Bombers (Page 2)

Posted on Sep 24, 2025

U.S. military aircraft employed GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) and laser-guided 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets as part of the operation to strike Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year.

B-2

Pentagon Moves To Replace Weapons It Used In Operation Midnight Hammer

Updated on Sep 17, 2025

We now have our first look at the U.S. Air Force's two flying B-21 Raider stealth bombers together at Edwards Air Force Base.

B-21

Two B-21 Raider Stealth Bombers Photographed Together For The First Time

Posted on Sep 12, 2025

China officially unveiled a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) called the JL-1 at its sprawling military parade in Beijing yesterday.

H-6 Bomber

China’s JL-1 Air Launched Ballistic Missile’s Official Debut Is A Big Deal

Posted on Sep 4, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is hoping to finally kick off flight testing of the new AN/APQ-188 radar for the B-52 shortly.

B-52

B-52 Radar Upgrade Flight Testing Expected To Finally Begin Soon

Posted on Aug 28, 2025

B-21

USAF Hopeful Second B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Will Fly Before Year End

Posted on Aug 27, 2025

A pair of B-2 bombers touched down at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska yesterday, and more may now be headed in the same direction.

B-2

B-2 Bombers Arrive At Alaskan Airbase Putin Will Land At (Updated)

Updated on Aug 15, 2025

A B-2 bomber left a smiley face made out of bomb craters on the 'runway' of a mock airfield during a test some two decades ago.

B-2

B-2 Bombed A Smiley Face Of Craters Into The Ground Because It Ran Out Of Targets

Updated on Aug 8, 2025

For all the new capabilities the B-21 Raider will bring as an individual aircraft, the U.S. Air Force's top bomber officer says he is most excited about the sheer numbers of those aircraft that are set to enter service in the coming years.

B-2

For B-21, Quantity Is Its Most Critical Quality Top Bomber Officer Says

Posted on Aug 7, 2025

The Pentagon is waiting for comprehensive battle damage assessment to see how well the MOP worked against Iranian nuclear facilities and how it can be improved.

B-2

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator’s Results From Iran Strike Will Inform Its Future: Defense Officials

Updated on Jul 10, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead to add new external pylons onto its B-1B Lancer bombers after years of experimentation.

B-1

B-1B To Finally Get New External Pylons Drastically Expanding Missile Carriage Potential (Updated)

Updated on Jul 9, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is exploring new options to help with the development of improved fuzes for the 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bomb.

B-2

New Fuzes For GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators Requested By USAF

Posted on Jul 7, 2025

The Pentagon has shared extensive new information about the use of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iran, a mission it says was 15 years in the making.

B-2

Everything We Just Learned About The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Strikes On Iran

Updated on Jun 26, 2025

B-2 hawaii diverted during decoy operation

B-2

B-2 Used As Decoy For Iran Strike Mission Is Stuck In Hawaii

Posted on Jun 25, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's first combat employment of 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs in recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites draws new attention to work toward a successor.

B-2

GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Successor In The Works

Posted on Jun 24, 2025

Satellite imagery shows clear evidence that Iran took steps to seal off its nuclear enrichment facility at Fordow in the days leading up to the U.S. strikes, which would have helped shield it against a potential ground raid.

B-2

Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Site Likely Sealed Up Before B-2 Strikes

Updated on Jun 24, 2025

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine have now briefed TWZ and other reporters on the historic strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last night, dubbed Operation Might Hammer.

B-2

B-2 Strikes On Iran: What We Know About Operation Midnight Hammer (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Jun 22, 2025

B-2

U.S. Has Attacked Iran’s Nuclear Facilities (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 22, 2025

At least two separate groups of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are currently heading westward across the Pacific Ocean, but their exact final destination is currently unclear.

B-2

B-2 Bombers Head West Across Pacific Amidst Iran Crisis

Updated on Jun 21, 2025

Mysterious chinese flying wing aircraft that could be the H-20 bomber appears in satellite image.

B-21

Massive Stealth Flying Wing Emerges At Secretive Chinese Base

Updated on Jun 14, 2025

An artist's rendering of the Long Range Standoff Weapon is shown.

B-21

First Glimpse Of Air Force’s New Stealth Nuclear Cruise Missile

Updated on Jun 11, 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.

Tu-22

Russian Cruise Missile Strikes Ukrainian-Controlled Black Sea Drilling Platform

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Jun 10, 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.

