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TWZ. Where the cutting-edge of military technology, tactics, strategy, and geopolitics collide.

Raytheon has called attention to a new domestic order for PAC-2-series interceptors for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system. This is the first time the U.S. military has not bought any new PAC-2s in more than 30 years, according to the company. U.S. Army

U.S. Army Is Buying Older PAC-2 Patriot Missiles For The First Time In Decades

PAC-2 GEM-T missiles are not generally as capable as their PAC-3 counterparts, but the Army needs all the Patriots it can get.

Latest News

Two EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare jets arrived at RAF Fairford amid a new buildup of U.S. forces as tensions with Iran mount.
Iran

EA-37Bs Arrive At RAF Fairford As Iran Threatens To Attack The UK Air Base

RAF Fairford is a major hub for USAF bombers flying mission against Iran and other aircraft transmitting to the Middle East.

Operational and test units are laying the groundwork for F-15EXs to also take on air-to-ground missions.
U.S. Air Force

Air-To-Ground Capabilities Are Already Creeping Into The F-15EX’s Mission Set

The F-15EX’s current job is the same as its F-15C predecessor, strictly air-to-air combat, but that is going to change.

The Houthis have attacked Saudi ships in the Red Sea.
Yemen

Houthis Now Attacking Saudi Oil Tankers In Red Sea, Major Energy Supply Implications (Updated)

Just as the war with Iran looks about to fully erupt again, the Houthis are going to put an even tighter squeeze on the world’s energy supply.

A Ukrainian F-16 has shot down a Russian fighter jet for the first time, according to the highest-ranking U.S. military officer. If confirmed, it would represent a significant development in the air war over Ukraine.
Ukrainian Air Force

Ukrainian F-16 Scored First Air-To-Air Kill Against A Russian Fighter: Top U.S. General

General Dan Caine’s disclosure bolsters reports that a Ukrainian F-16 downed a Russian Su-35S this month.

Farnborough International Airshow, 2026 Combat Air launch Client : BAE Systems Picture date: Tuesday July 21, 2026
United Kingdom

Brontanax Fighter Drone Is The UK’s Big Leap Into Collaborative Combat Aircraft

BAE Systems just unveiled its stealthy CCA with some intriguing features.

The U.S. Navy is pumping $70 million into the development of a surface-launched version of CoAspire's Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile-Extended Range (RAACM-ER) cruise missile.
Anti-Ship Cruise Missile

Navy Picks RAACM-ER Low-Cost Cruise Missile For Program To Help Arm Allies (Updated)

The CHAOS program aims to give friendly ground forces new, cheaper ways to strike ships and targets on land at extended ranges.

BAE Systems is exploring how the Eurofighter Typhoon could control uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) as part of a broader effort to introduce new capabilities for the jet. The company is currently pursuing concepts to integrate CCAs with the Typhoon to expand ‘combat mass’ and better address emerging threat environments. Ultimately, however, the experience gained here will be ported over to the future Tempest combat jet — designed to work closely with drone from the outset.
Typhoon

Typhoons Paired With CCA Fighter Drones Armed With Meteor Missiles Eyed By UK

The emerging concepts envision Typhoon commanding loyal wingman drones with help of new radar and next-gen cockpit.

Anduril's YFQ-44A heads to creech for CCA ACE testing.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Fury Loyal Wingman Arrives At Creech AFB For Agile Combat Deployment Trials

Both of the USAF’s CCAs, the YFQ-44 Fury and YFQ-42 Dark Merlin, are to be put through their paces at Creech AFB in Southern Nevada.

A new hybrid-electric heavy-lift cargo drone has been unveiled by the defense arm of U.S. company Beta Technologies.
Helicopters

MV250 Hybrid-Electric VTOL Combat Cargo Drone Unveiled

The new uncrewed platform is designed to move cargo, deploy air-launched effects, and support dispersed military operations.

The Navy is looking for a drone-launching mothership for the SOUTHCOM region.
South America

Mothership Sought By Navy For Southern Command Operations

The ship will be capable of launching and recovering helicopters, drones and small boats, and acting as a sea base for operations.

TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information.
Carrier Tracker

Where Are The Aircraft Carriers: July 20, 2026

The U.S. conducted a weekend wave of strikes against Iran and announced a new round today, while the reinstated blockade of Iranian ports approaches the one-week mark.

The U.S. is sending more aircraft to the Middle East amid increasing fighting with Iran.
Iran

U.S.-Iran Fight Heats Up With Mutual Strikes On Infrastructure Targets

More U.S. Air Force tankers and fighters head to the Middle East as the conflict intensifies.

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The Pentagon is seeking $21 billion to replenish the stocks of weapons used during the Iran war.
Iran

Munitions Expenditures In Iran War Take Center Stage At Senate Hearing (Updated)

The Pentagon wants $21B to replace the weapons it already has used as alarm bells ring about sustaining the conflict with available munitions going forward.

Bad El Mandeb Strait
Iran

Houthi Blockade On Saudi Red Sea Oil Transits Threatens To Widen War, Strangle Energy Supply (Updated)

If the Houthis start attacking ships near the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, it could peel-off U.S. resources from the Iran operation and exacerbate oil shortages.

