Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Ireland’s decision to exclude an Israeli-developed cockpit system from its new Dassault Falcon 6X is drawing renewed attention to the operational impact of political decisions on defense procurement. By adhering to its policy of avoiding new contracts with Israeli defense companies, Dublin has left its new government aircraft without the advanced FalconEye vision system—potentially reducing its ability to operate in poor weather and low-visibility conditions. Political Decision Shapes Ireland’s Procurement Ireland has yet to identify a replacement for the Israeli-developed FalconEye navigation and landing system that was originally expected to equip its new government aircraft. According to defense sources, the…

Mold, asbestos and crumbling walls are only some of the issues plaguing the U.S. military’s Pacific bases, according to a Pentagon watchdog.At Camp Courtney and Kadena and Yokota Air Bases in Japan, investigators with the Defense Department Office of Inspector General found “visible corrosion, visible mold, visible fire damage, visible cracks on the building exterior and interior, visible concrete spalling and exposed rebar, water intrusion, lead‑based paint, asbestos‑containing material and inoperable communication connections.”The findings came during an audit of Pacific Command infrastructure, during which IG investigators visited 11 PACOM bases in May 2025. They examined operations and communications infrastructure, as…

Titanium-actioned and carbon-barreled at just 5.4 pounds bare, the Wingman brings full-size precision to a 12.5-inch package, arriving as the $0 federal transfer tax makes short-barreled rifles more accessible than ever. REDMOND, Utah — August 10, 2026 — Fierce Firearms today announced the launch of the Wingman SBR, a short-barreled precision rifle chambered in 22 Creedmoor, 25 Creedmoor, and 6.5 Creedmoor. Built on the company’s CT Mini Rogue platform with a titanium action and a 12.5-inch carbon-fiber barrel, the Wingman weighs just 5.4 pounds bare — a genuine precision rifle compact enough to ride under a truck seat, behind a…

A volatile month of July saw employers shed 23,000 jobs and lay off another 153,000, according to the monthly jobs report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday. Amid the plunge, the unemployment rate for veterans appeared to stabilize at 4.2% despite the impact of artificial intelligence, tariffs and the war in Iran. The 4.2% jobless rate for all veterans was up a tick from the 4.1% recorded in June, while the rate for post-9/11 veterans dropped from 4.8% in June to 4.7% in July. The unemployment rate for women veterans, meanwhile, went up from 3.6% in June to…

LAS VEGAS — As dozens of small water utilities report cyber intrusions—possibly from Iran-linked groups–an industry association and a university are teaming up to help raise their defenses.The Water Watch Center will provide cyber mitigation support to utilities that serve fewer than 10,000 people—that is, most of the nation’s community water systems. Launched at this year’s DEF CON hacker convention, the initiative is a collaboration of the National Rural Water Association and DEF CON Franklin, a project of the Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.More than 30 community water systems in Minnesota were targeted late last…

Ian Machado Garry knows he’s ruffled some feathers in the MMA community—he just doesn’t care.On Saturday, Garry challenges Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 330. It’s Garry’s first title fight, and ahead of the bout, “The Future” has been making the media rounds to promote the event. While Garry has rubbed a portion of the MMA fanbase the wrong way since he broke into prominence, this latest media tour may have stirred the hornet’s nest more than ever when he suggested that women should rule the world.In response to his comments, several prominent MMA…

This essay is from the Security & Defence PLuS Emerging Voices Series, which highlights the next generation of scholars and practitioners shaping thinking on strategy, security, and defense. The series brings together perspectives from PhD candidates and early career researchers, grounded in the complex geopolitical realities of the 21st century. The collection explores a “Latticework of Resilience” that connects often-overlooked sectors, such as subnational diplomacy and critical infrastructure inherent in agriculture security, to the core of national security. Taken together, the essays emphasize the importance of adaptive, multidisciplinary approaches to building resilience in an increasingly complex global environment. The second event in…

Not surprisingly, the promotion will roll out its A-team for broadcast and commentary duties.Longtime play-by-play man, Jon Anik, leads the cageside charge alongside color commentary legend, Joe Rogan, and former UFC two-division champion, Daniel Cormier. As usual, “Veteran Voice of the Octagon,” Bruce Buffer, will handle fighter walkouts while roving reporter, Megan Olivi, covers pre- and post-fight interviews.Retired UFC lightweight, Din Thomas, will pop in throughout the show with insight and feedback from a coaching perspective. In addition, UFC veterans Chris Weidman and Paul Felder join host Kate Scott at the analyst desk for all the combat sports chatter in…

Credit: AirbusDefense Feeds, New Delhi – India pursues French FCAS sixth-generation fighter program, opening a new chapter in the country’s long-term effort to secure next-generation air combat capabilities. India’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that it has initiated efforts to join the French-led Future Combat Air System (FCAS), following the breakdown of the previous Franco-German fighter partnership in June 2026.The move comes while India is simultaneously developing the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), expanding its Rafale fleet and dealing with a significant fighter squadron shortfall. That makes the FCAS initiative less about replacing AMCA and more about ensuring India…

Nine countries now possess nuclear weapons. Arms control agreements painstakingly built over decades have collapsed. Geopolitical competition is intensifying rivalries between nuclear-armed powers. North Korea continues expanding its arsenal and delivery systems. China is on a trajectory to go from roughly 600 warheads today to around 1,500 by 2035. Meanwhile, Russia bears most of the responsibility for the expiration of New START and is developing an array of exotic new nuclear delivery systems designed to circumvent missile defenses. This includes nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed cruise missiles and underwater drones, hypersonic glide vehicles, and a nuclear-armed anti-satellite weapon. Although most recent focus…