Top 5     Lawmakers back White House FY26 plans for more troops, 3.8% pay hike (Defense News) After months of positive news about military recruiting efforts, lawmakers are poised to back White House plans to boost the Defense Department’s end strength by about 26,000 troops next year.       Hegseth revokes promotion for Navy admiral who approved drag shows (Military Times) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth withdrew a Navy admiral’s nomination to lead the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet — the Navy’s largest overseas force — amid reports of drag shows taking place under his command seven years ago, the Pentagon confirmed.       Trump threatens Russia with tariffs and boosts US weapons for Ukraine (The Associated Press) President Donald Trump on Monday threatened Russia with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for American weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration about unsuccessful negotiations for ending the war.       Images show shredded KC-46 boom that led to emergency landing (Defense News) A KC-46A Pegasus refueling tanker was forced to conduct an emergency landing July 8 after its refueling boom was shredded in a mishap off the East Coast.       Pentagon yanks speakers from Aspen Security Forum, blasts its values (Military Times) The Pentagon abruptly pulled several of its top officials from speaking this week at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, saying Monday the forum’s organizers do not share values with the Defense Department.   Pentagon     Pentagon reviewing payment applications from Havana Syndrome victims (DefenseScoop ) The Defense Department has started reviewing applications from personnel seeking financial compensation for brain health issues associated with the phenomenon known as Havana Syndrome, according to the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson.   Congress & Politics     House bill rejects overall NASA budget cuts but shifts funding to exploration (SpaceNews) A draft House spending bill would keep NASA’s overall budget flat in fiscal year 2026 but shift money to exploration from science and other accounts.       Hochul calls for heightened federal drone defense strategy (The Hill) New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has called for a heightened federal drone defense strategy, following reports of drone sightings in the Northeast toward the end of 2024.   Your Military     Retired Army officer pleads guilty to sharing secrets on dating site (Military Times) A retired Army officer who worked as a civilian for the Air Force has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transmit classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform.       Alabama military base redesignation ceremony set for this week after Hegseth orders renaming (al.com) Fort Rucker is making its name change official Thursday - its second in two years’ time.       What service members should do to prepare for casualty evacuations (Military.com) Casualty evacuation, frequently referred to as CASEVAC, is one of the most physically and mentally grueling tasks faced by military personnel. There is nothing quite like adding an "injured man drill" to an already long and exhausting training day to challenge the will of your team. CASEVAC tests every facet of physical strength and endurance, as well as team cohesiveness, leadership and communications.   Army     Army bids farewell to laundry specialists (Task & Purpose) In the name of transformation, by October, the Army will have reclassified active duty soldiers tasked with setting up mobile shower and laundry services in the field.       More options, longer hours bring soldiers back into dining facilities at Fort Carson (Stars & Stripes) Sgt. Adam Mazeika, a medic at the Army base, said he tries to eat in the dining facilities on base as much as possible because the food isn’t bad and has helped him purposefully gain weight.       Drill sergeant under investigation after having soldiers do push-ups under MAGA flag (Military.com) The Army has launched an investigation after a drill sergeant posted a video showing soldiers being hazed beneath a MAGA flag, which runs afoul of multiple military regulations prohibiting partisan political activity in uniform and on federal property.       Army specialist dies from injuries in rail cargo inspection accident near Berlin (Stars & Stripes) The death of a U.S. soldier during a logistics operation in Germany supporting the American military mission to deter Russian aggression is under investigation, military officials said.   Navy     USNI News fleet and marine tracker: July 14, 2025 (USNI News) These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of July 14, 2025, based on Navy and public data. In cases in which a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.       USS Omaha returns to homeport (Seapower) The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Omaha (LCS 12) arrived at its San Diego homeport July 11, following a 10-month rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.       US to construct Philippine fast boat base near South China Sea flashpoints (USNI News) The U.S. plans to fund and build a facility capable of hosting watercraft and assault boats on the western coast of Palawan in support of Manila’s operations into the disputed waters of the South China Sea, according to new documents.       Carrier USS Carl Vinson leaves Middle East, US reduces destroyers in Mediterranean (USNI News) After three months in the Middle East, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is now in the Indian Ocean.   Marine Corps     Japanese airline CEO thanks Marine for subduing unruly passenger on flight to Texas (Stars & Stripes) The CEO of All Nippon Airways recently visited Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni — south of Hiroshima, Japan — to thank a U.S. Marine for intervening during an in-flight disturbance.   Air Force     F-15EX fighters deploy to Japan for training as Kadena prepares for new jets (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Two F-15EX Eagle II fighters arrived for training at Kadena Air Base, Japan, July 12 as the base gears up to receive a permanent fleet of the jets next spring.       Ex-Thunderbird pilot takes over 18th Wing as Air Force preps for fighter transition (Stars & Stripes) A former Thunderbird pilot with extensive leadership experience, including in the Indo-Pacific, has taken command of the largest U.S. fighter base in the Western Pacific.       