The U.S. military has carried out its first lethal strike against a Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessel in the southern Caribbean, killing 11 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua cartel, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization. President Trump confirmed the operation, sharing declassified video of the strike and warning other traffickers to “beware.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the targeted vessel was following a common smuggling route and indicated that more operations will follow. This marks a major escalation in U.S. counter-narcotics efforts in the region since warships were deployed earlier this year. Click here to read more.

The Pentagon has stood up Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) to accelerate counter-drone (C-sUAS) development and fielding, giving its director procurement authority (up to $50M per effort), consolidating RDT&E, absorbing “Replicator 2,” and pulling the Army’s C-sUAS University at Fort Sill under its wing—with a test/training range to be designated in 30 days and a 36-month review set. Framed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as “speed over process,” the push comes amid rising small-UAS threats at home and abroad, but persistent legal limits—especially in the U.S. homeland—still constrain kinetic defenses, keeping the near-term focus on electronic and cyber “soft-kill” options. Click here to read more.

General Atomics’ YFQ-42A “fighter drone” has completed its first flight, marking a major milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. Developed in just 16 months from contract to flight, the YFQ-42A—derived from the XQ-67A experimental drone—will compete with Anduril’s YFQ-44A, which is slated to begin testing soon. The Air Force plans to choose between the two designs for Increment 1 production in FY2026, with an initial buy of 100–150 drones and a long-term goal of fielding over 1,000 CCAs. Seen as essential for future conflicts, especially against China, the program aims to expand reach, flexibility, and lethality through human-machine teaming. Click here to read more.

A new cockpit video from a Russian Flanker-series fighter shows it intercepting a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon over the Black Sea, notably with its rare AN/APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor pod deployed on the Special Mission Pod Deployment Mechanism—providing an unusually clear look at the powerful AESA radar used for MTI and SAR targeting over land and sea. The sighting underscores the P-8’s expanding intelligence role in one of Europe’s tensest theaters, where its AAS-equipped configuration offers long-range detection, high-quality radar imaging, and data-sharing for standoff targeting—capabilities that help replace retiring EP-3Es and complement other NATO ISR platforms amid frequent Russian intercepts. Click here to read more.

The U.S. Navy’s “Air Boss,” Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, says he’s still “eagerly awaiting” an F/A-XX down-select even after the Pentagon froze the program to avoid competing with the Air Force’s F-47 NGAD effort; senior leaders and some in Congress continue to push F/A-XX as vital to future carrier air wing air superiority and a timely replacement for Super Hornets and Growlers. Meanwhile, Cheever sees the MQ-25 Stingray as a near-term game-changer: first flight expected this year and IOC targeted for FY27, freeing 20–30% of Super Hornet sorties from tanker duty, extending carrier reach, and opening the door to broader manned-unmanned teaming, added ISR, and potential follow-on roles alongside future Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Click here to read more.

President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are pushing to rename the Department of Defense back to its original title, the Department of War—a name the U.S. used until 1947. Trump argued the current name sounds “weak,” insisting the U.S. military should stand for both offense and defense, while Hegseth said a formal change is “coming soon.” However, the move may require congressional approval, since the Defense Department’s creation stemmed from the National Security Act of 1947. The proposal comes amid broader Trump-era efforts to reshape federal agencies and expand active-duty troop levels. Click here to read more.

The U.S. Army is cutting back its helicopter fleet as part of a broader reorganization driven by budget pressures and lessons from the war in Ukraine, where drones have proven more survivable and cost-effective than manned rotorcraft in contested airspace. The reductions include older Black Hawks and Apaches, as well as Reserve aviation brigades, though National Guard helicopters remain largely protected due to their state-level disaster relief roles. While drones are expected to take on more reconnaissance and strike missions, helicopters will still play a vital role in transport, with the Army planning to keep the Black Hawk in service until 2070 and develop a new tiltrotor replacement. The changes raise uncertainty for many aviators and highlight the risks of reducing capabilities while threats remain. Click here to read more.

President Trump is sending a powerful mix of U.S. Navy assets toward Venezuela—at least three Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, an attack submarine, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and potentially the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group with roughly 4,000 Marines—in a bid to pressure Nicolás Maduro over narco‑trafficking, even as some Pentagon officials downplay exact movements and Hurricane Erin briefly forced the ARG back to port. Reuters and other outlets report the ships could operate just outside Venezuelan waters for months conducting surveillance, interdictions, and serving as launch platforms for targeted strikes if ordered, while Caracas has responded by signaling the mobilization of millions of militia volunteers. The deployment follows years of U.S. indictments labeling Maduro a “narco‑terrorist,” with Washington recently hiking the reward for his capture to $50 million; despite conflicting accounts about the flotilla’s precise status, the message is clear: the White House is prepared to use military power to disrupt drug flows and further isolate Maduro’s regime. Click here to read more.

A U.S.-led coalition captured a senior Islamic State commander in northwest Syria on Wednesday during a pre-dawn raid in the town of Atmeh near the Turkish border, though it remains unclear if he is the group’s supreme leader. Identified by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as Abu Hafs al-Qurayshi, an Iraqi national, the man was detained after coalition troops landed from helicopters, while another Iraqi was killed in the operation. Conflicting reports emerged as Syrian state TV claimed the target was Salah Noman, known as Ali, who was reportedly killed in the raid while living with his family. The captured commander was reportedly accompanied by a French-speaking woman, whose fate remains unclear. The arrest underscores the ongoing threat posed by IS, which despite losing its territory years ago, continues to carry out deadly attacks in Syria, Iraq, and beyond. Click here to read more.

The Pentagon has unveiled the USX-1 Defiant, a first-of-its-kind autonomous warship built under DARPA’s No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) program, designed to operate at sea for up to a year without human presence or maintenance. Christened earlier this month in Puget Sound, the 180-foot, 240-metric ton vessel has no bridge, corridors, or crew facilities, reflecting a radical departure in naval architecture. Developed with a $25 million budget, the Defiant is part of a broader U.S. Navy push to counter China’s expanding fleet in the Indo-Pacific by deploying unmanned ships that can take on dangerous missions without risking lives. While unarmed for now, concept designs include missile systems controlled remotely by humans, echoing earlier experiments with the unmanned vessel Ranger. Congress has already approved more than $2 billion in funding for uncrewed ship programs, underscoring their importance in future naval warfare. If successful in sea trials, the Defiant could be rapidly produced at smaller shipyards and eventually join the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems fleet. Click here to read more.