The Finnish Border Guard has launched a project to develop patrol vehicles and boats equipped to counter drones.

As the Army retools many of its top-tier infantry units around the buggy-like Infantry Squad Vehicle, or ISV, it’s already looking for a new, beefier version of the truck, dubbed the ISV-Heavy.
Despite the “Heavy” name, that variant won’t be inherently more rugged or armored than its open-sided predecessor. Instead, the trucks will carry a suite of batteries and generators to produce power for electricity-hungry drones, communications equipment, and even a “Directed Energy Weapon Systems,” according to Army contracting requirements released in late March.

On Friday, June 4, 1948, Air Force test pilot Glen Edwards felt slightly frustrated.
Maj. Daniel Forbes Jr. was perturbed, too. With Forbes as the pilot and Edwards as his co-pilot, they tested a jet-propelled, heavy bomber prototype known as YB-49 No. 2. The YB-49 was a Flying Wing with eight turbojet engines and four vertical stabilizers. It had no fuselage or tails. For all of its sleek design, the YB-49 sometimes proved difficult to control in the air.

Warsaw, Poland – The details are not yet clear, but it appears that the long-awaited internal revolt against Russian President Vladimir Putin could finally be taking shape. In the years since the Ukraine war began, that was the fervent hope of those both inside and outside of Russia who despise his barbaric rule. They deplore how he has destroyed not only huge tracts of territory in Ukraine but also the overall stability and security environment in all of Europe.

The big problem, however, many would have said for years now, is that this is also a vain hope.

China does not have to believe the United States is weak to draw a dangerous conclusion from the Iran war. It only has to believe America’s best weapons run out faster than America can replace them.

That is the part Beijing will study. U.S. bombers, missiles, and air-defense batteries did what they were built to do. Iran paid the price for testing them.

Aircraft Carrier in the Sunset. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The awkward part came after the missiles flew.

MWI
Every generation of military strategists produces its share of prophets, men and women convinced they have finally witnessed the weapon that will end the age-old calculus of land…

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Steve Trimble, Aviation Week
Lockheed Martin on June 24 unveiled a concept for a hypersonic glide body designed for lower costs and high rates of production.

A&SF
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is turning up the heat on Russia, expanding his wildly successful campaign of “long-range sanctions” and promising a brutal 40 days ahead. Yes, the Ukraine war has entered a new, deadlier phase.

Zelenskyy Orders Preemptive Strikes

Russia Tu-160 Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The UK Boxer programme could be set for a mid-2031 finish if production reaches and can be maintained at 100 vehicles per year.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has for several years been procuring KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system on a larger scale than all other countries’ procurements of all other land-based AEW&C systems combined, with the KJ-500 fleet now estimated to have reached over to 50 aircraft making it by far the most fielded system of its kind in the world. Although the KJ-500’s primary rival the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail has been ordered by multiple countries, each has acquired only very small numbers typically between three and seven.

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that it is seeking industry proposals for the Air Force Long Range Weapon (AFLRW) air-to-air missile program, which according to an industry notice released by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is required to have a minimum range of 1,850 kilometres. The missile is expected to be developed in two variants, namely one for air-to-air combat and another for air-to-surface strikes.

The Russian Aerospace Forces deployed MiG-31BM long range interceptors to escort the country’s most capable strategic bombers, Tu-160 aircraft, on a 16-hour mission over the Barents and Norwegian Seas. The operation included air-to-air refuelling, and demonstrated the endurance of Russia’s long-range aviation and its ability to conduct sustained operations near NATO’s northern flank.

This video describes the military situation in

South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back has announced one of the world’s most ambitious drone force expansion plans, stating that the armed forces intend to train 500,000 “drone warriors” in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to operate unmanned systems. Rather than treating drones as specialised equipment used by dedicated units, the goal is to make drones a standard battlefield tool, comparable to a soldier’s personal weapon. This plan is considered highly viable due to the particularly high levels of technical education and technology competency in the country.

You can tell a lot about a person from what fiction they keep on their nightstand. Once a year, we make the staff, contributing editors, and show hosts of War on the Rocks tell on themselves.Kerry AndersonThe Midnight Library, Matt Haig (2020).

To understand how close Myanmar’s pro-democracy resistance came to victory last year — and how far it has slipped since — there is no sharper microcosm than the story of a Gen Z sniper. In April 2025, a female teenager, Anina, enraptured the world, her youth-driven “Spring Revolution” a vivid foil to the sclerotic forces of military dictator Min Aung Hlaing (officially called the Tatmadaw). When her unit captured the town of Falam, fortune seemed on the resistance’s side. Yet, a year later, regime troops stormed Anina’s hometown, a stunning blow to the resistance.

