DefenseNews

Iran military threat is diminished but not eliminated, CENTCOM chief says

America’s 38-day bombing campaign against Iran has diminished the Islamic Republic’s ability to threaten global security, but has not yet eliminated the threat altogether, Adm. Brad Cooper, the chief of Central Command, told lawmakers on Thursday. “It’s a very large country,” Cooper testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He acknowledged that Iran still possessed “a very…
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DefenseNews

Japan fires first-ever missiles from Philippine soil

LAOAG, Philippines — A Japanese anti-ship missile smashed into and sunk a decommissioned Philippine naval vessel afloat in the South China Sea, headlining a culminating event of Exercise Balikatan 2026. This missile firing of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 88…
DefenseNews

US special operations leaders frustrated by inability to modify their own equipment

U.S. special operations leaders expressed frustration Tuesday about manufacturers’ proprietary agreements that block them from making quick upgrades to military equipment. The problem is especially acute for unmanned systems, they said, as technology is evolving far faster than the ability of U.S. Special Operations Command to modify its drones. “The biggest challenge that that we face, at…
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DefenseNews

Austrian jets intercept US military planes two days in a row

VIENNA — Austrian Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets scrambled two days in a row to intercept U.S. military aircraft, the government said. The interceptions took place on May 10 and 11 and were related to modified PC-12 turboprop aircraft that the U.S. military uses…
DefenseNews

NATO to cultivate vetted counter-drone vendor pool for nations to pick and choose

RIGA, Latvia — NATO is setting up a marketplace where alliance members can shop for counter-drone systems — a pilot project within a broader push by the organization to speed up procurement and help countries adopt new technology more quickly. The alliance has invited companies to pitch counter-unmanned aerial systems, or C-UAS, by mid-May, and will pick 18 systems in the next one to two…
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US Navy open to building ships overseas, new plan says

The U.S. Navy released its fiscal 2027 shipbuilding plan Monday, laying out the possibility of the service turning to allied nations to build its vessels. The confirmation of potential outsourcing comes after President Donald Trump reportedly rejected previous Navy Secretary…
DefenseNews

Canada eyes Turkey as a fellow mid-power ally in weapons development

ISTANBUL — Canada is seeking a rapid expansion of defense and industrial ties with Turkey as Ottawa looks for trusted middle-power partners amid shifting global security dynamics, Canadian Secretary of State for Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr said during SAHA Expo 2026. Speaking to Defense News during his first visit to Turkey, Fuhr described Ankara as a “trusted partner” and “valuable…
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