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

An F-14D Tomcat pulls up after performing a fly-by past the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as the ship operates in the Atlantic Ocean on June 19, 2006. F-14

My God… The F-14 Tomcat May Actually Fly Again Over The United States

Long regarded as a flight of fancy, the "Maverick Act" could put an F-14 back into operation in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years.

Latest News

Iranian media reports an island in the Strait of Hormuz was attacked
Iran

U.S. Just Struck Iranian Targets Around The Strait Of Hormuz (Updated)

U.S. Central Command says it carried out the strikes in retaliation to Iranian attacks on its forces.

The Air Force is now looking to conduct a formal review of its requirements to see whether the development of a successor to the B-52 might be warranted, and potentially sooner rather than later.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Is Going To Explore What Will Finally Replace The B-52

The USAF plans to keep its B-52s until they are nearly a century old, but they cannot fly forever, and costs are already skyrocketing on key upgrades.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, specially painted to mark 40 years since Operation Eldorado Canyon, the raid on Libya, has taken to the air.
U.S. Air Force

Camouflaged F-15E Painted To Mark F-111’s Libya Raid Blasts Through Mach Loop On First Flight

Hauling eight inert GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, the F-15E painted for the anniversary of Operation El Dorado Canyon made a low-level flight through Wales.

U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet blasted an Iranian ship running the blockade.(
Iran

F/A-18 Super Hornet Blasts Blockade-Running Iranian Ship’s Rudder With 20mm Cannon (Updated)

The Super Hornet strafing the ship is the latest instance where the Navy used direct fire to disable Iranian ships trying to run the blockade.

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer performs a functional check flight in a stripped, bare-metal configuration over Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Feb. 26, 2026. The aircraft was undergoing depot maintenance after being removed from long-term storage and is part of an effort to return the bomber to service.
U.S. Air Force

B-1B “Apocalypse II” Out Of The Boneyard And Back In Service

After nearly two years of work, the Bone once known as Rage has completed its journey out of the desert and back to active service.

Northrop Grumman's experimental XRQ-73 Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) hybrid-electric drone has now taken to the skies.
U.S. Air Force

DARPA’s XRQ-73 Hybrid-Electric Flying Wing Drone Has Flown

The XRQ-73 was designed with a focus on very quiet, high-efficiency flight, and it has evolved since it was last seen in 2024.

The U.S. Marine Corps is working toward adding an active protection system (APS) capability to its fleet of 8x8 wheeled Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV).
Amphibious Vehicles

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.

U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and U.S. Navy Sailors prepare to land a CH-53K King Stallion helicopter during UNITAS 2025, aboard the San Antonio class amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LPD 24), off the coast of North Carolina, Sept. 25, 2025. UNITAS, which is Latin for “unity,” was conceived in 1959 and has taken place annually since first conducted in 1960. This year marks the 66th iteration of the world’s longest running annual multinational maritime exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
CH-53K

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, warns a top Marine general.
China

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.

The compact version of the AIM-9X is being developed with a focus on increased magazine depth when carried internally by "advanced aircraft," while also offering improved range and performance.
AIM-9 Sidewinder

Smaller AIM-9X Sidewinder For Stealthy Weapons Bays Is In Development

More compact AIM-9Xs will allow aircraft to carry more at once and make them easier to fit at all inside the weapons bays of future drones.

Among the latest products from Turkey’s prolific defense industry is a missile apparently directly inspired by the secretive AGM-114R9X variant of the widely used Hellfire, the effects of which TWZ was the first to identify back in 2017. Named Neşter, Turkish for scalpel, the new missile features the same kind of pop-out, sword-like blades as used on the AGM-119R9X, a weapon popularly dubbed “Flying Ginsu” or “Ninja” due to its unusual capabilities.
AGM-114 Hellfire

Turkey Developing Its Own Bladed ‘Ginsu’ Precision Guided Munition

Turkey is offering a derivative of its MAM-L lightweight munition with the same pop-out, sword-like blades as used on the AGM-114R9X Hellfire.

Iranian small boats sunk by apache.
Iran

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.

NSM sinks target ship in Luzon strait.
South China Sea

Missiles Clobber Target Ship In Highly Strategic Luzon Strait

The ex-Philippine Navy warship was sent to the bottom during high-profile Luzon Strait drills and amid rising Indo-Pacific tensions.

With new threats emerging at home and abroad, the U.S. Coast Guard has created a new Special Missions Command (SMC) to oversee its "deployable specialized forces."
U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard Creates Its Own Special Operations Command

The Coast Guard is putting all of its specialized forces under a single headquarters as demand for their services is at an all-time high.

Iran has attacked the UAE again as fragile ceasefire continues to hold.
Iran

New Iranian Attacks On UAE As Ceasefire Holds By A Thread (Updated)

Joint Chiefs Chairman says Iran attacked U.S. forces 10 times during the ceasefire.

More Latest News

Rearming U.S. Navy warships at sea might be a new mission for its pair of Montford Point class expeditionary transfer dock ships.
Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB)

Navy’s Unwanted Sea Base Ship Will Test At-Sea Rearming Of Warships

At-sea reloading demonstrated by USNS Montford Point could be key in a future fight in the Pacific and give these ships a new lease on life.

