Top 5     Navy announces 2026 chief petty officer selections (Military Times) The Navy released its list of personnel who were selected to advance to chief petty officer in fiscal year 2026, according to the MyNavyHR website.       US Air Force to deny retirement pay to trans troops being separated (The Associated Press) The U.S. Air Force said Thursday it would deny all transgender service members who have served between 15 and 18 years the option to retire early and would instead separate them without retirement benefits. One Air Force sergeant said he was “betrayed and devastated” by the move.       Fort Bliss soldier charged with espionage for attempted secrets leak (Military Times) A 22-year-old soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, was arrested Wednesday on espionage charges.       Six soldiers honored for subduing Fort Stewart shooter, aiding wounded (Military Times) Six soldiers received the Meritorious Service Medal for their actions during an active shooter incident that wounded five service members at Fort Stewart, Georgia, on Wednesday.       DOD considering ‘czar’ roles for key Navy, Air Force programs: Sources (Breaking Defense) The Pentagon is considering the creation of two new “czar” roles to take over major defense acquisition portfolios from the Navy and Air Force, in a move that would have them report directly to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg, multiple sources tell Breaking Defense.   Pentagon     Pentagon officials gearing up for JWCC Next enterprise cloud program solicitation (DefenseScoop ) The Pentagon plans to issue a solicitation for the next iteration of its high-dollar enterprise cloud initiative in the first quarter of calendar year 2026, according to a senior official at the Defense Information Systems Agency.       Spox: Inside the Pentagon, DOGE ‘is not going to stop’ anytime soon (DefenseScoop ) The DOGE team at the Defense Department will continue to move fast and influence major bureaucratic reforms in the months to come, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson.   Congress & Politics     Who’s Who in Defense: Don Bacon, Chairman, House Armed Services Subcommittee (HASC) on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems (Breaking Defense) Established in 2021, the HASC subcommittee oversees an array of new technologies and related strategies that inform modern warfare, including both offensive and defensive cyber-related areas.       White House signals increase in federal law enforcement in DC, after Trump threatens federal takeover (CBS News) The Trump administration plans to increase federal law enforcement in Washington, D.C., as early as Friday morning following the alleged assault of former Department of Government Efficiency staffer Edward Coristine over the weekend; the incident prompted outrage from the president himself.       Trump honors Purple Heart recipients, including 3 who sent him medals after attempt on his life (The Associated Press) President Donald Trump recognized nearly 100 recipients of the Purple Heart at the White House on Thursday, including three service members who gave him their own medals after an attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.   National Security     Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb has implications for Golden Dome (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Ukraine’s “Operation Spiderweb” attack on Russian air bases, which destroyed unprotected bombers at rest on their ramps, is reshaping how U.S. thinkers approach defending military bases and the U.S. homeland.   Your Military     Restoration of torn-down Confederate monument will cost $10M over 2 years, military says (The Associated Press) Restoring a memorial to the Confederacy that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery at the recommendation of Congress will cost roughly $10 million total, a U.S. Army official said Wednesday — the latest development in a Trump administration effort to combat what it calls “erasing American history.”   Army     Army negotiating contract for autonomy software for robotic initiative (Breaking Defense) With the US Army pulling back from its own, internally developed ground autonomy software, it is currently negotiating a deal with a company to integrate commercial solutions into two platoons of ground robots, according to Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch.       Army’s laser weapons ‘pretty mature,’ could ‘contribute’ to next-gen missile defense (Breaking Defense) The US Army has been ramping up work with directed energy weapons in recent years and is eyeing potential applications for a broader missile defense effort, according to a senior service official.   Navy     Adm. Caudle relinquishes command of US Fleet Forces Command (Seapower) Admiral Daryl L. Caudle relinquished command of U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) during a ceremony held aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Aug. 6, 2025.       F/A-XX next generation naval fighter concept art emerges from Northrop Grumman (The War Zone) Northrop Grumman has published a conceptual rendering for its submission for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter. The company tells TWZ that this is the current official artwork associated with its F/A-XX concept.       E-130J popular name announced for TACAMO mission aircraft (Seapower) The U.S. Navy’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Office (PMA-271) and Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) announced the official popular name for the Navy’s new Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft: E-130J Phoenix II.       Navy veteran Butch Wilmore, who spent months stuck in space as a NASA Astronaut, retires (The Orlando Sentinel ) Barry “Butch” Wilmore has flown on the space shuttle, a Russian Soyuz, Boeing’s Starliner and a SpaceX Crew Dragon.       