# TWZ A strong offense for the world of defense. ![The RAVN X drone emerged from the shadows at Long Beach airport.]() [ Launch Vehicles]() ## [Mysterious Black Jet That Emerged At Long Beach Airport Identified]() With a sleek airframe the size of an A-5 Vigilante, its silhouette drew immediate attention from local aviation photographers who had never seen anything like it there. By [Howard Altman](), [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted 16 Hours Ago ## Latest News [Bunker Talk]() ### [Bunker Talk: Labor Day Weekend Edition]() Have a great and relaxing weekend gang! By [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Sep 5, 2026 [U.S. Air Force]() ### [USAF Wants MQ-9 Reaper Successor At A Fraction Of The Cost At $10M Each]() The USAF has aggressive cost and schedule goals for new drones to succeed the MQ-9 fleet that has suffered major losses. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Sep 4, 2026 [USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)]() ### [USS Abraham Lincoln Is Getting A Badly Needed Scrubbing While In Thailand]() The ship pulled into Thailand earlier this week caked in rust and algae after 286 days at sea. By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Sep 4, 2026 [People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)]() ### [China’s Huge WZ-X Stealth Drone’s Strange Wing Configuration Confirmed]() New photos of the WZ-X airborne give us a clearer view of the aircraft's unique wing design. By [Thomas Newdick](), [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Sep 4, 2026 [U.S. Air Force]() ### [U.S. Air Force Seeks Anti-Aircraft Guns To Protect Its Overseas Bases]() The request for anti-drone and anti-cruise missile guns comes as the Air Force is pushing to take on more air defense responsibilities at its forward bases. By [Howard Altman](), [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Sep 4, 2026 [Ukraine]() ### [How Russian Drones Forced Ukraine To Park Its M1 Abrams Tanks]() After two costly operations, Ukraine's 425th “Skala” Regiment stopped deploying its M1A1s, but they have not lost all faith in the main battle tank. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Sep 4, 2026 ## [Rebuilding the Arsenal 2026]() Sponsored Content ### [Site Expansions Underpin Lockheed Martin’s Munitions Production Ramp]() Branded Content: Bigger sites, advanced manufacturing techniques, and boosting the workforce are key industry commitments to increased munitions production. By [Jamie Hunter]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [U.S. Army]() ### [Army Widens Stinger Surface-To-Air Missile Replacement Search]() Lockheed and Raytheon are developing competing Stinger replacements now, but the Army wants to put additional designs to the test next year. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 27, 2026 [F/A-18E/F]() ### [Blackbeard Low-Cost Hypersonic Missile Testing On The F/A-18 Super Hornet Has Begun]() The Navy is aiming to have at least a limited operational arsenal of Blackbeard hypersonic missiles within the next two years. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 26, 2026 [Read more]() [See More]() ## [Air]() [U.S. Air Force]() ### [First USAF F-15EX To Be Based In Japan Departs Boeing’s St. Louis Plant]() The first F-15EX bound for the Japanese base comes as the program grapples with future sustainment concerns. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Sep 3, 2026 [Royal Air Force]() ### [UK Government Commits To Boom Refueling For RAF Tankers]() The next-generation Tempest fighter is driving the Royal Air Force to add a capability it currently lacks. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Sep 3, 2026 [Ukrainian Air Force]() ### [Missile Shortage Has Now Hit Ukrainian F-16 Force]() The shortage is so acute that the air force frantically tracks incoming missile shipments and waits to see whether they arrive before Russia’s next aerial barrage. By [TWZ]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [Read more]() [View All in Air]() ## [Sea]() [U.S. Navy]() ### [The Three Foreign Frigates Being Studied For Possible U.S. Navy Service]() Modern Japanese, South Korean, and Turkish frigate designs have emerged as possible contenders to meet increasingly urgent Navy demands. