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Deck Landing An F/A-18E Super Hornet prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of the USS Abraham L... Photo Details > Step by Step An airman climbs the ladder of a B-1B Lancer in support of Operation Epic Fury in the U.S. Central C... Photo Details > Steel & Smoke The USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury in the ... Photo Details > Filling Up A sailor fuels an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the USS Delbert D. Black in support of Operation... Photo Details > All Photos

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Military Commissions Media Invitation Announced for United States v. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri Trial

View Online IMMEDIATE RELEASE Military Commissions Media Invitation Announced for United States v. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri Trial March 10, 2026 The Department of War invites media to cover the military commission trial of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the defendant charged in the attack on the USS Cole (DDG 67). The trial is scheduled to begin June 1, 2026.  The proceedings will take place at the Expeditionary Legal Complex located on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba, and will be transmitted to closed-circuit television (CCTV) sites at Ft. Meade, Md. Media may choose to travel to NSGB if agreeable to the coverage windows outlined below and are willing to pay associated flight fees. The hearing coverage windows are determined by the flight schedule, which is Saturday to Saturday. Specific ground rules for coverage at NSGB will follow registration. The primary purpose of this invitation is to cover the military commissions trial. Tours of the detention facilities are not available. Requests for reporting on Guantanamo topics unrelated to the trial must be coordinated in advance through the public affairs officer with authority over those topics. OMC Public Affairs can provide point of contact information as needed.  Due to the expected duration of the trial, proceedings will occur in multiple sessions. Initial coverage windows, including travel: May 30 - June 6 June 6 - 13 June 13 - 20 * Additional coverage windows will be announced as the trial schedule progresses, and dates are subject to change based on trial progression.  ** Media may request to stay for more than one week or any combination of weeks.  Registration: Click here for registration and select the appropriate case and dates as outlined above. Deadline: All requests for the initial trial sessions must be received no later than noon, Friday, March 20. Additional details of travel preparations will be provided separately. By submitting the online request form, interested media will begin the travel process, and the OMC Public Affairs will assist in travel preparations CCTV Site: Media choosing to view the hearing, from the media-designated viewing sites at Fort Meade, Md., or Naval Station Norfolk, Va., must send requests via email to osd.mc-alex.OMC.mbx.omc-pa@mail.mil with e-mail subject line matching the court case and the following information: name, position, news organization and contact information. Contact Mr. Ronald Flesvig, OMC Public Affairs, for additional questions at ronald.flesvig2.civ@mail.mil or (571) 372-3713.  Case information can be viewed at the Office of Military Commissions website: https://www.mc.mil.

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260th Special Purpose Brigade Activated to Strengthen Security in the Nation's Capital