Outdoor ‘fit box’ brings gym-style workouts to Navy in Naples (Stars & Stripes) Sailors at Naval Support Activity Naples looking to keep fit now have a new option to get an outdoor workout, without giving up weights and other typical gym equipment.       Airborne autonomy is the next frontier in naval power (UK Defence Journal) Recently, the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group deployed alongside the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, cutting a commanding silhouette through the Mediterranean.   Marine Corps     Naval research hydrogen tech goes tactical (Seapower) U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has prototyped a Hydrogen Small Unit Power (H-SUP) system to reduce detectability and improve readiness of Marine Corps in expeditionary warfare operations.       Marine Corps seeking lateral career requests to boost retention (USNI News) The Marine Corps is looking for Marines who want to laterally move to other positions and career tracks, according to an early August policy update.       Marine corporal’s death in Cuba under investigation by NCIS (Stars & Stripes) The death of a Marine Corps corporal in Cuba from non-combat injuries is under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, officials said Thursday.   Air Force     For B-21, quantity is its most critical quality top bomber officer says (The War Zone) For all the new capabilities the B-21 Raider will bring as an individual aircraft, the U.S. Air Force’s top bomber officer says he is most excited about the sheer numbers of those aircraft that are set to enter service in the coming years.       Bombers should be ready for continuous ops, 2-star says (Air & Space Forces Magazine) The U.S. can’t assume that exercising long-range airpower will always mean one-off strikes such as the recent Midnight Hammer operation against Iran, the two-star general overseeing the Air Force bomber fleet said Aug. 7, arguing that the military must invest now in options for high-tempo operations many years away.       Air Force recruit disqualified from service over weight-loss surgery sues DOD for discrimination (Stars & Stripes) A 21-year-old New York man who tried to enlist in the Air Force but was rejected because he had undergone weight-loss surgery filed a federal lawsuit claiming employment discrimination by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other defense officials over his medical history.       Democrats press Air Force on Qatar jet funding details (The Hill) A group of six Democratic lawmakers is demanding more details from the Air Force as to how the service is siphoning funding from a nuclear missile modernization program to pay for retrofits for a luxury jet, gifted to the Trump administration by Qatar, to make it usable as Air Force One.   Space Force     Space Force wargame could inform framework for allied info sharing (Defense News) The Space Force is launching its annual, future-facing Schriever Wargames this week, and the service’s chief operations officer said the exercise could help create a framework for better information sharing with allies and partners on sensitive programs and capabilities.       ULA’s heavy-lift rocket prepares to launch first Space Force mission (Defense One) After years of delays, United Launch Alliance is set to launch its first military mission on the new heavy-lift Vulcan rocket next week.   Veterans     Federal watchdog calls out lack of research on burn pits in Vietnam (Task & Purpose) Marsha Four was an Army nurse working in an intensive care unit not far from the front lines of Vietnam.   Education & Transition     DODEA adds minutes to Okinawa school day with new academic year (Stars & Stripes) The school day at Department of Defense Education Activity schools on Okinawa will increase by 20 minutes starting with the upcoming school year, according to DODEA-Pacific.   Cyber, Space & Unmanned     Small defense firms are tempting targets for nation-state hackers: NSA (Defense One) When Bailey Bickley took the stage at Black Hat, she shared a photo that stood in stark contrast to the polished glass-and-steel image of a typical defense contractor: a small, cluttered office with taxidermy on the walls.   Defense Industry     Golden Dome teamup: SNC, AV announce joint agreement (Breaking Defense) Sierra Nevada Corporation and AeroVironment today announced plans to team up on a joint pitch for the Pentagon’s Golden Dome project, aiming at the lower tier of small drones and cruise missiles.   Israel-Gaza-Iran     Inside Israel's June 13 attack on Iran (ProPublica) In the early morning hours of June 13, a commando team led by a young Iranian, S.T., settled into position on the outskirts of Tehran. The target was an anti-aircraft battery, part of the umbrella of radars and missiles set up to protect the capital and its military installations from aerial attack.       US-made bombs used in deadly Israeli strikes on Gaza schools, HRW says (Al Jazeera) Israel has used US-made bombs in “unlawful attacks” on schools sheltering displaced civilians in Gaza, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.       Netanyahu announces plan to take over Gaza City in further escalation (The Guardian) Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take over Gaza City, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said, marking another escalation in the 22-month offensive that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and pushed the territory into famine.   Ukraine     Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,261 (Al Jazeera) Here are the key events on day 1,261 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.       Key Kherson bridge still standing after week of Russian bombardment (The War Zone) Despite a week of Russian attacks, a key bridge linking the city of Kherson to the island of Korabel remains standing. The repeated bombardment sparked concerns that Russia could launch an attack across the Dnipro River.       