simulated aerial threat with a counter-drone device during training at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania, May 22, 2026. Photo: U.S. Army / Sgt. Max Elliott (public domain)

Information is a major instrument of statecraft. Social media is a major global influence.

The U.S. Army has received its first prototype of the XM1776 Mobile Tactical Cannon, a South Korean 155mm self-propelled howitzer intended to replace the ageing M777 towed artillery system in selected formations. Developed by Hanwha Defense, the new system is based on the wheeled K9 Mobile Howitzer and is intended to provide greater mobility, a higher rate of fire and improved survivability on increasingly transparent battlefields.

The Russian Aerospace Forces have used two FAB-3000 bombs equipped with universal gliding and correction modules to strike Ukrainian troop deployment sites near Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region. The operation was conducted after reconnaissance units identified concentrations of Ukrainian personnel, with Russian aircraft launching their weapons against positions of the Ukrainian Army’s 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade.

Anduril has unveiled Steelfin, a proposed family of surface-to-air interceptors designed to address threats ranging from drones and cruise missiles to ballistic and hypersonic weapons.

Iran has rejected Washington’s response to its demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, raising new doubts about the prospects of resolving the conflict as diplomatic channels remain open.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the United States had accepted some of the demands, but its stance on others remained uncertain.

Donald Trump. Image Credit: The White House.

President Donald J. Trump attends Superbowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A Chinese fighter pilot who participated in the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 joint military exercises with the Egyptian Air Force has highlighted Egyptian interest in Chinese combat aircraft, long-range air-to-air missiles, and electronic warfare capabilities, while commenting on the performance of the African service’s Rafale fighters.

In what has become a far too common occurrence, two more commercial oil tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) over the weekend.

This was part of an ongoing, escalating series of strikes by Iran on commercial shipping since the United States and Israel initiated their attacks on Iran in February of this year.

F-22 Raptor Flying High in the Sky Air Force Photo.

DAYTON, Oh.–An F-22A Raptor from the 1st Fighter Wing conducts flying operations during a solar eclipse, April 8, 2024. The aircraft is from the 27th Fighter Squadron stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

The U.S. 8th Army deployed in South Korea is incorporating lessons learned from drone warfare in other theaters as it prepares for potential conflicts on the peninsula, officials said Monday at the annual AUSA convention.
Drones and missiles have played a major role in the U.S. conflict with Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. North Korea, an ally of Russia, has also reportedly been conducting exercises to practice “swarm” operations that combine attack drones with missiles and other weapons.

Army Cyber Command is upping its use of AI for network operations, according to top service officials, expanding the number of work roles that AI agents are assigned to and teasing upcoming contracts expected to reshape the way service uses the technology in cyberspace.
Lt. Gen. Christopher Eubank, the head of ARCYBER, said Monday at the annual AUSA conference in Washington, D.C.

The Army is moving to combine environmental, clinical, logistics, chemical, biological and intelligence data with artificial intelligence to identify unseen and emerging disease outbreaks before they can spread widely or harm the force. 
Senior officials who developed the 2026 Army Biodefense Strategy discussed their new approach to operationalizing security measures against biological threats during a media roundtable Monday at the annual AUSA conference.

Whether the Iran War will restart indefinitely has dogged international relations experts, military leaders, news media personalities, and investors worldwide.

President Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to return to hostilities with Iran following the Midterm elections in the United States.

A 2nd Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., prepares to refuel a B-2 Spirit, during a training exercise near Kansas, Nov. 10, 2016.

The Army has officially designated a new howitzer prototype, which can fire farther and be moved more quickly than the stalwart M777 gun.
The Army unveiled the new howitzer, designated the XM1776, Monday at the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, D.C. The announcement came as the service took possession of the first of its XM1776 prototypes. The XM1776 is a Mobile Tactical Cannon developed by Hanwha Defense USA and is capable of striking targets at greater ranges and offers more mobility than the towed M777, all with a smaller crew.
Lt. Gen. Francisco J.

This video describes the military situation in

The Army will attempt to stress test the industrial base early next year in an initiative meant to help identify weak links in its supply chain and improve them, the acting secretary of the service said Monday, dubbing the effort a “manufacturing rodeo.”
Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle provided few details about the initiative at the annual AUSA conference in Washington, D.C., Monday, but said the rodeo constitutes a “race” between companies that support the defense industrial base.
“We’ve invested a lot in our organic industrial base,” he said in his opening remarks at AUSA.

The Iranian Air Force has deployed its rare F-14 Tomcat fourth generation fighter aircraft for joint exercises with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which have involved the firing of multiple ballistic missiles and loitering munitions. Footage from the drills has shown several types of combat aircraft operating in Iranian skies, including older F-4 and F-5 fighters, and Soviet-supplied MiG-29s. The exercises have demonstrated the failure of the U.S.

