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Latest News
U.S. AH-64 Apache, MH-60 Seahawk Helicopters Sink Six Iranian Boats (Updated)
Commercial vessels and American warships are coming under Iranian attack around the Strait of Hormuz as a new U.S. maritime protection plan has kicked off.
Israel’s First KC-46 Tanker Is Now Flying
The first new tanker is set to arrive in Israel in around a month and will help relieve pressure on the IAF’s tiny and very old KC-707 tanker force.
First Ships Transit Strait Of Hormuz Under New U.S. Protection Plan
Project Freedom appears to be aimed, at least for now, at evacuating ships stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war with Iran began.
Confusion Surrounds Future Of U.S. Long-Range Missiles In Germany Amid Rift With White House
The latest U.S.-Germany rift could leave NATO in Europe outmatched by Russia’s long-range firepower, at least in the near term.
First B-52 To Arrive For Re-Engining At Boeing Plant Later This Year (Updated)
New Rolls-Royce F130 engines are a critical upgrade for Air Force B-52s, but work has been beset by delays and growing costs.
Where Are The Carriers As Of May 3, 2026: Ford Finally Heads Home
Two carrier strike groups remain in the Middle East as President Trump announces Project Freedom to get trapped ships out of the Persian Gulf.
Marine Amphibious Combat Vehicles To Get Missile-Swatting Active Protection Systems
Active Protection Systems will give Marine ACVs a critical new layer of defense against anti-armor threats that could also help down incoming drones.
Confidence In CH-53K King Stallion Grows Ahead Of First Operational Deployment
Going to sea with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is a prelude to the CH-53K hitting full-rate production, planned for FY 2029.
China is America’s Military Equal Now And In Any Future Fight, Marine General Warns
Faced with the rapidly growing China threat, the U.S. has to start hardening its bases now, said Marine Lt. Gen. Stephen Sklenka.
Israel To Buy Extra F-15IA And F-35I Squadrons
After years of high-tempo operations in the Middle East, Israel has locked in plans to further expand its airpower with new F-15IA and F-35I fighters.
Could The X-BAT Stealth Fighter Drone Change The Air Combat Game?
We talk with Armor Harris, the chief designer of X-BAT, about its GE engine, thrust-vectoring controls, Hivemind AI ‘pilot’ and forthcoming flight-test plans.
New VC-25B Air Force One “Bridge” Aircraft Now Fully Modified And Flight Tested
The ex-Qatari royal flight aircraft is scheduled to be delivered to the Presidential Airlift Group this summer after a warp speed modifications and testing regime.
Marines Realize They Can’t Depend On Army For Ballistic Missile Defense
The Marines currently rely on already strained Army units to provide defense against incoming ballistic missiles, which could be a big problem in the Pacific.
Marines Offer Glimpse Of New Plan For Its Future Ground Combat Forces
Ground Combat Element 2040 offers hints into how the Marines expect to fight in a future dominated by AI and autonomous weapons.
First USMC MQ-58 Valkyrie CCA Drones To Arrive In 2029
The MQ-58 with conventional landing gear will mark the beginning of the Marines’ operational Collaborative Combat Aircraft journey, with other types likely to follow.
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The War Zone — also known by the shorthand TWZ — has become an essential resource for the defense industry, the national security community, and the interested public at large since it was launched in 2016.
From its early beginnings to the present day, TWZ’s purpose remains the same.
The site stands at the nexus of military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. As a full-spectrum defense news and analysis website, TWZ covers the air, sea, land, space, and cyber domains of warfare, with an infusion of geopolitical context and technological analysis to offer readers deeper, yet easy-to-consume, insights than what they will find anywhere else….