News & Features (Page 18)

Latest in News & Features

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin reached a tentative agreement on a 30-day limited ceasefire.
Russia

Putin-Trump Limited Ceasefire Deal Reached, Ukraine Now Has To Agree

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 19, 2025

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System
Ukraine

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) delivers a speech in front of a Dassault Mirage 2000 (L) and a Dassault Rafale (R) fighter aircrafts during his visit of the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'air et de l'espace) Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase in Saint-Sauveur, north-eastern France on March 18, 2025.
NATO

France To Expand Its Nuclear Deterrent With New Air Base

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

The U.S. Navy is set to help integrate the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-16 Viper fighter, giving those jets a huge enhancement in anti-ship capability.
News & Features

F-16 Is Getting Massive Anti-Ship Missile Upgrade

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

250316-N-WO287-1011 U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (March 15, 2025) Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, a part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTSCG), conducts flight operations from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (Official U.S Navy Photo)
Israel

U.S. Air Campaign Against Houthis Continues Into Third Day

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

The U.S. Army is contributing ground-based radars to help spot and track drones as part of the continued build-up of U.S. military support along with the U.S.-Mexican border.
U.S. Homeland

Radars Deployed To Mexico Border To Detect Cartel Drones (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

J36 second flight from its base in Chengdu.
China

China’s J-36 Tailless Stealth Fighter Seen Flying For Second Time

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 17, 2025

Israel has confirmed that its F-35 stealth fighters have flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35’s so-called ‘beast mode,’ featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is well known by now, but as far as is known, has not been called upon operationally by any other countries. Meanwhile, Israel’s unique F-35I fleet — locally known as the “Adir” (Hebrew for mighty) — which features various local modifications, has frequently been at the forefront of demonstrating new capabilities.
Israel

Israeli F-35s First To Use ‘Beast Mode’ In Combat

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

15th September 1947: The 'ops' room at the secret operational headquarters at Uxbridge RAF station, from where the Battle of Britain was conducted, is now the control centre for the fly past for Battle of Britain week. (Photo by Fred Morley/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 15, 2025

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.
U.S. Homeland

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.
North Korea

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

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 14, 2025

A-4 being loaded with bombs during the Falklands War.
Cold War

Argentine Air Force Went To War With Chaff Made By Pasta Machine

By Thomas Newdick, Mariano Sciaroni

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

Two Ukrainian firms, both partnered with American companies, are among those now set to demonstrate long-range one-way drones to the U.S. military as part of a project called Artemis.
Russia

Ukrainian Long-Range Attack Drones To Be Tested By U.S. Military

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 14, 2025

Improved versions of the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) are reportedly among the weapons that will be sent to Ukraine after the United States after Washington decided to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The GLSDB had made its combat debut in Ukraine, but had reportedly performed poorly there, especially due to the effects of Russian electronic warfare, and was last used “months ago.”
Ukraine

Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb Headed To Ukraine For Its Second Try At Combat: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

Videos have emerged showing an out of control commercial oil tanker hitting a row of three Brazilian Navy patrol boats, as well as a pier, in the Port of Santos along the country's southeastern coast last night.
South America

Out Of Control Tanker Plows Into Docked Brazilian Navy Vessels

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

T-45 Goshawks rest aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort as part of the advanced course of the Student Naval Aviator strike pilot training program Sept. 15. The Goshawk is a fully carrier-capable version of the British Aerospace Hawk Mk-60. It was developed as a jet flight trainer for the Navy and Marine Corps. The T-45s are with Training Air Wing 1 from Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss. and TRAWING-2 from NAS Kingsville, Texas. The TRAWINGs chose MCAS Beaufort as an alternate training site due to its accommodations and facilities for jet aircraft.
News & Features

T-45 Navy Jet Trainer Fleet Grounded After Engine Incident

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 13, 2025

More imagery has appeared of China’s new ‘invasion barge,’ which involves a temporary pier that can be connected to other vessels via a barge, or series of barges, with jack-up supports. The development of jack-up barges is widely seen as part of preparations for a possible invasion of Taiwan. On the other hand, they also reflect the growing use of ostensibly non-military maritime assets to support amphibious operations by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
China

Our Best Look Yet At China’s New ‘Invasion Barges’

