Sea Air Space 2025

Sea-Air-Space 2025

Continued Coverage

220203-N-PI330-1018 Camp Shelby, Mississippi (February 3, 2023) Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 (NMCB 133), go to bunkers during a simulated missile strike on Camp Shelby, Mississippi, February 3, 2023. NMCB 133 is at Camp Shelby, Mississippi conducting a field training exercise operating as part of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command conducting the advanced phase of the force readiness training plan (FRTP). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Waters/Released)
Bunker Talk

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

We leave the Christmas lights up all year down in here.

The U.S. Navy has confirmed its decision to acquire a new FF(X) frigate with a design based on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend class National Security Cutter, though there are immediate questions about its expected configuration.
U.S. Navy

This Will Be The Navy’s New FF(X) Frigate

The Navy is leveraging the Coast Guard’s Legend class National Security Cutter to plug the gap left by axing the Constellation class frigate.

In a significant escalation of the ‘tanker war’ between Russia and Ukraine, which has so far played out mainly in the Black Sea, Ukrainian aerial drones have struck a tanker belonging to Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ in the Mediterranean.
Ukraine

Ukraine Strikes Russia-Linked Tanker In The Mediterranean With ‘Bomber Drone’

The Ukrainian drone attack on the tanker, part of the Russian shadow fleet, is the first one of its kind outside of the Black Sea.

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft appeared near the Venezuelan coast today
South America

E-3 Sentry Joins U.S. Combat Aircraft Tracked Off Venezuelan Coast

The E-3 radar jets have been noticeably absent as of late from the flurry of trackable U.S. military aircraft flying near Venezuela’s airspace.

The U.S. Navy personnel in the Middle East have test-launched a Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System (LUCAS) long-range kamikaze drone from the Independence class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Santa Barbara.
Iran

Littoral Combat Ship Launches Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clone

Being able to deploy LUCAS kamikaze drones from Navy ships drastically opens the aperture as to where swarms of these aircraft can emanate from.

A top Canadian Air Force general breaks down the role of his nation's future F-35A stealh fighters and the challenges of integrating them into the force and NORAD.
F-35A

Canadian NORAD Commander’s View On Future F-35 Fighter Force

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna offers exclusive insights into what opportunities and challenges the F-35A will bring to his commands.

A key Russian airbase in occupied Crimea has been targeted by a Ukrainian drone strike. According to Ukraine, the drones hit a MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptor, as well as elements of an S-400 air defense system, at Belbek Air Base, near Sevastopol.
Ukraine

MiG-31 Foxhound Among Russian Air Defense Assets Targeted In Crimean Drone Strike

With its valuable collection of fighters and air defense systems, Belbek Air Base has long been a key target for Ukraine.

The first full deployment of the U.S. Army's new Sentinel A4 air defense radar will be in the area around Washington, D.C., also known as the National Capital Region (NCR).
U.S. Homeland

Army’s New Sentinel A4 Radar’s First Full Deployment Will Be Defending Nation’s Capital

Sentinel A4 offers a boost in detection range and other capabilities, especially for spotting and tracking cruise missiles and drones.

Austria is buying 12 M-346F Block 20 light combat aircraft from Italian defense contractor Leonardo, as part of an overhaul of its air force, the Luftstreitkräfte. Austria already operates 15 Eurofighter Typhoons, procured under controversial circumstances, but these jets have notably limited capabilities and high operating costs, which has seen previous efforts to offload them.
Typhoon

Austria Buys M-346F Light Fighters

The M-346Fs will give Austria a new air combat boost, supplementing the country’s long-troubled Eurofighter Typhoon fleet.

Ukraine is set to receive more surface-to-air missiles to arm its Soviet-era S-300 air defense systems, paid for by Norway.
Ukraine

Ukraine To Get More S-300 Interceptors With Norway’s Help

Norway says it will pay for the badly needed missiles for Ukraine’s S-300s, but there are questions about where they will come from.

