Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., descends after conducting aerial refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1 over the Pacific Ocean, Mar. 4, 2025. Bomber Task Force enhances readiness, to include joint and multilateral, to respond to any potential crisis or challenge in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alec Carlberg) A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., descends after conducting aerial refueling with a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1 over the Pacific Ocean, Mar. 4, 2025. Bomber Task Force enhances readiness, to include joint and multilateral, to respond to any potential crisis or challenge in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alec Carlberg)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The Iran War Is Handing China A Playbook on How to Beat the U.S. Military

International relations professor Dr. Robert Kelly warns that the U.S. war in Iran is teaching China a dangerous lesson. By exposing America's reliance on...

3 hours ago

Trillions - 19FortyFive

8,000 Targets Hit, and Iran Still Won’t Open the Strait of Hormuz

Defense expert Dr. Brent M. Eastwood analyzes the strategic stalemate of Operation Epic Fury. Despite suffering devastating military losses, Iran is weaponizing the Strait...

5 hours ago
U.S. Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fire an M1 Abrams main battle tank at an enemy target during Rotation 25-02 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Nov. 07, 2024. Rotations at the National Training Center ensure Army Brigade Combat Teams remain versatile, responsive, and consistently available for current and future contingencies. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Casey Auman, Operations Group, National Training Center).

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The M1 Abrams Has Fought in 5 Wars. It Has Never Been Destroyed by Another Tank

Former intelligence analyst Isaac Seitz examines the legendary M1 Abrams. From its dominant debut in Desert Storm to navigating the drone-filled skies of Ukraine,...

7 hours ago
Littoral Combat Ship from 19FortyFive.com Visit During Fleet Week

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Back from Purgatory: How the Iran War Could Save the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship

Former Pentagon expert Kris Osborn examines the surprising redemption of the Littoral Combat Ship. Once criticized for its lack of blue-water survivability, the LCS...

8 hours ago

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy
M1 Abrams Tanks for Ukraine. Image: Creative Commons.

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

Russia Is the Big Winner in the Iran War

Strategic expert Andrew A. Michta explores how Russia is capitalizing on the Iran War to consolidate gains in Europe. With U.S. resources drained and...

2 days ago
Baltic Air Policing is a peacetime mission in which NATO Allies deploy fighter jets to cover the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Baltic Air Policing is a peacetime mission in which NATO Allies deploy fighter jets to cover the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

NATO’s 5% Pledge: A Hollow Victory for a Dependent Europe?

Key Points and Summary – The recent NATO summit in The Hague, where European allies agreed to a new 5% of GDP defense spending...

June 29, 2025
Russian President Putin. Image Credit: Creative Commons. Russian President Putin. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

Why Putin Believes He Can Win His ‘Civilizational War’ Against the West

The Trump administration made the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire its priority foreign policy initiative shortly after the inauguration. Setting aside Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric that he...

May 28, 2025
F-16 Fighter Like in Ukraine F-16 Fighter Like in Ukraine

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

Heading for Divorce? The Ideological War Threatening NATO

The strain in US-European relations under the second Trump administration stems primarily from a deepening ideological divide, not just policy disputes over trade or...

April 26, 2025

Smart Bombs
(May 11, 2017) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), conducts high-speed turn drills during sea trials. Abraham Lincoln is underway after successfully completing its mid-life refueling and complex overhaul and will spend several days conducting sea trials, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3nd Class Juan A. Cubano/Released)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Was ‘Sunk’: Australia’s Collins-Class Submarine Defeated a U.S. Navy Supercarrier in a Wargame

National security attorney and former USAF pilot selectee Harrison Kass explores the shocking redemption of Australia's Collins-class submarine. Once deemed a costly failure, the...

