U.S. Military Dominance

There are those who say that perception is reality. Geopolitics teaches the exact opposite: There is a fundamental reality to national power, and the passing passions of the public have only a transitory effect on things. [more]

The U.S. Navy may limit production of its next-generation DDG-1000 Zumwalt guided missile destroyer to two hulls, in effect dumping the program. [more]

The successful demonstration of "damage-tolerance" software using a scale-model F/A-18F Super Hornet in April could have profound implications for the future of both manned and unmanned flight. [more]

On July 16, 1945, at a remote testing range in southern New Mexico, the United States detonated... [more]

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has recommended to President George W. Bush that he nominate a general officer from outside the fighter community to head the U.S. Air Force. [more]

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley was forced out June 5, but deeper underlying issues remain for the Air Force. [more]

A U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program is exploring what could one day become a paradigm shift in space. [more]

Though their initial utility may be tactical in nature, smaller and less-expensive satellites may also have strategic implications. [more]

The U.S. Navy announced April 24 that it had concrete plans to re-establish the long-dormant 4th fleet. [more]

Stratfor's position on the so-called "weaponization" of space is that it is not only inevitable, it is already occurring in very meaningful ways. [more]

A series of critical -- and seemingly unconnected -- developments across the world highlight undeniable U.S. interests irrespective of who will be in the White House in 2009. [more]

The U.S. Air Force's recent award of a contract to build its next aerial refueling tanker will have profound consequences for the U.S. aviation industrial base. [more]

A Northrop Grumman/EADS team has won a major contract to build at least 179 airborne refueling tankers based on an Airbus airframe. [more]

U.S. intelligence officials have recognized cyber threats publicly as major issue for the first time in the 2008 Annual Threat Assessment. [more]

Even though the task for which they developed disappeared with the Soviet Union, the nuclear-powered attack submarine remains a versatile peacetime vessel -- and an essential vessel in times of war. [more]

The U.S. downing of a wayward satellite, and the confidence demonstrated beforehand, is evidence of a mature weapon system. [more]

The United States destroyed an unresponsive satellite using an interceptor designed and built for ballistic missile defense -- which clearly can be used in anti-satellite operations as well. [more]

The U.S. Navy succeeded in its first attempt to shoot down a falling spy satellite, using an SM-3 missile. The test overtly reveals an offensive use for part of the United States’ ballistic missile defense inventory - and China was quick to take notice. [more]

The United States will attempt to shoot down a dead satellite as it falls back to Earth on Feb. 21. The action sends an overt message about the United States' predominance in space. [more]

Extending the U.S. Navy's "blue-water" reach to the littorals, strategists are looking for a more mission-focused gun for fire support inland. See also an accompanying visual essay. [more]