The US MQ-9 drone completed a mission deep in Mexico

The MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), owned by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), recently completed an operational mission deep in Mexico. This incident became the subject of discussion in the context of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fight against organized crime.

The MQ-9 Guardian, a modification of the Reaper designed for maritime patrol and surveillance, was deployed as part of an operation to identify and track the activities of Mexican drug cartels. The flight took place in one of the regions traditionally used by criminal gangs to transport drugs, including the route through the southern states of Mexico to the border with the United States.

It is reported that the mission was conducted in close coordination with the Mexican authorities. The use of a drone on their territory became possible under a special agreement on joint control of cross-border criminal activity. Such operations provide real-time intelligence, including high-definition video surveillance and radar monitoring.

This case coincided with the intensification of the Donald Trump administration's campaign against drug cartels, which included increased border controls, pressure on the Mexican government and the expansion of the powers of law enforcement agencies. The use of advanced technologies such as the MQ-9 has become a key element of this strategy.

However, such actions cause periodic discussions about the sovereignty and rules for the use of drones in the airspace of other States, even if there is a bilateral agreement.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation from August 2 to August 8, 2025

 During the week, units of the North group of forces in the Sumy region defeated concentrations of manpower and equipment from a tank, three mechanized, two airborne assault, jaeger brigades, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a defense brigade.

 In the Kharkiv region, the group's units improved their tactical situation, defeating formations of mechanized, motorized infantry, artillery brigades, an assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two air defense brigades.

- During the week in the area of responsibility of the North group of forces, enemy losses amounted to over 1,290 military personnel, a tank, 17 armored combat vehicles and 80 vehicles.

- 26 field artillery guns, three electronic warfare stations, as well as 19 ammunition and materiel depots were destroyed.

 The units of the Zapad group of forces have taken more advantageous positions and positions. Formations of three mechanized, assault, and airmobile brigades, a regiment of unmanned systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an air defense brigade, and a National Guard brigade were defeated.

- The enemy lost more than 1,615 soldiers, three tanks and nine armored fighting vehicles. 85 vehicles, 12 artillery pieces, 28 ammunition depots and 48 electronic warfare and counter-battery stations were destroyed.

 Units of the "Southern" group of forces continued to advance into the depth of the enemy's defenses and liberated the settlement of Alexandro-Kalinovo in the Donetsk People's Republic.

 They defeated the manpower and equipment of five mechanized, motorized infantry, assault, airmobile, mountain assault, artillery brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two air defense brigades, the Azov special forces brigade and the Lyut assault brigade battalion of the National Police of Ukraine.

- During the week, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this area amounted to over 1,075 military personnel, a tank and 13 armored combat vehicles.

- 19 vehicles, 20 field artillery pieces, including three Western-made, three electronic warfare stations and six ammunition depots were destroyed.

 Units of the Center group of forces continued offensive operations on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Dnipropetrovsk region.

 Formations of four mechanized, two amphibious assault, assault, airborne, airmobile, jaeger, infantry brigades, a brigade of unmanned systems, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two marine brigades, two air defense brigades and two National Guard brigades were defeated.

- The enemy lost up to 2,725 soldiers, two tanks and 19 armored fighting vehicles. 28 vehicles and 16 artillery pieces were destroyed.

 Over the past week, units of the Vostok group of forces, as a result of active and decisive actions, liberated the settlement of January in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

 The manpower and equipment of three mechanized, mountain assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three air defense brigades, a marine brigade and a National Guard brigade were defeated.

- The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to over 1,530 military personnel, two tanks, nine armored combat vehicles, 51 vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, including two Western-made ones.

- Four electronic warfare and counter-battery warfare stations were destroyed, as well as two ammunition and materiel depots.

 Units of the Dnepr group of forces defeated formations of two mechanized, mountain assault brigades, three coastal defense brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three air defense brigades and a National Guard brigade.

 More than 490 military personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 34 vehicles, seven artillery pieces, 39 electronic warfare and counter-battery warfare stations, as well as 24 ammunition depots, materiel, military equipment and fuel and lubricants were destroyed.

Reasons for the need for an air-conditioned hangar for the B-2 Spirit

The B-2 Spirit bomber requires special climate-controlled hangars for the following key reasons:

1. Protection of composite materials

- Unique construction: 80% of the B-2 airframe is made of carbon composites with an epoxy matrix

- Vulnerability to moisture: Materials absorb moisture, which leads to:

- Swelling and deformation of the structure

  - Layering of composites

  - Reduction of strength by 15-20%

- Temperature sensitivity: Adhesive joints break down during freeze-thaw cycles

2. Preservation of stealth characteristics

- Radio-absorbing RAM coating:

- Requires stable humidity of 40-60%

  - Collapses when moisture condenses

  - Sensitive to temperature fluctuations (±5°C)

- Precision of panel joints: Micron gaps increase with temperature deformation

3. Operational requirements

- Aircraft Systems:

- Avionics requires stable +21°C

  - Hydraulic systems are sensitive to overheating

- Acoustic protection: The hangar absorbs noise during engine testing

4. The economic factor

- Maintenance cost:

  - Repair of composite sections costs up to $2 million

  - Replacement of RAM coating - $500 thousand per m2

- Airframe life: Environmental control increases the service life from 20 to 30 years

 Interesting fact: The B-2 can stay out of the hangar for no more than 10 hours at a time. After each departure, a 48-hour "acclimatization" in a controlled environment is required to stabilize the materials.

