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China’s J-35A Stealth Fighter Officially Breaks Cover

China’s J-35A Stealth Fighter Officially Breaks Cover

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway
Updated on Nov 5, 2024
Full Retirement Of Ticonderoga Cruisers On Hold, Trio To Remain In Service Into 2029

Full Retirement Of Ticonderoga Cruisers On Hold, Trio To Remain In Service Into 2029

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Nov 5, 2024
President Donald Trump's administration reportedly considered employing a secret Central Intelligence Agency system capable of "covertly (and nonviolently)" disabling ships, including very large ones, in some way, against Venezuela oil tankers.

CIA Has Secret “Nonviolent” Way To Disable Large Ships: Report

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Nov 4, 2024
Notoriously underarmed F125 frigate will have to avoid the Red Sea.

German Navy Confirms Its Supersized Frigate Will Avoid The Red Sea

By Thomas Newdick
Updated on Nov 4, 2024
USMC F-35B

Final Conclusions On Bizarre Crash Of ‘Zombie’ F-35B That Flew Without A Pilot For 64 Miles Released

By Tyler Rogoway
Updated on Oct 31, 2024
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN has for the first time conducted dual-carrier operations in the South China Sea. The drills, involving the country’s first two in-service carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, as well as at least 11 other vessels, also showcased the PLAN’s fast-growing air wing, with a flyby conducted by a dozen J-15 carrier-based multirole fighters. While clearly engineered for public consumption, the photo opportunity also points to the very rapid progress made by the PLAN in developing its aircraft carrier and wider blue-water capabilities.

Two New Versions Of China’s J-15 Carrier Fighter Now Appear To Be Operational

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 31, 2024
The U.S. Navy plans to keep all 12 of its Flight I Arleigh Burke class destroyers in service beyond their originally 35-year expected service life.

Oldest Arleigh Burke Destroyers Get Reprieve, Service Extended Into 2030s

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 31, 2024
A fire has ripped through the BAE Systems’ nuclear submarine shipyard in Cumbria, England, where the U.K. Royal Navy’s Dreadnought class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), among others are being built. While the cause of the blaze is yet to be determined, it comes at a time of increasing concern about Russian-inspired sabotage activities across Europe.

Cause Of Fire At UK’s Critical Nuclear Submarine Shipyard Still Unclear

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 30, 2024
New imagery of Taiwan’s homegrown Huilong uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) reveals new details, including a pair of apparent tornedo tubes, indicating a possible combat capability. At this stage, it seems the submarine is intended as a testbed, rather than for a combat role, but the development does point to the growing ambitions of the Taiwanese Navy in terms of underwater warfare.

Our Best Look At Taiwan’s New Uncrewed ‘Smart Dragon’ Submarine

By Thomas Newdick
Updated on Oct 29, 2024
An example of an entirely new class of Chinese vessel with a large open flight deck has emerged at a shipyard in the southeastern end of the country.

New Chinese Mystery Flattop Emerges

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 29, 2024
We have now gotten our first look at the Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle (XL-AUV) underwater thanks to the Autonomous Warrior 2024 maritime autonomous capabilities demonstration in Australia.

Our First Look At The Ghost Shark Uncrewed Submarine Underwater

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 25, 2024
The U.S. Marines are testing a heavily automated targeting system that helps physically point standard infantry rifles in the direction of the target as a new option to help shoot down drones.

Marines Testing Counter-Drone Rifle Aiming System With Automatically Moving Stock

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 25, 2024
The U.S. Navy is asking for new ideas about how to increase the unrefueled range of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

New Ways To Stretch F/A-18 Super Hornet’s Range Sought By Navy

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 23, 2024
The spy plane at the center of one of the most notorious post-Cold War Today air incidents, a U.S. Navy EP-3E Aries II, has arrived at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, for future public display. The EP-3E’s journey to get to the museum has been a long one, starting with the dramatic collision with a Chinese fighter in the so-called Hainan Island incident in 2001.

EP-3E Aries II Spy Plane That Collided With Chinese Fighter Is Going On Display

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 23, 2024
BF-19, Lt Cdr Nicholas Baker RN, Flight 633, Test 808, Arrival JS KAGA for beginning of DT Sea Trails, 20 October 2024

Japan Expands Carrier Capabilities With F-35B, Drones Could Be Next

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 22, 2024
Satellite view of the island of Guam plus Mk 41 VLS from Aegis Ashore air defense system.

Our First Look At Land-Based Aegis Missile Defense System In Guam

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Oct 21, 2024
The U.S. Army is already interested in scaling down its new Typhon ground-based missile system, if possible, to help make it easier to deploy and operate.

