The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy has deployed a carrier strike group led by the aircraft carrier Liaoning for operations in the South China Sea. The ships are holding exercises near the Philippines, where the Philippines Armed Forces, alongside forces from the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, and New Zealand, have been jointly holding the Balikatan joint military exercise from April 20.

The command overseeing the top special operations units in the military is looking for industry partners — companies, research groups and non profits — to work with to develop new technologies for use in missions. 
On Friday, April 24, U.S. Special Operations Command put out a broad solicitation on the SAM.gov website looking for participants to “accelerate” the use of high-tech tools as part of the Advancing Naval Capabilities through Holistic Opportunities and Resources (ANCHOR) Initiative.

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The U.S. Army and Navy are cooperating in the Pacific to develop new tactics and concepts of operation to support a fast-increasing number of mobile land-fired weapons systems, such as the Typhon Mid-Range-Capability (MRC) missile system. The Typhon has been sent to the Philippines and Japan. 

In development for several years, the Army’s Typhon MRC is capable of firing the Army’s emerging Precision Strike Missile, as well as land-fired variants of the Standard Missile (SM)-6 and Tomahawk.

The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a single-engined fourth-generation fighter developed by Dassault Aviation in the 1970s and introduced into French service in the 1980s.

Though the jet was initially developed as an air-defense and interceptor aircraft, it eventually evolved to serve a number of specialized roles for France and, more successfully, for international operators—indeed, the Mirage became one of France’s more successful fighter exports.

Mirage 2000 Fighter. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Russian S-500 “Prometheus” is a mobile surface-to-air and anti-ballistic missile system designed to counter a wide range of threats, including aircraft, ballistic missiles, and even low-orbit satellites.

It is the next generation of Russian air defense systems, intended to supplement and eventually replace the S-400. The S-500 is developed by Almaz Antei and is known for its ability to intercept hypersonic missiles and its potential anti-satellite capabilities.

A U.S.

There is a number that should worry the White House more than any roll call this month. That number is one. As in: one vote. That is the margin by which the United States House of Representatives, on April 16, 2026, rejected a war powers resolution that would have ordered President Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran absent explicit congressional authorization. The final tally was 213 to 214, almost entirely along party lines. One Republican — Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted yes. One Democrat — Jared Golden of Maine — voted no.

On February 24, the United States announced that at least one U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing joined Navy Carrier Air Wing’s eleven fighters for a long-range maritime strike exercise off California.

The drill highlights how stealth bombers and carrier aviation are integrating to counter anti-access threats and reinforce U.S. power projection in a contested Indo-Pacific environment.

B-2A Spirit On Display. Image by Editor Harry J. Kazianis/National Security Journal.

B-2A Spirit Stealth Bomber USAF Museum. Image Credit: Harry J. Kazianis/National Security Journal.

The Ohio-Class Submarine Crisis, Explained: A U.S. Navy guided missile submarine (SSGN) is a lethal war machine that stretches the length of two football fields and can carry as many as 154 Tomahawk missiles. Named the Ohio-class, they are among the most powerful subs to ever slip below the ocean waves.

The undersea war platform’s massive firepower brings land-attack support to any military campaign.

The guided missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) arrives in Souda Bay, Greece, May 21, 2013, for a scheduled port visit. The Florida was underway in the U.S.

The naval battles of World War II marked the rise of the aircraft carrier, and the United States has led carrier development.

Today, with the supercarriers of the Nimitz and the Ford classes, that trend has continued. But the US isn’t the only country with outstanding nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

190424-M-BP588-1005 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (April 24, 2019) A U.S.

The German-made Leopard 2 is widely considered one of the most capable main battle tanks ever built. Some even say it might be the best tank on Earth today.

With a powerful 1,500-horsepower engine, advanced optics, and a lethal 120-mm cannon, it has long been regarded as the gold standard of Western armored warfare.

Soldiers with the Hellenic Army fire a 120mm round from a Leopard A2 tank while scanning their sector during offensive operations for the Hellenic Tank Challenge 2021 at Petrochori Range, Triantafyllides Camp, Greece, Nov. 2, 2021.

As modern air defenses become more sophisticated, the U.S. Air Force has increasingly focused on weapons capable of penetrating advanced anti-access/area denial networks.

