Alex Hollings

Alex Hollings

USMC
Alex Hollings writes on a breadth of subjects with an emphasis on defense technology, foreign policy, and information warfare. He holds a master's degree in communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor's degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University.

China is using social media to try to change your mind about Hong Kong

As pro-Democracy protests continue to gain steam in Hong Kong, the Chinese military has moved into the semi-independent state in order to bolster the efforts of the Hong Kong police. With allegations of police brutality against protestors already levied by U.N. officials, many fear that China’s military presence may lead to more brutal crackdowns. In […]

Op-Ed: The Founding Fathers wouldn’t like either side of the gun control debate

Despite it’s short history, the United States has evolved rapidly in the near two-and-a-half centuries since this experiment in democracy began. America was founded on the precipice of a new age; one of rapid technological advancement and seemingly just as rapid social change. In the years since George Washington first took office, the entire world […]

Did friendly fire really kill a Marine Raider in Iraq?

Last Sunday, the Pentagon announced the death of Marine Gunnery Sergeant Scott A. Koppenhafer, 35, of Mancos, Colorado. According to the initial release, Koppenhafer died of critical wounds he received under small arms fire while supporting and advising a contingent of Iraqi Security Forces during a planned operation in Ninewah province, Iraq. Now, however, the […]

Marine Corps declares Humvee replacement operational

The Marine Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), a new armored platform set to replace the legendary Humvee, has reached initial operating capability (IOC) and is now ready to begin deploying with Marines globally. The platform was designed in a joint venture with the U.S. Army to provide American war fighters with greater off-road mobility […]

Disney’s Mulan star backs Chinese military intervention against Hong Kong

Hong Kong protestors, spurred initially by new legislation that would allow Hong Kong residents to be extradited to mainland China, have faced a great deal of opposition at home. Local police have been accused of resorting to brutal tactics to stem the growth of what Chinese officials are calling “riots,” and the United Nations has […]

Breaking the Air Force: Ethical hackers unlock America’s fastest fighter jet

The F-15 is a legendary air superiority platform with an unscathed combat record and the title for fastest fighter jet in the U.S. arsenal. It, along with a limited number of F-22 Raptors, represent America’s dog fighting force, as these two aircraft are the only platforms built to fill the primary role of air-to-air interceptors. […]

Breaking: Man stabs security officer at Air Force base, gets killed

A Defense Department Security Forces officer was stabbed by a suspect who was subsequently shot and killed by base security on Andersen Air Force Base in Guam this morning. Details remain limited, but it appears the suspect was running from civilian law enforcement when he attempted to gain entry into the installation. According to an […]

The Navy’s new stealth Special Ops boats have been spotted in the Pacific

In the past few days, images have surfaced on social media showing the U.S. Navy’s latest stealth watercraft being loaded onto a vessel in Naha, Japan sometime last week. The Combatant Craft Medium Mark 1, or CCM Mk1, entered into service with the U.S. Navy Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen (SWCC) Special Boat Teams as recently […]

Purging the waste: SOCOM commander orders new review of culture and ethics in SOF community

After a rash of high profile incidents involving the U.S. Special Operations community, Gen. Richard Clarke, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command, has ordered a comprehensive review of the culture and ethics in play throughout America’s elite war fighting institutions. Recent incidents have called our culture and ethics into question and threaten the trust placed […]

Joe Biden calls for assault weapon ban and buybacks

After yet another round of tragic mass shootings struck two different communities around the United States in recent weeks, the gun control debate has found renewed vigor within America’s political sphere. With no fewer than 24 Democrats competing for their opportunity to run against President Trump in 2020, the discussion revolving around gun control has […]

Watch: After crashing in the wilderness, pilot films his efforts to get rescued

On July 27, pilot Matt Lehtinen found himself living his worst nightmare. While flying alone in his single-prop aircraft over the remote Quebec wilderness, the plane suffered a mechanical failure that put it into an unrecoverable descent. After crashing into the dense forest (using parachutes to slow his fall), some people might have taken a […]

New Russian stealth drone: Threat or liability?

In January, NEWSREP covered leaked images of Russia’s “stealth” combat drone, the Su-70 Okhotnik-B, in an effort to assess the validity of Russia’s claims regarding the platform. At the time, it seemed clear that the aircraft likely had the power required to carry some serious firepower (thanks to what appears to be a fourth generation, […]