Following confirmation from the U.S. Department of War that a $1.55 billion spending plan would be financed in Fiscal Year 2027 for the procurement of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), it has been confirmed that 42 percent of this financing will be provided by cutting funding for the Navy’s procurement of E-2 AEW&C systems. The Pentagon and the Air Force announced plans to cancel the E-7 program in mid-2025, after it had suffered delays and cost overruns.

Following the first flight of Russia’s long awaited next generation fighter-trainer, the Yak-130M, on June 25, expectations have grown that the aircraft will belatedly provide the country with a viable competitor in the world’s fast growing markets for lightweight tactical combat jets. While the Yak-130’s development revolutionised the combat training capabilities of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the services of multiple clients around the world, the Yak-130M’s design focuses more on enhancing its combat potential, which was previously only a secondary focus of the program.

Multiple media outlets have reported that the Ministry of Defence of Bangladesh has reached a decision to procure two dozen J-10C fighter aircraft from China, which although unconfirmed, has been re-reported by Chinese state media outlets. Plans to procure the aircraft were reportedly advanced during Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China from June 24 to 26, as Dhaka and Beijing prepare to deepen cooperation in defence, infrastructure development, and trade.

Even before the Iran War began, the world knew that the Strait of Hormuz was a risk. It’s one of a handful of reasons Iran has any leverage at all.

Despite that, the Strait is crucial to Gulf exporters for the passage of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), which support both Asian and European economies.

Aircraft Carrier Turn US Navy. Image Credit: US Navy.

Now, four months after the war began in February, the world has seen what happens when Iran decides to use that leverage.

Col. Ryan Bell gave one of his company commanders a tall order at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, earlier this year. 
“I want you to make this breach uncontested for your riflemen when they enter,” Bell, commander of the 3rd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, recounted to reporters on Thursday.

The Kremlin has officially denied a  Wall Street Journal article claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin was pressuring Belarus to engage in hostilities with Ukraine, and in the process support an “expansion” of the former KGB Lt. Col.’s war against his neighbor.

Such a move would see Belarus join as an active combatant, which the country’s self-declared President Aleksandr Lukashenko has thus far avoided.

Putin Speaking at Railway Conference Russia Government Photo.

The US Navy has unveiled an ambitious long-term shipbuilding plan that envisions expanding the fleet to roughly 450 vessels by the early 2030s, combining traditional warships with a growing number of unmanned surface and undersea systems.

The new proposal represents more than another procurement plan—it’s a broader shift in how the Navy expects future wars, particularly against China, to be fought.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 103 is parked on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as the ship operates in the Arabian Sea on Dec.

Public Domain

At Armed Forces Press, sometimes we like to wait and respond to a military event after watching all the talking heads rally to the blob talking points, then we drop our real analysis.
This time is no different.
The Financial Times reports that Pentagon chief Hagseth is dismissing General Christopher Donahue, who coordinated military aid to Ukraine. The commander of the US Army in Europe and Africa will soon be forced to leave his post – he will complete his service in July.
To properly opine on the resignation of General Chris Donahue, U.S.

Reports on Thursday, June 25, described how Iranian forces struck a cargo ship off the coast of Oman. The strike occurred hours after the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships not to use a new United Nations-backed route through the Strait of Hormuz without permission from Tehran.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, the vessel sustained damage, but no casualties occurred. Two U.S. officials also told Reuters that Iran had fired on the ship, which was struck roughly 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman.

Tomahawk Launch.

Did you know there are 12 US Air Force bases in

President Donald Trump’s new supplemental spending request includes $67.1 billion to support the Defense Department, featuring funds to advance new capabilities and offset the cost of operations in the Middle East.
The Office of Management and Budget sent the spending package to Congress on Wednesday, requesting a total of $87.6 billion. While the lion’s share of the funds would cover the mounting costs of Operation Epic Fury, the White House is also seeking money for other issues — such as aid to American farmers and responses to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.

Russia’s battlefield secrets are up for s

Ships Passing Through The Strait of Hormuz Are The Most Since March: Oil tanker traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz has picked up amid negotiations between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending the conflict, which has caused oil prices to decline as more supply hits the market.