Air Force: Test B-21s could fly combat missions, Northrop can expand production at plant 42 (Air & Space Forces Magazine) A production expansion of the Air Force’s next-generation bomber, the B-21 Raider, which is planned in the service’s fiscal 2026 budget, could be accommodated largely within aircraft manufacturer Northrop Grumman’s existing Palmdale, Calif., plant, according to the Air Force. The service also said that at least two of the bombers will be flying in 2026. While used for testing, they can be quickly configured for combat operations if necessary.       BAE to work on battlefield medical app for U.S. Air Force (UK Defence Journal) The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has selected BAE Systems to continue development of the Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Operations Kit (BATDOK) under a new programme titled Force Optimization through Rapid-prototyping, Gear Enhancements and Innovative Technology (FORGE-IT).       Air Force rolls out age- and sex-neutral fitness test for EOD techs (Task & Purpose) Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal, or EOD, technicians will take a new gender- and age-neutral fitness test starting next month, the service has announced, with a medicine ball toss, a powerlift and a dynamic drill with 80-lbs of weight known as the Gruseter.       KC-46 crews ordered to drastically curtail use of jet’s onboard auxiliary power unit (The War Zone) The U.S. Air Force’s fleet of KC-46 Pegasus air refueling tanker fleet is experiencing problems with its auxiliary power unit (APU), a small secondary turbine engine at the back of the plane that primarily provides electricity to run systems prior to the startup of the main engines.   Space Force     Space Force is training for ‘orbital warfare’ in its largest exercise yet (Task & Purpose) The U.S. Space Force is currently carrying out its largest exercise since being established, with a service-specific operation meant to see how it can handle complex conflicts in space.       Space Force unit that tracked Iranian missiles earns new honor (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The Guardians of the 11th Space Warning Squadron were honored as the top U.S. Space Force unit for 2024 for their role in thwarting Iranian missile barrages last year.   Coast Guard     As Coast Guard receives billions in new Arctic funding, Alaska region gets new commander and name (Alaska Beacon) Last week, President Donald Trump signed a budget bill with almost $25 billion for new Coast Guard construction, including almost $9 billion for new icebreakers and $300 million for new Coast Guard facilities in Juneau.   Education & Transition     Here are the 596 books being banned by Defense Department schools (Military.com) Children's biographies of trailblazing transgender public figures. An award-winning novel reflecting on what it is like to be Black in America. A series of graphic novels about the love story between a teenage gay couple.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     Anthropic, Google and xAI win $200M each from Pentagon AI chief for ‘agentic AI’ (Breaking Defense) The military’s central artificial intelligence hub has quadrupled down on its investment in commercial “frontier AI.”       Golden Dome expected to supercharge space economy, development challenges ahead (Military.com) President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" approved in early July allocated $25 billion for Golden Dome, a missile defense system that could bring a windfall of investment to Colorado's space economy.       Jammed and confused: Alaska trial shows pitfalls of fielding US drones (Defense News) During the last few weeks of June, dozens of aircraft gathered on the flight line at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska as part of Red Flag — a premier, multinational exercise the base hosts each year. The event offers a venue for the U.S. and its allies to demonstrate advanced, tactical air combat and prepare military units for wartime operations.   Defense Industry     US clears $100M A-29 Super Tucano sustainment deal for Lebanese Air Force (Breaking Defense) The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale (FMS) for the sustainment of Lebanon’s fleet of A-29 Super Tucanos, with an estimated price tag of $100 million.       RTX’s Raytheon awarded $74M US Navy contract for RAM Guided Missile Launching System (Seapower) Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, was awarded a?$74 million?contract to produce RAM Guided Missile Launching Systems (GMLS) for the U.S. Navy.   Israel-Gaza-Iran     Israeli government and military clash over proposed camp for Palestinians (The Guardian) A feud has broken between the Israeli government and the military over the cost and impact of a planned camp for Palestinians in southern Gaza, as politicians criticised the former prime minister Ehud Olmert for warning that the project would create a “concentration camp” if it goes ahead.       ‘Why are you not preventing settler terrorism’: Palestinians call out IDF following beating death of American man (CNN) Saif Musallet was just weeks away from celebrating his 21st birthday, and as he visited his family here, the Florida native’s thoughts began to turn toward marriage.       Search ends for those missing after Yemen’s Houthi rebels sink ship in Red Sea (The Associated Press) The search for those missing after Yemen’s Houthi rebels sank a ship in the Red Sea has ended as at least four people are presumed dead and 11 others remain unaccounted for, the private security firms involved said Monday.       Israeli ultra-Orthodox party quits Netanyahu government over conscription (Al Jazeera) Israel’s ultra-Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), has announced it is quitting the country’s fractious right-wing coalition due to a long-running dispute over mandatory military service, threatening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hold on power.       Gaza father's outrage after Israeli strike kills son 'searching for sip' at water point (BBC) Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Ahmed says his son, Abdullah, was "searching for a sip of water" when he took the family's jerrycans on Sunday morning and headed as usual to one of the water distribution points in the urban Nuseirat camp, in central Gaza.   Ukraine     Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,237 (Al Jazeera) Here are the key events on day 1,237 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.       