The War Zone

B-2 Spirits Could Get New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters

The new GBU-72/B penetrator bombs could be a valuable addition to the B-2’s already diverse arsenal before it is replaced by the B-21.

By Joseph Trevithick

Latest

USMC is wanting to incorporate drones across its forces.

‘Robot Marines’ In Every Formation: Corps’ Robotics Chief Casts Vision

Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems chief for the USMC lays out just how critical robotics will be in a future fight.

By Hope Hodge Seck

12:27 PM EDT May 7

Putin Orders Tactical Nuclear Drills In Response To Western “Threats”

The move comes as France says it won’t rule out sending troops to Ukraine and billions in weapons are set to rearm the Ukrainian military.

By Thomas Newdick

8:12 PM EDT May 6

A US Air Force F-22 stealth fighter has suffered a mishap at an airport in Georgia today, May 6, 2024.

F-22 Raptor Ends Up On Its Side During Air Guard Exercise (Updated)

The F-22 mishap briefly closed a runway at Hilton Head International Airport during the Air National Guard’s Sentry Savannah war games.

By Joseph Trevithick

5:31 PM EDT May 6

Russian 'turtle tank' seen operating with additional cage armor and an attached mine roller

New Russian Turtle Tank With Cage-Like Armor Emerges On Ukrainian Battlefield

Recent video footage not only shows Russia’s latest ‘turtle tank’ but provides an operator’s-view of it in action.

By Oliver Parken

5:08 PM EDT May 6

Air

Switchblade 600 Kamikaze Drone Is The First Named Replicator Program Weapon

In addition to the Switchblade 600, the Pentagon is also looking to purchase drone boats and counter drone systems.

By Howard Altman

3:31 PM EDT May 6

Ukrainian Drone Boats Now Armed With Adapted Air-To-Air Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

1:34 PM EDT May 6

JDAM-ER Winged Bombs With Seekers That Home In On GPS Jammers Headed To Ukraine

By Joseph Trevithick

8:02 PM EDT May 3

Boeing Pitches F-15EX For Saudi Arabian Fighter Competition

By Thomas Newdick

5:51 PM EDT May 3

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Sea

The Navy needs more SM-3 surface to air missiles says Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro.

More SM-3 Interceptors Needed After Downing Iranian Ballistic Missiles: Navy Secretary

After SM-3 successfully engaged Iranian ballistic missiles, the Navy Secretary says more are needed than the dozen per year currently planned.

By Howard Altman

8:14 PM EDT May 2

Navy Names Next Amphibious Assault Ship USS Helmand Province

By Howard Altman

3:13 PM EDT May 2

Manta Ray Underwater Drone Even More Enormous Than We Thought

By Oliver Parken

5:29 PM EDT May 1

How The Marines Plan To Fly The MV-22 Osprey Into The 2060s

By Thomas Newdick

7:27 PM EDT Apr 30

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Land

We now have what looks to be the first look at the Army's uncrewed derivative of its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, and of it firing a practice round.

Our First Look At The Army’s Unmanned HIMARS Launcher Truck Firing

byJoseph Trevithick

1:31 PM EDT May 6

Our First Look At Marines’ Tomahawk Missile Launching Drone Truck Firing
byJoseph Trevithick
3:17 PM EDT May 3
Marines Poised To Get Their 30mm Cannon-Armed Amphibious Combat Vehicle
byThomas Newdick
1:10 PM EDT May 2
ATACMS Volley Strikes Mass Of Russian Troops Training In Eastern Ukraine
byHoward Altman
5:14 PM EDT May 1

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Space

Russia’s Anti-Satellite Nuke Could Leave Lower Orbit Unusable, Test Vehicle May Already Be Deployed

byJoseph Trevithick, Oliver Parken

7:00 PM EDT May 3

If SpaceX’s Secret Constellation Is What We Think It Is, It’s Game Changing (Updated)
byJoseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway
4:44 PM EDT Mar 20
Mysterious Drones Swarmed Langley AFB For Weeks
byJoseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway
7:29 PM EDT Mar 15
Russia’s “Highly Concerning” Anti-Satellite Super Weapon: What Are The Possibilities?
byJoseph Trevithick
5:34 PM EST Feb 15

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Nukes

Ukraine Situation Report: Poland “Ready” To Host Nuclear Weapons

byThomas Newdick

6:31 PM EDT Apr 22

How The U.K. Will Test Its New Nuclear Warhead Without Setting One Off
byJoseph Trevithick
5:11 PM EDT Mar 25
Russian Submarines Now Appear To Be Getting Anti-Drone “Cope Cages”
byJoseph Trevithick
8:26 PM EDT Mar 20
F-35A Is Officially Certified For Nuclear Strike
byThomas Newdick
1:52 PM EST Mar 9

