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A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer prepares to refuel behind a KC-135 Stratotanker during a bomber air demonstration over the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility Oct. 23, 2025. The demonstration showcased Southern Command’s ability to quickly mobilize and enable the rapid establishment of credible, combat-ready forces with effective and overwhelming force.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Harrell) A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer prepares to refuel behind a KC-135 Stratotanker during a bomber air demonstration over the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility Oct. 23, 2025. The demonstration showcased Southern Command’s ability to quickly mobilize and enable the rapid establishment of credible, combat-ready forces with effective and overwhelming force.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Harrell)

Aerospace & Defense

Airpower Did Not Fail in Iran — Simplistic Thinking Did

Retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula rebuts the argument that Operation Epic Fury proved air power's limits, calling it a failure of "land-centric thinking," not...

3 hours ago
RED SEA (Nov. 2, 2015) The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), transits the Red Sea, Nov. 2, 2015. Kearsarge is the flagship for the Kearsarge Amphibious Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Ryre Arciaga/Released)

The Embassy

Taiwan Can Be Defended Against China. The Price Is the Real Problem

Cheap drones can make a Chinese assault on Taiwan bloodier and a quick victory less likely — but they don't repeal geography or remove...

12 hours ago
F-35 Stealth Fighter

Aerospace & Defense

Turkey Cannot Be Trusted With the F-35 Stealth Fighter

Michael Rubin argues that restoring Turkey's place in the Joint Strike Fighter program would reward a decade of the behavior that got Ankara expelled...

12 hours ago
Putin Russia

The Embassy

‘Russia Cannot Win’: A Definitive Verdict Just Landed on Putin’s War — His Last Real Option Is Negotiating Before the Terms Get Worse

The expectation that cutting U.S. aid would force Ukraine to fold is dead: Russia cannot win this war without a mass mobilization or nuclear...

14 hours ago

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy
MLRS like those used in Ukraine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

The Decisive Theater: North Korea and the Problem of Simultaneous War

Western analysts fixate on North Korea's missiles. The real danger is speed — a mass artillery-and-missile salvo in the war's first hours, backed by...

1 day ago
A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes off at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, to participate in a Bomber Task Force Europe mission, Oct. 27, 2021. “Bombers enhance our ability to address dynamic threats and counter adversary actions in the region as an effective joint force,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa commander. Operations and engagements with NATO allies and global partners demonstrate the shared commitment to global security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Colin Hollowell) A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes off at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, to participate in a Bomber Task Force Europe mission, Oct. 27, 2021. “Bombers enhance our ability to address dynamic threats and counter adversary actions in the region as an effective joint force,” said Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa commander. Operations and engagements with NATO allies and global partners demonstrate the shared commitment to global security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Colin Hollowell)

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

The Case for NATO: Leaving Europe Would Be a Serious Strategic Mistake for America

The second Trump administration is reviewing America's military footprint in Europe, and the worst-case outcome is a full withdrawal. Andrew Michta argues that would...

June 22, 2026
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, takes part in a multi-ship formation off the coast of Hawaii, Jan. 5, 2026. The aircraft participated in a comprehensive training sortie designed to integrate the 154th Operations Group’s distinct mission sets, including air superiority and aerial refueling, to ensure peak mission readiness in the Indo-Pacific theater. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy) A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard, takes part in a multi-ship formation off the coast of Hawaii, Jan. 5, 2026. The aircraft participated in a comprehensive training sortie designed to integrate the 154th Operations Group’s distinct mission sets, including air superiority and aerial refueling, to ensure peak mission readiness in the Indo-Pacific theater. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy)

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

The Iran Deal Doesn’t Stop at Iran: Russia, China, and North Korea are Watching

The US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding is being judged on whether it cools tensions in the Persian Gulf. Strategic-studies scholar Andrew Michta argues that's the...

June 19, 2026
240105-N-LK647-1019 STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR (Jan. 5, 2024) A view from the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) of the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), as the Ford Carrier Strike Group passes through the Strait of Gibraltar, Jan. 5, 2024. Normandy is part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and is currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense. The U.S. maintains forward-deployed, ready, and postured forces to deter aggression and support security and stability around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Malachi Lakey) 240105-N-LK647-1019 STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR (Jan. 5, 2024) A view from the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) of the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), as the Ford Carrier Strike Group passes through the Strait of Gibraltar, Jan. 5, 2024. Normandy is part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and is currently operating in the Mediterranean Sea, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense. The U.S. maintains forward-deployed, ready, and postured forces to deter aggression and support security and stability around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Malachi Lakey)

Dr. Andrew A. Michta: Geostrategy

The Iran War Is Giving China Time, Russia Money, and North Korea an Opening

Iran: A War at the Wrong Time and Place: As the war in Iran continues and analysts debate how long it will last and...

