Read the latest articles from The War Zone (Page 455)

Pork Floats!: Congress Inserts Three Littoral Combat Ships The Navy Doesn’t Want Into Budget
U.S. Navy

Pork Floats!: Congress Inserts Three Littoral Combat Ships The Navy Doesn’t Want Into Budget

While adding ships, Congress cut funding to mission module development, creating a nasty paradox in which critical LCS missions are left in doubt.

USAF Wants Units To Rapidly Build And Fly From New Bases In The Middle Of A Future War
U.S. Air Force

USAF Wants Units To Rapidly Build And Fly From New Bases In The Middle Of A Future War

The USAF needs to adapt since adversaries would try to neutralize established facilities in the opening phases of any potential high-end conflict.

USAF T-6A Training Plane Crashes Near Shopping Mall In San Antonio, Texas (Updated)
U.S. Air Force

USAF T-6A Training Plane Crashes Near Shopping Mall In San Antonio, Texas (Updated)

The two crew members were able to eject from the aircraft before it slammed into a grass field behind the mall.

Russia’s Claim That Israeli F-16s Used Their Doomed Il-20 Spy Plane As Cover Doesn’t Add Up
Israel

Russia’s Claim That Israeli F-16s Used Their Doomed Il-20 Spy Plane As Cover Doesn’t Add Up

It's not clear how the Kremlin might respond after the embarrassing incident in which Syrian forces accidentally shot down the Russian aircraft.

Here’s Why The USAF’s Top Civilian Says It Will Take Nearly $13B To Do Space Force Right
U.S. Air Force

Here’s Why The USAF’s Top Civilian Says It Will Take Nearly $13B To Do Space Force Right

The proposal differs from the Pentagon's own idea in key ways and points to a tense internal debate over plans for the U.S. military's newest branch.

Russian IL-20 Surveillance Plane Went Down Off Syrian Coast During Israeli Missile Barrage (Updated)
Israel

Russian IL-20 Surveillance Plane Went Down Off Syrian Coast During Israeli Missile Barrage (Updated)

The Il-20 disappeared as Syrian air defenses responded to an Israeli strike. Russia has insinuated that a French frigate may have been involved.

Let’s Talk About The Air Force’s Plan To Increase Squadrons From 312 To A Whopping 386
U.S. Air Force

Let’s Talk About The Air Force’s Plan To Increase Squadrons From 312 To A Whopping 386

The USAF needs to increase capacity in certain areas, but it stands to face extreme personnel and budget hurdles realizing such a large change.

The Striking And Fast Superyacht ‘Yaz’ Was Born From A 40 Year Old Dutch Frigate’s Hull
Foreign VVIP Transport

The Striking And Fast Superyacht ‘Yaz’ Was Born From A 40 Year Old Dutch Frigate’s Hull

Designers combined the steel hull of a retired fast frigate with a cutting-edge composite superstructure resulting in a truly one of a kind ship.

Watch This Guy Go Up To The Mysteriously Evacuated Sunspot Observatory And Walk All Around
U.S. Homeland

Watch This Guy Go Up To The Mysteriously Evacuated Sunspot Observatory And Walk All Around

The Youtuber crossed the security tape and explored the deserted complex unimpeded, but now there are security guards at the property's entrance.

Mysteriously Evacuated Sunspot Observatory Set To Reopen According To Official Statement
U.S. Homeland

Mysteriously Evacuated Sunspot Observatory Set To Reopen According To Official Statement

The press release offers a few new but vague details about the circumstances surrounding the evacuation.

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Stories We Didn’t Report On This Week
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Stories We Didn’t Report On This Week

We can talk about fighter jets, frigates, geopolitics, tanks, strategy—you know, no big whoop.

Mysterious Evacuation Of Solar Observatory Overlooking White Sands Smells Like Espionage
U.S. Homeland

Mysterious Evacuation Of Solar Observatory Overlooking White Sands Smells Like Espionage

The bizarre incident has spurred outlandish theories, but based on what we know and the location, there are more plausible explanations.

Air Force Says It Knows Why T-6 Trainers Are Choking Pilots, But It’ll Take Years To Fix
U.S. Air Force

Air Force Says It Knows Why T-6 Trainers Are Choking Pilots, But It’ll Take Years To Fix

The service's plans include a redesign of the plane's oxygen system, new software to control it, and updated maintenance procedures.

Navy MQ-4C Triton Drone Made Emergency Belly Landing At Naval Base Ventura County
U.S. Navy

Navy MQ-4C Triton Drone Made Emergency Belly Landing At Naval Base Ventura County

The service's first operational Triton unit only started flying the unmanned aircraft from the base in June 2018.

Iran Claims Successful Ballistic Missile Defense Test as Israel Builds A Missile Corps
Iran

Iran Claims Successful Ballistic Missile Defense Test as Israel Builds A Missile Corps

Israel's plan involves dramatically expanding its arsenal of guided artillery rockets and ballistic missiles.

U.S. Refuses To Allow New Russian Planes To Fly Open Skies Flights Over Its Territory
Russia

U.S. Refuses To Allow New Russian Planes To Fly Open Skies Flights Over Its Territory

Members of Congress argue that the Kremlin is abusing a treaty that allows for these reconnaissance missions by adding new aircraft and sensors.

Photos Leak Of What Appears To Be Maverick’s Specially Painted Super Hornet For Top Gun 2
Hollywood

Photos Leak Of What Appears To Be Maverick’s Specially Painted Super Hornet For Top Gun 2

It looks like Pete Mitchell is getting his very own specially painted baby blue and black F/A-18F.

How U.S. Taxpayers Are Spending $1.8B For Afghanistan To Fly A Couple Dozen A-29 Attack Planes
Afghanistan

How U.S. Taxpayers Are Spending $1.8B For Afghanistan To Fly A Couple Dozen A-29 Attack Planes

The estimated annual sustainment costs alone are more than twice what the U.S. Air Force pays to operate a squadron of F-16s for a year.

Navy’s Revamped Stealth Destroyer Looks Less Stealthy As It Leaves San Diego For Trials
U.S. Navy

Navy’s Revamped Stealth Destroyer Looks Less Stealthy As It Leaves San Diego For Trials

Zumwalt class destroyers consistently shed capabilities as costs ballooned. Now the Navy is bolting components directly to their stealthy deckhouses.

That Qatari Royal Flight 747-8i That’s Up For Sale Just Made A Very Strange Flight To Istanbul
Middle East

That Qatari Royal Flight 747-8i That’s Up For Sale Just Made A Very Strange Flight To Istanbul

Regardless of the very strange route it just flew, it seems as if the super luxury jumbo jet has sold. Could its new owner be Turkey?