Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org The next “Air Force One” presidential aircraft and other planes in the Air Force’s VIP transport fleet will soon have a new paint scheme—one preferred by President Trump and similar to the one painted on the president’s personal 757 aircraft. The Air Force officially unveiled the livery Feb. 18, releasing an artist’s rendering of a future VC-25B “Air Force One” in the new colors, which it identified as the “official paint…

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If you’ve ever heard the deep, chopping rhythm of a Huey helicopter, you know it doesn’t just fly, it announces itself. That sound carried through Vietnam, humanitarian missions, and decades of U.S. military operations. But today’s battlefield isn’t the jungle of 1968. It’s digital, fast, networked, and unforgiving.That’s where the UH-1Y Venom enters the story.At first glance, it looks like the familiar Huey silhouette. But don’t let that profile fool you. The Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopter is less a simple upgrade and more a full rebirth, redesigned to survive modern threats, lift heavier loads, and coordinate seamlessly with advanced attack…

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The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) was a US government oversight office created by Congress in 2008 to independently monitor and evaluate how taxpayer dollars were spent on the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Its statutory mandate gave SIGAR the authority to conduct audits, inspections, and investigations of programs, operations, and contracts funded with US appropriations for Afghan reconstruction, with the aim of promoting efficiency and effectiveness while detecting and preventing waste, fraud, and abuse. SIGAR regularly reported its findings to Congress, provided detailed quarterly assessments of reconstruction activities, and offered recommendations for improvement, serving as the leading watchdog on…

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories ofGoogle informs me that Chris Hemsworth is 6’3” and was up to 235-pounds while playing Thor, which means he could fight in the godawful Heavyweight division, which means … there’s a chance!Looking for metal recommendations? Geoff Neal is your guy!Leon Edwards’ elbows are a thing of beauty.Does Islam Makhachev have the best takedown finishes of all time? His finishes on the legs and in the clinch are so skillful.I need to see Rush on the bag to confirm all the Holloways can…

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Calisthenics is one of the simplest and most effective ways to build strength, improve body composition, and enhance overall fitness. You do not need machines, heavy barbells, or even a gym membership. Your body is the resistance. But “simple” does not mean “easy.” Bodyweight training can be extremely demanding. The key is choosing the right foundational exercises and performing them with good technique and intelligent progression. WOD time! This article breaks down five basic calisthenics exercises for beginners: Push-Ups Bodyweight Squats Planks Glute Bridges Inverted Rows Each movement is backed by scientific evidence and chosen because it trains major muscle…

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The Kyiv Independent President Volodymyr Zelensky said Feb. 16 that Russia is preparing new large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as Kyiv’s negotiating team arrived in Geneva for another round of peace talks with the United States and Russia. “Intelligence reports that the Russians are preparing new massive strikes on energy, and air defense must be configured properly,” Zelensky said in his nightly address. He urged partners to ensure the timely delivery of air defense support, saying delays could increase the damage from strikes. “Any delay in supplying air defense missiles, any untimely delivery works for scaling up the damage from the strikes,” he…

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The U.S. Army’s Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper (MARS) event held earlier in 2025 at Fort Hood, Texas saw the debut of a new tactical capability for the Abrams main battle tank. General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and AeroVironment (AV) collaborated in company funded effort to integrated extended range loitering munition capability into the M1A2 Main Battle Tank. Called PERCH (Precision Effects & Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed) system it integrates a launching system into the tank’s left turret sponson that allows for the firing of the AV Switchblade 300 Switchblade 600 loitering munitions. Outfitting of PERCH can be accomplished…

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Sean Strickland was directionally vitriolic when discussing the recent Super Bowl halftime show and used some regressive slurs to describe the featured performer, Bad Bunny. This year’s NFL-related entertainment proceedings became heavily politicized, with some seeing Bad Bunny as being representative of a left-leaning performance. While on the other end of this political binary showcase, a Turning Point USA show featuring Kid Rock offered up more of a MAGA-focused, right-leaning musical offering. Strickland returns from his suspension to clash with Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez this weekend, but he also took some time to lambast Bad Bunny and the NFL halftime show…

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Could China replace the United States atop the target list of transnational jihadist groups like al-Qaeda? A recent statement released by Sheikh Saad bin Atef al Awlaqi, the emir of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, directly threatened China, labeling its government as a “pagan, infidel” enemy whose actions against Uyghur Muslims justify future attacks. The statement marks a clear escalation in al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s anti-China rhetoric. But will it lead to a shift in operational goals?Jihadist groups have long exaggerated their capabilities, using their media and propaganda platforms to issue wide-ranging threats against an expansive list of adversaries,…

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The Office of Personnel Management is set to publish new regulations codifying recent moves to make it easier for federal agencies to pay and offer jobs to their interns who are still in college, implementing provisions of two laws aimed at improving recruitment of young federal workers.Following a decade of declining enrollment in agencies’ various internship and early-career talent programs, Congress included provisions in the 2019 and 2020 National Defense Authorization acts designed to make it easier for agencies to pay their interns by offering them temporary appointments and the option to convert them to permanent roles once they graduate.OPM…

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