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Monthly Drone Report – April 30, 2026 | Small Wars Journal by Arizona State University wpDiscuzInsert

People’s Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:09, April 30, 2026 WASHINGTON, April 29 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will keep Iran under the U.S. naval blockade until Tehran agrees to a deal with Washington on its nuclear program. “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing,” Trump told U.S. online media Axios in a phone interview, stressing that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The president claimed that Iran wants to reach a deal in order to lift the blockade. “They want to settle. They don’t want me to keep the blockade. I don’t want to (lift…

People’s Daily Online By Liu Shiyao (People’s Daily) 10:18, April 30, 2026 China’s commercial space sector is accelerating its transition from technology verification to large-scale commercial operations, driven by both policy support and growing market demand. This shift supports the nation’s strategy to establish a sustainable space economy. This year has already seen a series of major milestones: the triumphant maiden launch of the Lijian-2 Y1 carrier rocket, the successful suborbital flight test of the maiden Lihong-1 Y1 spacecraft, and continued progress in satellite internet construction, with multiple groups of low-Earth-orbit satellites sent into space. One major focus is reusable…

A Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank. Credit: Spech/Shutterstock.com. Tank manufacturer KNDS has initiated an “independent investigation” into a 2013 transaction with the Qatar Armed Forces. Its board of directors launched the inquiry following renewed attention on previously reported allegations relating to the deal, according to a company statement released on 29 April 2026. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more KNDS stated that this action aligns with its ongoing commitment to the “highest standards of governance, compliance and transparency.” The company indicated that external…

Heavy armour such as IFVs and tanks are driving a forecast surge in the global armour market over the next decade.

Top U.S. military leaders including Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, will brief President Donald Trump later on Thursday on potential military action against Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters.U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will also participate in the briefing, the official said.The official did not disclose the range of options that will be discussed but said the briefing was expected to be focused on actions needed to compel Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict.U.S. Central Command and the White House did not…

Issue Brief April 30, 2026 • 10:30 am ET Print this page By the US–Colombia Strategic Alignment Coalition Bottom lines up front Colombia’s first-round presidential election will take place May 31 amid persistent risks of political violence, illegal armed group activity, and disinformation.While the March legislative and primary elections were largely peaceful, the electoral environment has deteriorated in recent weeks.The next month offers a critical window to reduce risks through coordinated candidate protection measures, targeted territorial security deployments, and rapid responses to disinformation. A stable system facing rising pressures Colombia’s first-round presidential vote comes two months after the March legislative…

Credit: Defense FeedsDefense Feeds, Washington — The US Marine Corps is exploring new operational concepts as the US Marines MV-75 tiltrotor concept adds cruise missile power to future aviation platforms.The concept, recently revealed in visual materials, suggests a significant expansion of the tiltrotor’s role beyond transport and assault missions. By integrating cruise missiles, the platform could evolve into a flexible strike asset capable of operating across wide areas.The MV-75 concept builds on the legacy of tiltrotor aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey, which combine the vertical lift of helicopters with the speed and range of fixed-wing aircraft. This hybrid capability…

Last month, President Donald Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for a visit that captured both the promise and the shortcomings of America’s Indo‑Pacific strategy.In some ways, the meeting was a success: It produced a few commercial deals, reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship, and — most importantly — demonstrated a visibly warm personal rapport between the two leaders (despite an awkward moment). But as has so often been the case during America’s fitful “pivot” to Asia over the past two decades, the visit was overshadowed by yet another conflict in the Middle East that is absorbing U.S.…

Operation Epic Fury in Iran has cost American taxpayers roughly $25 billion so far, the Pentagon’s chief financial officer revealed on Wednesday. Acting comptroller Jules Hurst III, testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, said that the bulk of the figure has been devoted to ordnance.“Approximately, at this day, we are spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury, most of that is in munitions,” Hurst told lawmakers, adding that some of the costs also included operations, maintenance and equipment replacement.“We will formulate a supplemental [bill] through the White House that will come to Congress once we have a full…