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Christiansburg High School Football, 100 Independence Blvd, Christiansburg, VA (2026)

09/09/2026

USS Makin Island (LHD-8) is the eighth and final Wasp-class amphibious assault ship built for the U.S. Navy. Constructed by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the ship was delivered to the Navy on April 16, 2009, and commissioned on October 24, 2009, at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California. Named after the 1942 Makin Island raid conducted by U.S. Marine Raiders during World War II, the ship was designed to combine aviation, amphibious operations, and expeditionary support capabilities in a single platform. Makin Island is distinguished from earlier Wasp-class vessels by its propulsion architecture and several shipboard systems, making it an important transitional design between earlier steam-powered amphibious assault ships and newer generations of U.S. Navy amphibious vessels.

The primary purpose of USS Makin Island is to serve as a large-deck amphibious platform capable of supporting Marine Corps expeditionary operations while providing aviation and command-and-control capabilities. The ship can operate a combination of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft appropriate to amphibious and expeditionary missions, while its internal facilities support embarked Marines, equipment, and associated logistics requirements. As the centerpiece of an Amphibious Ready Group, Makin Island can operate with other amphibious ships and embarked Marine forces to support forward presence, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, crisis response, and multinational exercises. Its operational design emphasizes flexibility, allowing the ship to serve as both an aviation platform and a central element of a larger naval expeditionary force.

Makin Island introduced several significant technological changes for the Wasp class, most notably its gas-turbine propulsion system and electric-drive architecture. Instead of the steam propulsion arrangement used by earlier ships of the class, LHD-8 employs gas turbines together with an Auxiliary Propulsion System (APS) consisting of electrically powered auxiliary propulsion motors. The system was designed to improve fuel efficiency during lower-speed operations and reduce certain maintenance and lifecycle costs. The ship also incorporates a fiber-optic Machinery Control System, an integrated damage-control architecture, SPQ-9B radar, Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), and water-mist fire-suppression technology. In addition, Makin Island has received subsequent maintenance and modernization work, including a 14-month depot-level planned maintenance availability beginning in 2017 that included system upgrades and work intended to extend the ship's service life and incorporate updated warfighting capabilities.

📸PO1 Ethan Morrow / U.S. Navy

09/09/2026

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), commonly known as “Ike,” is the second Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the third nuclear-powered aircraft carrier constructed by the United States. Named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States and former General of the Army, the carrier was christened on October 11, 1975, and commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on October 18, 1977. Built by Newport News Shipbuilding, Eisenhower was designed around the Nimitz-class concept of combining nuclear propulsion, a large flight deck, extensive aviation facilities, and long-duration endurance into a single platform capable of sustained operations at sea. Since entering service, the carrier has conducted deployments across the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Arabian Gulf, and other strategic regions, establishing a long record of forward naval presence and expeditionary operations.

The primary purpose of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is to provide sustained sea-based aviation capability and serve as a central element of a U.S. carrier strike group. Its mission encompasses maritime security, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, and expeditionary power projection, while also supporting joint and multinational operations. The carrier is designed to operate with an embarked air wing and accompanying naval forces, allowing it to provide commanders with a flexible and mobile platform capable of supporting operations over extended periods without relying on fixed overseas bases. The Navy continues to identify Eisenhower as a multifunctional carrier capable of contributing to a broad range of missions, reinforcing its importance as a major component of U.S. naval power.

Eisenhower has received extensive modernization throughout its service life, including a major Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) that began in 2001 and returned the carrier to the fleet in January 2005. Earlier modernization work also added systems such as the Close-In Weapons System, NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System, updated tactical data systems, anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and improved communications. More recently, Eisenhower underwent a Planned Incremental Availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard following its 2023–2024 deployment. Completed with sea trials in April 2026, the availability involved extensive maintenance, repairs, and modernization covering propulsion, habitability, combat systems, and aviation-support capabilities. The Navy also conducted new inspections and structural work associated with the aircraft launch system, including catapult trough non-destructive testing and repairs intended to extend the service life of critical flight-deck infrastructure.

📸PO2 Miguel Contreras / U.S. Navy

09/09/2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday it had captured a U.S. uncrewed submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters, offering a rare public glimpse into how underwater drones are being used in the ongoing conflict. Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD, a large autonomous underwater vehicle built by California-based defense firm Anduril, describing it in a statement as "one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines" belonging to U.S. forces.