Since the deal was announced at the G7 summit in France, tanker traffic, some of which had been stranded for months, has finally started moving toward their destinations, most of which are in Asian markets.

NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND, Calif.

Welcome to The Adversarial. Every other week, we’ll provide you with expert analysis on America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists. Read more below.***IranOn June 17, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian separately signed a memorandum of understanding.

This video describes the military situation in

The Pentagon’s new Post-Quantum Cryptography Strategy frames the emergence and full realization of quantum supercomputing as an existential threat to U.S. national security and global military dominance. 
Released on Tuesday, the new 25-page plan directs Defense Department personnel to harden critical communications networks and information systems by fully implementing quantum-resistant algorithms — and sets deadlines and milestones for the hefty, quantum-safe transition.

The U.S. military is helping plan the overall American government’s humanitarian relief mission to Venezuela after the country was rocked by magnitude 7.1- and 7.5 earthquakes on Wednesday, according to U.S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM.
“Our joint forces are moving quickly to bring the unmatched airlift, logistics, and lifesaving capabilities of the U.S. military to help save lives and support the Government of Venezuela during this crisis,” according to a SOUTHCOM statement posted on social media.
The statement did not include any information about whether the U.S.

Along with the other passengers on board the Prinsendam on October 4, 1980, David Levin looked forward to a relaxing vacation.
The Dutch liner was very early into its monthlong cruise from Vancouver to Singapore when a fire broke out in the engine room shortly after midnight. After ship Capt. Cornelius Wabeke issued the order to abandon ship several hours after the first sign of smoke, the 77-year-old Levin crammed into one of the overcrowded lifeboats.

Ukraine’s long-range drone and missile strike campaign intensified yet again overnight on June 24-25, striking two oil refineries in Ufa, some 1,500 kilometers from the front lines.

Additional strikes occurred at an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, some 300 kilometers from Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the strikes in his evening address on Wednesday, describing them once again as part of a “long-range sanctions” pressure campaign designed to neutralize Russia’s wartime economy.

Ukraine Cruise Missile 2026. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

King Charles received an honorary BJJ white bel

For those who have been saying for years that there are “no direct connections” between Russia’s actions in the Ukraine war and that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is “only indirectly supporting Moscow’s war effort,” we have news for you.

As the war in Ukraine drags on into its 5th year, it becomes increasingly evident that official press releases attesting to Beijing’s neutrality in the conflict are not worth the paper they are printed on.

From remote controlled bombs-on-wheels to fooli

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv will carry out preemptive strikes on Russian war production facilities in his ‌evening address on Wednesday, as Kyiv expands strikes on energy infrastructure in an attempt to force Moscow into talks.

“I instructed our intelligence services and military to act preemptively against facilities ⁠Russia uses to expand its war effort,” Zelenskyy said.

Finnish artillery units fire Howitzers At Rovajärvi exercise area In northern Finland. Image Credit: NATO.

Chinook Crew Chick Liz McConaghy shares her adv

Russia was once again hit by overnight strikes by Ukrainian forces, this time striking two additional Russian oil refineries in Ufa, some 1,500 kilometers away from the front line, and an oil depot in Krasnodar, some 300 kilometers from Ukraine. In the wake of the strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that Russia is now taking steps to protect its most valuable targets by shifting air defenses from the front lines.

Ukraine War Update: What Zelenskyy Said

Su-27 Flanker Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The British Army will soon begin to operate Toyota Hilux 4×4 vehicles under a deal for the service’s Special Operations Forces.

The ongoing military conflict with Ukraine has resulted in severe fuel shortages in Russia and Crimea, and frequent drone strikes have brought the Russian economy to the brink of collapse.

Some analysts and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister believe these drone attacks are forcing Russian President Putin to seek an end to the war before it’s too late.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 16th Weapons Squadron flies over the Nevada Test and Training Range during a Weapons School Integration (WSINT) mission, June 9, 2025.

The UK’s Armed Forces must be strong enou

This video describes the military situation in

As military weapon systems become increasingly software-defined, data-dependent, and network-connected, defense officials face a major dilemma: how to address a rapidly expanding attack surface — and simultaneously leverage new capabilities — arising from the merger of physical and digital systems.
For the Department of War (DOW) and defense industry partners, this “cyber-kinetic convergence” heightens the risk of lethal network disruptions.

L3Harris Technologies has broken ground on two new buildings at its Arkansas Advanced Propulsion Facilities (AAPF) campus in Camden.