Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

The Air Force is asking Congress for $3.9 billion to buy 15 Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tankers in fiscal 2027, an $800 million increase over fiscal 2026, according to Air Force budget materials released April 21. Annual procurement is expected to rise to 18 aircraft per year from 2028 to 2031.The service also clarified plans for the size of its KC-46 fleet. Procurement figures in the fiscal 2027 budget document initially indicated a goal of 319 aircraft, but the Air Force corrected that number on April 24, confirming the program of record is 263 KC-46As, Defense Daily reported. The expansion runs…

LAS VEGAS — Former UFC heavyweight Denzel Freeman joins MMA Fighting’s José Youngs to explain his “Luke Fox” nickname, discuss his love for Batman, the Absolute Universe, comic books, and more.Freeman (7-2), a former LFA champion, was last seen being finished in Round 1 by Josh Hokit on the preliminary card of UFC 324 in January. This setback not only marked his first stoppage loss, but also his final UFC fight, as he was released from the promotion shortly after.

It’s been three weeks since the fallout — and Jiri Prochazka isn’t done talking.Earlier this month (Sat., April 11, 2026), Carlos Ulberg captured the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title in emphatic fashion, knocking out Prochazka in the first round of UFC 327’s main event inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida (watch highlights).Since that night, Prochazka has taken heat from fighters and fans alike for the strange fight — randomly hesitating when Ulberg appeared compromised, only to get finished moments later, which cost him a potential win, especially with a possible doctor’s stoppage looming.Ulberg didn’t hold back either, dismissing…

Synertrade, an S2P suite for the mid-market, has a new owner. It has completed a management-led transaction and now operates as an independent company, backed by a consortium of investors specializing in B2B software platforms. The transaction closed March 31, 2026. Laurent Jeanmaire, previously COO, steps up as CEO. Fabien Guionnet becomes COO. Why the ownership change matters The former owner Econocom, the French IT services group, has been refocusing on its core business activities: a strategic direction reflected in its recent earnings communications. The disposal of Synertrade, finalized last March, completes that refocusing. Independence brings narrative clarity. Prospects ask…

The Renewable Shield: Energy Lessons from the Iran War | Small Wars Journal by Arizona State University wpDiscuzInsert

The Hon Richard Marles MP Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Defence 27 April 2026 The Albanese Government is investing $750 million to deliver a pipeline of Bushmasters for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) fleet of protected mobility vehicles in regional Victoria, supporting around 300 local jobs for the next seven years. Thales Australia will build 268 new Bushmasters for the ADF at its Bendigo facility, continuing over 20 years of production of this world-leading capability and providing certainty to the workforce and region that depends on it. The delivery of these additional Bushmasters will significantly boost the ADF’s combat capability…

LAS VEGAS—Users of the Pentagon’s enterprise-wide generative-AI platform now have access to Google Cloud’s latest and most advanced commercial AI model, Gemini 3.1 Pro, after several weeks of using the software in preview mode.The software is available to defense users through the GenAI.mil platform and will also be available for all Gemini for Government users across the federal government.“Gemini 3.1 Pro is Google’s most sophisticated model yet, and it really represents the frontier of American AI,” Pentagon Chief Data Officer Gavin Kliger said in an interview Thursday. “And so the department is working with our engineering team together to make…

Iran Press TV Monday, 27 April 2026 6:09 AM Two former Israeli prime ministers have said they would join forces in upcoming elections expected later this year in a bid to dethrone longtime prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Sunday, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, who previously shared power under a rotation agreement, announced plans to merge their parties into a single political faction led by Bennett. The move is intended to bring together opposition forces that have remained divided in recent years. “The move is intended to unite the bloc, put an end to internal divisions and focus all efforts…

The U.S. Navy’s premier operational unmanned carrier-based aircraft completed its first test flight on Saturday, the sea service announced. The MQ-25A Stingray launched from Boeing’s facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, and flew for about two hours, according to a Navy release.Navy and Boeing Air Vehicle Pilots controlled the MQ-25A Stingray during its test flight from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 Ground Control Station. The pilots conducted a series of tests to validate the aircraft’s basic flight controls, engine performance and handling features, the release stated.As an aerial refueling tanker, the MQ-25A is designed to assume…

Bottom lines up front DUBROVNIK—In 2016, representatives of twelve Central and Eastern European countries gathered in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik to lay the groundwork for an ambitious undertaking. By establishing the Three Seas Initiative—a coalition of states spanning the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas—they aimed to kick-start the development of regional energy, transport, and digital infrastructure to match Western European standards.As the Three Seas Initiative’s now thirteen member states—Greece joined the group in 2023—meet in Dubrovnik for their annual summit this week, they can point to substantial progress. The initiative has evolved into an established international forum, raised awareness…