Air

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DARPA is exploring capabilities to support a largely self-sustaining "autonomous constellation" of containerized systems designed to launch and recover networked swarms consisting of as many as 500 drones at once.
Unmanned

Drone Swarms Packed Into Unassuming Containers Sought By DARPA

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted 13 Hours Ago

The Air Force is now looking to conduct a formal review of its requirements to see whether the development of a successor to the B-52 might be warranted, and potentially sooner rather than later.
B-52

USAF Is Going To Explore What Will Finally Replace The B-52

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 7, 2026

An F-14D Tomcat pulls up after performing a fly-by past the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as the ship operates in the Atlantic Ocean on June 19, 2006.
F-14

My God… The F-14 Tomcat May Actually Fly Again Over The United States (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 7, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, specially painted to mark 40 years since Operation Eldorado Canyon, the raid on Libya, has taken to the air.
F-15

Camouflaged F-15E Painted To Mark F-111’s Libya Raid Blasts Through Mach Loop On First Flight

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 7, 2026

U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet blasted an Iranian ship running the blockade.(
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornet Blasts Blockade-Running Iranian Ship’s Rudder With 20mm Cannon (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Updated on May 6, 2026

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer performs a functional check flight in a stripped, bare-metal configuration over Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, Feb. 26, 2026. The aircraft was undergoing depot maintenance after being removed from long-term storage and is part of an effort to return the bomber to service.
B-1

B-1B “Apocalypse II” Out Of The Boneyard And Back In Service

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 6, 2026

Northrop Grumman's experimental XRQ-73 Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration (SHEPARD) hybrid-electric drone has now taken to the skies.
U.S. Air Force

DARPA’s XRQ-73 Hybrid-Electric Flying Wing Drone Has Flown

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 6, 2026

The compact version of the AIM-9X is being developed with a focus on increased magazine depth when carried internally by "advanced aircraft," while also offering improved range and performance.
U.S. Air Force

Smaller AIM-9X Sidewinder For Stealthy Weapons Bays Is In Development

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 5, 2026

Among the latest products from Turkey’s prolific defense industry is a missile apparently directly inspired by the secretive AGM-114R9X variant of the widely used Hellfire, the effects of which TWZ was the first to identify back in 2017. Named Neşter, Turkish for scalpel, the new missile features the same kind of pop-out, sword-like blades as used on the AGM-119R9X, a weapon popularly dubbed “Flying Ginsu” or “Ninja” due to its unusual capabilities.
AGM-114 Hellfire

Turkey Developing Its Own Bladed ‘Ginsu’ Precision Guided Munition

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 5, 2026

Iranian small boats sunk by apache.
AH-64

U.S. AH-64 Apache, MH-60 Seahawk Helicopters Sink Six Iranian Boats (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on May 4, 2026

Israel’s first Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker — now given the Hebrew name Gideon, after a biblical judge and military leader — has completed its first flight in the United States, with delivery expected soon. As we have discussed in the past, new tankers and additional refueling capacity are something the Israeli Air Force increasingly needs.
KC-46

Israel’s First KC-46 Tanker Is Now Flying

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 4, 2026

The U.S. Air Force says the first B-52 to receive new F130 engines is set to be delivered to Boeing's facility in San Antonio, Texas, to begin the modification process later this year.
B-52

First B-52 To Arrive For Re-Engining At Boeing Plant Later This Year (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 4, 2026

As it continues its very high tempo of operations in the Middle East, the Israeli Air Force is set to get two new fighter squadrons, one each of the F-15IA and the stealthy F-35I Adir. While the numbers involved were not stated, the IAF has recently bolstered its fighter inventory in the form of 25-aircraft squadrons. This is almost certain to be the case here, too, which would provide the service with an eventual total of 100 F-35Is and 50 F-15IAs.
F-15

Israel To Buy Extra F-15IA And F-35I Squadrons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 3, 2026

Could The X-BAT Stealth Fighter Drone Change The Air Combat Game?
Unmanned

Could The X-BAT Stealth Fighter Drone Change The Air Combat Game?

By Jamie Hunter

Posted on May 3, 2026

A donated Qatari 747-8i has been modified and flight tested to serve as an Air Force One and will be delivered to the Presidential Airlift Group by this summer, according to the Air Force.
Air Force One

New VC-25B Air Force One “Bridge” Aircraft Now Fully Modified And Flight Tested

By Howard Altman

Updated on May 1, 2026

Two Massive Chinese Stealth Flying Wings Spotted Again at Secretive Drone Base
People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

China’s Massive Stealth Flying Wings Spotted Together At Secretive Test Base

By Tyler Rogoway, Ian Ellis-Jones

Updated on May 1, 2026