The U.S. Air Force's new VC-25B Bridge aircraft will receive additional upgrades that will result in its capabilities being "maxed out," according to President Donald Trump.
POTUS

New VC-25B Air Force One Will Be Pulled From Service To Be “Maxed Out” With Upgrades

Trump said the ex-Qatari 747 is going to be upgraded soon when asked about the lack of defensive countermeasures on the new jet.

Jordan base targeted by Iran.
Iran

Two U.S. Troops Killed In Iranian Barrage On Base In Jordan (Updated)

Jordan is a key host of U.S. troops, with Muwaffaq Salti Air Base housing the largest contingent of American tactical airpower in the entire Middle East.

Members of the Moroccan Groupement des Forces Spéciale clear tunnels used by opposition forces during a Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) at Tifnit Training Base, Morocco, May 13, 2026. JCETs bolster regional security and improve threat response by building shared readiness and fostering collaborative relationships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Enrique Barcelo)
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

Is it getting more humid in here?

The U.S. Navy expects the stealth destroyer USS Zumwalt, with its new launchers for Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) hypersonic missiles, to be formally returned to service by September.
U.S. Navy

USS Zumwalt Set To Return To Fleet After Long Anticipated Hypersonic Missile Upgrade

Issues tied to Zumwalt’s hugely powerful hybrid-electric power plant and other factors have set back its return to the fleet.

Saronic, the company that made the first sea drones ever to be used by the U.S. as weapons, announced plans to build a massive new shipyard in Texas
U.S. Navy

Drone Ship Maker Saronic Announces New $3B Shipyard In Texas Capable of Building 850-Foot Vessels

Saronic has been making headlines with its drone boats, but its Texas shipyard supersizes its nautical ambitions.

A very large and interesting-looking vessel is taking shape at a shipyard in southeastern China. What can be seen of it so far points strongly to it being the largest naval resupply ship anywhere in the world.
People's Liberation Army Navy (China)

China Is Building A Monster Supply Ship For Its Carrier Groups

What looks to be the largest at-sea replenishment ship anywhere in the world is taking shape at a Chinese shipyard.

South Korea used anti-drone netting in a recent training exercise.
Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (C-UAS)

South Korea Used Anti-Drone Netting During Recent Logistics Exercise

Across the globe, more militaries are relying on mesh netting to protect against the growing threat of small drones.

Saudi Arabia has been cleared for a $2 billion deal to buy up to 20,000 APKWS II systems.
Royal Saudi Air Force

Saudis Cleared To Buy A Whopping 20,000 Laser-Guided Rockets

The Saudis are clearly arming themselves to defend against a massive number of drones in future conflicts.

Here is the U.S. Navy Fleet operating in the Middle East.
U.S. Navy

Here Are The U.S. Navy Warships Available To Support The Blockade Of Iran

More than 20 U.S. Navy warships, including two carrier strike groups and an amphibious ready group, are underway in the Middle East.

First full day of new blockade on Iranian ports erupts into waves of new attacks.
Iran

First Full Day Of Resumed U.S. Blockade On Iranian Ports Erupts In New Attacks (Updated)

In addition to striking Iranian targets, CENTCOM also turned away two ships trying to run the new blockade.

Anduril's YFQ-44A Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone has live-fired a munition for the first time in a test conducted from Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft

YFQ-44A Fury ‘Fighter Drone’ Has Fired Its First AIM-120 AMRAAM Missile

This is also the first time any U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone has fired a live air-to-air missile.

How many J-20s does china have?
J-20

How Many J-20 Mighty Dragon Fighters Does China Actually Have?

The spotlight may be on sixth-gen designs, but the J-20 Mighty Dragon is transforming the PLAAF through sheer production scale.

The Pentagon has reached new framework agreements with three defense contractors as part of a strategy to acquire thousands of lower-cost air-launched cruise missiles in the coming years.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Plans To Buy 28,000 Low-Cost Cruise Missiles In Five Years Advance With New Deals

The Pentagon is moving forward with a jumbo buy of standoff weapons that cost a fraction of their higher-end legacy counterparts.

Israel is restricting the number of U.S. Air Force refueling tankers at Ben Gurion International Airport.
KC-135

Will USAF Tankers Getting The Boot From Israel’s Biggest Airport Impact Combat Capabilities?

The USAF had already drawn down a large part of its peak tanker force at Ben Gurion Airport, now additional jets will have to find new homes.

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Shadowy New Electronic Warfare System Has Been Installed On U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Ships
U.S. Navy

Shadowy New Electronic Warfare System Has Been Installed On U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Ships

U.S. Homeland

Tom DeLonge’s Origin Story For To The Stars Academy Describes A Government UFO Info Operation

U.S. Homeland

The Story Behind The Modified Falcon Business Jets That Bring America’s Fallen Heroes Home

Special Operations

How a Secretive Special Operations Task Force Is Taking the Fight to ISIS

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TWZ — previously known as The War Zone — 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….

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