Ukraine-Russia peace talks under pressure. Who could face sanctions? (Defense News) Donald Trump’s push for a Ukraine-Russia peace deal to be reached by the end of this week is unrealistic, experts say, as substantive progress is improbable without a major shift on the battlefield.       Uncrewed boats launch FPV drone strike on key Russian radars located on Crimea’s southern tip (The War Zone) In a new video, Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones are seen dodging fire and attacking several Russian radar stations in Crimea. A Russian Navy vessel is also seen being attacked off the coast of the occupied peninsula.       Questions loom over potential Trump-Putin summit (The Hill) President Trump is eyeing a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine, a potential meeting that carries huge risks and possible rewards for the White House.       Ukraine’s conscription crisis: Alleged abuse leads to protests, emigration (Al Jazeera) Ukrainian officials tasked with boosting the army are accused of beating, tear-gassing and detaining unwilling men, prompting some to flee.   International     Meloni presses Leonardo, Fincantieri on spending EU defense cash (Defense News) Italian government and industry leaders are rushing this week to figure out how to spend a European Union-backed windfall of billions of euros in defense cash as Italy seeks to reach new NATO spending targets.       Lithuania urges NATO defence after Russian drone incursion (UK Defence Journal) Lithuania has called on NATO to strengthen allied air defences after a Russian military drone violated its airspace for the second time in less than a month.       Japan receives 3 F-35B Lightning II Fighters, 1 faces delays (USNI News) Japan received its first three F-35B Lightning II fighters Thursday, with a fourth being delayed due to maintenance and inspection requirements.       South Korea, US militaries will stage large-scale drills this month to address North Korean threats (The Associated Press) South Korea and the United States will launch their annual large-scale military exercise this month to bolster readiness against North Korean threats, the allies said Thursday, in a move likely to irritate Pyongyang amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.       China drills in South China Sea during Philippine-Indian naval patrols (USNI News) Beijing ramped up Navy and Coast Guard activities in the South China Sea over the last week to counter Manila’s recent joint patrols and military exercises, according to Chinese state media.       Myanmar military junta using European technology for drone attacks, report says (The Guardian) Myanmar’s military is using advanced European technology to protect its drone fleet as it carries out brutal aerial campaigns, research suggests, prompting calls for sanctions against the junta to be tightened.       Operation Hightower – What you need to know (UK Defence Journal) The Royal Air Force has begun long-range operations in the Indo-Pacific under Operation Hightower, deploying F-35B Lightning jets to conduct joint activities with Japanese and South Korean forces.       Africa - US: How Trump’s tariffs have already upended trade flows (The Africa Report) Although the duties introduced by the US president only came into force on Thursday, 7 August, Donald Trump’s bombastic announcement has already had a marked effect on trade balances.       Assault on Sudan’s Zamzam refugee camp may have killed more than 1,500 civilians (The Guardian) More than 1,500 civilians may have been massacred during an attack on Sudan’s largest displacement camp in April, in what would be the second-biggest war crime of the country’s catastrophic conflict.   Overseas Operations     German forces break ground on new camp at US Army-run training site in Bavaria (Stars & Stripes) A vast U.S. Army training ground in rural Bavaria is set to become home to a new camp offering German soldiers better facilities and more billets for rotational units.   Military Culture & History     Isotope test reveals WWII remains found on Okinawa are likely American (Stars & Stripes) Japanese scientists using an improved method of analysis recently identified a third set of remains as likely those of an American service member who fought on Okinawa during World War II.   Video     Could you make this connection? See fighter jets get gassed up mid-air. (Military Times) See fighter jets get gassed up mid-air.       Defense Leaders Series: Elbit America's Erik Fox talks about the need for constant innovation (Military Times) Defense Leaders Series: Elbit America's Erik Fox talks about the need for constant innovation.       Cover your ears and feast your eyes on linear charge detonations with Army engineers (Military Times) Cover your ears and feast your eyes on linear charge detonations with Army engineers.   Commentary & Analysis     The Space Force can’t achieve space superiority on the cheap (Defense News) Each branch of the military needs at least two things to succeed: a clear mission and a sufficient budget. The U.S. Space Force so far has only one of them.       Not the time to transfer wartime control of forces to South Korea (Defense Opinion) South Korea has long viewed the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the U.S. as a marker of its military sovereignty. But in a dual contingency involving simultaneous wars in the Taiwan Strait and on the Korean Peninsula, such a shift might prove less a symbol of independence than a structural vulnerability. Timing, in this case, could outweigh symbolism.       The Polish paradox: Gen. Kazimierz Sosnkowski and the ban on biological warfare (War On The Rocks) It was July 4th, 1944 in London and the end of the war in Europe was finally in sight. The previous month, the Allies had liberated Rome and landed in France. In the east, the Soviet Army was rapidly advancing, crushing the German Army Group Center in Belarus and pushing towards Polish territory. Nazi Germany was far from finished and London was throughout the summer of 1944 being pounded by German V1 flying bombs, but the writing was clearly on the wall.