More from Thomas Newdick (Page 5)

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin today discussed the potential of a new version of the prolific F-16, a so-called Block 80, as a way of increasing the combat mass of the service in the future. While the Air Force doesn’t at this point have a plan to start buying Vipers again, it’s certainly interesting that the topic is up for discussion, especially with the service looking hard at how it will balance its next-generation fighter requirements, while introducing the F-47 crewed stealth fighter and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones.
F-16

Air Force Chief Responds To Possibility Of Buying New ‘Block 80’ F-16s

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 20, 2025

Russia has followed Ukraine’s lead in adapting the propeller-driven Yak-52 primary training aircraft as an ad-hoc drone-killer. The Yak-52B2 includes a sensor turret to help detect long-range one-way attack drones and has a shotgun mounted under the wing for shooting them down. While it appears that Ukrainian Yak-52s have had some success in the counter-drone role, the appearance of the Yak-52B2 provides more evidence of the pressure that Ukrainian drone strikes are placing on Russia’s traditional air defenses.
Russian Air Force

Russia Testing Shotgun-Armed Yak-52 Trainer Aircraft To Down Ukrainian Drones

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 19, 2025

MBDA missile concept
Air Force Munitions

Long-Range ‘Deep Precision Strike’ Missile To Be Developed By UK And Germany

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 16, 2025

As the dust settles, for now, on the latest clashes between India and Pakistan, it’s clear that the nations’ respective air forces played a very active role in the fighting. At this stage, details of what happened are still extremely hard to come by, with seemingly endless claims and counterclaims, especially around possible shootdowns, and very little in the way of verifiable facts about how the air-to-air engagements played out. However, many observers are already pointing to the potentially significant impact of the Pakistan Air Force’s Chinese-made Chengdu J-10C multirole fighters, as well as their vaunted PL-15 air-to-air missiles.
Indian Air Force

China’s J-10C Fighter: Separating Myth From Reality

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 15, 2025

Trump wants a twin engine F-35.
F-35

Trump Wants A Twin-Engine “F-55” Version Of The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 15, 2025

Ukraine has, apparently for the first time, released a video showing its use of the Soviet-era S-200 (SA-5 Gammon) long-range surface-to-air missile, a weapon that was apparently reinstated to service only after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
Air

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s Reactivated S-200 Long-Range Surface-To-Air Missiles In Action

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on May 13, 2025

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General Rajiv Ghai with Air Marshal AK Bharti, Vice Admiral AN Pramod during a press conference on 'Operation Sindoor' at National Media Centre, on May 12, 2025 in New Delhi, India. Senior officers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force addressed the nation, revealing details of Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military strike carried out on May 7 targeting terror bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province. Officers confirmed that over 100 terrorists were killed during the operation. The strikes were launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
Indian Air Force

Claims Swirl As India And Pakistan Assess Results Of Latest Conflict

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on May 13, 2025

Ukraine’s military intelligence service has released details of a new Russian cruise missile, the S8000 Banderol, which it claims makes extensive use of components sourced from foreign manufacturers, including in the United States. Unusually, the missile was apparently developed for launch from drones and has reportedly already been used in combat in the war in Ukraine.
Russian Air Force

New Small Russian Cruise Missile Captured By Ukrainian Intelligence

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on May 12, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavier focus on commercial-off-the-shelf components, than the service’s existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Loyal Wingman

USAF Wants Collaborative Aircraft Fleet To Stress Parts Commonality For Forward Operations

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 9, 2025

Reports of the air war that’s been taking place between India and Pakistan in recent days suggest what may well be the most intense series of aerial engagements for decades. While it’s still very hard to obtain confirmed details of this combat, which some sources state has involved more than a hundred fighters simultaneously, we do, at least, know what kinds of air-to-air missiles (AAMs) are available to the Indian and Pakistan Air Forces.
Indian Air Force

The Air-To-Air Missiles That Equip India And Pakistan’s Fighters

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 8, 2025

The air war currently unfolding between India and Pakistan is exceedingly murky, but one aspect that seems almost certain is the use of the Chinese-made PL-15 active-radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) by Pakistan. So far, Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft and at least one Indian official has reportedly confirmed the crash of three aircraft but cautioned that the reasons were not clear. Unverified imagery suggests that one of the Indian Air Force’s prized Rafale multirole fighters may have been shot down. Regardless, the fighting between the two nuclear-armed states is the most intense for decades, now with the growing risk of the situation spiraling further out of control.
Rafale

China’s PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Appears To Have Been Used In Combat For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on May 7, 2025

