Read the latest articles from The War Zone

A slightly shorter and lighter-weight carbine version of the U.S. Army's new 6.8x51mm M7 service rifle has now gotten its own designation: XM8.
Assault Rifles

New Army 6.8mm Carbine Recycles XM8 Designation From Failed “Starship Troopers” Rifle Program

For a time in the early 2000s, the Army looked poised to adopt a very different XM8 family of small arms.

FAIRFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 19: A Rockwell B-1 Lancer heavy bomber sits on the tarmac during sunrise at RAF Fairford on March 19, 2026 in Fairford, England. Since UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer back-tracked on his initial refusal to allow the U.S. to use British bases to launch defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites, a variety of U.S. military aircraft, including B52 and B-1 bombers, have been spotted at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.
Iran

Iran Wants To Make Deal To End War, Trump Claims (Updated)

The U.S. president says Tehran reached out to try to negotiate a deal, something that Iran has vehemently denied.

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing
F-22

F-22 Raptor “2.0” Spotted Undergoing Flight Testing

We've gotten our best look yet at new stealthy underwing tanks and sensor pods for the F-22, and the B-52's new AGM-181 nuclear cruise missile.

SAAB 340 AEW&C spotted over Ukraine.
Airborne Radar

Ukraine’s Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning Radar Plane Spotted Operating Over The Country

After keeping a very low profile, a video has emerged apparently showing a Saab 340 airborne early warning and control aircraft over Ukraine.

The Pentagon is reportedly sending the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and the rest of its Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), loaded with elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
Iran

USS Boxer The Second Amphibious Assault Ship Now Heading To Middle East (Updated)

With two Amphibious Ready Groups heading to the Middle East, there is increasing speculation that the U.S. will try to seize Iran's strategic Kharg Island.

U.S. Air Force Lt Col. John Bergmans, 315th Training Squadron commander, enters the Lawn Atlas Missile Base’s missile silo while exploring the narratives of actual personnel deployed to the site during the Cuban Missile Crisis in Lawn, Texas, Dec. 3, 2020. Bergmans attended the Staff Ride to LAMB in support of the 17th Training Wing Heritage Campaign Plan that was founded on Air Force heritage and the Airmen Warrior Ethos among attending personnel.. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Abbey Rieves)
Bunker Talk

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

Bunker time, baby!

US drawing up plans to invade Iran.
Iran

What Boots On The Ground In Iran Could Entail, According To Former CENTCOM Commander

Joseph Votel offers insights on securing Iran's uranium, seizing Kharg Island, dwindling stocks of missile interceptors, and how long Epic Fury will last.

Iran mining the strait of Hormuz.
Iran

Former CENTCOM Commander’s Candid Take On The Situation In The Strait Of Hormuz

Retired Army General Joseph Votel offers unique insights into what it will take to wrestle the Strait of Hormuz from Iran's clutches.

As part of its seemingly never-ending search for new fighters, the Indian Ministry of Defense says it wants to team up with one of the two rival European next-generation combat aircraft programs.
Indian Air Force

India Joining One Of Europe’s Fighter Programs Is Anything But Easy

India has an urgent need for new combat aircraft but the European next-generation fighter offerings may not be the answer.

F-35 made emergency landing after Iran claims it struck one with a SAM.
F-35A

USAF F-35 Makes Emergency Landing After Allegedly Being Hit by Iranian Fire

The F-35 was flying a combat mission over Iran when it was forced to divert to a U.S. airbase.

Venerable A-10 Warthog attack jets are helping dismantle Iran's Navy. Though the A-10 is most commonly associated with missions over land, the jets have a long-standing, if often obscure, maritime role.
A-10

A-10 Warthogs Are Prowling For Iranian Boats In The Strait Of Hormuz

A-10s are executing one of the lesser-known missions they've trained to do for decades, hunting down Iranian fast attack boats and mine layers in the strait.

Spotters in Greece have caught an especially good look at what very much appears to be a very stealthy, long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drone commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or an evolution of that design.
RQ-180

RQ-180 Secret Stealth Drone Appears To Have Made An Emergency Landing At A Greek Air Base (Updated)

Spotters in Greece have caught an especially good look at what appears to be a particularly secretive drone.

The South Pars gas field was attacked by Israel, raising the stakes in the Middle East energy war.
Iran

Iran’s Energy Infrastructure Is Now On The Targeting List (Updated)

The attack on the South Pars gas field puts Iran's energy production, which is critical to funding the Iranian government, in the crosshairs.

In a follow-up to our recent story about a pair of U.S. Navy Independence class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) configured for minesweeping appearing in the Pacific, those vessels have now moved further east from Malaysia to Singapore.
Naval Mines

U.S. Navy Minesweepers Stationed In Middle East Are Now In Singapore

Two of three Littoral Combat Ships assigned to Middle Eastern minesweeping duties have made another move in the opposite direction.

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that it has, for the first time, used its new 5,000-pound-class GBU-72/B bunker-buster bomb in combat.
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Used Its New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters To Hit Iranian Anti-Ship Missile Sites: Reports

The GBU-72/B sits between the common 2,000lb bunker buster and the far more powerful 30,000lb GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

The aircraf carrier USS Nimitz has recently seen its service life extended, a sign of stress on the fleet.
U.S. Navy

Navy Juggles Its Aircraft Carrier Plans To Stay Afloat (Updated)

One carrier was already tired before it had a fire, another saw its service life extended for the second time, while the delivery of a third is delayed.

Trump no longer asking allies to help open the strait of hormuz.
Iran

Trump No Longer Wants Allies To Send Warships To Open The Strait Of Hormuz (Updated)

A day after allies pushed back on his demand they send warships to the strait, Trump declared "WE DO NOT NEED HELP FROM ANYONE!"

The move is a somewhat rare one for the E-2 community, but it's extremely logical, and likely highly urgent, considering what is going on in the Middle East.
E-2

Navy E-2D Hawkeyes Appear To Be Rushing To The Middle East

The E-2D is America's most capable platform for spotting drones and other low-flying Iranian threats that are wreaking havoc on Gulf Arab States.

Japan's ugly EC-2 surveillance aircraft.
C-2

Japan’s EC-2 Electronic Warfare Jet, Arguably The World’s Ugliest Aircraft, Just Flew For The First Time

In a world of increasingly homogeneous-looking military aircraft designs, the platypus-like Kawasaki EC-2 is a radical outlier.

Germany rejects Trump's demand that NATO send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran

Allies Push Back On Trump’s Demand They Send Warships To Strait Of Hormuz (Updated)

Germany on Monday flatly rejected Trump's demand that NATO allies send naval vessels to help protect shipping in this strategic waterway.