DefenseNews

Fourth deadly US strike in Trump’s war on cartels

October 6, 2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new strike on an alleged drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean on Friday, killing four people. “Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route. These strikes will continue until the attacks on the…
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DefenseNews

Pentagon downgrades leadership role for Air Forces-Europe to 3-star

October 3, 2025
The Pentagon has downgraded the rank of the Air Force’s top commander in Europe to a three-star general. President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds to be the next commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. But unlike every other permanent USAFE commander since the late 1950s, Hinds’ new assignment will not come with a promotion to four-star general. A…
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DefenseNews

US Air Force revamps pilot training as T-7 era nears

October 2, 2025
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Air Force is laying the groundwork to start incorporating the T-7A Red Hawk into its pilot training operations. But the service is still about two years away from the first student pilots learning in the new, fifth-generation, Boeing-made jet.
DefenseNews

Trump signs executive order vowing to defend Qatar

October 2, 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order vowing to use all measures including U.S. military action to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar — though it remains unclear just what weight the pledge will carry. The text of the…
DefenseNews

Australia’s fresh HIMARS hankering may signal ship-killer role

October 2, 2025
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Australian Army’s appetite for the M142 HIMARS is proving voracious. With the first two of 42 units arriving in Australia only in March, the country is already eyeing another 48 of these U.S.-built rocket launchers. This ambition was revealed in a notification issued by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency – or DSCA – published on Sep. 30. The DSCA stated…
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DefenseNews

BAE teams with Forterra to build autonomous armored vehicle

October 1, 2025
BAE Systems is teaming up with Forterra to fast-track development of a self-driving version of the U.S. Army’s Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, marking the first external partnership under BAE’s recently launched “capability kit” modernization push. The collaboration…
DefenseNews

Germany, France, Poland push for closer EU-Ukraine defense ties

October 1, 2025
BERLIN — Germany, France and Poland support stronger European integration to counter Russia, potentially mobilizing frozen Russian financial assets to support Ukraine under an EU-proposed scheme, as well as deeper defense integration with Kyiv. The announcements, delivered…
DefenseNews

Missile attack on cargo ship off Yemen wounds 2 and sends crew fleeing

October 1, 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels set a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, officials said, wounding two mariners and forcing its crew to abandon the damaged vessel. It was the most serious attack in the Gulf of Aden, some distance from the Red Sea where the Iranian-backed Houthis sank two vessels in July. While the rebels…
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