Russia attacked a power plant in Kharkiv hours after President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire that would protect energy facilities from attack.

Trump’s Sunday statement surprised Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that his government learned of the deal from news reports. Moscow did not confirm that it had accepted the terms.

T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Russian T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities were continuing Monday.

Five Army Rangers won all three awards in the 2026 Best Squad competition, a second clean sweep of the event by the Rangers in the last three events. 
Cpl. Michael Shield was named the Army’s Soldier of the Year, and Staff Sgt. Colin Doyle as the Army’s non-commissioned officer of the year.
The two were members of a five-man squad from the 3rd Ranger Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia, that won the service’s Best Squad competition, beating 12 others from major commands. The other members were Sgt. William Masters, Spc. William Schaeffer, and Spc. Marshall Garren.

Washington just reached for its biggest stick. But it is threatening the wrong country. According to the Financial Times, the Trump administration is threatening to shut down PURL, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List.

PURL is a NATO-managed initiative that lets Kyiv’s allies buy US-made weapons, which are then supplied to Kyiv.

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet President Xi Jinping of China and First Lady Peng Liyuan at the South Portico during a State Arrival ceremony, Thursday, September 24, 2026.

A final parade. A proud legacy. A new mission.

The Republic of China Air Force is planning to extend the maximum service age for experienced military pilots to 58 as it seeks to address personnel shortages and prepare for the introduction of 66 new F-16 Block 70 fighters ordered from the United States. The proposed scheme would allow qualified lieutenant colonels and colonels to remain in service beyond their existing career limits, helping the air force retain experienced personnel as it expands its combat fleet.

President Donald Trump appears to be stepping up his campaign appearances ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

While it’s clearly an effort to rally his base, new reports suggest his rallies are drawing smaller crowds than in previous years, and low approval ratings and growing dissatisfaction with the state of the U.S. economy are complicating his efforts to mobilize Republican voters.

President Donald Trump attends an event celebrating Women’s History Month, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in the East Room of the White House.

Ukraine has found Russia’s soft spot. It’s diesel, much to President Trump’s chagrin, who wants them to stop targeting the refineries.

For more than a year, Kyiv’s long-range drones have been effectively targeting and burning Russian oil refineries hundreds of miles behind the front.

Neptune Missile. Image Credit: Government of Ukraine.

However, a new Washington Post investigation shows how surgical the campaign has become.

“Deterring conflict requires warfighting readin

Iran is ramping up its attacks on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran attempts to regain control over oil exports from the Persian Gulf.

The escalation comes as the world sees heavier traffic through the Strait, even though refinery capacity has been substantially reduced.

Spruance-Class Destroyer. Image Credit: U.S. Navy.

According to an October 12 NBC News report, President Donald Trump is scrambling to sustain the Republican Party’s ailing poll numbers going into the 2026 Midterm Elections.

Despite his public claims to the contrary, Trump clearly fears the outcome of the impending Midterms.

President Donald Trump participates in the swearing-in ceremony for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz, Friday, April 18, 2025, in the Oval Office.

In his first speech as the acting Secretary of the Army, Adam Telle promoted the service’s Amazon-like marketplace to buy drones.
The drone marketplace, launched earlier this year, gives soldiers the ability to buy drones from a website akin to online shopping. Soldiers can leave reviews before purchasing and sellers can change update their inventory. Telle said the marketplace has seen $800 million in sales in four months.
“The soldier’s order arrives in days. No guessing. No glossy slide decks. No bureaucracy,” Telle said.

The Iran War Just Won’t End: A supertanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to be an Iranian sea mine.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations did not immediately identify the supertanker, which was hit on its port side in the strait.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley, right, and USS Mason participate in a strait transit exercise.

November 3 is just around the corner, and President Donald J. Trump faces a historic defeat in this year’s Midterms.

Of course, he doesn’t see it that way.

President Donald J. Trump calls the International Space Station from NASA Mission Control Center at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Friday, August 28, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Donald Trump at Oval Office Event Creative Commons Photo

As he keeps telling the world, the negative polling for Republicans is not “his” polling numbers.

Diesel prices fell on Monday, 12th October, after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that an “energy ceasefire” had been agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

Trump’s announcement comes just days after a surprise deal with the Kremlin to release a small amount of diesel into U.S. and global markets.

Putin in Meeting Creative Commons Photo

Kremlin Speech by Putin. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Diesel prices have soared to record highs in recent weeks, and remain well above pre-war levels.

