Rebel Monster: The Ironclad CSS Virginia

Rebuilt from the scuttled hull of the USS Merrimack, the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia steamed into Hampton Roads and changed naval warfare forever. Tom Laemlein details how this armored Civil War ram sank the USS Cumberland, destroyed the USS Congress, and spread panic through Washington D.C...

By Tom Laemlein •

September NICS Numbers Show The Industry Is Still Alive And Well

NICS stands for National Instant Criminal Background Check System, an FBI database that licensed gun dealers must use to determine whether or not a potential purchaser is legally barred from buying a gun. Obviously, if you know how many NICS checks happen in a month, you have a very rough idea ho...

By Zac K •

POTD: GIGN FSP Demonstrates Ukraine-Tested Diplomatic Extraction

The GIGN's Force Sécurité Protection brought Ukraine to Eurosatory 2026, staging a scenario rooted in hard operational reality. Since February 2022, the FSP has deployed repeatedly into contested territory, evacuating diplomats threatened by active fighting across front lines a...

By Eric B •

Front Line Friday #36: Budget Cycles and Procurement Realities

Welcome back to Front Line Friday. This week is an editorial, and the topic is how agency procurement cycles produce gear that is already behind the curve by the time it hits the field, and why the officers holding that gear are right to be frustrated. Front Line Friday is brought to you by Dead ...

By Tom R •
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