The War Zone

Navy Pays $100K To Replace Each F/A-18 Tire, 3D Printed Repairs Cuts Cost To $300

Additive manufacturing and cold spray technology are revolutionizing how the Navy looks at sustainment, saving millions in the process.

By Eric Tegler

Latest

Super hornets now carrying nine air-to-air missiles

Super Hornets Now Flying With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles To Counter Houthi Drones

Thanks to a recent upgrade, five AIM-120s, four AIM-9Xs and an ATFLIR pod offer considerable ‘magazine depth’ for tackling Houthi drones.

By Thomas Newdick

7:56 PM EDT May 7

Ukraine Situation Report: Half Of North Korean Missiles Used By Russia Failed, Kyiv Says

Ukrainian authorities paint a dismal picture regarding the accuracy and reliability of the 50 or so KN-23 missiles provided by Pyongyang.

By Thomas Newdick

4:46 PM EDT May 7

The Air Force new 5,000-pound-class GBU-72/B bunker buster bomb could be a future addition to the B-2 bomber's arsenal.

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

12:42 PM EDT May 7

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

Air

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

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

By Oliver Parken

5:08 PM EDT May 6

Switchblade 600 Kamikaze Drone Is The First Named Replicator Program Weapon

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

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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

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

byThomas Newdick

8:12 PM EDT May 6

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

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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

8:02 PM EDT May 3

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

Plans to give Ukraine JDAM-ERs with new seekers come as Western precision-guided munitions are reportedly suffering from Russian GPS jamming.

8:02 PM EDT May 3

5:51 PM EDT May 3

Boeing Pitches F-15EX For Saudi Arabian Fighter Competition

The Typhoon and Rafale are already in the running to meet Saudi Arabia’s fighter requirement, with the Eagle II now set to challenge them.

5:51 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?

BYHoward Altman

3:50 PM EDT Apr 30

Land

Features from the Archive

Navy Pays $100K To Replace Each F/A-18 Tire, 3D Printed Repairs Cuts Cost To $300

Super Hornets Now Flying With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles To Counter Houthi Drones

Ukraine Situation Report: Half Of North Korean Missiles Used By Russia Failed, Kyiv Says

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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

Boeing Pitches F-15EX For Saudi Arabian Fighter Competition

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?

Features from the Archive

Stan Lee Fought The Nazis As A U.S. Army Playwright During WWII

Rogoway’s Reviews: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter Stuns By Brandishing Full Load Of Missiles At Zhuhai Air Show

The Bizarre Story Of How A Navy F-14 Shot Down An Air Force F-4

Patriot PAC-3 Hit-To-Kill Interceptors Also Pack A Little-Known Explosive Warhead

Take A Rare Look Inside Russia’s Doomsday Ballistic Missile Warning System

This Photo Of Connery and Baldwin on ‘The Hunt For Red October’ Set Is Nuts

All The Crazy Proposed Variants Of The B-70 Valkyrie Super Bomber