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Air Force MQ-9 fleet drops to 135 aircraft after Iran combat losses
The Air Force is seeking to backfill the inventory of MQ-9 Reapers and field a cheaper, more expendable replacement.
AI tool has ‘saved a lot of aircraft’ in Epic Fury, AFSOC chief says
Lt. Gen. Michael Conley said “necessity had been the mother of invention” in spurring the service to apply available machine learning tools in combat.
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Iran Coverage
Defense News is covering the evolving military, strategic, and regional implications of tensions and operations involving Iran.
Insurance Guide
Military Times has outlined helpful information about car insurance, renters insurance, and life insurance for troops.
2025 PCS Guide
Read up on tips and tricks in Military Times’ 2025 Permanent Change of Station Guide.
2025 Benefits Guide
Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2025.
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Pentagon & Congress
Iran military threat is diminished but not eliminated, CENTCOM chief says
Adm. Brad Cooper said the U.S. had severely degraded Iran’s warfighting capacity, including the elimination of roughly 90% of its inventory of naval mines.
Energy secretary: Iran ‘frighteningly close’ to nuclear weapon despite Operation Epic Fury
“They are weeks — a small number of weeks — away to enrich that to weapons-grade uranium," Energy Secretary Chris Wright told a Senate committee.
Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield estimated to cost $1.2 trillion
A national missile defense system would cost $1.2 trillion to build and maintain over the next 20 years, a nonpartisan federal agency estimated.
Coast Guard bans kratom, similar drugs immediately
Kratom is not a federally controlled substance in the U.S. and is available legally in 44 states in vape shops, other retail stores and online.
In other news
Arcade games satirizing Iran war appear at DC War Memorial
The game, “Operation Epic Furious: Strait To Hell,” was developed in response to the administration’s use of video game footage to share successes in Iran.
Sailor reportedly finds dead rat in finished energy drink
The sailor said medical personnel informed him, “with the chemicals that are in Monster, that it should be OK.”
That time the Air Force proposed making a ‘gay bomb’
The Air Force once explored the idea of a chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually irresistible to one another — striking a blow to morale.
Master Chief actor condemns use of character in White House’s Iran war hype video
“I demand that the producers of this disgusting and juvenile war porn remove my voice immediately,” Steve Downes wrote in a post on X.
‘War Machine’ review: Finally, a training scenario with aliens
The sci-fi flick raises the premise: What if the final phase of U.S. Army Ranger selection suddenly involved fighting a giant alien robot?
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MORE STORIES
Expect a $833B defense budget for FY25, but not on time, lawmaker says
Rep. Rob Wittman said he expects a short-term budget deal for federal spending to be finalized before the end of the month.
Inflation has some military families ‘grasping at pennies’
With many living paycheck to paycheck, families are cutting back on everything from grocery shopping and driving to subscription services and eating out.
By Karen Jowers
Years into civilian jobs, vets struggle with networking, resume skills
Labor Department officials have seen a sizable number of older veterans seeking out help with their midcareer job searches.
New F-35s can fly combat training as DOD holds millions from Lockheed
The F-35 delivery delays due to upgrade problems have slowed down the Air Force's deployment of jets to England, among other consequences.
New household goods shipment program ramping up this fall
U.S. Transportation Command is unifying and privatizing the military moving process.
By Karen Jowers