Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) Brings the King Stallion to the Force

07/18/2025
By Robbin Laird Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) at MCAS New River, North Carolina plays the foundational role in introducing the CH-53K King Stallion into Marine Corps operational service. Their operational expertise directly informs the ongoing transition of additional Marine Corps squadrons to the King Stallion. Here is a…

Marines Break New Ground in Anti-Submarine Warfare During Atlantic Alliance 2025 Exercise

07/14/2025
In a significant demonstration of evolving naval warfare doctrine, U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 successfully integrated into anti-submarine warfare operations during Atlantic Alliance 2025, marking a significant evolution in how the Navy-Marine Corps team approaches undersea threats. The exercise, conducted at the Surface Combat Systems Center…

Italy Sets to Establish First F-35 Training Center Outside U.S. in Sicily

07/13/2025
By Robbin Laird Italy is poised to make aviation history by establishing the first F-35 fighter pilot training center outside the United States, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto announced during a ceremony in Sardinia July 2. The groundbreaking facility will be located in Sicily, further cementing Italy's position as a key…

Ukraine’s Hybrid Operational Force Redesign Capability: Innovation in Modern Warfare

06/30/2025
Ukraine's defense of its homeland has demonstrated a remarkable evolution in modern military strategy, showcasing how a defending nation can leverage both established military doctrine and cutting-edge innovation to counter a numerically superior adversary. The Ukrainian approach represents a new paradigm in what we might call a hybrid operational force…

Blockchain in Missile Defense Technology

06/23/2025
By Debalina Ghoshal Modern warfare operates in an increasingly contested environment where adversaries possess not only advanced weapon systems but also sophisticated cyber capabilities that can disrupt critical defense technologies. The complexity of contemporary missile defense systems requires seamless integration between multiple subsystems and the main weapon platform. As demonstrated…

U.S. Marines in Iron Fist 2025: Strengthening Pacific Partnerships Through Bilateral Amphibious Operations

06/19/2025
The 2025 iteration of Exercise Iron Fist represents a significant milestone in U.S.-Japan military cooperation, with American Marines and Japanese forces conducting their largest bilateral amphibious training exercise in Japan's strategically vital southwest islands region. Running from February 19 through March 7, 2025, this exercise showcased the evolving partnership between…

Operation Spider Web: Ukraine’s Drone Warfare Evolution

06/18/2025
Operation Spider Web stands as the most sophisticated drone warfare operation in modern military history, representing the culmination of Ukraine's remarkable transformation from drone technology importer to global innovator. On June 1, 2025, Ukraine's Security Service executed a coordinated strike using 117 drones across five Russian airbases spanning 4,300 kilometers,…