When paired with a next-generation fighter such as the F-47, the fast-evolving, air-launched Stand-in-Attack Weapon (SiAW) could significantly enhance the aircraft’s ability to suppress enemy defenses and enable broader air operations.

F-47 NGAD Artist Impression. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-47. X Screenshot.

The U.S. military still fields some of the most advanced weapons systems in the world. But across multiple services, and especially the U.S. Army, major procurement programs are increasingly running into the same problem: new platforms take years to develop, cost far more than expected, and often arrive with compromises that force the Pentagon to rethink them before they even reach full production.

The U.S. Army’s cancellation of the M10 Booker combat vehicle in 2025 is the latest example of that pattern.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Month of the Military Child, which was first established in 1986 by then-Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger.
It’s a time to take the entire month of April to celebrate the estimated 1.6 million military children around the globe by honoring them with celebrations, recognitions, and events, providing our military-connected children opportunities to raise awareness of their ongoing transitions, challenges, and triumphs.

Ukrainian drone operators saved a Ukrainian Babushka walking under fire, as she hobbled with her canes. Heartwarming.
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The United States is facing a growing shipbuilding crisis that, if not fixed, could prevent the U.S. from expanding its fleet fast enough to meet emerging global threats.

Multiple programs are running over budget and budget schedule or have been canceled outright, and the number of operational ships has stagnated despite rising spending on naval construction.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 participates in an air power demonstration near the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) April 24, 2013, in the Pacific Ocean.

For the first time in 70 years, two players from the U.S. Naval Academy were selected in the professional football draft.
On Saturday, seniors Eli Heidenreich and Landon Robinson were both picked in the seventh round of the NFL draft. They are the 20th and 21st midshipmen to be drafted into the NFL over the last 80 years. They’re also the first pair of midshipmen to get drafted in the same year since George Welsh and Ron Beagle both were picked for the Chicago Cardinals in 1956.
Robinson is heading to the Cincinnati Bengals. He was the 226th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Left: cropped view (with our highlighting) of a page in Philip Johnson’s FBI report. (See link to archive.org version below.) Right: early 1930s photo portrait of Philip Johnson.
Fun, or rather interesting fact: Philip Johnson, an architecture and design curator at the then-fledgling Museum of Modern Art in New York in the early 1930s, aspired to become “The American Hitler”, his secretary told the FBI.

Ever since they replaced battleships as naval capital ships during World War II, aircraft carriers have kept that place as the ultimate power projectors of the U.S. Navy.

This is especially true of nuclear-powered supercarriers (CVNs) such as the venerable Nimitz-class warships and their anointed successors, the bigger and mightier Gerald R. Ford-class CVNs. These vessels are marvels, both for their sheer size and technological capabilities.

The Ford-class is the largest warship ever constructed.

(April 14, 2017) The aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) USS Gerald R.

In Europe, only France and the United Kingdom field aircraft carriers. France maintains only one nuclear aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, which has been in service for more than 20 years.

With its lone carrier aging, France has been working on its replacement: the Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération (PANG).

The carrier has been in development since 2018 and recently received the official green light to begin construction in December 2025.

Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier, France. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The new carrier will reportedly match the size of a U.S.

Ohio-class SSGNs (guided-missile submarines) are nearing their retirement window. Converted from SSBN (ballistic missile) boats in the early 2000s, the Ohio carries a large payload of Tomahawk cruise missiles, sparking debate over whether to retire the sub on schedule due to age and cost, or extend its service life to take advantage of its added firepower.

With the Indo-Pacific coming into strategic focus and rising concerns about magazine depth, the question is especially relevant.

The U.S. Department of Defence is considering plans to procure foreign destroyer and frigate designs, and build warships in overseas shipyards, in response to the serious hindering of the U.S. Navy surface fleet’s capabilities resulting from the limited capacities of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal includes $1.85 billion in research and development funding for studies on building frigates and destroyers overseas.

Chinese aerospace researchers say they have identified potential aerodynamic and stability weaknesses in the US Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider.

The claim comes from a study conducted at the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center, one of China’s major military aviation research institutions.

B-21 Raider Up Close. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force.

