Read the latest articles from The War Zone (Page 5)

The Yantar, a notorious Russian spy ship, directed lasers at the crews of U.K. Royal Air Force aircraft in waters off the north of Scotland, the British government said today.
Royal Navy

Russian Spy Ship Targets Royal Air Force Jets With Laser

The undersea espionage and salvage ship Yantar’s increasing presence off the U.K. is concerning, but directing lasers at British aircraft is a new development.

Key Trump nominee blasts BIden decision to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS in Russia.
Russia

Ukraine’s Claimed ATACMS Strike In Russia Signals Major Shift In U.S. Policy (Updated)

After a long hiatus, Ukraine says it used ATACMS missiles to strike inside Russia, which points to loosening restrictions and the possibility of more missiles.

WARSAW, POLAND - NOVEMBER 17: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - THE CHANCELLERY OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF POLAND (KPRM) /X ACCOUNT/ HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski inspect the damaged railway tracks on the Warsaw-Lublin route in Poland on November 17, 2025. Damage caused overnight on the intercity Warsaw-Lublin rail line near the village of Mika was an act of sabotage, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on US social media company X on Monday.
NATO

Polish Rail Sabotage Blamed On Russia

Poland says the incidents are the latest in Russia's expanding hybrid warfare campaign against NATO countries in Europe.

Russia is increasingly using a new Iranian Shahed drone against Ukrainian troops.
Unmanned

Russia Now Using Iranian Shahed-107 Drones To Strike Beyond The Front Lines

The Shahed-107 could fill a major capability gap for Russia, reaching over medium distances to attack Ukrainian forces in areas that were previously considered safer.

Images show that a large tiltrotor drone called the R6000, being developed by United Aircraft in China, has now entered flight testing.
Future Vertical Lift

China’s Large R6000 Uncrewed Tiltrotor Is Now In Flight Testing

China's United Aircraft is presenting the R6000 as well-suited for civilian tasks, but there is obvious military potential for the design.

Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems have teamed up to offer the T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. With a plan to build the jets in the United Kingdom, the partnership aims to deliver a successor to the Royal Air Force’s current fleet of BAE Systems Hawks from 2030.
T-7

T-7 Red Hawk Jet Trainer Offer To United Kingdom Includes Local Assembly

The Royal Air Force needs a replacement for its Hawk T1s, flown by the Red Arrows aerobatic team, and its Hawks T2s, used for advanced training.

Boeing says its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone is on track for its first live-fire weapons shot, which will be of an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), next month.
Loyal Wingman

MQ-28 Ghost Bat To Fire AIM-120 Missile In First Live Weapons Test Next Month

The live AIM-120 shot is part of the MQ-28's ongoing development for Australia, but additional customers could be on the horizon.

In its latest efforts to modernize its air force, Ukraine has signed a letter of intent to buy up to 100 Dassault Rafale multirole fighters from France over the next 10 years. Today’s agreement comes less than a month after Sweden and Ukraine unveiled a plan to export as many as 150 Gripen E fighters to Kyiv. While the Rafale is the most advanced combat aircraft so far included in Ukraine’s defense plans, there remain huge questions about whether the acquisition of one of these aircraft types, let alone two, is really feasible, especially in such numbers.
Rafale

Ukraine’s Questionable Plan To Buy Up To 100 Rafale Fighters

After signing a letter of intent for up to 150 Swedish-made Gripen jets, Ukraine has now added up to 100 French Rafales to its future fighter list.

As U.S. President Donald Trump suggests Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro wants to talk, the USS Ford is now about 700 miles north of Caracas.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

Pressure On Maduro Cranked Up As USS Gerald R. Ford Arrives In Caribbean

The State Department is declaring Maduro's alleged cartel a Foreign Terrorist Organization potentially opening the aperture for expanded strikes.