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Modern Day Marine ’24

‘Robot Marines’ In Every Formation: Corps’ Robotics Chief Casts Vision

byHope Hodge Seck

12:27 PM EDT May 7

Our First Look At Marines’ Tomahawk Missile Launching Drone Truck Firing
byJoseph Trevithick
3:17 PM EDT May 3
Secretive Long Range Attack Missile For Marine AH-1s Is Now Being Flight Tested
byJoseph Trevithick
8:58 PM EDT May 2
Navy Names Next Amphibious Assault Ship USS Helmand Province
byHoward Altman
3:13 PM EDT May 2

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Latest

BYTyler Rogoway

9:30 PM EDT May 3

News & Features

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

Who’s ready for a Bunker?

British telephonists on duty in a bomb-proof shelter on the southwest coast of Britain, in readiness to go into action with their artillery company against invading German soldiers. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

9:30 PM EDT May 3

5:30 PM EDT May 3

Ukraine Situation Report: U.K. Says Its Donated Weapons Can Be Used To Hit Targets In Russia

The United Kingdom has also pledged to Ukraine its biggest arms package of the conflict so far, worth over $3 billion a year.

Storm shadow missile can be used against targets in Russia UK says.

5:30 PM EDT May 3

2:26 PM EDT May 2

Israel Is Shooting Down A Lot Of Its Own Drones

Israeli difficulties in separating friendly drones from hostile ones underscore critical issues that U.S. forces also need to address.

Israeli forces are shooting down large numbers of their own drones in friendly fire incidents, underscoring challenges the U.S. military will also have to contend with as uncrewed aerial systems become an ever more ubiquitous component of operations.

2:26 PM EDT May 2

7:50 PM EDT May 1

Marine KC-130Js May Lose Their Missile-Firing Harvest Hawk Kits

The future of armed Marine KC-130Js is in question as a fight in the Pacific brews, but new electronic warfare capabilities are on the horizon.

The future of the Harvest Hawk armament kits for Marine Corps KC-130J tanker/transport aircraft are increasingly uncertain as focus shifts to planning for future high-end conflicts.

7:50 PM EDT May 1

1:38 PM EDT May 1

China’s H-6K Bomber Seen Firing Air-Launched Ballistic Missile For First Time

A newly released video shows the Chinese air-launched ballistic missile in action, dropped by an H-6K bomber.

Footage has been published, apparently for the first time, showing a Chinese H-6 bomber dropping one of the shadowy air-launched ballistic missiles known by the designation 2PZD-21. The missile is part of a growing armory of Chinese aero-ballistic missiles and is widely understood to be a ‘carrier-killer’ weapon designed to be used as part of the country’s anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy. However, many questions remain about the role of the weapon and its capabilities.

1:38 PM EDT May 1

11:47 AM EDT May 1

This Is The Army’s New M2A4E1 Bradley That Features Iron Fist Protection

Hard-kill active protection systems offer valuable additional defense against missiles and rockets, and could be used to swat down drones.

The Army has unveiled a new Bradley Fighting Vehicle variant, the M2A4E1, equipped with an Iron First active protection system and other upgrades.

11:47 AM EDT May 1

4:47 PM EDT Apr 30

F-16 Crashes Near Holloman Air Force Base In New Mexico (Updated)

Although details remain limited at this time, we know the pilot was able to safely eject before impact.

A 49th Wing F-16 Viper takes off Jan. 19, 2022, at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Holloman is the Air Force’s premiere training base for F-16 Viper and MQ-9 Reaper aircrew. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrian Salazar)

4:47 PM EDT Apr 30

4:27 PM EDT Apr 30

Marines To More Than Triple Size Of Air Defense Forces By 2029

The Marines’ growing number of air and missile defense units are set to begin receiving new Iron Dome and counter-drone systems next year.

US Marine Corps units are set to begin receiving new Iron Dome and counter-drone systems next year as part of a larger air and missile defense push.

4:27 PM EDT Apr 30

3:50 PM EDT Apr 30

Could Ukraine Get Israel’s Mothballed Patriot Air Defense Batteries?

As Ukraine sits in dire need of air defenses, Israel will reportedly place all its Patriot systems into storage over the next two months.

Israel is mothballing its Patriot air defense systems, will Ukraine get them?

3:50 PM EDT Apr 30

2:27 PM EDT Apr 30

Kaman’s Kargo Logistics Drone For The Marines Now In Flight Test

The multi-copter, now flying in prototype form, is competing for a U.S. Marine Corps autonomous resupply vehicle requirement.

