The War Zone. Your daily source for military, defense, and geopolitics coverage.

TOPSHOT - An employee handles 155 mm caliber shells after the manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) in Scranton, Pennsylvania on April 16, 2024. In brick buildings that are more than a century old, nearly in the heart of Joe Biden's Rust Belt hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, dated machinery churns artillery for modern conflicts, especially the war in Ukraine. The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant (SCAAP) is making steel tubes for 155 mm caliber shells, which are crucial to Kyiv's efforts to face down Moscow's invasion. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images) China

Shell Game: Inside The Worldwide TNT Shortage

We talk to a major U.S. artillery shell maker about how ongoing conflicts have severely strained the global supply of critical explosive compounds.

Latest News

U.S. President Donald Trump again justified accepting a gifted 747-8 from Qatar to serve as a temporary Air Force One, but can it meet safety and security requirements?
Air Force One

Turning Qatar’s Gifted 747 Into Air Force One Will Be Anything But Free

Trump rightly said only “a stupid person” would turn down the free Qatari jet, but transforming it into Air Force One for a few years of service doesn’t appear realistic.

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General Rajiv Ghai with Air Marshal AK Bharti, Vice Admiral AN Pramod during a press conference on 'Operation Sindoor' at National Media Centre, on May 12, 2025 in New Delhi, India. Senior officers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force addressed the nation, revealing details of Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military strike carried out on May 7 targeting terror bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province. Officers confirmed that over 100 terrorists were killed during the operation. The strikes were launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
India

Claims Swirls As India And Pakistan Assess Results Of Latest Conflict

Both sides are proclaiming the successes of their respective militaries as the dust settles on a brief but intense conflict.

KC-130T Hercules tanker/transports belonging to the U.S. Navy's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30), the “Bloodhounds,” are gaining the ability to link up to the Starlink satellite constellation to help with long-range missile and other test work out in the Pacific.
KC-130

Starlink-Equipped Navy C-130s Offer Communication Boost For Pacific Missile Tests

KC-130Ts with Starlink will get test data where it needs to go rapidly, a new example of the military’s growing use of commercial satellite constellations.

Ukraine’s military intelligence service has released details of a new Russian cruise missile, the S8000 Banderol, which it claims makes extensive use of components sourced from foreign manufacturers, including in the United States. Unusually, the missile was apparently developed for launch from drones and has reportedly already been used in combat in the war in Ukraine.
Ukraine

New Small Russian Cruise Missile Captured By Ukrainian Intelligence

Lightweight, low cost, and reportedly full of foreign components, Russia’s Banderol cruise missile has emerged on the battlefield in Ukraine.

BRDY MILITARY BASE, CZECH REPUBLIC - MARCH 28: A part of the abandoned bunker complex that formerly belonged to the Soviet military on the Brdy reservation near Mirosov on March 28, 2007 near Plzen, Czech Republic. The site which was visited by US experts, may become the new location of an American radar installation that will be used for the pupose of anti-missile defense. (Photo by Kurt Vinion/Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

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

That’s not snow pal…

Chinese-Made PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Components Came Down Intact Inside India
India

Chinese-Made PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Components Came Down Intact Inside India

Pakistani use of PL-15Es against Indian fighters opens up a new vector for intelligence exploitation on one of China’s most threatening missiles.

The U.S. Air Force’s new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavier focus on commercial-off-the-shelf components, than the service’s existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Wants Collaborative Aircraft Fleet To Stress Parts Commonality For Forward Operations

In order to make CCA work, a high degree of component commonality needs to exist even across drastically different airframes.

Two new drone designs, Apollo and Athena, are in development at Kratos with a particular focus on collaborative operations with other crewed and uncrewed aircraft, and an eye toward sales in Europe.
Loyal Wingman

Two Secretive Loyal Wingman Drones Aimed At European Market In Development From Kratos

Apollo and Athena drones will focus on performance over range, and could be very valuable when paired with third and fourth generation fighters.

AV introduced its new Kraken3 uncrewed surface vessel at the SOF Week conference in Tampa
Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs)

New Drone Boat Unveiled At Special Operations Conference In Afterglow Of Ukrainian Success

The Kraken3 Scout Medium is designed for one-way attacks, counter-drone missions and cargo and personnel delivery.

The U.S. Army has incorporated special operations-specific requirements into the design of its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotor, which has led to an unspecified increase in gross weight.
MH-60/AH-60

Army’s Future Tiltrotor Gets Heavier So It Can Rapidly Convert Into Special Ops Variant

Turning UH-60s into Night Stalker MH-60s is a complicated process, and the hope is to avoid that with the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.

Red Cat drone interview.
Drones

We Talk About The U.S. Army’s New Black Widow Short-Range Recon Drone With Red Cat

As the U.S. military works to catch-up to major unmanned warfare trends on the battlefield, companies like Red Cat are stepping in.

A U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Jan. 31, 2025. Designed for close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance, the AC-130J provides CENTCOM forces an expeditionary, direct-fire platform with 30mm and 105mm cannons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gerald R. Willis)
AC-130

Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile-Armed AC-130J Gunships Could Be On The Horizon

Harpoons would give AC-130Js a dedicated tool for engaging enemy ships and fit well with plans to boost their capabilities with new radars.

More Latest News

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?

The USAF thinks air-launched drones, standoff weapons, and its ability to fly from remote locations may give the OA-1K relevance in high-end combat.

A CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron approaches the air-refueling receptacle of an MC-130 Commando II during a night flight at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Sept. 12, 2024. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines a helicopter's vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities with the long-range, fuel efficiency, and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)

Electronic Warfare Lessons From Ukraine Informing Air Force Special Operations Future

Observations from Ukraine about rapidly adapting platforms and systems to changing battlefield realities is also driving major change in AFSOC.