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Sep 3, 2026 [Ukraine]() ### [Ukrainian Sea Drones Strike Russian Black Sea Resort Town Of Sochi For The First Time]() Ukraine Situation Report: The strike on Sochi's port highlights the increasing reach of Kyiv's drone boat attack campaign. By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Sep 3, 2026 [USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)]() ### [USS Abraham Lincoln Looks Like It’s Been Through Hell After 286 Days At Sea]() We got our first good look at the Lincoln as it pulled into port in Thailand for its only liberty call of its entire cruise and after sustaining high-tempo combat ops for months. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [Read more]() [View All in Sea]() ## [Latest Videos]() ### [Inside A Growing Lockheed Martin Site That Is Key To Its Munitions Production Ramp]() ### [Meet MORFIUS: The Drone Designed To Zap Other Drones]() ### [The Last Days Of The A-10 Warthog Weapons School]() ### TWZ YouTube Check out the latest on all things defense from TWZ’s YouTube channel. [Visit The Channel]() ![]() [Land]() --- Sponsored Content ### [How Drone Detection Is Evolving To Counter Smaller, Faster, And Swarm Threats]() By [Jamie Hunter]() Posted on Sep 3, 2026 [Frigates]() ### [Israeli LORA Ballistic Missiles Fired From German Frigate]() By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [M2/3 Bradley]() ### [Competing Bradley Fighting Vehicle Replacement Prototypes Delivered To The U.S. Army (Updated)]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Sep 1, 2026 [View all in Land]() ![NASA is starting to explore options to fill the gaps that will be left by the eventual retirement of its iconic T-38 Talons.]() [Space]() --- [T-38]() ### [NASA’s Hunt To Replace Its Iconic T-38 Talon Jets Kicks Off]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [Chinese Space Program]() ### [China’s Reusable Space Launch Booster Recoveries Have Major Military Implications]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 19, 2026 [Anti-Satellite Capabilities]() ### [New Anti-Satellite Weapons Now Officially A Top U.S. Priority]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 13, 2026 [View all in Space]() ![BEIJING, Sept. 3, 2015 : DF-26 missiles attend the military parade in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2015. China on Thursday held commemoration activities, including a grand military parade, to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.]() [Nuclear]() --- [People's Liberation Army (China)]() ### [China’s Growing Regional Ballistic Missile Arsenal: A Guide]() By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 5, 2026 [ICBMs]() ### [A Guide To China’s Growing Long-Range Nuclear Missile Arsenal]() By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Jul 28, 2026 [F-35]() ### [UK “Did Not Buy” F-35A For Nuclear Role: RAF]() By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Jul 15, 2026 [View all in Nuclear]() ![The Marine Corps introduced its new plan for ground combat.]() [Unmanned]() --- [U.S. Marine Corps]() ### [How Marine Rifle Squads Plan To Fight Future Wars Dominated By Drones]() By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Aug 26, 2026 [U.S. Air Force]() ### [Wildfire Is General Atomics’ Successor To The MQ-9 Reaper]() By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Aug 20, 2026 [Land]() ### [Rheinmetall Launches New Containerized Loitering Munition From Moving Truck]() By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 14, 2026 [View all in Unmanned]() ## More Latest News [Iran]() ### [Iranian Oil Tankers In The Cross Hairs Of New U.S. Campaign]() At least two Iranian oil tankers were struck by the U.S. as part of Trump's new tanker-for-a-tanker policy. By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [China]() ### [Chinese Cargo Ships Clandestinely Gather Signals Intelligence: Report]() It should not come as too much of a surprise that China is using its massive commercial fleet to spy around the globe as they go about their business. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Sep 2, 2026 [Germany]() ### [Germany Formally Accuses Russia Of Attempted Drone Strike On Ukrainian An-124 Cargo Jet]() The news comes as Germany's power grid is also targeted, with separate incidents pointing to a widening threat in Germany and beyond. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Sep 1, 2026 [Carrier Tracker]() ### [Where Are The Aircraft Carriers?: USS Abraham Lincoln Escorted To Thailand As The Middle East Heats Up]() The Navy pulled a cruiser from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group to escort USS Abraham Lincoln into the South China Sea under unclear circumstances. By [Ian Ellis-Jones]() Posted on Sep 1, 2026 [U.S. Navy]() ### [Navy Sounds Like It Now Wants The Air Combat Drone It Notoriously Passed Over A Decade Ago]() A carrier drone with a heavy weapons capacity, long reach, and the ability to operate in heavily contested airspace is just what the junked X-47B was designed to offer. By [Thomas Newdick](), [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Sep 1, 2026 [Naval Mines]() ### [Iranian Launchers Struck By U.S. Held Exotic And Highly Concerning Rocket-Delivered Sea Mines]() Seeding mine fields at standoff distances via rockets puts the critical southern route through the strait, now a global lifeline, at great risk. By [Howard Altman](), [Joseph Trevithick](), [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Aug 31, 2026 [3M22 Zircon]() ### [Russia’s Zircon May Not Be A Hypersonic Cruise Missile After All]() Ukraine’s intelligence report maps Zircon’s production chain and claims to identify U.S.-origin electronics inside the missile. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 31, 2026 [Japan]() ### [Japan’s First Dedicated Missile Defense Warship Is A Monster]() Japan's first ASEV missile defense ship just had its huge radar mast installed, providing a new sense of scale for these cruiser-sized warships. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 31, 2026 [Japan Air Self Defense Force]() ### [Japan’s ASM-3 Kai Supersonic Cruise Missile May Have An Air-To-Air Capability]() Japan calls the ASM-3 Kai an “air-to-surface/anti-air” weapon, potentially pointing to a new counter to large high-value airborne targets. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 31, 2026 [Russia]() ### [Russia Changing Missile And Drone Attack Strategy On Ukrainian Capital]() Ukraine Situation Report: The new strategy prioritizes frequency over amplitude, wearing down the populace and exhausting air defenders. By [Howard Altman]() Posted on Aug 29, 2026 [Bunker Talk]() ### [Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week]() We should have brought more puzzles. By [Tyler Rogoway]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [HH-60]() ### [USAF Stands Up Unit To Fly HH-60W Helicopters In Doomsday Evacuation Role In Nation’s Capital]() Jolly Green II rescue helicopters offer a capability boost for VIP airlift and continuity of government roles, but there are questions about the plan. By [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [China]() ### [Massive Expansion At China’s ‘Area 51’]() The buildout of the remote flight-test base has accelerated sharply, and large new hangars suggest a specific type of aircraft may be arriving in the near future. By [Ian Ellis-Jones]() Updated on Aug 28, 2026 [Iran]() ### [U.S. Expanding B-52 Bomber Capacity At Moron Air Base In Spain]() The investment comes after Spain would not allow the U.S. to use Moron for long-range bomber missions against Iran. By [Howard Altman](), [Joseph Trevithick]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [Indo-Pacific]() ### [Indonesia’s First Aircraft Carrier Is On Its Way From Italy]() Indonesia is about to join Southeast Asia’s small but unusual aircraft-carrier club. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [Gripen]() ### [Saab’s Gripen F Two-Seater Takes To The Air For The First Time]() The two-seat advanced Gripen offers additional flexibility and could be especially relevant for future operations alongside drones. By [Thomas Newdick]() Posted on Aug 28, 2026 [See More]() ![]() ## The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. [Sign Up]()By signing up you agree to our[ Terms of Service]() and[ Privacy Policy.]() ## [Must Read Features]() [WWII]() ### [The Extraordinary Tale Of USS Salmon’s Escape From Destruction]() By [Oliver Parken]() Posted on Dec 1, 2023 [U.S. Air Force]() ### [USAF Mini-Documentary Takes You Behind The Scenes Of Its Top Secret Cold War MiG Squadron]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Updated on Dec 1, 2019 [U.S. Army]() ### [Army Tried To Get Data On Soviet Lasers With Bond-Like Sensors Hidden In Consumer Cameras]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Updated on Jun 28, 2019 [China]() ### [China’s Base in the Horn of African Has a Huge Underground Bunker]() By [Joseph Trevithick]() Updated on Jul 5, 2020 [SEE MORE]() ## The TWZ Team - [![]()]()[Tyler Rogoway]()Editor-in-Chief - [![]()]()[Joseph Trevithick]()Deputy Editor - [![]()]()[Howard Altman]()Senior Staff Writer - [![]()]()[Thomas Newdick]()Staff Writer - [![]()]()[Jamie Hunter]()Contributor - [![]()]()[Ian Ellis-Jones]()Head of Audience Development and Writer