36 seconds ago
An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 411th Flight Test Squadron, Air Dominance Combined Test Force, soars over the Mojave Desert ahead of conducting high angle-of-attack maneuvers on Feb. 26, 2026. High AoA is a highly specialized set of combat aircraft maneuvers that are performed by experienced pilots and test pilots. Edwards AFB is one of the few places in North America where aviators can learn and become certified in this unique state of flying. (Courtesy photo) An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 411th Flight Test Squadron, Air Dominance Combined Test Force, soars over the Mojave Desert ahead of conducting high angle-of-attack maneuvers on Feb. 26, 2026. High AoA is a highly specialized set of combat aircraft maneuvers that are performed by experienced pilots and test pilots. Edwards AFB is one of the few places in North America where aviators can learn and become certified in this unique state of flying. (Courtesy photo)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Sorry J-20 and J-35: The U.S. Air Force’s ‘New’ F-22 Raptor 2.0 Stealth Fighter Just Broke Cover

Summary and Key Points: Drawing on over a decade of experience covering national security and defense technology, award-winning journalist Stephen Silver details the emergence...

23 minutes ago
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division fire at a target from an M1 Abrams main battle tank during Rotation 26-01 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025. Rotations at the National Training Center ensure Army Brigade Combat Teams remain versatile, responsive, and consistently available for future and current contingencies. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Anna Mae Tumacder, Operations Group, National Training Center) U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division fire at a target from an M1 Abrams main battle tank during Rotation 26-01 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025. Rotations at the National Training Center ensure Army Brigade Combat Teams remain versatile, responsive, and consistently available for future and current contingencies. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Anna Mae Tumacder, Operations Group, National Training Center)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Russia Has Lost More Tanks in the Ukraine War Than Most Countries Have Ever Owned

Private sector intelligence analyst Isaac Seitz breaks down the staggering loss of over 4,000 Russian tanks in Ukraine. While early tactical blunders and modern...

4 hours ago
Eglin test squadron releases GBU-72 for first time. Image Credit: U.S. Military. Eglin test squadron releases GBU-72 for first time. Image Credit: U.S. Military.

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

The U.S. Just Used New GBU-72 5,000-Pound Bomb That Penetrates 100 Feet to Destroy Iran’s Missiles Aimed at Strait of Hormuz

Former Pentagon expert Kris Osborn details the devastating power of the U.S. Air Force's GBU-72 bunker-buster. By plunging through 100 feet of earth before...

4 hours ago

Trillions
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Aug. 3, 2020) The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), the second America-class amphibious assault ship, transits toward Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Aug. 3, 2020. Tripoli commissioned July 15 and is en route to homeport in San Diego. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is the forward, ready, irreplaceable U.S. sea power platform in the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Samantha Oblander)

Trillions - 19FortyFive

2,000 Marines, 20 F-35s, and the ‘Mini Aircraft Carrier’ USS Tripoli — The Pentagon’s Toolkit to Invade Iran’s Kharg Island

Kris Osborn details the high-tech future of Marine Corps amphibious warfare. In a theoretical assault on Iran's Kharg Island, the USS Tripoli would serve...

3 hours ago
U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie "Mach" Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Wings and Eagles Airshow at Kingsley Field, Oregon, on July 19, 2025. The demonstration team travels across the country to showcase the power and precision of the world’s most advanced 5th-generation fighter jet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper) U.S. Air Force Maj. Melanie "Mach" Kluesner, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Wings and Eagles Airshow at Kingsley Field, Oregon, on July 19, 2025. The demonstration team travels across the country to showcase the power and precision of the world’s most advanced 5th-generation fighter jet. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper)

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Flying Blind: Why New F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighters Are Arriving Without Radars

The U.S. military faces a critical combat readiness gap as new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters begin arriving without operational radars. Delayed by the complex...

23 hours ago
U.S. Army U.S. Army

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Karoline Leavitt Wouldn’t Rule Out an Iran Military Draft on Live TV — A Political Scientist and Army Veteran Says It Won’t Happen and Explains Why

Defense expert Dr. Brent M. Eastwood tackles the rising fears of a military draft for Operation Epic Fury. Despite ambiguous statements from the administration,...

1 day ago
U.S. Dollars. Image: Creative Commons. U.S. Dollars. Image: Creative Commons.

