Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Northrop Grumman is accelerating American airpower with the B-21 Raider aircraft, advancing rapidly through its flight test campaign to deliver exceptional warfighting capability. With demonstrated aerial refueling, the B-21 proves it can go anywhere in the world and hold any target at risk to deter and defeat threats.   “Our teams are moving the B-21 Raider through testing at an unprecedented pace, continually proving its outstanding performance – including aerial refueling,” said Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems. “We’ve designed and built a reliable, adaptable aircraft that is vital to our warfighters’ missions, while operating with…

Attilio Caligiani and Colin Thompson * Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan’s February 2026 snap election marks a decisive turning point in Tokyo’s defence and security policy and, by extension, in EU-Japan cooperation. With a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives, her government now has the authority to accelerate defence spending, liberalize export controls, and consolidate Japan’s strategic posture. For Europe, this signals the emergence of a more assertive and operational security partner in the Indo-Pacific. This moment marks a shift from symbolic alignment to potential operational integration between the EU and Japan, but only if Europe…

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the security situation in Europe changed dramatically. For Finland it was clear that these new circumstances made it essential that they join a collective securityorganisation to further enhance their defence capabilities. As a result, they applied to join NATO on 18 May 2022. Sweden reacted to the changing European security situation in the same way and also applied to join NATO on the same date. Finland would become a full member of NATO on 4 April 2023,while Sweden would gain membership on 7 March 2024. The new…

Magpul Announces New Updated ELG Fitments The original Magpul Enhanced Lever Gun (ELG) Hand Guard fit only the model 1895 in .45-70. They’ve announced an updated model to now fit all modern Marlin lever guns (including those made by Ruger and Remington) with a forearm end cap in all current chamberings. That means one hand guard will fit the 1895, 1894, and 336 models with a simple clamp swap to fit the proper magazine tube. Now, you can bring all your favorite Marlin lever guns into the 21st century with hand guard M-LOK slots at the 3, 6, and 9…

The recent news that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death was caused by epibatidine — a South American frog toxin — has reignited interest in state use of poisons and toxins in assassinations. Although state use of such compounds has a long history, the erosion of the norms prohibiting assassinations and chemical and biological weapons increases the likelihood of future assassinations using poisons and toxins. As demonstrated in the recent targeting of the Iranian leadership in Operation Eric Fury and in the assassinations of prominent Iranian nuclear scientists, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the assassination norm has collapsed. The norms against chemical…

What happens when one of the defense industry’s leading technology integrators partners with one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture firms? Bryce Pippert of Booz Allen and Matt Cronin of Andreessen Horowitz join Ryan to unpack their new partnership and discuss how the United States is trying to tap into the tech ecosystem. The conversation gets into venture capital’s growing role in national security, how this partnership is supposed to work in practice, and why getting real technology into government hands is still harder than it should be.Image: Midjourney

Defense Feeds, Paris — France is moving to strengthen its naval defenses with the integration of Neptune and MAJES electronic warfare systems on its new FDI frigates.The initiative reflects a growing urgency to counter the rising threat posed by maritime drones in modern naval warfare. As unmanned systems become more widespread, traditional defenses are no longer sufficient on their own.The deployment of Neptune and MAJES jammers marks a significant upgrade in France’s ability to operate in contested maritime environments. These systems are designed to detect, disrupt, and neutralize hostile drones before they can reach critical assets. The move highlights how…

The National Interest: Politics After GlobalizationBy Philip CunliffePolity, 2025 For the bulk of the post-Cold War period, centrist liberals had been associated with economic globalization, multilateral institutions and cosmopolitanism. Liberals may have been aligned with nationalists against the conservative empires of the 19th century and the communist ones of the 20th. But in the 21st century, mainstream Western politicians have insisted that nationalist demagogues pose a threat to liberal democracy. Then, something bizarre happened with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022: nationalism made a comeback in the West, but only in a limited way. “Populist” political forces continued…

DUPER: Social War Game is now available on Android devices.The game features 5-player matches with strategy, trading, and deception.You can earn rewards through wins, alliances, and in-game decisions. DUPER: Social War Game is now live on mobile, bringing a mix of strategy, diplomacy, and a bit of head scratching. This is kind of a unique experience because there is so much to dig into, and the learning curve seemingly goes beyond the initial simple strategy elements. DUPER features 5-player free-for-all matches with 15 to 30 minute sessions You’re dropped into a 5-player free-for-all match, where the goal is to build,…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) introduced AutoHook™, a first-of-its-kind fully autonomous vessel recovery interface developed by FMD’s Norway-based business, Vestdavit. AutoHook is a cornerstone capability in establishing a new standard for fully autonomous Launch and Recovery System (LARS) supporting Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and other assets requiring zero human intervention. FMD press release The compact, lightweight form factor is designed for interoperability across allied fleets in demanding maritime conditions, removing the need for an additional cradle during loading and unloading. Developed by Vestdavit, a trusted provider of advanced life-saving maritime equipment, AutoHook fulfills the unmet need for autonomy during complex, high-risk…