News

Army preps for 250th anniversary parade on Trump’s birthday
The Army on Wednesday started loading up some of the tanks that will take to the streets of the nation’s capital during the 250th anniversary celebration of the service next month, which will feature hundreds of military vehicles and aircraft and thousands of soldiers.

Air Force test-launches unarmed Minuteman III missile
The Air Force conducted a midnight test Wednesday of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.

Pentagon accepts Qatari jet for Air Force One
The Pentagon announced Wednesday it has accepted a $400 million jet from Qatar, a week after the Gulf state was reported to be providing the plane as a gift to President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One.

ICE agents to assist base security at three Marine Corps installations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will work alongside base security at three Marine installations as part of a pilot program to prevent foreign nationals from unlawfully accessing the bases.

Army air defense systems deploy to the Arctic, Africa for first time
The Army’s newest air defense platform recently conducted its first live fire in the Arctic alongside NATO allies while another air defense unit deployed the Avenger Air Defense System in Africa for the first time.

 

Air Force

Major new Air Force training center in Alaska will help boost defense of North America
Work will start this summer on a Pentagon “mega-project” in Alaska intended to boost the Air Force’s training capability to defend North America.

Air Force holds epic exercise to blow stuff up, calls it ‘EPIC CRAB’
In the pantheon of great names for military exercises, few can rival “EPIC CRAB,” which pays tribute to the unique culture of the military’s explosive ordnance disposal, or EOD, community.

Air Force sends F-15 fighter jets to Diego Garcia on force protection mission
The Air Force has deployed F-15 fighter jets for a force protection mission on Diego Garcia, Pacific Air Forces confirmed Tuesday.

F-15E Strike Eagles to leave England for good
The U.S. Air Force is planning to return its F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath in England and consolidate its fleet stateside. Currently, the F-15Es in the United Kingdom are the only permanently forward-deployed examples of the aircraft, which remain the service’s first choice for a wide variety of critical missions around the globe.

More B-21s may be necessary if B-52J upgrade goes awry, Allvin says
The Air Force might want to buy more than the planned fleet of 100 B-21 Raider bombers, particularly if the coming B-52J upgrade proves more challenging than anticipated, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin told the Senate Armed Services Committee May 20.

Air Force civilian’s colorful road tax sticker designs turn heads in Japan
Tomoko Hyatt has no formal art training, but her designs are in high demand across Japan, displayed by tens of thousands of people and growing in popularity.

 

Space Force

Space Force sees ‘outsized impact’ from civilian workforce cuts
Efforts to shrink the size of the civilian workforce across the federal government and within the Pentagon are having a disproportionate effect on the Space Force, according to the service’s top general.

NGA, Space Force ink accord on responsibilities for buying commercial ISR
The Space Force and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) have signed a long-negotiated agreement on how they will split responsibility for acquiring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) products from commercial satellite operators — an issue that has been the subject of a sometimes bitter turf war between the two for nigh on two years.

Saltzman: Space Force underfunded for space control, other new missions
The Space Force intends to make defending the military from on-orbit threats a top priority in the coming years. But the service’s top official warned lawmakers that the mission — coupled with a slew of other additional requirements — is challenged by limited resources.

 

Defense

British Army tests lightweight Javelin antitank weapon at record range
The British Army has successfully test-fired the Javelin’s Lightweight Command Launch Unit (LWCLU) at a record range, marking a milestone as the system evolves to counter longer-range threats.

Boeing on track to deliver fifth, sixth KC-46As to Japan this year: Exec
Japan is on track to take delivery of its fifth and sixth KC-46A Pegasus tankers later this year, a senior industry official here said, also revealing a tanker from the existing fleet refueled an allied aircraft during an exercise a few months ago.

Sig Sauer’s XM7 rifle gets Army’s seal of approval despite controversy
Sig Sauer’s controversial 6.8x51mm XM7 service rifle has now received a formal standard type classification, with the official designation changing to M7. This is a vote of confidence for the weapon weeks after an Army captain publicly criticized the rifle as potentially unsafe, ineffective, and overly expensive, claims that the service and Sig Sauer subsequently vehemently rebutted. You can read more about that in our deep dive here.

Saudi Arabia in talks to buy as many as 200 MQ-9 drones, General Atomics says
General Atomics is in talks to sell Saudi Arabia up to 200 MQ-9 unmanned systems, according to a company spokesperson.

Ursa, University of Illinois and Palantir win NGA contracts
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency announced awards May 21 to Palantir Technologies, the University of Illinois and Ursa Space Systems at the GEOINT Symposium 2025.

Rheinmetall to open large-calibre gun hall in Britain
Rheinmetall has confirmed it will establish a new advanced barrel manufacturing facility in Telford, delivering over £400 million in economic investment and creating more than 400 jobs over the next decade, according to an announcement.

 

Veterans

VA shuffles money from canceled contracts while keeping Congress mostly in the dark
The Department of Veterans Affairs is starting to move money from canceled contracts to other accounts even as it has yet to fully disclose what contracts it has ended.

NC nurse advocates for veterans’ health care as Trump’s VA cuts loom
Mildred Manning-Joy waited 45 minutes for her prescription to be filled at the Veterans Affairs Durham Health Care Facility. She watched as a single person worked to take orders, fill prescriptions and service the window.

US Air Force veteran released from Venezuela in deal tied to Chevron Oil license
After several months in Venezuelan custody, U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair was released Tuesday and handed over to President Donald Trump’s diplomatic envoy, Richard Grenell, in a deal that could help oil giant Chevron continue operations in the South American country for another two months, according to media reports.

Payment delays, staff cuts impede VA programs that fund home and car modifications for disabled veterans, advocates say
Veterans advocacy groups warned lawmakers that payment delays to vendors and staff cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs are creating delays and barriers for individuals with disabilities trying to modify their homes and vehicles with specialized equipment.