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The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. U.S. Air Force

F-15EX Nails Pentagon Test Campaign, Survivability Concerns Remain

The F-15EX has so far impressed in simulated combat, even against fifth-generation threats, although new enemy long-range missiles could prove a challenge.

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(Original Caption) 12/2/1962-Nebraska- New visiual display system designed to expediate command and control of Strategic Air Commands far flung retalitory forces in operation in the Commands' underground Control Center here.

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

It may not smell great, but it's a safe from what's going on above.

Beirut bunker buster CCTV on hezbollah bunker

Unprecedented New View Of BLU-109 Bunker Buster Strike That Killed Hezbollah’s Leadership

The video shows the moment the bunker busters struck, burrowing deep below the road and detonating with such force that the ground is lifted all around.

The Russians say they thwarted a plot to blow up FPV drone operators with explosive-laden goggles.

Explosive-Laden Goggles Sent To Russian FPV Drone Operators

Russia is searching for the perpetrators of a scheme designed to blow up the heads of FPV drones operators, or at least induce fear of their kit.

A video showing testing of the Chinese GL-6 hard-kill active protection system underscores how systems like this to provide a valuable additional layer of defense against uncrewed aerial threats, including highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, something TWZ has previously explored in an in-depth feature.

Chinese Tank’s Active Protection System Seen Intercepting Drone-Fired Rocket Propelled Grenade

Testing of the GL-6 highlights the potential value of hard-kill active protection systems for defending tanks against drone attacks.

Tankers from the 33rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces fire with a Leopard 2A4 tank during a field training at an undisclosed location in Ukraine on October 27, 2024, amid the Russian invasion on Ukraine.

Germany Kicks Off Work On Leopard 3 Main Battle Tank

Enhanced firepower, protection, and mobility are all requirements as Germany begins to look for a successor to its Leopard 2 tanks.

Iran has finally shown a drone taking off and landing on – in the latter case with the help of arresting gear – the deck of the country's unusual new 'drone carrier,' the Shahid Bagheri. Newly emerged imagery also shows various drones and crewed helicopters on the flight deck, which has a ski jump at the bow end, including the appearance of 'drones' styled after the infamous Qaher 313.

Iran’s Wacky Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Service

Questions about the Shahid Bagheri's capabilities remain, especially with the reappearance of the infamous Qaher 313 in a new drone form.

Ukraine has launched a new offensive in Kursk, according to the Russian Defense Ministry and milbloggers.

Ukraine Launches New Offensive Push In Russia’s Kursk Region

While the objectives remain unclear at the moment, the move comes ahead of major meetings to discuss the future of the war.

Developed through a collaboration between NPS and Seatrec, the Persistent Smart Acoustic Profiler (PSAP) Voyager is pictured just after it is deployed in the Pacific off the coast of Kona, Hawaii, in November of 2024. The innovative, self-powered autonomous underwater drone represents a major breakthrough in the persistent collection of acoustic data in real-time. (Photo courtesy Tarry Rago)

Navy Develops Highly Persistent Undersea Hydrophone System Powered By Ocean Temperatures

The Persistent Smart Acoustic Profiler Voyager could make underwater listening cheaper, more flexible, and more persistent for the sea service.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave U.S. President Donald Trump a golden pager commemorating last September's Israeli attack on Hezbollah using thousands of exploding pagers and walkie-talkies.

Trump Receives Golden Pager Gift From Netanyahu

The strange-looking gift commemorates Israel’s attack on Hezbollah operatives last fall using thousands of explosive pagers and walkie-talkies.

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Ukraine has trillions in mineral resources that Donald Trump wants in exchange for U.S. arms. However, a good chunk of that land is held by Russia or too close to the front to mine.

Ukrainian Minerals For Arms Deal Complicated By Russian Control Of Key Territories

Ukraine Situation Report: More than half of the trillions of dollars in mineral resources is on land controlled by Russia.

US military going after cartels?

How Trump Could Use Military Force Against Cartels In Mexico

While using the U.S. military to directly attack the cartels would be unprecedented, there are potential options for doing so.

APKWS infrared seeker in the works.

Infrared Seeker For APKWS Guided Rockets Is In The Works

Finally operationalizing 70mm rockets with infrared seekers could unlock new U.S. capabilities, possibly including the ability to rapidly engage aerial targets.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet from the "Mighty Strikes" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94, flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility while conducing a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve Oct. 2, 2020. VFA-94 is assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17, deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the flagship of Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.