A Pentagon spokesperson pushed back on the framing, saying the drone had "malfunctioned more than a day ago" while surveying regional waters in support of ongoing operations. According to the spokesperson, the vessel was an older model that did not collect sensitive data or carry any classified sonar or radar equipment. Reuters said it could not independently verify Iran's version of events, and the Pentagon did not directly address the specific claims made by Tehran. Anduril did not respond to a request for comment.

The Dive-LD itself is a 19-foot (5.8-meter) submersible capable of missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering, and inspecting underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines. According to Anduril, the vehicle can operate for up to 10 days without returning to base and is designed to dive to depths of nearly 6,000 meters, with each unit costing roughly $2.5 million. The incident highlights the U.S. military's growing reliance on unmanned underwater and surface systems to monitor vast ocean areas and track adversary activity without risking sailors' lives.

📸Jan Eenling / Royal Netherlands Navy

09/09/2026

As the U.S.-Iran conflict grinds on, the timing of America's November 3 midterm elections has become a central factor shaping how the Trump administration approaches the war, according to Al Jazeera. With Republicans defending narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, senior advisers to President Trump have reportedly sought to prevent the conflict from escalating back into full-scale war before voters go to the polls. Vice President JD Vance downplayed the severity of the situation at a recent White House briefing, saying he "wouldn't call it a war" and claiming there was "no active shooting right now," even as sporadic strikes and shipping disruptions continue.

According to the report, Washington has increasingly shifted from direct military action toward economic pressure as its primary tool against Tehran. In August, the administration announced what it called an "Economic D-Day," imposing sanctions on 60 entities accused of facilitating Iran's oil revenue and threatening secondary sanctions against other countries doing business with Tehran, while maintaining a naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. claims it is escorting roughly 30 ships per night through the strait, though independent shipping data has not fully supported the scale of that claim.

Analysts warn that this strategy of "no war, no peace" — mixing sporadic strikes with economic pressure rather than committing to one clear path — carries significant risk as election day approaches. The stakes are heightened by domestic political pressure: recent polling has shown declining public support for the war, with rising fuel prices tied to the Hormuz disruptions weighing on voters' economic concerns ahead of a midterm election that could determine control of Congress for the remainder of Trump's term.

📸PO2 Nicholas Russell / U.S. Navy

09/09/2026

The U.S. military says it has destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers following ballistic missile attacks by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on a U.S. Navy warship, according to Al Jazeera. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that every time Iran attempts to strike American naval vessels, it will lose tankers in return, framing the tanker strikes as direct retaliation tied one-to-one to Iranian aggression at sea.

In response, the IRGC claimed its forces targeted two American vessels and eight oil tankers, along with ten additional ships it described as "violating" a prohibited zone within the Strait of Hormuz — vessels it accused Washington of having "incited and supported." Separately, Iranian-aligned forces reportedly struck a U.S. base in Jordan, marking a widening of the conflict beyond the Gulf waterway itself. None of the competing claims from either side have been independently verified by third-party sources.

The escalation has rattled global energy markets, with oil prices climbing toward $100 a barrel as the tanker war intensifies six months into the broader U.S.-Iran conflict. With both sides now targeting commercial shipping directly, analysts warn the confrontation risks further disrupting one of the world's most critical oil transit routes, deepening the economic fallout far beyond the immediate military exchange.

📸Courtesy / U.S. Marine Corps

09/08/2026

The Hawaii National Guard remains actively positioned across the state, balancing ongoing recovery operations from Tropical Cyclone Lala with urgent preparations for Hurricane Lowell, the third tropical system to threaten the islands within a month, according to a release from the State of Hawaii Department of Defense. As of September 7, 194 Guard personnel are on state active duty supporting statewide response efforts, working closely with county emergency management agencies and the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency. Efforts are currently concentrated on Kauaʻi County, where Hurricane Lowell's impacts were forecast to begin the same day.

To manage dual demands of recovery and preparedness, the Guard has distributed personnel and equipment across the islands. Task Force Hawaiʻi has removed more than 72,000 pounds of storm debris and conducted 421 safety and wellness checks for residents, while Task Force Maui has cleared 2,295 feet of roadway and completed 80 damage assessments following Tropical Cyclone Lala. On Kauaʻi, Task Force Kauaʻi has staged 47 personnel along with high-wheeled rescue vehicles, a wrecker, and a water tanker ahead of the incoming storm.

