Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

When Anduril announced a $910 million drone production facility in Ohio, it was not politics as usual. The main message came from Ohio’s governor, Mike DeWine, while Representative Mike Carey’s press release thanked the governor. Members of Congress usually take substantial credit for defense industrial jobs, but Carey did not because he could not. Anduril sited Arsenal-1 near Columbus partially because of state subsidies.New defense firms backed by venture financing and state economic development subsidies have given states a political stake in the most innovative portion of federal defense procurement. New entrants promise and sometimes deliver fast, commercial solutions. Subsidies…

“A warrior who never gave up on himself,” Darren Elkins enters the octagon for the final time Saturday night to face Yadier del Valle in his retirement bout at UFC Vegas 120. Elkins announced this would be his “last dance” when the promotion revealed the matchup, and he explained his decision during media day Wednesday.“I’m older in age now, but mostly I’m starting to get hurt a little bit more often,” Elkins said. “Getting to train all the time is taking more of a toll on my body than used to, so it’s time. I mean, I’ve been contemplating it…

A Colorado woman is facing legal charges after allegedly using fake military IDs as part of an attempt to allegedly steal nearly $9,000. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office alleges that Jonica Woodward, 47, presented a military ID and a VA card in the name of an account holder at the Pinnacle Bank in Memphis, Colo. Authorities said bank employees became suspicious when Woodward presented a Pinnacle Loan advance form in the amount of $8,900, which she purportedly signed with the victim’s name but had an incorrect account number. Authorities said a Pinnacle Bank account was targeted by a Colorado woman…

Terry Gerton Austin, this is a tough topic to talk about. Your reporting uncovered a striking finding about the causes of death among women in the army. Before we get into a lot of the details, what was maybe the very most surprising thing you learned as you reported on this story? Austin Campbell I think the most surprising thing was that women in the Army were dying by homicide and suicide at roughly twice the rates of civilian women. And intimate partner homicide was at least three times the national average and more than half the women were killed…

Israel has successfully tested an upgraded version of its Arrow missile defense system, incorporating lessons learned from the recent war with Iran. The trial marks another milestone in the continued evolution of Israel’s multi-layered air and missile defense network, as the country accelerates the development of next-generation technologies to counter emerging regional threats. Israel Successfully Tests Upgraded Arrow System The Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) within the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) of the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD), together with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), successfully…

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving to their expectations about the future of war. In this episode, Cadet Zach Olson speaks with Major General James Bartholomees, the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division, about the leadership philosophy that has guided him from the Ranger Regiment to division command. The conversation also covers the…

Welcome to The Adversarial. Every other week, we’ll provide you with expert analysis on America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists. Read more below.***IranOver the last two weeks, President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened major attacks on Iran. Going into the weekend, multiple news outlets reported that he was mulling a major bombing campaign — which would almost certainly result in retaliatory strikes against U.S. bases and allies around the region. But late Saturday night, Trump asserted that a deal was in the works to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, based on which he would hold fire for the…

The official in charge of tracking the Navy’s finances mocked the smell, weight and appearance of subordinates and made hiring decisions that appeared to show bias in favor of other African American women, a new report from the Pentagon’s top watchdog finds.The 42-page probe concludes that Donjette Gilmore, auditor general of the Navy Audit Service, made a habit of harassing and belittling subordinates, creating a hostile work environment and reducing some employees to tears. Of 27 witnesses interviewed by the Inspector General, 23 said they had personally witnessed, experienced or heard about this behavior.Specific comments alleged by witnesses included, “Oh,…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Australia will become the first nation outside the United States to field the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), following the announcement of a nearly A$736 million (approximately $480 million) procurement that will significantly expand the Royal Australian Air Force’s air combat capabilities. The acquisition comes as Australia, like the United States, is increasingly focused on maintaining an edge in beyond-visual-range air combat against China’s rapidly advancing airpower, including long-reaching air-to-air missiles. The acquisition was announced by Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and…

Three more companies will get Space Force money to build satellites that can track aircraft, a move meant to reduce the service’s reliance on SpaceX for the capability.Rocket Lab and STR were awarded firm-fixed-price other-transaction-authority agreements to develop a space-based solution for the military’s airborne moving target indicator mission, or AMTI. A third company was also selected, but officials didn’t name the firm in a press release this week due to “operational security.” More than two months ago, the service awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract to build the emerging technology. Col. Ryan Frazier, acting Space Force Portfolio Acquisition Executive for…