More from Joseph Trevithick (Page 6)

Updated on Mar 28, 2025

Roadrunner and coyote deployed on US Destroyer

Coyote, Roadrunner Loitering Drone Interceptors To Arm U.S. Navy Destroyers

Posted on Mar 28, 2025

The U.S. Army has formally given the designation ME-11B to its forthcoming High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence-gathering aircraft.

E-11

ME-11B Official Designation Of Army’s New Intelligence Gathering Business Jets

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

North Korea's shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on a Russian Il-76 Candid cargo aircraft, has flown.

A-50/A-100

First North Korean Airborne Early Warning Jet Flies, Kim Shows Off Interior

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force office responsible for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) is asking for new information about options for derivatives of off-the-shelf multi-mode radars that could go into the bombers.

B-52

B-52 Radar Upgrade Alternatives Info Sought By Air Force

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has simulated a successful intercept of a mock advanced hypersonic missile by a Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) as it works up to attempt the real thing.

Air

SM-6 Missile Closer To Proving Hypersonic Weapon Intercept Capability After Aegis Destroyer Test

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

A significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

B-2

Signs U.S. Massing B-2 Spirit Bombers In Diego Garcia (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's selection of Boeing's F-47 as the winner of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet competition raises new questions about plans for new stealthy aerial refueling tankers.

KC-10

F-47 Fighter Reveal Draws New Attention To USAF Stealth Tanker Plans

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

The U.S. Secret Service is looking at replacing its 7.62x51mm M110 designated marksman rifles with a new gun chambered to fire the 6.5mm Creedmoor round.

Sniper Rifles

Secret Service Eyes New 6.5mm Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle

Posted on Mar 21, 2025

New space-based interceptors called for in President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense initiative are all about addressing threats as quickly and as far away from the U.S. homeland as possible, according to U.S. Space Force's top officer.

Anti-Satellite Capabilities

Putting Missile Interceptors In Space Critical To Defending U.S. Citizens: Space Force Boss

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

Kratos has revealed that it is working on a new drone capable of flying at hypersonic speeds, typically defined as anything above Mach 5.

Hypersonics Aircraft

Kratos Has A Hypersonic Drone In The Works

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

Land-Based Ballistic Missile Defense

Canada Looks To Close Critical Arctic Radar Gaps With Australia’s Help

Posted on Mar 19, 2025

F-16

Laser-Guided Rockets Shown Shooting Down Houthi Drones For First Time

Updated on Mar 19, 2025

The U.S. Army has released a picture of a Bradley fighting vehicle using its BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missile launcher to fire something else referred to simply as the "670," which appears to be previously unseen.

Drones

Mysterious Weapon Fired From Bradley Fighting Vehicle During Exercise

Updated on Mar 19, 2025

The U.S. Navy is set to help integrate the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-16 Viper fighter, giving those jets a huge enhancement in anti-ship capability.

F-16

F-16 Is Getting Massive Anti-Ship Missile Upgrade

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

U.S. Army

Radars Deployed To Mexico Border To Detect Cartel Drones (Updated)

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin has confirmed that U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes have been flying missions around the border with Mexico.

RC-135

U-2 Spy Planes Are Flying Border Security Missions Air Force Confirms

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

Two Ukrainian firms, both partnered with American companies, are among those now set to demonstrate long-range one-way drones to the U.S. military as part of a project called Artemis.

Loitering Munitions

Ukrainian Long-Range Attack Drones To Be Tested By U.S. Military

Updated on Mar 14, 2025

Videos have emerged showing an out of control commercial oil tanker hitting a row of three Brazilian Navy patrol boats, as well as a pier, in the Port of Santos along the country's southeastern coast last night.

Navies

Out Of Control Tanker Plows Into Docked Brazilian Navy Vessels

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

Russia

Putin Open To Ceasefire Deal But Says “Nuances” Must Be Addressed First

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

B-52

B-52 Re-Engining Plan Comes Into Sharper Focus

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

Pictures have appeared on social media showing work in Ukraine to turn a tethered aerostat – what is more colloquially called a balloon – into an elevated platform for launching kamikaze drones at incoming long-range one-way attack drones.

Airborne Sensors

Balloon-Launched Drone To Intercept Long Range Kamikaze Drones Emerges In Ukraine

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

The U.S. Army is looking at acquiring a new machine gun chambered to fire the .338 Norma Magnum cartridge, but that can also be converted to use the same 6.8x51mm ammunition as its next-generation M7 rifles and M250 light machine guns.

