$14 billion AI startup Mistral — Europe's answer to OpenAI — lands French military deal as the region bets on homegrown tech

Tech Insider : Business, Technology
Mistral logo
Mistral scored a major win after France's military picked the homegrown AI startup over US tech giants.

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

The military is running out of teenagers to recruit — and old-school methods to reach them are failing

Tech Insider : Business, Politics, Technology
A young person watching a military recruiter on social media.

Matt Rota for BI

Military recruiting is on the upswing, but many recruiters say it's never been harder to get young people interested in service.

Ukraine's top general says that drones are now taking out Russia's soldiers as fast as it gets new ones into battle

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Technology
Two men in camouflage gear kneel outside working on a large grey winged drone with a snark's face painted on the front of it
Ukraine's drone army, and the number of targets its hitting, are growing

ALINA SMUTKO/REUTERS

Navy destroyers helped the US catch a Russian-flagged oil tanker on the run in the Atlantic

Tech Insider : Business
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) maneuvers into position during At-Sea Demonstration (ASD) / Formidable Shield (FS) 2025.
USS Bulkeley, one of the destroyers involved in the seizure, sails in the Atlantic Ocean.

US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jonathan Nye

Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet has been grounded after an 'anomaly' saw a jet and its pilot disappear

Tech Insider : Business
A Taiwanese F-16 is seen from the bottom right as it flies against a grey background.
Search and rescue operations continue for the aircraft and pilot.

Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP

After a two-week chase across the Atlantic, US forces finally caught a Russian-flagged dark fleet tanker that ran its blockade

Tech Insider : Business
The sanctioned Russia-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.
The US carried out an operation to seize a fleeing oil tanker on Wednesday.

US European Command.

'Burden of command': How a brutal recruiting mission broke some Marines leading the charge

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
A captain standing behind marines.

Matt Rota for BI

7 US troops were hurt in the covert Venezuela raid. Here's what we know about their condition.

Tech Insider : Business
An MC-130J Commando II assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing refuels a US Army MH-60M Black Hawk assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) during a helicopter air-to-air refueling exercise near Hurlburt Field, Florida, Nov. 20, 2025.
Seven US troops were hurt during the raid in Venezuela over the weekend, a defense official said.

US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner

Lockheed says it plans to dramatically turn up Patriot missile production

Tech Insider : Business, Technology
Soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade conduct a Patriot missile live-fire exercise at MacGregor Range near Fort Bliss, Texas, Aug. 23, 2025.
Lockheed Martin said it plans to boost production of Patriot missile interceptors.

US Army photo by Sgt. JaDarius Duncan

Satellite image taken after US strikes in Venezuela shows damage beyond a key military base. There are scars at an airport too.

Tech Insider : Business, Technology
The Higuerote Airport in Venezuela on January 3.
The US military struck the Higuerote Airport as part of its operation in Venezuela over the weekend.

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