Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on March 4 that Marine Raider Pfc. Norton Retzsch, 25, had been accounted for on April 1, 2025 — thanks, in part, to 20-year-old DNA submitted to the military in 2006.Kim Opitz, Retzsch’s great-niece, a freelance writer who lives in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, told Kare 11 News that her “mother never, never let us forget about him.”Retzsch, a member of Company C, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, 1st Marine Raider Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Amphibious Corps, was first reported missing in action on July 9, 1943, during the Battle of Enogai on…

The Knowledge Economy 2045 (KE2045) initiative explores how global governance, economic systems and technological infrastructures must evolve to support a sustainable and inclusive global economy by 2045. Moving beyond a narrow focus on net-zero emissions, KE2045 frames decarbonisation as part of a broader transformation toward a knowledge-driven global economy in which innovation, collaboration and stewardship of planetary resources underpin prosperity. To support this vision, RAND Europe convened a series of workshops using the Three Horizons foresight framework. Participants from academia, policy, law, energy, and international governance examined how the current global system might transition toward a more resilient, equitable, and…

The United States Army concluded the xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition on March 13 in Vilseck, Germany, where three autonomy technology companies tested unmanned ground systems built on tactical vehicles from Polaris Government and Defense. The event evaluated autonomous vehicle technologies designed for military logistics, reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation missions. The competition is part of the […]

Introduction This is the final part of a long series of questions and answers, and I have been working with a university professor of mine. In case you haven’t read part 1 and part 2, the idea for “Conversations on History and Gaming” sparked when a university professor of mine was doing a presentation on the importance of video games and how they relate to History, and came to me with several questions. I have taken my answers, added some extra commentary, inserted a couple more topics, and put it all together to give you something that has value for…

This artist’s rendering depicts how the Svod C2 system may appear on ruggedised laptop computers used by Russian land forces commanders at the tactical level. (Thomas Withington) A new command and control system is entering service with Russian land forces which is thought to use artificial intelligence to aid tactical decision-making. In late January, the United24 Ukrainian media organisation and Forbes magazine revealed details of a new Russian Command and Control (C2) system called Svod (Vault). Unlike other existing Russian tactical and operational C2 systems, Svod reportedly includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to aid commander decision-making. Much like Ukraine’s Delta…

US-Israeli war on Iran, day 14: The U.S. lost six more service members amid President Trump’s war against Iran on Thursday. All six crew members perished when their KC-135 refueling tanker aircraft went down in western Iraq after colliding with another aircraft.“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury,” military officials at Central Command said in an initial statement Thursday evening. “Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely. This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire,” and the accident is under investigation, they…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. The Pentagon is reportedly moving a Marine Expeditionary Unit and additional warships to the Middle East, as the war with Iran continues. The move, reported by The Wall Street Journal, will help respond to the Iranian campaign of attacks against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. So far, Tehran has remained committed to its pledge of paralyzing oil tanker traffic through the strategic waterway. The WSJ reports that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has approved a request from U.S. Central Command…

A Kiwi soldier fires a Minimi 7.62mm machine gun, known locally as the Light Support Weapon, in Exercise Ngahere Strike. (NZDF)Ahead of a deployment to Southeast Asia in the near future, soldiers from the 2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) recently sharpened their skills in close-country terrain. As they did so, they integrated and relied upon unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to perform their missions.Asian Military Review observed approximately 80 soldiers from the battalion’s Alpha Company prosecuting Exercise Ngahere Strike on the West Coast of the South Island in early March.Major Jono Healey, Officer Commanding of Alpha Company, 2/1…

Welterweight champion Khamzat Chimaev will his his title on the line for the first time at UFC 328 on May 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. “Borz” headlines the fight card against former titleholder and bitter rival Sean Strickland. UFC CEO Dana White announced the matchup on Thursday.The undefeated Chimaev (15-0) captured the 185-pound championship at UFC 319 last August, dominating then-champion Dricus du Plessis. Strickland (30-7) rebounded from a loss to du Plessis in his last outing with a bonus-earning TKO win over Anthony Hernandez in February. Chimaev and Strickland were once training partners. Now they’re…

Diehl Defence and Indra Group have signed an agreement to jointly promote the development and production of air and missile defence systems. Based on its current market standing in these segments, the link-up with Indra will offer Diehl Defence additional opportunities to strengthen its industrial base, enhance technological sovereignty and contribute to European strategic autonomy. Based on their strong track record of cooperation, both companies will initially focus on the joint development of a medium‑range ground-based air defence (GBAD) solution tailored to the operational requirements of the Spanish Armed Forces, drawing on Spain’s technological and industrial base. Later on, the…