:

Pentagon

Heritage Report Assesses U.S. Military Strength As ‘Marginal’

By Cal Biesecker

Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

SHARE:

Heritage Report Assesses U.S. Military Strength As ‘Marginal’

The USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) steams through the Atlantic Ocean on April 13, 2022, underway conducting carrier qualifications and strike group integration prior to operational deployment. (Photo: U.S. Navy by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Riley McDowell)

The posture of the U.S. military to fight and win two major conflicts at the same time is “marginal,” marked by areas of strength and weakness, a new report from the Heritage Foundation says. The U.S. military is probably only able to be successful in a single major regional contingency (MRC), the conservative think tank says in its annual report, 2026 Index of U.S. Military Strength. The analysis is based on a U.S. strategy that sees China as the primary…

Congress

Baldwin Concerned With Army’s JLTV ‘Mismanagement,’ Seeks Support For Marines’ Procurement Plans

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has raised concerns with the “Army’s mismanagement” of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, and is seeking assurance that the Marine Corps can be supported […]

Congress

SASC Cites Concern With Army’s sUAS Approach, Seeks Info On Plans To Scale Fielding

Senate defense authorizers are seeking more info from the Army on its plans for scaling and deploying small drone capabilities citing concern with the service’s current “fragmented and insufficient” approach. […]

SASC Bill Would Raise Amphib Requirement To 33 Ships

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) fiscal year 2027 defense policy bill adds new provisions that would raise the Navy and Marine Corps’ minimum requirement for amphibious warships and extend […]

Army

Army Plans To Initiate ISV-Heavy Competition Later This Year, Official Says

The Army is planning to initiate its competition to build the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)-Heavy in the fourth quarter of this year, a senior acquisition official has said. Jesse Tolleson, […]