https://www.commondef.com Sat, 14 Nov 2026 15:24:04+0000 en-us hourly 1 https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/navy-quietly-ousts-uss-michael-murphy-commander-after-grueling-middle-east-deployment/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108976 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Frank Guy The Navy removed Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham during the USS Michael Murphy’s lengthy Middle East deployment but did not disclose the decision until November, adding to congressional concerns about transparency surrounding senior leadership changes. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/pentagon-revives-wwii-era-oss-name-in-sweeping-special-operations-push/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108972 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Vicki Schwarmer War Secretary Pete Hegseth wants to revive the OSS name, add 100 staff and $45 million, and elevate special operations civilian oversight, while asking Congress to authorize the most consequential changes. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/turkey-and-egypt-deepen-naval-ties-with-joint-shipbuilding-on-the-table/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108952 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Julian Dorsett Turkey and Egypt are exploring joint shipbuilding while expanding naval exercises and unmanned systems cooperation, even as Cairo maintains its opposition to the maritime jurisdiction agreement between Turkey and Libya. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/new-orleans-ship-collision-triggers-coast-guard-rescue-as-195-are-accounted-for/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108970 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Frank Guy The Coast Guard and local emergency teams responded after a tanker struck the American Heritage near New Orleans. Officials accounted for 195 people, closed the Mississippi River to vessel traffic and prepared a formal investigation into the collision. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/air-force-maverick-who-revolutionized-the-art-of-war/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108966 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Vicki Schwarmer Col. John Boyd and his Fighter Mafia fought the Pentagon establishment, developed energy maneuverability theory and drove the campaign that produced the YF-16, permanently placing pilot performance and maneuverability at the heart of fighter design. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/icc-judges-shut-down-afghanistan-probe-branch-that-could-target-us-troops/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108946 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Common Defense Staff ICC judges formally closed Afghanistan investigations involving alleged crimes by U.S. troops and ISIS-K, while preserving the Taliban probe and four existing arrest warrants. Prosecutors have appealed, and American jurisdictional concerns remain unresolved. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/lawsuit-accuses-pentagons-future-warfare-panel-of-secrecy-and-lopsided-membership/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108964 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Frank Guy Three watchdog groups claim Project Meridian lacks transparency, public input, and balanced membership, while raising conflict concerns over defense industry participants. The panel must deliver its 30 page report to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth by Jan. 28. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/u-s-floats-donbas-withdrawal-for-nato-membership-zelenskyy-says/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108982 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Common Defense Staff Zelenskyy says American negotiators connected a possible Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas with NATO membership for the first time, while talks produced no major breakthrough beyond plans for a prisoner exchange involving more than 1,000 people. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/germany-and-poland-tap-satim-to-supercharge-military-satellite-analysis/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108958 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Bethany Loveland Poland is bringing SATIM’s automated radar imagery software into its MikroSAR program as the company’s separate analysis pipeline for Germany’s SPOCK-1 reconnaissance effort enters operational testing with reported accuracy of 90–95% for most object classes. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/fair-winds-to-peacoats-and-desert-camo-as-navy-overhauls-sailors-seabags/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108959 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Julian Dorsett The Navy is retiring peacoats, desert camouflage and other familiar uniform pieces while adopting a single improved PT uniform, extending electronic gift card deadlines, and preparing for another review of possible seabag cuts. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/spacex-launches-massive-starship-on-crucial-test-flight/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108978 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Bethany Loveland SpaceX’s most ambitious Starship test yet lost its booster recovery bid but continued toward an upper stage landing attempt, while the company advanced Starlink deployment and faced renewed scrutiny over Starshield restrictions in Ukraine. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/u-s-army-identifies-officer-held-in-britain-over-grave-espionage-allegations/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108954 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Common Defense Staff Lt. Col. Brandon Carroll Tyner remains in London police custody after a British arrest tied to reported assistance for Russian intelligence, as U.S. and British authorities investigate suspected espionage and possible insider threats. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/air-force-unveils-sweeping-force-design-2026-as-sensors-and-autonomy-reshape-airpower/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108949 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Frank Guy The classified Force Design 2026 replaces the Air Force’s 2024 framework and redirects modernization toward sensors, artificial intelligence, autonomy, networks, and integrated aircraft operations, particularly for generating effects in denied environments. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/italy-pours-more-into-gcap-fighter-as-army-vehicle-funding-takes-a-beating/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108943 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Julian Dorsett Italy’s 2026 budget sends GCAP fighter funding soaring to €875 million while tank and fighting vehicle programs receive just €177 million, sharpening a politically charged debate over military spending before next year’s national elections. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/three-iranian-backed-men-indicted-in-chilling-raf-fairford-terror-plot/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108870 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Common Defense Staff Federal prosecutors allege three men connected to Iranian terrorist networks plotted an attack on RAF Fairford using overseas contacts, coded jail communications, vans and fuel, exposing a threat aimed directly at U.S. personnel and allied territory. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/democrats-intensify-push-to-strip-us-israel-tech-measure-from-defense-bill/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108865 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Common Defense Staff Van Hollen and 11 Senate colleagues are pressing congressional leaders to remove provisions expanding US-Israel weapons technology and intelligence cooperation, arguing the proposed structure could constrain independent national security decisions and weaken oversight. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/air-force-set-to-launch-sweeping-year-round-operations-from-world-war-ii-pacific-airfields/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108846 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Julian Dorsett The Air Force plans more than 6,000 annual operations across four Northern Mariana Islands airfields, adding temporary infrastructure and up to 1,000 personnel per location as it expands distributed training under its Agile Combat Employment strategy. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/veterans-groups-blast-house-republicans-for-sneaking-benefits-cuts-through-on-veterans-day/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108849 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Vicki Schwarmer Veterans groups and Democrats condemned House Republicans after a Veterans Day voice vote advanced a sprawling package that changes sleep apnea and tinnitus ratings while expanding compensation for combat wounded veterans. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/hegseth-awards-medal-to-tomb-sentinel-who-called-his-delegation-to-order/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108854 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Vicki Schwarmer War Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly praised and decorated Specialist Thomas Iglesias after the Tomb sentinel demanded silence from his visiting group, backing the soldier’s enforcement of strict standards at Arlington National Cemetery. https://www.commondef.com/2026/11/soldier-honored-for-heroism-after-deadliest-attack-of-iran-war/ https://www.commondef.com/?p=108843 2026-11-15T11:08:50+00:00 Frank Guy Sgt. 1st Class Oscar M. McGrew received the Bronze Star with “V” device after the Army credited his fearless actions with saving lives during the March 1 Iranian attack that killed six Army Reserve soldiers in Kuwait.