Air (Page 11)

Posted on Oct 17, 2025

XQ-58

Ragnarok Mini-Cruise Missile With Big Range Targets $150K Price Tag (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 16, 2025

Iranian-made Shahed-136 'Kamikaze' drone flies over the sky of Kermanshah, Iran on March 7, 2024. Iran fired over 100 drones and ballistic missiles on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in retaliation to an attack on a building attached to the country's consular annex in Damascus that killed the guards, and two generals of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on April 01, 2024. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack on April 5, 2024 in Tehran.

Air

Army “Absolutely Needs” Drones Like Russia’s Shahed-136: 25th Infantry Division Commander

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Oct 16, 2025

Not every lesson in Ukraine is applicable to U.S. Army aviation a top general told us.

Helicopters

The Lessons U.S. Army Aviation Is Learning From The War In Ukraine

Posted on Oct 16, 2025

A trio of U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers was tracked flying orbits in international airspace off the coast of Venezuela earlier today.

B-52

B-52 Bombers Just Flew For Hours Off Venezuela’s Coast (Updated)

Posted on Oct 15, 2025

C-32

C-32A Carrying Hegseth Makes Emergency Landing In England After Rapid Descent

Updated on Oct 15, 2025

Mojave from General Atomics which will evolve into the Gray Eagle STOL

Mojave Drone Walk-Around Tour

By The War Zone staff

Posted on Oct 15, 2025

The Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) main annual symposium has seen some notable appearances by autonomous launchers, underscoring the service’s growing interest in this class of system. On show at the event were a new Family of Multi-Mission Autonomous Vehicles (FMAV) from Oshkosh Defense, as well as Raytheon’s DeepFires. Between them, these platforms can be armed with a wide variety of offensive and defensive weapons, also including Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot surface-to-air missiles.

AIM-9 Sidewinder

Autonomous Launchers Make Impact As Army Requirements Grow

Posted on Oct 15, 2025

The U.S. Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), better known as the Night Stalkers, has been exploring ways to ensure it can operate in more heavily defended airspace in the future.

Helicopters

How The Night Stalkers Are Planning To Survive In Future High-End Fights

Posted on Oct 15, 2025

UH-60

UH-60 U-Hawk Drone Walk-Around Tour

By Jamie Hunter, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Oct 14, 2025

U.S. Army Sgt. Hunter Moody, a drone operator assigned to Bravo Company, 2nd Infantry Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, in support of Task Force Pegasus, raises his drone at the Nursipalu Training Area near Camp Taara, Estonia, Nov. 13, 2024. Drone operations are an essential component of modern tactics. Task Force Pegasus’ mission is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, strengthening interoperability with NATO allies and regional security partners, which provides competent and ready forces to V Corps, America’s forward-deployed corps in Europe. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rose Di Trolio)

U.S. Army General In Europe Admits “We’re Behind” On Drones

Updated on Oct 14, 2025

The next stage in the evolution of the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (GE STOL) drone sees General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) team up with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, for co-development and co-production of the uncrewed aircraft system, with work set to begin immediately. A demonstrator for the medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drone has already operated from a South Korean assault ship, but the new partnership will see production of the Gray Eagle STOL for all customers taking place in South Korea.

Q-1

General Atomics’ Gray Eagle STOL Drone Will Be Made In Korea

Posted on Oct 14, 2025

AeroVironment has unveiled a new member of its Switchblade family of loitering munitions, the Switchblade 400.

Tank-Busting Switchblade 400 Joins AeroVironment’s Family Of Kamikaze Drones

Posted on Oct 14, 2025

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II flies a presence patrol over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Feb. 26, 2025. The U.S. Air Force is globally postured to protect and defend the freedom of coalition allies and regional partners within the CENTCOM AOR to maintain peace and stability.

A-10

A-10 Warthog Appears To Have Become A Drone Killer

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

Russia Is Using Modified Shahed-136s To Strike Dynamic Targets Near The Front Lines

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

Boeing CxR collaborative tiltrotor drone.