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.

Air Force Looking For Cheap Air-To-Air Missile Half The Size Of AMRAAM

The Air Force is eyeing a pint-sized, extended-range, low-cost missile to arm Collaborative Combat Aircraft and crewed fighters.

The Marines are investigating the use of the REGENT Viceroy sea glider to deliver troops, cargo and perform other functions in contested areas.

Seaglider Aims To Deliver Small Groups Of Marines Low Over The Waves

Eyeing a future fight in the Pacific, the USMC is seeking craft that can swiftly and efficiently move small loads of troops and materiel to austere locales.

NANTWICH, ENGLAND - MAY 24: The nuclear strike mapping room view inside the former RAF Hack Green secret nuclear bunker on May 24, 2023 in Nantwich, England. Hack Green played a central role in the defence of Britain for almost sixty years. It was chosen during WW2 to protect the land between Birmingham and Liverpool from hostile attack and as a location for the new RADAR equipment. The bunker went on to be used for shelter and protection during the Cold War. As relations between East and West thawed many of the UK's nuclear bunkers were sold off. The Secret Bunker is now privately owned by the Siebert family and is run as a museum trust. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

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

We are running out of light bulbs.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a model of Air Force One on the table, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is meeting with Netanyahu to discuss ongoing efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza and newly imposed U.S. tariffs. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Is An ‘Interim’ Air Force One Replacement Even Feasible?

Reports state that Trump is looking to convert a Qatari royal flight 747 into a less exquisite Air Force One as Boeing’s delays on the VC-25Bs stack up.

Marine MV-22 Ospreys Won’t Get Tanker Capability To Refuel F-35Bs Anytime Soon

Marine MV-22 Ospreys Won’t Get Tanker Capability To Refuel F-35Bs Anytime Soon

MV-22 tanker capability was a priority over a decade ago, but now, even as range has become more critical than ever, the program is going nowhere.

The U.S. Air Force and Anduril have offered what appears to be the first look at a "production representative" example of the YFQ-44A drone, also known as Fury.

Our First Look At The YFQ-44A ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

The Air Force has kicked off ground testing of Anduril’s YFQ-44A and General Atomics’ YFQ-42A ahead of expected first flights this year.

F-16 Fighting Falcons sit in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. on Jul. 30, 2010. The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group is converting F-16s into usable manned or drone targets allowing Air Force to train and test new weapons platforms in the process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Desiree N. Palacios)

F-16s Pulled From U.S. Boneyard Are Being Delivered To Ukraine For Spare Parts

The U.S. had not committed to giving Ukraine its F-16s, but images of the type being flown out of Arizona on a Ukrainian An-124 began circulating last week.

Future versions of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missile for the U.S. Army could carry Coyote drones or Hatchet miniature glide bombs, according to Lockheed Martin.

PrSM Ballistic Missiles Loaded With Coyote Drones, Hatchet Mini Smart Bombs Eyed By Army

Army Precision Strike Missiles loaded with precision munitions or drones would offer new ways to wreak havoc deep inside enemy territory.

Making Sure Wingman Drones Don’t Hit Their Crewed Companions Still A Challenge Marines Say

Making Sure Wingman Drones Don’t Hit Their Crewed Companions Still A Challenge Marines Say

The services continue to face many basic questions about how they will fly alongside their CCAs, let alone send them into combat.

Lumberjack strike munition from Northrop Grumman

Lumberjack Jet-Powered One-Way Attack Munition Can Drop Its Own Precision Bomblets (Updated)

Northrop Grumman’s Lumberjack can travel several hundred miles or loiter for hours, and strike multiple targets on a single sortie.

An F-15EX Eagle II aircraft assigned to 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida taxis towards the runway prior to take off at Nellis Air Force, Nevada, Oct. 21, 2021. The aircraft are at Nellis AFB to conduct Integrated Test and Evaluation along with F-15C aircraft from the 123rd Fighter Squadron, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)

F-15EX To Replace Michigan Air National Guard A-10s

The surprise announcement made by President Trump prompts questions about a larger F-15EX buy and expanded basing plans.

The U.S. Marine Corps has received an Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm (ExDECS) weapon in order to facilitate experimentation with the use of high-power microwave (HPM) technology in the increasingly volatile low altitude air defense (LAAD) role. This kind of counter-drone system is increasingly seen as a critical layer in force protection and urgently needed to enhance current and future ground-based air defense (GBAD) capabilities.

Marines Get Their First High Power Microwave Weapon For Taking On Drone Swarms

Testing the ExDECS weapon will give the USMC a better idea of how high-power microwave technology can boost its short-range air defenses.

Aurora Flight Sciences has provided new details about the demonstrator design it is working on for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Liberty Lifter X-plane program.

Liberty Lifter Ekranoplan Demonstrator Aims To Lift C-130-Sized Payloads

DARPA is eyeing a first flight for the Liberty Lifter X-plane in 2028-2029, which could lead to a much heavier-lifting production aircraft.

Tactical airpower, and specifically the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, are big beneficiaries of recently proposed legislation put forward by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.

F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill

Lawmakers want to accelerate F-15EX production and prevent F-15E Strike Eagle retirements as part of a massive $150B increase in defense spending.

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This Kamikaze Impact Mark On A British Cruiser Is A Testament To The Brutality Of The Pacific War

Exclusive: Uniquely Configured RQ-170 Stealth Spy Drone Appears At Vandenberg AFB

Watch This Haunting Video Of Gunner Being Buried At Sea In Badly Damaged Torpedo Bomber

CIA’s Predecessor To The SR-71 Blackbird Tested Electron Guns To Hide From Radars

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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….

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