View Online 260th Special Purpose Brigade Activated to Strengthen Security in the Nation's Capital March 10, 2026 |  By Army Capt. Kristy Singletary, Joint Task Force D.C. The District of Columbia National Guard activated the 260th Special Purpose Brigade at the D.C. Armory, March 7. It is the only brigade in the Army specifically designed to coordinate military support to civil authorities and protect critical infrastructure in the nation's capital.   The brigade was created in response to Executive Order 14339 and a subsequent directive from the secretary of war. These called for the immediate establishment, training and equipping of a dedicated National Guard unit. The goal is to support public safety operations and strengthen coordination between military forces and civilian security partners in the district.   Army Brig. Gen. Craig Maceri, land component commander for the D.C. National Guard, presided over the activation ceremony. Soldiers stood in formation as the brigade's colors were uncased — a military tradition that signals a unit's formal activation and readiness for duty.   "The activation of the 260th Special Purpose Brigade represents the deliberate execution of national guidance," Maceri said. "This unit provides the critical command and control structure that enables us to execute a broad spectrum of scalable operations while effectively integrating with our federal and district partners."   The brigade will coordinate military support to civil authorities and enabling National Guard forces to rapidly integrate with federal and local agencies responsible for safeguarding the capital.   Washington presents a unique operational environment, including the constitutional institutions of the federal government, foreign embassies and national monuments, as well as millions of visitors each year. Protecting that environment requires close coordination between military forces and civilian agencies during major national events, security operations and emergencies.   Among the brigade's key partners is the U.S. Marshals Service, which regularly works alongside the D.C. National Guard during security operations in the capital.   "Partnerships like this are essential in Washington," U.S. Marshal Jurgen Soekhoe said. "The 260th Special Purpose Brigade brings a level of coordination and readiness that allows federal law enforcement and the National Guard to operate as a unified team when security demands it."   Army Col. Lawrence Doane, commander of the 260th Special Purpose Brigade, said the brigade structure ensures continuous coordination with partner agencies. It also allows the brigade to expand rapidly when missions require additional forces.   "This brigade gives us an operational foundation for unity of effort," Doane said. "It ensures continuity of planning and coordination so that when the situation changes, we can respond quickly and with clarity."   The brigade also reflects the unique federal role of the D.C. National Guard, which reports directly to the president, not a state or territory governor. This structure places the organization at the center of national-level security planning for the capital.   The unit's new patch connects the brigade's modern mission with its historic lineage. The design features three red stars and two red bars drawn from the District of Columbia flag, itself derived from the coat of arms of George Washington's family.   The brigade carries forward the heritage of the 260th Military Police Command, a D.C. National Guard headquarters brigade that, for decades, coordinated military police operations supporting civil authorities and emergency response across the district, until its inactivation in 2011. Its lineage reflects a long-standing mission of integrating National Guard forces with federal and local partners to protect critical institutions and maintain security in the nation's capital.   At the patch's center is an upright, unsheathed sword representing the brigade's role in providing security for all who live, work and visit the nation's capital.   "This new patch reflects something bigger," Doane said. "It represents our commitment to protecting every person who sets foot in the nation's capital."   With the uncasing of its colors, the 260th Special Purpose Brigade begins its mission as a dedicated force. It will support public safety, infrastructure protection and coordination between civilian and military agencies in Washington.

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Army Tests APEX Counter-UAS Round in Arizona

View Online Army Tests APEX Counter-UAS Round in Arizona March 10, 2026 |  By Ana Henderson, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground The Yuma Test Center at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, recently tested a new 30 mm Aviation Proximity Explosive round, primarily developed for firing from the AH-64 Apache helicopter. The APEX closely resembles the fielded M788 training round and M789 high explosive dual-purpose round.  Walter McCormick, a test officer at the proving ground, explained that the APEX is designed to integrate with the existing M230 gun already mounted on the Apache.  "The APEX round was developed to be a [fragmented] round that would [explode] in front of the [unmanned aerial system] and make a [small] pattern that would take out a UAS," McCormick said, adding that the need for counter-UAS solutions is urgent.  In recent years, the UAS has become the weapon of choice on the battlefield, as seen in Ukraine and Russia. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll is pushing for the Army to focus its efforts on UAS and counter-UAS technology. In fact, the Yuma Test Center has been designated as the primary, dedicated interagency counter-small UAS test and training range. During testing, the center performed two subtests: the first to assess and compare it with the legacy M789 rounds, and the second test was to engage a UAS. Crews fired approximately 1,200 rounds across the two variants at both short and long ranges. "We engaged a couple [of] different UASs and a few different ground targets," McCormick said. Yuma Proving Ground has nearly 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace and year-round sunshine, which makes it ideal for aerial testing. "They have done ground testing at other ranges. The problem is they don't have the land or airspace to do aerial firing from a helicopter. So, that's a big benefit. Plus, all the unique instrumentation YPG offers," McCormick said. During the APEX test, the proving ground used its full arsenal of support capabilities to collect data, including air-to-ground assets such as chase pilots from UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters flying overhead for scoring, tracking mounts, telemetry, high-speed video, still photographers and data collectors. These assets are readily available to industry partners testing at the proving ground. "The Black Hawk was used primarily for overhead [scoring], so we can assess where rounds are impacting based on [the] firing point of the aircraft. The other benefit of surrounding ground camera angles was having a 360-[degree] view of the situation," McCormick said. The next step for the APEX is to undergo airworthiness release based on the current test results. This will provide a safety release for the APEX to be fired from Apaches by soldiers when rounds are available. The airworthiness release is a milestone on the road toward materiel release and fielding.