April 14, 2026

Aerospace & Defense
A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flies a training mission over southeast United States, March 23, 2026. The 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing perform developmental and operational test series on the platform including next-generation survivability, radars, sensors and networking capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Blake Wiles)

Aerospace & Defense

‘There’s Nothing Like It’: The Air Force’s Newest Fighter Looks Exactly Like a 1970s F-15. Almost Everything Inside It Is New

Park the Air Force's newest fighter beside one built in the 1980s and you cannot tell them apart. That is exactly the misunderstanding. Beneath...

2 hours ago
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft takes off at a base in the Middle East, April 28, 2026. The F-15 is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb) A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft takes off at a base in the Middle East, April 28, 2026. The F-15 is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb)

Aerospace & Defense

The U.S. Navy Almost Bought an Aircraft Carrier Version of the F-15 Instead of the F-14. One Missile Killed the Idea

The F-15N Sea Eagle was faster, nimbler, and cheaper to run than the Tomcat. It couldn't carry the one weapon the Navy actually needed.

2 hours ago
B-1B Lancer Bomber B-1B Lancer Bomber

Aerospace & Defense

America’s B-1B Bombers Just Got a Ship-Killing Missile — and China Must Wonder if a Day One Strike on Its Navy Is Now in the Cards

The Air Force validated the AGM-158C LRASM on the B-1B Lancer at Dyess Air Force Base, giving the Cold War-era bomber a ship-killing role...

7 hours ago
U.S. Air Force Maj. Sean “Rambo” Loughlin, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Luke Days Airshow at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, March 21, 2026. The team travels worldwide to showcase the power and capabilities of the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter and its Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rupiper) U.S. Air Force Maj. Sean “Rambo” Loughlin, pilot of the F-35A Demonstration Team, performs aerial maneuvers at the Luke Days Airshow at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, March 21, 2026. The team travels worldwide to showcase the power and capabilities of the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter and its Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rupiper)

Aerospace & Defense

The Air Force Already Cannot Finish the F-35 Upgrade It Paid For. Now, It Is Being Asked to Fund Three More Stealth Programs at Once

Lockheed Martin is pitching a "fifth-generation-plus" F-35 packed with sixth-generation technology — roughly 80 percent of a sixth-gen fighter at half the cost. But...

7 hours ago

Trillions
Putin. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Russia’s Biggest Oil Refinery Just Went Dark After a Ukrainian Drone Struck It Deep in Siberia — and Kilometer-Long Gas Lines Followed

A single Ukrainian drone forced Russia's largest refinery, in Omsk, to halt operations, knocking out units that make roughly 75 percent of its output...

4 hours ago
(April 8, 2017) - Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) departs Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding for builder’s sea trials off the coast. The first- of-class ship—the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years—will spend several days conducting builder’s sea trials, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan Litzenberger) (April 8, 2017) - Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) departs Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding for builder’s sea trials off the coast. The first- of-class ship—the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years—will spend several days conducting builder’s sea trials, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan Litzenberger)

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Iran Wants Every Ship in the Strait of Hormuz to Pay It “Protection Money” — and Experts Say the World’s Most Important Oil Route May Never Be the Same

Iran is moving to charge ships for passing through the Strait of Hormuz — the waterway that carries a fifth of the world's oil...

6 days ago
J-50 Fighter J-50 Fighter

Trillions - 19FortyFive

China Shows Its Sixth-Generation Fighter Refueling for the First Time: The YY-20 Tanker Extending Its Pacific Reach

A film celebrating ten years of China's Y-20 transport slipped in something no other country has shown on official camera: a sixth-generation fighter refueling...

June 30, 2026
H-20 Bomber from YouTube Screenshot H-20 Bomber from YouTube Screenshot

Trillions - 19FortyFive

Why China’s H-20 Stealth Bomber Still Has No Production Line: The Engine, Materials, and Tooling Problems Xi’an Hasn’t Solved

A decade after it surfaced, China's H-20 has no flying prototype and no production line. The reasons are industrial, not financial: an intercontinental flying...

