The Pic of the Day: Recon Marines and their Commando friends

A U.S. Marine with 1st Platoon, Force Reconnaissance Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, patrols during exercise Platinum Ren at an undisclosed location in Norway on May 13, 2019. The evening patrol was conducted to acclimatize the team to the harsh Arctic climate and mountainous terrain, increase interoperability within the allies and partners of the North […]

The Pic of the Day: Maple Resolve Face of Courage

U.S Navy Lt. Carter Bonnafoux, a naval gunfire liaison officer with 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 4th Force Headquarter Group, Marine Forces Reserve, stands for a picture during exercise Maple Resolve in Camp Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, May 12, 2019. Maple Resolve is an annual exercise—a three-week, multinational simulated war, hosted by the Canadian Army. […]

Is Trump diplomacy working? NATO allies to pay for huge US base

In a most unanticipated decision, NATO member states have decided to finance the construction of a huge military storage site for U.S. military hardware in Poland. The project, which is the largest of its kind in recent history, will include storage for tanks, armored personnel carriers, general utility vehicles, artillery pieces, and other materiel. Its […]

European Allies form a new regional special operations command to counter Russia

In an unanticipated but promising move, five European countries will establish a new Regional Special Operations Component Command (R-SOCC) according to NATO standards. According to NATO, defense ministers of Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) in February 2019 to create a common Special Operations Command. Austria, a partner nation, will […]

The kings of the north: Meet Finland’s readiness units

In the weeks leading up to February 24th, 2014, Russia conducted large-scale military exercises on the border with Ukraine. While NATO focused on that diversion, Russian intelligence services assembled a collective designed for hybrid warfare to facilitate an invasion of Crimea: ethnic Russians in the Crimea, Serbian militias, Chechen soldiers, the Night Wolves motorcycle club, […]

Russia and China war simulations show American defenses could fold in a large-scale conflict

After nearly two straight decades of counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism warfare, the United States has found itself at a disadvantage compared to the smaller and less technologically advanced militaries of China and Russia in some circumstances. With these nation-level competitors enjoying the lead in hypersonic missile technology, long-range artillery technology, and even the development of new […]

Watch: Just another thing A-10s can do — land on highways

Since Russia’s military annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO officials have been working tirelessly to find ways to effectively counter Russian aggression throughout Europe’s Eastern flank. Troops from throughout the alliance have established new commands all over the continent, and plans continue to develop to mount an even more robust defensive posture in the region. […]

Cyber warfare: Did Russia hack the Army’s Stryker Dragoon armored vehicles?

In 2017, the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment stationed in Europe received the first batch of the improved or up-gunned—in military parlance—Stryker Dragoon armored vehicles. Commanders on the ground requested them, as the 2nd needed to improve its capabilities against near-peer adversaries in theatre. In Europe, this likely would mean Russia. The term adversary is […]

Breaking: Belgian intelligence officials allegedly involved in espionage and destroying classified material

Clement Vandenborre, chief of the counterintelligence directorate of Belgium’s General Information and Security Services (ADIV), was placed under house arrest on suspicions of destroying classified material. He has been temporarily relieved from his post until the conclusion of an internal investigation. This was first published by Belgium newspaper De Morgen, which cites multiple sources. Vandenborre, a […]

Russia sent 11 fighter jets in ‘mock attack’ on Norwegian missile defense radar station

Amid heightening tensions between Russia and Norway, a formation of 11 Russian-flagged Su-24 “Fencer” fighters staged a mock attack last year against a Norwegian radar installation that plays a vital role in America’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Defense strategy. The details of the incident were not revealed until now. According to recent revelations, the formation took […]