F/A-18’s Infrared Search And Track System Has “Significant Reliability Problems”

The Navy has again run into problems bringing its critical podded infrared search and track system into full operational service.

Maj. Garret Dover prepares to taxi in an F-35A of the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a tenant unit at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., takes off on a test flight at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Feb 17, 2016. Six operational test and evaluation F-35s and more than 85 Airmen of the 31st TES travelled to Mountain Home AFB to conduct the first simulated deployment test of the F-35A, specifically to execute three key initial operational capability mission sets: suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support and air interdiction.

Escalating Trade War Raises Questions Over Canada’s F-35 Future

Canada’s place in the F-35 program is under scrutiny once again, this time due to tit-for-tat tariffs with the United States.

A newly released U.S. Marine Aviation Plan shows the service is now looking at a successor to its MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotors actively enough to give it a name: the Next Generation Assault Support (NGAS) aircraft.

Hunt For A MV-22 Osprey Successor For The Marines Has Begun

Though the Marines have said Ospreys could serve into the 2060s, they are now looking ahead to a Next Generation Assault Support aircraft.

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

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

The bunker will protect you from what's outside… but it won't protect you from what's INSIDE!

Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) disputes claims that North Korean troops have fled the front lines in Kursk.

Ukraine’s Intel Chief Disputes Claim That North Koreans Have Fled The Russian Front

Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov told us that 8,000 North Koreans are still fighting on the front lines in Kursk, but at a reduced capacity.

A relatively low-cost cruise missile that the U.S. Air Force is now developing could transform into an air-launched counter-drone weapon.

Cheap Cruise Missile Program Set To Evolve Into Air-To-Air Drone Interceptor

A system called FALCO could turn the Extended Range Attack Munition into a new source of lower-cost air-to-air weapons with immense range.

Several investigations are underway into a mid-air collision that killed 67 people.

“Elevation Issue” With UH-60 That Collided With CRJ700 Over Potomac Being Investigated: SECDEF

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Black Hawk was manned by "a fairly experienced crew" conducting nighttime continuity of government training.

A caucasian uniformed pilot in the cockpit of a small, modern private single engine propeller aircraft landing at night with runway lights visible.

Here’s What Air Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems Can And Can’t Do

While the Traffic Collision Avoidance System, or TCAS, was introduced as a backup to help prevent mid-air collisions, it has its limitations.

A commercial airliner collided with a Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.

Chilling Air Traffic Control Audio From H-60 Collision With CRJ700 Over Potomac River (Updated)

Air traffic at Ronald Reagan National Airport has been halted while rescuers are on the scene looking for survivors.

Ukraine's Magyar Birds drone unit is now using a system to counter Russian fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones.

Ukraine Discloses New Method To Defeat Russian Fiber-Optic-Controlled FPV Drones

One Ukrainian military drone unit is using mobile radars to track enemy FPV drones which are then destroyed by friendly ones.

200702-N-SB299-1015 SAN DIEGO (July 2, 2020) The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) arrives at its homeport of Naval Base San Diego following more than two years of restoration and modernization at Huntington Ingalls Industries - Ingalls Shipbuilding Division's Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard. The ship was damaged during a 2017 collision that claimed the lives of seven Sailors. While in San Diego, the crew will complete extensive training and certifications through Basic, Advanced, and Integrated phases of training. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Millar/Released)

Destroyer Has Become First U.S. Navy Ship To Deploy Artificial Intelligence System

The destroyer USS Fitzgerald embarked an AI-enabled monitoring system that helps the crew spot maintenance needs before they metastasize into bigger problems.

A U.S. Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter has completed initial ground runs with two of the new T901 Improved Turbine Engines. Developed under the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the T901 was planned to power the now-canceled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) but will instead now make its way into the UH-60 and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

UH-60 Black Hawk Begins Ground Tests With Far More Powerful T901 Engines

The Improved Turbine Engine has powered a Black Hawk for the first time and is also due to be installed in AH-64 attack helicopters.

Dozens Of Israeli Patriot Missiles Sent To Ukraine

Dozens Of Israeli Patriot Missiles Sent To Ukraine

The retired Israeli Patriot PAC-2 interceptors are badly needed in Ukraine and more missiles, and even surplus missile batteries, could 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….

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