The Kaman Corporation has announced the first flight of its KARGO UAV, a rotary-wing drone intended for autonomous, expeditionary resupply. The design is aimed for the U.S. Marine Corps, for which Kaman previously developed the K-MAX unmanned helicopter. The KARGO UAV is now competing in the Marines’ Medium Autonomous Resupply Vehicle — Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) program, with a winner due to be selected this summer.

2:27 PM EDT Apr 30

10:40 PM EDT Apr 29

Poland’s Future F-35s Have Been Officially Named “Husarz”

The name for Poland’s F-35s, chosen via a public competition, draws on the nation’s military history for inspiration.

BYOliver Parken

10:40 PM EDT Apr 29

News & Features

Features from the Archive

B-2 Spirits Could Get New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters

‘Robot Marines’ In Every Formation: Corps’ Robotics Chief Casts Vision

Putin Orders Tactical Nuclear Drills In Response To Western “Threats”

F-22 Raptor Ends Up On Its Side During Air Guard Exercise (Updated)

New Russian Turtle Tank With Cage-Like Armor Emerges On Ukrainian Battlefield

Switchblade 600 Kamikaze Drone Is The First Named Replicator Program Weapon

Ukrainian Drone Boats Now Armed With Adapted Air-To-Air Missiles

JDAM-ER Winged Bombs With Seekers That Home In On GPS Jammers Headed To Ukraine

Boeing Pitches F-15EX For Saudi Arabian Fighter Competition

More SM-3 Interceptors Needed After Downing Iranian Ballistic Missiles: Navy Secretary

Navy Names Next Amphibious Assault Ship USS Helmand Province

Manta Ray Underwater Drone Even More Enormous Than We Thought

How The Marines Plan To Fly The MV-22 Osprey Into The 2060s

Land

Our First Look At The Army’s Unmanned HIMARS Launcher Truck Firing

Our First Look At Marines’ Tomahawk Missile Launching Drone Truck Firing

Marines Poised To Get Their 30mm Cannon-Armed Amphibious Combat Vehicle

ATACMS Volley Strikes Mass Of Russian Troops Training In Eastern Ukraine

Space

Russia’s Anti-Satellite Nuke Could Leave Lower Orbit Unusable, Test Vehicle May Already Be Deployed

If SpaceX’s Secret Constellation Is What We Think It Is, It’s Game Changing (Updated)

Mysterious Drones Swarmed Langley AFB For Weeks

Russia’s “Highly Concerning” Anti-Satellite Super Weapon: What Are The Possibilities?

Nukes

Ukraine Situation Report: Poland “Ready” To Host Nuclear Weapons

How The U.K. Will Test Its New Nuclear Warhead Without Setting One Off

Russian Submarines Now Appear To Be Getting Anti-Drone “Cope Cages”

F-35A Is Officially Certified For Nuclear Strike

Modern Day Marine ’24

‘Robot Marines’ In Every Formation: Corps’ Robotics Chief Casts Vision

Our First Look At Marines’ Tomahawk Missile Launching Drone Truck Firing

Secretive Long Range Attack Missile For Marine AH-1s Is Now Being Flight Tested

Navy Names Next Amphibious Assault Ship USS Helmand Province

Latest

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

Ukraine Situation Report: U.K. Says Its Donated Weapons Can Be Used To Hit Targets In Russia

Israel Is Shooting Down A Lot Of Its Own Drones

Marine KC-130Js May Lose Their Missile-Firing Harvest Hawk Kits

China’s H-6K Bomber Seen Firing Air-Launched Ballistic Missile For First Time

This Is The Army’s New M2A4E1 Bradley That Features Iron Fist Protection

F-16 Crashes Near Holloman Air Force Base In New Mexico (Updated)

Marines To More Than Triple Size Of Air Defense Forces By 2029

Could Ukraine Get Israel’s Mothballed Patriot Air Defense Batteries?

Kaman’s Kargo Logistics Drone For The Marines Now In Flight Test

Poland’s Future F-35s Have Been Officially Named “Husarz”

Features from the Archive

How To Land A Fighter On An Aircraft Carrier On A Stormy Night

Marines Had An “Aircraft Carrier On Land” With Catapults And Arresting Gear In Vietnam

Censored Craft Near Hangar Appears In Satellite Image Of Secretive Tonopah Test Range Airport

Check Out This Rare Formation Of Navy Reserve Fighters Over Gorgeous Key West

The Truth About Going From Flying Airplanes To Helicopters

We Talk V-280 Valor Versus V-22 Osprey With Bell’s Head Of Tiltrotor Systems

Taking The F-14A Tomcat On Cruise For My First Time

USAF’s Deadliest F-16 Pilot Talks F-15 Retirement, Syria, and Pilot Shortage