B-2

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

Posted on Jun 4, 2025

New satellite imagery and an official video has revealed more about the scale of destruction and damage inflicted on Russian airfields in Ukraine’s unprecedented covert drone attacks last weekend. Today, the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, which carried out the drone attacks, published previously unreleased drone footage showing the attacks underway.

Tu-22

Confirmed Losses Of Russian Aircraft Mount After Ukrainian Drone Assault

Updated on Jun 4, 2025

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery that TWZ has exclusively obtained from ICEYE points to multiple Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers having been damaged or destroyed at Belaya Air Base.

Tu-160

Latest On Russian Aircraft Loss Assessments From Ukrainian Drone Strikes

Posted on Jun 3, 2025

The future of Russia's bomber fleet after Ukraine's mass drone attack.

Tu-160

What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia’s Bomber Force

Updated on Jun 2, 2025

Tu-22

Russian Strategic Bombers Destroyed In Unprecedented Wide-Scale Drone Attack (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Jun 1, 2025

The first production example of the new B61-13 nuclear bomb has been completed roughly a year ahead of schedule, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

B-2

Far More Powerful B61-13 Guided Nuclear Bomb Variant Joins U.S. Stockpile

Posted on May 19, 2025

F-15s deploy to Diego Garcia to protect B-52s.

B-52

F-15s Deploy To Protect Diego Garcia

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman

Updated on May 17, 2025

The U.K is reportedly blocking U.S. access for an attack on Iran to Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford

B-2

B-52s Join B-2s On Diego Garcia,10 Bombers Now At Indian Ocean Island

Updated on May 8, 2025

Northrop Grumman has blamed higher manufacturing costs for its B-21 Raider stealth bomber for a 49 percent drop in first-quarter profit. This is not the first financial hit for the B-21, with the manufacturer having disclosed a loss of nearly $1.2 billion on the program early last year. The latest news comes as U.S. Air Force officials state a need for 145 of the stealth bombers to cope with increasing threats to U.S. security.

B-21

Rising B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Costs Hit Northrop Grumman

Posted on Apr 22, 2025

A U.S. Air Force B1-Lancer assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron sits on a runway during post-flight maintenance in support of Pacific Air Forces’ Bomber Task Force mission at Misawa Air Base, Feb. 20, 2025. Through combined training, the U.S. and intercontinental defense forces work together to promote interoperability, thus furthering our investments and strengthening our relationships.

B-1

B-1B Bones Make Unprecedented Bomber Task Force Deployment To Japan

Posted on Apr 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers have not dropped any GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs on Yemen's Houthis since the Trump administration launched a renewed aerial campaign against them, two U.S. officials have told TWZ.

B-2

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

Tu-95

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

B-2

B-2 Stealth Bombers Deployed To Diego Garcia Have Been Striking Targets In Yemen

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 4, 2025

B-2

Is The U.S. About To Go To War With Iran?

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

China’s KD-21 air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), a shadowy weapon that is widely seen as part of the country’s rapidly developing anti-shipping armory, appears to now be in operational service. The missile, carried by the H-6K bomber, made its public debut at Airshow China in Zhuhai in November 2022, but until now had not been confirmed as being carried by aircraft assigned to frontline unit.

H-6 Bomber

China’s KD-21 Air-Launched Ballistic Missile Appears To Be Operational

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has used B-2 Spirit stealth bombers against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

B-2

B-2 Spirits Amassed On Diego Garcia Underscore Hardened Aircraft Shelter Debate

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force office responsible for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) is asking for new information about options for derivatives of off-the-shelf multi-mode radars that could go into the bombers.

B-52

B-52 Radar Upgrade Alternatives Info Sought By Air Force

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

A significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

B-2

Signs U.S. Massing B-2 Spirit Bombers In Diego Garcia (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

Ammo dump destroyed in Russia at Engles Air Base.

Bombers

Russian Bomber Base Suffered Major Damage To Munitions Area In Ukrainian Drone Attack

Posted on Mar 21, 2025

B-52

B-52 Re-Engining Plan Comes Into Sharper Focus

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

B-21 refueling requirements are pushing rethinking of tanker needs.