AH-64

Boeing Launches New Family Of Tiltrotor Combat Drones

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

H-60

UH-60 Black Hawk Cargo Drone With Clamshell Nose Breaks Cover (Updated)

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

UCAVs

China’s Stealth Sharp Sword Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles Deployed To Operational Airbase

Posted on Oct 10, 2025

Northrop Grumman has been doing detailed design work that lays a path to air-launching its Lumberjack loitering one-way attack drone from Kratos' stealthy XQ-58 Valkyrie uncrewed aircraft.

Loitering Munitions

Lumberjack Jet-Powered Modular Munition Eyed As Armament For XQ-58 Valkyrie Drones

Posted on Oct 9, 2025

AH-64

Entire Family Of VAMPIRE Counter-Drone Systems Unveiled

Posted on Oct 9, 2025

Germany's leader is pushing for permission to shoot down threatening drones.

German Cabinet Approves Law To Shoot Down Threatening Drones

Posted on Oct 8, 2025

C-130

C-130H Eight-Bladed NP2000 Prop Upgrade Plans Cut Short By USAF

Posted on Oct 8, 2025

F-35A

Time Is Running Out For Canada’s Fighter Decision

Posted on Oct 8, 2025

A Ukrainian drone hit the cooling tower of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, the latest in a series of incidents at nuclear plants in the region.

Russian Nuke Plant Latest To Suffer War-Inflicted Damage

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

F/A-XX

Navy F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection Imminent: Reports

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

An employee holds a miniature of a 70mm rocket during a visit to the Thales production site in Herstal, on October, 3 2025. The company has also inaugurated a new ammunition production line at this site. Production has increased fivefold in recent years to meet the needs of the armed forces. (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR / Belga / AFP) / Belgium OUT (Photo by VIRGINIE LEFOUR/Belga/AFP via Getty Images)

Laser Guided Rockets

Thales Anti-Drone Rockets Now Being Used In Ukraine

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

U.S. Air Force

Mysterious Aircraft Crash Near Area 51 Just Got Weirder

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

The Ukrainian city of Kramastorsk was hit by a fiber-optic-controlled FPV drone for ther first time.

Russian Fiber-Optic Drones Are Now Reaching Into Ukrainian Cities Deep Behind The Lines

Posted on Oct 6, 2025

Sikorsky has announced a whole family of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones, all using a tail-sitting design powered by twin proprotors. While the company has previously showcased and tested this ‘rotor blown wing’ configuration, the new Nomad family includes much larger aircraft, all the way up to a size broadly equivalent to the S-70 Black Hawk medium-lift helicopter and intended for a variety of naval and land-based missions.

Air

Sikorsky Unveils Nomad Family Of Scalable VTOL Drones

Posted on Oct 6, 2025

A company in China recently unveiled a containerized system it says is capable of quickly launching and recovering thousands of small quadcopter-type drones at the touch of a button.

Swarms

China’s New ‘Drone Light Show In A Box’ Massive Swarm Launcher Speaks To Evolving Threats

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 3, 2025

A Venezuelan Army truck carrying Russian missile launchers takes part in a military parade during celebrations for the Independence Day, in Caracas on July 5, 2025. (

Air

Status Of Venezuela’s Air Defense Capabilities

Posted on Oct 3, 2025

CBP says it has information about a "credible threat" that drones might attack agents during ongoing immigration protests.

“Credible Threat” Of Drone Attacks Prompted Massive Chicago Airspace Restrictions, CBP Claims

Updated on Oct 3, 2025

Ukrainian officials are in Washington this week to hammer out details of a potential $50 billion drone deal.

Ukraine Deep In Talks To Sell U.S. Millions Of Drones

Posted on Oct 3, 2025

F-35B

F-35s Deployed To Puerto Rico Showcased In First Official Images (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Oct 2, 2025

Massive Drone No-Fly Zone Imposed Over Greater Chicago Area (Updated)

Posted on Oct 2, 2025

Reports indicate that the United States has agreed to provide Ukraine with targeting intelligence for its long-range missile strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. For many months now, Ukraine has been waging a campaign to degrade Russia’s oil industry, depriving it of critical resources for its offensive in Ukraine as well as revenue from energy exports.

