Sailors aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) display chocks and chains to the pilots of an MV-22B Osprey, assigned to the “Nighthawks” of Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) 1, during flight operations. HMX-1 tests tactics, techniques, procedures and equipment to support high-level military principals and other…
In July 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled a new Pentagon drone policy, formally entitled "Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance." The idea is to have a sweeping overhaul designed to accelerate the acquisition, deployment, and use of small drones across the entire U.S. military. The policy shift comes at a…
Artisans on the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) H-53 aircraft line work on a CH-53K King Stallion, the first inducted for maintenance at the depot. FRCE inducted the aircraft April 17 as the first of 14 planned for induction as part of the Age Exploration Program, Depot (AEPD); it is…
Three and a half years after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has undergone one of the most remarkable military transformations in modern history. What began as a desperate fight for survival has evolved into a sophisticated hybrid defense force that combines Western military technology with rapid domestic innovation, fundamentally reshaping how…
A pallet of explosive ordnance is staged in a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, June 4, 2025. Marines conducts training consisting of loading and unloading ordnance and helicopter medical evacuations to increase mission readiness in the event of…
By Robbin Laird and Kenneth Maxwell The discourse surrounding contemporary international relations has become dominated by the phrase "great power competition," yet this framing may fundamentally mischaracterize the nature of today's global order. While policymakers and analysts frequently invoke this term to describe the strategic rivalry between the United States…
By Pierre Tran Paris - Britain and France were seen as reviving close ties between their services and arms industries, following President Emmanuel Macron meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street on July 9, the start of a three-day state visit to the U.K. Britain and France signed…
An MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263, lands on the flight deck during flight operations aboard amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Oct. 20, 2021. VMM-263 is the Aviation Combat Element for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Kearsarge, the flagship for the 22nd MEU and…