TWZ celebrates 10 years.
News & Features

Letter From The Editor: 10 Years And 11,000 Articles Later

TWZ was launched 10 years ago today and we are still here and growing thanks to all of you.

Israel’s first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker — now given the Hebrew name Gideon, after a biblical judge and military leader — has completed its first flight in the United States, with delivery expected soon. As we have discussed in the past, new tankers and additional refueling capacity are something the Israeli Air Force increasingly needs.
KC-46

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.

The U.S. Air Force says the first B-52 to receive new F130 engines is set to be delivered to Boeing's facility in San Antonio, Texas, to begin the modification process later this year.
B-52

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.

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 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.

As it continues its very high tempo of operations in the Middle East, the Israeli Air Force is set to get two new fighter squadrons, one each of the F-15IA and the stealthy F-35I Adir. While the numbers involved were not stated, the IAF has recently bolstered its fighter inventory in the form of 25-aircraft squadrons. This is almost certain to be the case here, too, which would provide the service with an eventual total of 100 F-35Is and 50 F-15IAs.
F-15

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.

A donated Qatari 747-8i has been modified and flight tested to serve as an Air Force One and will be delivered to the Presidential Airlift Group by this summer, according to the Air Force.
Air Force One

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.

TIRANA, ALBANIA - SEPTEMBER 16: View inside the Bunk'Art Museum, a vast underground bunker built for the former Albanian dictator and high-ranking dignitaries, featuring five floors, 106 rooms, and a cinema hall for government meetings, covering an impressive area of 2,685 m2, seen on September 16, 2024, in Tirana, Albania. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

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

I hope you like the color gray!

The White House says the ceasefire stopped the clock on a law requiring Congressional approval to continue the war.
Iran

Iran Ceasefire Means Trump Needs No Congressional Approval To Continue War: White House

The White House stance on seeking permission to continue the war comes on the deadline for Congressional action.

President Donald Trump is at a crossroads in the future of the war in Iran.
Iran

Trump At A Crossroads For Continuing The War With Iran

The president is reportedly discussing new options for attacking Iran while facing a legal deadline on continuing the conflict.

A U.S. Air Force E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node aircraft assigned to the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron sits parked after participating in an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) integration exercise at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 24, 2021. Globally integrated ISR capabilities ensure U.S. and partner forces carry out mission requirements with great situational awareness of the battlespace.
E-11

Air Force Wants To Axe Its E-11A BACN Communications Jets

The Air Force wants space-based systems to take over from the E-11A in providing critical data fusion and communications relay capabilities.

For the first time, as far as we know, the U.S. Air Force has publicly released imagery showing a B-1B Lancer bomber carrying an AGM-183 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon hypersonic missile, or ARRW.
B-1

B-1B Seen Carrying ARRW Hypersonic Missile For The First Time

The B-1B will now serve to 2037, and ARRW has emerged out of purgatory in the latest Pentagon budget request.

The U.S. Marine Corps is exploring the possibility of fielding a theater ballistic missile defense capability, driven heavily by discussions about the U.S. Army's capacity to provide protection against ballistic threats in future conflicts, or lack thereof.
MIM-104 Patriot

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.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexander PalafoxCayetano, a New York native, a transmission system operator with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, enters a building during urban lane training as part of service level training exercise 3-26 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, April 6, 2026. Service level training exercise assesses Marine Air Ground Task Forces abilities to plan, coordinate and execute large-scale operations by integrating command and control, maneuver, sustainment and live-fire events in realistic training environments.  (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Parker Peichel)
U.S. Marine Corps

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.

Bell has put forward a new concept for a next-generation tiltrotor aircraft armed with anti-ship cruise missiles and other munitions for the U.S. Marine Corps.
MV-75

New Cruise Missile-Armed MV-75 Tiltrotor Concept For The Marines Shown Off

The Marines have said “everything is on the table” when it comes to potential replacements for their AH-1 and UH-1 helicopters.

The U.S. Marine Corps is set to test at least two new autonomous cargo helicopters, as it seeks to field platforms that can rapidly resupply Marines in contested environments. The service recently awarded contracts for two such platforms, one being the R66 Turbinetruck that inserts Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system in the proven Robinson R66 airframe.
Helicopters

Light Uncrewed Cargo Helicopters Based On Robinson R66 And Bell 505 Compete For USMC Contract

Adaptations of two proven commercial rotary-wing designs are vying for a U.S. Marine Corps autonomous resupply vehicle requirement.

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MV-22

This Is What It Takes For An MV-22 To Fly Halfway Across The Pacific

Airborne Electronic Warfare

The EA-6B Prowler Has Been Retired, But Its Impact On Air Warfare Will Live On Forever

C-130

What It’s Like Being A Royal Air Force Photographer Capturing The Action On Deployment

U.S. Navy

I Almost Died Flying Into A Mountain Near Kobe’s Crash: Veteran Navy Pilot Explains The Risks

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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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