Air

U.S. To Give Ukraine Intel For Attacks On Critical Energy Targets In Russia: Reports

Posted on Oct 2, 2025

Russia is using long-range drones to hit Ukrainian trains.

Russia Using Long-Range Drones To Attack Ukrainian Trains: Official

Updated on Oct 2, 2025

C-130

Funds Shifted To Develop New LC-130J “Ski Bird” Polar Airlifters

Posted on Oct 1, 2025

South Korea has selected an L3Harris Global 6500 bizjet-based solution for its new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. As we discussed at the time, Seoul launched its search for a new plane back in 2020, to bolster its current fleet of four Boeing E-737s, South Korean versions of the E-7 Wedgetail that has been selected by the U.S. Air Force and NATO, among other customers. Reports from earlier this year suggested that Boeing had already been eliminated or dropped out of the new South Korean competition, something that the company appeared to deny.

Airborne Radar

South Korea Has Chosen Its Next Airborne Early Warning Radar Jet

Posted on Sep 30, 2025

A design of a patch for the F-47 System Management Office (SMO) that has been circulating on social media was indeed created by members of that organization, but is still being refined and hasn't been formalized, the Air Force has confirmed.

F-47

F-47 ‘Phoenix’ Patch Authentic, Still A Work In Progress, U.S. Air Force Confirms

Posted on Sep 30, 2025

apan Maritime Self-Defense Force guided missile destroyer JS Chokai (DDG 176) steams in close formation as one of 40 ships and submarines representing 13 international partner nations during Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Air

First Japanese Destroyer Heads To U.S. For Tomahawk Missile Modifications

Posted on Sep 30, 2025

USAF eyes large flying wing arsenal ship.

F-47

Flying Wing Arsenal Plane Packed With Air-To-Air Missiles Eyed By USAF: Report

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 29, 2025

The German air defense frigate Hamburg is among several assets deployed to protect Copenhagen during a wave of mystery drones over Europe.

Frigate, Radars, Troops Rushed To Copenhagen To Defend Against Mystery Drones

Posted on Sep 29, 2025

C-130

Angry Kitten Electronic Warfare Pod Spotted Flying On HC-130J Combat Rescue Plane

Posted on Sep 29, 2025

For the Beacon program, Northrop Grumman has adapted the Model 437 Vanguard, adding digitally engineered wings and modifications for optionally autonomous flight. The first flight was achieved with a test pilot in the cockpit.

Loyal Wingman

Scaled Composites’ Model 437 Vanguard Jet Is Now Flying As An AI Testbed

Posted on Sep 27, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is working to combine an aerial target designed to simulate ballistic threats and a liquid-fuel rocket motor into a new, lower-cost hypersonic missile dubbed Angry Tortoise.

Air-Launched Hypersonic Missiles

Angry Tortoise Liquid-Fueled Hypersonic Missile In Development For USAF

By Joseph Trevithick, Hope Hodge Seck

Posted on Sep 26, 2025

The giant WindRunner cargo jet concept was shown off for the Air Force.

An-124

Giant WindRunner Cargo Jet Concept Shown Off To USAF

Posted on Sep 26, 2025

MiG-21

India’s Iconic MiG-21 Blasts Off Into Retirement

Posted on Sep 26, 2025

A business jet converted into a tanker is among the options the U.S. Air Force has been considering as part of plans for a future aerial refueling 'system of systems.'

Tankers

Business Jet Aerial Refueling Tankers Eyed By USAF

Posted on Sep 26, 2025

J-XDS

Is This Our Best Look At China’s Tailless J-XDS Stealth Fighter?

