The United States has expanded its missile defense capabilities with the completion of 20 new interceptor silos at Fort Greely, Alaska. This project, originally conceived in 2022, increased the number of ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system interceptors at the site from 40 to 60, upgrading the nation’s ability to defend against intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) threats. The GMD system also includes interceptors housed at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, forming a key component of U.S. national defense. Ballistic missile flights can be separated into three general phases: boost phase, midcourse phase and terminal phase. The GMD system is designed…
Sentry Staff
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) of the United States Defense Department (DOD) is fielding commercial technology that will incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into the tools military commanders use to make decisions and plan actions in the field. The Thunderforge project is developing tools to accelerate decision-making, allowing military planners to rapidly synthesize vast information, generate multiple courses of action and conduct AI-powered wargaming to anticipate and respond to evolving threats, according to a DIU news release. “Today’s military planning processes rely on decades-old technology and methodologies, creating a fundamental mismatch between the speed of modern warfare and our ability to…
Sweden, NATO’s newest member, is solidifying its role within the Alliance through a critical contribution to air policing operations in Poland. The Swedish Air Force is set to deploy up to eight JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets for a three-month mission from April to June 2025, marking the first time Swedish combat aircraft will operate outside of its national borders. The Alliance views the deployment as a landmark moment for the nation as it more deeply integrates into NATO’s collective defense framework. Sweden’s mission coincides with the one-year anniversary of its NATO membership, which officially commenced in March 2024. The nation’s…
North Korea has announced for the first time that it has a nuclear-powered submarine — designed to carry nuclear weapons — under construction. If the report from state media is accurate, the news is an escalation in the development of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program — one that could pose a threat to the Korean Peninsula and beyond. Photos released in March 2025 by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed a “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” in a report on North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s visits to a military shipyard, according to The Associated Press (AP). The Center for…
The United States Department of Defense (DOD) is exploring the establishment of new overland flight corridors for testing hypersonic weapons — both in the United States and abroad. The DOD has made it a priority to keep pace with competitors China and Russia on hypersonics. The term refers to two types of weapons under U.S. development: hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV), which are launched by rocket before gliding to a target, and hypersonic cruise missiles (HCM), which are powered by high-speed, air-breathing engines, according to a February 2025 report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service. The next-generation weapons “dramatically compress the…
As European nations weigh how best to shoulder more responsibility for their security, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to increase the United Kingdom’s annual defense spending. Starmer plans to boost expenditures to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027 with a goal of 3% by 2035. The increase from the current level of 2.3% is needed, Starmer said, because Europe faces a new era of security challenges, according to a February 2025 news release from the British government. “It is my first duty as prime minister to keep our country safe,” Starmer said. “In an ever more dangerous…
South Korea is working to strengthen its defense posture by using artificial intelligence (AI) as the country takes steps to increase its place in the global AI landscape. The Defense Ministry opened the Defense AI Center in Daejeon, about 160 kilometers south of Seoul, in April 2024. The center brings together experts from the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technologies, universities and the private sector to develop advanced technologies for the military using AI. The center, which will focus on development of manned-unmanned teaming systems, is part of South Korea’s Defense Innovation 4.0 initiative,…
NATO forces recently held the submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Manta, bringing together naval assets and personnel focused on enhancing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities through complex, coordinated operations. Lasting from late February through mid-March 2025, Dynamic Manta operations involved submarines taking turns hunting, being hunted and closely coordinating with air and surface participants. Six submarines from France, Greece, Italy, Türkiye and the United States participated, alongside surface ships. Maritime patrol aircraft from Canada, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the U.S., as well as maritime patrol helicopters from France, Italy and the U.S. took part. Standing NATO Maritime Group…
Doing battle in the Arctic presents challenges to service members and equipment. NATO’s Joint Viking exercise prepares forces for the harsh conditions they encounter while protecting the Alliance’s northern flank. Joint Viking 2025 took place during the first two weeks of March in northern Norway, known for its challenging terrain and frigid temperatures. United States Marines and U.S. Army Soldiers joined counterparts from other countries to participate in exercises aimed at enhancing their ability to fight and win in extreme, cold weather conditions and enhance interoperability among NATO Allies. Joint Viking is the largest military exercise to take place in…
United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) provides the U.S. military the capability to operate globally through aerial refueling. “When you see any of these fighter or bomber strikes across the globe, you can guarantee there’s a tanker involved, and they wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the missions without it,” Colonel Cory Damon, Commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing said during a November 2024 interview with Forbes. The KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-46 Pegasus enable forces to reach these corners by transferring fuel — either through a rigid “flying” boom or flexible drogues — to U.S. warplanes during flight. The…