Unconfirmed Stories Trending Across Non-Traditional Channels
North Korea's ‘Unusual’ Type 73 Machine Gun In the Hands of Russian Soldiers
Recent photographs and reports suggest that Russian forces have begun deploying North Korean Type 73 machine guns, a Cold War-era weapon, as part of their ongoing war efforts in Ukraine. The Type 73 machine gun, first adopted by North Korea in 1973, combines design features from Soviet and Czech firearms. (Read More)
Ukrainian Special Forces Discover Notebook Detailing North Korean Drone Countermeasures
The Ukrainian military has revealed a handwritten notebook allegedly recovered from the body of a North Korean soldier, offering insights into tactics used by North Korean troops to counter Ukrainian drones. The note, detailed in a Telegram post by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, describes a three-person strategy involving “human bait” to lure drones into a vulnerable position for destruction. (Read More)
China Unveils Potential Sixth-Generation Fighter Aircraft in Test Flights
China appears to have test-flown a sixth-generation crewed combat aircraft. The aircraft, described as a triangular, tailless design, was reportedly sighted over Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Footage of the aircraft in flight emerged on Chinese social media, showing it being escorted by a fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 fighter jet, used as a chase plane. (Read More)
Ukraine Conducts First Ground Attack Using Only Robots and Drones
Ukrainian forces have successfully carried out their first ground assault using only robotic systems and drones, according to a statement by Sergeant Volodymyr Dehtiarov of the Khartiia Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard. Dehtiarov said the operation took place near the village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region and involved a coordinated use of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and first-person view (FPV) drones. (Read More)
US Navy Cruiser Accidentally Shoots Down F/A-18 Fighter Jet Over Red Sea
A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet was accidentally shot down by the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg early Sunday morning over the Red Sea. The jet, assigned to the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, was struck in what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed as a friendly fire incident. Both pilots safely ejected from the aircraft and were recovered, though one sustained minor injuries. (Read More)
China Launches New Type 076Amphibious Assault Ship
China launched its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan, on December 27 at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai. The Sichuan has a full-load displacement of over 40,000 tons, making it one of the largest amphibious assault ships in the world. It measures approximately 260 meters long with a 50-meter-wide flight deck. (Read More)
Civilian Plane Crash in Kazakhstan Kills 38 of 67, Investigations Underway
An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger jet, Flight J2-8243, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard. The aircraft, traveling from Baku to Grozny, Russia, made an emergency landing about 3 kilometers from Aktau airport. (Read More)
Second US Navy Fighter Jet Narrowly Avoided Being Shot Down In 'Friendly Fire' Incident | Fox News
The U.S. Navy is investigating a "friendly fire" incident in the Red Sea on December 21, when the USS Gettysburg mistakenly shot down an F/A-18 Super Hornet and narrowly missed a second jet returning to the USS Harry S. Truman after airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. The first missile forced the jet’s crew to eject, while the second came within 100 feet of another aircraft. (Read More)
Australia Approves Extradition Of Ex-US Marine For Allegedly Training Chinese Pilots | ABC News
Former U.S. Marine Daniel Duggan will be extradited from Australia to the U.S. on charges of illegally training Chinese military pilots in 2010 and 2012. Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfus approved the move after Duggan’s failed legal appeals. Duggan, who denies the charges, has been in detention since 2022 and faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. His wife criticized the decision, accusing the government of abandoning their family. (Read More)
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Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. Ukrainian Special forces head toward the Tendrivska split during a nighttime raid (Source: HUR via Telegram) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Ukrainian Special Forces Raid Russian-Occupied Island in the Black Sea Ukrainian special forces from the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) carried out a raid on a Russian military position on an island in the northern Black Sea on Monday night....
Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. A train with Russian T-72B3M tanks in Sertlovo, Russia (Karasev Viktor / Shutterstock.com) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Railway Station in Russia A Ukrainian drone strike hit a railway station in the southern Russian town of Salsk in Rostov Oblast early Tuesday, according to Russian officials. The strike marked the fourth attack on rail infrastructure in the...