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

German defense startup Helsing has unveiled a new uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV), the CA-1 Europa. The company is targeting a first flight in 2027 for the UCAV, which looks very similar to the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. Boeing’s Australian subsidiary developed Ghost Bat first as a ‘loyal wingman’ drone for the Royal Australian Air Force, under the Airpower Teaming System. The U.S. Air Force has also now acquired at least one example ostensibly to support research and development and test and evaluation efforts.

MQ-28

Helsing’s CA-1 Drone Is An MQ-28 Ghost Bat Lookalike

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has summed top military leaders to an emergency meeting next week.

U.S. Air Force

War Secretary’s Emergency Meeting A Mystery To Hundreds Of Top Officers Ordered To Attend

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Maurielle Pankau, a 183rd Air Component Operations Squadron intelligence analyst planner, participates in the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis Experiment 3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 13, 2025. Experiment participants were challenged to use human-machine teaming to deliver decision advantage in scenarios marked by complexity, speed, and uncertainty. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

Air Force AI Targeting Tests Show Promise, Despite Hallucinations

By Hope Hodge Seck

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 25, 2025. Aerial refueling allows Fighting Falcons to extend their mission and guarantee war-winning airpower throughout the CENTCOM AOR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natalie Jones)

F-15

Laser-Guided Rockets Now Primary Anti-Drone Weapon For USAF Jets In Middle East

Posted on Sep 25, 2025

The U.S. military was totally unaware of the unprecedented Israeli airstrike on a Hamas compound in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month, one of its senior leaders has confirmed. In the aftermath of the raid, there had been questions as to why the various highly advanced air defense systems and sensors, both American and Qatari, that would normally provide prior alert to an impending attack on Qatar had apparently not functioned as expected. Now we have a better understanding of what happened, from a U.S. perspective.

Air-Launched Ballistic Missiles

New Info On How U.S. Military Was Caught Off Guard By Israeli Strike On Qatar

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Renderings from General Atomics offer new looks at how its air-launched LongShot drone might be employed from F-15 fighters, as well as B-52 bombers and C-17 cargo aircraft.

C-17

F-15 Depicted Launching LongShot Air-To-Air Missile Carrier Drone In New Renderings

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Closing Kill Chains Before The Battle Begins

By Jamie Hunter

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Update from General Atomics from the show floor of Air, Space & Cyber 2025

We Talk YFQ-42A, LongShot, And 9M Flight Hours With General Atomics

By The War Zone staff

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

A long-range kamikaze drone that U.S. firm Kratos is working on together with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) is set to make its maiden flight early next year.

Jet-Powered Kamikaze Drone Kratos Is Developing With Taiwan To Fly Next Year

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

Leidos has raised the possibility of eventually integrating its Black Arrow, also known as the Small Cruise Missile, in the MQ-9 Reaper drone and the OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft. The roughly 200-pound munition has, so far, been tested from C-130 variants but offers the kinds of capabilities that U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is increasingly looking at harnessing.

Q-9

Tiny Black Arrow Cruise Missile Demonstrates A Whopping 400-Mile Range

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 24, 2025

The crew of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle attempted to take down a long-range kamikaze drone with a Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (LJDAM) precision-guided bomb after running out of missiles in the frantic midst of an all-out Iranian barrage aimed at Israel.

F-15

F-15Es Tried To Shoot Down Iranian Kamikaze Drones With Laser Guided Bombs

Updated on Sep 24, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is currently looking toward a single next-generation airlifter to supplant both the C-17A Globemaster III and the C-5M Galaxy, starting in the mid-2040s.

C-130

C-17 and C-5 Cargo Planes Will Be Replaced With One Aircraft: USAF

Posted on Sep 23, 2025

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matthew Olde, the F-15 director of programs and operations at Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis, exits an F-15EX Eagle II aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, June 11, 2025. Olde brought the aircraft to the base as part of a site activation task force visit, one of the initial steps to ensure that when both the F-15EX and KC-46 Pegasus missions arrive at Selfridge ANGB, the 127th Wing will be fully prepared with the right infrastructure, personnel, and support to stand them up and operate them effectively.

Air

New APG-82(V)X Radar For F-15EX Announced By Raytheon