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MH-60S pilot gives tour of his Seahawk helicopter.

U.S. Navy MH-60S Pilot Talks Multi-Mission Roles During Tour Of The Seahawk

Branded Content: The MH-60S is a true U.S. Navy workhorse, from executing ship replenishment to mine hunting to anti-surface warfare.

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, releases flares over the Gulf Coast, April 3, 2026. The 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing perform developmental and operational test series on the platform including next-generation survivability, radars, sensors and networking capabilities.
F-15

F-15EX Buy Was Just Doubled By The USAF, Which Makes Perfect Sense

While it is initially replacing the F-15C, more F-15EXs will provide a ready successor to aging F-15E Strike Eagles and possibly other types.

The Navy has been taking a deep look at the design and capabilities, and associated costs, of the Ford class as compared to the older Nimitz class.
U.S. Navy

Ford Class Review Puts Navy’s Future Carrier Plans Into Question

The review includes comparing the Ford class to the Nimitz class and seeing what has been gained or lost operationally.

Leonardo DRS’s Plan To Counter Drones For The U.S. Navy

Leonardo DRS’s Plan To Counter Drones For The U.S. Navy

Branded Content: Maritime-Mission Equipment Package (M-MEP) is designed to protect seaborne assets from attack drones.

For the first time since the launch of Epic Fury, U.S. forces interdicted an Iranian-linked ship in the IndoPacom region.
Iran

Trump Extends Ceasefire Deadline (Updated)

Interdicting the oil tanker M/T Tifani in the Indian Ocean marks a new tactic in the economic war against Iran, one that was foreshadowed just days ago.

When the USS Spruance fired its 5-inch deck gun at an Iranian cargo ship, it was the first time a Navy ship used its deck gun on another vessel since 1988.
Iran

USS Spruance Blasting A Ship With Its Deck Gun Is A First In Nearly Four Decades

The Navy hasn't struck another ship in anger with its deck gun since 1988.

X-Bat's new design at sea air space 2026.
UCAVs

X-BAT Autonomous VTOL ‘Fighter’ Looks Dramatically Different

Development of X-BAT is accelerating, including the use of a thrust vectoring nozzle from an experimental F-16 that was borrowed "Indiana Jones style."

Patriot PAC-3 Missiles To Arm Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
MIM-104 Patriot

Patriot PAC-3 Missiles To Arm Navy Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers

The Navy has awarded a contract to integrate PAC-3 MSE with the Aegis Combat System and wants to buy 405 of the missiles in Fiscal Year 2027.

Sea Guardian can carry many payloads and fly at low altitudes in most any weather.

MQ-9B SeaGuardian Ready For Teaming With P-8 Poseidon

Branded Content: General Atomics has developed the MQ-9B as an all-round maritime patrol drone and a companion to the P-8.

Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden says she is confident in her company's ability to deliver next-generation carrier-based fighters to the U.S. Navy if it is selected as the winner of the F/A-XX competition.
F-47

Northrop Defends Ability To Build F/A-XX 6th Gen Naval Fighters If Selected

The Navy's top officer said yesterday that an unnamed contractor "really can’t deliver" on F/A-XX "in the timeframe we need it."

The U.S. Navy has disclosed the test of an AeroVironment LOCUST laser counter-drone system aboard the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.
Lasers

Navy Fires Drone-Frying LOCUST Laser From Supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush

Lasers remain very limited in their range and how fast they can down targets, but they still can be an important layer in a warship's defenses.

F/A-XX Northrop Grumman
F/A-XX

F/A-XX Next Gen Naval Fighter Concept Video Emerges From Northrop Grumman

We see a lot more of Northrop Grumman's F/A-XX tailless naval fighter concept in the new video, including some interesting features.

Spruance fires on iranian ship
Iran

Iran Peace Talks Hanging By A Thread After Tumultuous Weekend Near The Strait (Updated)

Trump said peace talks are on while Iranians say they aren't after both the U.S. and Iran fired on vessels over the weekend.

A U.S. Marine Corps XQ-58A Valkyrie, highly autonomous, low-cost tactical unmanned air vehicle, conducts its second test flight with two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to 33rd Fighter Wing, 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 23, 2023. The XQ-58A Valkyrie test flight and the data collected inform future requirements for the Marine Corps in a rapidly evolving security environment, while successfully fueling joint innovation and experimentation opportunities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John McRell)
XQ-58

F-35s Quarterbacking Drones Seen As Gateway To USMC’s 6th Gen Fighter

Collaborative Combat Aircraft will "bridge" the Marines to a family of new capabilities that could include a new stealth fighter based on F/A-XX.

Ukraine has begun testing a new homegrown armored personnel carrier, a tracked vehicle named Skif (Scythian, an ancient warrior tribe who also lived in parts of modern Ukraine). The development underscores the fact that, despite extensive losses of legacy tracked APCs, this is a class of vehicle that the Ukrainian Armed Forces still prioritizes at it tries to hold off the Russian invasion.
Ukrainian Army

Ukraine’s M113-Inspired Armored Personnel Carrier In Testing

Ukraine is working to provide its own APC solution after years of war have eroded its donated and original fleets.

SNC Gives Details Of Its Clean-Sheet Freedom Trainer Offering To The U.S. Navy

SNC Gives Details Of Its Clean-Sheet Freedom Trainer Offering To The U.S. Navy

Branded Content: New trainer designed as a “no-compromise” solution that aims to save significant money for U.S. Navy aviator training.

Armed Black Hawk is shown off with new wings and weapons.
H-60

The H-60 Black Hawk Gunship Evolves With New Wings And Weapons

We get a close-up look and tour of the next armed H-60 Black Hawk evolution.

F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection To Finally Come By August: Navy’s Top Admiral
F/A-XX

F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection To Finally Come By August: Navy’s Top Admiral

After being stalled in procurement purgatory, the Navy is set to move forward with its carrier-based 6th generation fighter.

TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information.
Carrier Tracker

Carrier Tracker As of April 20, 2026

Second American carrier strike group enters Central Command area of responsibility, third en route.

A Navy F/A-18 carries the new Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Long Range (LR) variant during a test event in early April off the coast of California (U.S. Navy photo/released)
F/A-18E/F

Jet-Powered JDAM Tested From Navy Super Hornet

F/A-18s have trialed the JDAM-LR, a powered evolution of the JDAM that offers a relatively cheap cruise missile-like standoff strike capability.