Fox has agreed to acquire Roku for $22 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, marking a strategic pivot from content production to distribution. The merger gives Fox ownership of the leading US TV operating system, access to 100 million global households, and combines Roku's ad platform with Fox's Tubi to create a major digital advertising entity. Fox shares fell on dilution concerns, while analysts question the impact on Roku's neutrality. The acquisition is the largest bet by CEO Lachlan Murdoch since 2019 and signals a new phase in the streaming wars.

Brazil's supreme court sentenced Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, to four years and two months in prison for seeking US interference in his father's coup plot trial. He was found guilty of courting the Trump administration to impose sanctions on justices and tariffs on Brazilian goods. Jair Bolsonaro is serving 27 years for plotting a coup after the 2022 election.

Electric vehicle sales have grown tenfold in six years, reaching 63% of new car sales globally by May 2026. China dominates production (71%) and sales, with EVs cheaper than combustion cars since 2024. Europe follows with 17% of production and 33% of new car sales. The US lags at 6% of sales. Falling battery costs, improved range, and high oil prices from the Iran war are accelerating the shift. Ethiopia became the first country to ban combustion vehicle imports.

Taiwan's leader William Lai Ching-te announced the establishment of a dedicated drone squadron, to be based at the Guandu Area Command Post and launched in July, as part of efforts to enhance asymmetric warfare capabilities amid regional tensions. Lai highlighted successful live-fire tests of US-made ALTIUS-600M loitering munitions and noted that all 291 drones purchased from the US have been received. The initiative proceeds despite a 38% cut to defense spending by the opposition-controlled legislature.

A GAO report covering 2019 to 2025 finds that U.S. Air Force tanker availability figures are misleading because the service counts aircraft as mission-capable even if they cannot perform aerial refueling. The report warns that the percentage of fully mission-capable tankers is even smaller. As of March 2026, the Air Force reported 373 KC-135 and 103 KC-46A tankers. The fleet faces severe sustainment issues including parts shortages, maintainer shortages, and infrastructure gaps for the KC-46A. Units have resorted to borrowing aircraft and extending depot maintenance intervals. GAO recommends establishing standards to assess refueling capability and developing a plan to mitigate long-term sustainment risks.

Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed the US-Iran agreement as a positive development that could reduce regional tensions. Speaking at the Afghanistan-Central Asia Think Tank Forum in Kabul, he expressed hope for full implementation of the deal, which follows months of conflict and a temporary truce reached in April. The accord is expected to be signed in Switzerland on July 19.

Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith pushed back against dire predictions about AI replacing jobs, arguing the technology will transform the economy over 25 years, not 2.5. He criticized tech leaders for hypocritical calls for regulation while accelerating development, and warned that scaring young workers could sour them on AI. Smith called for a more measured, people-centered approach to AI adoption.

A new Atlantic Council report argues that closing the global digital divide is a geopolitical competition, with China dominating telecom infrastructure investment in the Global South. It recommends the US and allies use blended finance through development finance institutions to compete, focusing on last-mile connectivity and open internet values.

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is using artificial intelligence to accelerate security clearance reviews, reducing parts of the vetting process from months to hours. Mark Nehmer, an agency analytics chief, stated that AI is employed to make small decisions and present evidence packages to human analysts. This initiative aims to handle an estimated 43,000 clearance requests per year under a new acquisition overhaul, highlighting the government's application of AI to a key national security function.

Joseph Jewell, the Pentagon's assistant defense secretary for science and technology, described a vision for future warfare shaped by artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and rapid production cycles, citing Ukraine's wartime innovation as a model. He emphasized the need for the U.S. to accelerate fielding of new capabilities, announced a 'patent holiday' to spur private-sector use of government patents, and detailed experiments with 3D-printed shaped charges made from local materials in the Indo-Pacific. The remarks highlight the Pentagon's push to adapt to modern conflict dynamics and maintain technological edge.

Maj. Gen. Dominique Luzeaux, NATO's digital transformation champion, stated that the alliance has undergone significant changes in the last three to four years, shifting from long-term platform-centric modernization to faster experimentation, interoperability, and a 'system-of-systems' approach. He emphasized lessons from Ukraine on integrated multi-domain robotic ecosystems and shorter innovation cycles, and noted NATO's efforts in layered counter-UAS experimentation and adopting commercial standards.

The US Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) is finalizing a new strategy called 'Feed S&T at Speed to the Fleet and Force,' announced by Chief of Naval Research Rachel Riley at the Defense One Tech Summit. The strategy aims to speed up technology transition to the fleet, reduce bureaucracy, and focus investment on problems industry will not solve, such as submarine quieting. It emphasizes closer collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and warfighters. DIU's Jarred Conley highlighted progress in unmanned maritime systems, including autonomous resupply and mine countermeasures, and noted a recent rescue of Army helicopter pilots by an uncrewed boat. The strategy also addresses challenges in controlling multiple unmanned platforms and scaling from one-to-one control to one human controlling many.

A US Air Force investigation found that a July 2025 KC-46A refueling boom separation over the Atlantic was caused by a combination of boom operator manual control errors and an F-22 pilot failing to account for stiff boom characteristics. The incident resulted in nearly $10 million in damage to the KC-46A, with the boom breaking off and falling into the ocean. No injuries occurred.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office released an unclassified version of a March 2025 classified report criticizing the Navy's development of robotic and autonomous systems. The report highlights issues such as leadership turnover, unclear objectives, and ineffective investment strategies that have hindered progress toward a hybrid fleet. It recommends adopting portfolio management and iterative development approaches similar to commercial practices. The Navy has orally concurred with the recommendations and taken some initial actions.

The US Marine Corps activated Marine Unmanned Maintenance Squadron 14 (MUMS-14) at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, the service's first squadron dedicated to maintaining Group-5 unmanned aerial systems like the MQ-9 Reaper. The unit will provide expeditionary maintenance support for ISR and targeting missions, marking a significant step in integrating unmanned systems into Marine aviation.

In an exclusive interview, Fincantieri Marine Group CEO George Moutafis discussed the cancellation of the U.S. Navy's Constellation-class frigate program, citing excessive design changes, schedule delays, and cost overruns. He noted that the program's failure led to the Navy's adoption of the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) approach for new builds, such as the Landing Ship Medium (LSM) vessels, which Fincantieri is now building under a build-to-print model. Moutafis emphasized that the Navy's new strategy prioritizes schedule over perfection, empowering Portfolio Acquisition Executives to minimize design changes and accelerate production. The interview underscores ongoing challenges in U.S. naval shipbuilding and the shift toward faster, more efficient production methods.

Huntington Ingalls Industries delivered the first REMUS 130 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to a U.S. ally on June 16, 2026. The REMUS 130 is the third generation of the REMUS 100 series, featuring enhanced payload flexibility, open-architecture interfaces, and the Odyssey Autonomous Control System. It operates at depths up to 100 meters with up to 10 hours of endurance and supports missions including mine countermeasures, oceanographic research, and infrastructure inspection. HII has delivered over 750 REMUS vehicles worldwide, operated by 14 NATO navies.

This article is a detailed historical analysis of the fall of Singapore in 1942, drawing three key lessons for contemporary US defense planners facing China: the critical importance of pre-conflict allied coordination and joint logistics; the danger of over-reliance on naval reinforcements and the need to manage the 'simultaneity challenge' of multiple theaters; and the necessity of planning for non-linear, branching campaign possibilities rather than linear scenarios. It warns against underestimating an adversary's capabilities and overconfidence, drawing parallels to current US overstretch from operations in Iran.