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin has come out ostensibly in favor of a U.S.-brokered proposal for a total 30-day pause in his country's war on Ukraine, but with significant "nuances."
Russia

Putin Open To Ceasefire Deal But Says “Nuances” Must Be Addressed First

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

B-52 Re-Engining Plan Comes Into Sharper Focus
News & Features

B-52 Re-Engining Plan Comes Into Sharper Focus

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 13, 2025

Pictures have appeared on social media showing work in Ukraine to turn a tethered aerostat – what is more colloquially called a balloon – into an elevated platform for launching kamikaze drones at incoming long-range one-way attack drones.
Russia

Balloon-Launched Drone To Intercept Long Range Kamikaze Drones Emerges In Ukraine

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

The U.S. Army is looking at acquiring a new machine gun chambered to fire the .338 Norma Magnum cartridge, but that can also be converted to use the same 6.8x51mm ammunition as its next-generation M7 rifles and M250 light machine guns.
Procurement

Machine Gun With Longer Reach Sought By U.S. Army

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

The Kursk city of Sudzha is on the verge of being recaptured by Russia.
Russia

Ukraine On Verge Of Losing Key City In Russia’s Kursk Region

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

SOCOM wants Green Berets to have FPV drones to operate in caves.
Middle East

Green Berets Looking For FPV Drones To Help Them Clear Hostile Cave Complexes

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 12, 2025

In response to recent European media reports, Lockheed Martin and several governments have pushed back on the idea that F-35 Joint Strike Fighters have any kind of a discreet 'kill switch' that U.S. authorities could use to remotely disable the jets.
NATO

You Don’t Need A Kill Switch To Hobble Exported F-35s

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 11, 2025

The U.S. and Ukraine have reached an agreement to institute a ceasefire to pause the fighting.
Russia

U.S.-Ukraine Reach Agreement On Terms For Total Ceasefire With Russia

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 11, 2025

A view of destroyed buildings and area after a massive drone attack at the Leninsky urban district (Vidnoye) and Domodedovo (Yam village) at 4 am in Moscow, Russia on March 11, 2025. At least 2 people were killed and 20 others injured in a "massive" drone attack on Russia.
Russia

Drones Rained Down On Moscow Ahead Of Ukraine Peace Talks

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 11, 2025

Russia's airbase is Syria has been flooded with people trying to escape violence between warring factions.
Syria

Russia’s Air Base In Syria Has Become Refuge From Fierce Sectarian Violence

By Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 10, 2025

An F16-D Fighting Falcon pilot from the 40th Flight Test Squadron demonstrates proper flare technique during a training mission near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., June 6, 2019. A flare is an aerial infrared countermeasure used by planes or helicopter to counter an infrared homing surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Hoskins)
Artificial Intelligence

AI-Enabled Cognitive Electronic Warfare Capability Plugs Into F-16’s Existing Radar Warning Receiver

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

Details have emerged of an extraordinary mission launched by Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, during which they penetrated deep into Ukrainian-held territory via a gas pipeline. The
Russia

Russian Raiders Crawled For Miles Through Gas Pipeline To Attack Ukrainians In Kursk

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

One of 10 oil tankers enrolled in a U.S. program to provide fuel to troops was set ablaze after a cargo ship collided into in the North Sea.
Northern Europe

Tanker That Exploded In North Sea Collision One Of 10 In U.S. Fuel Delivery Program

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 10, 2025

Battles take place between the new Syrian government's Defense Ministry forces and the forces loyal to Bashar Assad on March 7, 2025, in outskirts of Jableh, Latakia countryside, Syria.
Syria

Worst Fighting In Syria Since Fall Of Assad Regime

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 8, 2025

CIRCA 1983: Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman watch as he tries to control the NORAD defense computers in a scene for the MGM/UA movie "WarGames" circa 1983. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 8, 2025

U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches Armed With Israeli Spike Missiles Now Flying in Iraq
Israel

U.S. Army AH-64 Apaches Armed With Israeli Spike Missiles Now Flying in Iraq

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

Ukraine is feeling the affects of a U.S. pause in providing intelligence products and weapons.
Russia

Ukraine Feeling Impact Of U.S. Arms, Intel Pause

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

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

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

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 7, 2025

While it has long been a world-ending threat in science fiction, U.S. Air Force and Space Force officials see artificial intelligence (AI) playing important, if not critical roles in the command and control enterprise at the heart of America's nuclear deterrent capabilities.
U.S. Homeland

How The Military Wants AI To Help Control America’s Nuclear Arsenal

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 7, 2025

NATO is learning lessons from the war in Ukraine.
NATO

NATO Operations Chief’s Five Lessons Learned From War In Ukraine

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 6, 2025

The U.S. does not know how many weapons the Houthis posses, but praise their innovative abilities.
Iran

Houthi Weapons Arsenal Remains A Mystery To The U.S.

