For Western forces in the Arctic, the cold itself is one of their toughest enemies
4 min read
View From Above
Chinese fishing boats have been making some unusual moves lately in the East China Sea, satellite images and shipping data show
Shipping data showed the vessels gathering in distinct, coordinated lines in the East China Sea twice in recent weeks.
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NATO is readying soldiers for a frozen Arctic war. It means learning to fight on skis and snowmobiles.
Business Insider traveled north of the Arctic Circle to watch Finland's Jaeger Brigade train NATO forces on winter warfare and cold-weather survival.
6 min read
Ukrainian troops were 'stunned' to learn their British trainers weren't using anti-drone nets, UK officer says
Ukrainian soldiers getting combat training from the UK are feeding back key modern warfare lessons that the British Army is adopting.
5 min read
Inside a Ukrainian drone operator's battle kit, from anti-drone net guns to 'tactical Crocs'
A Ukrainian soldier, until recently a drone operator, broke down what he carried in battle to stay alive, stay comfortable, and fight Russia.
7 min read
Shipbuilders put 3D printed parts on a US aircraft carrier and submarine. The Navy liked the results.
Wins on 3D printing components has the service anticipating that additive manufacturing will continue to reshape how it builds and repairs ships.
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Russia's fiercest offensive last year still moved more slowly than WWI's Battle of the Somme, analysts say
Moscow says it's been gaining momentum in Ukraine, but the researchers found that even its Pokrovsk push was one of the slowest in the last 100 years.
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The US Navy's next Ford-class supercarrier is setting sail for a new test at sea
The USS John F. Kennedy set sail for its shipbuilder sea trials Wednesday, allowing HII to test the vessel out at sea for the first time.
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Ukrainian drone schools say there's little the West can teach them about fighting a drone war
Ukraine's drone schools are closely following the fast-developing drone battle and say their expertise only comes from Ukrainians, not Western allies.
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The US is facing a wrongful-death lawsuit after a lethal strike on a boat it says was smuggling drugs
Two Trinidadian nationals were said to be among six people killed by a US strike. The lawsuit characterized the strike as 'unlawful.'
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Taiwan is reworking its ground forces. It could unlock new ways of fighting with new tech.
The shift could set troops up to better mix in new weapons like specialized Abrams tanks, drones, and artificial intelligence in command and control.
4 min read
Over 80% of every battlefield hit against Russia is now being carried out by a drone, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy's office said that in 2025 alone, Ukrainian troops had struck 820,000 Russian targets with drones.
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Ukraine's new 35-year-old defense minister made 2 influential Telegram bloggers his advisors for drone warfare
In a major shift for Ukraine's military, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov and Serhii Sternenko are now officially advising Kyiv on defense tech and drones.
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Ukraine's drone forces commander says his pilots are hitting Russians at such close range that they're 'under our feet'
The Unmanned Systems Forces' commander said his units' average engagement distance against Russian soldiers is less than 1 mile from the contact line.
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Lawmakers say veterans are paying the price after Department of Veterans Affairs workforce cuts. The VA is pushing back.
After the Department of Veterans Affairs reduced its workforce, lawmakers are now raising concerns about care. The VA argues it's still delivering.
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The US military's drone-defense confusion is leaving its bases vulnerable, Pentagon watchdog finds
A Pentagon watchdog found confusing counter-drone policies are leaving some US military bases vulnerable to drone incursions.
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US wins against Russian and Chinese air defenses in other countries may risk teaching the wrong lessons
These systems could still be effective in the right hands or situation. At the same time, the US and allies have a history of success against them.
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A NATO fighter wing showed up for front-line air patrols with drone defenses for the first time
A Spanish fighter wing that deployed to Lithuania for NATO air policing operations arrived on base with a counter-drone system.
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Many future military officers come from Scouting. A Pentagon split could put those ties at risk.
DoD is reportedly considering cutting ties with the Boy Scouts, even as data from military schools shows Scouting is common among future officers.
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The 25 largest militaries in the world, ranked by the number of active troops
From China and the US to India and Russia, here are the 25 largest militaries in the world, ranked by the number of active-duty armed forces.
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The US has an Arctic warfare problem: not enough of the right kinds of weapons and tools
Military competition between the US and rivals Russia and China in the Arctic is exposing weaknesses in the US arsenal.
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Why this NATO fighter wing says its American-made Hornets work well for front-line air patrols
Business Insider spoke with Spanish pilots who are deployed to Lithuania to contribute to NATO air policing missions.
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Russia can build 500 Iranian-designed Shahed drones in a single day, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy said his country's 1,000 daily interceptor drones are "still not enough," even at a 2:1 manufacturing ratio against Russia's Shaheds.
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Inside the restoration hangar where the National Air and Space Museum repairs and preserves historic aircraft for display
The National Air and Space Museum's second location in Virginia features a restoration hangar where workers repair and preserve historic aircraft.
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Inside a NATO air base on Russia's doorstep, where fighter pilots on scramble alert have just 15 minutes to launch
Here's what it's like on an air base in Lithuania, on Russia's doorstep, where Spanish jets are deployed to support NATO air policing operations.
