military-and-defense47.72 min read
US strikes alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Eastern Pacific, first such strike in more than two months
5 days ago•Source: Yahoo
Military And Defense News
The latest military and defense stories, summarized by AI
Featured Military And Defense Stories
View original source
11.84 min•7 days ago
Taiwan approves record defense budget to deter China in 2027
Taiwan's cabinet approved a record NT$1.12 trillion ($35.1 billion) defense budget for 2027, totaling about 3.01% of GDP and funded from central and special budgets; the plan, which includes NT$10,000 cash handouts to residents, reflects Lai Ching-te's push to boost military spending toward a 3% GDP target, though it still requires passage by a legislature amid ongoing elections.
More Top Stories
2
The Startup Arms Race: Drones, Defense, and a Global Pivot
Business Insider•22 days ago
3
Ukraine's Zero Line: Drones and Weather Make 300 Meters a Week-Long Wait
Business Insider•1 month ago
More Military And Defense Stories
Ukraine’s Elite Forces Adapt Trench Attacks for Drone Warfare
Ukrainian special operators are updating trench-clearing tactics to cope with a drone-saturated front, emphasizing sky surveillance, counter-drone fire, and small-unit infiltration. Training now includes drone pilots and live-fire drills using pump-action shotguns against FPV drones, with four-person teams coordinating ground and airspace coverage as they move through trenches. The front line is described as a 'kill zone' spanning roughly 10–20 kilometers from the contact line, forcing continual adaptation to threats from above and below.
Ukraine Expands Drone Warfare With Mothership Carriers
Ukraine is expanding its drone warfare by using mothership platforms—boats, aircraft, and ground systems—that carry and launch FPV and interceptor drones, extending reach and offering cheaper, flexible options for both offense and air defense. The tactic evolved from drone boats and fixed-wing carriers and has grown to sea-based motherships like the Katran, plus airborne launches from aircraft such as the An-28, with ground robots also involved. Ukrainian officials describe motherships as a practical adaptation, not a single game-changer, enabling smaller drones to operate farther, closer to targets, and with reduced risk to operators while defending key Black Sea cities.
Speed as a Weapon: Ukraine’s Rapid Innovation Reshapes Modern Warfare
Ukraine’s war is illustrating that speed of innovation and rapid integration can decide battles as much as weapon quality. By accelerating sensor-to-shooter cycles, fusing satellites, drones, and AI with systems like Delta, Kyiv is shortening detection-to-engagement times, while NATO partners (including the UK with AI-enabled planning and targeting) push for faster capability development. The result is a strategic shift toward machine-speed warfare where innovation, adaptation, and rapid fielding matter as much as raw firepower.
Ukraine executes world's first known robotic amphibious assault
Ukraine's 123rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade carried out the world's first known combat mission in which a naval drone delivered and deployed an armed ground robot behind Russian lines on the Kinburn Spit near Kherson, with the ground unit firing on a target and no soldiers involved, highlighting a growing role for unmanned systems in dangerous warfare.
North Korea tests re-launched Kang Kon destroyer as it pushes toward a nuclear-enabled navy
North Korea’s 5,000-ton destroyer Kang Kon, after a botched May 2025 debut, is now seaworthy and testing its weapons—including a main gun, autocannon, and strategic cruise missiles—per state media; Kim Jong Un attended the tests and ordered the ship ready for active duty within two months, part of Pyongyang’s drive to build a nuclear-capable navy with two more destroyers, a 10,000-ton warship, and other projects such as the Hero Kim Kun Ok submarine launched in 2023.
Killhouse Academy: Ukraine’s crash course in battlefield drone piloting
Ukrainians and foreign volunteers train at Killhouse Academy, run by Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, to master FPV drones and stay ahead of evolving battlefield tactics, turning cheap quadcopters into strategic advantages.
F-22 Raptor Stands Alone, Veteran Pilot Who Flew Four Jets Says
Marine Corps fighter pilot Dave Berke, who flew the F/A-18, F-16, F-22, and F-35B for about 3,000 flight hours and later commanded the F-35B program, says each jet excelled in its own way, but the F-22 Raptor stands apart with unmatched speed, stealth, thrust-vectoring, and maneuverability, while the F-35B emphasizes information dominance through sensor fusion.
Ukraine’s Cheap-Sensor Strategy Reimagines Western Air Defense
Ukraine’s use of cheap acoustic and other low-cost sensors to detect drones is prompting the West to rethink air defense, advocating a layered mix of inexpensive and advanced systems to cover low-altitude threats and speed up fielding in future drone warfare.
NATO Urges Cheaper, Scaled Air Defenses as Drone Threat Grows
A top NATO commander warns that cheap drones and mass air attacks are challenging Western air-defense doctrine, pushing NATO to adopt cheaper, scalable defenses, broader sensor nets, and dispersed command centers, while also pursuing offensive options to hit enemy production sites; Ukraine’s drone innovations illustrate a possible path forward, though traditional high-cost interceptors and jets remain important.
Ukraine arms mobile ground robots to hunt Russian infiltrators
Ukraine is equipping ground robots with weapons to turn them into mobile “small tanks” that can strike Russian infiltration teams from safer distances. Frontline Robotics’ Buria turret is being mounted on robotic vehicles, enabling operators to drive toward enemy lines from tens of kilometers away, with updates driven by soldier feedback. Ground robots are increasingly used for evacuation, logistics, mine handling, and even direct attacks, offering broader protection for soldiers and cheaper replacement than armored vehicles as Russia relies on small infiltrating units.