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 6, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones are being developed around fundamentally different understandings of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment, with a heavy focus on commercial-of-the-shelf components, than the service's existing crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Drones

Collaborative Combat Drones Designed From Ground Up To Do Logistics Differently

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 6, 2025

F-16 Fighting Falcons from Kunsan Air Base and South Korean KF-16s taxi to the runway together during Exercise Buddy Wing 14-8 at Seosan Air Base, Republic of Korea Aug. 21, 2014. The purpose of the exercise was not only to improve interoperability between U.S. Air Force and ROKAF fighter squadrons, but to practice with ROKAF KF-16 units for their first upcoming RED FLAG exercise in Alaska.
South Korea

South Korean F-16s Just Bombed A Town By Accident

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 6, 2025

U.S. Air Force officials remain focused on the ability to disperse forces to far-flung operating locations as the primary means of reducing vulnerability to enemy attacks.
China

USAF Generals Downplay Calls For More Hardened Aircraft Shelters In Pacific Theater

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducts combat patrols over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Oct. 20, 2024. The F-15E is deployed within the USCENTCOM AOR to help defend U.S. interests, promote regional security, and deter aggression in the region.
Electronic Warfare/Countermeasures

F-15’s New EPAWSS Electronic Warfare Suite Already Has Successor In Development

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

Lockheed Martin has revealed more about its Common Multi-Mission Truck (CMMT, pronounced ‘comet’), a revised design based on its Speed Racer air vehicle, a missile-shaped uncrewed system you can read more about here. The CMMT is now said to be a family of systems, intended to yield low-cost air vehicles designed for a wide range of missions.
Drones

Lockheed’s Low-Cost Cruise Missile ‘Truck’ Is Now In Testing

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), has revealed that its jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger drone, equipped with U.S. government-provided autonomy software, took part in a recent Orange Flag test exercise. This is the latest milestone for the Avenger, which has been heavily involved in the testing of different artificial intelligence-driven autonomy systems for several years now.
Artificial Intelligence

MQ-20 Avenger Tests ‘Hivemind’ AI In Orange Flag Exercise

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A deep review of the U.S. Air Force's paused plans to acquire a new crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet came to the unambiguous conclusion that the service needs such an aircraft to be best positioned to achieve air superiority in future high-end fights.
U.S. Homeland

Next Generation Fighter Critical To Future Air Superiority, Key USAF Study Concluded

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 5, 2025

A slender, partially covered naval ship that recently emerged in Washington state is the Defiant, a new medium-sized uncrewed surface vessel (USV) designed from the keel up to operate without any humans ever onboard.
U.S. Homeland

Mysterious Naval Vessel Spotted In Washington State Is A New DARPA Drone Ship

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has designated the drones that General Atomics and Anduril are currently developing as part of the first phase, or Increment 1, of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program as the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively.
Drones

‘Fighter Drone’ Designations Officially Assigned To Collaborative Combat Aircraft By USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 4, 2025

Top Aces Viper in Blue camouflage
U.S. Homeland

Private F-16 Aggressors Getting Ability To Insert Synthetic Bandits Into Live Training

By Eric Tegler

Updated on Mar 3, 2025

The U.S. Space Force is looking at reactivating a rocket launching site on a remote Pacific island to test technologies for future rocket cargo delivery missions. The site, on Johnston Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, around 860 miles southwest of Hawaii, is now earmarked for the potential construction of two landing pads. This is part of the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, which seeks to use rockets to move military supplies from one point on Earth to another much more rapidly than is currently possible.
Indo-Pacific

Notorious Abandoned Pacific Island Outpost Eyed For Space Force Rocket Cargo Delivery Tests

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 3, 2025

The U.S. Air Force expects to continue utilizing QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) drones converted from F-16 Vipers fighters through at least 2035 despite moving in recent years to wind the program down.
Drones