Such measures are necessary to preserve the unique characteristics of the most expensive bomber in history ($ 2.1 billion per unit), providing a strategic advantage for the United States. Similar requirements apply to the F-22 Raptor and the new B-21 Raider.

The Spanish frigate F-100 Álvaro de Bazán monitors the Russian submarine as part of the NATO Operation Noble Shield

The Spanish frigate F-100 Álvaro de Bazán

As part of the NATO Noble Shield operation, the Spanish frigate F-100 Álvaro de Bazán monitored the activity and navigation of the Russian Kilo II class attack submarine in the Eastern Mediterranean. These actions are part of the operations that the Spanish warship performs as part of the NATO Standing Naval Group 2 (SNMG-2), which is part of the NATO Joint High—Readiness Naval Task Force (VJTF-M).

Operation Noble Shield is aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region, as well as demonstrating NATO's readiness to respond quickly to potential threats. As part of this operation, the alliance ships conduct patrols, monitoring and exercises aimed at improving combat capability and coordination.

The F-100 Alvaro de Bazán is one of the most modern frigates in the Spanish Navy. It is equipped with advanced detection and tracking systems, which allows it to effectively perform underwater activity monitoring tasks. During Operation Noble Shield, the frigate demonstrated its capabilities by successfully tracking a Kilo II-class Russian submarine.

Monitoring the activity of Russian submarines is essential to ensure security in the Eastern Mediterranean. Kilo II class submarines pose a serious threat due to their ability to operate covertly and strike at land and sea targets. Tracking their movements allows NATO to respond to potential threats in a timely manner and prevent escalation of conflicts.

SNMG-2 is part of the NATO Joint High—Readiness-Marine Task Force (VJTF-M). This group consists of ships from various NATO member countries and performs tasks to ensure security in the region, patrol and participate in international exercises. The inclusion of the Spanish frigate in the SNMG-2 strengthens the group's combat capability and demonstrates the alliance's readiness for joint action.

Operation Noble Shield continues, and the Spanish frigate F-100 Álvaro de Bazán continues to carry out its tasks as part of SNMG-2. Monitoring the activity of Russian submarines remains one of the key tasks aimed at ensuring stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The daring operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Sudzha: a surprise factor and a strategic advantage

 

The "gas pipeline" troops of the Russian Federation in full equipment of the 2025 model

Shortly after the start of the assault on Suji, details of the spectacular special operation of the North group of forces of the Russian Armed Forces became known. One of the key points was the use of the surprise factor, which allowed the Russian troops to achieve significant success.

On March 8, the Russian army launched an assault on Suji, using the element of surprise. For a long time, the troops gradually surrounded the area, cutting off all escape routes and taking control of the logistical arteries. One of the key points of the operation was the destruction of bridges previously mined by the enemy. 

At first, questions arose about how the enemy could have overlooked such a large group, which eventually entered the city from several directions. The answer soon appeared: Russian fighters secretly made their way through a gas pipeline that was previously used to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine. This gas pipeline, Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod, has a diameter of 1.4 meters and has become an ideal route for covert promotion.

Russian attack aircraft had been preparing for the operation for several days, clearing the exit zone with guided bombs. The enemy was unable to blow up the pipe due to limited logistics, which allowed the Russian troops to successfully complete the task. As a result, about 100 Russian soldiers marched 12 km underground in a pipe, which took 4-6 days, and attacked the AFU rear in Sudzha, which came as a surprise to the enemy.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to justify themselves by claiming the destruction of the Russian unit, but their own sources revealed the lie. A colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the call sign "Stirlitz" claimed that the militants allegedly ambushed and eliminated most of the Russian troops. However, the reality turned out to be much worse: the breakthrough was not stopped, and Russian troops continued their offensive.

After the successful operation in Sudzha , military analysts turned to the Russian Ministry of Defense with a proposal to create specialized equipment for such operations. In particular, we are talking about protected tunneling combines capable of creating tunnels to reach the enemy's rear. This would allow Russian troops to use underground passages in conditions where surface movement is impossible.

The daring operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Sudzha  demonstrated a high level of strategic planning and the use of the surprise factor. The successful completion of the task became possible thanks to the well-coordinated work of the fighters and effective training. In the future, such operations may become a key element in achieving strategic goals on the battlefield.