Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

By Trent Pollard 4 June 2026 When the first Australian-made AS9 Huntsman fired on its distant target, you’d have been forgiven for mistaking it for cracks of thunder, which is fitting considering the name of its Korean predecessor, Hanwha’s ‘K9 Thunder’. Thirty gunners from Townsville’s 4th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, fired the new domestically produced AS9 self-propelled howitzers at the conclusion of a six-week course at the School of Artillery in Puckapunyal, Victoria. From the production line in Geelong to completion of its first introduction-into-service training course has taken a matter of months. Director General Systems and Integration Brigadier James…

Over the last decade, open-world games have become so ubiquitous that they almost seem passé, and new releases need to push themselves further than ever before to leave their mark. Otherwise, in 2035, they might find themselves featured in retrospective discussions about fantastic games forgotten by time and players. Let’s take a look at a few open-world titles that suffered that fate, out of no fault of their own. Naturally, most releases cannot possibly remain relevant indefinitely, especially if they don’t form part of a franchise that churns out sequels eternally or reach a level of acclaim that cements their…

Introduction I have spent most of my childhood playing all sorts of World War 2 videogames. Those were all the rage back then, in the late 90s and early 2000s. A huge portion of World War 2 veterans were still alive and were now grandparents in their late 60s and 70s. Stories were being passed down, new blockbuster movies were being made, with Saving Private Ryan kickstarting a gold rush that saw countless others trying to capitalize on its success. This wasn’t limited only to movies and books, and the rising media of videogames was coming into its own too,…

The Department of Defense has filed a motion to block a June 2 court order that required it to allow recruits with asymptomatic HIV to enlist or commission into the U.S. military.Attorneys for the Pentagon filed a motion Wednesday asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reconsider its Tuesday decision in the case, Wilkins v. Hegseth, which lifted a stay on prohibiting HIV-positive people whose infections are controlled by medication and who otherwise qualify from serving while the case continues.In 2024, Circuit Court Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District Court of Virginia ruled that with…

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org The Air Force would keep all of its 184 F-22 Raptors until at least the end of fiscal 2032 under an amendment added to the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the National Defense Authorization bill. In a June 4 markup, the committee approved by voice vote a plethora of amendments related to the Air Force and its fleet. They include provisions that would allow the Air Force to buy more…

The Arafura-class offshore patrol vessel HMAS Eyre was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 30 May. (ADF)At a ceremony at the Western Australian naval base of HMAS Stirling on 30 May, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) commissioned the second of its six Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV).Civmec Defence Industries completed construction of this vessel, HMAS Eyre, at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. Luerssen Australia had commenced the project, before it abandoned the Australian market.The Arafura class measures 80m long and displaces 1,640 tonnes. They have a creditable 4,000nm range.Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Chief of Navy, described the…

President Donald Trump’s decision to name William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence is threatening a fragile Senate deal to extend a contentious surveillance authority.On Tuesday, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to press the White House to reverse the appointment of Pulte, who has no national-security background but does have a record of targeting Trump’s political adversaries. Warner said the appointment could sink a deal to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, according to a person familiar with the matter. Punchbowl News first reported Warner’s request to Thune.Section 702, which allows…

Losing body fat seems straightforward on paper. Eat fewer calories than you burn, stay consistent, and watch the weight come off. In reality, fat loss is rarely that simple. Many people work hard, exercise regularly, and believe they are making healthy choices, yet they struggle to see results. The problem is often not a lack of effort. Instead, it is a collection of common mistakes that quietly undermine progress. Want a 500lb Deadlift? Here are 4 Numbers You Need to Hit First Modern research has revealed that successful fat loss depends on far more than simply eating less and moving…

The stakes for warfighters and our nation are too high to wait, as we can’t risk the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the space-based data on whic… David Schmolke June 4, 2026 5:44 pm 4 min read The number of space assets put on orbit in the last decade reaches into the thousands, with an estimated 10 more satellites per day being added through 2033. The resulting capabilities and coverage now available for military and civil use are extraordinary. Yet even with modern space systems evolving to be more resilient, the data transiting them can be vulnerable. That is because…

The U.S. Postal Service’s regulator on Thursday argued that the agency’s financial woes will not be resolved until Congress sets up a funding system for the USPS that supports its desired service requirements, echoing calls from the agency’s leadership and other oversight entities. “Only by first specifically defining what America needs of its postal service and what that costs will Congress then truly know how best to fix the fundamental funding structure while preserving appropriate service and delivery standards,” said Robert Taub, the vice chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations. Postmaster…