A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing the Army to explain why it is shuttering a specialized drone battalion less than a year after establishing it, a move that comes as conflicts across the world have become increasingly defined by unmanned aerial systems and electronic warfare.
The 600-member “Unmanned Assault Battalion,” created as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, was charged with…
US Air Force speeds Reaper successor timeline after Iran losses
September 5, 2026
The U.S. Air Force is accelerating its timeline for a cheaper, more expendable successor to the MQ-9A Reaper, officials said Sept. 3, after combat losses left the service unwilling to wait out the rest of the drone’s life.
Lt. Gen. Christopher Niemi, the Air Force’s…
Opposition by US and Russia raises doubts over autonomous weapons talks outcome, diplomats say
September 5, 2026
Opposition from the United States and Russia has raised doubts that countries meeting in Geneva will on Friday agree on a document that could pave the way to international rules on the use of autonomous weapons, three diplomats said.
The 128 states that are party to the…
The United States does not have enough engineers, technicians and assemblers to rebuild military space assets destroyed in a war with China or Russia, according to a RAND report published Aug. 31.
The study, “Breaking Glass, Missing Hands,” asks how quickly the country could replace satellites and supporting systems lost early in a protracted conflict. It sets the benchmark for reconstitution…
The year 2025 was another record setter for global defense companies, so much so that production bottlenecks in Western nations — not the usual industry lamentations about lacking government spending — began creeping up as the key problem many NATO countries are facing…
The U.S. Marine Corps is looking to acquire high-resolution 3D scanners to detect cracked body armor.
The goal is to develop sensors that can “scan individual hard armor plates for cracks and delaminations,” according to a Marine Corps Request For Information, which is…
Iran war escalation raises concern over civilian death toll
September 4, 2026
The sudden recent escalation of the Iran war has cast renewed attention on its civilian toll after Iran reported 18 dead in the last U.S. assault, including four killed and dozens wounded at a wedding.
Iran’s health minister said 18 people were killed and 108 wounded in Tuesday night’s U.S. strikes across Iran. The Iranian Red Crescent said four people were killed and 67 wounded at a wedding…
US tech found in Russian ballistic missiles
September 3, 2026
KYIV, Ukraine — Dozens of American- and European-made components are still being used to build Russia’s deadly ballistic missiles despite nearly 24,000 sanctions imposed on Russia-linked individuals and entities since 2022, Ukraine’s presidential commissioner for…
NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — China’s navy has introduced a new guided-missile frigate designed for coastal as well as open-sea attacks after 20 years in the making, according to Chinese state media.
Not quite a technological breakthrough, military analysts say.
But the 054A…
After 286 days at sea, USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Thailand
September 3, 2026
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln arrived in port in eastern Thailand on Wednesday after 286 days at sea, including a lengthy deployment in the Middle East, amid reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions on board.
The nuclear-powered Lincoln, with roughly 5,000 personnel, was involved in the U.S. naval blockade and combat operations in the war with Iran and —…