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Hegseth Says U.S. Attacks Intensify Under Epic Fury, While Iranian Responses Slow

View Online Hegseth Says U.S. Attacks Intensify Under Epic Fury, While Iranian Responses Slow March 10, 2026 |  By C. Todd Lopez The U.S. launched strikes on Iran last week to stop the terrorist-run state from its continued and ill-advised pursuit of nuclear weapons it hopes to use to threaten the American homeland. Nearly 11 days into Operation Epic Fury, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says the U.S attacks continue to be strong while Iranian responses wane. "Today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran," Hegseth said during a press briefing today at the Pentagon. "The most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes; intelligence more refined and better than ever. So, that's on one hand. On the other hand, the last 24 hours have seen Iran fire the lowest number of missiles they've been capable of firing yet." The secretary told journalists that much of what the Iranians are doing is lobbing missiles at their neighbors in the Middle East, making enemies of what may have once been bystanders, and launching those missiles from near their own schools and hospitals, putting innocent civilians at risk from retaliatory strikes. "The [Iranians] are desperate and scrambling. Like the terrorist cowards they are, they fire missiles from schools and hospitals ... deliberately targeting innocents ... because they know their military is being systematically degraded and annihilated," Hegseth said. "Iran's neighbors and in some cases former allies in the [Persian] Gulf — they've abandoned them." Iranian proxy groups like Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas are also broken, ineffective, or on the sidelines now, Hegseth said. "Iran stands alone, and they are badly losing," the secretary said. "On day 10 of Operation Epic Fury, we are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives." The secretary said that, surprisingly, Iran's response after the initial U.S. assault was to attack its neighbors. The result of that, he said, has not been good for Iran. "The big mistake by the Iranian regime was to start targeting its neighbors," Hegseth said. "I think it was a demonstration of the desperation of that regime ... that they still think their pathway out is to try to alienate their Arab partners even more." Those neighbors, Hegseth said, have decided instead to side with the U.S. "[They have] instead decided to come to us and have been willing to go on the offense, have been giving us access, basing and overflight in a new partnership that will continue to remake the region," Hegseth said. The U.S. has short-term, clearly defined goals in Iran. First, destroying Iranian missile stockpiles, missile launchers and their defense industrial base. Second, destroy the Iranian navy. And finally, permanently deny Iran the ability to have nuclear weapons. "It's a laser-focused maximum authority mission delivered with overwhelming and unrelenting precision," he said. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared the latest tactical details of Operation Epic Fury. "To date, [U.S. Central Command has] struck more than 5,000 targets," Caine said. "[U.S.] Strategic Command bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound GPS penetrating weapons on deeply buried missile launchers across the southern flank." Also, Caine said, the U.S. struck several factories the Iranians use to make one-way attack drones. "Alongside our regional partners along the southern flank, [we] continue to execute intercepts against one-way attack drones, using fighters and attack helicopters," he said. "Our strikes mean we've made significant progress in reducing the number of missile and drone attacks out of Iran. Ballistic missile attacks continue to trend downward, 90% from where they started. And one-way attack drone [attacks] have decreased 83% since the beginning of the operation — a testament to our air defenders and our air defense systems." When it comes to taking out the Iranian navy, Caine said the joint force is making "substantial progress." So far, he said, the joint force has taken out more than 50 Iranian naval ships using artillery, fighters, bombers and sea-launched missiles. "We struck and sank an Iranian drone carrier ship, and U.S. Centcom continues today to hunt and strike mine-laying vessels and mine storage facilities," Caine said. "This work will continue." The secretary and President Donald J. Trump have said Operation Epic Fury will not be a long-term, nation-building endeavor, and the secretary reiterated that today. "This is not [an] endless nation-building ... quagmire — it's not even close," Hegseth said. "Our generation of soldiers will not let that happen again, and nor will this president — who very clearly ran against ... never-ending, nebulously scoped missions; those days are dead. Instead, we're winning decisively with brutal efficiency, total air dominance and an unbreakable will to accomplish the president's objectives on our timeline."

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