According to Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, the Hawaiʻi National Guard's Adjutant General, the Guard is working closely with Kauaʻi's Emergency Management Agency and the mayor's office, calling them "really good partners" with a "good rich history" of collaboration. The Guard maintains a pool of roughly 5,500 personnel available for mobilization, and all 53 other U.S. states and territories, along with active-duty forces in Hawaii, have pledged support if additional resources are needed.

📸Ret. Andrew Jackson / U.S. Army

09/08/2026

The C-130 Hercules is one of the longest-serving and most versatile aircraft in U.S. Air Force history. Air Force issued the original design specification in 1951, and the first production C-130A aircraft began deliveries in December 1956. Developed as a four-engine turboprop tactical airlifter, the Hercules was designed to transport personnel, equipment, and cargo while operating from relatively short and austere runways. Over the decades, the basic airframe has evolved through successive variants, including the C-130E, C-130H, and C-130J, while specialized versions have been adapted for missions ranging from aeromedical evacuation, weather reconnaissance to disaster relief, and other government-supported operations. The aircraft's combination of rugged construction, substantial cargo capacity, and short-field performance has enabled the Hercules family to remain an important component of U.S. air mobility for generations.

Primary purpose of the C-130 within the U.S. Air Force is to perform the tactical portion of the airlift mission, connecting major air mobility networks with locations that may have limited infrastructure. Its rear loading ramp and large cargo compartment allow the aircraft to transport personnel, palletized cargo, and oversized equipment, while its design permits operations from rough or unimproved airfields. Depending on the variant and configuration, the Hercules family can also support specialized missions such as aeromedical evacuation, humanitarian assistance, Antarctic resupply, weather reconnaissance, aerial firefighting, and disaster response. This flexibility allows the platform to support both military operations and broader national-response requirements, making the C-130 more than simply a conventional transport aircraft.

The most significant technological evolution of the Hercules has been the transition from legacy C-130 models to the C-130J Super Hercules. J model introduced Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 engines, six-bladed composite propellers, a modern two-pilot flight deck, integrated digital avionics, improved navigation, digital autopilot, advanced displays, and enhanced cargo-handling systems. The U.S. Air Force has also continued modernizing older C-130H aircraft through the Avionics Modernization Program Increment 2, which replaces aging cockpit equipment with a digital flight-management system, autopilot, multifunction displays, digital engine instrumentation, a digital backbone, and terrain-awareness and warning capabilities. Meanwhile, C-130J aircraft are receiving Block 8.1 upgrades that further improve avionics, navigation, data-link connectivity, maintenance, and worldwide airspace compatibility. These incremental improvements illustrate how the Hercules has been continuously adapted to modern aviation requirements rather than replaced by a completely new airframe.

📸Heide Couch / U.S. Air Force

09/08/2026

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is the third Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and was commissioned at Newport News, Virginia, on March 13, 1982, following more than seven years of construction. The ship was named in honor of Carl Vinson, the longtime Georgia congressman and influential advocate of U.S. naval expansion who became known as the “Father of the Two-Ocean Navy.” Designed for a 50-year service life, Vinson was built around the Nimitz-class concept of combining nuclear propulsion, a large flight deck, extensive aviation facilities, and an embarked carrier air wing into a mobile platform capable of sustained operations at sea. Over more than four decades, the carrier has supported numerous U.S. military operations, multinational exercises, humanitarian missions, and forward-presence activities across multiple regions.

The primary purpose of USS Carl Vinson is to conduct sustained carrier air warfare operations while serving as the centerpiece of a carrier strike group. Its large flight deck and aviation infrastructure enable the carrier to launch and recover a diverse air wing while coordinating operations with surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and joint and allied forces. Beyond combat operations, the carrier provides a flexible platform for deterrence, maritime security, crisis response, power projection, and international cooperation. The Navy has described Vinson as a forward-deployed force capable of maintaining a persistent presence and responding rapidly to changing operational requirements, while its nuclear propulsion provides the endurance necessary for extended deployments without the need for conventional propulsion fuel.

