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Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon pictured in the Middle East in 2013. Credit: UK MoD/Crown copyright HMS Dragon docked for maintenance soon after arriving to cover Cyprus, sparking confusion over its readiness The delay and rushed checks highlight the Royal Navy’s escort and availability shortfalls MoD says it’s at “very high readiness,” but while alongside it can’t provide immediate air-defence cover Confusion surrounds the current status of HMS Dragon, the Type 45 destroyer belatedly sent by the UK Government to provide air cover for Cyprus against Iranian and Hezbollah threats, after it docked for maintenance days after arriving in theatre.…

NATO is studying how to use ground and air robots to replace human soldiers in assaults, something Ukraine has been doing for more than a year.  But that hasn’t stopped Russia’s continuous assault with its own, increasingly autonomous one-way attack drones.On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a social-media splash with a video describing a historic first from last July: a skirmish in which Russian troops surrendered to Ukrainian robots. “The future is already on the front line—and Ukraine is building it,” Zelenskyy said in the video, adding that Ukrainian robotics companies “have already carried out more than 22,000 missions on…

What happens when a country at war stops seriously debating its own strategy and goals?In Israel today, that scenario is no longer theoretical. In the aftermath of Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and the subsequent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, Israel’s strategic decision-making ecosystem has been progressively undermined by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political associates.Netanyahu has surrounded himself with pliable officials and supportive voices, including the defense minister and the leaders of the Mossad and the Internal Security Agency (Shin Bet). He has become increasingly dependent on extreme coalition partners who constrain the parameters of…

In 2024, John Stanko and Spenser Warren wrote, “Russian Threat Perception and Nuclear Strategy in its Plans for War with China,” where they explained some of the potential tensions between Russia and China that could make armed conflict between the two countries a possibility. Two years later, we asked them to revisit their arguments. Image: Wikimedia CommonsIn your 2024 article, you explained some of the potential tensions in the Sino-Russian partnership that could make armed conflict between the two countries a possibility. Two years later, have any new tensions emerged between the two countries? Are Russia and China stronger partners than they were…

A U.S. Army lieutenant colonel pleaded guilty Monday to importing AK-style firearms parts from foreign countries, including Russia, without a license.Frank Ross Talbert, most recently with the Army’s Explosives Ordinance Disposal at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was indicted on 21 charges in 2024 after federal agents searched his home and found firearms made from illegally imported parts.As part of a plea agreement filed with the U.S. District Court, Talbert pleaded guilty to 17 of the charges, including smuggling, possessing an unregistered machine gun and numerous violations of the Arms Export Control Act.From 2019 to 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol intercepted…

On April 13, the U.S. military began a “blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports.” The move came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on April 12 that the United States would begin a blockade after American and Iranian negotiators were unable to reach an agreement during a meeting in Islamabad.The announcement of a blockade immediately raised questions about how a blockade would work, how it fits into a broader U.S. strategy, its impacts on the global economy, and more. We asked five experts to assess the practicalities of enforcing a blockade, its legality, Iran’s likely response,…

Panu Routila, 61, M.Sc. (Econ.), DBA, has been appointed as the new President and CEO of Patria Oyj. Routila served as the Chairman of Patria’s Board of Directors from 2020 to 2026. Patria’s long-serving CEO Esa Rautalinko and the company’s Board of Directors have jointly agreed that Rautalinko will conclude his term as President and CEO. The decision is based on a shared view of the company’s next phase of development as well as Rautalinko’s personal plans for the future. Routila will assume the role of Patria’s President and CEO immediately. “Patria is a growth company at an exciting stage.…

Analyses of the April 7, 2026 “Cheng–Xi meeting” risk falling into a conceptual blind spot: interpreting the encounter between the two party leaders through the lens of seeking peace or stability, while overlooking a crucial reality, namely that the Kuomintang (KMT) is not an actor capable of engaging the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on equal strategic footing. Alas, this oversight carries significant danger, as it may push Taiwan toward greater insecurity rather than safety. Taiwan is a democracy and a resilient small state, but it is by no means a great power. In fact, Taiwan remains highly exposed to risk.…

Carlos Ulberg has lost his UFC title, just not in the Octagon where he earned it. Last Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Ulberg captured the vacant light heavyweight title with a stunning first-round knockout of former champion Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 327 main event. Although “Black Jag” looked on the verge of squandering his first shot at UFC gold after injuring his knee and appearing compromised early, with Prochazka pressing forward, Ulberg flipped the script in an instant. He detonated a crushing left hand that dropped “BJP,” then swarmed with ground-and-pound to seal a dramatic championship victory.…

Officials at the signing of the contract. Credit: © Indra. Indra has signed a new contract with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace to supply electronic warfare (EW) and radar systems for six additional Type 212CD submarines to be added to the German and Norwegian naval fleets.   Under the contract, Indra will provide its fully digital electronic warfare system and advanced radar units for the submarines.   Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more The systems are intended to support protection, surveillance and situational awareness for the vessels in demanding environments.  The agreement increases the total submarines…