The U.S. Marine Corps officially retired its Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) after more than 50 years of service during a ceremony at Camp Pendleton on September 26, 2025. First introduced in 1972, the AAV served as the Corps’ primary ship-to-shore vehicle and was used in missions from Grenada in 1983 through Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as in humanitarian operations. Marine leaders praised the AAV’s versatility and the generations of Marines who relied on it in combat, calling it central to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The vehicle, which replaced World War II-era landing craft, underwent multiple upgrades over the decades but is now being succeeded by the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). Built by BAE Systems, the ACV offers faster speeds, stronger armor, and modern blast protection, carrying 16 Marines and capable of traveling both on land and at sea. The Marine Corps plans to field more than 600 ACVs to fully replace the AAV. Click here to read more.

Romania has formally requested parliamentary approval for a massive $7 billion deal with the United States to purchase hundreds of M1A2 Abrams tanks, marking one of its largest defense acquisitions to date. The plan is part of Romania’s Army 2040 modernization program, which seeks to phase out Soviet-era equipment, boost digital command capabilities, and strengthen NATO integration by the next decade. The first stage of the plan builds on Romania’s 2023 order of 54 Abrams tanks, adding training, simulators, ammunition, and spare parts worth about $485 million. The centerpiece, however, is the proposed purchase of 216 more Abrams tanks and 76 support vehicles, plus facilities for logistics, training, and long-term maintenance, estimated at $7.6 billion. Romania, which shares a 400-mile border with war-torn Ukraine, has consistently met NATO’s defense spending benchmark for nine years and has become one of the alliance’s more outspoken critics of Russian aggression, especially as Russian drones repeatedly violate its airspace. If approved, the Abrams deal would solidify Romania’s role as a key NATO bulwark on the eastern flank. Click here to read more.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced sweeping reforms to strengthen the U.S. military, highlighting a return to tradition by renaming the Department of Defense back to the Department of War. Speaking before hundreds of military officials at Quantico, Hegseth emphasized that the goal is not to seek conflict but to secure peace by preparing America’s armed forces to be as strong and disciplined as possible. Among the changes, he introduced high, gender-neutral physical standards for combat roles to ensure that only the most capable troops serve in frontline positions, reinforcing merit and readiness over quotas. Hegseth celebrated America’s legacy of strength and service, vowing to eliminate distractions that weaken morale and to restore focus on mission effectiveness. His address, delivered alongside President Trump, was positioned as a bold step toward revitalizing military excellence and ensuring the United States is fully prepared to defend its peace and freedom. Click here to read more.

New images reveal an HC-130J Combat King II combat search and rescue aircraft flying with an “Angry Kitten” electronic warfare pod, highlighting the U.S. Air Force’s push to expand defensive capabilities for non-stealth platforms operating in contested airspace. Originally developed by the Georgia Tech Research Institute to simulate enemy jamming in training, Angry Kitten is now being adapted for real-world protection by leveraging advanced digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) to detect, manipulate, and retransmit signals, confusing hostile radars and missiles. The pod was spotted mounted on a Special Airborne Mission Installation and Response (SABIR) system during the Navy-led Gray Flag 2025 exercise, underscoring its role in testing next-gen electronic warfare. While it has already flown on F-16s, A-10s, MQ-9s, and Navy fighters, pairing Angry Kitten with HC-130Js could provide much-needed survivability for combat search and rescue missions, aerial refueling, and other large-body aircraft operations in high-threat environments. The system’s ability to adapt jamming techniques in real time represents a major step toward cognitive electronic warfare, with a next-gen “Angry Kitten Increment 2” pod already under development. Click here to read more.

Germany has announced a €35 billion ($41 billion) investment in military-space projects by 2030 to strengthen its ability to protect satellites and build technological independence amid growing threats in orbit. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius unveiled the plan at Berlin’s Space Congress, highlighting that satellite networks are critical vulnerabilities, referencing a Russian cyberattack on ViaSat before the Ukraine invasion. The initiative will fund hardened satellite systems, expanded orbital surveillance, “guardian satellites,” and a Bundeswehr-run military satellite operations center. Pistorius identified Russia and China as potential space adversaries, citing Russian satellites shadowing German-linked Intelsat systems, and declared that Germany must consider developing offensive space capabilities, marking a significant policy shift from its historically defensive stance. With this move, Germany solidifies its position as the world’s fourth-largest defense spender, behind the U.S., China, and Russia. Click here to read more.