A second B-21 Raider test aircraft takes off, Sept. 11, from Palmdale, Calif., to join the Air Force’s flight test campaign at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Iranian drone and missile attacks on U.S. military bases across the Middle East from February 28 caused considerably more damage than the Pentagon and other U.S. government sources have publicly admitted, according to informed sources cited by NBC News. Strikes rendered some facilities inoperable, forced the relocation of certain capabilities between bases, and caused considerable damage to infrastructure, equipment, and communication systems. Although U.S.

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The Indian Defence Ministry has threatened to abandon talks for the procure too 114 Rafale fourth generation fighter aircraft, according to multiple media sources, as French negotiators refuse to meet key terms related to local license production, access to source codes, and technology transfers.

The British Army’s section attack is the foun

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An active-duty Army major was arrested this week and charged with providing tactical and financial support to a separatist militant group waging a guerilla war in Cameroon. Maj. Kenneth Chungag, who was working as a nurse assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia, is accused of helping militants plan attacks on civilian and military targets and help procure weapons, all while presenting himself as a seasoned combat veteran, according to court documents unsealed this week. 
Chungag was arrested on Monday and is facing federal conspiracy charges. He had his initial court appearances this week.

When Greg Barbaccia walks into a White House meeting, he carries a résumé that civilian recruiters would not know how to evaluate. An Army veteran with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Barbaccia is now the United States Federal Chief Information Officer, overseeing all technology policy and budget for the entire federal government.
His career arc is, in the language of a conventional hiring process, nearly unrepeatable.

The SR-72 “Son of Blackbird” is one of the most nebulous and mysterious projects currently underway by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division. Speculation about the project began as early as 2007 and was later confirmed in 2013.

The project gained public interest in 2022 when a fictional version of the aircraft, called the SR-72 “Darkstar,” appeared in the blockbuster film Top Gun: Maverick, which sparked further speculation about the actual project. Since Top Gun, however, there has been no news about the project.

SR-72 by Lockheed Martin. Image Credit by Lockheed Martin.

The M60 was a U.S. Cold-War era main battle tank that was developed from the M48 Patton line. The tank was designed in response to advances in Soviet armor.

Throughout the tank’s lifetime, it received several modernization packages, all culminating in the M60A3 variant. While it’s practically indistinguishable from other M60 variants, the M60A3 received a number of improvements to its fire control systems and sites that made it more accurate and improved situational awareness for the crew.

M60 Tank U.S. Army. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

M60A3 Tank.

The F-14 Tomcat is an almost universally beloved aircraft and an iconic Cold War fighter. Its variable-sweep geometry and unique profile make it instantly recognizable among other fighter jets of its class, and it was one of the Navy’s most beloved aircraft.

Today, the F-14 is remembered as a fleet defense interceptor whose primary goal was to protect carriers from missiles and enemy fighters. While all that is certainly true, the F-14 also had a number of other capabilities that are often underappreciated today.

F-14 Tomcat Formation. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Eurofighter Typhoon was a joint venture between multiple European nations and their defense industries.

Designed and produced by a consortium consisting of Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, the Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role fighter it was originally intended to be the go-to aircraft for all of Europe, but the French decided to go their separate ways and developed the Dassault Rafale instead.

Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Training. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

In Florida, specific academic standards guide classroom instruction.
For World War II, the primary benchmark is standard SS.912.A.6.1. It requires students to examine the causes, course, and consequences of World War II on the United States and the world. This includes understanding the origins and progression of the conflict, the character of the war at home and abroad, and how it ultimately reshaped America’s role in the postwar world.
Also Read: This plane survived Pearl Harbor and struck back at Midway
Teaching World War II within those expectations presents a unique paradox.

The Jolly Green IIs will be modified for VIP airlift and continuity of government ops, replacing aging UH-1N Twin Hueys in these roles.

Public Domain

he U.S. Air Force has shared new details about how it will modify a subset of HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters to perform the so-called Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) mission set. AFDW HH-60Ws will be tasked with ferrying VIPs around the nation’s capital, as well as supporting continuity of government plans. In the latter role, the Jolly Green IIs will be poised to spirit senior U.S.

There are three countries currently that claim to have produced 5th Generation stealth fighters: the United States ( the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II), the People’s Republic of China (the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon and Shenyang J-35), and Russia (the Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name Felon).

