Air (Page 4)

Posted on Jan 8, 2026

The Little Bird's small size and incredible transportability mean that it can appear from virtually anywhere, on land or at sea, and are among the capabilities that have long endeared the type to the U.S. Army’s elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

MH-6/AH-6

Night Stalker MH-6 Little Bird’s Ability To Appear Out Of Nowhere Highlighted In Tanker Raid

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 7, 2026

U.S. forces have secured the runaway Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, a U.S. official has confirmed to TWZ.

160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"

U.S. Forces Seize Fleeing Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker In North Atlantic (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jan 7, 2026

Despite parallels drawn between the two operations, one asset that featured prominently in the Bin Laden mission in 2011 that looks to have been notably absent in the force that descended on Caracas over the weekend is stealthy Black Hawk helicopters.

MH-60/AH-60

Why Stealth Black Hawks Weren’t Used For Maduro Capture Mission

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

Royal Canadian Air Force

Canadian NORAD Commander On What It Will Take To Defend The High North

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

A newly published video interview with a Ukrainian Air Force fighter pilot sheds more light on the operations of the country’s F-16 fleet in its war with Russia. The interview with the pilot, whose name is not provided, is a rare opportunity to hear about how the Ukrainian Air Force has gone about introducing its first Western fighter jet. The Viper is now heavily engaged on various fronts, combatting cruise missiles and drones, as well as striking ground targets, including in close proximity to friendly troops.

F-16

Ukrainian F-16 Pilot’s Account Of The Challenges Of The Air War

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

Multiple video clips offer strong evidence that kamikaze drones were among the capabilities the U.S. military brought to bear during the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.

Loitering Munitions

Did The U.S. Use Kamikaze Drones To Strike Venezuela?

Updated on Jan 6, 2026

Shahed-136 crashed with a shoulder-fired heat seeking missile attached.

Air

Russian Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drones Now Carrying MANPADS Missiles

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

U.S. Army MH-60 Black Hawks assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment approach Marine Corps Outlying Field Atlantic during a forward arming and refueling point exercise, MCOLF Atlantic, May 6, 2025. U.S. Army Soldiers and aircraft from the 160th SOAR utilized MCAS Cherry Point’s training area to conduct a FARP. This training is essential for enhancing the unit’s operational readiness and ensuring efficient support for rapid deployment, as Cherry Point provides the facilities and resources to simulate real world scenarios.

160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"

This Is What The Night Stalkers’ MH-60M Direct Action Penetrator Brought To The Venezuelan Op

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 5, 2026

A surge of aircraft from the U.S. to the U.K. has sparked speculation of a SOF aviation buildup.

AC-130

U.S. Special Ops Aircraft Arriving In UK Could Point To Looming Oil Tanker Boarding Operation

Posted on Jan 5, 2026

RQ-170

RQ-170 Sentinel Stealth Drone Supported Maduro Capture Mission

Posted on Jan 3, 2026

160th SOAR took part in operation to strike targets in Venezuela and capture Maduro.

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Has Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman Howard Altman

Updated on Jan 3, 2026

Evidence that the United States employed AGM-114 Hellfire or AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) missiles in a covert strike on a target in Venezuela has now emerged.

Q-9

Missile Fragments Add To Evidence MQ-9 Reaper Drone Carried Out Venezuela Strike

Posted on Jan 2, 2026

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon flies a routine mission over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 31, 2025. Equipped with state-of-the-art radars, sensors and an air-to-air refueling capability, the P-8A is scheduled to receive periodic future enhancements to keep pace with the submarine warfare threat.

P-8

Danish P-8 Sale Set To Boost Poseidon’s Northern Footprint

Posted on Jan 2, 2026

China has converted a cargo ship to a arsenal ship and drone carrier.

Naval Aviation

Chinese Cargo Ship Converted To Launch Advanced Combat Drones Emerges (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jan 2, 2026

A picture has emerged that looks to show Iran's Mohajer-6 drone has entered service, at least on a limited level, with the Venezuelan military.

Iranian Strike-Surveillance Drones Are Now Operating In Venezuela

Updated on Jan 1, 2026

China’s latest live-fire drills around Taiwan appear to have prompted the movement of the island’s secretive Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) land-attack cruise missile. While the development of this important weapons is understood to date back at least to the early 2000s, it has only very rarely been seen since then, which makes its public appearance now all the more interesting.

Republic Of China Air Force (Taiwan)

Secretive Taiwanese Land Attack Cruise Missile Seen On The Move

Posted on Dec 31, 2025

Pentagon announces $8.6 billion Boeing contract for F-15 jets for Israel

F-15

Israel Rearming Its Eagle Force With The New F-15IA

Posted on Dec 30, 2025

Over the past week or so, U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones have been spotted carrying increasingly greater numbers of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles on sorties from Puerto Rico.