Assault Rifles

Machine Gun With Longer Reach Sought By U.S. Army

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

In response to recent European media reports, Lockheed Martin and several governments have pushed back on the idea that F-35 Joint Strike Fighters have any kind of a discreet 'kill switch' that U.S. authorities could use to remotely disable the jets.

F-35

You Don’t Need A Kill Switch To Hobble Exported F-35s

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 11, 2025

Members of the U.S. Navy's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31) contributed to an important increase in live-fire testing of the secretive AIM-260A long-range air-to-air missile last year, it has emerged.

Air Combat Exercises

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Live-Fire Testing Surged Last Year With Navy Help

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

AH-64

U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches Armed With Israeli Spike Missiles Now Flying in Iraq

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

B-21 refueling requirements are pushing rethinking of tanker needs.

NGAD

B-21 Aerial Refueling Demands Further Point To It Being A Stealthy Flying Gas Can

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

While it has long been a world-ending threat in science fiction, U.S. Air Force and Space Force officials see artificial intelligence (AI) playing important, if not critical roles in the command and control enterprise at the heart of America's nuclear deterrent capabilities.

Nuclear Command And Control

How The Military Wants AI To Help Control America’s Nuclear Arsenal

Updated on Mar 7, 2025

Collaborative Combat Drones Designed From Ground Up To Do Logistics Differently

Updated on Mar 6, 2025

USAF Generals Downplay Calls For More Hardened Aircraft Shelters In Pacific Theater

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A deep review of the U.S. Air Force's paused plans to acquire a new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet came to the unambiguous conclusion that the service needs such an aircraft to be best positioned to achieve air superiority in future high-end fights.

F-22

Next Generation Fighter Critical To Future Air Superiority, Key USAF Study Concluded

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A slender, partially covered naval ship that recently emerged in Washington state is the Defiant, a new medium-sized uncrewed surface vessel (USV) designed from the keel up to operate without any humans ever onboard.

Mysterious Naval Vessel Spotted In Washington State Is A New DARPA Drone Ship

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has designated the drones that General Atomics and Anduril are currently developing as part of the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program as the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively.

Loyal Wingman

‘Fighter Drone’ Designations Officially Assigned To Collaborative Combat Aircraft By USAF

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

Lockheed Martin says it conducted six successful flight tests last year as part of work to add new capabilities on the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter.

F-22

F-22 Raptors Completed Six Test Flights For New Sensor Upgrades

Posted on Mar 3, 2025

QF-16 Zombie Vipers To Keep Flying And Dying Into The 2030s

Posted on Mar 3, 2025

President Donald Trump, through his pick to be the next Secretary of the Navy, has thrust long-running criticisms of what is commonly called "running rust" on American warships back into the mainstream limelight.

Warships Caked In Rust Prompting Late Night Trump Texts To Navy Secretary Nominee

Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has formally dubbed its forthcoming OA-1K light attack aircraft as the Skyraider II.

OA-1K Light Attack Special Ops Aircraft Officially Named Skyraider II

Posted on Feb 27, 2025

Boeing expects to shutter its production of the Little Bird light helicopter after fulfilling a current contract with the Thai armed forces.

160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"

Boeing’s Little Bird Helicopter Production Set To End

Posted on Feb 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's force design director says analyses to date show the service will face more operational risk and be less able to achieve assigned objectives without a new crewed sixth-generation combat jet.

NGAD

Axing Next Generation Fighter Would Leave Air Force Worse Off: Force Design Boss

Posted on Feb 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that a recently released rendering from the AIM-260A does indeed reflect the actual design of what is also known as the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM).

F-22

This Is What The Classified AIM-260 Missile Actually Looks Like, Air Force Confirms

Updated on Feb 26, 2025

Airborne Radar

China’s Massive WZ-9 Divine Eagle Drone Now Operating From South China Sea Base

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 25, 2025

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Back At Sea After Collision Repairs

Posted on Feb 24, 2025

Su-57

Su-57 Felon’s First Visit To Iran Seen In Satellite Imagery

Posted on Feb 24, 2025

A rare Chinese naval drill with a previously unannounced live-fire component has disrupted air traffic over and around the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand.