June 30, 2026

The Embassy
Hai Kun-Class Submarine

The Embassy

The Era of Strong U.S. Support for Taiwan Is Ending — and Not Just Because of Trump

Trump calling Taiwan a "bargaining chip" is the headline, but Denny Roy argues the deeper story is structural: a Chinese military that makes intervention...

5 days ago
A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing takes off for a Red Flag 21-3 training mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, July 21, 2021. RF-Nellis 21-3 is unlike any previous Red Flags, as the 414th Combat Training Squadron builds upon the most challenging Red Flags in recent history. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes) A B-52 Stratofortress assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing takes off for a Red Flag 21-3 training mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, July 21, 2021. RF-Nellis 21-3 is unlike any previous Red Flags, as the 414th Combat Training Squadron builds upon the most challenging Red Flags in recent history. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes)

The Embassy

Trump Set an August 18 Deadline to Resume the War With Iran. Now the White House Is Quietly Backing Away From It

For weeks, an August 18 deadline loomed: the day a U.S.–Iran understanding expired, and, by President Trump's own warning, the day fighting over the...

6 days ago
STRAIT OF HORMUZ (Nov. 12, 2021) Guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) performs a Strait of Hormuz transit with the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Nov. 12. Essex and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joe Rolfe) STRAIT OF HORMUZ (Nov. 12, 2021) Guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) performs a Strait of Hormuz transit with the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Nov. 12. Essex and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joe Rolfe)

The Embassy

The Gulf No Longer Trusts America to Protect It, So It’s Cutting Its Own Deal With Iran

The diplomatic center of gravity in the Middle East has decisively shifted to Riyadh. On June 23, 2026, talks between Iranian Majlis Speaker Mohammed...

June 28, 2026
Leopard 2 Tank Leopard 2 Tank

The Embassy

Germany’s Army Is Rebooting for What Was Once Unthinkable: A War with Russia

Germany still must address a readiness issue: large portions of the army are not considered fully combat-ready, with some readiness estimates for land forces...

June 23, 2026

Hermit Kingdom
KN-23 North Korean Missile Being Used in Ukraine War

Hermit Kingdom

KN-23: Russia Is Using North Korean Ballistic Missiles in the Ukraine War That Keep Getting Deadlier Every Passing Day

The KN-23, North Korea's version the Russian Iskander missile, showed up to fight in the Ukraine war. And it isn't the same platform as...

June 24, 2026
Choe Hyon class from North Korea Choe Hyon class from North Korea

Hermit Kingdom

North Korea Capsized Its New Destroyer on Live TV Before Kim Jong Un: Now It’s Building Warships Twice the Size

On May 21, 2025, a brand-new North Korean destroyer rolled over and partially capsized at its own launch ceremony — with Kim Jong Un...

June 19, 2026
North Korean Military. Image Credit: Creative Commons. North Korean Military. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Hermit Kingdom

6,000 North Korean Soldiers Are Dead in Ukraine: Kim Jong Un Keeps Sending More

Fake Russian IDs, Orders Never to Be Captured, and 50% Casualties: Inside North Korea’s Secret War in Ukraine The Russian Army has sustained nearly...

March 27, 2026
Hwasong-17 North Korea ICBM. Image Credit: Creative Commons. 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
F-35 Lightning II aircraft receive fuel from a KC-10 Extender from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., July 13, 2015, during a flight from England to the U.S. The fighters were returning to Luke AFB, Ariz., after participating in the world's largest air show, the Royal International Air Tattoo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Madelyn Brown) F-35 Lightning II aircraft receive fuel from a KC-10 Extender from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., July 13, 2015, during a flight from England to the U.S. The fighters were returning to Luke AFB, Ariz., after participating in the world's largest air show, the Royal International Air Tattoo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Madelyn Brown)

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Why an F-35A Stealth Fighter Crashed

While it is somewhat alarming that the system could become confused due to wake turbulence, particularly as many F-35 pilots have reported flying through...

July 31, 2023
Ukraine Drone Attack with Grenade. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot. Ukraine Drone Attack with Grenade. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

Is the Ukraine War Winnable? 

The battle for Bakhmut may best represent the stalemate that the war in Ukraine has become. What will happen now?

July 31, 2023
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