Military and defense news covering armed forces, defense contracts, military technology, strategic developments, and national security.
The Trump administration hired convicted Jan. 6 rioter Elias Irizarry for a sensitive counterterrorism position in the Pentagon's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office. Irizarry, 19 at the riot, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to entering a restricted building and served 14 days in jail.
U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's top commander, said the U.S. expects European allies and Canada to increase aircraft and naval contributions as the U.S. shrinks its NATO Force Model pool. The reduction, driven by potential multi-theatre conflicts, was decided last month. A NATO spokesperson said no defence gaps are expected.
NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Air Chief Marshal Sir John Stringer said the era of large centralized air operations centers is ending, and NATO must adopt mobile, distributed command and control to counter threats from Russia and China. He acknowledged NATO needs to 'play catch-up' in achieving mobility and survivability.
A CSIS and FDD report estimates that establishing a separate U.S. Cyber Force would cost $10-11 billion and take at least a year. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing an amendment to the fiscal 2027 NDAA to create the force, which would require over 20,000 active-duty personnel.
Poland has formally proposed establishing a new permanent U.S. military base on its territory, with Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz conveying the proposal to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The move comes amid President Trump's pressure on European allies to boost defense spending.
Rising fuel costs, up 27% from October to April, could cause over $1 billion in unplanned expenses for the Pentagon this year. The Army has cut training and helicopter flights due to a $4B-$6B shortfall, while the Navy warns it may soon run out of money.
A Royal Navy Merlin Mk4 helicopter crashed in a field near Sourton Down, Devon, during a training exercise at approximately 03:45 BST. Three crew members died. The helicopter was based at RNAS Yeovilton and belonged to the Commando Helicopter Force. Families of the deceased have been informed. An investigation is underway.
The US Air Force selected GE Aerospace and Rolls-Royce to advance engine designs for future drones under the Medium Thrust Class Autonomous Collaborative Platforms program. GE will complete preliminary design review for its GE426 engine, while Rolls-Royce's award remains unannounced.
The US Army's G-2 and Joint Staff's J-7 will test Project Wallabee, a prototype autonomous target recognition sensor on a high-altitude balloon, in the coming days. It is the first use of Urban Sky's balloon with Applied Intuition's sensor, aiming to create a multi-layered sensing ecosystem.
AeroVironment Inc. secured a $117.3M firm-fixed-price contract to deliver 82 P550 unmanned aircraft systems. The drones will provide battalion-level forces with reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition capabilities.