Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Lt. Gen. (ret.) Francis Beaudette, former commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, joins Ryan to discuss how his family history, service, and books shaped his path into and time in the Army. Together, they talk through his years as a young officer during Operation Desert Storm, the wars that followed, the present and future challenges of special operations (and how they aren’t that different from the past), and the difficulty of learning the right lessons from the wars of today. Thanks to Legion Intelligence for sponsoring the event at which this episode was recorded.Image: ChatGPT

Rheinmetall will supply further mobile rescue stations to the Bundeswehr. As an extension of a previous order, the armed forces are set to receive a total of 149 additional protected and unprotected systems, with a gross value of over €500 million. This call-off under a framework contract awarded at the end of 2024 is the largest order to date that the contractor, Rheinmetall Project Solutions GmbH, has ever received. Production of the rescue stations is due to begin in the first quarter of 2027. With the order booked in July 2026, the total number of rescue stations rises to 165…

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 StrategyОбозреватель…

Event: BRANDRISK 015: “McBroom vs. Faze Temper”Date: Sat., Aug. 22, 2026Location: Brand Risk Warehouse in Miami, FloridaBroadcast: YouTube, kick.com/adinross, TwitchStart Time: Main card: 8 p.m. ETCruiserweight: Austin McBroom vs. FaZe Temperrr – BoxingBRANDRISK 015 Co-main EventHeavyweight: Larry Wheels vs. Vitaly – BoxingMiddleweight: Bob Menery vs. YK Osiris – BoxingCruiserweight: Supa Hot Fire vs. Supreme PattyWelterweight: Julian Newman vs. ThiirtyMiddleweight: Kodiyak Redd vs. Jeremy SmithStrawweight: Yera vs. TessaHeavyweight: No Neck Jay vs. Frankie LaPennaMiddleweight: Kimbo Slice Jr. vs. Gabe Silva (Anderson Silva’s son)Welterweight: Bang Williams vs. Patrick OkineHeavyweight: Chibu vs. B.M.A. MusaHeavyweight: Anthony Taylor vs. AP The Fighter

Australia and the United States have successfully tested AUKUS Pillar II subsea and seabed warfare capabilities during an undersea warfare activity as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026 (RIMPAC 26) in July. Australian MoD press release Taking place off the coast of Hawaii, RIMPAC 26 is the world’s largest international maritime exercise, involving 34 nations and more than 25,000 personnel. The AUKUS Pillar II undersea activity at RIMPAC 26 brought together Australian and United States personnel from the Royal Australian Navy, Defence Science and Technology Group, and the United States Navy. Together, they were able to test and…

No need to prove anything.Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern successfully defended her 115-pound strap against Gillian Robertson in UFC 330’s co-main event this past weekend (Sat., Aug. 15, 2026) inside Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.It was a dominant, one-sided unanimous decision victory. However, even after Dern’s first successful title defense, one name continues to loom large over the division: former champion Weili Zhang.In Zhang’s absence, Dern defeated Virna Jandiroba to capture the vacant belt and has now successfully defended it.But the outside noise does not bother Dern, and the 33-year-old believes she is unquestionably the rightful…

Legislation aimed at improving the amount of paid leave federal employees are eligible each year took another step forward as Democratic senators introduced companion legislation shortly before Congress left for its August recess.In June, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (H.R. 9261), a measure that would provide feds with up to 12 weeks each year of paid family leave, to be used to attend to a serious health condition or care for a spouse, child or parent. It also would cover absences needed in connection with a family member’s deployment into…

I built the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification because self-attestation was failing our war industrial base. Contractors could simply promise they were following basic cybersecurity practices, with no verification behind that promise. Our adversaries noticed that gap long before Washington did—and they have not eased up since. If anything, the opposite is true. Nation-state actors and the ransomware crews they tolerate or direct are more aggressive, better funded, and faster than they were five years ago. This is not the moment to loosen the standard. The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement requirements behind CMMC should not change, and I would not support it…

News August 17, 2026 Lisa Daigle Assistant Managing Editor Military Embedded Systems RTX image TUCSON, Ariz. Raytheon reports that it will accelerate the production of Tomahawk cruise missiles for the U.S. Navy under the terms of a seven-year, $22.9 billion contract. Raytheon had already been working on contracts to supply Tomahawks to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD); the new contract, according to the company announcement, will support additional capacity investments and deeper collaboration with hundreds of small and midsized suppliers across the U.S. The announcement from Raytheon (an RTX company) states that the contract is structured as a multi-year production…

Confusion around Department of Veterans Affairs footwear benefits is common, and understandably so, since there isn’t just one program. Two separate benefits actually get lumped together in conversation, plus a broader clinical service coordinates both. Here’s how the system works. Any VA-enrolled veteran whose VA clinician determines therapeutic footwear is medically necessary can be referred for it. Diabetes is the most common qualifying condition, but it isn’t the only one. Neuropathy, peripheral arterial disease, foot deformities, pressure points, chronic swelling or edema, and prosthetic needs can all lead to a referral for specialized footwear. The process typically starts with a…