Digital Authoritarianism and Adaptive Cyber Regimes
Digital authoritarianism and adaptive cyber regimes now shape the security landscape as much as tanks or missiles. Authoritarian governments use digital tools to tighten control at home and project influence abroad. They build complex systems for online censorship, mass surveillance and propaganda. Other illiberal actors watch and copy these models. As a result, global internet […]
Threats to Undersea Infrastructure in Seabed Warfare
Threats to undersea infrastructure now sit at the centre of great power competition. The seabed carries a dense web of submarine data cables, energy pipelines and sensor networks. These systems move most of the world’s data and a large share of its energy. Because of this, they have become attractive targets in the grey zone […]
Quantum-Secure Communications and Mega-Constellations in Space
Quantum-secure communications and mega-constellations in space are quietly reshaping the foundations of military command, control and communications (C3). As quantum computing moves closer to reality, today’s public-key encryption could become obsolete by the 2030s. At the same time, hundreds of commercial satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) are turning space into a dense, contested information […]
Military Applications of Synthetic Biology in Defence
Military applications of synthetic biology are moving rapidly from theory to practice. Defence agencies now explore engineered organisms, DNA design and automated biofoundries to produce critical materials on demand. These advances promise more resilient logistics, faster medical responses and new types of protective equipment. At the same time, they raise serious dual-use concerns and global […]
AI in Nuclear Command and Control
AI in nuclear command and control (NC3) is moving from theory into operational reality. Nuclear-armed states now explore AI tools for early warning, decision support and data fusion. This trend creates clear potential benefits for speed and situational awareness. However, it also raises serious questions about crisis stability, escalation risks and the future credibility of […]
Fast-Track Export Licenses for Allies in Defence Trade
Defence demand is surging, and supply chains are under pressure. In this environment, fast-track export licenses for allies move from a niche legal tool to a strategic necessity. Traditional export control timelines often run for months. They no longer match the high tempo of modern conflict, especially for advanced munitions, ISR systems, and critical sub-components. […]
Navantia Uncrewed Landing Craft Concept
SH Defence and Navantia Australia pair autonomous hull design with the Cube modular mission system to turn an uncrewed landing craft into a multi-role bridge between ship and shore. Danish defence engineering house SH Defence has joined forces with Navantia Australia to push forward the Navantia uncrewed landing craft concept, pairing the Spanish-designed autonomous hull […]
NATO Training in Ukraine Is Failing Modern War
As a longtime advocate for adaptive, human-centered military reform, I watched a recent frontline video about NATO training in Ukraine with a mix of validation and concern. When Ukrainian soldiers describe NATO courses as “useless and outdated,” they are not just critiquing a syllabus; they are signalling a deeper problem in how the alliance prepares […]
Meyu Arrow High-Altitude Unmanned Helicopter
China’s new Meyu Arrow high-altitude unmanned helicopter has completed its first live-fire missile test above 4,000 meters, signaling a fresh push by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to extend armed rotary-wing unmanned operations deep into thin-air plateau environments. Developed by Sichuan-based Tengden Technology, the Meyu Arrow is designed to operate where conventional crewed helicopters and […]
Cognitive Warfare and Grey-Zone Tactics: Adversary Doctrines
Cognitive warfare and grey-zone tactics now sit at the centre of modern competition. Instead of relying only on kinetic force, adversaries mix information manipulation, psychological pressure and deniable proxy actions into long campaigns that stop short of open war. In practice, they use cognitive warfare and grey-zone tactics to erode will, cohesion and decision-making long […]
Tactical Edge Computing vs Centralized Cloud
Tactical edge computing vs centralized cloud has become a defining choice in modern military digital transformation. The way armed forces distribute computing power now shapes how fast units can sense, decide, and act under fire. It also determines how vulnerable command-and-control becomes to cyber, electronic, and kinetic attack. Today’s forces are torn between the efficiency […]
Dual-Use Defence Technologies in Space
Dual-use defence technologies are reshaping how militaries fight and plan. The most visible changes are in commercial low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks and emerging quantum sensing. Military Reliance on Dual-Use Defence Technologies in LEO Recent conflicts show how commercial LEO constellations have become essential to modern operations. Services such as SpaceX Starlink now support […]
Battlefield AI Trust Gap: Why Explainability Matters
Would you accept a machine’s recommendation on a life-and-death decision if you could not explain how it reached that conclusion? That is the core dilemma at the heart of battlefield AI trust. As artificial intelligence systems move from labs into command posts, cockpits, and tactical operations centers, militaries are discovering that raw algorithmic power is […]
Defense Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: The Hidden Kill Switch
Defense supply chain vulnerabilities are emerging as the hidden kill switch of modern military power. Rare earths, specialty metals, and advanced microelectronics sit inside every smart weapon and secure network. When a handful of suppliers and refineries control these inputs, they gain leverage over entire armed forces. That risk is now a daily concern for […]
NATO Multi-Domain Operations: Closing the 2030 Gap
Why NATO Multi-Domain Operations Matter NATO multi-domain operations will shape how the Alliance deters and fights in the coming decade. In future crises, success will depend on how quickly forces can combine effects across land, air, sea, space, cyber and the electromagnetic spectrum. Consequently, the Alliance’s ability to integrate these domains will be a central […]
Pentagon’s ‘85% Solution’ Signals New Risk Culture
The Pentagon is moving toward an “85% solution” acquisition approach, where it buys good-enough systems now and finishes the rest later. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined the idea in a Nov. 7 address to industry. Since then, executives and trade groups have begun to unpack what this means for risk, speed, and contracts. They agree […]
FLY-R, MBDA launch AI loitering munition
French UAV designer FLY-R has launched a new rhomboidal-wing loitering munition with European missile group MBDA. The UAE’s Tawazun Council supports the programme as an industrial partner. At Dubai Airshow 2025, the partners announced the project in front of senior Emirati and French officials. Fast-track programme for land and maritime missions The co-development effort targets […]
Spike in U.S. Military Aviation Mishaps
Pentagon data shows that U.S. military aviation mishaps have risen sharply over the last four years. The rate of Class A accidents, the most deadly and costly category, has increased by 55 percent since fiscal 2020. Lawmakers, defense analysts, and aviation safety experts now view U.S. military aviation mishaps as a strategic risk to both […]
Kizilelma Gokdogan missile test
Baykar has released new footage of its jet-powered Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft carrying two Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. The short clip, taken during the PT-5 phase of the test campaign, shows the UCAV taxiing. It then takes off with the missiles mounted on its inner wing pylons. The Kizilelma Gokdogan air-to-air missile test marks […]
Edge–Anduril JV debuts Omen UAV
Edge Group used Dubai Airshow 2025 to show the first hardware from the Edge-Anduril Omen UAV joint venture. The new Omen platform anchors a broader expansion of Edge’s uncrewed portfolio, which now includes three additional systems revealed at the show. Together, they highlight how the group wants to move faster, export more and enter new […]