FAIRBANKS, Alaska — During the last few weeks of June, dozens of aircraft gathered on the flight line at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska as part of Red Flag — a premier, multinational exercise the base hosts each year. The event offers a venue for the U.S. and its allies to demonstrate advanced, tactical air combat and prepare military units for wartime operations. About 20 miles to the northwest of Eielson on a sparse, dirt range just outside the Army’s Fort Wainright, a very different kind of testing and training demonstration overlapped with the latter half of Red Flag.…
Author: Tommy Grant
A KC-46A Pegasus refueling tanker was forced to conduct an emergency landing July 8 after its refueling boom was shredded in a mishap off the East Coast.The unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco posted photos of the KC-46 Friday, which showed extensive damage to the plane’s refueling boom. The War Zone first reported the damage to the KC-46.The photos show most of the boom is ripped off, with its remaining metal ripped and twisted and a chain hanging down. The underside of the plane’s tail was also dented and scraped, which may have occurred from the damaged boom.John Van Winkle,…
After the dust settles in a post-crisis world, the traditional concept of money and traditional currency will be thrown out the window. When financial systems break down and resources become scarce, bartering will become the new way to peacefully acquire the items you need. While most preppers stock up on the obvious barter items like canned food, ammunition, and fuel, true preparedness means thinking outside the box. When supply chains end, there are lots of little weird items that will have big bartering value. Lice Combs As ugly as it might sound, lice are going to be a serious concern…
After months of positive news about military recruiting efforts, lawmakers are poised to back White House plans to boost the Defense Department’s end strength by about 26,000 troops next year. Both plans call for a significant boost in troop numbers in fiscal 2026, with most additions in the Army and Navy ranks. Earlier this year, White House officials in their budget plans for next year outlined a goal of 454,000 active-duty soldiers in fiscal 2026, an increase of 11,700 troops over this year. Similarly, the Navy would grow to 334,600 sailors, up 12,300 active-duty personnel from this year. The plan…
Smith & Wesson has just announced two new Lipsey’s Exclusive Mountain Gun models, the Model 610 and the Model 617.Whether you need to stop a grizzly bear or do some plinking by the campfire, Smith & Wesson’s two Mountain Gun models have you covered. Both Lipsey’s Exclusives, the new double-action/single-action revolvers are the Model 610 in 10mm Auto and the Model 617 in .22 LR.The Model 610 is an N-frame and features a 6-shot capacity of 10mm Auto, a lightweight tapered-profile 4.25-inch barrel, a patridge-style front sight with gold bead insert and black adjustable rear sights. It has a weight…
This story has been updated with a statement from the Aspen Institute.The Pentagon abruptly pulled several of its top officials from speaking this week at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, saying Monday the forum’s organizers do not share values with the Defense Department.“Senior Department of Defense officials will no longer be participating at the Aspen Security Forum because their values do not align with the values of the DOD,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to Defense News. “The department will remain strong in its focus to increase the lethality of our warfighters, revitalize the warrior ethos,…
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened Russia with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for American weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration about unsuccessful negotiations for ending the war.The latest steps reflect an evolving approach from the Republican president, who promised to swiftly resolve the war Russian President Vladimir Putin started when he invaded Ukraine three years ago. Trump has often criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allowing the war to happen but more recently has expressed growing irritation toward Putin.“It just keeps going on and on and on,” Trump said. “Every…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth withdrew a Navy admiral’s nomination to lead the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet — the Navy’s largest overseas force — amid reports of drag shows taking place under his command seven years ago, the Pentagon confirmed.Rear Adm. Michael “Buzz” Donnelly was named as a candidate for promotion to vice admiral and commander of the 7th Fleet on June 18 by President Donald Trump. But amid a recent report by conservative news outlet The Daily Wire about Donnelly allowing drag performances under his command aboard the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, the Pentagon has moved on from the admiral.“The…
A retired Army officer who worked as a civilian for the Air Force has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transmit classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform.David Slater, 64, who had top secret clearance at his job at the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, pleaded guilty to a single count before a federal magistrate judge in Omaha on Thursday. In exchange for his guilty plea, two other counts were dropped.Slater remains free pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 8. Prosecutors and his lawyers agreed that he should…
MELBOURNE, Australia — The largest-ever war-fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships.Australia launched missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS, on Monday during live-fire exercises at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, a 1,700-square-mile Outback expanse in Queensland state. The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the United States.“Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day,” Brig. Nick Wilson told reporters.Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint…