Drones(Page 2)

Latest in Drones

In a significant escalation of the ‘tanker war’ between Russia and Ukraine, which has so far played out mainly in the Black Sea, Ukrainian aerial drones have struck a tanker belonging to Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ in the Mediterranean.
Drones

Ukraine Strikes Russia-Linked Tanker In The Mediterranean With ‘Bomber Drone’

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

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.
Drones

Littoral Combat Ship Launches Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clone

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated 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.
Drones

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

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 18, 2025

Satellite imagery is now available showing the aftermath of a Ukrainian attack yesterday on a Russian Navy Improved Kilo class diesel-electric submarine in the Black Sea naval stronghold of Novorossiysk.
Drones

Aftermath Of Ukraine’s Underwater Drone Attack On Russian Submarine Seen In Satellite Imagery

By Thomas Newdick, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 16, 2025

Ukraine says it carried out the world's first uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) attack on a Russian vessel.
Drones

Ukraine Claims World’s First Underwater Drone Attack On Russian Submarine

By Howard Altman

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).
Drones

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

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

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

Russian Retaliation Strike Raises Stakes In Black Sea Shipping War

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 12, 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.
Drones

China’s High-Flying Swarm Mothership Drone Has Flown

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 11, 2025

LUCAS drone being tested at Yuma Proving Ground.
Drones

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

Howard Howard Altman, By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 10, 2025

An AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile is launched from an MQ-28A Ghost Bat during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia.
Drones

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

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

French authorities reportedly took defensive measures against five drones flying over an extremely sensitive base that is home to the nuclear submarines that make up the nation's second-strike deterrent force.
Drones

Nuclear Submarine Base Drone Incursion Prompts French Military Response

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 5, 2025

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

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

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Dec 5, 2025

In an apparent first since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter has been destroyed, in a drone strike, according to Ukrainian reports.
Drones

First Russian MiG-29 Claimed Destroyed In Ukraine, But That May Not Be The Whole Story

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 4, 2025

Northrop Grumman has unveiled their new CCA.
Drones

Talon Emerges From The Shadows (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Dec 4, 2025

US is deploying Shahed-136 clones to the Middle East.
Drones

U.S. Deploys Shahed-136 Clones To Middle East As A Warning To Iran

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Dec 3, 2025

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)
Drones

American Shahed-136 Clones Sent To Middle East Have Satellite Datalinks, Swarming Capabilities

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

The Pentagon announced a new plan to purchase hundreds of thousands of drones for $1 billion.
Drones

Pentagon Launches $1B Program To Rapidly Buy Hundreds Of Thousands Of Kamikaze Drones

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

Russia has fielded a new version of the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone armed with a single R-60 air-to-air missile.
Drones

Russian Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drones Now Armed With Air-To-Air Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 1, 2025

Turkish industry and media alike have heralded the recent live-fire test in which a Kizilelma uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) used a Turkish-made air-to-air missile to destroy a target drone. Turkey claims the test marks the first occasion a UCAV has launched a radar-guided air-to-air missile. But, while undoubtedly impressive, there are unanswered questions about how the engagement actually played out, especially to what degree the UCAV was being controlled by crewed fighter jets.
Drones

Turkey’s Fighter-Like Kizilelma Drone Shot Down Aerial Target With Radar-Guided Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 1, 2025

U.S. M1A2 Abrams assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Task Force Iron, maneuver to get on line with the Apache helicopters assigned to 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Task Force Iron, during Iron Defender-25 at Orzysz Training Area in Orzysz, Poland, Sept. 17, 2025. The Apache helicopters provided cover fire while the Abrams advanced. The purpose of large scale training events like Iron Defender-25 is to prove the Polish Armed Forces and their NATO allies’ ability to deter and effectively defend the territory of Poland. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Andre Gremillion Jr.)
Drones

U.S. Army AH-64E Apache’s Counter-Drone Capability Rapidly Matures

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 30, 2025

A Ukrainian attack on the aircraft manufacturer Beriev’s facility in Taganrog in southwestern Russia overnight appears to have struck a unique laser testbed, the A-60.
Drones

Unique Russian A-60 Laser Testbed Jet Destroyed In Ukrainian Attack

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 25, 2025

Russian officials claim that a prototype of the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate fighter could be in flight testing by early next year.
Drones

Russia Insists Su-75 Checkmate Fighter Will Fly Next Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 20, 2025

Russia is increasingly using a new Iranian Shahed drone against Ukrainian troops.
Drones

Russia Now Using Iranian Shahed-107 Drones To Strike Beyond The Front Lines

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

Boeing says its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone is on track for its first live-fire weapons shot, which will be of an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), next month.
Drones

MQ-28 Ghost Bat To Fire AIM-120 Missile In First Live Weapons Test Next Month

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

An MQ-20 Avenger drone flew a mock mission at the direction of a pilot in an F-22 Raptor during a demonstration earlier this year, General Atomics has disclosed.
Drones

F-22 Pilot Controls MQ-20 Drone From The Cockpit In Mock Combat Mission

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 17, 2025

Israel's stocks of AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are now more effective against long-range kamikaze drones like Iran's Shahed-136, thanks to changes to their seekers, according to a new report.
Drones

Israel Modified AIM-9M Sidewinder Missile Seekers To Better Target Drones: Report

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Nov 15, 2025

The Pentagon's new counter-drone task force has created an Amazon-like shopping portal for equipment.
Drones

Pentagon Creating Amazon-Like Shopping Portal For Counter-Drone Equipment

By Howard Altman

Updated on Nov 15, 2025

China's first super-sized Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, has left port for its first sea trials.
Drones

China’s Type 076 Supersized Amphibious Assault Ship Heads To Sea On Its Maiden Voyage

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 14, 2025

Anduril Unveils Omen Hybrid-Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Drone
Drones

Anduril Unveils Omen Hybrid-Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Drone

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Nov 13, 2025

Current and future operators of A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft could use them to shoot down incoming drones, according to manufacturer Embraer.
Drones

A-29 Super Tucano Light Attack Aircraft Being Pitched As Drone Hunter

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 12, 2025

A month after the emergence of satellite imagery that showed GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) in an apparently semi-operational state, China has released the first air-to-air video of the drone. China also revealed that the official People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) name for the GJ-11 is Mysterious Dragon.
Drones

China’s Stealthy GJ-11 ‘Mysterious Dragon’ Soars Out Of The Shadows

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Nov 11, 2025

The U.S. Army has set a goal of buying one million new drones of all types over the next two to three years.
Drones

Army Sets Out To Buy A Million Drones By 2028

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 8, 2025

China's growing weapons programs puts pressure on intelligence community.
Drones

Can U.S. Intel Keep Up With China’s Tsunami Of Weapons Developments?

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 7, 2025

General Atomics' Gambit family of drones, with its common modular core ‘chassis’ concept, now has a sixth member optimized for air-to-surface missions, such as attacking hostile air defenses or enemy ships.
Drones

Strike Variant Joins Gambit Family Of Autonomous Air Combat Drones

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 6, 2025

Chinese drone test ship seen in action.
Drones

Chinese ‘Mini Drone Carrier’ Seen Being Used As Test Ship

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 5, 2025

Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury ‘Fighter’ Drone Has Flown (Updated)
Drones

Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury ‘Fighter’ Drone Has Flown (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Oct 31, 2025

For the first time, Sikorsky's optionally-piloted UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter performed parachute drops, hovered on its own while sling loads were attached, and flew a simulated medical evacuation mission at the direction of an untrained individual onboard.
Drones

Pilot-Optional UH-60 Black Hawk Put To The Test In U.S. Military Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 30, 2025

The U.S. Army has picked AeroVironment to supply a new anti-air interceptor, primarily to provide an additional layer of defense against longer-range one-way attack drones and other similarly-sized uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Drones

AeroVironment’s Freedom Eagle-1 Picked As New Counter-Drone Interceptor For U.S. Army

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 22, 2025

General Atomics recently showed what it says is a rendering of an MQ-20 Avenger drone armed with a laser directed energy weapon.
Drones

MQ-20 Avenger Depicted With Laser Weapon In Its Nose A Sign Of What’s To Come

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 22, 2025

Shield AI has unveiled X-BAT, a stealthy jet-powered 'autonomous fighter' designed to take off vertically and land the same way, tail first, after completing its mission.
Drones

The Rise Of X-BAT

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 21, 2025

Singapore today launched the first of its drone motherships, or Multi-Role Combat Vessels (MRCV). The largest and most complex ship in the Republic of Singapore Navy, the Victory is the first of a planned six of these vessels. These will replace the existing Victory class missile corvettes (MCV), which entered service in 1989, and will form the cornerstone of its fleet modernization effort.
Drones

Singapore Launches Its Biggest And Most Capable Warship Ever

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 21, 2025

The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) recently awarded Saab with the contract, worth around $276 million and covering the period from 2025 to 2027. As well as the FMV, Saab will work with the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, GKN Aerospace, and other industry partners.
Drones

Sweden Pushes Ahead With Future Fighter Program

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Oct 20, 2025

GJ-X Chinese large flying wing drone.
Drones

China’s Huge ‘GJ-X’ Stealth Drone Appears To Have Been Spotted In The Air For The First Time

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 19, 2025

The U.S. Army is in the very early stages of formulating a vision for fleets of advanced and highly autonomous drones in a similar vein to the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) that the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy are now developing.
Drones

U.S. Army’s Vision For Loyal Wingman Drones To Fly With Its Helicopters Is Taking Shape

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 17, 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.
Drones

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

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Updated on Oct 16, 2025

Leonardo DRS talks about its CUAS efforts at AFA25

Leonardo DRS Spells Out Its Latest Approach To Counter-UAS For The U.S. Army

By The War Zone staff

Posted 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

U-hawk sikorsky
Drones

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)
Drones

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

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

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.
Drones

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

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 14, 2025

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

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

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 14, 2025

Shahed 136
Drones

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

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

Boeing CxR collaborative tiltrotor drone.
Drones

Boeing Launches New Family Of Tiltrotor Combat Drones

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

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

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

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 13, 2025

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

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

By Joseph Trevithick

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.
Drones

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

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Oct 9, 2025

VAMPIRE Live Fire 2025
Drones

Entire Family Of VAMPIRE Counter-Drone Systems Unveiled

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 9, 2025

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

German Cabinet Approves Law To Shoot Down Threatening Drones

By Howard Altman

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.
Drones

Russian Nuke Plant Latest To Suffer War-Inflicted Damage

By Howard Altman

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)
Drones

Thales Anti-Drone Rockets Now Being Used In Ukraine

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

Details remain scant about an unspecified U.S. Air Force aircraft, widely believed to be a drone of some kind, which came down in southern Nevada not far from Area 51 nearly two weeks ago.
Drones

Mysterious Aircraft Crash Near Area 51 Just Got Weirder

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Oct 7, 2025

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

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

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

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.
Drones

Sikorsky Unveils Nomad Family Of Scalable VTOL Drones

By Thomas Newdick

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.
Drones

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