The U.S. Military Sealift Command confirmed that the MV Ocean Trader, a merchant vessel outfitted as a floating mothership for special operations, is operating in the Caribbean, though officials declined to disclose its mission. Analysts say the ship—capable of housing up to 159 special operators and a 50-person crew for 45 days at sea—serves as a low-visibility base of operations, blending in with civilian shipping while supporting counter-narcotics efforts and maritime intelligence missions. Having been converted from a commercial roll-on/roll-off ship, it features a helicopter hangar, advanced communications gear, and boat-launch capabilities, enabling it to support covert operations in the region as U.S. forces ramp up military activity in the Caribbean. Click here to read more.

During Iran’s massive April 2024 drone and missile attack on Israel, U.S. Air Force F-15 crews ran out of air-to-air missiles after downing numerous drones, forcing them to improvise by attempting to use bombs against aerial targets. According to Lt. Gen. Derek France, commander of Air Forces Central, one F-15 had only a GBU-54 laser-guided JDAM left and tried to drop it on an Iranian drone—a highly unusual tactic since JDAMs lack the proximity fuzes that make air-to-air missiles effective. The bomb missed, as did two other F-15 attempts, but France called it “innovation on the fly” under extreme conditions. The engagement occurred during a coordinated Iranian strike involving 170 drones, 120+ ballistic missiles, and 30 cruise missiles launched by Iran and Houthi allies. Although dropping bombs on flying targets is rare, there is precedent: in 1991, an F-15 successfully destroyed an Iraqi helicopter with a laser-guided bomb. Since then, the Air Force has fielded the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS)—a cheaper, laser-guided rocket with a proximity fuze—allowing F-15Es to carry up to 42 rockets and better handle mass drone swarms in the future. Click here to read more.

President Donald Trump declared at the United Nations that he now believes Ukraine, with the support of NATO and the EU, can reclaim all territory lost to Russia—a sharp reversal from his past calls for concessions to end the war. The statement followed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who urged continued U.S. backing as Ukraine faces relentless missile and drone strikes. Trump emphasized that Russia’s prolonged failure in the war made it appear like a “paper tiger,” while pushing Europe to cut off Russian oil imports and pledging support for NATO allies confronting Russian provocations. His remarks came as the U.N. detailed widespread human rights abuses in occupied Ukraine and reported surging civilian casualties amid intensified Russian attacks. Click here to read more.

U.S., Japanese, and Australian troops are conducting joint drills in Japan’s Orient Shield exercise, marking the first time Australia has formally joined the annual training amid growing tensions with China. Running from September 16–24 across multiple prefectures, the exercise includes infantry assaults, mortar fire, logistics, and medical evacuations, with around 2,100 troops participating. The expansion follows a reciprocal access agreement allowing Japan and Australia to train on each other’s soil, reflecting deeper trilateral security ties alongside the U.S. Brig. Gen. James Dooghan of U.S. Army Japan called Australia’s inclusion a sign of strengthened alliances, while Japanese and Australian commanders emphasized enhancing operational effectiveness and readiness. The exercise comes as China steps up naval activity near Taiwan and Japanese-controlled islands, and as the U.S. deploys new missile systems to the region. Click here to read more.

The U.S. military has deployed Marine F-35B Lightning II jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large anti-cartel mission in the Caribbean, raising questions about why one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft is being used against low-tech drug smugglers. The Pentagon framed the move as part of a broader campaign to defend Americans from “narco-terrorists,” but experts argue the F-35 is “an expensive form of overkill,” best suited for high-intensity battlespaces with advanced air defenses like those of China or Russia. Analysts suggest the jets may have been chosen because they were readily deployable or to provide pilots with training opportunities in real-world conditions. Critics counter that the Caribbean is an illogical use of stealth and fifth-generation capabilities designed for peer adversaries, with one former defense official calling it a “gross application of an exquisite technology.” Click here to read more.