More from Joseph Trevithick (Page 2)

Jolly Green IIs will be poised to spirit senior U.S. officials and lawmakers to safety at a moment's notice to ensure the federal government can continue to function even in the event of a nuclear attack or a similarly serious contingency.
HH-60

HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters To Take On Doomsday Evacuation Role In The Nation’s Capital

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 24, 2026

The U.S. Navy has shared details about what looks to be a previously undisclosed effort to rapidly arm ships in two carrier strike groups with radar-guided Longbow Hellfire missiles to protect against drones.
U.S. Navy

Navy Rushing To Arm Carrier Strike Groups With Hellfire Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 23, 2026

191028-N-LQ653-1278 PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 28, 2019) Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler USNS Yukon (T-AO-202, front, makes its approach to commercial tanker MT Empire State as the two ships prepare to conduct a consolidated loading. The evolution provided the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Pacific Commander the opportunity to exercise a training opportunity at sea with the two ships. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Patrick W. Menah Jr./Released)
U.S. Navy

Iranian Attacks Change Way Navy Refuels Its Ships In Middle East

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 23, 2026

The Navy's top leadership says they are working hard to avoid serious issues that have plagued previous shipbuilding efforts when it comes to the Trump class "battleship" program.
U.S. Navy

Everything New We Just Learned About The Trump Class Battleship Program

By Joseph Trevithick, Hope Hodge Seck

Posted on Apr 22, 2026

The Navy has been taking a deep look at the design and capabilities, and associated costs, of the Ford class as compared to the older Nimitz class.
U.S. Navy

Ford Class Review Puts Navy’s Future Carrier Plans Into Question

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 22, 2026

Patriot PAC-3 Missiles To Arm Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
MIM-104 Patriot

Patriot PAC-3 Missiles To Arm Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 21, 2026

Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden says she is confident in her company's ability to deliver next-generation carrier-based fighters to the U.S. Navy if it is selected as the winner of the F/A-XX competition.
F-47

Northrop Defends Ability To Build F/A-XX 6th Gen Naval Fighters If Selected

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 21, 2026

The U.S. Navy has disclosed the test of an AeroVironment LOCUST laser counter-drone system aboard the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.
Lasers

Navy Fires Drone-Frying LOCUST Laser From Supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 20, 2026

A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, highly autonomous, low-cost tactical unmanned air vehicle, conducts its second test flight with two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to 33rd Fighter Wing, 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 23, 2023. The XQ-58A Valkyrie test flight and the data collected inform future requirements for the Marine Corps in a rapidly evolving security environment, while successfully fueling joint innovation and experimentation opportunities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John McRell)
XQ-58

F-35s Quarterbacking Drones Seen As Gateway To USMC’s 6th Gen Fighter

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 20, 2026

Army officials have shared new details about plans to launch extremely long-range drones from the service's forthcoming ME-11B High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) surveillance and reconnaissance planes.
E-11

Air-Launched Drones Key To Keeping New Army Surveillance Jets Out Of Harms Way

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 18, 2026

U.S. Army officials say the modular design of the service's new MV-75A Cheyenne II tiltrotor will make it easier to reconfigure baseline versions for the medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) mission.
MV-75

MV-75 Will Be Reconfigurable For Medevac Mission Via Kit, Not Purpose-Built Like HH-60

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 17, 2026

Army officials and the MV-75A's prime contractor, Bell, have both pointed to a future where tanker drones like the U.S. Navy's forthcoming MQ-25 Stingray could help extend the Cheyenne II's reach.
MQ-25

Army Eyes Drone Tankers To Refuel Its New MV-75 Cheyenne II Tiltrotors

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 16, 2026

The U.S. Army has given us our first glimpse at what the new MV-75A Cheyenne II tiltrotor will look like in its special operations configuration.
160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"

First Look At What A Night Stalker MV-75 Cheyenne Will Look Like

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 15, 2026

General Atomics is calling attention to a new mission for its Mojave short takeoff and landing (STOL) drone: hunting uncrewed aerial threats with laser-guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets.
Q-1

