---
title: "Bunker Talk: Let’s Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn’t Report On This Week"
description: "We can talk about flooded air bases, orbital particle beam cannons, geopolitics, new F-16s for Taiwan, strategy—you know, no big whoop."
date: "2019-03-23"
modified: "2019-03-23"
authors:
  - name: "Tyler Rogoway"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway"
url: "https://www.twz.com/27121/bunker-talk-lets-chat-about-all-the-stories-we-did-and-didnt-report-on-this-week-14"
categories:
  - "Bunker Talk"
  - "News & Features"
tags:
  - "BSing"
  - "Bunker Talk"
  - "Off Topic"
  - "Open Forum"
  - "Open Thread"
  - "Weekend Chat"
---

# Bunker Talk: Let’s Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn’t Report On This Week

![](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-twz/content/2019/03/asdaaaadd1.jpg>)
*www.twz.com*

We finally got our hands on the Department Of Defense's budget for the 2020 Fiscal Year this week, which led to many new posts about what the Pentagon wants to buy and what its overall goals are in the years to come. These included [orbital particle beam cannons](<https://www.twz.com/27039/budget-docs-show-pentagon-aims-to-loft-particle-beam-anti-missile-weapon-into-space-in-four-years>), new and [improved long-range missiles](<https://www.twz.com/27068/navy-to-supersize-its-ultra-versatile-sm-6-missile-for-even-longer-range-and-higher-speed>), upgraded [flying gunships](<https://www.twz.com/27071/marines-to-finally-add-30mm-cannon-to-bolt-on-harvest-hawk-armament-kits-for-kc-130js>), [AI infused software](<https://www.twz.com/27067/usaf-plans-for-its-skyborg-ai-computer-brain-to-be-flying-drones-in-the-next-two-years>) to autonomously fly drones and help human pilots, and even the Navy's highly [ambitious plan to reach](<https://www.twz.com/27100/lets-talk-about-the-navys-ultra-ambitious-new-plan-to-get-to-355-ships-in-just-15-years>) its 355 ship fleet goal in just 15 years.

We also learned more about what the [F-117 may be up to](<https://www.twz.com/27024/f-117-sported-mysterious-dark-knights-tail-flash-during-recent-mojave-desert-flights>) over a decade after its retirement, got some really [troubling F-35 readiness data](<https://www.twz.com/27047/the-navys-operational-f-35c-is-fully-mission-capable-less-than-five-percent-of-time>), saw the new Presidential helicopters [like never before](<https://www.twz.com/27102/behold-this-sweet-shot-of-two-future-marine-one-vh-92-helicopters-flying-in-formation>), finally got to see Sikorsky's SB\>1 Defiant [take to the skies](<https://www.twz.com/27098/watch-sikorsky-and-boeings-sb1-defiant-compound-helicopter-fly-for-the-first-time>), talked [future drone tankers](<https://www.twz.com/27106/trump-admin-will-reportedly-approve-sale-of-new-f-16s-to-taiwan-and-china-will-absolutely-freak>) for the USAF, and broke down the possibility that the Trump Administration may be about to approve the sale of [new F-16s to Taiwan](<https://www.twz.com/27106/trump-admin-will-reportedly-approve-sale-of-new-f-16s-to-taiwan-and-china-will-absolutely-freak>)—a well established geopolitical and military "red line" for Beijing. There was also the [terrible flooding of Offutt](<https://www.twz.com/26991/home-of-strategic-command-and-some-of-usafs-most-prized-aircraft-is-flooding>) Air Force Base that will have wide-ranging impacts for months to come.

Still, there were many subjects we didn't get to. And clearly, the mother of all stories came to a head today when Special Council Robert Mueller released his long-awaited Russia report to the Attorney General.

But it's not too late.

Welcome to Bunker Talk!

This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn't get to. In other words, literally an off-topic thread.

We can talk about just how open and forthcoming the USAF is about the B-21's development:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1109181571934941186

Or how about we discuss the UK's purchase of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft to replace their aging E-3s:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1109040445609390081

Then there were these Ospreys that popped up in Tripoli:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1107963651288379392

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1107978220895387648

Or what about this crazy Russian anti-riot vehicle!?:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1107711318604288001

We can also just marvel at the size of the Mi-26 Halo:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1107480291709325313

Finally, I recommend everyone read this editorial by Sully that highlights what some of us know all too well—the incestuous relationship between the FAA, airlines, and OEMs:

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1108139085485539329

The Bunker doors are open.

Discuss!

*Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com*

## Author
Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, as well as foreign policy, and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense and national security space. Tyler was the creator of the hugely popular defense site *Foxtrot Alpha* before developing *TWZ*, which he continues to lead as the Editor-In-Chief to this day.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel>)