The Department of Defense (DOD) has announced two framework agreements to expand the production capacity of missile-interceptor components. The agreements, with defense companies Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, intend to triple the production of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) components, and quadruple the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) components. The frameworks come as part of the Arsenal of Freedom initiative, a defense initiative to modernize military technology. “Building the Arsenal of Freedom requires robust, dynamic supply chains at every level of the industrial base,” said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, in a…
The 2000s was a critical time for the gaming industry. The monstrously successful PlayStation 2 arrived in 2000, with Microsoft’s first Xbox system and Nintendo’s iconic GameCube launching in North America the following year. This set the stage for a console generation marked by a fascinating three-way competition, and of course, some brilliant games. In particular, RPG fans had an embarrassment of riches to enjoy during the 2000s. Then as now, though, it’s just impossible to play all the games we’d like to. Even if you’ve been an RPG enthusiast for decades, there are some great games from this era…
I’ve written a lot about the Department of Justice’s schizophrenia on NFA registration of things like suppressors and short-barreled long guns. The registration was, originally, nothing more than a list of who paid the NFA tax. It was there so law enforcement could check and see if the suppressor they found was lawfully owned or not. Now that there’s no tax stamp on such devices, the registry has outlived its purpose.Easy enough, right?The problem is, though, that the DOJ that is going after everyone else over unconstitutional gun control laws is defending this travesty. Mark…
Complexity is the enemy of affordability, and cars have an affordability problem. An automobile has always been a big investment, but now, more than ever, the problems come once the car leaves the dealer’s lot. While an out-of-warranty repair or a minor collision was once somewhat affordable to fix, even the simplest-seeming parts of a car can cost thousands of dollars. A new bumper, for example, is no longer something simple and relatively inexpensive to replace. Cars Have Become Rolling Computers Credit: Mercedes-Benz Cars becoming rolling computers isn’t a new complaint, but we’re not talking about a fairly basic ECU chip…
The Department of Justice has launched its first litigation aimed at “sensitive places”, suing Montgomery County, Maryland for its ban on lawful concealed carry in parks, places of worship, libraries, recreational facilities, and multipurpose exhibition facilities, along with the 100-yard “buffer zone” surrounding those locations where lawful carry is also forbidden. The lawsuit follows on the heels of a similar complaint brought by a Montgomery County rabbi last week in a case supported by the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Like the DOJ’s other Second Amendment litigation, today’s lawsuit is a “pattern and practice” case brought…
Ask most Americans what the Coast Guard does, and the answer stops at helicopter rescues. That’s real, and it’s the most visible part of the job, but it’s a fraction of what the smallest of the six armed services is actually responsible for on any given day. By law, the Coast Guard operates under 11 statutory missions, ranging from stopping drug cartels to keeping the Great Lakes shipping lanes open through the winter. Here’s what that actually looks like. Drug Interdiction: The Numbers Are Genuinely Staggering The Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction, and the…
A lot of people see the rules the ATF proposes from time to time, recognize there’s a comment period, and then ignore it. Why bother? After all, the ATF is going to do what it’s going to do. The comment period is required by law, but there doesn’t seem to be any imperative to actually listen to those comments. If there were, there are a lot of anti-gun rules that would never have gone into effect if they had been.Right now, the ATF is considering a pile of new rules, and the comment period is…
If you receive Department of Veterans Affairs disability payments, then for 2026, you received a 2.8% raise in your benefits. These are the dates you get those monthly checks. Disability benefit payments for a particular month are paid on the first business day of the following month. When the first day of that month falls on a non-business day or a holiday, VA benefits will be paid on the last business day of the preceding month. Here is the VA disability payment schedule for 2026 to help you plan your finances. 2026 VA Disability Payment Schedule Month Payment Date Day…
Riding a dirt bike is one of those activities that is often both very social and yet very isolating. They’re social in that you often go out riding with your buddies, and that camaraderie is one of the draws. On the other hand, you’re inevitably stuck in your helmet, which makes communication kind of tough. Until now, that is, because Cardo is introducing its Venture helmet, and spoiler alert: it’s awesome. The Helmet If you’re thinking, “Wait, Cardo? Isn’t that the company that makes those communicators that clip on the side of your street helmet?” then you’re already getting to…
If you’re one of our readers who likes to learn about homesteading and preparedness, but hasn’t taken any concrete steps, this article is for you. Everywhere you look, there are signs that civilization has peaked and it’s all downhill from here. Thanks to wars, crop failures, political battles, and economic turmoil, food insecurity is on the rise, and the entire world is going crazy. We don’t know when things are going to pop off, but you have to accept reality: hard times are coming. For many, they’re already here. The best thing you can do is get ready. Be prepared…
