Manned ISR

Latest in Manned ISR

North Korea's shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on a Russian Il-76 Candid cargo aircraft, has flown.
Air

First North Korean Airborne Early Warning Jet Flies, Kim Shows Off Interior

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted 5 Hours Ago

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin has confirmed that U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes have been flying missions around the border with Mexico.
Air

U-2 Spy Planes Are Flying Border Security Missions Air Force Confirms

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

New imagery shows the progress made on North Korea’s shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on an Ilyushin Il-76 Candid airlifter, and which you can read more about in our analysis of when it first broke cover. Since the start of this year the aircraft now had its rotodome fitted, putting paid to any suggestion that it’s intended for a role other than AEW&C.
Air

Our Best Look At North Korea’s New Early-Warning Radar Plane

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 14, 2025

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is reportedly flying unarmed MQ-9 Reapers inside Mexican airspace to snoop on drug cartels.
Air

CIA MQ-9 Reapers Are Covertly Spying On Mexican Drug Cartels: Reports

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 18, 2025

At least 20 U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft, 10 KC-46s and an equal number of KC-135s, supported the first day of the latest Bamboo Eagle exercise off the California Coast, according to online flight tracking data.
Air

Tankers Flood Airspace Off The California Coast For China-Focused Air Combat Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 11, 2025

Rivet joint flew off Mexico.
Air

RC-135 Rivet Joint Surveillance Jet Just Flew Unprecedented Mission Off Mexico

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 4, 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.
Sea

Carrier Air Wing’s Key Priorities To Win In Future Pacific Fight Laid Out By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 30, 2025

Hades ALEs
Air

Army Wants To Test Air-Launched Drones From A Global Express Business Jet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 9, 2025

A U2 Dragon Lady Pilot is integrated into his spacesuit for a flight to the Edge of Space. This photoshoot was done by Blair Bunting, a commercial photographer from Phoenix, AZ.
Air

Dressing For Success At 70,000-Feet Aboard The U-2 Dragon Lady

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 11, 2024

The U.S. Army has received the first of its new High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aircraft, based on the Bombardier Global 6500 bizjet. Set to supersede a varied fleet of turboprop intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, HADES will fly higher, faster, and farther, and for longer periods, while carrying a bigger sensor payload.
Air

Army Gets Its First HADES Airborne Reconnaissance Jet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 25, 2024

Another long-serving U.S. military aircraft has completed its final operational deployment, with the return of the U.S. Navy’s EP-3E Aries II surveillance platform from the 5th Fleet area of operations. The countdown to the spy plane’s final retirement is now on, which will see its vital intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission handed over fully to the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance drone.
Air

EP-3E Aries II Spy Plane Has Flown Its Last Operational Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 7, 2024

The security alert at Geilenkirchen Air Base in Germany last week, which you can read more about here, was due to fears of a possible Russian drone attack, according to multiple German media reports. The latest development comes amid growing fears of Russian-inspired aggression against Germany, including drones, but also various other ‘hybrid warfare’ tactics. As the main operating base for NATO’s fleet of E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), the base plays a critical role for the alliance — including around Ukraine.
Air

Fears Of Russian-Inspired Drone Attack Led To German Air Base Alert: Reports

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 26, 2024

The U.S. Army has chosen the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to lead the conversion of Bombardier Global 6500 business jets into new High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aircraft.
Air

Army’s HADES Surveillance Bizjet Program Moves Forward With Sierra Nevada Corp. Deal

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 23, 2024

A brief video clip of a U.S. Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye linking up with an Air Force HC-130J tanker somewhere over in the Middle East calls attention to how this aircraft has become even more of a force multiplier with the added ability to refuel in flight.
Air

E-2D Refueling From HC-130 Over Middle East Highlights The Hawkeye’s Potential

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 7, 2024

The U.S. Air Force is planning to retire its remaining RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance drones by the end of the 2027 Fiscal Year. The service says it has become clear that the RQ-4s would be overly vulnerable in any future conflict against a peer or near-peer adversary, but it’s not clear what aircraft (or other assets) might fill the resulting capability gap. This only adds to the growing evidence that a top-secret, high-flying, stealth spy drone, commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or variants or derivatives thereof, is getting close to entering service, if it isn’t already being employed operationally on some level.
Air

Air Force Chief Hints At Existence Of Clandestine Spy Aircraft

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jul 26, 2024

U.S. Army Officer Confirms Russian A-50 Radar Jet Was Shot Down With Patriot Missile
Land

U.S. Army Officer Confirms Russian A-50 Radar Jet Was Shot Down With Patriot Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jun 10, 2024