A.I. Enabled Warfare Is About To Change Everything

A.I. Enabled Warfare Is About To Change Everything

 BRITT GILLETTE

On January 9th, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wrote a memo which included the following:

“President Trump makes clear in Executive Order 14179, "It is the policy of the United States to sustain and enhance America's global Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominance in order to promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security." In the national security domain, AI-enabled warfare and AI-enabled capability development will re-define the character of military affairs over the next decade. This transformation is a race - fueled by the accelerating pace of commercial AI innovation coming out of America's private sector. The United States Military must build on its lead over our adversaries in integrating this technology, established during President Trump's first term, to make our Warfighters more lethal and efficient. To this end, aligned with America's AI Action Plan, I direct the Department of War to accelerate America's Military AI Dominance by becoming an "AI-first" warfighting force across all components, from front to back.”

According to Hegseth, the United States is engaged in a race to develop A.I.-enabled warfare and A.I.-enabled capability development, and "We will become an 'A.I.-first' warfighting force across all domains." 

To do this, the Pentagon is taking a wartime approach to delivering these capabilities, with an emphasis on three areas – warfighting, intelligence, and enterprise operations.

A.I.-Focused "Pace-Setting Projects"

The means to implement this acceleration is the launch of seven Pace-Setting Projects (PSPs), each with a single accountable leader and aggressive timelines. 

According to the Department of War, these seven PSPs will establish a new A.I. execution standard for the entire Department. They are as follows:

1) Swarm Forge: Competitive mechanism to iteratively discover, test, and scale novel ways of fighting with and against A.I.-enabled capabilities – combining America's elite warfighting units with elite technology innovators.

2) Agent Network: Unleashing A.I. agent development and experimentation for A.I.-enabled battle management and decision support, from campaign planning to kill chain execution.

3) Ender's Foundry: Accelerating A.I.-enabled simulation capabilities – and sim-dev and sim-ops feedback loops – to ensure we stay ahead of A.I.-enabled adversaries.

4) Open Arsenal: Accelerating the TechINT-to-capability development pipeline, turning intel into weapons in hours, not years.

5) Project Grant: Enabling transformation of deterrence from static postures and speculation to dynamic pressure with interpretable results.

6) GenAI.mil: Providing Department-wide access to frontier generative A.I. models, like Google's Gemini and xAI's Grok, for all Department of War personnel at Impact Level (IL-5) and above classification levels. 

7) Enterprise Agents: Building the playbook for rapid and secure A.I. agent development and deployment to transform enterprise workflows.

In the end, these initiatives will integrate A.I. into every aspect of the Department of War, from weapons on the battlefield to the Department's back-office systems.

In the process, will these PSPs transform the world?

I don’t know.

However, I do know this…

Their pursuit is a sign of the times in which we live – a transformative era of rapidly developing military technologies.

These technologies will radically alter the global power structure, eventually resulting in one nation (or a coalition of nations) establishing a global empire.

Rapid Innovation and Exponential Change

The Russia-Ukraine war demonstrates how much the modern battlefield has changed. Conventional military hardware, and some cases even soldiers themselves, have been rendered obsolete in the face of drone warfare.

Meanwhile, the types of drones deployed and the methods of their deployment rapidly evolve on a weekly, if not daily, basis as lessons learned on the battlefield are integrated into the next generation of drones.

This is what the Open Arsenal PSP hopes to address.

To understand just how rapidly the world is changing, look at the stated purpose of Open Arsenal.

It’s to accelerate the technology intelligence-to-capability development pipeline, “turning intel into weapons in hours, not years.”

Let that sink in.

“Turning intel into weapons in hours, not years.”

This is a radical transformation of the old order.

Not only does this translate into fielding superior weapons on the battlefield, but it means the adoption of a whole new method of defense procurement.

Most conventional weapons systems are obsolete in the face of A.I.-enabled drone warfare, but so too are the days of conventional weapon systems development, where it takes 10 to 15 years from initial design to appearance on the battlefield.

The Pentagon is aiming to reduce that timeline to hours.

Decentralized Drone Swarms

Even the drone warfare of the last few years is becoming obsolete in the face of A.I.-enabled drone swarms.

In the Forbes article, "Swarm Forge: Pentagon’s Mass-Drone Test Signals Near-Term Deployment," we read:

“The Nemyx distributed swarming engine runs as an app on each of the drones,” says Meier. “They communicate with each other and organise themselves to attack targets in priority order.”

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Anti-Normalization Laws - Another Reason Peace Remains Out Of Reach

Anti-Normalization Laws - Another Reason Peace Remains Out Of Reach

KHALED ABU TOAMEH/GATESTONE INSTITUTE

US President Donald J. Trump recently said that he has never heard of a Lebanese law banning contact with Israel. "I never heard of that, but... I'm pretty sure that'll be ended very quickly," Trump told reporters. "I know Lebanon doesn't want that... That's crazy."