B-21

B-21 Aerial Refueling Demands Further Point To It Being A Stealthy Flying Gas Can

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

B-52

B-52 Flies Close To Border Of Russia And Belarus

Posted on Feb 24, 2025

Satellite imagery shows the extent of the massive amount of work that has been done in the past year to restore more than 20 million square feet of runways and other World War II-era infrastructure at historic North Field on the U.S. island of Tinian in the Western Pacific.

Bombers

Massive WWII B-29 Bomber Base Fully Reclaimed For Future Pacific Fight

Posted on Feb 19, 2025

A U.S. Air Force Convair B-36B-1-CF Peacemaker (s/n 44-92033) of the 7th Bombardment Wing in flight, in 1949. This aircraft was retired to the MASDC on 19 November 1956.

Bombers

America’s First Broken Arrow Incident Happened 75 Years Ago

Updated on Feb 14, 2025

The U.S. Air Force quietly fixed a problem with the integration of the 30,000-pound class GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb onto the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber last year. As part of the integration work, the service also conducted an important test of a new "smart fuze" for the MOP to help improve the weapon's effectiveness, even when the exact depth and positioning of the buried target are not definitively known.

B-2

Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bunker Buster Grows More Potent

Updated on Feb 6, 2025

A greater focus on long range strike capabilities is among the alternatives the U.S. Air Force is considering to a costly new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet as part of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. A lower-cost design focused primarily on acting as a 'quarterback' for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones is also still on the table.

B-21

$20 Billion Price Tag To Complete Development Of USAF’s Next Generation Fighter (Updated)

Posted on Jan 13, 2025

A strategically important fuel farm supplying Russia's Engels Air Base was struck by Ukrainian drones.

Tu-160

Ukraine Targets Strategic Bomber Fuel Supplies In Long-Range Strike On Russia

Posted on Jan 8, 2025

H-20

China’s H-20 Stealth Bomber Unlikely To ‘Debut’ Until 2030s, According To U.S. Intel

Posted on Dec 18, 2024

B-21

Former Trump Acting SECDEF Talks About The Future Of Big Ticket Defense Programs

Posted on Dec 6, 2024

Gen. Bussiere said the number and speed of delivery of the B-21 is a “valid discussion” to have “based on the age of the B-1 and B-2” and the advancing strategic capabilities of Russia and China.

B-21

B-21 Raider Numbers Could Be Boosted With Existing Production Capacity

Posted on Dec 6, 2024

Mystery drones have flown over USAF bases in the UK for an eighth day.

B-52

Drone Incursions Over USAF Bases In UK Enter Second Week

Updated on Nov 27, 2024

B-21

B-21 Taking On Some Of NGAD Fighter’s Missions On The Table Air Force Says

Posted on Oct 26, 2024

The expected size of the U.S. Air Force's B-21 Raider fleet could change as part of an ongoing force structure review, according to the bomber's manufacturer Northrop Grumman.

B-21

B-21 Raider Fleet Size Under Review

Posted on Oct 24, 2024

A B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing, 13th Bomb Squadron Whiteman Air Force Base, Miss., prepares to be refueled by a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 434th Air Refueling Wing at Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. during a nighttime aerial refueling mission.

B-2

Questions Linger Over Australia’s Role In B-2 Spirit Strikes On Yemen

Posted on Oct 18, 2024

B-2

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

Updated on Oct 17, 2024

An Air Force B-52H Stratofortress was recently spotted rocking day-glo orange highlights.

B-52

B-52 Emerges In Striking Retro Orange Paint Scheme

Updated on Oct 1, 2024

The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have expanded testing of the B-21 thanks to two ground test articles, which are being used to evaluate the bomber's core construction and the time it takes before certain parts break. The tempo of flight testing of the initial pre-production Raider is also growing, with the jet now sometimes taking to the skies twice a week.

B-21

B-21 Ground Test Airframes Join Flying Pre-Production Raider

Posted on Sep 19, 2024

The head of Air Force Global Strike Command offers exclusive insights about the B-21 Raider in his first interview since taking command.

B-21

New Look At B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Flight Testing Released

Posted on Sep 18, 2024

A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron conducts flight tests on the Load Adaptable Modular pylon in the skies over California, Feb. 15.

B-1

B-1B Tests New Pylon That Could Drastically Increase Its Weapons Carriage Capabilities

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

Chinese H-6-series aircraft have flown off the coast of Alaska for what appears to be the first time in an important show of force along with Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers.

H-6 Bomber

Chinese H-6 Missile Carrier Jets Appear For The First Time Off Alaska (Updated)