An MQ-20 Avenger drone flew a mock mission at the direction of a pilot in an F-22 Raptor during a demonstration earlier this year, General Atomics has disclosed.
Loyal Wingman

F-22 Pilot Controls MQ-20 Drone From The Cockpit In Mock Combat Mission

The demonstration highlights the USAF's plan for the F-22 to be its first airborne controller for Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones.

With the first example of Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter for the U.S. Air Force now in production, a company official has highlighted how its prototyping effort allowed the program to move forward at a rapid pace. Winning the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program was “humbling,” said Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security. He added that the fact the F-47 is now in production is testament to “the maturity of our design and pedigree coming off the prototype.”
F-22

F-47 Program’s Accelerated Pace Made Possible By NGAD X-Plane Efforts

Boeing officials are talking-up the speed of the F-47 program, with the first example in production and a first flight slated for 2028.

Israel's stocks of AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are now more effective against long-range kamikaze drones like Iran's Shahed-136, thanks to changes to their seekers, according to a new report.
Israeli Air Force

Israel Modified AIM-9M Sidewinder Missile Seekers To Better Target Drones: Report

The Israeli modifications could help friendly air arms put the dated, but still plentiful AIM-9Ms to better use in the counter-drone role.

The Pentagon's new counter-drone task force has created an Amazon-like shopping portal for equipment.
U.S. Army

Pentagon Creating Amazon-Like Shopping Portal For Counter-Drone Equipment

The new shopping portal is being created as the U.S. faces increasing numbers of highly concerning drone incursions over military bases.

Members of the 576th Flight Test Squadron install launch control panels Feb. 26, 2015, during the start-up of the Missile Alert Facility for Glory Trip-214 and Glory Trip-215 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The launch control panels are a vital safeguard for launching the Minuteman III missile in both test and field environments. For the operational test launches, unarmed Minuteman III missiles are used, with specialized data monitoring and test equipment.
Bunker Talk

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

We are running on lead-acid batteries and saltines!

China's first super-sized Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, has left port for its first sea trials.
People's Liberation Army Navy (China)

China’s Type 076 Supersized Amphibious Assault Ship Heads To Sea On Its Maiden Voyage

Sea trials are a big step for the unique Type 076, which features a catapult for launching fixed-wing unmanned aircraft.

For the first time, Ukraine has presented footage that purportedly shows its extended-range Long Neptune cruise missile in action.
Land

Ukraine’s Long Neptune Cruise Missile Seen in Action For The First Time

The extended-range Long Neptune missile had reportedly been tested in combat, but had not been seen being launched until now.

French authorities have provided the first real look at the latest version of the Air-Sol Moyenne Portee (ASMP; or Medium-Range Air-to-Surface) ramjet-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile.
Rafale

France’s New Nuclear-Armed Supersonic Cruise Missile Seen Clearly For The First Time

French Navy Rafale M fighters have also now joined their Air Force counterparts as launch platforms for the updated nuclear-tipped ASMPA-R.

Russia has created a new military branch, called the Unmanned Systems Forces, to oversee drone operations, development and testing.
Russia

Russia Creates New Military Branch Dedicated To Drone Warfare

The new Unmanned Systems Forces was created to oversee Russia's drone operations, development, testing and training.

Japan’s Acquisition Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) has offered the first look at damage to a target ship after it was hit by projectiles fired from a prototype electromagnetic railgun in testing earlier this year.
Naval Gun Systems

Railgun Damage To Japanese Target Ship Seen For The First Time

Japan has shared new details about its continued pursuit of naval railguns, a capability the U.S. Navy halted work on years ago.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced that NATO nations have dropped their plan to buy Boeing E-7A Wedgetail as its next airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform. The decision comes after South Korea rejected the E-7 for its own AEW&C program and would appear to open the door to Saab’s rival GlobalEye, which France has already said it intends to buy.
E-3

E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Procurement Plans Axed By NATO

With a requirement to replace NATO’s geriatric E-3 AWACS planes by 2035, the path could now be clear for the Saab GlobalEye.