Cluster warhead version of Russian Kh-101 cruise missile caught on camera (The War Zone) Footage from a recent Russian bombardment of the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi provides us with what is likely our best look so far at a Kh-101 cruise missile fitted with a cluster warhead being used.       Trump on Putin: Pleasant calls, deadly outcomes (UK Defence Journal) In extended remarks at the White House this week, President Donald Trump offered his most detailed view yet of Russian President Vladimir Putin since returning to office. His comments combined scepticism, frustration, and a lingering belief that a deal remains possible.       Trump announces deal to send more Patriot Air defense batteries to Ukraine (The War Zone) Ukraine is set to receive additional Patriot air defense batteries it badly needs to fight off Russian aerial threats, U.S. President Donald Trump announced at the White House on Monday.       Rutte backs Trump plan for Europe to fund Ukraine arms (UK Defence Journal) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has endorsed a new proposal by President Donald Trump that would see European nations foot the bill for supplying Ukraine with weapons drawn from American stockpiles.   International     France to quicken defense-spending boost in bid to be ‘feared’ (Defense News) France will accelerate a hike in defense spending to reach €64 billion (US$75 billion) in 2027, three years earlier than planned, President Emmanuel Macron told troops and military brass ahead of Bastille Day celebrations on July 14.       North Korea threatens ‘grave consequences’ following trilateral bomber flight (Stars & Stripes) Two U.S. Air Force bombers, escorted by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets, conducted a joint flight near the Korean Peninsula on Friday — a move that immediately prompted unspecified threats of retaliation by North Korea.       Australia hosts largest-ever Talisman Sabre military exercise (Military Times) The largest-ever war-fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships.       In Italy, a bridge to Sicily may offer piece to NATO spending puzzle (Defense News) An Italian plan to build the world’s longest suspension bridge could boost Italy’s bid to reach NATO spending targets if it is defined as defense spending, experts have said.       ‘Very emotional day’: First HIMARS launch by Estonia marks milestone in Baltic defense (Stars & Stripes) Years of joint training with U.S. soldiers on a highly sought-after precision strike weapon came to the crowning achievement for Estonia in recent days, with its forces’ inaugural launch of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.       Warship attempts to ‘breach’ British Carrier Group (UK Defence Journal) Britain’s Carrier Strike Group, currently deployed to the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast, has conducted a high-intensity barrier operation exercise designed to ‘fight off’ an intruding warship attempting to close on a British aircraft carrier.       US - Africa Week Ahead: Tanzania scores in defence bill; South Sudan courts Trump with deportees (The Africa Report) African countries ramp up their outreach as Washington enters final stretch before summer break.       Sudan paramilitary forces kill almost 300 in village raids, say lawyers (Reuters) Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed nearly 300 people in attacks in North Kordofan state that began on Saturday, according to Sudanese activists.       Taiwanese troops train to use subway to their advantage during Chinese invasion of Taipei (The War Zone) Taiwanese forces, including personnel armed with Stinger shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, have used the subway to maneuver around the capital city of Taipei as part of a major annual exercise for what looks to be the first time.   Overseas Operations     US air base in Aviano switches to colonel in command; Italy garrison’s new leadership is Army Strong (Stars & Stripes) A decorated Air Force pilot who has flown more than 1,300 combat hours, including for U.S. operations in the Middle East, is now leading the service’s only permanently assigned fighter air wing south of the Alps.   Military Culture & History     Carlyle ‘Smitty’ Harris, Vietnam POW who originated ‘tap code,’ dies (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Retired Air Force Col. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris, who introduced the “tap code” used by prisoners of war to communicate from their separate cells during the Vietnam War, died July 6 at the age of 96.       Trinity test fallout victims in New Mexico finally get compensation after 80 years (Military.com) Congress earlier this month finally got around to making New Mexico fallout victims of the first test of an atomic bomb and the miners who dug up the uranium to fuel the weapon eligible for compensation -- nearly 80 years after the fearsome 22-kiloton blast code-named Trinity sent up a churning mushroom cloud over the desert.   Video     Watch F-15E Strike Eagles whiz by during a practice bombing run (Military Times) Watch F-15E Strike Eagles whiz by during a practice bombing run       Watch Marines storm a beach during an amphibious landing (Military Times) Watch Marines storm a beach during an amphibious landing   Commentary & Analysis     Post success at The Hague summit, the real NATO work remains (Breaking Defense) Even against admittedly low expectations, the NATO summit at The Hague was a success.       To build 'peace through strength,' restore this pillar of US power (Defense One) The Trump administration’s move to cut off research funding to universities—ostensibly, for failing to adequately address antisemitism on campus—has implications far beyond the current political debate. It directly threatens one of the most critical foundations of U.S. national security: the longstanding partnership between the federal government and American research universities. This partnership has been essential to maintaining the U.S. military’s technological edge against adversaries such as Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and now, China.       How Iran overplayed its hand (War On The Rocks) After Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities, there were good reasons to be skeptical about the official justification for launching the operation. After all, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a decades-long history of crying wolf about the “imminent threat” of Iran pursuing nuclear weapons. When Israel recently presented the United States with what was supposed to be new evidence of Iran’s sprint towards the bomb, American officials were less than convinced.