The Black Arrow, which is intended to carry a range of different payloads and not just a kinetic warhead, arrives at a time when the Pentagon is looking at harnessing the potential of lower-cost weapons that can be readily produced at scale to meet the likely demands of future conflicts.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

AC-130 Gunship-Launched Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile Has A 400-Mile Range

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on May 6, 2025

Raytheon has begun test flights of its compact PhantomStrike radar, which features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Most significantly, the manufacturer claims that PhantomStrike — which has already been ordered by Poland — brings all the benefits of an AESA antenna at a much lower price point than other radars in its class.
Loyal Wingman

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 6, 2025

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.
F-35

Air Force Looking For Cheap Air-To-Air Missile Half The Size Of AMRAAM

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 5, 2025

The planned live-fire sinking of a decommissioned warship at the Balikatan exercise in the Philippines was struck a blow after the ship in question sunk before navies had a chance to pummel it with weapons. The World War II-era corvette BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) was being positioned at the start of the exercise, which continued regardless, including other live-fire events.
Sea

Ship Sinks Just Before Being Pummeled With Weapons In Pacific Exercise

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on May 5, 2025

Procurement of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle for the U.S. Army may end, with the drone being among the platforms that the service could lose under a wide-ranging force-structure overhaul. The development comes as the drone’s manufacturer continues to develop modernized versions of the Gray Eagle, as well as add new equipment and capabilities.
Air

Stop Buying MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones Army’s Top Leadership Decrees

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 2, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 07: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) speaks alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a model of Air Force One on the table, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is meeting with Netanyahu to discuss ongoing efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza and newly imposed U.S. tariffs. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Air Force One

Is An ‘Interim’ Air Force One Replacement Even Feasible?

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on May 2, 2025

F-16 Fighting Falcons sit in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. on Jul. 30, 2010. The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group is converting F-16s into usable manned or drone targets allowing Air Force to train and test new weapons platforms in the process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Desiree N. Palacios)
F-16

F-16s Pulled From U.S. Boneyard Are Being Delivered To Ukraine For Spare Parts

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on May 1, 2025

Imagery has emerged showing North Korea’s heavily armed new frigate, the Choi Hyon, firing a variety of weapons from its huge array of vertical launch system (VLS) cells. The missiles seen appear to include a previously unknown air defense missile and a possible new supersonic cruise missile.
North Korea

North Korea’s New Frigate Tests Its Weapons Days After Commissioning

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 30, 2025

The U.S. Marine Corps has received an Expeditionary Directed Energy Counter-Swarm (ExDECS) weapon in order to facilitate experimentation with the use of high-power microwave (HPM) technology in the increasingly volatile low altitude air defense (LAAD) role. This kind of counter-drone system is increasingly seen as a critical layer in force protection and urgently needed to enhance current and future ground-based air defense (GBAD) capabilities.
Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (C-UAS)

Marines Get Their First High Power Microwave Weapon For Taking On Drone Swarms

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 29, 2025

Tactical airpower, and specifically the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, are big beneficiaries of recently proposed legislation put forward by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
F-15

F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 28, 2025

The U.K. Royal Air Force officer in charge of defining requirements for the Tempest future fighter says the program’s top priority is a large payload — roughly twice that of the F-35A stealth fighter. The same officer is eyeing “really extreme range” for the new aircraft, with potentially enough internal fuel to fly across the Atlantic without refueling. These requirements provide some more idea about the size and capabilities of the sixth-generation stealth fighter and also parallel similar concerns that have driven the development of the U.S. Air Force’s Boeing F-47 under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.
Royal Air Force

Tempest Future Fighter Aims For “Really Extreme Range,” Twice F-35 Payload

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 28, 2025

Wreckage of a GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II), has appeared in Yemen. The weapon, which was only recently confirmed as being used in combat, offers some notably advanced capabilities, especially over the GBU-39/B SDB I, and the technological risk of the remains of the still relatively intact weapon falling into an adversary’s hands are not insignificant.
Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)/Stormbreaker

StormBreaker Advanced Glide Bomb Lands In Yemen Largely Intact

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 25, 2025

We now have more clarity on the U.S. Air Force’s plans for its second tranche of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, known as Increment 2. This includes the likelihood of a lower-cost CCA Increment 2 as well as the drone’s integration with assets in addition to fighters, including the B-21 stealth bomber and E-7 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
NGAD

Air Force’s Next Batch Of Collaborative Combat Drones Could Be Less ‘Exquisite,’ Cheaper