Trump is right. These laws are "crazy." They are also poisonous.

So long as Arabs and Muslims are taught by law, religion and social pressure that contact with Israelis is forbidden, the prospects for peace and coexistence will remain out of reach.

There can be no real stability in the Middle East while anti-normalization laws and campaigns persist. Such laws and campaigns only empower extremists and terrorists who seek Israel's and the region's destruction.

Trump is reportedly seeking to invite Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting in the White House as part of an effort to achieve peace and stability between Lebanon and Israel. If Aoun, however, were to accept Trump's invitation to meet Netanyahu at the White House, he would effectively be violating Lebanon's own anti-normalization law, which prohibits all economic, professional, cultural, or social relations between Lebanese nationals and Israeli citizens and entities.

Lebanon's anti-normalization law, rooted in the 1955 Boycott Law and reinforced by the penal code, prohibits virtually all contact with Israel, which is classified as an "enemy state."

The law goes even further. It bars any person or legal entity, directly or indirectly, from engaging in any transaction -- commercial, financial, or otherwise -- with individuals or organizations linked to Israel.

The penalties are severe. Violators can face prison terms ranging from three to ten years with hard labor, in addition to fines, professional bans, and the confiscation of goods.

What may sound "crazy" in Washington is, in fact, standard practice in several Arab and Islamic countries. Lebanon is not the exception; it is the rule.

Legislation to prevent countries from establishing normal relations with Israel has existed in the region for decades. Countries such as Syria and Iraq have long maintained sweeping prohibitions on contact with Israelis, with penalties that have included life imprisonment and even death.

On May 26, 2022, Iraq's parliament passed the "Criminalizing Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity" law, which unanimously prohibits any diplomatic, political, economic, or cultural ties with Israel. Violations, including supporting "Zionist ideas" via social media, can incur life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Since then, Iraqi authorities have filed legal complaints against several political activists and bloggers, accusing them of supporting Israel. "One of the primary figures named in the complaints is Ghaith al-Tamimi, an Iraqi political activist living abroad. Al-Tamimi is known for his strong criticism of Iran and its affiliated factions within Iraq," according to The New Arab media outlet.

"Al-Tamimi has been accused of using his social media platforms to make statements that were interpreted as supportive of Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon. This has sparked outrage within Iraq, where any perceived support for Israeli operations is considered a violation of the country's laws."

In Kuwait, similar laws – backed by parliamentary legislation and Islamic religious rulings – criminalize normalization with Israel and treat it as an act of treason. A few years ago, the Criminal Court in Kuwait issued a three-year prison sentence with hard labor against renowned media personality Fajr al-Saeed, who had publicly called for normalization with Israel.

Even Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel more than four decades ago, has a law that authorizes the revocation of Egyptian citizenship if a national is "qualified as Zionist." The Egyptian government has used this law, passed in 1975, to revoke the citizenship of Egyptians who marry Israeli nationals.

These laws are frequently reinforced not only by governments, but also by influential religious institutions such as Cairo's Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the premier institution of Sunni Islam, which has issued rulings banning all forms of non-governmental contact with Israelis and framing normalization as religiously forbidden.

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A Nation Drying Out: Why This Drought Could Hit Your Wallet And Dinner Table

A Nation Drying Out: Why This Drought Could Hit Your Wallet And Dinner Table

PNW STAFF

There's a quiet crisis unfolding across America--and unlike a stock market crash or a breaking geopolitical conflict, it doesn't come with flashing headlines or urgent alerts. It creeps. It spreads. And right now, it's covering nearly two-thirds of the country.

More than 60 percent of the United States is experiencing drought conditions, approaching levels not seen since the devastating dry spell of 2012. From the parched landscapes of Utah and Colorado to the unusually dry fields of Florida and Georgia, the warning signs are everywhere: shrinking reservoirs, cracked soil, struggling crops, and rising wildfire risk. It may not feel urgent yet to the average American--but it should.

Because drought doesn't just stay in the fields. It shows up later in your grocery bill, your utility costs, and even the broader economy.

The Hidden Pipeline From Drought to Your Kitchen

At first glance, drought might seem like a regional agricultural problem. But in reality, it disrupts a vast and interconnected system--the American food supply chain.

When states like Utah see precipitation drop by nearly 60 percent, or when Colorado's snowpack--critical for water supply--is described as "historically bad," the ripple effects begin immediately. Farmers depend on predictable water cycles. Without them, planting becomes riskier, yields shrink, and entire crops can fail.

In places like Florida, drought is already choking off pasture growth, forcing cattle ranchers to spend more on feed or reduce herd sizes altogether. That translates directly into higher beef and dairy prices down the line. Row crops like corn, soybeans, and cotton--staples of both human and animal consumption--are also struggling to get into the ground due to dry, hardened soil.

