Air-To-Ground (Page 3)

Posted on Jun 18, 2025

Newly emerged video footage purportedly shows the destruction of a Ukrainian drilling rig in the Black Sea by a supersonic cruise missile launched by a Russian Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bomber.

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

Russian Cruise Missile Strikes Ukrainian-Controlled Black Sea Drilling Platform

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Jun 10, 2025

Germany plans to buy Joint Strike Missile (JSM) cruise missiles from Norway, to arm its forthcoming fleet of F-35A stealth fighters. While these jets were primarily chosen as launch platforms for U.S.-owned nuclear gravity bombs, under a long-standing NATO agreement, Germany is increasingly viewing the F-35A as part of an expanding conventional long-range strike arsenal.

German F-35s Will Be Armed With Stealthy Joint Strike Missiles

Posted on Jun 5, 2025

The U.S. Air Force says it has tested a modified 500-pound-class GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, optimized for use as an anti-ship munition as part of its Quicksink program.

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)

Smaller Version Of Quicksink Ship-Killing Smart Bomb Tested By USAF

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Updated on Mar 1, 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

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

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

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

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

Posted on Feb 4, 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

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

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

Posted on Jan 15, 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

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

A new targeted strike involving the use of the secretive AGM-114R9X Hellfire missile, which features an array of pop-out sword-like blades rather than a traditional high-explosive warhead, looks to have occurred in northwestern Syria.

Secretive Bladed AGM-114R9X Hellfire Missile Looks To Have Reemerged In New Syria Strike

Posted on Dec 17, 2024

A recently released video from the cockpit of a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 Flanker provides an unprecedented close-quarters view of the fighter lobbing GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) toward a Russian target.

Cockpit Video Of Ukrainian Su-27 Lobbing GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs

Posted on Dec 13, 2024

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Viper fighter has conducted the first release of a test version of the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) missile.

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

Stand-In Attack Missile Released From Fighter For First Time In USAF Test

Posted on Dec 2, 2024

The U.S. military risks going into a potential major fight with China with insufficient stocks of Patriot surface-to-air interceptors and other key munitions due to obligations in the Middle East and Ukraine, the top officer in the Pacific has warned.

Conflicts ‘Eating Into’ Critical Munitions Stockpiles Needed For China Fight, Top U.S. Officer In Pacific Warns

Posted on Nov 20, 2024

SPEAR 3 air-to-surface mini cruise missile.

UK’s New SPEAR 3 Mini Cruise Missile Succeeds In First End-To-End Test

Posted on Nov 18, 2024

Flight testing of the U.S. Air Force's Stand-In Attack Weapon (SiAW) missile is now set to begin following the delivery of an initial test article.

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

First Stand-In Attack Missile Delivered To USAF

Posted on Nov 18, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is accelerating work on low-cost air vehicles that could evolve into relatively cheap cruise missiles, and plans to scale up production of selected designs, with the help of the Pentagon's Replicator initiative.

‘Cheap’ Cruise Missile Program To Speed Up With Replicator Initiative Help

Posted on Nov 15, 2024

Storm Shadow/SCALP

French Mirage 2000s Destined For Ukraine Will Fly With Storm Shadow, MICA Missiles

Posted on Oct 23, 2024

Bunker Busters

B-2 Spirits Just Sent A Very Ominous Message To Iran

Updated on Oct 17, 2024

A new counter-drone focused variant of the 8x8 Stryker light armored vehicle armed with a laser directed energy weapon, laser-guided 70mm rockets, a 30mm automatic cannon, radars and other sensors has broken cover.

Counter-Drone Stryker Armored Vehicle Armed With Lasers, Rockets, Guns Unveiled

Posted on Oct 11, 2024

The Amiral Ronarc’h (hull number D 660) officially started sea trials earlier this week, setting sail from the Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard, in Brittany, northern France, on October 7.

Storm Shadow/SCALP

France’s Radical-Looking New Frigate Has Gone To Sea

Posted on Oct 11, 2024

KOSTYANTYNIVKA, UKRAINE - OCTOBER 5: Ukrainian servicemen examine the wreckage of a downed Russian aircraft, likely a Sukhoi S-70 "stealth" heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which crashed in a residential area, setting a house on fire on October 5, 2024 in Kostyantynivka, Ukraine.

Russia’s S-70 Hunter Drone Was Armed When Shot Down By Friendly Fighter Over Ukraine

Posted on Oct 7, 2024

Imagery said to show the aftermath of a highly targeted air strike on a car in Lebanon has prompted questions about whether a previously unknown miniature munition designed to produce extremely little collateral damage may have been employed.

Was A Mini “Sword Bomb” Just Used To Strike A Car In Lebanon?

Updated on Sep 27, 2024

AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW)

Biden Surging $8B In Aid To Ukraine That Includes AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapons For F-16s

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

Updated on Sep 26, 2024

An F-35 Lightning II test pilot conducts flight test Sept. 10 to certify the carrier variant of the fighter aircraft for carrying the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). As part of ongoing integration efforts, the Pax River F-35 Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF) team flew two days of test flights to evaluate flutter, loads, and flying qualities with two AGM-158 loaded on external stations. LRASM is a defined near-term solution for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) air-launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets. The Pax River ITF’s mission is to effectively plan, coordinate, and conduct safe, secure, and efficient flight test for F-35B and C variants, and provide necessary and timely data to support program verification / certification and fleet operational requirements.

F-35 Shown Carrying Stealthy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles For The First Time

Posted on Sep 24, 2024

AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW)

AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon To Equip Ukraine’s F-16s: Report

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

Posted on Sep 21, 2024

Everything We Just Learned About The Supersized AGM-158 XR Stealth Cruise Missile

Posted on Sep 16, 2024

Russia putting tires on top of bombers and other aircraft was about confusing seekers with image-matching capability on incoming munitions, a senior U.S. military technologist has confirmed.

Russia Covering Aircraft With Tires Is About Confusing Image-Matching Missile Seekers U.S. Military Confirms

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

Updated on Sep 13, 2024

The U.S. Marine Corps legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets are getting a major boost in stand-off strike capability in the form of AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles

Marine Legacy F/A-18 Hornets Getting Major Firepower Boost With JASSM Cruise Missiles