Read the latest articles from The War Zone (Page 44)

Two new drone designs, Apollo and Athena, are in development at Kratos with a particular focus on collaborative operations with other crewed and uncrewed aircraft, and an eye toward sales in Europe.
Loyal Wingman

Two Secretive Loyal Wingman Drones Aimed At European Market In Development From Kratos

Apollo and Athena drones will focus on performance over range, and could be very valuable when paired with third and fourth generation fighters.

AV introduced its new Kraken3 uncrewed surface vessel at the SOF Week conference in Tampa
Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs)

New Drone Boat Unveiled At Special Operations Conference In Afterglow Of Ukrainian Success

The Kraken3 Scout Medium is designed for one-way attacks, counter-drone missions and cargo and personnel delivery.

The U.S. Army has incorporated special operations-specific requirements into the design of its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotor, which has led to an unspecified increase in gross weight.
160th SOAR "Nightstalkers"

Army’s Future Tiltrotor Gets Heavier So It Can Rapidly Convert Into Special Ops Variant

Turning UH-60s into Night Stalker MH-60s is a complicated process, and the hope is to avoid that with the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.

Satellite imagery indicates that there are now 10 U.S. heavy bombers – six stealthy B-2s and four B-52s – on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
B-2

B-52s Join B-2s On Diego Garcia,10 Bombers Now At Indian Ocean Island

This is the most bombers seen at Diego Garcia for many years, but it's very likely that at least some of the B-2s will rotate back home soon.

Pakistan claims it downed more than two dozen Israeli-made Harop drones as the conflict with India intensifies.
Air

Israeli-Made Harop Attack Drones Launched By India By The Dozens, Pakistan Claims

Evidence points to the potential use of long-range loitering munitions by India to attack air defenses in Pakistan.

Red Cat drone interview.
Drones

We Talk About The U.S. Army’s New Black Widow Short-Range Recon Drone With Red Cat

As the U.S. military works to catch-up to major unmanned warfare trends on the battlefield, companies like Red Cat are stepping in.

Reports of the air war that’s been taking place between India and Pakistan in recent days suggest what may well be the most intense series of aerial engagements for decades. While it’s still very hard to obtain confirmed details of this combat, which some sources state has involved more than a hundred fighters simultaneously, we do, at least, know what kinds of air-to-air missiles (AAMs) are available to the Indian and Pakistan Air Forces.
Indian Air Force

The Air-To-Air Missiles That Equip India And Pakistan’s Fighters

Between them, India and Pakistan can bring to bear a hugely diverse array of air-to-air ordnance offering impressive capabilities, especially at long range.

A U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider flies over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Jan. 31, 2025. Designed for close air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance, the AC-130J provides CENTCOM forces an expeditionary, direct-fire platform with 30mm and 105mm cannons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Gerald R. Willis)
AC-130

Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile-Armed AC-130J Gunships Could Be On The Horizon

Harpoons would give AC-130Js a dedicated tool for engaging enemy ships and fit well with plans to boost their capabilities with new radars.

L3Harris Sky Warden test aircraft for the OA-1K Skyraider II program for the Air Force Special Operations Command.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

OA-1K Skyraider II Walk-Around Tour With Its Test Pilot

We get an up-close look at L3Harris' Sky Warden, which is based on the AT-802 Air Tractor and is branded Skyraider II by the Air Force.

Stealthy Special Operations Speedboats Are Getting Kamikaze Drone Launchers
Loitering Munitions

Stealthy Special Operations Speedboats Are Getting Kamikaze Drone Launchers

The Navy's future Combatant Craft Medium Mk 2s will gain the ability to launch long-range strikes on their own.

The air war currently unfolding between India and Pakistan is exceedingly murky, but one aspect that seems almost certain is the use of the Chinese-made PL-15 active-radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) by Pakistan. So far, Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft and at least one Indian official has reportedly confirmed the crash of three aircraft but cautioned that the reasons were not clear. Unverified imagery suggests that one of the Indian Air Force’s prized Rafale multirole fighters may have been shot down. Regardless, the fighting between the two nuclear-armed states is the most intense for decades, now with the growing risk of the situation spiraling further out of control.
Rafale

China’s PL-15 Air-To-Air Missile Appears To Have Been Used In Combat For The First Time

The apparent use of China's PL-15 by Pakistan in the recent eruption of hostilities with India comes as Rafale shoot-down claims swirl.

Hornet crashed aboard the USS Harry S Truman
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornet Crashes Landing On USS Truman, Its Second F/A-18 Loss In A Week

USS Harry S. Truman has been striking the Houthis, with the other F/A-18 rolling off the deck during an attack on the ship by the rebels last week.

India Strikes, Pakistan Responds, Claims Of Aircraft Losses Mount (Updated)
India

India Strikes, Pakistan Responds, Claims Of Aircraft Losses Mount (Updated)

Indian attacks on targets inside Pakistani-controlled territory prompted an immediate reaction, and there are fears of further escalation.

The Black Arrow, which is intended to carry a range of different payloads and not just a kinetic warhead, arrives at a time when the Pentagon is looking at harnessing the potential of lower-cost weapons that can be readily produced at scale to meet the likely demands of future conflicts.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

AC-130 Gunship-Launched Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile Has A 400-Mile Range

Leidos is looking at also making the Black Arrow available for ground and sea-based launch platforms, from HIMARS to warships.

AeroVironment has rolled out a new long-range loitering one-way attack drone called Red Dragon that the company designed to operate with very "limited user interaction."
Loitering Munitions

Red Dragon Highly-Autonomous One-Way Attack Drone Unveiled

AeroVironment's Red Dragon, which is said to already be combat proven, can find its own targets and doesn't need GPS for precision navigation.

Raytheon has begun test flights of its compact PhantomStrike radar, which features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Most significantly, the manufacturer claims that PhantomStrike — which has already been ordered by Poland — brings all the benefits of an AESA antenna at a much lower price point than other radars in its class.
Loyal Wingman

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

The air-cooled AESA is a major contender to equip fighter-like loyal wingman drones, along with other air, land and sea platforms.

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?
Light Air Support

Can The OA-1K Skyraider II Actually Be Useful In A Pacific Fight?

The USAF thinks air-launched drones, standoff weapons, and its ability to fly from remote locations may give the OA-1K relevance in high-end combat.

A CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron approaches the air-refueling receptacle of an MC-130 Commando II during a night flight at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, Sept. 12, 2024. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines a helicopter's vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities with the long-range, fuel efficiency, and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)
Russia

Electronic Warfare Lessons From Ukraine Informing Air Force Special Operations Future

Observations from Ukraine about rapidly adapting platforms and systems to changing battlefield realities is also driving major change in AFSOC.

XQ-58 rocket launch from its rail launcher system.
XQ-58

Kratos Close To “A Couple” Final Versions Of XQ-58 Valkyrie For The Marines

As the USMC moves along with XQ-58 testing, Kratos has its sights on the second increment of the USAF's Collaborative Combat Aircraft tender.

Small missile for CCA and fighter aircraft sought by USAF.
F-35

Air Force Looking For Cheap Air-To-Air Missile Half The Size Of AMRAAM

The Air Force is eyeing a pint-sized, extended-range, low-cost missile to arm Collaborative Combat Aircraft and crewed fighters.