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A U.S. Navy F-35C Joint Strike Fighter flying from the supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln has shot down an Iranian drone said to have “aggressively approached” the ship. F-35C

F-35 From USS Abraham Lincoln Shoots Down Iranian Drone (Updated)

The F-35C acted to defend the supercarrier from the drone after it approached the ship while operating far out to sea.

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A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025. The F-15EX, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is one of the first F-15EXs in the Air Force, and is going through developmental and operational test series at Eglin to prepare the platform to be delivered to the warfighter.
F-15

F-15EX Buy Dropped By Indonesia

With Rafale deliveries underway, Indonesia has stepped away from its previous plan to buy up to 24 F-15EX Eagle IIs.

KC-46 mishap closes moron
U.S. Air Force

KC-46 Mishap Closes Key European Logistical Hub For U.S. For Days

The KC-46 mishap at Moron Air Base in Spain comes as the U.S. is flowing military resources to the Middle East ahead of a potential attack on or from Iran.

The U.S. Marine Corps says it is planning to award a sole-source contract for a new AGM-114 Hellfire missile-armed mobile counter-drone system to defense contractor V2X.
AGM-114 Hellfire

Company Behind Drone-Killing Hellfire Missile-Armed Buggy Set To Get Marine Corps Contract

The Denied Area Sprinter-Hellfire system offers Marines a new highly mobile way to defend against drones and potentially other aerial threats.

F-16s are having a second coming in Europe with the Block 70 and V variant becoming popular, as well as Ukraine using them in combat.

A New-Generation Of F-16 Operations In Europe

Branded Content: A new training center, F-16 Viper (F-16V) upgrades, and new-build Block 70/72 variants hail the second-coming of the Fighting Falcon in Europe.

Jordan, where U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles are base, says the U.S. cannot launch an attack from its country.
Iran

Washington-Tehran Talks Planned As U.S. Military Buildup Continues

Iran’s nuclear ambitions are at the heart of what could be a last-ditch negotiation effort to avert a war.

The U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Preble used its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to down four drones in a demonstration last year, Lockheed Martin has shared.
U.S. Navy

USS Preble Used HELIOS Laser To Zap Four Drones In Expanding Testing

The Navy sees HELIOS and other directed energy weapons as critical capabilities, but has faced persistent challenges in expanding their use.

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New Pentagon guidance for defending critical infrastructure against drone attacks calls for the increased use of netting, cables, and other kinds of passive physical defenses.

Hardened Structures, Nets For Drone Defense Front And Center In New Pentagon Guidance

The Pentagon openly advocating for hardening facilities against drone attacks stands in contrast to pushback from officials in recent years.

The Launch Control Center, with blast door at left, underground at the Oscar-1 Minuteman Missile Alert Facility on Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, June 18, 2020. The Oscar-01 MAF was constructed in 1963 and determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) by Missouri SHPO in 1998. The facility consists of a one-story surface structure, assembled as a Launch Control Support Building (LCSB), and two sub-surface, re-enforced concrete encapsulated steel pods- a Launch Control Center (LCC) and Launch Control Equipment Building (LCEB). These two sub-surface wings are connected by a Tunnel Junction and accessed by an elevator. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexander W. Riedel)

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

It’s like Fraggle Rock.

Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production line is one major step closer to shuttering with the completion of the last batch of fuselage sections and vertical tails for those jets by Northrop Grumman.

Last New F/A-18 Aft Fuselages Built As Super Hornet Production End Approaches

Boeing expects to close out production of new Super Hornets in 2027 and has already stopped building EA-18G Growlers.

A camera placed in the cockpit of a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 Frogfoot close air support jet recorded the dramatic demise of the aircraft, after it was reportedly struck by a Russian long-range air-to-air missile. This is not the first time in the Ukrainian conflict that we’ve seen the destruction of a combat jet at such close quarters. However, with the death of the pilot confirmed by Ukrainian authorities, the footage is a sobering reminder of the huge risks faced by aircrew in some of the most lethal airspace in history.

Ukrainian Su-25 Shoot-Down Seen In Harrowing Onboard Video

Highly dangerous missions and limited performance mean the Su-25 has recorded disproportionate losses over Ukraine.

