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An extremely secretive Air Force spy drone was used in the U.S. military’s operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro this month, Lockheed Martin’s CEO confirmed, marking a rare disclosure of the aircraft’s operations.James Taiclet confirmed that RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones were part of the Jan. 3 Venezuelan mission, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, on a Thursday earnings call.“Lockheed Martin products once again proved critical to the U.S. military’s most demanding missions,” Taiclet said. “The recent Operation Absolute Resolve included F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drones, and Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters, which helped ensure mission success while bringing…

WASHINGTON — A recent Army request for information for up to 11 business jets to be used for the service’s High Altitude Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) program is a “good signal,” according to a service spokesperson, but doesn’t necessarily mean the program’s “full steam ahead.” The RFI, published Jan. 22, states that the jet must operate between 41,000 and 51,000 feet above sea level and be able to carry a payload of at least 14,000 pounds while flying 12 hours or more without refueling. It further noted that the Army has a future objective of up to 14 aircraft…

STOCKHOLM — In a significant victory for South Korean defense exports, Norway selected Hanwha Aerospace’s Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system over prominent Western competitors for its ground-based long-range precision fires system.  This marks a notable shift in Nordic defense acquisitions, which have traditionally relied heavily on European and American defense firms. “This is one of the largest investments ever made for the Army,” Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik stated in a Thursday press release.  Oslo selected Hanwha after an evaluation that determined only the Chunmoo fully met all requirements for performance, delivery speed, cost, and full system integration, according…

In late December 2025, forces backed by the United Arab Emirates swept across six governorates in southern Yemen and seized oil-rich provinces along Saudi Arabia’s border. Within days, Saudi airstrikes and Saudi-backed troops erased their gains. The Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council’s territory in Yemen was reduced to practically nothing. It then quietly declared its dissolution.This drama marked the first direct military confrontation between forces backed by the two Gulf states whose cooperation has shaped the regional security architecture for over a decade. It signifies not merely a tactical disagreement between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on an isolated…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the total annihilation of his high command. On January 24, the Ministry of Defense announced that China’s top uniformed officer, General Zhang Youxia, and the military’s chief of staff, General Liu Zhenli, were being investigated for “serious violations of party discipline and law”—usually regime code for corruption. One Western press account even says that Zhang leaked nuclear secrets to the United States. The ministry’s terse announcement masked the biggest political earthquake to hit the top brass of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. It also marked the zenith of…

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) — Beginning this year, the Air Force is introducing Air Expeditionary Wing 2.0, an improved version of our legacy deployment construct, as its new wing unit of action. AEW 2.0 will be implemented in fiscal year 2027. Changes in the global strategic environment over the last several years emphasized a clear need: maintain an elevated state of readiness to deter and win in high-end conflict. To achieve this, the Air Force has reevaluated its approach to generating and deploying combat airpower. The service evolved its force presentation through different deployment models in recent years, including the Expeditionary…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first official meeting with exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya last weekend during a visit to Vilnius. Their meeting was the latest indication of a significant policy shift underway in Ukraine toward the country’s northern neighbor that could have implications for the wider region. For years, Zelenskyy had kept the Belarusian democratic opposition at arm’s length as part of Ukrainian efforts to avoid angering Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka and pushing him further toward the Kremlin. That approach has brought few benefits. Ukraine now appears to have recognized that a new strategy to bilateral relations…

US Navy Washington D.C. Speech by Adm. Daryl Caudle Presented on 27 January 2026 Date Published 27 January 2026 Good morning, everyone and welcome. Thanks Bryan for that kind introduction. I’m absolutely thrilled to kick-off the second annual APEX Defense forum an event that unites not only our warfighters and industry leaders, but connects our acquisition, startup, and business professionals from across the globe. Before I begin, let me take a moment to give a quick word of thanks to our hosts, The Hudson Institute and Clarion Defence for putting together another fantastic event. From what I can see, you…

MIDS JTRS is a four-channel radio that operates the Link 16 waveform and supports three other communication protocols. Credit: © BAE Systems. The US Navy has signed a $248m production contract with Data Link Solutions for hundreds of Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals intended for US and allied military forces. Data Link Solutions is a joint venture of BAE Systems and Collins Aerospace, an RTX business. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more The MIDS JTRS terminals are…

The Army general tapped to lead the U.S. National Security Agency assured lawmakers Thursday that he will follow the Constitution and the law when it comes to using the NSA’s powerful surveillance tools.Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd, if confirmed by the Senate, would also run the Pentagon’s Cyber Command, giving him a critical role in the nation’s offensive and defensive cyber operations.The NSA has been without a permanent director since President Donald Trump fired Gen. Tim Haugh last year. The questions at Rudd’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee reflected concerns about whether Trump has politicized the use of federal…