Army Looking To Shrink Typhon Missile System After Lessons Learned From First Deployment

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Oct 15, 2024
USS Chosen VLS resupply at sea test off San Diego.

Navy Just Reloaded A Vertical Launch System For The First Time While Underway At Sea

By Tyler Rogoway
Updated on Oct 12, 2024
The Amiral Ronarc’h (hull number D 660) officially started sea trials earlier this week, setting sail from the Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard, in Brittany, northern France, on October 7.

France’s Radical-Looking New Frigate Has Gone To Sea

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 11, 2024
Bolt-M drone

Bolt-M Aims To Make Kamikaze Drone Attacks More User Friendly, Effective

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Oct 10, 2024
A TV screen shows an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a ceremony on September 6 to celebrate the launch of a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" during a news program at the Yongsanl Railway Station. North Korea has launched a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack, with leader Kim Jong Un vowing to "further strengthen the state nuclear deterrence," the North's state media said on September 8. (

Signs Point To North Korea Building A Nuclear-Powered Submarine: South Korean Intel

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 9, 2024
Recent photos of the first of the Type 076 landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships — known in the West as the Yulan class — under construction at the yard on Changxing Island in Shanghai reveal first one island superstructure added to the deck, followed by another, installed as of late last month.

China’s Monster Amphibious Assault Ship Has Twin Island Superstructures Optimized For Aviation Ops

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 7, 2024
The U.S. Navy expects its sixth-generation fighter to enter service in the 2030s, bringing with it the ability to operate alongside drones and fly missions at long ranges — capabilities seen as essential for future conflict with China, for example. The Navy’s ambitions, if realized, mean that the service may introduce its next-generation crewed fighter before the U.S. Air Force, which is now re-examining requirements for its new stealth combat jet, with the program on temporary hold.

Navy Making Final Selection For F/A-XX Stealth Fighter, Plans For 2030s Service Entry

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 3, 2024
Popping China's Anti-access bubble with the AIM-174

How The Navy’s New Very Long-Range AIM-174 Missile Could Pierce China’s Anti-Access Bubble

By Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Oct 3, 2024
Israel apparently conducted strikes on the Syrian coast this morning, with explosions reported in the vicinity of the Russian-operated Khmeimim Air Base, near the city of Latakia. At this stage, it’s unclear if the Russian airbase was actually hit, deliberately or otherwise. Either way, however the attacks represent a notable escalation in terms of Israel’s willingness to prosecute targets close to Russian interests in Syria.

Claims Swirl Around Israeli Strikes Very Near Russia’s Air Base In Syria

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 3, 2024
The U.S. Navy said it successfully intercepted several Iranian missiles headed to Israel.

U.S. Navy Destroyers “Successfully Engaged” Iranian Ballistic Missiles On Their Way To Israel

By Howard Altman
Posted on Oct 2, 2024
The Washington Times first disclosed on July 16, 2004, that China had developed a new Yuan-class conventionally powered submarine in secret.

Chinese Submarine That Sunk Had Exotic Hybrid Nuclear Powerplant: Report

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Oct 2, 2024
The mysterious incident at China’s Wuchang Shipyard in the spring of this year resulted in the sinking of the country’s latest nuclear-powered attack submarine, according to U.S. officials.

China’s New Nuclear Submarine Sank During Mysterious Incident In Wuhan: Report

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 26, 2024
The U.S. Marine Corps says it has demonstrated new capabilities for operating future drones with high degrees of autonomy in expeditionary operations with another test flight of one of its stealthy XQ-58 Valkyries.

Third Marine XQ-58 Valkyrie Flight Test Uses Link 16 For Control

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 26, 2024
Dutch missile ship

New Dutch Navy Support Vessels Will Be Missile-Toting Wingmen To Frigates

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 25, 2024
An F-35 Lightning II test pilot conducts flight test Sept. 10 to certify the carrier variant of the fighter aircraft for carrying the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). As part of ongoing integration efforts, the Pax River F-35 Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF) team flew two days of test flights to evaluate flutter, loads, and flying qualities with two AGM-158 loaded on external stations. LRASM is a defined near-term solution for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) air-launch capability gap that will provide flexible, long-range, advanced, anti-surface capability against high-threat maritime targets. The Pax River ITF’s mission is to effectively plan, coordinate, and conduct safe, secure, and efficient flight test for F-35B and C variants, and provide necessary and timely data to support program verification / certification and fleet operational requirements.

F-35 Shown Carrying Stealthy Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 24, 2024
The USNS oiler Big Horn suffered a mishap at sea in the 5th Fleet region, raising logistics concerns for the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group

Navy Resupply Ship Mishap Could Have Big Impact On Mid-East Deployed Carrier Group

By Howard Altman
Posted on Sep 24, 2024
In a cloud of smoke the Russian destroyer Admiral Levchenko leaves Portsmouth for operation FRUKUS.