Q-9

MQ-9 Reapers Flying With Unusually Heavy Weapons Loads Over Caribbean

Posted on Dec 30, 2025

New imagery of Chinese catapult-capable low-observable combat drones, or possibly mockups thereof, together with some unusual trucks, may point to plans to launch them from the ground, as well as ships.

Loyal Wingman

Is This China’s Truck-Mounted Electromagnetic Catapult?

Updated on Dec 30, 2025

TAIWAN - DECEMBER 29: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - TAIWAN'S MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE/HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) A screen grab from a video shows fighter jet as Taiwanâs Ministry of National Defense said the islandâs armed forces conducted rapid response exercises on Monday in response to aircraft and naval activity by Chinaâs Peopleâs Liberation Army in Taiwan on December 29, 2025. In a statement posted on social media, the ministry said the armed forces closely monitored the situation and carried out joint sea and air operations involving all service branches.The ministry said Taiwanâs Coast Guard also remained on high alert as part of the response. No further details on the scale or duration of the activities were immediately provided. China launched joint military drills Monday around Taiwan in a stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces and external interference, according to state-run media.The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched fighter jets, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in coordination with long-range rocket forces to conduct drills code-named 'Justice Mission 2025' in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan Island, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the theater command.

People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

China Launches Snap “Warning” Drills Around Taiwan Simulating A Total Blockade

Posted on Dec 29, 2025

In a phone call to ABC radio in New York, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed an attack inside Venezuela. The White House has yet to offer any proof.

MC-130

Trump Doubles Down On Claim U.S. Attacked Inside Venezuela (Updated)

Updated on Dec 29, 2025

People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

Chinese Fighter Jet Exports Set To Grow Significantly

Posted on Dec 24, 2025

The presence of U.S. special operations forces is growing in the Caribbean.

AC-130

CV-22B Osprey, MC-130J Commando II Special Ops Aircraft Deploy To Puerto Rico

Posted on Dec 23, 2025

INDOPACOM will hire contractor amphibious aircraft for new pilot program in Pacific.

Search And Rescue

Pentagon To Contract Fleet Of Seaplanes For The Pacific

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 23, 2025

C-130

EC-130H Compass Call Electronic Warfare Plane Joins Growing U.S. Force In Caribbean

Posted on Dec 23, 2025

Two Russian Flanker series fighter jets have been damaged in an overnight arson attack on the military airfield at Lipetsk in the region of the same name in southwest Russia. According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR), the raid was launched by “a representative of the resistance movement in Russia.” If that’s the case, it underscores the varied tactics being used to strike Russian military aircraft on their bases, coming soon after two separate drone attacks on Belbek Air Base in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Su-30

Sabotage Attack On Russian Su-30 Fighters Shown In Video

Posted on Dec 22, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has formally designated Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon drone as the YFQ-48A and described it as a "strong contender" to be part of its future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) fleets.

Loyal Wingman

YFQ-48A ‘Fighter Drone’ Designation Given To Northrop Grumman’s Talon By USAF

Posted on Dec 22, 2025

F-35A

USAF F-35As Have Arrived In The Caribbean

Posted on Dec 20, 2025

The Marine Corps is seeking to bolster its supply of FPV drones.

Marines Seeking 10,000 First-Person View Drones At $4K A Pop

Posted on Dec 20, 2025

F-117

The F-117 Nighthawk First Went To War 36 Years Ago Today

Updated on Dec 20, 2025

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft appeared near the Venezuelan coast today

F/A-18E/F

E-3 Sentry Joins U.S. Combat Aircraft Tracked Off Venezuelan Coast

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 19, 2025

The U.S. Navy personnel in the Middle East have test-launched a Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) long-range kamikaze drone from the Independence class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Santa Barbara.

Littoral Combat Ship Launches Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clone

Updated on Dec 18, 2025

F-35A

Canadian NORAD Commander’s View On Future F-35 Fighter Force

Posted on Dec 18, 2025

A key Russian airbase in occupied Crimea has been targeted by a Ukrainian drone strike. According to Ukraine, the drones hit a MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptor, as well as elements of an S-400 air defense system, at Belbek Air Base, near Sevastopol.

Russian Air Force

MiG-31 Foxhound Among Russian Air Defense Assets Targeted In Crimean Drone Strike

Posted on Dec 18, 2025

Austria is buying 12 M-346F Block 20 light combat aircraft from Italian defense contractor Leonardo, as part of an overhaul of its air force, the Luftstreitkräfte. Austria already operates 15 Eurofighter Typhoons, procured under controversial circumstances, but these jets have notably limited capabilities and high operating costs, which has seen previous efforts to offload them.

Typhoon

Austria Buys M-346F Light Fighters

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it is buying two Boeing 747-8 airliners from German flag carrier Lufthansa.

