Latest Military and defense News

Putin orders former Wagner commander to take charge of 'volunteer units' in Ukraine

Sep. 29, 2023 08:51 AM EDT

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered one of the top commanders of the Wagner military contractor to take charge of “volunteer units” fighting in Ukraine, signaling the Kremlin’s effort to keep using the mercenaries after the death of their chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin. In...

US quietly acknowledges Iran satellite successfully reached orbit as tensions remain high

Sep. 29, 2023 07:58 AM EDT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States has quietly acknowledged that Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard successfully put an imaging satellite into orbit this week in a launch that resembled others previously criticized by Washington as helping Tehran's ballistic missile...

What to know and what's next for Travis King, the American soldier who ran into North Korea

Sep. 28, 2023 19:58 PM EDT

DALLAS (AP) — An American soldier who sprinted into North Korea and was held there for two months before being returned to the U.S. is set to undergo medical testing and extensive questioning about his time in the isolated country before potentially facing charges under the military justice...

National Security Agency is starting an artificial intelligence security center

Sep. 28, 2023 17:42 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Security Agency is starting an artificial intelligence security center — a crucial mission as AI capabilities are increasingly acquired, developed and integrated into U.S. defense and intelligence systems, the agency's outgoing director announced Thursday. ...

New Greek opposition leader says he will take a break from politics to do his military service

Sep. 28, 2023 17:24 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Just a few days after being elected the new leader of Greece's left-wing main opposition party, Stefanos Kasselakis said Thursday that he will be taking a brief break from politics — to join the military. Kasselakis, 35, said he plans to present himself...

The American soldier who bolted into North Korea 2 months ago has returned to the US

Sep. 28, 2023 17:07 PM EDT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The American soldier who sprinted into North Korea across the heavily fortified border between the Koreas more than two months ago was whisked to a Texas Army base Thursday for medical checks and interviews after his return to the U.S., according to the Pentagon. ...

GOP senators sharply question Pentagon nominee about Biden administration's foreign policies

Sep. 28, 2023 15:49 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate hearing Thursday on the nomination of the official to be the Pentagon's top policy adviser was dominated by Republicans expressing their frustrations with the Biden administration's foreign policies, from the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan to Ukraine funding and...

Sweden's leader turns to the military for help as gang violence escalates

Sep. 28, 2023 14:55 PM EDT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden’s prime minister on Thursday said that he’s summoned the head of the military to discuss how the armed forces can help police deal with an unprecedented crime wave that has shocked the country with almost daily shootings and bombings. Getting the...

China's defense minister has been MIA for a month. His ministry isn't making any comment

Sep. 28, 2023 12:01 PM EDT

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson said Thursday that he was “not aware of the situation” in the ministry's first public comments on the disappearance of the defense minister from public view about one month ago. Senior Col. Wu Qian, the director of the...

Germany and Israel sign an agreement for Berlin to buy a US-Israeli missile defense system

Sep. 28, 2023 09:44 AM EDT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany and Israel on Thursday signed an agreement for Berlin to buy the sophisticated Arrow 3 missile defense system, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles. The development is the latest step in Berlin's bid to strengthen its air defenses following Russia's invasion...