Russian Destroyer Fired Warning Shots At Norwegian Fishing Boat: Report

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 24, 2024
China's sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, arrives in Hong Kong waters on July 7, 2017, less than a week after a high-profile visit by president Xi Jinping. - China's national defence ministry had said the Liaoning, named after a northeastern Chinese province, was part of a flotilla on a "routine training mission" and would make a port of call in the former British colony.

All Three Chinese Aircraft Carriers Were At Sea For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 23, 2024
AGM-158 XR

Everything We Just Learned About The Supersized AGM-158 XR Stealth Cruise Missile

By Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Sep 16, 2024
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has published a video showing the purported destruction of a Russian Su-30SM Flanker multirole fighter, which it claims was brought down by a shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile over the Black Sea.

Russian Su-30SM Flanker Crashes In Black Sea, Ukraine Says They Shot It Down With MANPADS

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 12, 2024
The U.S. Marine Corps legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets are getting a major boost in stand-off strike capability in the form of AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles

Marine Legacy F/A-18 Hornets Getting Major Firepower Boost With JASSM Cruise Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 12, 2024
Defense contractor Anduril has unveiled Barracuda, a new family of what it is calling "expandable autonomous air vehicles" that are scalable, highly modular, and already being flight-tested. The company is heavily focused now on "M" versions configured as relatively low-cost air-breathing precision munitions that could be launched from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, as well as maritime and ground platforms.

Anduril Introduces Barracuda-M That Aims To Disrupt The Cruise Missile Market

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 12, 2024
China has offered a new and closer look at the catapults on its newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian. We also now have what appears to be the first look inside the retractable enclosed control station built into the flight deck that catapult officers on the ship will use to launch planes.

New Chinese Aircraft Carrier’s Catapult Control ‘Bubble’ Looks Very Familiar

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 11, 2024
A series of photos have emerged showing a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet with a remarkable and hitherto unseen air-to-air load-out, including four of the very long-range AIM-174B air-to-air missiles.

F/A-18 Super Hornet Appears With Unprecedented Heavy Air-To-Air Missile Load

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Sep 11, 2024
It’s the turn of the Royal Australian Navy to provide us with a spectacular view of airborne infrared countermeasures in action, with a recent video showing a demonstration by one of its MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission maritime helicopters. In the past, TWZ has taken examined some remarkable air-launched countermeasures action, including extreme close-ups, mass drops, airshow routines, and flare ‘dumps’ from heavyweight transports. This may be the first time we’ve seen a helicopter perform this kind of pyrotechnical feat so close to a warship.

Australian MH-60R Helicopter Executes Stunning Flare Dump Off Stern Of Destroyer

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Sep 10, 2024
Captain of the USS Dwight D Eisenhower tells us what really went on during the ship's Red Sea combat cruise.

Carrier Captain In Combat: Our Video Interview With Christopher “Chowdah” Hill

By Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Sep 10, 2024
The Piasecki Aircraft Corporation's Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System Demonstration Vehicle (ARES-DV), a vertical takeoff and landing capable tilt-rotor drone designed to carry interchangeable payload modules, has left the ground for the first time.

Tilt-Ducted Fan ARES Drone Designed To Carry Modular Payloads Has Finally Lifted Off

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 10, 2024
Navy Capt. Chris "Chowdah" Hill, commander of the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, opens up about the carrier group's recent dangerous and grueling deployment to the Middle East.

Carrier Captain In Combat: What Went On During 7 Months Under Fire Around The Red Sea

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway
Posted on Sep 7, 2024
Chiefs aboard the USS Manchester created a huge security risk by setting up a private WifI network.

The Story Of Sailors Secretly Installing Starlink On Their Littoral Combat Ship Is Truly Bonkers

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Sep 6, 2024
India has reportedly introduced to service its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, or SSBN, INS Arighat, marking a significant development in the country’s burgeoning strategic nuclear capability. The new submarine, armed with indigenously developed ballistic missiles, is understood to incorporate improvements over its predecessor, although India’s SSBN fleet, and its nuclear forces in general, continue to be hugely outstripped by those of China, its main strategic rival.

India’s Improved Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine Enters Service

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 29, 2024
The U.S. Coast Guard's heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star has returned to its home port of Seattle, Washington, after a major service life-extending overhaul – and not a moment too soon.