And here's where it becomes personal: when farmers produce less, suppliers charge more. Grocery stores pass those costs along. Consumers feel the squeeze.

If drought conditions persist into the summer--as forecasts suggest--they could collide with peak growing season, compounding the damage. The result? Smaller harvests, tighter supply, and rising food prices just as households are already grappling with inflation fatigue.

If drought conditions persist into the summer--as forecasts suggest--they could collide with peak growing season, compounding the damage. The result? Smaller harvests, tighter supply, and rising food prices just as households are already grappling with inflation fatigue.

Water: The Resource We Assume Will Always Be There

Beyond food, water itself is becoming a growing concern. In parts of the country, restrictions are already being implemented. Cities like Raleigh, North Carolina, have limited outdoor water use, while other regions are bracing for tighter controls if conditions worsen.

This raises a deeper issue: America's water infrastructure--and our expectations around it--are being stress-tested.

Reservoirs across the West rely heavily on snowpack. But with warmer temperatures causing earlier and faster snowmelt, much of that water is lost before it can be effectively stored and used during the hot summer months. It's a mismatch between nature's timing and human need.

Even if rain comes, it may not solve the problem. Severely dry soil often can't absorb sudden heavy rainfall, leading to runoff and even flash flooding rather than meaningful replenishment.

In other words, relief isn't just about more rain--it's about the right kind of rain at the right time. And that's far from guaranteed.

The Economic Domino Effect

Drought doesn't just impact farms--it reverberates across the entire economy.

Agriculture is a foundational industry. When it struggles, transportation, manufacturing, and retail sectors feel the impact. Lower crop yields can affect everything from food processing plants to export markets. Rural economies, heavily dependent on farming, can experience sharp downturns.

There's also the energy factor. Hydropower generation can decline when water levels drop, potentially increasing reliance on more expensive energy sources. Meanwhile, wildfire risk--already elevated in drought-stricken areas--can lead to billions in damage, insurance losses, and emergency response costs.

All of this feeds into a broader economic picture that becomes harder to stabilize.

And while one drought season may not trigger a crisis on its own, repeated or prolonged drought cycles can reshape entire regional economies. We've seen it before--and we may be seeing the early stages of it again.

A Summer That Could Define the Year

Looking ahead, much hinges on the coming months. Meteorologists point to the possibility of shifting climate patterns, including a developing El Niño, which could bring some relief to certain regions. But hope is not a strategy--and even optimistic forecasts suggest drought will persist across large portions of the country through at least mid-summer.

That means the next 90 days could be critical.

Will rains arrive in time to salvage crops? Will reservoirs stabilize--or continue to fall? Will food prices spike again just as consumers thought inflation was easing?

These are not abstract questions. They are the kinds of developments that quietly shape everyday life in profound ways.

Why This Matters Now

It's easy to overlook drought because it doesn't disrupt daily routines overnight. But that's exactly what makes it dangerous.

By the time the full impact is felt--at the checkout line, in utility bills, in economic data--it's already too late to reverse many of the effects.

This is one of those moments where awareness matters. Where understanding the connection between weather patterns and economic reality can help individuals, businesses, and policymakers prepare rather than react.

Because the truth is simple: water is the foundation of everything--from the food we eat to the stability of the economy itself.

And right now, across much of America, that foundation is under strain.

Did Revelation 9 Predict The Rise Of Drone Swarm Technology?

Did Revelation 9 Predict The Rise Of Drone Swarm Technology?

PNW STAFF

Britt Gillette,

"The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were something like crowns of gold, and their faces were like faces of men. They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to battle. They had tails like scorpions and stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek his name is Apollyon." (Revelation 9:7-11).

Britt Gillette, author of the End Times Bible Prophecy Blog, warns that synchronized drones let us see the future of warfare. 

"Have you ever seen a large flock of birds flying in unison? They look like a cloud. And the whole flock can shift left, right, up, or down - all in a split second. 

Despite their quick shifts, these birds act as one. They aren't disorganized or disjointed. They fly in perfect harmony as if they have a single mind. We observe similar behavior in schools of fish, bees, locusts, gnats, and all sorts of animals.

Now, imagine one of these groups is coming to get you. That's right. Imagine a swarm of bees is coming after you. Would a shotgun do you much good? Not really. You can fire into a swarm of bees, and you might take out one or more. 

But you know what? The swarm will keep coming. This is because the power of a swarm is decentralized. A single strike won't stop it."

Such drone swarms are about to change the face of modern warfare and some prophecy watchers find both the technology and name of the US Naval program behind it perhaps more than coincidence. The US navy recently demonstrated its Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) program by putting 30 drones flying together in perfect formation.

