More from Joseph Trevithick (Page 4)

Updated on Aug 5, 2025

Early Warning/DSP/SBIRS

Tracking Moving Aircraft Via Radar Satellites Instead Of Surveillance Jets Still Far From Reality

Updated on Aug 4, 2025

Signs are growing that China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is close to demonstrating its ability to launch and recover aircraft from its first catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, the Fujian, if it has not done so already.

People's Liberation Army Navy (China)

China Teases First Catapult Launches From Its New Carrier Fujian

Posted on Aug 1, 2025

The Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced a draft defense spending bill that would reverse the Pentagon's plan to freeze the U.S. Navy's F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based combat jet program.

E-7

Congress Moves To Save Gutted F/A-XX 6th Generation Naval Fighter Program

Updated on Jul 31, 2025

The Navy's new plans for a family of uncrewed surface vessels (USV), focused more on modular, containerized payloads than specific hull designs, are coming into sharper focus.

U.S. Navy

Navy Unmasks Its Vision For Fleet Of Uncrewed Modular Surface Attack Craft

Posted on Jul 31, 2025

The U.S. Navy is scrapping a P-8A Poseidon that ended up in Hawaii’s Kaneohe Bay back in 2023, marking the first total loss of one of these aircraft.

P-8

Navy Scraps P-8 Poseidon That Ran Off The Runway In Hawaii Two Years Ago

Posted on Jul 30, 2025

The epicenter of a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred early this morning off the coast of Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami waves across the Pacific, was only around 75 miles away from a cluster of key Russian naval bases.

Oscar Class

Questions Swirl Around Status Of Russian Nuclear Submarine Base After Historic Earthquake

Posted on Jul 30, 2025

M1 Abrams

Minigun-Equipped M1 Abrams Tank Being Tested By Army

Posted on Jul 29, 2025

MQ-25

MQ-25 Stingray Carrier-Based Uncrewed Tanker Ground Testing Now Underway

Posted on Jul 29, 2025

Tactical Ballistic Missiles

Turkey’s New Super-Sized Ballistic Missile Reflects Global Trends

Updated on Jul 28, 2025

Some units within the U.S. Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC) have now restricted the use of Sig Sauer M18 in the wake of a recent fatal incident.

Sig M18 Pistol Restrictions Expand To USAF Air Combat Command Units

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)

Posted on Jul 28, 2025

150 THAAD Ballistic Missile Interceptors Fired By U.S. During Iran’s Barrages On Israel: Report

Posted on Jul 25, 2025

With the U.S. Air Force's Global Strike Command (AFGSC) having instituted an indefinite “pause” on the use of Sig Sauer M18 pistols in the wake of a deadly incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, a question has emerged: what will the command's aircrews carry for self-defense in the meantime?

What Gun Will Bomber Crews Fly With Now That The Sig M18 Is Pulled From Use?

Updated on Jul 24, 2025

A high-security vault concealed inside a standard 20-foot shipping container is in development to give U.S. military commanders a new way to safely store nuclear weapons and other extremely sensitive assets, even at far-flung locations.

Nuclear Bombs

U.S. Building Container Vaults To Deploy U.S. Nuclear Bombs To Remote Bases

Updated on Jul 23, 2025

F-16

Ukrainian F-16s Get Specialized Vehicles For Operating Constantly On The Move

Posted on Jul 23, 2025

U.S. Air Force's Global Strike Command (AFGSC) has ordered an indefinite "pause" in the use of M18 pistols following a recent fatal incident at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

Sig M18 Pistols Pulled From Use By Air Force Global Strike Command (Updated)

Posted on Jul 22, 2025

Northrop Grumman is conducting ground-based testing related to space-based interceptors as part of a competition for that segment of the Trump administration's Golden Dome missile defense initiative.

U.S. Space Force

Space-Based Missile Interceptors For Golden Dome Being Tested By Northrop

Posted on Jul 22, 2025

Unmanned

Army Touting Grenade Dropping Drone Shows Just How Alarmingly Behind The Curve It Still Is

Posted on Jul 21, 2025

Satellite imagery of preparations for a major upcoming military parade in China points to the possibility that one or more 'loyal wingman' type drones, or at least mockups thereof, are set to be revealed.

Stealth

China’s New Drone Wingmen Look Set For Military Parade Unveiling

Updated on Jul 21, 2025

L3Harris has formally rolled out its modular Wolf family of "launched effects vehicles," which includes the Red Wolf, configured for long-range precision strikes against targets on land or at sea, and the Green Wolf fitted with an electronic warfare payload.

