The War Zone

A strong offense for the world of defense.

Aggressors: Fights on!
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By Tyler Rogoway Aug 22, 2020

Bunker Talk: Let's Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn't Cover This Week

We can talk about Chinese submarine caves, MiG killing F-15 pilots, geopolitics, F-117 aggressors—you know, no big whoop.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 21, 2020

Air Force's Mayhem Project Tied To Hypersonic Engines For Planes Such As The SR-72

The service wants these hypersonic demonstrators to have advanced air-breathing jet engines at their core.
By Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway Aug 21, 2020

Image Shows Russia Extending Runway At Arctic Base, Could Support Fighter Jets, Bombers

The runway expansion could point to forthcoming permanent or semi-permanent deployments of combat jets to Moscow's most northerly base.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 20, 2020

AI Claims "Flawless Victory" Going Undefeated In Digital Dogfight With Human Fighter Pilot

The virtual tournament is part of a larger US military effort to explore uses for artificial intelligence and machine learning in aerial combat.
By Thomas Newdick Aug 20, 2020

Iran Unveils New Solid-Fuel Ballistic Missile Named After The General America Killed

An advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile is joined by a new naval cruise missile — and Iran has shown it’s willing to use them.
By Thomas Newdick Aug 19, 2020

The French Army Is Building Renaissance-Style Fortresses In Africa

French troops have completed work on their latest star-shaped forward operational base in Mali.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 19, 2020

F/A-18 Super Hornet Is Now Undergoing Ski Jump Launch Trials For The Indian Navy

The Boeing fighter jet is vying for an Indian Navy contract and that service only has aircraft carriers with ski jumps at present.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 19, 2020

Air Force Eyes Adding Nuclear-Armed Hypersonic Boost-Glide Vehicles To Its Future ICBMs

At present, all other hypersonic weapons of this type that the US military is developing are conventionally armed.
By Thomas Newdick Aug 19, 2020

Russia’s New Amphibious Car Looks Like Something Out Of A James Bond Movie

The designer has high hopes for the all-wheel-drive amphi-car, which will be debuting at this month’s ARMY-2020 defense exhibition.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 19, 2020

Trio Of B-2 Stealth Bombers Deployed To The Island Of Diego Garcia As Seen From Space

The B-2s flew direct from the U.S. to the remote outpost in the Indian Ocean and have already executed missions over Asia. 
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 19, 2020

Image Shows Chinese Submarine Entering Mysterious Cave Facility At South China Sea Base

The rare satellite image shows a Chinese nuclear submarine entering into the mysterious submarine cave system at Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 18, 2020

Two MQ-9 Reaper Drones Collide Over Syria After Days Of Sightings From Those On The Ground

MQ-9s in unusual configurations have been seen in the area following a strike involving the Hellfire missile variant with pop-out sword-like blades.
By Jamie Hunter Aug 18, 2020

Check Out This AC-130 Gunship Pilot Wearing A Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display

AC-130W pilots get a huge boost in situational awareness and more from the helmet mounted display that is usually found on fighters.
By Jamie Hunter Aug 18, 2020

F-15 Eagle Pilot Explains Exactly How He Downed Three Migs During Two Wars

Cesar “Rico” Rodriguez gives a remarkable account of how he brought down three enemy fighters, two during Desert Storm and one during Allied Force.
By Thomas Newdick Aug 18, 2020

Australia’s Loyal Wingman Drone It’s Developing With Boeing Has Been Photographed In The Wild

A photographer spotted the Airpower Teaming System vehicle at an airfield somewhere in Queensland, ahead of its first flight.
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 17, 2020

Lightning Rods Protect F-35 Lightnings From Lightning At Exercise Northern Lightning

There is a real risk that a lightning strike could cause a fire or an explosion if dangerous gases are not purged from the jet's fuel system.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 17, 2020

This Explainer On How Wonderfully Complex Submarine Torpedo Tubes Are Is A Must Watch

There's a lot more involved with punching a torpedo out of a submarine than stuffing it in a tube and opening the hatch.
By Jamie Hunter Aug 17, 2020

New Chinese Air-Launched Glide Weapon Designed To Be An Airfield Killer

This latest weapon closely resembles the American AGM-154 JSOW and its design is optimized for standoff attacks primarily against airfields.
By Thomas Newdick Aug 17, 2020

Israeli Air Force Jets Touch Down In Germany For Historic Air Combat Exercise

The Israeli F-16 fighters will train alongside Luftwaffe Eurofighters and conduct commemoration flypasts over sites in Dachau and Munich.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 17, 2020

This Bonkers Video Of A Learjet Doing A Roll At Very Low Altitude Is Terrifying

Learjets have been rolled before, but we have never seen anything like this.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 16, 2020

Air Force One Just Had A Near Miss With A Drone According To Reporter Onboard (Updated)

The C-32A was descending into Andrews Air Force Base when the incident supposedly took place. 
By Joseph Trevithick Aug 16, 2020

The Army Has Unveiled Its Plan For Swarms Of Electronic Warfare Enabled Air-Launched Drones

The drones will be able to scout ahead, act as decoys, and launch electronic warfare and other strikes directly against threats they find.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 15, 2020

This Shot Of An A-10, F-35, And F-22 Billowing Vapor In Formation Is Absolutely Insane

Photographing three different U.S. Air Force tactical jets with gobs of vapor pouring off of them while flying in formation is far from common.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 15, 2020

F-117 Nighthawks Now Appear To Be Flying As Adversaries In Red Flag Aerial War Games

The F-117 force's presence over the southwestern U.S. has greatly expanded in recent years. Now it appears to have taken on a formal aggressor role.
By Tyler Rogoway Aug 15, 2020

Bunker Talk: Let's Chat About All The Stories We Did And Didn't Cover This Week

We can talk about buried ballistic missiles, geopolitics, Chinese bomber deployments, flying Soviet fighters for the first time—you know, no big whoop.
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