Ukrainian sailors are preparing for a mission t

The Russian defence sector is developing a new quasi-ballistic missile equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, according to information published by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate. The disclosure accompanied the publication of an interactive three-dimensional model of the missile, details of its internal components and information on the firms involved in its production. The new configuration would expand the range of conventional warhead options available for a weapon that has been employed extensively in Russian strikes against Ukrainian targets.

Seafarers are being offered eye-watering bonuses to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with some captains netting more than $100,000 a month.

The salary hikes come as exporters seek to keep oil flowing steadily from the Middle East amid increased Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.

USS Lassen Deck Gun U.S. Navy. Image Credit: Stephen Silver/National Security Journal.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug.

Saltier sailors might call the Navy’s “Dixie Cup” hats a “gob hat” or “dog dish,” but you can spot a sailor wearing their “hat, white” (which is what it’s officially called) from a mile away. No matter what you call it, it’s definitely one of the most identifiable symbols in U.S. military history.
Also Read: A 100-plus year history of iconic US military helmets
Historically, however, this now-familiar piece of headgear wasn’t the first sailor’s hat worn by the brave men and women who man their battle stations.

A number of “systematic failures” contributed to the Jan. 29, 2025 crash between an Army UH-60L Black Hawk and a commercial jet over the Potomac River, the Army said.
Last week, the service released its report on the deadly mid-air collision that killed three soldiers on board the Army helicopter and 64 people on an American Airlines plane flying into Washington, D.C., from Wichita, Kansas. According to the Army’s findings, the crew was qualified for the flight, but several environmental issues and communication failures played a role in the incident.

The service academies went three-for-three in conference matchups on Saturday, combining for 1,154 rushing yards. While Army and Navy won hard-fought home contests that were decided in the fourth quarter, Air Force dominated Northern Illinois on the road. 
Army Walks Off Tulane at Home 
Army’s Rob Houston celebrates a tackle in the 4th quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Michie Stadium on October 10, 2026, in West Point, New York. Army won 20-17.

This video describes the military situation in

Did Russia and Ukraine actually agree to an “energy ceasefire”? On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social account that “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it,” he wrote.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that he “didn’t know about it. We learned from the media.” Zelenskyy added to the Warsaw Security Forum that “we do support it, but I have not heard approval of this proposal from the Russian side, and this looks strange.

Lockheed Martin has unveiled PAC-3 Edge, a new interceptor competing in the US Army’s Future Interceptor programme.

Iran Calls the US Strait of Hormuz Reply “Insufficient”  – The Iranians, still playing the stalling game, just moved the goalposts again.

On Sunday, Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told state media that Washington’s response to Iran’s seven conditions (demands) for reopening the Strait of Hormuz was “insufficient,” Reuters reported.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team commander and pilot, flies during a demonstration rehearsal at Hill Air Force Utah, April 28, 2021.

The Army has been trying since 1999 to replace the M2 Bradley with a newer, heavy-metal, tracked vehicle for its mechanized infantry units. But in 2026, soldiers who make up those mobile forces often ask first where on a vehicle they can charge their phones.
“Everything you need lives on your phone,” a company commander in a mechanized unit told Task & Purpose. Modern infantry soldiers stay connected to each other and to their chain of command through specialized apps on smartphones.

There is nothing easy about joining the United States Army, but Paris Davis wanted something more.
After attending Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on an ROTC scholarship, Davis sought a career in Special Forces in the 1960s—a decade of intense racial strife in America. He chose that path primarily, because he wanted to prove that Blacks such as himself had the courage and fortitude to become elite soldiers.

Tanker Captains Paid $100,000 Per Month to Brave Strait of Hormuz – Oil tanker captains are being offered enormous salaries to sail through the Strait of Hormuz as Iran steps up its attacks on commercial vessels and the global market demands oil move out of the Gulf region at record pace. Some captains now reportedly earn as much as $100,000 per month, plus an additional $50,000 bonus for each journey through the waterway.

U.S. Fighter Jet Strikes Cargo Ship As Iran Blockade Intensifies – The U.S. military struck a commercial cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on Saturday, October 10. Washington is stepping up efforts to prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports and to show Tehran that, as its economy worsens, it won’t be able to force oil out of its ports, through the Strait of Hormuz, and into international waters.

Stephen D. Cook, RCD
Understanding why a centralized Autonomous Warfare Command is a mistake requires first examining the fundamental division of military labor.

Nikki Wentling, Defense News
A new U.S.

Somerville, WSJ
A desert trial exposed equipment limitations and institutional hurdles in the Army’s push to modernize and keep pace with an AI-savvy adversary

Valerie Insinna, BrD
Lockheed Martin today revealed the PAC-3 Edge, its offering for the Army’s future Patriot interceptor that the company says can fly further and hit more capable…

GSN
The U.S.