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Making China Play Our Game: The Fight for Critical Minerals

Despite securing raw critical minerals through initiatives like Project Vault, the U.S. remains reliant on China for 85% of chemical processing. Jordan Sessler argues...

1 day ago

The Embassy
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 1, 2018) Sailors stand by as an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 taxies to a catapult on the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeff Sherman)

The Embassy

The U.S. Has Lost 20 Aircraft in the Iran War — 6 Killed in a Midair Collision, 3 Shot Down by Friendly Fire, and Only 1 Hit by Iran

Former Army officer Dr. Brent M. Eastwood analyzes the startling aviation losses in the Middle East. While 20 American aircraft have been damaged or...

4 hours ago
(August 16, 2006) - USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) sits moored in the Magnetic Silencing Facility at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Aug 16 for her first ìdepermingî treatment. The deperming process reduces a ships electromagnetic signature as she travels through the water. U.S. Navy Photograph by MCCM(AW) Jerry McLain (Released) (August 16, 2006) - USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) sits moored in the Magnetic Silencing Facility at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Aug 16 for her first ìdepermingî treatment. The deperming process reduces a ships electromagnetic signature as she travels through the water. U.S. Navy Photograph by MCCM(AW) Jerry McLain (Released)

The Embassy

The Navy SEALs Have a Submarine That Costs More Than Most Countries’ Entire Navy — and Nobody Knows What It Does

Defense columnist and former Special Forces Warrant Officer Steve Balestrieri takes readers inside the USS Jimmy Carter. As the Navy's most expensive attack submarine,...

5 hours ago
MANCHESTER, Wash. (November 3, 2017) USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits Elliott Bay with Seattle in the background as it gets underway from Naval Base Kitsap's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. Stennis is underway conducting training as it continues preparing for its next scheduled deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Vaughan Dill/Released) MANCHESTER, Wash. (November 3, 2017) USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits Elliott Bay with Seattle in the background as it gets underway from Naval Base Kitsap's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. Stennis is underway conducting training as it continues preparing for its next scheduled deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Vaughan Dill/Released)

The Embassy

Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis Won’t Be Ready to Deploy Until 2027 — 5.5 Years in the Shipyard and the U.S. Navy Is Still at War

The USS John C. Stennis overhaul has extended to 5.5 years, with a new 2026 completion date. Kris Osborn explores how "growth work," industrial...

2 days ago
J-20 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Chinese Military. J-20 Stealth Fighter. Image Credit: Chinese Military.

The Embassy

China Is Building 100 J-20 Stealth Fighters Per Year — Its New Production Facilities Are Larger Than America’s Entire F-35 Complex

China is narrowing the stealth production gap. Experts warn that Beijing’s aviation infrastructure expansion now exceeds Lockheed Martin’s F-35 complex, with a capacity to...

3 days ago

Hermit Kingdom
Hwasong-17 North Korea ICBM. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Hermit Kingdom

Iran Has An ICBM Program: They Got it From North Korea

Summary and Key Points: Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol Jr., a political science professor and proliferation expert, evaluates the strategic partnership between Iran and North...

March 4, 2026
North Korea North Korea

Hermit Kingdom

North Korea’s Demand: Kim Jong Un Wants Trump To Recognize the Hermit Kingdom as a Nuclear Weapons State

Summary and Key Points: Reuben F. Johnson, a veteran defense technology analyst and Casimir Pulaski Foundation fellow, scrutinizes the Ninth Congress of the Workers’...

February 26, 2026
North Korean Military. Image Credit: Creative Commons. North Korean Military. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Hermit Kingdom

Korea Reunification Isn’t Coming—And Great-Power Politics Is Why

Korea’s Division Isn’t a Glitch Anymore. It’s a Feature of the New Order The division of Korea was always understood to be temporary. In...

February 2, 2026
North Korean Type 88 Rifle. Image Credit: Creative Commons. North Korean Type 88 Rifle. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Hermit Kingdom

North Korea Defeated the U.S. Army in Battle

Key Points and Summary – When North Korea stormed across the 38th parallel in June 1950, an exhausted post-WWII US Army rushed a tiny...

December 24, 2025