QF-16 Zombie Vipers To Keep Flying And Dying Into The 2030s

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 3, 2025

AGM114R9X seen in action for the first time
Syria

Bladed ‘Ginsu’ Hellfire Missile Seen In Action For First Time

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 1, 2025

The Air Force will inspect all 89 of its KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling jets after cracks were found on two set for delivery to the Military Delivery Center.
U.S. Homeland

Cracks In KC-46 Tankers Halt All Deliveries

By Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 1, 2025

BAD NEUENAHR-AHRWEILER, GERMANY - MAY 03: The command central of the Cold War-era former West German government bunker pictured on May 03, 2023 near Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany. The bunker, built at the site of a railway tunnel inside hills, had the capacity to sleep 936 people, had over 800 office rooms and would have served as a shelter to keep the West German government functioning in the event of war. Russia's current war in Ukraine and its recent stationing of nuclear missiles in Belarus has revived memories of the Cold War. Both West and East Germany had extensive bunker systems that Germany's post-reunification government chose to abandon in 2007, citing the post-Cold War era peace dividend and claiming that bunkers would be largely useless in the event of a nuclear war anyway.
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in a risky position ahead of his meeting today with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine

Washington-Kyiv Relations Implode Spectacularly (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

President Donald Trump, through his pick to be the next Secretary of the Navy, has thrust long-running criticisms of what is commonly called "running rust" on American warships back into the mainstream limelight.
U.S. Homeland

Warships Caked In Rust Prompting Late Night Trump Texts To Navy Secretary Nominee

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 28, 2025

The Army tested a new unit, called a Multi Purpose Company, to find and engage with the enemy.
Germany

New Scout Unit That Heavily Leverages Drones, Electronic Warfare Tested By U.S. Army

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 27, 2025

In this handout image provided by the U.S. Air Force, 492nd FS commander, prepare to taxi their F-15E Strike Eagle prior to their departure from RAF Lakenheath in preparation for Operation Odyssey Dawn missions March 19, 2011 in Lakenheath, United, Kingdom. Approximately 112 cruise missiles fired from U.S. and British ships and submarines targeting about 20 radar and anti-aircraft sites along Libya's Mediterranean coast.
NATO

USAF Air Base In England Is Nuclear Capable Again: Watchdog Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 27, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's force design director says analyses to date show the service will face more operational risk and be less able to achieve assigned objectives without a new crewed sixth-generation combat jet.
U.S. Homeland

Axing Next Generation Fighter Would Leave Air Force Worse Off: Force Design Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 26, 2025

South Korea today unveiled a new stealthy loyal wingman-type drone, the Low Observable Unmanned Wingman System, or LOWUS, which it plans to operate alongside the locally developed KF-21 Boramae next-generation fighter, among others.
South Korea

South Korea’s Loyal Wingman Air Combat Drone Unveiled

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2025

Iron Dome Changed To Golden Dome
POTUS

Trump’s Missile Defense Initiative’s Name Changed From Iron Dome To Golden Dome

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 25, 2025

China’s Massive WZ-9 Divine Eagle Drone Now Operating From South China Sea Base
China

China’s Massive WZ-9 Divine Eagle Drone Now Operating From South China Sea Base

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 25, 2025

France is apparently looking at the possibility of deploying air-launched nuclear weapons to Germany, a consideration that’s being made amid growing concerns that the United States will no longer guarantee European security under NATO. Broader discussions about nuclear deterrence among European leaders points very clearly to the deepening crisis in the transatlantic alliance under U.S. President Donald Trump.
Germany

France Eyeing Deployment Of Nuclear-Armed Rafale Fighters To Germany: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2025

CHASIV YAR, UKRAINE - JANUARY 27: Ukrainian soldiers of 43rd Brigade are seen working on a Soviet era Pion self propelled howitzer in the direction of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine on January 27, 2025. (Photo by Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Russia

Third Anniversary Of Ukraine War Markedly Different Than Previous Years

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 25, 2025

A domestically-produced F-CK-1 indigenous defence fighter jet (IDF) takes off during a visit by the island's president and the media from Penghu Air Force Base on Magong island in the Penghu islands on September 22, 2020. (Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP) (Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)
Taiwan

Air-Launched Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Being Tested By Taiwan

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Feb 25, 2025