Hunting Drones From Sloppy Airstrips Is General Atomics’ Future Vision For Mojave

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 15, 2026

The U.S. Navy has confirmed that an MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone crashed back on April 9.
MQ-4C

Navy MQ-4C Triton Surveillance Drone Crash In The Middle East Finally Confirmed

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 14, 2026

The US Air Force has been work working to improve the ability of HC-130J Combat King II combat search and rescue aircraft carrying Angry Kitten pods to receive reprogramming updates in near-real-time via satellite.
C-130

Angry Kitten Jamming Pod Testing On HC-130J Focuses On Receiving Threat Updates Via Satellite

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 14, 2026

A flurry of activity by American minesweeping vessels in the Pacific comes as the U.S. military has said it is sending additional forces to help clear Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz.
Naval Mines

Flurry Of Navy Minesweepers Appear To Be Heading Toward The Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 13, 2026

A new and not immediately recognizable launcher has emerged on the U.S. Navy's Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Carl M. Levin.
Drones

U.S. Navy Destroyer Equipped With New Launcher For Unknown Weapons

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Apr 11, 2026

Navy Calls It Quits On Attack Submarine USS Boise’s Never Ending Overhaul
Los Angeles Class

Navy Calls It Quits On Attack Submarine USS Boise’s Never Ending Overhaul

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 10, 2026

A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone disappeared abruptly and unexpectedly from online flight tracking sites after declaring an in-flight emergency while flying over the Persian Gulf today.
MQ-4C

Navy MQ-4C Triton’s Fate Unknown After Disappearing From Flight Tracking Over Persian Gulf

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 9, 2026

Here Is What Trump’s Gargantuan $1.5T Defense Budget Has In It
F-47

Here Is What Trump’s Gargantuan $1.5T Defense Budget Has In It

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 8, 2026

RQ-180 features seen in new videos shot in Greece.
RQ-180

New Views Of Massive RQ-180 Stealth Drone Flying Over Greece

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 7, 2026

An advanced imaging infrared seeker from a U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile interceptor appears to have been recovered largely intact in Syria.
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

THAAD Kill Vehicle’s Infrared Seeker Appears To Have Been Found In Syria Intact

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 7, 2026

A secretive late Cold War-era drone program known as Quartz, intended to persistently monitor mobile nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles deep within the Soviet Union, offers a window into exactly why the RQ-180 could be in high demand in the Middle East now.
Iran

RQ-180’s Likely Role Over Iran Foreshadowed By Secret Cold War Stealth Drone Program

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 6, 2026

What we are seeing with Iran's attacks on Israel with ballistic missiles with cluster warheads could have significant implications for future conflicts elsewhere, including in the Pacific region.
Land-Based Ballistic Missile Defense

Iran Is Piercing Israel’s Ballistic Missile Defenses With High Altitude Cluster Warhead Releases

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 4, 2026

A photographer on a flight over Greenville, Texas, captured an especially good look at one of the U.S. Air Force's RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft with its usual paint scheme completely stripped off.
RC-135

RC-135 Rivet Joint Surveillance Jet Caught ‘In The Nude’ In Texas

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 2, 2026

The U.S. Air Force's highly secretive NT-43A radar cross-section measurement platform is supporting the launch of NASA's Artemis II space mission, and this reflects the start of an entirely new stage in the career of the notoriously shy aircraft.
Airborne Radar

Secretive 737 Radar Jet ‘RAT55’ Has Begun “The Next Phase Of Its Career”

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Apr 2, 2026

The U.S. Air Force Materiel Command’s highly secretive NT-43A has been spotted in Florida, apparently taking part in the preparations for the launch of NASA's long-delayed Artemis II lunar space mission.
NASA

World’s Most Secretive 737 Is Supporting NASA’s Historic Artemis II Launch

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 1, 2026

Rapidly fielding more hardened shelters to better protect U.S. forces at bases in the Middle East is a top priority, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Iran

Bunkers For U.S. Bases In Middle East Now A Top Priority For Pentagon

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 31, 2026

The Israeli Air Force has released a picture of F-16I Sufa fighters taking part in strikes on Iran, and the jets appear to be carrying cluster munitions.
F-16

Israeli F-16s Appear To Be Carrying Cluster Munitions

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 30, 2026

Iran says the US is dropping mines from the air on its missile facilities.
Iran

Is The U.S. Dropping Mines To Stop Iranian Missile Launchers?