U.S. Coast Guard Has A Working Heavy Icebreaker Again

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 29, 2024
A new photo has emerged of China’s mysterious stealthy Chinese corvette or light frigate, an intriguing design, with apparent low-observable features, which you can read more about here. In fact, the latest photo raises more questions than it answers, in particular the presumed HQ-10 surface-to-air missile launcher at the rear of the vessel apparently being something else entirely.

Our Best Look At China’s Stealthy Experimental Corvette

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 28, 2024
The War Zone has learned new details about the Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle in an interview with Dr. Shane Arnott, Senior Vice President for Engineering at Anduril and the company's maritime lead.

Everything We Just Learned About The Ghost Shark Uncrewed Submarine

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 23, 2024
Australia To Help Maintain Visiting U.S. Nuclear Submarine For The First Time

Australia To Help Maintain Visiting U.S. Nuclear Submarine For The First Time

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 22, 2024
An example of the LCAC amphibious craft appeared recently with the face of Batman’s iconic opponent the Joker rendered in the style of how the late Heath Ledger famously portrayed him in the 2008 film The Dark Knight.

Check Out This Navy LCAC Hovercraft Adorned With Joker Artwork

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 22, 2024
The U.S. Navy says it is on the verge of having persistent, reliable, and secure high-speed internet connections across its fleets thanks to a project leveraging commercial satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink.

Starlink Now Being Deployed On U.S. Navy Warships

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 22, 2024
A newly emerged photo provides our best look so far at the unusual layout of Iran’s intriguing drone-carrier ship, the IRGC Shahid Bagheri, including its angled flight deck. Converted from an existing commercial vessel, this so-called “forward base ship” design is definitely topical considering the kind of anti-shipping campaign currently being waged by Iranian proxies in the Red Sea and, according to the U.S., by Iran, increasingly further afield.

Iran’s Bizarre ‘Aircraft Carrier’ Seen In New Detail

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 21, 2024
New ‘Cheap’ Cruise Missile Concept Flight Tested By Silicon Valley-Backed Start-Up

New ‘Cheap’ Cruise Missile Concept Flight Tested By Silicon Valley-Backed Start-Up

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 21, 2024
Laser Weapon on type 071.

Laser Weapon Appears On Chinese Amphibious Assault Ship

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 19, 2024
Turkey's GENESIS program jump started local warship production and made beached new life into the FFG-7 frigates.

Project GENESIS: How Turkey Resurrected Its Secondhand Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates

By Tayfun Ozberk
Posted on Aug 19, 2024
A major fire, which may still be ongoing, has reportedly broken out on the former Soviet Kiev class aircraft carrier Minsk, which has been rotting away in a man-made lagoon just off a stretch of the Yangtze River in China for years now.

Soviet Aircraft Carrier Turned Failed Chinese Tourist Attraction Is On Fire (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick
Updated on Aug 17, 2024
The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is now the first U.S. Navy supercarrier to have a complete dedicated Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAWC).

Supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush Now Has First Of its Kind Drone Control Center

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 16, 2024
A 'conundrum' being moved into position in anticipation of Operation PLUTO

The Underwater Pipelines That Supplied Fuel For The Allied Invasion Of Normandy

By Oliver Parken
Posted on Aug 15, 2024
The U.S. Coast Guard Healy Class Icebreaker HEALY (WAGB 20) sits in the ice, about 100 miles north of Barrow, Alaska, in order to allow scientists onboard to take core samples from the floor of the Arctic Ocean on June 18, 2005. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Public Affairs Specialist 2nd Class NyxoLyno Cangemi) (Released)

On Thin Ice: Another Fire Aboard A Coast Guard Icebreaker Underscores Glaring Capability Gap

By Oliver Parken
Posted on Aug 15, 2024
Captain hill on how his tweets would have needed to change if the ship was hit.

Carrier Captain On How His Up-Beat Tweets Would Have Needed To Change If Houthi Missiles Struck His Ship

By Howard Altman
Posted on Aug 14, 2024
The Ohio-class, guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) transits with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), not shown, on the Strait of Hormuz, Dec. 21. Philippine Sea is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce.

U.S. Navy Rushes To Further Bolster Presence In Middle East

By Thomas Newdick
Posted on Aug 13, 2024
US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets brandishing full loads of nine air-to-air missiles have touched down at a base in Jordan ahead of expected Iranian attacks against Israel.

F/A-18E Super Hornets Fully Loaded With Air-To-Air Missiles Arrive In Jordan

By Joseph Trevithick
Posted on Aug 9, 2024
Testbed for the Navy's helicopter escape system in the 1960s

Navy’s Cold War-Era Helicopter Crew Escape System Literally Sliced Fuselages Apart

By Oliver Parken
Posted on Aug 7, 2024