One of the most enigmatic weapons in the arsenal of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the PL-17 very long-range air-to-air missile, appears to have been shown for the first time at close quarters.

China’s Massive PL-17 Air-To-Air Missile Seen Up Close

A photo has surfaced that appears to show a mock-up of the roughly 20-foot-long weapon on display at an exhibition.

RF-4C Phantom reconnaissance aircraft from the 152nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Reno, Nev., prepare for a mission during Operation Desert Shield.

Flying F-4 Reconnaissance Phantoms Unarmed And Unafraid In Desert Storm

Distinguished Flying Cross recipient RF-4C pilot and his weapon systems officer recollect flying some of the most important recon missions of the war.

A U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call aircraft assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, is parked at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as part of its first stop in the European theater for a scheduled road show, Jan. 26, 2026. The aircraft is also slated to visit Spangdahlem AB, Germany, and RAF Mildenhall, England, marking the platform’s introduction to Airmen, units and NATO Allies in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo)

New EA-37B Compass Call Electronic Warfare Jet Makes Maiden Voyage To Europe

The Air Force is showing off the Compass Call jet’s capabilities to airmen as it transitions away from the aging EC-130 turboprop planes.

The Leopard 2 Family of Vehicles (FOV) are the main battle tanks (MBT) of the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as several NATO countries. This FOV includes the Armoured Engineer Vehicles (AEV) and Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARV), and are capable of supporting a wide range of operations.

Canada Accelerates Armor Plans To Contend With Growing Threats

Canada wants at least 250 new armored fighting vehicles, followed by new tanks, as it faces the challenges of an increasingly contested High North.

U.S. Air Force Airmen with the 912th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare to recover the second B-21 Raider to arrive for test and evaluation at Edwards AFB, Calif., Sept. 11, 2025. The arrival of a second test aircraft provides maintainers valuable hands-on experience with tools, data and processes that will support future operational squadrons. (U.S Air Force photo by Kyle Brasier)

B-21 Raider Future Insights From Global Strike Command’s Top General

The new head of Air Force Global Strike Command offers us an exclusive look at the B-21 program in his first interview since taking charge.

The Navy is now flying F-35As for test and evaluation purposes.

Navy Is Flying Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters

Seeing an F-35A with NAVY painted on its sides is certainly… different.

U.S. Navy Adm. Rich Correll, commander, U.S. Strategic Command, enters a launch control center at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Dec. 15, 2025. Correll took command of USSTRATCOM on Dec. 5, 2025, after serving as the deputy commander for three years. Malmstrom is the first missile base he has visited in his new position. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jack Rodriguez Escamilla)

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

Just to think, there may be sunlight up there…

A deal to allow SDF fighters to leave a prison in Syria where they are holed up will help protect U.S. forces, an official tells us.

Safe Passage Deal For Kurds In Syria Will Help Protect U.S. Forces There: Official

Clashes between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces hurt U.S. efforts to defeat ISIS.

We have what appears to be the first look at one of two new Gulfstream 700 (G700) VIP jets for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Department Of Homeland Security’s New Gulfstream Jet Emerges

The jet is one of two on order for the U.S. Coast Guard.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is now in the Indian Ocean.

Military Buildup In The Middle East Continues, Including What Trump Describes As A “Big Flotilla” (Updated)

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is on its way to the Middle East while additional air defenses are flowing into the region as well.

The French Navy boarded the Russian-inked oil tanker Grinch as tensions grow over the shadow fleet.

Shadow Fleet Tanker Seizure Operations Expand In The Face Of Russian Warnings

Following America’s lead, the boarding and diversion of the Grinch came as Europe is drawing up new plans to go after Russia’s shadow fleet.

Australia has taken the next step in its wide-ranging program to overhaul its air force with the arrival of its first MC-55A Peregrine. The platform, configured for “airborne intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare” (AISREW), is a highly modified version of the Gulfstream G550 business jet, an increasingly popular choice for adaptation for these kinds of specialist missions.

Australia Just Took Delivery Of One Of Its Most Powerful Weapons

Equipped for advanced electronic warfare and surveillance, the MC-55A Peregrine is a cornerstone of RAAF modernization plans.

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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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