Japan is barreling forward with efforts to significantly boost its military capabilities to stand up to China’s growing threats by doubling annual arms spending. The goal comes as Tokyo’s main ally, the United States, pushes for more military assistance in Asia and a military hawk and ultra-conservative takes over Japan’s leadership.
Japan says it is still a peaceful nation and the buildup…
PARIS — With Europe spending record amounts on defense in 2025 on everything from ammunition to battle tanks, air defenses and naval ships, local industry winners included Germany’s Rheinmetall, Sweden’s Saab and the United Kingdom’s BAE Systems.
France’s Naval…
The U.S. Army’s first multinational drone combat competition held in Europe saw 10 teams wield first person view drones with stealth in a forest setting to test their skills.
Hosted by the 7th Army Training Command at Grafenwoehr, Germany from December 8-10, the U.S. Army…
The Department of Defense did not consistently hold Lockheed Martin accountable for F-35 poor sustainability performance in its 2024 contract, according to a Dec. 19 inspector general audit of the performance.
The F-35 Joint Program Office was found to not have adequately overseen contractor performance on the June 2024 air vehicle sustainment contract, resulting in paying Lockheed Martin $1.7…
Nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles enter active service, Russia says
December 31, 2025
Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service in Belarus, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday, as the U.S. efforts to broker a deal to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine have entered a pivotal stage.
The ministry released a video…
Ukraine peace plan ‘scares the bejesus out of us,’ officials say
December 30, 2025
KYIV, Ukraine — A maximum of 800,000. That’s how many soldiers Ukraine’s military would be authorized to have under the current 20-point peace framework — a 20% cut from the roughly one million currently under arms, but a significant increase over the 600,000…
Trump says US ‘hit’ facility where alleged drug boats ‘load up’
December 30, 2025
President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details.
Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S. struck a facility where…
China stages military drills around Taiwan to warn ‘external forces’
December 30, 2025
China’s military on Monday dispatched air, navy and missile units to conduct joint live-fire drills around the island of Taiwan, which Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces. Taiwan said it was placing its forces on…
The United States airstrikes that targeted Islamic State group militants in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday marked a major escalation in an offensive that the West African’s overstretched military has struggled with for years.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on social…
Japan’s Cabinet OKs record defense budget that aims to deter China
December 29, 2025
Japan’s Cabinet on Friday approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for the coming year, aiming to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region.
The draft budget for fiscal 2026, beginning April, is up 9.4% from 2025 and marks the fourth year of Japan’s ongoing five-year…
