Ryan Robertson
More from Ryan Robertson
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Morocco will be first North African nation with HIMARS
Morocco is on track to be the first nation in North Africa with HIMARS. The deal was approved last year by the U.S. government. The Pentagon awarded the contract to Lockheed Martin in July for the munitions to go in the launchers. Morocco is buying 18 M142 HIMARS launchers, along with 9 Humvees and other… -
US deploys Reaper drones to Okinawa to boost Pacific surveillance
The U.S. military deployed a fleet of MQ-9A Reaper drones to the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, as part of a broader effort to enhance its surveillance capabilities in the Pacific. This deployment intends to improve the U.S.’ ability to monitor critical areas near Japan and China. The drones, designed for long-range surveillance and… -
Taking additive manufacturing to the fight: Weapons and Warfare
This week on Weapons and Warfare, the team explores a solution to the military’s billion-dollar parts problem. Host Ryan Robertson looks at additive manufacturing and how military leadership sees it as a solution to boats that need repairing and planes that need maintenance by shortening the supply chain. Also featured in this episode: You can… -
Military embraces additive manufacturing to maintain aging equipment
Despite the modern advancements in America’s national defense, the military still relies heavily on decades-old equipment. The B-52 Stratofortress, the CH-47 Chinook and the M-61 Vulcan are all still in service because they remain effective. However, maintaining such old equipment presents challenges, as parts that were once easy to obtain are now scarce or no… -
The M1A2 Abrams Tank is still a formidable force: Weapon of the week
The M1A2 Abrams has been America’s main battle tank for a number of years and through a number of upgrades. The third-generation main battle tank has been in service in multiple variants since 1980 and remains at the tip of the spear for the American soldier. The tank was originally built by Chrysler Defense, and… -
Zelenskyy says Kursk incursion part of plan to end war with Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday, Aug. 27, he has a plan to end his country’s war with Russia and the recent incursion into Russian territory is part of that plan. During a forum, Zelenskyy said the “main point of” the infiltration into Kursk was to force Russia’s hand to end the war in… -
Russia spent $1.3 billion on Monday’s strike against Ukraine: Report
Russia’s missile and drone barrage on Ukraine on Monday, Aug. 26, wasn’t just one of the largest since the war began — it came with a hefty price tag. Ukrainian estimates put the cost of the attack at around $1.3 billion, highlighting the enormous financial toll of Russia’s ongoing military campaign. The assault, which targeted… -
Arab world ‘mocking’ Hezbollah after Israel strikes
The Israel Defense Force delivered its most significant strike against Hezbollah since Oct. 8, when the Iranian-backed group began attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas. On Sunday, Aug. 25, the Israeli Air Force used 100 fighter jets to strike rocket and missile launchers at dozens of locations in southern Lebanon. The strikes killed three Hezbollah… -
Ukraine incursion into Kursk proves Russian red lines ‘pointless’
Ukraine caught much of the world by surprise when it invaded Russia on Aug. 6. Ukrainian Armed Forces now control around 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory, or roughly 500 square miles. The advance is accomplishing one of the primary goals of the campaign: Create a buffer zone around Sumy Oblast in northern Ukraine. “As… -
Russian soldier plants explosives at military base, defects to Ukraine
A Russian soldier, known by the call sign “Silver,” defected to Ukraine in a dramatic escape after planting explosives at his military base. The ensuing explosion injured his commander and several officers. Silver, a 24-year-old drone operator from Siberia, had become disillusioned with the Russian military, citing war crimes, corruption, and extrajudicial killings within his… -
US updates nuclear strategy to include China, North Korea
The United States is undergoing a significant update to its nuclear defense strategy. According to reports from The New York Times, President Biden approved changes to the country’s highly classified Nuclear Employment Guidance. These updates come as global dynamics shift, driven by increasing nuclear threats from Russia, China and North Korea. “This is about preparing… -
How a Chechen warlord could have gotten his hands on a Tesla Cybertruck
A Chechen warlord and Putin-ally Ramzan Kadyrov claimed that Tesla owner Elon Musk gave him a Cybertruck, and showed a picture of himself on the back of the vehicle with a machine gun mounted on it in a Telegram channel Saturday, Aug. 17. Kadyrov wrote that he plans to use it in Russia’s war against… -
US service members win big at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Weapon of the week
This week’s episode of Weapons and Warfare is dedicated to recognizing a few members of the U.S. military that recently represented the stars and stripes in a different way. Several U.S. military soldiers competed as Olympians in Paris for the 2024 Games. The U.S. Army sent the largest contingent of athletes to the Games, with…
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