As of early 2026, Russia’s entire fleet of fifth-generation stealth fighters, the Su-57 Felon, is estimated at 20-25 operational aircraft, including prototypes and test airframes.

Su-57 Felon Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Saab 35 Draken (Dragon) was a highly effective Cold War fighter designed for Sweden to intercept bombers in all-weather conditions. Known for its unique double-delta wing, it was capable of short-field operations from roads, possessed excellent high-altitude performance, and was considered a very capable dogfighter, though it required careful handling to avoid “superstalls.”

Saab 37 Viggen Flying. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Ask most people what the hardest part of military life is, and they’ll say deployments. Ask a military spouse, and you’ll get a very different answer.
Military spouses carry a unique weight that often goes unseen. After asking military spouses to share their biggest struggle, their raw responses reveal the reality behind the PCS moves, career sacrifices, loneliness, and resilience that define military family life.

Ukraine has found another cost-effective answer to Russia’s mass drone campaign: launch interceptors from the air.
Combat footage released April 23 by Ukrainian pilot Tymur Fatkullin shows a modified Antonov An-28 Cash twin-turboprop air-launching P1-SUN interceptors from underwing pylons, with confirmed kills against Russian Shahed-type one-way attack drones. 
The footage, first posted to Instagram by account aero.tim, provides the first public confirmation of aerial interceptor launches resulting in combat kills in the conflict, writes SOFX.

RN Prasher, Asia Times
Dueling blockades, dead-end diplomacy and a regime still intact — the pause in hostilities is solving nothing and storing up far worse to come

Ben Wolfgang, WashTimes
its biggest hurdle might be an “entrenched” Pentagon bureaucracy that military insiders fear could doom the project

Jeans, Reuters
Last August,

Matt Broomfield, UnHerd
Tehran is rallying its proxies

Marine Corps Compass Points
As the blockade of Operation Epic Fury continues, there are new developments in Ukraine and in defense laboratories creating new equipment for US Marines.

Despite its stealthy appearance and purported speed, many questions remain about how much of a threat Russia’s 5th-generation Su-57 Felon poses to adversaries.

Russian media reports extensively on the airframe’s performance parameters, yet little is known about its computing, weapons interfaces, sensing, and manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.

Su-57 Felon Fighter. Image Credit: X Screenshot.

Su-57 Felon Fighter from Russia. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The Su-57 looks stealthy to the observer, with its blended-wing body and rounded fuselage.

The F-47 is being developed to introduce a new generation of stealth technology.

Its blended wing-body horizontal configuration suggests a bomber-like level of stealth can be achieved with an agile, high-speed maneuverable stealth fighter jet.

NGAD F-47. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

F-47 NGAD Artist Impression. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The F-47’s purely horizontal fuselage inherently lowers the aircraft’s radar signature.

It lacks the vertical structures, sharp edges, or protruding contours that are most likely to generate a return to ground-based radar.

The sleek, bat-like design of the emerging B-21 Raider stealth bomber is understandably generating interest in the mysterious, largely “secretive” new program. Yet developers and senior Pentagon leaders have been clear in emphasizing some of its intended missions and corresponding Concepts of Operation.

Eluding enemy air defenses to penetrate and attack hostile targets is, of course, its primary mission. For years, many Air Force leaders and weapons developers have made it clear that the B-21 Raider incorporates new, paradigm-changing stealth technologies.

As photographs of the first “two” U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider bombers blast onto the public scene, most observers can only speculate about the mysterious, yet paradigm-changing suite of technologies said to be woven into the platform.

By design, there is very little information available about the platform’s critical technical elements that are less visible to the observer.

Artist rendering of a B-21 Raider in a hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, one of the future bases to host the new airframe.

The Virginia-Class Submarine, Explained
With a Virginia-class Block VI under development and continued exploration of a much-discussed SSN(X) future generation attack submarine, some might be inclined to wonder just how much upgrading the Virginia-class boats can take on before a new hull is necessary.

Each new Virginia-class submarine “Block” of boats has advanced undersea attack and detection technology to new levels, to the point where Block III and Block V Virginia boats are entirely different from the earlier Blocks.