Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

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 With a shrinking fleet and growing operational demand, Air Force Special Operations Command sees the new OA-1K combat scout aircraft as key to a “new era,” officials say.  Even as budget constraints threaten to limit the number of aircraft built, AFSOC is charging forward on the program, also known as Armed Overwatch. The command recently received its 18th airframe from contractor L3Harris, commander Lt. Gen. Michael Conley told lawmakers last week. And ahead of the annual SOF Week conference that started May 18, a command official said the OA-1K will start operational testing later this year, then likely fly…

In the months after Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, in May 2025, he kept a relatively low profile. He fulfilled prescheduled trips to Turkey and Lebanon and released just one pontifical document, on the church’s love for the poor, begun by Pope Francis. But in 2026, Leo has come into his own with biblical messaging against war. At a Mass on January 1, after the Trump administration had killed more than 100 people by attacking boats in international waters in the preceding four months, the pope challenged policies undermining “diplomacy, mediation, and international law.” In an annual address to…

Editor’s note: This developing story has been updated with a comment from the Ukrainian government.VIENNA — A NATO air policing jet has shot down what authorities suspect was a Ukrainian drone flying over Estonia, a first after several similar airspace incursions in the Baltic states. The drone was shot down by a Romanian F-16 fighter jet stationed in Šiauliai, Lithuania, Estonian media reported from a press conference by the defense ministry in Tallinn. Estonian radars had detected the threat before it entered the country’s airspace, according to the Estonian minister of defense, Hanno Pevkur. The shootdown has been confirmed by…

Dana White and Hunter Campbell had a good idea that Ronda Rousey was going to dispatch Gina Carano rather quickly and that ultimately played a part in deciding not to promote the fight, which eventually ended up under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions with the event airing live on Netflix this past Saturday night.In her first fight back in a decade, Rousey scored an early takedown and snatched her signature armbar submission to finish Carano in just 17 seconds. Of course, Rousey was a massive favorite heading into the fight and the result wasn’t totally unexpected, especially after the Olympic…

Credit: Defense FeedsDefense Feeds, Washington — US Northrop Grumman drone project boosts hypersonic test surveillance as the company secures a new $325 million contract to develop an advanced unmanned aircraft capable of tracking and monitoring hypersonic missile tests.The project reflects growing Pentagon efforts to strengthen observation and data collection capabilities as global competition in hypersonic weapons technology continues to intensify.Hypersonic systems have become one of the most strategically important developments in modern warfare. These weapons can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 while maneuvering unpredictably during flight, making them far more difficult to track and intercept than conventional ballistic missiles.…

A federal appeals court is upholding a lower court’s decision to restore collective bargaining rights for most employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. A three-judge panel with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, in a ruling Monday, unanimously denied the VA’s emergency motion to stay a lower court’s preliminary injunction, which required the department to restore a union contract for more than 300,000 VA employees. In March, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a preliminary injunction ordering the VA to restore its labor contract with the American Federation of Government Employees’ National VA Council while the case continues. That…

After breaking out with his emotionally driven folk-rock sound and viral success on songs like “Scared to Start,” rising singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi has quickly become one of music’s most talked-about new artists. But while his career is accelerating fast, Marcagi is learning that life on the road requires the same discipline and endurance as any athlete. For Marcagi, touring life looks a lot different these days than it did growing up in Ohio. Now based in Boulder, the Midwest native says the move has completely reshaped the way he approaches health, fitness, and recovery while balancing a demanding performance schedule.…

The Republic of Korea Navy will receive up to 24 new MH-60R naval helicopters from Sikorsky. (ROKN)The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is eyeing the acquisition of up to 24 additional MH-60R helicopters from Sikorsky, as it modernises its naval helicopter fleet. On 18 May, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified this potential sale worth up to US$3 billion.Each new MH-60R will be equipped with an airborne low-frequency sonar; AN/AVS-9 night vision device; AN/AAR-47 missile warning system; AN/APX-123 identification friend-or-foe transponder; AN/ALE-47 dispensers; AN/AAS-44C(V) multispectral targeting system; AN/ALQ-210 electronic support measures; and APS-153(V) multi-mode radar.The 24 Romeos will…

When the U.S. military launched its war against Iran in Feb. 2026, it did not just dismantle Iranian military capabilities. It shattered the illusion that the United States would consult with its closest allies and that an ally’s refusal to grant base access can stop an American war in motion. Rather than the much discussed “outward flows” of military assets from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East, it is the anticipated “inward flows” of U.S. military assets that could be more consequential in times of crisis.Focusing on the early days of the fallout of this intervention, I argue that…

Former UFC superstar Nate Diaz’s potential future trilogy against Conor McGregor hit a roadblock after he suffered an injury against Mike Perry. UFC legend Nate Diaz’s first mixed martial arts appearance in years didn’t go according to plan, as Diaz dominantly lost to Mike Perry last Saturday in Los Angeles. The Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card’s co-main event was exciting for as long as it lasted, before referee Mike Beltran deemed Diaz unfit to continue competing in between rounds due to several facial lacerations. It marked Diaz’s first MMA loss since falling to former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards…