Air Force Munitions (Page 3)

Posted on Jun 4, 2025

We now have a picture showing a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle down-range in the Middle East with an air-to-air loadout that includes six seven-shot 70mm rocket pods, as well as four AIM-9X and four AIM-120 missiles.

F-15E Armed With Drone Killing Laser-Guided Rockets Appears In Middle East

Posted on May 30, 2025

Adding APKWS II to the F-15E's arsenal is an unsurprising development that would turn the Strike Eagle into a counter-drone and counter-cruise missile arsenal ship.

F-15E Spotted Packing Big Laser-Guided Rocket Arsenal Ideal For Drone Hunting

Posted on May 23, 2025

Russia Fielding New Nuclear-Armed Air-To-Air Missiles: U.S. Intel

Posted on May 21, 2025

Air Force Munitions

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

Posted on May 16, 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.

New Small Russian Cruise Missile Captured By Ukrainian Intelligence

Updated on May 12, 2025

Chinese-Made PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Components Came Down Intact Inside India

Updated 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on May 6, 2025

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.

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

Posted on May 5, 2025

AIM-9 Sidewinder

AIM-9 Sidewinder-Armed Ukrainian Drone Boat: What We Know

Posted on May 5, 2025

Marine AH-1Z Attack Helicopter’s Mystery Missiles Identified

Posted on May 1, 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.

StormBreaker Advanced Glide Bomb Lands In Yemen Largely Intact

Posted on Apr 25, 2025

An AFRICOM airstrike on a boat smuggling advanced arms to al-Shabaab highlights the new authorities given to commanders.

Rapid Strike On Smuggling Ship Off Africa Highlights Increased Authorities Given To Commanders

By Howard Altman

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.

AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM)

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

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.

AGM-114 Hellfire

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

Posted on Apr 18, 2025

Post strike image of US attack on Houthi fuel port.

Destruction From U.S. Attack On Houthi Port Shown In Satellite Imagery

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 18, 2025

Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

B-2s Have Not Dropped Massive Ordnance Penetrators On Yemen During Diego Garcia Missions: Officials

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Apr 17, 2025

When the U.S. wanted to shift a Patriot battery from the Pacific to the Middle East, it took 73 C-17 flights to do so, highlighting sustainment concerns.

Air Force Munitions

It Took 73 C-17 Loads To Move Patriot Battalion From Pacific To Middle East

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 10, 2025

We now have our first look at a new version of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) 70mm guided rocket with an infrared seeker on top of the existing laser guidance capability.

Infrared Seeker For APKWS Guided 70mm Rockets Unveiled

Posted on Apr 9, 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,

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

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

Posted on Apr 5, 2025

There are signs that a new AIM-120E variant of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) may now be in development.

New AIM-120E Variant Of AMRAAM Air-To-Air Missile Hinted At By USAF

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.

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

Posted on Mar 27, 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-18 Super Hornets Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

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

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

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

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

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 Is Getting Massive Anti-Ship Missile Upgrade

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

Israel has confirmed that its F-35 stealth fighters have flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35’s so-called ‘beast mode,’ featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is well known by now, but as far as is known, has not been called upon operationally by any other countries. Meanwhile, Israel’s unique F-35I fleet — locally known as the “Adir” (Hebrew for mighty) — which features various local modifications, has frequently been at the forefront of demonstrating new capabilities.

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)

Israeli F-35s First To Use ‘Beast Mode’ In Combat

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

Improved versions of the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) are reportedly among the weapons that will be sent to Ukraine after the United States after Washington decided to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The GLSDB had made its combat debut in Ukraine, but had reportedly performed poorly there, especially due to the effects of Russian electronic warfare, and was last used “months ago.”

Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb Headed To Ukraine For Its Second Try At Combat: Report

Posted on Mar 14, 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.

AIM-260

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

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

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

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

Lockheed Martin has revealed more about its Common Multi-Mission Truck (CMMT, pronounced ‘comet’), a revised design based on its Speed Racer air vehicle, a missile-shaped uncrewed system you can read more about here. The CMMT is now said to be a family of systems, intended to yield low-cost air vehicles designed for a wide range of missions.

Lockheed’s Low-Cost Cruise Missile ‘Truck’ Is Now In Testing

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A novel type of jet propulsion, a rotating detonation engine (RDE), has been successfully tested by Pratt & Whitney. The development is highly significant for the U.S. military, with RDE technology at the center of the project called Gambit, which aims to provide a propulsion system for a mass-producible, low-cost, high-supersonic, long-range weapon for air-to-ground strike.

Rotating Detonation Engine For Future High-Performance Missiles Successfully Tested

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

AGM114R9X seen in action for the first time

AGM-114 Hellfire

Bladed ‘Ginsu’ Hellfire Missile Seen In Action For First Time

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 1, 2025

Meteor

F-35B Has Flown With Meteor Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

Raytheon has revealed that’s working on a ground-launched version of its StormBreaker glide bomb, previously available only in air-launched form. The new development of the weapon should provide a follow-on to the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which made its combat debut in Ukraine, but which has reportedly performed poorly, including due to heavy Russian jamming.

Ground-Launched And Powered Air-Launched Versions Of StormBreaker Glide Bomb Are In Development

Updated 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).

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

Updated on Feb 26, 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-16s With Larger Laser-Guided Rocket Loads, Drone Kill Marking Emerge Over Middle East

Posted on Feb 19, 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-1Z Attack Helicopter’s New Long Range Missile Seen For The First Time

Updated on Feb 17, 2025

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

Posted on Feb 12, 2025

The first General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons received by Ukraine fly on the Day of Ukrainian Air Force on August 4, 2024 in Unspecified, Ukraine. At the event for the Day of Ukrainian Air Force with the participation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the first General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons received by Ukraine were demonstrated.

New Shots Of Ukrainian F-16s Shine Light On Combat Missions

Posted on Feb 12, 2025

China’s J-20 Fighter Is Now Flying In ‘Beast Mode’

Updated on Feb 10, 2025

Beirut bunker buster CCTV on hezbollah bunker

Bunker Busters

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

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 7, 2025

The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft.

F-15EX Nails Pentagon Test Campaign, Survivability Concerns Remain

Posted on Feb 6, 2025

Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bunker Buster Grows More Potent

Updated on Feb 6, 2025

Infrared Seeker For APKWS Guided Rockets Is In The Works

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 4, 2025

While the 1950s was a time of truly unusual and fast-paced innovation in military aerospace, one of the more bizarre projects was for a nuclear-armed, liquid-fueled development of the Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

AIM-9 Sidewinder

The Navy Nearly Built A Nuclear Armed “Super Sidewinder” Air-To-Air Missile

Posted on Feb 1, 2025

A relatively low-cost cruise missile that the U.S. Air Force is now developing could transform into an air-launched counter-drone weapon.

Cheap Cruise Missile Program Set To Evolve Into Air-To-Air Drone Interceptor

Updated on Jan 31, 2025

U.S. Navy officials have laid out several priorities they say are key to ensuring the service's carrier air wings will be able to succeed in future conflicts, especially a high-end fight in the Pacific.

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

F-16s Have Been Using Laser-Guided Rockets To Shoot Down Houthi Drones

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 29, 2025

Cheap Cruise Missile Paired With Affordable Seeker From Ship-Killing Smart Bomb Eyed By USAF

Posted on Jan 22, 2025

AGM-114 Hellfire

Littoral Combat Ship Can Now Rapidly Shoot Down Aerial Drones With Hellfire Missiles

Posted on Jan 17, 2025

General Atomics has offered a look at a new air-to-surface missile it is developing.

New Air-Launched Cruise Missile Teased By General Atomics

Posted on Jan 15, 2025

The new Tempest configuration, this time with Japan Air Self-Defense Force markings.

UK Emphasizes Need To Arm Tempest Stealth Fighter With Larger, Longer Range Air-To-Air Missiles

Posted on Jan 14, 2025

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

Air Force Predicts Enemy Anti-Air Missiles With 1,000-Mile Range By 2050

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 14, 2025

The arsenals of the U.S. Air Force's F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II combat jets look set to grow with the addition of stealthy AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM).

Stealthy AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles To Arm F-15EX, F-15E

Updated on Jan 9, 2025

More new variants of the B61 nuclear gravity bomb could be on the horizon for the U.S. military.

Bunker Busters

Hints At More B61 Nuclear Bomb Variants In The U.S. Military’s Future

Posted on Jan 7, 2025

The U.S. Navy is now officially using "Murder Hornet" to refer to F/A-18E/F fighters armed with five AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and four AIM-9X Sidewinder.

Murder Hornet Nickname For F/A-18s Equipped With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles Now Official

Posted on Jan 6, 2025

IDF raid on Iran underground missile base in Syria

Air Force Munitions

Inside Israel’s Commando Raid On Iran’s Underground Missile Factory In Syria

Posted on Jan 3, 2025

For the first time, Ukraine has released official video showing its Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack jets employing French-supplied Hammer rocket-boosted precision-guided munitions.

Ukraine’s Su-25s Seen Launching Hammer Rocket-Boosted Bombs For The First Time

Posted on Jan 2, 2025

Ukrainian USV Mi-8 Hip R-73 missile kill Black Sea

Ukraine Claims Its Drone Boat Shot Down A Russian Mi-8 Helicopter With A Surface-To-Air Missile