Author: Defenceline Webdesk

The Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference began today as attendees gathered at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink kicked things off with a bold statement that the Space Force has launched “space control weapons” into orbit. Breaking Defense’s Aaron Mehta and Michael Marrow talk through what that might mean, in addition to other developments from the expo’s first day. Be sure to also check out our AFA landing page for all our stories, and our multimedia page for daily video roundups and photos from…

On September 15, 2021, Australia abandoned a $90-billion program to build French-designed conventional diesel-electric submarines. Instead, Australia would embark on a new trilateral security partnership with the U.S. and the U.K. to produce nuclear-powered, but conventionally armed, submarines.  What drove Australia to spurn a good partner and burn an existing project that had been in the works for five years?  Australia’s government decided that it desperately needed the extra stealth and stamina nuclear-fueled submarines provide. And while Canberra didn’t say why, exactly, the reason was clear to anyone who was paying attention. China is building up its military, especially its…

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The US Space Force has launched “space control weapons” into orbit, according to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, the first public acknowledgement from a US government official that America has deployed weapon systems to circle the earth. “Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said in a keynote address at the Air and Space Forces Association conference here. “This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.” Meink did not elaborate,…

You are walking through an ethno-village in rural Kyrgyzstan. On the right is a string of cultural zones organized by each of the country’s seven regions and two major cities, Bishkek and Osh. In each, traditional music is played, food is cooked, and dances are performed.  You keep walking, beyond a mound where spectators are watching age-old martial arts, past a bazaar where local wares are being bought and sold, before you finally reach the end of the road. You see another cluster of yurts. As you approach, you get the feeling that you’re truly in a place where custom…

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Air Force special forces are seeking to integrate a new cruise missile built by Leidos on “every type” of platform possible, after the weapon’s use in a live combat operation showed its effectiveness, according to officials. In a press release published today, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) revealed that the AGM-190A Havoc Spear cruise missile was used to strike targets in US Africa Command (AFRICOM)’s area of responsibility on an unspecified date. The combat evaluation involved two missiles launched from an AC-130J hitting two separate targets, according to a spokesperson for AFSOC.  “Our ultimate goal…

Egyptian companies brought loitering munitions, hard-kill interceptor drones, guided glide bombs and electronic jammers to the second El Alamein International Airshow. This report examines the systems individually, separating their advertised capabilities from the hardware and evidence available. Held at El Alamein International Airport from 8 to 10 September 2026, the second El Alamein International Airshow (EIAS 2026) hosted more than 250 exhibitors representing over 50 countries. Egyptian firms occupied approximately 28 stands, with unmanned aircraft and precision-strike weapons accounting for much of their display. The Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) alone exhibited 22 products, including eight making their first public…

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), once thought to pose a significant threat to Takaichi Sanae’s hold on power, came to an unremarkable end. After nearly seven months of negotiations among the CRA and its sister parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and Komeito – both of which had dissolved in the lower house but continued to exist in the upper chamber – the three parties concluded that a complete merger would not proceed. As a result, the CRA is set to split into two groups, with former Komeito members returning to their former party and former CDP-affiliated members launching a…

WASHINGTON — The White House has sent Hung Cao’s nomination to serve as Secretary of the Navy to the Senate, along with other Navy leaders’ nominations, according to a White House release. President Donald Trump announced earlier this month his plans to nominate Cao, who previously served as Under Secretary of the Navy, to the post. Cao has served as Acting Secretary of the Navy since April, following the departure of former Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.  “I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR, Hung Cao, to become the next Secretary of the Navy,” Trump said in a…

On September 16, 2025, South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung administration formally adopted Arctic shipping development as a national policy. The Ministry of Ocean and Fisheries has subsequently moved to Busan, aiming to establish the city as South Korea’s maritime hub for Arctic shipping.  South Korea sent its first trial container, the PanStar Acro (under the flag of Panama), via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to Europe in August 2026, following a few weeks behind the Chinese container ship Dubai Tower (under the flag of Liberia).  On September 11, 2026, Hanwha Ocean, one of Korea’s big three shipbuilders, began constructing the country’s…

The defense industrial base (DIB) is under pressure from multiple angles. Stockpiles are being depleted due to expenditures in the conflict with Iran. Initiatives such as Golden Dome are large-scale projects that require specialized and complicated materials and components. And ongoing supply chain shortages threaten to hamstring all of these efforts. “The reality we’re facing is that the traditional way we build military platforms – where it takes years, sometimes a decade, to move a system from a whiteboard to operational deployment – is a strategic liability,” said Ana Garcia Olson, Managing Director, Navy & Marine Corps Business Lead, Accenture…