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 27, 2026

The U.S. Navy has unveiled a "marketplace" model for acquiring future fleets of uncrewed surface vessels (USV), which could be owned and/or operated by the service or contractors.
U.S. Navy

Navy’s Drone Ship Plans Get Shaken Up Again

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 26, 2026

The U.S. Army says it hopes to see production of a finalized version of the next-generation M1E3 Abrams tank begin next year.
M1 Abrams

M1E3 Next-Gen Abrams Tank Production Could Begin Next Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 25, 2026

Lockheed Martin has developed a launcher called Grizzly that fires AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from within an otherwise unassuming 10-foot shipping container.
AGM-114 Hellfire

Hellfire Missile Launcher Tucked Inside A Container Rolled Out By Lockheed

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 24, 2026

A slightly shorter and lighter-weight carbine version of the U.S. Army's new 6.8x51mm M7 service rifle has now gotten its own designation: XM8.
Assault Rifles

New Army 6.8mm Carbine Recycles XM8 Designation From Failed “Starship Troopers” Rifle Program

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 23, 2026

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing
F-22

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 23, 2026

The Pentagon is reportedly sending the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and the rest of its Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), loaded with elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Iran

USS Boxer The Second Amphibious Assault Ship Now Heading To Middle East (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 20, 2026

Venerable A-10 Warthog attack jets are helping dismantle Iran's Navy. Though the A-10 is most commonly associated with missions over land, the jets have a long-standing, if often obscure, maritime role.
A-10

A-10 Warthogs Are Prowling For Iranian Boats In The Strait Of Hormuz

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 19, 2026

Spotters in Greece have caught an especially good look at what very much appears to be a very stealthy, long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drone commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or an evolution of that design.
RQ-180

RQ-180 Secret Stealth Drone Appears To Have Made An Emergency Landing At A Greek Air Base (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 18, 2026

In a follow-up to our recent story about a pair of U.S. Navy Independence class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) configured for minesweeping appearing in the Pacific, those vessels have now moved further east from Malaysia to Singapore.
Naval Mines

U.S. Navy Minesweepers Stationed In Middle East Are Now In Singapore

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 18, 2026

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that it has, for the first time, used its new 5,000-pound-class GBU-72/B bunker-buster bomb in combat.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Used Its New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters To Hit Iranian Anti-Ship Missile Sites: Reports

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 18, 2026

The move is a somewhat rare one for the E-2 community, but it's extremely logical, and likely highly urgent, considering what is going on in the Middle East.
E-2

Navy E-2D Hawkeyes Appear To Be Rushing To The Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 17, 2026

A picture of a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler taking part in the current operations against Iran shows the plane carrying an interesting split load of two different electronic warfare pods.
EA-18G

EA-18G Growlers Carrying Mixed Load Of Old And New Jamming Pods Are Flying Iran Missions

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 16, 2026

The U.S. Navy Independence class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara, which are configured for minesweeping duties, have appeared in port in Malaysia.
Naval Mines

U.S. Navy Minesweepers Assigned To Middle East Have Been Moved To Pacific (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 15, 2026

Drones launched from ships offshore is a highly plausible mode of attack that TWZ has been drawing direct attention to for years now as the United States continues to play catch-up in establishing domestic defenses against the dangers posed by drones.
Iran

Drone Attacks On U.S. From The Sea Are A Known Possibility

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 13, 2026

A submarine is among the Iranian naval vessels that U.S. forces have struck with Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missiles.
MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)

