This article by Alex Hollings was originally published by SOFREP. When I was a kid, blessed with my ignorance of geopolitics and the looming rise of terrorism, I was aware of only a few legitimate threats to my safety and well-being. Rocky, I was aware, had already successfully defused the Cold War through the art […]
3 pieces of military tech from ‘The Mandalorian’ that we’re already working on
LifestyleThis article by Alex Hollings was originally published by SOFREP. It’s now safe to say that Disney+ has a bonafide hit on its hands with their new Star Wars series, “The Mandalorian,” and it’s pretty easy to see why. The gritty worlds depicted in the series are ripe with believable characters, well shot and choreographed […]
The Soviet “Dome of Light” Cold War weapon mystery
HistoryThis article by Alex Hollings originally appeared on SOFREP Back in 1988, the Cold War was not quite as pressing a concern as it had been in years past. Mikhail Gorbachev had already begun his Glasnost initiative to open the nation up both internally and externally, and in the minds of many historians, the gears […]
America had a secret Space Force in the 1980s
FeaturedThis article by Alex Hollings originally appeared on SOFREP Last year, President Trump made headlines the world over with the announcement of a proposed space-specific branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. While the administration and logistics of such an endeavor remain the subject of debate, the fact that the United States has a vested interest […]
The secret military past of famous hijacker D.B. Cooper
FeaturedThis article by Alex Hollings originally appeared on SOFREP On the day before Thanksgiving, November 24, 1971, an appropriately well-dressed man who was around six feet tall and thought to be in his mid-40s bought a $20 airplane ticket for Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305. The name he provided when he purchased the ticket was Dan Cooper, […]
Delta Force and Hollywood: An uneasy partnership
FeaturedThis article by Alex Hollings originally appeared on SOFREP There are distinct differences between SEAL Team 6 and Delta Force that are worthy of exploration, but in the minds of the American public, only one of these elite war fighting units is the most popular. They draw more headlines, sell more books, and use more hair gel […]
Dyatlov Pass: Did a failed Soviet missile test create one of the internet’s most pervasive mysteries?
FeaturedThis article by Alex Hollings originally appeared on SOFREP The internet has no shortage of mysteries for those inclined to chase them. Many fit neatly within genres with dedicated fan bases: true crime, Bigfoot, unexplained lights in the sky. But some are so inexplicable, so disturbing, that they worm their way into nearly every corner of […]
The new ‘Black Widow’ movie features a Cold War Soviet version of Captain America
LifestyleThis article by Alex Hollings was originally published by SOFREP When it comes to action-packed blockbusters, no one in the game has demonstrated a propensity for creating solid-to-great movies that share a single cinematic universe like Marvel has. From the early days of “Iron Man” to significant tonal shifts in movies like “Guardians of the […]
Ghost Ship in the Sky: How a WWII sub-hunting blimp crew vanished
HistoryThis article by Alex Hollings was originally published by SOFREP Stories of ghost ships adrift in the vast expanses of ocean have survived since man first took to the sea. Legends about ships like The Flying Dutchman, which was lost under the leadership of Van der Decken near the Cape of Good Hope as they […]
How are automatic weapons actually used in combat?
Military AffairsThis article by Alex Hollings was originally published by SOFREP One of the most common misconceptions about firearms you may come across involves the appropriate use, and value of, automatic weapons. If action movies and TV shows are to be believed, an automatic weapon is always the best option for a fire fight – and […]
