Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security
The U.S. is "pounding" Iran, but history says you can't drop a new government from a bomb bay. From the failed hunt for Saddam...
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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...
The U.S. is pouring billions into a handful of exquisite warplanes — the $300-million F-47 and the $700-million-plus B-21 Raider. But this analysis argues...
The United States and Iran can probably keep the shooting stopped for 60 days — but only if neither side mistakes the pause for...
The terms of the Memorandum of Understanding ending the U.S.-Iran war are now public. This analysis argues the deal is worth supporting as an...
Iran: A War at the Wrong Time and Place: As the war in Iran continues and analysts debate how long it will last and...
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...
Key Points and Summary – The recent NATO summit in The Hague, where European allies agreed to a new 5% of GDP defense spending...
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...
China, despite aggressively exporting a wide variety of military hardware, is unlikely to ever export the J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighter. While international interest...
An aircraft carrier's reach is its air wing's combat radius — and China's missiles now outrange it. To strike, a carrier must sail into...
The B-2 Spirit is the most capable bomber ever built — and the only aircraft that can drop the 30,000-pound bunker-buster that struck Iran's...
The U.S. Air Force spent years planning to retire the B-1 and B-2. Now it's pouring $1.7 billion into keeping both airborne into the...
Germany spent decades as a reluctant military power, its Cold War army allowed to atrophy and a deep pacifism running through its politics. Russia's...
Rafale Won Europe’s Fighter Competition–and the Eurofighter Typhoon Shows Why: For years, military aviation enthusiasts have debated which fighter is superior: the French-built Rafale...
Greece has selected Embraer's C-390 over a new Lockheed C-130 to replace its aging Hercules fleet, approving €600 million for three jets. It's the...
President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a 2-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump is the first sitting U.S. president...
Ukrainian “long-range sanctions” continue to hammer targets in Russia, with continued targeting of the Russian capital of Moscow with massive drone attacks. Tuesday’s drone...
NATO is not collapsing, but it is changing: some of its most important members want the alliance's protection while keeping a freer hand outside...
When Trump's Iran war ends with a signed settlement, the verdicts will come fast — and most will be premature. The questions that actually...
The Iran Deal Won’t Buy America Security. It Will Cost It: Proponents of the emerging nuclear agreement with Iran have settled on a convenient...
On May 21, 2025, a brand-new North Korean destroyer rolled over and partially capsized at its own launch ceremony — with Kim Jong Un...
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...
Summary and Key Points: Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol Jr., a political science professor and proliferation expert, evaluates the strategic partnership between Iran and North...
Summary and Key Points: Reuben F. Johnson, a veteran defense technology analyst and Casimir Pulaski Foundation fellow, scrutinizes the Ninth Congress of the Workers’...
The U.S. is "pounding" Iran, but history says you can't drop a new government from a bomb bay. From the failed hunt for Saddam...
Summary and Key Points: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood, a defense analyst and former US Army Infantry officer, evaluates the critical delays affecting the USS...
Summary and Key Points: Dr. Andrew Latham, a professor of international relations and fellow at Defense Priorities, evaluates the strategic limitations of Operation Epic...
Trump’s Iran war traces back to the JCPOA exit and the post–October 7 spiral. A fragile order built by bombers now requires more bombers...
Summary and Key Points: Dr. Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official, analyzes historical precedents for using airpower to facilitate regime change and their relevance...