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 24, 2025

French Air and Space Force Rafale fighters from a nuclear-strike-tasked unit are among the aircraft taking part in a power-projection exercise including operations over Sweden, which joined NATO a little over a year ago. The latest edition of the Pégase (Pegasus) drill comes as European NATO members look at bolstering their nuclear deterrence capabilities independent of the United States, with France very much at the center of these discussions. Notably, the maneuvers are being also accompanied by an exercise in which French military aircraft were rapidly dispersed to alternative airfields, something that would be required in a large-scale conflict with Russia.
Rafale

French Rafale Fighters Project Power Forward To Sweden

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 23, 2025

An example of the Ukrainian BMP-55 heavy infantry fighting vehicle, a radically reworked T-55 tank converted to transport soldiers across the battlefield, has appeared somewhere in Ukraine. While it’s unclear when or where the imagery was taken, this seems to be the first time a BMP-55 has been sighted in an apparently operational context, with suggestions that only one example of these vehicles was ever completed making its appearance all the more remarkable.
Ukrainian Army

Extremely Rare Ukrainian Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle Appears On Battlefield

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 22, 2025

Northrop Grumman has blamed higher manufacturing costs for its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for a 49 percent drop in first-quarter profit. This is not the first financial hit for the B-21, with the manufacturer having disclosed a loss of nearly $1.2 billion on the program early last year. The latest news comes as U.S. Air Force officials state a need for 145 of the stealth bombers to cope with increasing threats to U.S. security.
B-21

Rising B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Costs Hit Northrop Grumman

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 22, 2025

Imagery has emerged of a very rarely seen EA-18G Growler loadout involving four examples of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), during ongoing operations against Houthi targets in Yemen. While we know very little about Houthi air defenses, and their associated radars and sensors, the imagery underscores the continued threat that these present.
EA-18G

EA-18G Bristles With Rare Four Anti-Radiation Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 21, 2025

The MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) addresses the need for a long-endurance, armed (up to four HELLFIRE missiles), UAS that offers greater range, altitude, and payload flexibility.
Q-1

MQ-1C Gray Eagle Is Shooting Down Drones With Hellfire Missiles In Tests

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 18, 2025

A U.S. Air Force B1-Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron sits on a runway during post-flight maintenance in support of Pacific Air Forces’ Bomber Task Force mission at Misawa Air Base, Feb. 20, 2025. Through combined training, the U.S. and intercontinental defense forces work together to promote interoperability, thus furthering our investments and strengthening our relationships.
B-1

B-1B Bones Make Unprecedented Bomber Task Force Deployment To Japan

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 17, 2025

The British Army has, for the first time, used a directed-energy weapon to bring down a swarm of drones during trials. The Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon demonstrator, or RF DEW, reflects a fast-growing trend to harness news ways of neutralizing the drone threat, both on the battlefield and for homeland defense.
United Kingdom

British High-Power Microwave Weapon Successfully Tested Against Drone Swarms

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 17, 2025

China’s full-size aircraft carrier test facility, a key part of the country’s path toward establishing a carrier fleet and associated air wings, has been modified once again. The latest reworking suggests that the aircraft carrier mockup is now intended to represent a layout similar to the U.S. Navy’s Ford class. This may well point to the configuration of China’s next homegrown carrier design, or at least one of the configurations now under study.
People's Liberation Army Navy (China)

China’s Giant Land-Based Carrier Mockup Grows In Size, Now Resembles Ford Class

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 16, 2025

The U.S. Navy is touting the U.S.-Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat ‘loyal wingman’ type drone program as a model for future industrial partnerships, while confirming continued U.S. military interest in the drone. The fact that the Navy is now speaking about this is notable, on the one hand because the MQ-28 has so far been seen primarily as a program of interest for the U.S. Air Force, and on the other because the Navy is currently still trying to nail down its carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) plans.
MQ-28

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Is Of “Strong Interest” To The U.S. Navy

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 15, 2025

Iniochos 2025 will involve a large number of HAF assets, such as fighters, Air Defence Systems, helicopters, transport and training aircraft. Additionally, Hellenic Army and Navy assets and personnel will contribute significantly to the creation of complex and realistic scenarios across the exercise areas which spread over the Greek mainland and sea.
Air Combat Exercises

This Greek Air Combat Exercise Was A Low-Level Fighter Flying Paradise

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 15, 2025

We have gotten our best look so far at China’s enigmatic KJ-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). This latest addition to China’s rapidly proliferating family of AEW&C platforms remains somewhat mysterious, although multiple accounts suggest that it’s something of a unique ‘dual-mode’ aircraft, combining both airborne radar as well as an array of electro-optical and infrared sensors, likely intended to track stealthy and low-radar-signature targets.
Airborne Radar

