Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

The German Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) plans to purchase four MEKO A-200 class frigates as an interim solution until the potential delivery of the F126 class frigates. By Waldemar Geiger / Hartpunkt As the Ministry stated in a press release issued on March 18, 2026, the delivery of the F126 class anti-submarine warfare frigates is expected to be delayed. Therefore, in parallel with negotiations with Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) regarding the continuation of the F126 project, the Ministry of Defence is pursuing the procurement of four commercially available MEKO (“multi-purpose combination”) A-200 class frigates from the naval shipbuilder TKMS…

Take a moment for yourself to read today’s post from guest writer Dana Brown on mindfulness. A moment of mindfulness can make a big difference in your martial arts training and your life in general. As the article says, “A consistent mindfulness practice doesn’t require a quieter life; it creates steadier awareness inside a loud one.”If you would like to contribute a martial arts-related post to Little Black Belt, please review the guest writer guidelines here. Martial arts practitioners balancing training and daily life often build strong bodies while their attention gets pulled apart by work deadlines, family demands, injury…

Joe Schilling’s return to a major combat sports platform will come against a fellow elite striker, as he is set to face former GLORY light heavyweight champion Donegi Abena at PFL Brussels on May 23 at ING Arena in Brussels, Belgium. The bout, agreed for light heavyweight, will serve as Abena’s long‑awaited mixed martial arts debut and pits two high‑level kickboxers against each other under the PFL banner. Match originall announced by Mike Bohn. Joe Schilling vs. Donegi Abena in the PFL Announced Schilling’s inclusion in this matchup is significant because of his own extensive background in high‑level striking. He…

Ernesto Hoost and Semmy Schilt to train 14 selected fighters from 8 countries at SENSHI Gym – Varna until March 22 From March 18 to 22, 2026, Varna is hosting the fourth selective invitation-only training camp of the international fight promotion SENSHI. The camp is specifically organized for selected fighters competing in the middleweight and heavyweight divisions (85+ kg). A total of 14 elite athletes from 7 countries – Germany, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Cameroon, and Bulgaria – have been invited to participate. Leading the training process are two of the biggest names in world kickboxing – four-time K-1 champions Ernesto Hoost and…

The Crusades are frequently invoked by politicians and religious groups to capture the public imagination. Often, the era is misinterpreted to serve modern agendas, and even history books can be clouded by ideological bias. At Strategy and Wargaming, we strive for the same level of objectivity as the game’s creators. While my colleague Nuno focuses on Medieval history from a European perspective, I have studied Islamic history, law, and theology since the age of 17. I even took courses from an Islamic online school from Jordan. My studies even led to an invitation from an Army Colonel to discuss regional…

This episode is about far more than countering drones. It is about how America prepares for and fights its wars. With three leaders from three companies at the forefront of counter-drone solutions (AeroVironment, Epirus, and Hidden Level), the conversation explores how America and its enemies are adapting, how the U.S. military is and isn’t keeping pace, the problems with how America buys things, and more. This episode also features a rant from Ryan about companies that exaggerate the value they are providing to Ukraine. The idea for this episode precedes the latest war with Iran, but the fight in the…

Each year, Spend Matters, a Hackett Group Division, honors a vast array of procurement solution providers by selecting them for our ‘50 to Know,’ ‘50 to Watch,’ ‘Future 5’ and ‘Hall of Fame’ celebration lists. Discover everything you need to know about these accolades, including who is on them. For the Future 5, our analysts, now part of The Hackett Group® Solution Intelligence analyst team, scour the market to find new specialist solution providers that can answer a burning need of procurement practitioners today. Following months of debate based on extensive knowledge of the many procurement technologies they have demoed, analyzed and…

The UK held a meeting with Middle East representatives on 18 March. Credit: UK MoD via X The UK appears to be attempting to repair the damage caused by its perceived weak response to the Iran-Middle East crisis, holding a meeting with representatives of GCC and Middle East states where it affirmed its support for the region. In an 18 March release, the UK Government confirmed that it would acquire additional Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) to supply British forces and countries in the region. Manufactured by Thales in Belfast, the LMM had already proven “highly capable” for air defence in…

News March 18, 2026 Lisa Daigle Assistant Managing Editor Military Embedded Systems Photo courtesy GomSpace AALBORG, Denmark. Satellite provider GomSpace will participate in the European Defence Agency’s (EDA’s) recently signed 15.65 million euro ($17.96 million) research contract to develop Europe’s first dedicated very low Earth orbit (VLEO) military satellite concept, as part of the VLEO-DEF consortium. The company says the contract win is a major milestone for GomSpace as it represents one of the first EDA-funded defense initiatives in which the company is directly involved; GomSpace’s share in the program will be 445,000 euros ($512,333) and is planned to be delivered by the second half…

After taking on ammunition in the UK, the Royal Navy’s Type 45, HMS Dragon, is on its way to Cypriot waters. (Crown Copyright) US President Trump’s “Big, beautiful armada” faces two major issues: firstly, when Operation Epic Fury was launched, it failed to secure the Strait of Hormuz; and secondly, it has no mine countermeasures ships onboard. However, Italy’s frigate Martinengo has been deployed as part of the broader European presence near Cyprus, alongside the Spanish frigate Cristobal Colon. Meanwhile, the Netherlands has prepared the frigate HNLMS Evertsen for regional operations. The German frigate FGS Nordrhein-Westfalen has operated in the…