Air-To-Ground

‘Wolf Pack’ Of Modular Mini Cruise Missiles Unveiled By L3Harris

Posted on Jul 18, 2025

Army’s Sig P320 Derived Pistols Will Remain Unchanged After Concerning FBI Report

AGM-158 Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)

Updated on Jul 17, 2025

A Pentagon budget document states that the U.S. military has been firing AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) in the course of recent operations in or around the Middle East.

Has The U.S. Been Firing AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles In The Middle East?

Posted on Jul 15, 2025

Seawolf Class

Submarine USS Connecticut Severely Damaged In Pacific Crash To Return To Service In 2026

Posted on Jul 15, 2025

Taiwanese forces, including personnel armed with Stinger shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, have used the subway to maneuver around the capital city of Taipei as part of a major annual exercise for what looks to be the first time.

China

Taiwanese Troops Train To Use Subway To Their Advantage During Chinese Invasion Of Taipei

Updated on Jul 15, 2025

The U.S. Army plans to stand up four new Patriot surface-to-air missile system battalions in the coming years to help ease strain on what it says is its "most stressed force element."

MIM-104 Patriot

Overstretched U.S. Army Patriot Air Defense Force To Grow By A Quarter

Updated on Jul 14, 2025

E-2

Step Toward Blocking E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Program Cancellation Taken By Congress

Posted on Jul 11, 2025

U.S. special operations Long Endurance Aircraft (LEA) surveillance drones, which are based on a popular civilian powered glider design, are set to gain the ability to launch smaller uncrewed aerial systems.

Loitering Munitions

Super Quiet Special Operations Drones Being Modified To Launch Smaller Drones

Posted on Jul 11, 2025

The Pentagon has announced sweeping new changes intended to surge the fielding of small drones, including weaponized types, across the entire U.S. military.

Loitering Munitions

Pentagon Just Made A Massive, Long Overdue Shift To Arm Its Troops With Thousands Of Drones

Updated on Jul 11, 2025

Machine Guns

M240 Medium Machine Gun Successor Now Being Sought By U.S. Army

Posted on Jul 10, 2025

An annual U.S. Navy wishlist sent to Congress reportedly includes $1.4 billion that would help keep its dreams of a next-generation carrier-based combat jet alive.

F-47

Navy Puts Gutted F/A-XX Next Generation Fighter Program In Wishlist To Congress: Reports

Posted on Jul 10, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead to add new external pylons onto its B-1B Lancer bombers after years of experimentation.

B-1

B-1B To Finally Get New External Pylons Drastically Expanding Missile Carriage Potential (Updated)

Updated on Jul 9, 2025

KC-46

Boom On KC-46 Tanker Just Broke Off During F-22 Refueling Mission (Updated)

Updated on Jul 8, 2025

The U.S. Navy has canceled a variant of its Razorback uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched and recovered via a standard submarine torpedo tube.

Ohio Class (SSGN variant)

Navy Cancels Nuclear Submarine Torpedo Tube-Launched And Recovered Underwater Drone (Updated)

MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS)

Posted on Jul 8, 2025

An unknown containerized launcher able to fire the same suite of artillery rockets and ballistic missiles as the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) seen at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bragg earlier this year has been identified.

Mysterious Guided Rocket Launcher Disguised In A Shipping Container At Fort Bragg Identified

Posted on Jul 8, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is exploring new options to help with the development of improved fuzes for the 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb.

B-2

New Fuzes For GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators Requested By USAF

Posted on Jul 7, 2025

Loyal Wingman

F-22 Raptors Will Be First To Control ‘Fighter Drone’ Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Updated on Jul 3, 2025

The U.S. Marine Corps' plans to sling Tomahawk cruise missiles from remotely operated 4x4 launcher vehicles have come to an end.

U.S. Army

Marines Axe Adoption Of Ground-Launched Tomahawk Cruise Missile

Posted on Jul 3, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor stealth fighters are set to get an array of new "viability" upgrades to help protect them from emerging threats and otherwise ensure their continued relevance in future conflicts.

F-22

New F-22 Upgrade Package To Keep The Jets Viable Laid Out

Posted on Jul 2, 2025

KC-135

KC-135 Tankers Set To Get Drone Launchers

Updated on Jul 2, 2025

New pictures have emerged showing work being done on the Japan Self-Defense Forces' prototype electromagnetic railgun currently installed on the test warship JS Asuka.

Japan Maritime Self Defense Force

Railgun Installed On Japanese Warship Seen In New Photos

Posted on Jul 1, 2025

The U.S. Army wants to see if a startup founded three years ago by former SpaceX employees can deliver a lower-cost ground-launched missile, dubbed Blackbeard, capable of engaging targets hundreds of miles away at hypersonic speeds.

Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)

Blackbeard ‘Cheap’ Hypersonic Strike Missile Being Developed For U.S. Army (Updated)

Posted on Jul 1, 2025

F-35A

Plans To Finally Give F-35 External Fuel Tanks Emerge In New Air Force Budget (Updated)

Posted on Jun 30, 2025

For the first time, at least publicly, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force are seeking funds – nearly $670.5 million in total – to support procurement of AIM-260A Joint Advanced Tactical Missiles (JATM) for operational use in its latest annual budget request.

AIM-120 AMRAAM

AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Funding To Start Production Sought In New Budget

Posted on Jun 27, 2025

The Pentagon’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget fully commits to the U.S. Air Force's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter, while effectively shelving the U.S. Navy's plans for a next-generation carrier-based F/A-XX combat jet.

F-35

Pentagon “All In” On Air Force’s F-47, Puts Navy’s F/A-XX On Ice

Posted on Jun 27, 2025

The Pentagon has shared extensive new information about the use of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iran, a mission it says was 15 years in the making.

B-2

Everything We Just Learned About The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Strikes On Iran

Updated on Jun 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's first combat employment of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites draws new attention to work toward a successor.

B-2

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Successor In The Works

Posted on Jun 24, 2025

Iran

Israel-Iran Ceasefire Is Now In Effect (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 24, 2025

Satellite imagery shows clear evidence that Iran took steps to seal off its nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow in the days leading up to the U.S. strikes, which would have helped shield it against a potential ground raid.

B-2

Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Site Likely Sealed Up Before B-2 Strikes

Updated on Jun 24, 2025

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine have now briefed TWZ and other reporters on the historic strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last night, dubbed Operation Might Hammer.

B-2

B-2 Strikes On Iran: What We Know About Operation Midnight Hammer (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 22, 2025

At least two separate groups of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are currently heading westward across the Pacific Ocean, but their exact final destination is currently unclear.

B-2

B-2 Bombers Head West Across Pacific Amidst Iran Crisis

Updated on Jun 21, 2025

Residents of the Tucson, Arizona area were startled earlier this week by a group of helicopters, including at least one Russian-made Mi-17 Hip, making very low nighttime flights as part of what turned out to be a U.S. military exercise.

Mi8/Mi-17

Secretive Russian-Made Mi-17 Helicopter Makes Unusual Appearance In Tucson

Posted on Jun 20, 2025

Iran fired at least one ballistic missile with a warhead containing multiple submunitions as part of a particularly destructive barrage on Israel earlier today.

Land-Based Ballistic Missile Defense

Iran Just Used Ballistic Missiles With Cluster Warheads To Strike Israel

Posted on Jun 19, 2025

MQ-28

MQ-28 Ghost Bats Controlled From E-7 Wedgetail In Loyal Wingman Test

Posted on Jun 19, 2025

As Israel's campaign of strikes on Iran continues, a question emerges about whether some level of additional action may be required on the ground to meet the stated goal of preventing the regime in Tehran from being able to acquire nuclear weapons.

Iran Nuclear Crisis

Loose Nukes In Iran Is A Scenario U.S. Special Operators Have Been Training For

Posted on Jun 18, 2025

Iran

Iranian Government Aircraft Make Mysterious Dash To Oman

Updated on Jun 18, 2025

The U.S. Navy is sending the supercarrier USS Nimitz and the rest of its strike group to the Middle East amid a new buildup of forces in the region ostensibly for defensive purposes, U.S. officials have told TWZ.

KC-135

Major U.S. Middle East-Focused Buildup Confirmed (Updated)

Posted on Jun 16, 2025

Iran

Iran Strikes Back (Updated)

Updated on Jun 13, 2025

Israeli Air Force

Israel Launches Operation Rising Lion To Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Program (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 13, 2025

North Korea

North Korea’s Partially Sunk Frigate Has Already Been Ceremoniously Relaunched

Posted on Jun 12, 2025

C-130

Choice Of C-130 For New Navy ‘Doomsday Plane’ Questioned In Watchdog Report

Updated on Jun 12, 2025

A Prediator-B drone, most likely operated by Customs and Border Protection, flew deep into Mexico on Wednesday.

Q-9

Department Of Homeland Security Predator B Drones Are Orbiting Over Los Angeles

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 11, 2025

The proven and in-production E-7 Wedgetail, based on the Boeing 737 and serving with multiple allies, was supposed to bridge the gap between the E-3's retirement and pushing the mission to space-based distributed satellite constellations. Now, if the administration gets its wish, that won't happen. The E-7 will be cancelled and the Navy's E-2D Hawkeye will step in to fill the gap.

E-2

E-2 Hawkeye Replaces USAF E-3 Sentry, E-7 Cancelled In New Budget

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jun 11, 2025

Navy Secretary John Phelan announced he was ending the Constellation class frigate program.

U.S. Navy

Troubled Constellation Frigate Is Now At Least 759 Metric Tons Overweight