USS Carl Vinson has undergone extensive modernization throughout its service life to maintain its operational relevance and support newer generations of naval aviation. Its midlife Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), conducted from 2005 to 2009, included nuclear-reactor refueling and major maintenance and modernization work. More recently, a 17-month Docking Planned Incremental Availability completed in 2020 delivered more than 250 modernization projects, including major electrical, combat-system, and habitability improvements, while also restoring the ship's infrastructure to support fifth-generation aviation. As part of this modernization, Vinson received extensive modifications for the F-35C Lightning II and became the first aircraft carrier equipped to support both the F-35C and CMV-22B Osprey. Subsequent maintenance periods continued upgrading areas such as navigation, communications, radar, information systems, weapons-related systems, propulsion, and flight-deck equipment, demonstrating the Navy's continuing approach of incrementally modernizing the Nimitz-class platform throughout its service life.

📸PO3 Dusty Howell / U.S. Navy

09/08/2026

Russia's Su-35S, a twin-engine, highly maneuverable fourth-generation-plus fighter used extensively for air superiority and strike-escort missions in Ukraine, has suffered a steady stream of losses throughout the war — not all of them from enemy fire. According to Defence Blog, the latest reported incident involves two Su-35S jets that collided in Russia's Kursk region, with Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which has reported ties to the Russian Aerospace Forces, claiming one pilot was killed and another seriously injured. Neither Russia's Defense Ministry nor Ukrainian officials had independently confirmed the details at the time of reporting.

The aircraft's combat losses have come from a mix of sources. Ukraine's air force has claimed several confirmed shootdowns using conventional means, including a notable case in June 2025 when a Ukrainian-operated F-16 downed a Su-35 near Korenevo in Kursk Oblast — the first known aerial kill by an F-16 under Ukrainian command, made possible after a Swedish-supplied ASC 890 radar aircraft detected the Russian jet from 200 to 300 kilometers away and relayed its position in real time.

Not all losses trace back to Ukrainian action, however. Independent Russian outlet The Insider has documented at least two cases in which Russia's own air defense systems shot down Su-35S jets by mistake, incidents Fighterbomber itself has publicly acknowledged while warning Russian pilots that friendly fire posed a greater danger than Ukrainian defenses. With 10 confirmed Su-35S losses attributed to a combination of air defenses, strike drones, and aviation incidents since the war began, the aircraft's record reflects the broader toll of sustained wartime operations — even on one of Russia's most capable active fighters.

📸Courtesy / U.S. Department of War

09/08/2026

The M1 Abrams is a family of American main battle tanks developed to replace the M60 series and provide the U.S. Army with a highly protected and mobile armored combat platform. Development began during the Cold War, and the first production M1 tanks entered U.S. Army service in 1980. The vehicle was named after General Creighton W. Abrams, a distinguished U.S. Army armored commander who served as Chief of Staff of the Army from 1972 to 1974. Since its introduction, the Abrams has evolved through successive generations, reflecting advances in protection, electronics, mobility, communications, and battlefield awareness. This continuous modernization approach has allowed the Abrams family to remain relevant while the Army has adapted to changing operational and technological requirements.

The primary purpose of the Abrams is to provide heavily protected, mobile firepower as part of combined-arms ground formations. The platform is designed to support armored brigade operations by combining mobility, survivability, situational awareness, and the ability to operate as part of a digitally connected force. Rather than functioning as an isolated system, the modern Abrams is integrated into broader command-and-control networks that enable commanders and crews to share information and coordinate actions with other elements of the force. Its continued modernization reflects the U.S. Army’s broader objective of maintaining a credible and adaptable armored capability against evolving threats while preserving the platform’s effectiveness across a wide range of operational environments.

The Abrams has undergone extensive modernization, with the M1A2 SEPv3 representing the current production configuration. SEPv3 introduced improvements in survivability, electrical power generation and distribution, onboard computing, communications, diagnostics, ammunition-data connectivity, and supportability, while also providing greater capacity for future technologies. Earlier modernization programs introduced increasingly capable digital architectures and thermal-imaging systems, while later upgrades incorporated technologies such as an auxiliary power unit and active protection capabilities. The Army is now developing the M1E3 Abrams as the next major evolution of the platform. The M1E3 program emphasizes reduced weight, improved fuel efficiency, lower crew workload, enhanced survivability, and a Modular Open Systems Architecture designed to make future technology upgrades easier and more affordable. In January 2026, the Army publicly unveiled an early M1E3 prototype, marking another major step in the Abrams modernization effort.

📸Maj. Brian Sutherland / U.S. Army

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