Iranian Submarine Sunk By ATACMS Short Range Ballistic Missile

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 13, 2026

A KC-135 refueling tanker crashed in Iraq, according to CENTCOM.
KC-135

KC-135 Tanker Crashes In Iraq During Operation Epic Fury Sortie (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Thomas Newdick, Joseph Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 13, 2026

The U.S. Navy has conducted at least one new round of live-fire tests of its prototype electromagnetic railgun at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico.
U.S. Navy

Railgun Being Fired By U.S. Navy Again After Abandoning It For Years

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 12, 2026

Satellite imagery from Vantor shows that a site long linked to Iran's nuclear program has been struck in a manner that raises the question of whether 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs were employed.
B-2

Did B-2s Just Drop GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators On Another Iranian Nuclear Site? (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 12, 2026

Satellite imagery from Vantor shows at least two, and more likely three, swing-wing F-14 Tomcat fighters, as well as at least 10 other aircraft destroyed on the ground following strikes on an Iranian airbase in Isfahan.
F-14

Iranian F-14 Tomcats Meet Their Doom In Israeli Airstrikes

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 11, 2026

An Australian E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control plane is headed for the Persian Gulf.
E-7

Massive Leap In Ability To Spot Iranian Drones Headed To Persian Gulf

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 10, 2026

The U.S. military has been using M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to strike Iranian ships as part of Operation Epic Fury.
MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)

U.S. Striking Iranian Navy Ships With Ballistic Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 10, 2026

U.S. and Israeli authorities have reportedly been considering a special operations ground raid to extract or otherwise neutralize Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, a risky plan that highlights challenges in attempting to achieve this objective from the air alone.
Iran Nuclear Crisis

Commando Raid To Secure Iran’s Enriched Uranium May Become A Very Risky Necessity

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 9, 2026

The irony that lower-end long-range kamikaze drones are perhaps the biggest threat to extremely advanced radars capable of providing telemetry for intercepting targets traveling at hypersonic speeds, sometimes in space, is glaring. The losses of the radars should finally serve as a stark wake-up call regarding the vulnerability of these critical but largely static assets.
Iran

Iranian Attacks On Prized Missile Defense Radars Are A Wake-Up Call

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 7, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump says he is unwilling to negotiate with Iran unless it surrenders unconditionally.
Iran

Trump Demands “Unconditional Surrender,” Iran Says Bring On The Ground Invasion (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 6, 2026

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied claims circulating online of the loss of another F-15E Strike Eagle, this time over enemy territory, as part of ongoing operations against Iran.
Iran

U.S. Denies F-15E Strike Eagle Went Down In Iran

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 5, 2026

Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones at U.S., Israeli, and other allied targets in the Middle East has been severely degraded, two top American military leaders said Wednesday morning.
Iran

Strikes Hobble Iranian Missile Threat As Concerns Over Interceptor Stockpile Mount (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

U.S. Navy Submarine Torpedoes Iranian Frigate In Indian Ocean
Iran

U.S. Navy Submarine Torpedoes Iranian Frigate In Indian Ocean

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

Iran appears to be increasingly focusing its retaliatory attacks against energy production infrastructure in Gulf Arab States.
Iran

Gulf Arab States Under Pressure As Iranian Attacks Grind On (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

U.S. Navy warships could soon be escorting commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, according to President Donald Trump.
U.S. Navy

Trump’s Plan To Escort Ships Through Strait Of Hormuz Would Put U.S. Navy Warships In The Crosshairs

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 4, 2026

The joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran has entered day three.
Iran

War With Iran Now In Its Third Day

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 2, 2026

Iran’s Key Naval Base On Strait Of Hormuz Set Ablaze From Strikes
Iran

Iran’s Key Naval Base On Strait Of Hormuz Set Ablaze From Strikes

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 2, 2026

The joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran has entered its second day.
Iran

U.S.-Israeli War With Iran Enters Day Two (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 2, 2026

The U.S. military has employed new Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) short-range ballistic missiles as part of ongoing operations against Iran.
MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)

America’s New PrSM Ballistic Missile Just Made Its Combat Debut

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 1, 2026