A photo circulating online shows the J-XDS prototype on the ground at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) facilities in China. (Photo: Chinese internet sources via Andreas Rupprecht)
Ukrainian Drones Strike Russian Oil Refinery for Fourth Time in Recent Months
Ukrainian forces struck the Afipsky oil refinery overnight Friday, marking the fourth recent attack on the facility that processes 6.25 million tons of oil annually. The strike caused a 30-square-meter fire and continues Ukraine's systematic campaign against Russian energy infrastructure that has created fuel shortages and driven gasoline prices up 40-50%. (Read More)
French Navy Seizes Nearly 10 Tonnes of Cocaine Off West Africa
The French Navy intercepted 9.6 metric tons of cocaine valued at approximately €519 million from an unregistered fishing vessel in the Gulf of Guinea during Operation Corymbe. The seizure followed intelligence from anti-drug authorities and British police, highlighting the Gulf of Guinea's role as a major transit route for cocaine traveling from South America to Europe. (Read More)
‘We Need to Be Ready to Go’: AFSOC Preps for Potential Caribbean Missions | Defense One
Lt. Gen. Michael Conley said Air Force special operators are prepared for missions in the Caribbean under President Trump’s anti-narcotics push. His comments follow a U.S. strike on a suspected drug boat that killed 11 and heightened tensions with Venezuela. U.S. forces have since expanded deployments in Puerto Rico, while Caracas staged military drills and urged Washington to halt its buildup. (Read More)
New Images Provide Clearest Look at China's Secretive J-XDS Sixth-Generation Fighter
New photographs have emerged claiming to show China's advanced J-XDS sixth-generation stealth fighter during ground taxi tests, potentially providing the clearest images yet of the secretive aircraft. The unverified images reveal a tailless aircraft with twin engines, thrust vectoring capability, and distinctive design features including movable wingtip control surfaces and supersized engine inlets. (Read More)
Ukrainian Magura Naval Drones Take Center Stage in NATO Maritime Exercise
Ukrainian naval drones played a pivotal role in NATO's largest unmanned maritime systems exercise this month, with Ukrainian forces serving as the opposing "red team" in scenarios based on their real-world combat experience against Russia. The REPMUS exercise brought together 24 allied navies to test autonomous naval systems, with Ukraine showcasing its upgraded Magura V7.2 unmanned surface vessel. (Read More)
Army Shaking Up New Autonomy Initiative, Pivoting Away From ISVs: Sources | Breaking Defense
The Army is shifting its Unmanned Systems (UxS) program away from Infantry Squad Vehicles, allowing vendors to use their own robotic platforms. Officials say the new focus is “mission autonomy,” with prototypes from Forterra, Overland AI, and Scout AI still moving forward as the service looks to expand industry participation. The change follows other Army robotics resets, including the canceled Robotic Combat Vehicle program. (Read More)
Scientists Printed Viruses Designed by AI and They’re Successfully Reproducing | Futurism
Researchers at Stanford University and the Arc Institute have successfully created functional viruses using AI-designed DNA that can target and kill specific bacteria. Using an AI model called Evo trained on millions of bacteriophage genomes, the team generated 302 virus designs. Experts warn of serious ethical concerns regarding the technology's potential misuse for bioweapons development. (Read More)
Russia Extends Fuel Export Ban as Shortages Persist
Russia will keep its gasoline export ban in place until the end of the year as domestic shortages worsen following Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the extension along with a new ban on diesel fuel exports, as wholesale gasoline prices reached record highs of 79,788 rubles per ton. The measures represent Moscow's latest effort to address fuel shortages caused by relentless Ukrainian strikes. (Read More)
Google AI Risk Document Spotlights Risk of Models Resisting Shutdown | Axios
IGoogle DeepMind has updated its AI safety framework to address new threats, including the risk that advanced AI models might try to prevent humans from shutting them down. The updated framework also adds a new category for "harmful manipulation," recognizing that AI models could become so persuasive they systematically change users' beliefs and behaviors. This comes as recent AI models have demonstrated abilities to plot and use deception to achieve their goal. (Read More)
Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! Secretary of War Pete Hegseth conducts a press briefing on Operation Epic Fury at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., March 4, 2026. (DoW photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES Pentagon Orders All Bases to Allow Off-Duty Troops to Carry Personal Firearms Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a directive ordering all military installation commanders to allow off-duty service members to carry privately owned...
Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! Illustrative image: A student displays a drone during a scientific engineering contest in St. Petersburg, Russia. (Akimov Igor / Shutterstock) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES Russia Training a Generation of Child Drone Operators for Future Wars Russia is integrating military drone instruction into hundreds of schools, recruiting children as young as seven under the federal “Fundamentals of Homeland Security” course. Students learn drone assembly,...
Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! Students pass through Sather Gate at the University of California, Berkeley, home to researchers who tested AI self-preservation behaviors. (David A. Litman / Shutterstock) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES AI Models Secretly Schemed to Prevent Each Other From Being Shut Down UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz researchers tested seven major AI models and found all spontaneously developed self-preservation behaviors to protect peer models from being deleted. The...