China’s New KJ-700 Multi-Intelligence Radar Plane’s Interesting Features

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 14, 2025

KC-10 for sale
KC-10

KC-10 Extender Tankers Are Up For Auction

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 11, 2025

The first two American F-35A Lightning II fighter jets land in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, on May 23, 2016. The F-35 program is an international effort where the United States works with eight other partner nations, including the Netherlands, to design and develop the F-35.
F-35A

Dutch F-35s Provide Targeting For Rocket Artillery

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 11, 2025

The French Air and Space Force has officially reintroduced the modernized Mirage 2000D strike aircraft, the service has confirmed. By the end of this year, the force will have 50 upgraded examples of the delta-wing jet, which, despite its relative age, remains a highly capable long-range conventional strike and close air support asset.
French Air Force

Deeply Upgraded Mirage 2000DRMV Strike Jet Enters French Service

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 10, 2025

Satellite imagery has confirmed the presence of the Su-35 Flanker-M multirole fighter in Algerian service, indicating that at least some of these aircraft have been transferred to the country, a new customer for the type. The Su-35 is almost certainly from a batch of aircraft originally built for Egypt, but never delivered, and then repeatedly connected with a sale to Iran. Algeria had also previously been reported as the first export customer for the Su-57 Felon next-generation fighter, as you can read about here.
Flankers

Su-35s Once Expected To Arm Iran Are Now In Algeria

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 9, 2025

M346N Navy trainer
Flight Training

M-346N Pitched To Replace Navy’s T-45 Goshawk Jet Trainers

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 9, 2025

For Lockheed Martin, combining PAC-3 MSE with the Mk 41 presents a potential way to break Raytheon’s long-standing lock on naval missile sales.
U.S. Navy

Patriot PAC-3 Missile Puts Crosshairs On Replacing Navy’s Long-Serving SM-2

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 9, 2025

200925-N-PL200-0001 PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 25, 2020) From left, USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2), USS Germantown (LSD 42), USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194), USS Antietam (CG 54), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS America (LHA 6), USS Shiloh (CG 67), USS New Orleans (LPD 18), and USS Comstock (LSD 45) steam in formation while E/A-18G Growlers, FA-18E Super Hornets and an E-2D Hawkeye from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 fly over in support of Valiant Shield 2020. Valiant Shield is a U.S. only, biennial field training exercise (FTX) with a focus on integration of joint training in a blue-water environment among U.S. forces. This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Lauren Chatmas)
U.S. Navy

Navy Is About To Go Big On Massive Joint War Training Across The Pacific

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 8, 2025

General Atomics has officially unveiled the new Bullseye standoff precision-guided missile that it’s now working with alongside Israeli defense contractor Rafael. The new weapon leverages Rafael’s existing Ice Breaker missile and is being offered to the U.S. military — and allies — at a time when the Pentagon, in particular, is increasingly focused on procuring affordable standoff weapons that can be rapidly produced en masse, for future contingencies, especially in the Indo-Pacific theater,
Air-To-Ground

Bullseye Standoff Weapon Based On Israeli Cruise Missile Unveiled By General Atomics

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

J-36 flies over highway
J-36

China’s J-36 Tailless Fighter Zips Over Road On Landing Giving Us Our Best Look Yet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

The Black Arrow, also known as the Small Cruise Missile, has completed a guided flight test, from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, the weapon’s manufacturer Leidos has confirmed. The Black Arrow — which is intended to carry a range of different payloads, and not just a kinetic warhead — arrives at a time when the Pentagon is looking at harnessing the potential of lower-cost weapons that can be readily produced at scale to meet the likely demands of future conflicts.
AC-130

AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Launches Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile In New Video

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 5, 2025

Four different European defense companies will come together in a joint venture to build a next-generation main battle tank, under the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) initiative.
Leopard

New Franco-German Tank Project Takes Shape With Industry Team Confirmed

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

The first OA-1K light attack aircraft — recently officially named as the Skyraider II — has been delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). While the command welcomed the militarized derivative of the popular Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, there remain serious questions about how the Air Force will actually make use of the OA-1K, as the service increasingly prepares for future high-end contingencies.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