Australia

China’s Sudden Live Fire Naval Drills Off Australia Rattle Canberra

Updated on Feb 21, 2025

New Hypersonic Strike-Recon Aircraft Effort Eyeing Prototype Development By 2030

Posted on Feb 20, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon flies a presence patrol over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Feb. 11, 2025. As a highly maneuverable and agile platform with a proven record in air-to-air combat and air-to-ground attack, the Fighting Falcon is well-equipped to engage with threats to regional security and deter further aggression in the AOR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jackson Manske)

F-16

F-16s With Larger Laser-Guided Rocket Loads, Drone Kill Marking Emerge Over Middle East

Posted on Feb 19, 2025

Satellite imagery shows the extent of the massive amount of work that has been done in the past year to restore more than 20 million square feet of runways and other World War II-era infrastructure at historic North Field on the U.S. island of Tinian in the Western Pacific.

Massive WWII B-29 Bomber Base Fully Reclaimed For Future Pacific Fight

Posted on Feb 19, 2025

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is reportedly flying unarmed MQ-9 Reapers inside Mexican airspace to snoop on drug cartels.

Q-9

CIA MQ-9 Reapers Are Covertly Spying On Mexican Drug Cartels: Reports

Updated on Feb 18, 2025

The U.S. Navy has released a picture of a U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper Attack helicopter with a previously unseen long-range missile armament.

AH-1

AH-1Z Attack Helicopter’s New Long Range Missile Seen For The First Time

Updated on Feb 17, 2025

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman In Greece For Repairs Following Collision

Posted on Feb 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, the top American military officer overseeing operations in and around North America, has said he would welcome Canadian participation in expanding continental missile defense efforts, including in space.

F/A-18A-D

Canada Joining Iron Dome Missile Defense Plan Would Be Welcome: NORAD Boss

Posted on Feb 14, 2025

Collision Damage To Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Seen In Photo

Updated on Feb 14, 2025

A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft design that recently emerged at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, which TWZ was first to report on, has been identified. It is a full-scale technology demonstrator (FSTD) belonging to Hyundai subsidiary Supernal.

Future Vertical Lift

Mystery Tiltrotor Aircraft Spotted At Mojave Air And Space Port Identified

Updated on Feb 13, 2025

Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Collides With Merchant Ship (Updated)

Posted on Feb 13, 2025

We now have our first look at the containerized Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system, which uses repurposed heat-seeking R-73 air-to-air missiles as interceptors, that the United Kingdom and Denmark have developed for Ukraine.

Surface-To-Air Missile Systems

Containerized SAM System That Fires Soviet Air-To-Air Missiles For Ukraine Breaks Cover

Posted on Feb 12, 2025

Future Vertical Lift

Mystery Tiltrotor Aircraft Emerges

Updated on Feb 12, 2025

KC-46

Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise

Posted on Feb 11, 2025

S-300

Rare Look At S-300V1 Surface-To-Air Missile Systems In Action In Ukraine

Updated on Feb 10, 2025

Loyal Wingman

Indian Naval Collaborative Drone Concept Unveiled

Posted on Feb 10, 2025

Beirut bunker buster CCTV on hezbollah bunker

Israeli Air Force

Unprecedented New View Of BLU-109 Bunker Buster Strike That Killed Hezbollah’s Leadership

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 7, 2025

A video showing testing of the Chinese GL-6 hard-kill active protection system underscores how systems like this to provide a valuable additional layer of defense against uncrewed aerial threats, including highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, something TWZ has previously explored in an in-depth feature.

People's Liberation Army (China)

Chinese Tank’s Active Protection System Seen Intercepting Drone-Fired Rocket Propelled Grenade

Posted on Feb 7, 2025

Iran has finally shown a drone taking off and landing on – in the latter case with the help of arresting gear – the deck of the country's unusual new 'drone carrier,' the Shahid Bagheri. Newly emerged imagery also shows various drones and crewed helicopters on the flight deck, which has a ski jump at the bow end, including the appearance of 'drones' styled after the infamous Qaher 313.

Iranian Navy

Iran’s Wacky Aircraft Carrier Has Entered Service

Posted on Feb 6, 2025

The U.S. Air Force quietly fixed a problem with the integration of the 30,000-pound class GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb onto the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber last year. As part of the integration work, the service also conducted an important test of a new "smart fuze" for the MOP to help improve the weapon's effectiveness, even when the exact depth and positioning of the buried target are not definitively known.

B-2

Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bunker Buster Grows More Potent