Author: Braxton Taylor
The Air Force is resurrecting its boost-glide missile program, one of two hypersonic concepts the service is developing, Defense One’s Patrick Tucker reported Thursday. It gets its name because it reaches near-space altitudes using a rocket booster, then glides back to Earth at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound.The missile is known as an AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, and it’s an effort first launched to much fanfare in August 2018—only to see mixed results in testing and ultimately lose support from service leadership amid investment in alternative missiles.So why is ARRW back? Tom Karako, director…
Thirty-two percent of Americans own a firearm, which if my math is correct, means 68% of them don’t. That’s 231 million people who might wake up tomorrow and think to themselves, “I’d like to purchase a gun.”They might have this epiphany because they’re worried about guns being banned or criminals breaking into their homes. They might want a firearm because it looks like a fun hobby, or they might want to go afield to start harvesting their own meat. Whatever the reason, they’ll have to answer the question all new gun owners must ask: “What gun should I get?”What Do…
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently announced a slew of eye-popping poaching busts involving two of the state’s most heavily restricted—and sought after—marine species: chinook salmon and white sturgeon.The most noteworthy case stemmed from an investigation into a Dungeness crab trafficking ring that led officials to discover that their lead suspect was also poaching salmon from the American River. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was found with over 150 pounds of salmon roe meant for the black market. Officials say that collecting that much roe required poaching at least 75 salmon.Salmon fishing on the…
Learning the art of self-defense, one discovers there are many facets, subjects and nuances. It’s not just as simple as learning to shoot, carrying all the time or having the coolest gadgets. It’s really about preparation and planning for the worst and hoping for the best. Over the years, I’ve condensed the practice of everyday carry to corresponding essential skills to be trained. This approach allows the concealed carrier to concentrate on a range of skills most likely essential for defensive-gun use, considering the worst-case scenario an armed citizen might face. Remember, we are training for an unknown, unknowable event.…
Will U.S. leaders learn from the new playbook, or ignore it at our peril?Last Sunday, Ukraine executed what may go down as among the most consequential military operation of its war with Russia. Operation Spider Web—a coordinated drone assault that struck Russian strategic bombers across five time zones—demonstrated that the tactics of warfare have shifted. As a former commander who oversaw America’s vast materiel enterprise, I watched these events unfold with admiration for Ukrainian ingenuity and deep concern for American preparedness.The audacious attack destroyed or damaged up to 20 Russian strategic aircraft, including nuclear-capable Tu-95 and Tu-22M bombers worth hundreds…
No one doubts that President Donald Trump is a fan of the U.S. defense industry. “We have the greatest missiles in the world,” he recently told reporters, “We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world.” He’s even ordered up a military parade to show off American weaponry on his 79th birthday in Washington, D.C. But Trump’s love for U.S. weapons, and for foreign arms sales, is increasingly putting some of his other policy goals at risk.In Europe, the administration is pursuing a contradictory policy: demanding that European…
This week on Rifle Roundup, we’re looking at the new Springfield Armory Kuna 9mm large format pistol, with an Aimpoint Duty RDS red dot sight and an Armageddon Gear Single Point sling. Springfield Armory Kuna 9mm Pistol: MSRP $999 Let’s journey overseas for a moment to the country of Croatia, specifically to the offices of HS Produkt, the largest gun manufacturer in that small European country. The Croatian government found itself in need of something to replace its aging stocks of submachine guns, and HS Produkt created a modern take on the small, fully automatic pistol-caliber firearm to fill that…
Hosts Spencer Neuharth, Janis Putelis, and Randall Williams recap Jani’s bear hunt and Randall’s turkey hunt, chat with Owen Bachhuber about Project RattleCam, review the modern slapstick hit Hundreds of Beavers, throw a fishy Hot Tip Off, and are rejoined by Kristine Fischer for some 1-Minute Fishing redemption. Read the full article here
Packing multiple adventures into a short period of time can sometimes make a mediocre experience of them all. Brent’s sharing a recent trip that had him fishing in the Gulf one day and then in the heart of Texas chasing hogs the next. Two distinct and contrasting activities performed in such a short time span can diminish the returns of each. They key to fun and meaningful returns though, according to what Brent found out, is the people with whom you spend time with. He’s also sharing a listener story where a lazy river float trip nearly turned tragic. All that and more on…
The Defense Department is considering terminating 14 advisory boards that guide Pentagon leaders on an array of personnel and operational issues, including the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, the panel that has fought since 1951 to integrate women into the U.S. military.In an email sent last month to senior defense officials and reviewed by Military.com, Deputy Director of Washington Headquarters Services Bob Salesses proposed sunsetting more than a dozen committees and advisory boards and merging two additional panels.Thirteen of the boards would require congressional approval to dissolve but would be “administratively suspended” pending the necessary legislation. The…