First OA-1K Skyraider II Handed Over To Air Force Special Operations Command

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

Colombia’s new fighter will be the Saab Gripen E/F, the country’s president has confirmed. The acquisition of the Swedish-made combat aircraft will finally allow the retirement of the veteran IAI Kfir with the Colombian Air Force. The development is also of major significance for Saab: other than Brazil, which co-produces the Gripen E/F, the company has previously failed to achieve any export sales of the jet.
Gripen

JAS 39 Gripen E/F Chosen As Colombia’s Next Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

The U.S. State Department has approved the potential of 20 F-16C/D Block 70/72 fighters to the Philippines, the latest turn in a long-running saga as Manila seeks to revamp its air force. The announcement comes as the United States reinforces military ties with the Southeast Asian country, with a recent visit there by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the deployment of U.S. anti-ship and land-attack missile systems for a military drill.
F-16

Sale Of Advanced F-16s To The Philippines Moves Forward Amid Deepening U.S. Ties

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 2, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter may just be “Increment 1” of a family of Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet designs. This is the opinion of former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Andrew Hunter. It echoes something that was previously hinted at, namely the possibility that the Air Force might consider fielding two distinct versions of the NGAD fighter component.
F-47

F-47 Fighter Program Could See Multiple Versions Built In Increments

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

China’s KD-21 air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), a shadowy weapon that is widely seen as part of the country’s rapidly developing anti-shipping armory, appears to now be in operational service. The missile, carried by the H-6K bomber, made its public debut at Airshow China in Zhuhai in November 2022, but until now had not been confirmed as being carried by aircraft assigned to frontline unit.
H-6 Bomber

China’s KD-21 Air-Launched Ballistic Missile Appears To Be Operational

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

Puma Helicopter Retires From UK Service After More Than 50 Years
Royal Air Force

Puma Helicopter Retires From UK Service After More Than 50 Years

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 1, 2025

Turkey has begun using tablet computers in the cockpits of its F-16s to enable rapid integration of new locally developed weapons. The development has interesting parallels with Ukraine’s use of such devices to allow its Soviet-era jets to employ Western air-to-ground weapons.
F-16

Turkish F-16s Are Using Tablets To Control Locally Made Weapons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

X-36 was an early progenitor that lead to the F-47.
F-47

Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

Airbus has unveiled LOAD, a new anti-drone drone concept — an adapted target drone that will be armed with air-to-air guided missiles, expressly designed to shoot down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. In recent years we’ve seen a proliferation of single-use drones with explosive warheads that are designed to bring down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. However, a reusable anti-drone drone, armed with its own missiles, appears to be something of a novelty.
Unmanned

Micro Missile-Slinging Drone-Killing Drone Concept Revealed By Airbus

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 26, 2025

Taiwan has revealed a new drone boat, or uncrewed surface vessel (USV), the Endeavor Manta, said to be the first of its kind for the Republic of China Navy (ROCN).
Republic Of China Navy (Taiwan)

Taiwan’s Endeavor Manta Drone Boat Breaks Cover

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

The future of the Navy NGAD crewed aircraft program remains in limbo.
F/A-18E/F

Navy F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection This Week: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

We may have just gotten our first evidence of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomber II (SDB II), being used in combat. The first operational use of the StormBreaker by the service would be a big deal, with this weapon bringing some significant advances over its predecessor, the GBU-39/B SDB I, especially the ability to hit moving targets.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornets Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

F-47 NGAD from Boeing.
F-47

Boeing Wins F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter Contract (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 22, 2025

Ukraine Has Another New SAM System That Fires Soviet R-73 Air-To-Air Missiles
Air-To-Air

Ukraine Has Another New SAM System That Fires Soviet R-73 Air-To-Air Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

An apparent Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russia’s Engels-2 Air Base in the Saratov region 300 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to available imagery. At this stage it’s unclear whether any Russian aircraft were damaged in the incident, although there are indications that the primary target was a weapons storage area. Long-range bombers flying from the base regularly attack Ukraine and the airfield, and other like it, have long been high-priority targets for Kyiv.
Russian Air Force

Massive Explosion Rocks Key Bomber Base Deep Inside Russia

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

Ukraine armored vehicle in belgorod.
Russian Army

Russia Confirms Ongoing Ukrainian Assault On Belgorod Region

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 19, 2025

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System
Ukrainian Air Force

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) delivers a speech in front of a Dassault Mirage 2000 (L) and a Dassault Rafale (R) fighter aircrafts during his visit of the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'air et de l'espace) Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase in Saint-Sauveur, north-eastern France on March 18, 2025.
Rafale

France To Expand Its Nuclear Deterrent With New Air Base

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025