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TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG)
Carrier Tracker

Where Are The Aircraft Carriers: June 22, 2026

USS Nimitz completes its Southern Seas tour and the USS George Washington makes a show of force in the Pacific.

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND - JUNE 22: A Boeing 747-8 jetliner practices touch and go landings on June 22, 2026 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The plane, which was a gift from the government of Qatar, is designated as the new Air Force One and will replace the military-grade 747-2. The Air Force has been working to upgrade the jet so it is ready for presidential transport. (Photo by Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)
Air Force One

Inside The Making Of The New Air Force One

How L3Harris transformed the gifted Qatari 747-8i into a VC-25B presidential transport in just 10 months.

Turkey’s Baykar and Leonardo of Italy say they have successfully completed the first live trials of their K-SWARM concept, demonstrating collaborative operations between crewed and uncrewed aircraft as part of an effort to develop next-generation autonomous air combat capabilities. The trials, involving Baykar’s Kizilelma uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) and Leonardo’s M-346 light combat aircraft, are the latest to explore what is fast becoming a key element in the evolution of air combat.
Turkish Air Force

Turkey’s ‘Fighter Drone’ Teamed With M-346 Fighter-Trainer In Autonomy Trials

The demonstrations put Turkey among a small group flight-testing advanced crewed-uncrewed teaming as air forces race to field collaborative combat aircraft.

The very first P-8A Poseidon aircraft is now assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30), the “Bloodhounds."
P-8

First P-8 Poseidon Ever Built Starts New Career Supporting Pacific Missile Tests

The Navy's oldest P-8 will help keep ranges clear and support test missions as the P-3 Orion finally fades from service.

Engels shelters long-range aviation
Tu-160

Russia Is Building Huge Protective Shelters For Its Strategic Bombers

In a break in decades of doctrine that left its prized bombers exposed, Russia is building shelters for them at a highly-targeted air base.

VC-25B bridge aircraft has been added to the presidential airlift fleet.
Air Force One

New Air Force VC-25B “Bridge” Jet Has Joined The Presidential Airlift Group (Updated)

The new Air Force One jet will undergo a final round of tests before ferrying President Donald Trump.

A scalar model for an atomic bomb proof hospital. Details show Geiger counters, decontamination chambers, oxygen wards, boiler room, power plant and huge hospital city below ground. The underground part would be insulated against radioactivity and poison gas by protective belts of earth, steel, and concrete. The underground hospital would accommodate 700 patients and a full hospital staff, in addition to an undetermined number of civilians. The three level subterranean hospital would be stocked with food, water and other supplies which would enable continuance of life for an almost indefinite period.
Bunker Talk

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

Holy s&*t... the Playstation just broke.

L3Harris wants to demonstrate the ability of the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to team up with uncrewed platforms.
Loyal Wingman

RC-135 Rivet Joints Could Control Drones To Drastically Expand Collection Capabilities

Teaming with drones could be a path to new operational possibilities for the Rivet Joint, and other developments are on the horizon.

New Stryker drone division for the pacific.
Unmanned

Army’s Newest Unit Aims To “Overwhelm” Adversary With Drones In Pacific Fight 

The new 7th Infantry Division Multi-Domain Command – Pacific will meld drone warfare with the maneuver capabilities of Stryker brigades.

Russia’s mysterious Burevestnik (also known to NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall) cruise missile likely leaves a trail of radioactive material in its wake, making the weapon even more alarming than was first thought. This is the conclusion of two scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who have recently published a detailed analysis of one of the so-called ‘super weapons’ revealed by Russian President Vladimir Putin back in 2018.
Ground-Launched Nuclear Cruise Missile

Here Is How Russia’s Skyfall Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile Actually Works

Researchers conclude the nuclear-powered cruise missile almost certainly uses a direct-cycle engine that spews radioactive material throughout its flight.

Russian oil refinery on fire after barrage of Ukrainian drones strike Moscow.
Russia

Extraordinary Footage From Moscow Under Heavy Ukrainian Aerial Attack

Ukraine's large-scale strike on Moscow, triggering massive explosions and fires, may indicate a new phase in the long-range air war.

A U.S. Air Force Airman from the 355th Wing hoists into an HH-60W Jolly Green II during combat search and rescue training for Mosaic Lightning 26-2 in New Mexico, May 15, 2026. The exercise tested personnel recovery capabilities and strengthened interoperability between rescue forces operating in high-stress scenarios.
HH-60

Congress Questions Air Force’s Combat Rescue Readiness As HH-60W Helicopters Get Turned Into VIP Transports

It's clear the HH-60W fleet isn't ideal for the Pacific, but concerns are growing around the capacity of any dedicated combat rescue capabilities.

There are growing signs that President Donald Trump's next trip on an Air Force One jet will be aboard the so-called VC-25B “Bridge” aircraft converted from an ex-Qatari VVIP Boeing 747-8i, not a VC-25A.
Air Force One

No, A VC-25A Air Force One Jet Isn’t Being Retired Just Yet

The ex-Qatari VC-25B “Bridge” aircraft is set to enter service soon, but, contrary to reports, the older VC-25As will keep flying.

The Navy is finally seeking to dispose of the USS Long Beach, the world's first nuclear-powered surface combatant.
U.S. Navy

Navy Finally Seeking To Dispose Of USS Long Beach, The World’s First Nuclear-Powered Cruiser

Tearing apart a nuclear-powered warship is a whole lot more costly and time-consuming than a conventionally powered one.

General Atomics is giving the MQ-9 reaper airborne early radar capability, which could have a big impact on the market.
Q-9

MQ-9 Getting Airborne Early Warning Radar Is A Huge Deal

Radar pod-toting MQ-9s present an economical and highly-flexible persistent airborne early warning solution that is needed now more than ever.

The Senate Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon to say if it can give Ukraine more Patriot interceptors
MIM-104 Patriot

Pentagon’s Ability To Supply Ukraine With More Patriot Interceptors Questioned By Congress (Updated)

The Senate action comes amid deep concerns about how the U.S. can provide enough Patriot interceptors for itself and allies.

The U.S. Air Force has awarded contracts for the production of General Atomics YFQ-42A Dark Merlin and Anduril YFQ-44A Fury drones., setting it up for a split fleet of operational CCAs.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft

USAF Orders Both General Atomics’ FQ-42 And Anduril’s FQ-44 Into Production

Buying both Collaborative Combat Aircraft designs instead of just selecting one has a number of big advantages to what is still a high-risk program.

This photograph shows an FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile and a drone FP-1 from Ukrainian defence technology company Fire Point on display at Eurosatory, a land and airland defence and security trade fair, in Villepinte on the outskirts of Paris, on June 16, 2026.
Land

Ukraine To Help Fulfill Europe’s Long-Range Strike Missile Needs

MBDA and Diehl are pursuing collaborations with Ukraine as Europe searches for faster, sovereign alternatives to U.S. long-range weapons.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is "concerned" about the U.S. Air Force's current plan to retire its E–11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft in Fiscal Year 2028.
E-11

Senators Want Answers On USAF Plans To Cut E-11 BACN Combat Communications Jets

The E-11 fleet still provides highly in-demand communications and data fusion capabilities, but the USAF wants to push those functions into space.

A plot to use drone to attack the UFC fight in Washington has been disclosed.
Secret Service

Alleged Plot On White House UFC Fight Puts Drone Threat In The Spotlight

Whether those arrested could have feasibly pulled off such a complex attack is unknown, the threat is very real and growing.