Life has been good for the Second Amendment lately. Sure, there are state-level setbacks, but the Supreme Court issued two key rulings in favor of gun rights, agreed to take what may become one of the most important cases on guns since the Second Amendment was ratified, and the Department of Justice is proverbially kicking in doors to defend gun rights for a change. It’s not a bad time to be alive, really.And that’s why, it seems, Democrats have decided that since they can’t win on the merits of constitutional arguments, they just need to…
The Senate failed to advance the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Tuesday, stalling a defense policy bill containing a sweeping proposal for U.S.-Israel military technology cooperation. The plan has drawn intense online opposition from Americans who call it “treason,” arguing that it would compromise U.S. sovereignty and warn that it could expose sensitive technology and intelligence to a foreign government. One day later, just 104 House lawmakers and only one Republican voted on a failed amendment on a different bill to cut $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel. The Senate did not vote on final…
I never thought much about crowd safety until one day, I attended a summer event, and things started to feel wrong. People were so tightly packed that I couldn’t move much on my own. I felt very closed in and close to panic. I eventually moved toward the edge of the crowd and got out. This can happen to anyone. It can be a concert that suddenly gets too packed. Or a show exit that slows to a standstill. Everyone might start moving at once, and no one feels in control at all. The problem is that when things shift…
When LJ Wilde and his family approached the trailhead at Grand Teton National Park, he felt a bit nervous about what park rangers might say to him. After all, Wilde was pulling along his paraplegic daughter in a prototype hiking cart that he’d designed and built. It was the first time testing it in the wild, and he didn’t know how the rangers might react to him taking this one-wheeled contraption into the park. Still, ranger comments or not, he’d spent the last several months working every night on his design so his disabled daughter could join the rest of…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday convened leaders from more than 60 countries to take part in the Trump administration’s latest effort to quell what it calls “left wing” political terrorism, a marquee issue for Republicans heading into the midterm elections. This focus comes even as studies show that there are very few reported cases of such incidents in the U.S., especially compared to historically higher levels of far-right violence. With sweeping statements about the “alarming rise” of political violence by the left, Rubio and other U.S. officials painted a dark image of the future if the “communists and…
Morale in the United States was lower during the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Unfortunately, many Americans were not feeling very festive or positive about the US. Two weeks before the US’s anniversary, The Associated Press published a poll that captured the depth of American anxiety about the ruling class and life in general in the country. The numbers were grim. More than two-thirds (70%) of Americans no longer consider their country the greatest nation on Earth, while 64% believe American democracy is in danger. And 38% don’t believe the United States will survive another…
Trail running shoes should offer grip, cushion, and protection. The priority? To stay comfortable on our feet while we explore everything from mellow dirt paths to rocky, technical terrain. For this update, lead testers Conni Mahoney and Chris Kassar tested six pairs of trail running shoes over six months in Colorado, the Tetons, and southern Utah. We compared options for daily training, race day, technical mountain terrain, road-to-trail miles, and wide-foot comfort. The HOKA Speedgoat 7 stands out as our top overall pick for its versatile mix of cushion, traction, and trail confidence. The Salomon Pulsar is our favorite budget-friendly…
It’s been something watching Colorado’s decline into an anti-gun crapshow. Whereas it was once fairly pro-gun, all things considered, that started to change after the shooting in Aurora. I get that it upset a lot of people, and that’s because anything like that should upset folks. The response, though, was wrong, and while the public responded at the time, I haven’t seen a whole lot of that since then. Instead, voters keep electing the same people who continue to nibble at their rights.At the Denver Gazette, journalist Chris Dorsey makes an argument that I think…
Great Dungeons & Dragons games aren’t in short supply, but we have yet to be blessed with an AAA open-world RPG set in the universe. The upcoming Warlock could fill that void with an action-adventure slant, and Pseudo-open-world masterpieces like Baldur’s Gate 3 can definitely scratch the same itch; however, as of right now, a DnD open-world RPG technically doesn’t exist. Consequently, we need to look elsewhere to find a game that captures the spirit and beautiful chaos of a tabletop campaign. From deep character customization to open-ended gameplay, party management, and tactical warfare, these open-world RPGs share different commonalities…
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More Backcountry: 30% Off Danner Trail 2650 Hiking Shoe (Photo/Danner) Danner’s Trail 2650 is the perfect hybrid between a classic boot and a lightweight trail runner. The Vibram 460 outsole offers superior grip, the TPU shank adds protection, and the mesh lining helps with airflow. Best of all, it’s on sale for less than $150. Shop Women’s Shop Men’s REI: 30% Off Arc’teryx Beta SL Jacket (Photo/Arc’teryx) The Beta SL is one of our top-rated rain jackets. As with many Arc’teryx products, it also tends…
The gun control movement is based on a simple premise: more guns lead to more crime, and the only way to truly make the United States safer is to reduce the number of firearms in circulation. When the modern gun control lobby got started in the 1960s, that idea seemed somewhat logical. Violent crime kept going up, and every year more and more guns were added to the mix. In 1991, though, violent crime peaked and then started its decade-long decline, but we continued purchasing millions of firearms each year. From the early 1990s to 2020,…