These drones are launched from a special tube in less than a minute to create a vicious swarm designed to overwhelm an adversary autonomously. 

What makes the swarm unique is that any hostile aircraft, manned or unmanned, can be brought down by a single missile, but a swarm can take multiple hits and keep going. The drones are self-reconfiguring so that if one drone gets taken out, the others autonomously change their behavior to complete the mission.

China is one of the nations leading the charge on the development of drone swarm technology.  Some reports indicate that China has successfully tested a swarm of one thousand drones. And China appears to be interested in swarm capability as a method of attacking US aircraft carriers. 

Several test simulations by the US Navy have shown that drone swarms are consistently able to get past ship defenses that are geared towards shooting down single planes. This weakness means it makes sense to attack an enemy ship with a large number of cheap drones rather than one missile costing the same. Ironically, the best counter to drone swarm attacks being studied is a defensive drone swarm that can intercept the offensive ones.

The aim is to have drones flying together without having to be individually controlled, maintaining separation safely like a flock of birds. They are different from any other drone in that the operator does not control an individual aircraft, but pilots the whole swarm as a single unit.

With manned aircraft and ships, the pilot's life counts for a lot; but swarming drones are expendable and high "casualties" do not matter as much. This is a very different world to the dogfights that, historically, have made up modern warfare and could drastically alter the course of air warfare forever.  

Some prophecy watchers find it interesting that the Bible describes "locust" type creatures that play a significant role in end-time conflict.  Revelation 9 describes them this way:

"The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were something like crowns of gold, and their faces were like faces of men. They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to battle. They had tails like scorpions and stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek his name is Apollyon." (Revelation 9:7-11).

What on earth was the Apostle John talking about? Exactly what kind of locusts did he witness on the Isle of Patmos where he received these prophetic revelations? 

The traditional interpretation is that these locusts could be evil entities and/or demonic physical or spiritual beings that will rise up out of the bottomless pit (abyss) to torment people and assume the characteristics of locusts.

Others speculate they may be some form of grotesque variation of natural locusts as we know them today (perhaps even some form of chimeras or other DNA manipulation that scientists are now moving ahead with), or did John the Apostle perhaps see some advanced military aerial machinery that he lacked the words to describe? 

The revelations were given to him about 2,000 years ago when there would have been no way for him properly to describe 21st-century technological inventions that would follow many centuries later. Is it possible John was describing some type of technology in our day similar to the LOCUST program?  

With China leading the way in this technology and also being a potential candidate for the "Kings Of the East" mentioned in Revelation with it's 200 million man army - it makes for a scary combination.

Until recently, the most common technological correlation was that of helicopter gunships but, as insect looking drones and swarm technology become more common, this may present an interesting possible explanation.

  

Either way, Revelation 9 suggests a time of immense pain and suffering that no one will want to experience, regardless of what final form it takes.  Drone swarm technology should serve as a reminder of such warnings.

Israel braces for Iran war to resume as early as next week, as Trump briefed on military options

Report: Israel braces for Iran war to resume as early as next week, as Trump briefed on military options

ToI Staff

Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday

Israel is on heightened alert, ramping up preparations for a possible return to fighting with Iran, amid indications that US President Donald Trump may be nearing a decision on renewed military action, Channel 12 News reports.

Trump is reportedly being briefed at the White House on military options by US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, as Israeli officials held a series of intensive consultations amid what they see as growing momentum toward a decision in Washington.

According to Channel 12, Israeli officials are bracing for the possibility that negotiations between the US and Iran could collapse as early as the start of next week. The report cites cabinet ministers briefed in recent days as assessing that the US may need to “give a push” to its pressure campaign in the Strait of Hormuz through military strikes on Iranian gas and energy facilities, as well as government infrastructure.

As part of the buildup, Israel and the US are also said to be working to project a credible naval threat against Iran

US CENTCOM asks for long-delayed hypersonic missile to be deployed for possible use against Iran — report

The US CENTCOM has requested that the long-delayed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile be sent to the Middle East for potential use against Iran, marking the first time Washington would deploy the technology, the Bloomberg news outlet reports.

The request by US CENTCOM was made after Iran shifted its missile launchers out of range of the US Army’s Precision Strike Missile, the current technology it has deployed, a person with direct knowledge of the request tells Bloomberg, who adds the request to the military is still pending.

US CENTCOM declines to comment on the report.

China and Russia have already deployed their hypersonic missiles, with the latter using the technology in the war in Ukraine.

Iranian media says air defenses shooting at drones over Tehran

Iran’s air defenses were engaging small drones and surveillance UAVs over parts of the capital, Tehran, with air defense fire continuing to be heard in western, central, and southeastern areas of the city, the ⁠semi-official Tasnim news ​agency reports.

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