Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

In the wake of Iranian attacks that devastated U.S. bases in the Middle East, the U.S. Air Force wants portable air-defense guns that can destroy drones and cruise missiles.The Ground-Based, Medium-Caliber Gun Weapon System project is aiming for a weapon “that fires affordable munitions, enables defense against air and missile threats with an initial focus on subsonic cruise missiles (CM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to provide persistent defense in support of United States Air Force assets,” according to the Air Force’s Request for Information published Thursday. The deadline is Oct. 9.Iran has unleashed retaliatory strikes at U.S. military installations…

STM is continuing to mature its NETA family of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), designed for mine detection, seabed surveillance and the protection of underwater infrastructures. Following tank and sea trials of the NETA 300, the programme has entered a new industrial and capability phase, marked by the start series production and by its planned integration into a broader autonomous underwater architecture The NETA system is displayed at the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO, held in Kielce, Poland, alongside other unmanned and naval programmes, providing the Turkish company with an important European platform for its growing portfolio of autonomous systems. A…

Advocacy groups joined together to continue a push to halt President Donald Trump’s plans to construct an arch that would obstruct the ability to view Arlington National Cemetery.VoteVets, a Democratic veterans group, was joined by Home of the Brave, a political advocacy group, and the Cultural Landscape Foundation, a nonprofit focused on landscape heritage, in an effort to halt the build of the planned arch as the anticipated date of construction nears. Last week, it was announced on social media that construction would soon begin for the arch, which would be 250 feet tall and sit at Memorial Circle on…

Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, both D-Ill., last week urged Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford to greenlight the remaining 70% of a pay raise Congress appropriated for air traffic controllers last April.As part of the spending package that ended the 76-day shutdown of the Homeland Security Department, Congress authorized a 3.8% pay raise for federal air traffic controllers, backdated to January, and set aside $140 million in appropriations to pay for it.But Washington Examiner reported last month that Bedford has thus far only authorized a 1% raise and has withheld the remaining 2.8% increase. That’s because the law authorizing…

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum, only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline and StrategyЕспресо…

The loss of dozens of MQ-9 Reapers to Iranian air defenses is speeding up the U.S. Air Force effort to replace its venerable strike-and-sensor remotely piloted aircraft with something cheaper yet better, service leaders say.“As we get to the end of the MQ-9 life, there was some early talk of where do we want to go afterwards, and candidly, as a result of some of the losses that we’ve experienced in combat operations, that discussion sort of got accelerated,” said Lt. Gen. Christopher J. Niemi, the Air Force’s chief modernization officer, at a Thursday roundtable with reporters.The service has lost…

As the prime contractor of the Infanterist der Zukunft program on behalf of the Bundeswehr, Rheinmetall Electronics has placed a major order with Safran Electronics & Defense, building on the long-standing and successful collaboration between the two companies. Under this contract, Safran Electronics & Defense will deliver a significant volume of optronic systems, including over a thousand MOSKITO systems and several hundred SHARPCROW systems to equip the Bundeswehr’s medium and heavy infantry forces. ?As part of this program, Safran Electronics & Defense has been selected to provide advanced portable observation systems that enable German infantry forces to better understand their…

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 07: (L-R) Quentin Pasley and Arlind Berisha of Norway face off during Dana White’s Contender Series season ten, week five official weigh-in at Palace Station Hotel & Casino on September 7, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Greek and Italian Defence Ministers sign agreement formally activating Greece’s acquisition of two FREMM frigates, with the ships scheduled to enter Hellenic Navy service in 2028 and 2029 respectively. Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias travelled to Rome on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, where he met with his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto. The two ministers discussed the latest developments in the international and regional security environment, with particular emphasis on European defence, the strategic situation in the Mediterranean and the Western Balkans, and the need to further strengthen defence cooperation between Greece and Italy. Greek Minister of National Defence…

At a ceremony today (Monday 7th September) in Czosnow, MBDA has formally opened its first industrial facility in Poland. The new facility at Czosnow, which complements MBDA’s corporate offices in Warsaw, will act as a service and technology centre for Poland. The opening of the site marks an historic milestone in MBDA’s commitment to Poland and enhanced ability to support the Polish Armed Forces. It will enable faster and more direct maintenance, support and training for the PILICA+ programme, as well as enhance MBDA’s ability to partner in new innovative ways with the Polish industry for future technology. MBDA opens…