Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More The U.S. Navy’s Last Line of Defense Is an Autonomous Gun That Thinks for Itself — and the Fleet Nicknamed It ‘R2-D2’ Summary and Key Points: It looks almost comical — a squat white dome sailors nicknamed “R2-D2.” But the Phalanx is one of the deadliest... Steve BalestrieriJune 3, 2026
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More Russia’s Massive Ukraine War Missile Barrage Looked Like a Show of Strength — but Analysts Say It May Be a Sign of Desperation Summary and Key Points: At first glance, it was a display of raw power: in one night, Russia hurled 656 drones and 73 missiles... Jack BuckbyJune 3, 2026
Dollars and Sense China’s Oil Imports Have Collapsed by Half Since the Iran War — and the Reason Prices Haven’t Exploded Is Quietly Alarming China’s crude oil imports have collapsed since the Iran War began, but global oil markets have so far avoided the supply shock many analysts... Jack BuckbyJune 3, 2026
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More There’s One Small Island That Could Break Iran’s Economy — and Some Argue the U.S. Should Seize It Summary and Key Points: There’s a single island in the Persian Gulf through which Iran ships 90 percent of its oil — and planners... Brent M. EastwoodJune 3, 2026
The Treaty The Iran Ceasefire Is Dead — and America Is Quietly Losing the War It Started Summary and Key Points: It was intended as a demonstration of American power. Instead, argues national-security editor Brandon Weichert, it’s becoming a lesson in... Brandon WeichertJune 3, 2026
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More A Shoulder-Fired Missile Broke the Soviet Air Force in Afghanistan — and 40 Years Later It’s Doing the Same to Russia in Ukraine Summary and Key Points: It weighs 35 pounds, a single soldier can fire it, and it has terrorized the Russian air force across two... Steve BalestrieriJune 3, 2026
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More Yes, America Really Built Flying Aircraft Carriers — Giant Airships That Launched and Caught Fighter Planes in Mid-Air Summary and Key Points: It sounds invented, but it actually flew. In the 1930s, the U.S. Navy built two enormous airships — the Akron... Brent M. EastwoodJune 3, 2026
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More It Was Small Enough to Earn the Nickname ‘Tinker Toy’ — Yet the A-4 Skyhawk Set a World Speed Record and Became Vietnam’s Workhorse Summary and Key Points: It was so small they nicknamed it the “Tinker Toy.” But the A-4 Skyhawk (see our original photos below) would... Brent M. EastwoodJune 3, 2026
Dollars and Sense One Scenario Has Oil Hitting $200 a Barrel and the World Tipping Into Recession — and the Strait of Hormuz Is the Trigger Iran has time on its side — and every week the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, the danger to the global economy grows. A... Brent M. EastwoodJune 3, 2026