Read the latest articles from The War Zone (Page 7)

Finland seized the Fitburg, a cargo vessel accused of damaging an undersea telecom cable linking FInland and Estonia
Baltic Sea

First Ship Seized For Undersea Cable Cutting Since NATO’s Baltic Sentry Began

The Turkish-owned cargo vessel Fitburg is accused of damaging an undersea cable running from Finland to Estonia.

China’s latest live-fire drills around Taiwan appear to have prompted the movement of the island’s secretive Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) land-attack cruise missile. While the development of this important weapons is understood to date back at least to the early 2000s, it has only very rarely been seen since then, which makes its public appearance now all the more interesting.
China

Secretive Taiwanese Land Attack Cruise Missile Seen On The Move

The cruise missile system, able to strike deep into China, appeared on the road during high-profile PLA live-fire drills surrounding the island.

Pentagon announces $8.6 billion Boeing contract for F-15 jets for Israel
F-15

Israel Rearming Its Eagle Force With The New F-15IA

The Israeli Air Force will continue its enduring relationship with the Eagle after an $8.58-billion deal for at least 25 jets was approved.

Over the past week or so, U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones have been spotted carrying increasingly greater numbers of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles on sorties from Puerto Rico.
Q-9

MQ-9 Reapers Flying With Unusually Heavy Weapons Loads Over Caribbean

MQ-9s are now flying armed with as many as 10 Hellfires amid reports that a CIA drone was responsible for the first strike in Venezuela.

A screen grab from a video shows installation of the Oreshnik missile system on December 30, 2025 in Belarus. Belarus has placed a military unit equipped with the Russian-made Oreshnik mobile ground-based missile system on combat duty, according to official information. The unitâs launch, communications, security, and technical crews completed additional training before becoming operational. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has previously said that up to 10 Oreshnik ballistic missile systems could be deployed in the country.
Russian Army

Russia Claims Oreshnik Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile Now “On Combat Duty” In Belarus

The supposed arrival of the missile in Belarus further cements its military relationship with Moscow, but the strategic value of the deployment is questionable.

New imagery of Chinese catapult-capable low-observable combat drones, or possibly mockups thereof, together with some unusual trucks, may point to plans to launch them from the ground, as well as ships.
China

Is This China’s Truck-Mounted Electromagnetic Catapult?

Having a scalable truck-based catapult concept for land-launched larger drone operations could open up new operational possibilities.

TAIWAN - DECEMBER 29: (----EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT - TAIWAN'S MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE/HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS----) A screen grab from a video shows fighter jet as Taiwanâs Ministry of National Defense said the islandâs armed forces conducted rapid response exercises on Monday in response to aircraft and naval activity by Chinaâs Peopleâs Liberation Army in Taiwan on December 29, 2025. In a statement posted on social media, the ministry said the armed forces closely monitored the situation and carried out joint sea and air operations involving all service branches.The ministry said Taiwanâs Coast Guard also remained on high alert as part of the response. No further details on the scale or duration of the activities were immediately provided. China launched joint military drills Monday around Taiwan in a stern warning against 'Taiwan Independence' separatist forces and external interference, according to state-run media.The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched fighter jets, bombers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in coordination with long-range rocket forces to conduct drills code-named 'Justice Mission 2025' in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan Island, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the theater command.
China

China Launches Snap “Warning” Drills Around Taiwan Simulating A Total Blockade

A key part of the latest maneuvers is dissuading international “interference” in any future Chinese move against Taiwan.

In a phone call to ABC radio in New York, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed an attack inside Venezuela. The White House has yet to offer any proof.
South America

Trump Doubles Down On Claim U.S. Attacked Inside Venezuela (Updated)

An attack inside Venezuela would mark a significant escalation in the months-long pressure campaign on Maduro and the cartel.

The Chinese military has published a video showing what it says is the launch of a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile from one of its Type 055 ‘super destroyers.’
China

YJ-20 High-Speed Anti-Ship Missile Seen In Action On China’s Type 055 Super Destroyer

The People’s Liberation Army Navy claims the ship-killing missile capable of hypersonic speeds has completed its “finalization test.”

Type 076 seen carrying loyal wingman drone mockup or prototype.
China

Chinese Loyal Wingman Drone Design Appear Set For Deck Trials

Mockups or not, several drones have appeared dockside at the yard that built China’s super-sized Type 076 amphibious assault ship, which is in dry dock nearby.

Ukraine has expanded its uncrewed surface vessel attacks to the Dnipro River.
Ukrainian Navy

Ukraine Now Using Drone Boats To Attack Russian Riverine Targets

Ukraine's drone boat attacks on the Dnipro River mark an expansion of Kyiv's campaign against Russian targets on or near the water.

China has shown an cargo ship packed with launchers, radar, and close-in-weapon systems.
People's Liberation Army Navy (China)

Chinese Cargo Ship Packed Full Of Modular Missile Launchers Emerges

China has packed a deck of a medium-sized cargo ship with 60 containerized vertical launch cells, radar, and close-in weapons.

Boys at a Dr Barnardo's home have fun in the air raid shelter they built themselves at Christmas, 17th December 1940. (Photo by David Parker/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

Bunker Talk: Silent Night Edition

Here's to awkward moments under the mistletoe.

Shenyang J-35
People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

Chinese Fighter Jet Exports Set To Grow Significantly

Pentagon report highlights how the trifecta of FC-31, J-10C, and JF-17 is helping China establish itself as an increasingly major player on the fighter market.

The presence of U.S. special operations forces is growing in the Caribbean.
South America

CV-22B Osprey, MC-130J Commando II Special Ops Aircraft Deploy To Puerto Rico

The U.S. special operations forces build-up in the Caribbean is accelerating.

INDOPACOM will hire contractor amphibious aircraft for new pilot program in Pacific.
Indo-Pacific

Pentagon To Contract Fleet Of Seaplanes For The Pacific

The lack of an American amphibious aircraft capability has become more glaring as the possibility of a conflict with China looms larger.

The U.S. Navy has confirmed to TWZ that construction of the first two Trump class "battleships" is not expected to start until the early 2030s.
U.S. Navy

Trump Class Battleship Construction Won’t Begin Until 2030s

With Trump class ship construction many years off, the survival of a program to build such large and expensive warships is even more questionable.

President Donald Trump has rolled out plans for new Trump class warships for the U.S. Navy.
U.S. Navy

What We Know About The Trump Class “Battleship”

The USS Defiant would be the first Trump class battleship, but major questions remain about affordability and logic of such a massive design.

A U.S. Air Force EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare plane was seen landing in Puerto Rico.
C-130

EC-130H Compass Call Electronic Warfare Plane Joins Growing U.S. Force In Caribbean

The EC-130H, one of just a handful still flying, gives the U.S. additional capability to disrupt Venezuela's air defenses and communications.

The U.S. Navy has confirmed to TWZ that the armament package for its first "flight" of its new FF(X) frigates will not include a built-in Vertical Launch System (VLS).
U.S. Navy

Navy’s New Frigate Will Not Have A Vertical Launch System For Missiles

FF(X) will initially have the same armament installed as the Littoral Combat Ships, relying on uncrewed platforms and modular payloads for expanded capability.