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A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon prepares to receive fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker in the U.S. Central Command Area of responsibility May 11, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Paige Weldon)
Iran

Trump Claims He Called Off Imminent Iran Bombing Campaign At Behest Of Allies (Updated)

The president says the strikes were set for tomorrow, but it's one of many times Trump made grand threats then supposedly pulled back at the last moment.

The U.S. Army is pressing defense contractors to come up with proposals for a new interceptor for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system with a unit cost under $1 million.
MIM-104 Patriot

‘Cheap’ Patriot Interceptor Costing Under $1 Million Now Being Sought By Army

The Army knows it needs a more affordable and producible Patriot option as enemies seek overmatch through cheap drones and throngs of ballistic missiles.

Imagery has emerged that appears to show a previously unknown two-seat version of the Sukhoi Su-57 Felon, Russia’s latest frontline fighter. Provided the available photo is legitimate, and there is nothing obvious to suggest otherwise, at this point, Russia would join China as the only other nation actively developing a two-seat fifth-generation fighter. While the exact role of China’s two-seat J-20 version remains the subject of debate, it is noteworthy that Russia’s use of dual-seat tactical jets is well-established, and that Sukhoi had previously drafted a two-seat Felon specifically for an Indian requirement.
Su-57

Two-Seat Variant Of Russia’s Su-57 Felon Fighter Materializes

The apparent emergence of a two-seat Su-57 points to unmanned teaming and may also indicate a revived export drive.

Ukraine's new glide bomb is entering service.
Su-24

Ukraine’s Homegrown Glide Bomb Breaks Cover

Ukraine is in urgent need of additional air-launched standoff munitions, especially ones free of foreign supply chains and use restrictions.

Tracking U.S. Aircraft Carriers As of May 17 2026
Carrier Tracker

Where Are The Carriers As Of May 17, 2026: Ford Is Finally Home

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived home in Norfolk after a grueling, record-setting 326-day deployment.

Growler Demo Team
EA-18G

Navy E/A-18G Growlers Collide At Idaho Air Show (Updated)

All four crew members ejected as the aircraft became entangled and plummeted to the ground.

During his recent trip to China, President Donald Trump's motorcade included a pair of heavily-laden SUVs with huge custom tops, a configuration that does not appear to have previously emerged in any context.
China

Mysterious Chinese SUV With Massive Roof Featured In Trump Motorcade In Beijing

The bizarre-looking high-top SUVs were among several notable vehicles spotted in President Trump's motorcade during his recent trip to China.

Sleeping accommodation in the Clapham deep shelter, London. Four thousand beds at three shillings a night, deep beneath London, are being offered to Festival of Britain visitors. The beds, together with dining accommodation, are in Clapham's deep shelter, now taken over by the London County Council. The deep shelter is a mile long, runs 45 feet beneath the underground railway. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)
Bunker Talk

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

The water tastes metallic.

Engine mechanics from the 149th Maintenance Squadron, Texas Air National Guard perform an engine change on an F-16 Fighting Falcon during Salitre 2014, Oct. 13, at Cerro Moreno Air Force Base, near Antofagasta, Chile. Salitre is a Chilean-led exercise where the U.S., Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, focus on increasing interoperability between allied nations.
A-4

Argentina Retires Its A-4 Fightinghawks

After six decades of service, the A-4’s first export operator has finally stood down its Skyhawks as it introduces its first F-16s.

The first picture of the U.S. military's new AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) has emerged.
F/A-18E/F

Secretive AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Finally Breaks Cover

The AIM-260 has been in development for years as a much-needed longer-range successor to the venerable AIM-120 AMRAAM.

Inside Ukraine's Shahed interceptor program.
Iran

Inside Ukraine’s Interceptor Drone Innovations Swatting Down Thousands Of Russian Shaheds

Brave1 CEO Andrii Hrytseniuk gives us exclusive insights into Ukraine's ability to counter Russia's one-way attack drone armada on the cheap.

The commander of U.S. Central Command dismissed reports Iran retains most of its missiles and launchers.
Iran

CENTCOM Commander Dismisses Reports That Iran Retains Most Of Its Missile And Drone Arsenal (Updated)

Admiral Brad Cooper said that "the numbers that I've seen in open source are not accurate" as reports mount that most of Iran's arsenal is intact.

The U.S. Navy's near-total abandonment of surface ships with nuclear propulsion after the end of the Cold War is its "one of the largest mistakes" ever, according to the service's top officer.
U.S. Navy

Nuclear-Powered Trump Class Battleships Will Reverse One Of The Navy’s “Largest Mistakes”: Navy Boss

The Chief of Naval Operations says giving up on nuclear-powered surface combatants was one of the worst decisions his service has ever made.

Israel has signed a contract with Cyclone, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems, to develop and integrate an extended-range capability for the F-35 “Adir” fighter aircraft.
F-35A

Israel’s F-35s Are Getting External Fuel Tanks

Fresh off extensive combat operations against Iran, Israel is boosting the F-35I Adir’s endurance with external fuel tanks that will also reduce dependence on tanker aircraft.

An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft piloted by Airmen from the 556 Test and Evaluation Squadron flies over the Nevada Test and Training Range and performs live-fire exercises with Air-to-Ground Missile-114 Hellfire missiles and Guided Bomb Unit-12 Paveway IIs, Aug. 30, 2023. The 556 TES performs all software and physical testing to improve the combat capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper.
Q-9

MQ-9 Reaper Replacement Requirements Stress A Drone Cheap Enough To Risk Losing

The Air Force’s MQ-9 Reaper successor will trade survivability for lower cost, broader missions, and mass production.

The Pentagon has outlined plans to acquire at least 10,000 lower-cost cruise missiles over the next three years, as well as a similar number of relatively 'cheap' Blackbeard hypersonic missiles.
Land-Based Conventional Hypersonic Weapons

10,000 Low-Cost Cruise Missiles In Three Years Procurement Plan Laid Out By Pentagon (Updated)

The U.S. military now also plans on buying 12,000 'cheap' hypersonic missiles as part of a larger push to bolster munitions inventories.

The UAE is building so-called ‘cope cages’ around oil storage tanks to protect them against Iranian attacks.
Iran

UAE Building Massive ‘Cope Cages’ To Protect Energy Facilities From Iranian Drone Attacks

The move comes after the UAE has been hit by thousands of Iranian missiles and drones that have heavily damaged parts of its oil and gas infrastructure.

It could cost nearly $1.2 trillion to develop, field, and operate a new missile defense shield like the one the Trump administration proposes to establish under its Golden Dome initiative, according to a new estimate.
Anti-Satellite Capabilities

7,800 Interceptors In Space At Core Of $1.2 Trillion Golden Dome Cost Estimate

This massive undertaking in low Earth orbit would still only be able to engage 10 ICBMs simultaneously, according to the CBO.

Facing with a growing threat from Hezbollah, the IDF is building its own drone factory.
Israel

Israel Building Factory To Pump Out Its Own FPV Drones

The IDF is racing to catch up to Hezbollah's increasing use of these weapons, which has taken a grim toll on its forces in Lebanon.

The Pentagon says it is working to amend its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget to request new funding for the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.
E-3

Pentagon’s Mindset On E-7 Radar Aircraft It Tried To Axe Has Completely Changed: Hegseth

E-7s to replace the Air Force's dwindling and aging fleet of E-3s are even more sorely needed now after one of the latter was lost to an Iranian attack.