Author: Braxton Taylor
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sidestepped questions Wednesday about possible American military action against Iran as President Donald Trump continued to dangle the idea of the U.S. getting directly involved in Israel’s military campaign against the Islamic Republic.During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Hegseth was asked by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., whether U.S. military action is being considered.”Most of what I can or should say would be reserved for a classified setting,” Hegseth responded. “Obviously, any decisions on this matter are at the presidential level.”Read Next: VA Changes Discrimination Policy for Health Care Staff, Denies Doctors Could Withhold TreatmentPressed again…
As thousands of National Guardsmen and hundreds of Marines descended on Los Angeles this month on White House orders amid immigration raid protests, Marcos Leao was just trying to run some errands.The 27-year-old Army veteran, wearing sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt, thought he had spare time to grab some paperwork from the Department of Veterans Affairs. While listening to music on his headphones, he took a shortcut around the Wilshire Federal Building by brushing past some police tape.Shortly after crossing through the federal building complex, he saw a service member yelling at him to get back on the other side…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Wednesday that his decision to review the AUKUS security agreement came out of “long, personal conversations” with the U.K. and Australian defense ministers. He also suggested, without details, that the agreement might boost U.S. nuclear deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.News broke June 10 that the Pentagon would launch a 30-day review into the agreement, first reported by The Financial Times, and Hegseth confirmed his decision in testimony Friday. When asked about the decision again Wednesday, he told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he made the move after consulting his counterparts.“Reviews are always prudent, but…
PARIS—A key milestone for the Pentagon’s program to upgrade the F-35 engine has been pushed back a year, raising questions about the overall timeline of the effort. The engine upgrade will reach “critical design review,” a milestone that essentially closes the design phase of the program, by “mid-next year,” according to Jill Albertelli, president of military engines for Pratt & Whitney—a year later than Pratt previously estimated. The upgraded engines were supposed to hit the fleet by 2029, but Albertelli declined to confirm whether they will be ready by then, deferring specifics to the F-35 Joint Program Office. JPO did not respond…
BALTIMORE—Some military bases and installations are hundreds of years old, badly in need of maintenance or perhaps simply retirement. Others lack power and water that could be relied upon in wartime, or broadband and other digital infrastructure to meet today’s needs.“Essentially, we’re fighting tomorrow’s wars with yesterday’s facilities, and we need to fix that,” Brig. Gen. Andrew W. Collins, assistant adjutant general of the Maryland Army National Guard, said Tuesday at the Maryland Defense Forum.Collins joined other Maryland commanders in laying out their concerns at the two-day event, hosted by the state’s government to bring leaders from installations, defense communities…
Reptilia, a company known for its high-end, one-piece tactical scope mounts, is now further expanding its rifle accessory product lines. In addition to selling stocks and grips for AR-15 pattern firearms, Reptilia is now offering AK/Kalashnikov platform accessories, too. The company just unveiled the new Reptilia CQG AK pistol grip for AKs. The Reptilia CQG AK grip serves as an upgrade to the traditional Soviet-era design seen on most AK pattern rifles in the United States and around the world. CQG AK grips bring a more vertical grip angle that allows for a higher hand position in order to improve…
It is often recommended to build up your running to 50 miles a week for various military special ops programs within the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. While those programs involve significant running (and rucking) — and you need to be good at both — 50 miles a week is not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.Here is a question regarding building up to 50 miles a week and how to sustain or maintain it for more extended training periods:Stew, once you reach 50 miles a week running, how long do you stay at that level? Should you ever decrease mileage?…
Heckler & Koch USA has announced that it will be offering complete MR556 A4 upper-receiver kits, available with either an 11-inch or a 16-inch barrel. Customers now have the chance to buy one of HK’s complete top ends and install it over an existing lower receiver to make it easier and less expensive to upgrade. Because the MR556 upper receiver uses a proprietary gas-operated, short-stroke piston system like the legendary HK 416 series, these new standalone upper receiver groups include their own bolt-carrier groups, gas-piston assemblies and adjustable gas regulators. There are quite a few nuances between HK’s tried-and-true short-stroke,…
Escalation watch: Iran is reportedly ready to strike U.S. military bases in the Middle East should President Trump decide to enter Israel’s war with Iran, U.S. officials told the New York Times Tuesday. However, “Iran’s missile barrages in the recent conflict are much smaller compared to its barrages in its October 2024 attack on Israel,” analysts at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War wrote in their Tuesday evening assessment. This apparent reduction in Iranian missile counter-attacks suggests Israeli strikes (like this) so far have been considerably effective against Iranian missile launchers. Consider, ISW writes, “Iran launched around 200 ballistic…
The new Safariland Solis OWB holster has finally started shipping. It’s one of Safariland’s new for 2025 products. I’ve been getting a feel for mine, designed to fit the SIG Sauer P365 Fuse that I reviewed earlier this year. Safariland Solis Overview The Safariland Solis is a modern outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster manufactured with a sturdy and non-marring, nylon-polymer blend known as SafariSeven. Made from two halves, Solis holsters are designed with an easy-to-draw, open-top design. It’s noteworthy that the contour of the two halves also does an excellent job at keeping the trigger guard covered with nary a gap. Internally,…