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it is buying two Boeing 747-8 airliners from German flag carrier Lufthansa.
Air Force One

USAF Buying Lufthansa 747s To Serve As Future Air Force One Trainers, Spare Parts Sources

The future presidential airlift program has ballooned from two aircraft to five, four of which will be flyable.

The Pentagon has sent more KC-135 refueling jets to the Dominican Republic as part of the Trump administration's pressure campaign on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
South America

More KC-135 Tankers Deploy To The Caribbean

The Trump administration is also eyeing new oil tanker seizures to add more economic strain on Venezuela’s Maduro.

Satellite imagery is now available showing the aftermath of a Ukrainian attack yesterday on a Russian Navy Improved Kilo class diesel-electric submarine in the Black Sea naval stronghold of Novorossiysk.
Ukraine

Aftermath Of Ukraine’s Underwater Drone Attack On Russian Submarine Seen In Satellite Imagery

Ukraine’s submersible drone navigated into a protected harbor and detonated very close to the targeted submarine.

A 737 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) with a luxurious VVIP interior has re-emerged unexpectedly tied to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as evidenced by a large departmental seal in the main cabin.
U.S. Homeland

Mystery Surrounds Luxury 737 That Appears To Be Flying For Department Of Homeland Security

DHS is buying 737s for deportation flights, but the appearance of one with apparently a luxurious interior intended for senior leaders is unexpected.

The latest Chinese military aircraft to appear in flight test is a tactical transport aircraft, known, unofficially for now, as the Y-30. Not perhaps as headline-grabbing as China’s string of new crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft designs, the transport is nonetheless highly significant, reflecting the People’s Liberation Army’s growing ambitions to be able to conduct out-of-area operations.
China

China’s ‘Y-30’ Turboprop Airlifter Spotted For The First Time

The four-engine tactical airlifter likely has a similar mission to the C-130J and is undergoing flight tests.

Indian Air Force (IAF) SEPECAT Jaguar fighter jets take part in an air refueling exercise during the joint exercise 'Ex Garuda-VII' between IAF and FASF in the air near Jodhpur in India's desert state of Rajasthan on November 9, 2022.
India

India Can’t Give Up Its Jaguar Strike Aircraft

Spares sourced from Oman are the latest fix to patch up the dwindling Indian Air Force fighter fleet.

Ukraine says it carried out the world's first uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) attack on a Russian vessel.
Russia

Ukraine Claims World’s First Underwater Drone Attack On Russian Submarine

The attack, if indeed it was executed by an unmanned underwater vehicle, would mark a new chapter in drone warfare.

A combination of new interceptors and launchers is set to give the Patriot surface-to-air missile system an "over-the-shoulder" engagement capability, the U.S. Army has disclosed.
U.S. Army

New Patriot Interceptors To Allow For “Over-The-Shoulder” Shots At Passing Targets

New vertical launchers will also help change how Patriot can engage threats, including ones that slip by overhead.

We have got what could be our first look at China’s CH-7 stealthy flying-wing drone in flight. While it’s far from the biggest Chinese drone of this configuration, it’s still of impressive size and, as we have noted in the past, appears to be tailored for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance (ISR), as well as strike missions as an uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV).
China

China’s Stealthy CH-7 Flying Wing Drone Has Flown

China is actively showcasing that its CH-7, expected to primarily undertake surveillance missions, is now in flight testing.

We are getting some new information about America's long-range Dark Eagle hypersonic boost-glide vehicle weapon system from Secretary Hegseth's recent tour of Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)

New Dark Eagle Hypersonic Weapon Details Emerge

Hegseth’s visit to Redstone Arsenal provided new disclosures on Dark Eagle’s range and its small warhead.

Two US troops and a civilian US interpreter were killed by a lone gunman in Syria, who was also killed.
Syria

Ambush In Syria Leaves Two U.S. Troops, Civilian Interpreter Dead (Updated)

Hundreds of U.S. troops and other personnel are still deployed to Syria in a counter-ISIS role.