Air Force One

USAF Buying Lufthansa 747s To Serve As Future Air Force One Trainers, Spare Parts Sources

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

KC-135

More KC-135 Tankers Deploy To The Caribbean

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

A 737 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) with a luxurious VVIP interior has re-emerged unexpectedly tied to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as evidenced by a large departmental seal in the main cabin.

Air

Mystery Surrounds Luxury 737 That Appears To Be Flying For Department Of Homeland Security

Updated on Dec 16, 2025

The latest Chinese military aircraft to appear in flight test is a tactical transport aircraft, known, unofficially for now, as the Y-30. Not perhaps as headline-grabbing as China’s string of new crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft designs, the transport is nonetheless highly significant, reflecting the People’s Liberation Army’s growing ambitions to be able to conduct out-of-area operations.

Y-20

China’s ‘Y-30’ Turboprop Airlifter Spotted For The First Time

Posted on Dec 16, 2025

Indian Air Force

India Can’t Give Up Its Jaguar Strike Aircraft

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

We have got what could be our first look at China’s CH-7 stealthy flying-wing drone in flight. While it’s far from the biggest Chinese drone of this configuration, it’s still of impressive size and, as we have noted in the past, appears to be tailored for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance (ISR), as well as strike missions as an uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV).

UCAVs

China’s Stealthy CH-7 Flying Wing Drone Has Flown

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

Russia carried out a retaliation strike for Ukraine's attacks on its ships.

Russian Retaliation Strike Raises Stakes In Black Sea Shipping War

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

F-35A

Swiss Poised To Slash F-35 Order As Costs Mount

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

C-130

Combat Rescue Aircraft, Tankers Arrive In Caribbean As U.S. Military Buildup Accelerates

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

B-52

This Is What The B-52’s New Radar Looks Like

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 11, 2025

F-35A

F-35A Joint Strike Fighters Deploying To Caribbean (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 11, 2025

China's heavyweight jet-powered Jiutian drone, said to have a maximum takeoff weight of around 17.6 tons (16 metric tons), has flown.

China’s High-Flying Swarm Mothership Drone Has Flown

Posted on Dec 11, 2025

LUCAS drone being tested at Yuma Proving Ground.

American-Made Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clones Being Tested By Marines

Howard Howard Altman, By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 10, 2025

EA-18G

EA-18G Growlers Deploying To Puerto Rico An Indicator Of What’s To Come (Updated)

Updated on Dec 10, 2025

MiG-29

Poland’s Last MiG-29 Fulcrums Being Lined Up For Transfer To Ukraine

Posted on Dec 10, 2025

Switchblade

M1 Abrams Tank Armed With Switchblade Drones Tested By Army

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

Japan and South Korea scrambled jets to respond to a joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol.

H-6 Bomber

Joint Chinese-Russian Bomber Patrol Sends Japanese, South Korean Fighters Scrambling

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

Online flight tracking data shows that a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets flew right into the center of the Gulf of Venezuela earlier today, and stayed there for some 40 minutes.

EA-18G

F/A-18 Super Hornets Were Just Tracked Flying Deep Inside The Gulf Of Venezuela (Updated)

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

The Antonov An-22 (NATO reporting name 'Cock') in the air. The aircraft powered by four turboprops each driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers, the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft. Several airframes are still in service with Russian Air Force.

Russian Air Force

There’s Likely No Way Back For Russia’s An-22 Turboprop Heavy Transports After Fatal Crash

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

MQ-28

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Has Fired An AIM-120 AMRAAM Missile

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

The U.S. Navy has recovered an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz that crashed within half an hour of each other in the South China Sea on Oct. 26.

MH-60/AH-60

Navy Recovers Crashed Super Hornet, Seahawk From Bottom Of South China Sea

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

Congress has taken a new step toward blocking the Pentagon from axing the acquisition of new E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

E-7

E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Program Cancellation Reversal Advances In Congress

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

As it now stands, the Boeing 707-based E-6B is slated to be replaced by the E-130J aircraft, which Northrop Grumman will modify from Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 cargo planes.

C-130

Congress Wants To Know If The C-130 Hercules Could Be The USAF’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’

Updated on Dec 8, 2025

F/A-XX

In Limbo F/A-XX Naval Fighter Gets ‘Full Funding’ Nod From Congress, But There’s A Catch (Updated)

Posted on Dec 8, 2025

A Royal Thai Air Force F-16 touches down during Exercise Thai Boomerang 2015.

F-16

Thai F-16s Bomb Targets Along Disputed Cambodian Border

Posted on Dec 8, 2025

APKWS are now flying on Ukraine's F-16s.

Laser Guided Rockets

Ukrainian F-16s Appear To Be Armed With Laser-Guided Rockets In New Photos

Updated on Dec 5, 2025

F/A-18E/F

How USS Gettysburg Ended Up Shooting Down A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet