---
title: "Bunker Talk: Let’s Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn’t Report On This Week"
description: "We can talk about mysterious Space Shuttle infrastructure, nuclear deterrents, geopolitics, the F-35 deployments—you know, no big whoop."
date: "2019-04-19"
modified: "2019-04-19"
authors:
  - name: "Tyler Rogoway"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway.md"
url: "https://www.twz.com/27561/bunker-talk-lets-chat-about-all-the-stories-we-did-and-didnt-report-on-this-week-17"
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/2019/04/ccaaac-1.jpg>)
*www.twz.com*

This week was dominated [by rotary-wing combat](<https://www.twz.com/27450/new-contender-for-the-armys-high-speed-armed-scout-helicopter-program-emerges.md>). We posted on the [future](<https://www.twz.com/27478/lockheed-tests-game-changing-f-35-like-x-ray-vision-system-on-bells-v-280-valor.md>), the [present](<https://www.twz.com/27515/new-md-explorer-gunship-features-internal-tubes-for-launching-guided-munitions-and-drones.md>), and the past of advanced helicopter technologies. Yet the highlights were some bigger features on unrelated topics. One was on a [peculiar, but historic installation](<https://www.twz.com/27506/vandenberg-afbs-space-shuttle-processing-facility-now-has-a-very-mysterious-mission.md>) at Vandenberg AFB in California and the other was an [in-depth editorial](<https://www.twz.com/27535/updating-americas-land-based-ballistic-missile-nuclear-sponge-is-a-100b-waste.md>) on the validity of investing many billions of dollars to revitalize America's ground-based nuclear deterrent.

In addition, we reported on a huge milestone for the F-35 program—the [first combat deployment](<https://www.twz.com/27464/u-s-air-force-f-35as-first-combat-deployment-to-the-middle-east-has-begun.md>) of the USAF's F-35A to the Middle East. There was also the [historic first flight](<https://www.twz.com/27427/stratolaunchs-roc-the-worlds-largest-aircraft-has-flown-for-the-first-time.md>) of the world's largest aircraft over the weekend that we were posting on in real-time. Finally, Kim Jong Un [was up to his old ways](<https://www.twz.com/27528/kim-jong-un-oversees-fighter-drills-launch-of-new-weapon-as-diplomatic-focus-turns-to-russia.md>) and we even got a peek into the [briefings President-elect Trump received](<https://www.twz.com/27541/these-are-the-briefings-president-elect-trump-got-on-the-f-35-air-force-one-and-nukes.md>) on key weapons programs back in 2016.

Still, there were many subjects we didn't get to. But it's not too late.

Welcome to Bunker Talk!

We can marvel at the sweet wide-area display in the Gripen E/F:

https://twitter.com/_/status/1118915974881861632

Or talk about this unbelievable pic from a Spitfire doing a recon run during World War II:

https://twitter.com/_/status/1118886265447964672

Egypt is really starting to get comfortable with their Mistral-class amphibious assault ships. Take a look at one of them packed with Apaches:

https://twitter.com/_/status/1118753565194039296

You have to hand it to the Chinese, their most [powerful surface combatant](<https://www.twz.com/11941/chinas-type-055-super-destroyer-is-a-reality-check-for-the-us-and-its-allies.md>) is a looker:

https://twitter.com/_/status/1118040445387333633

In executive transport news, it looks like [the old Zil convertibles](<https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/victory-day-parade-soviet-style-militarism-in-the-age-1573972552>) that use to roll the Kremlin's elite through Red Square are finally being replaced by a convertible version of Putin [indigenous Presidential limousine](<https://www.twz.com/20683/putin-arrives-at-fourth-inauguration-in-new-russian-made-armored-limousine.md>):

https://twitter.com/_/status/1117397087052759040

Finally, we can talk about how this shot of Concorde is extremely spooky and very awesome at the same time:

https://twitter.com/_/status/1117243015746080769

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>)