6 min read
Davos 2026
Trump called Greenland a 'piece of ice.' To Greenlanders, it's so much more.
President Donald Trump repeatedly called Greenland a "piece of ice" while speaking at Davos. Three Greenlanders gave Business Insider their responses.
4 min read
Ukraine is trying to find Russia's tipping point with a steep new goal for battlefield kills
Mykhailo Fedorov, the country's new defense minister, said his troops are already inflicting 35,000 battlefield kills a month. He wants more.
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A new Guinness World Record shows how Ukraine's anti-Shahed interceptor drones have room to fly even faster
Ukrainian interceptors on the market can typically fly at speeds of up to 200 mph, but they'll need to be faster to catch Russia's newer Gerans.
3 min read
Davos 2026
Front-line NATO ally Finland says it's ready for a Russian attack. Here are the capabilities giving it confidence.
Finland's president pointed to his country's air power, conscription, artillery, and civilian preparedness steps like bunkers.
3 min read
View From Above
Satellite images of the secretive US military base at the center of a new Trump controversy
President Trump called the UK's decision to give away the Chagos Islands "an act of great stupidity" and a reason for the US to acquire Greenland.
4 min read
Ukraine's pay-per-kill system against Russian Shaheds helped it get 40,000 interceptor drones in a month, official says
Fedorov said that Ukrainian forces are expecting to field 40,000 interceptor drones in January alone, a significant boost to its arsenal.
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Ukraine burned nearly $100 million worth of missiles in a single night battling a Russian barrage, Zelenskyy says
The figure offers insight into the war's growing financial toll as Kyiv pushes for more tools to defend against Russia.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says defense giants are 'failing the American people' by falling behind on orders
Scott Bessent said US defense contractors are facing new restrictions because they "need to build more factories and buy back less stock."
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Russia's new Geran-5 turbojet drone looks like Iran's Karrar UAV and is souped up with American parts, Ukraine says
The Geran-5 features US parts such as digital signal processors and clock generators, along with a Chinese jet engine and $8,100 modem, GUR said.
3 min read
Ukrainian soldiers surprised a robot maker by using a drone to drop one of its bots into battle
Ukraine is using ground robots and flying drones to take on Russia. One robot maker was surprised when soldiers combined them to be more effective.
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Ukraine's elite Alpha unit dealt a $4 billion blow to Russian air defenses last year, security forces say
The Security Service of Ukraine said its "Alpha" special forces hit Russian air defense and radar systems with long-range strikes.
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Russia is pushing to build 1,000 of its localized Iranian Shahed drones every day, Ukraine's military chief says
Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Russia is currently producing 404 Shaheds "of various types" per day.
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I'm a US Marine vet who trained with Ukrainians 20 years ago. Here's the secret to their combat success.
Troy Smothers was a USMC sergeant when he deployed to Ukraine in 2005. He now travels to Ukraine to help build unjammable, fiber-optic drones.
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Stars and Stripes staff fear the Pentagon is coming for the newspaper — and their jobs
Stars and Stripes journalists worry the Pentagon's anti-"woke" overhaul will shatter their ability to provide the timely information troops need.
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After the reveal of Sikorsky's pilotless Black Hawk, European rival Leonardo just flew its new uncrewed helicopter design
The British Royal Navy on Friday said "the UK's first truly autonomous full-size helicopter," Leonardo's Proteus, completed its maiden flight.
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Inside the failed 2020 coup in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of ex-US Special Forces
The recent capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro recalls a botched 2020 coup attempt that resulted in the imprisonment of two former US Army Green Berets.
When I left the Marines, I struggled to adjust to civilian life. Finding work in the real world was the most challenging.
I left the Marines to become an entrepreneur. While the skills I learned in the military helped my transition, I struggled with civilian work life.
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Macron says Ukraine now relies on France, instead of the US, for intelligence
Macron said that Ukraine was previously "overwhelmingly dependent" on US intelligence, but that France is now providing "two-thirds" of that service.
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US planning for the Maduro raid eyed a time when much of the Venezuelan military was expected to be on holiday, memo reveals
A Justice Department memo offers new details about how the US planned to pull off the daring nighttime mission.
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Arms makers say that the fast-moving war in Ukraine is changing how they design and upgrade weapons
The fight in Ukraine changes so rapidly that weapons makers can't afford to constantly overhaul and redevelop whole systems.
6 min read
Trump wants to control Greenland. See inside its sole US military base.
Greenland's natural resources and proximity to Russia and China have made it a valuable strategic asset to the US military since World War II.
9 min read
The US expected 'significant resistance' from Venezuela's air defenses, Maduro raid planning memo reveals
Venezuela relied on Russian air defense systems and Chinese radars, but its forces did not shoot down any US military aircraft.
4 min read
2 military influencers say they never planned to have an online following, but standard recruiting efforts weren't working
Military influencers, Tyler Butterworth and John Howell, explain how they grew a following and the key change that made their content take off.
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Sen. Mark Kelly is suing the Pentagon. Legal experts say veterans' rights are at stake.
Hegseth's effort to punish a US senator "places other retirees who have spoken up potentially in jeopardy," a military law expert said.
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