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The War Zone · Military aviation and defense analysis

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Snapshot: 2026-09-19 · Today’s latest update

Daily snapshot
  1. 1.Japan Opens The Door To Acquiring Nuclear-Powered SubmarinesThomas Newdick · Japan’s naval capabilities are evolving rapidly in the face of growing threats and so are its undersea requirements. The post Japan Opens The Door To Acquiring Nuclear-Powered Submarines appeared firs
  2. 2.New Details About Secretive RQ-170 Sentinel Drone Squadron Shared With New AwardJoseph Trevithick · The 30th Reconnaissance Squadron is one of two units known to operate RQ-170s, and it is very rare to hear any details about its activities. The post New Details About Secretive RQ-170 Sentinel Drone
  3. 3.USMC Used Its Expeditionary Operations Playbook In Combat For First Time During Epic FuryHoward Altman · The USMC set up remote forward refueling and rearming points for F-35Bs and other aircraft, as well as sensing locations during the war with Iran. The post USMC Used Its Expeditionary Operations Playb
  4. 4.F-16 Crashes In MichiganHoward Altman · Dramatic ATC audio of the incident has emerged. The post F-16 Crashes In Michigan appeared first on TWZ .
  5. 5.F-35 Sale To Saudi Arabia Approved By State DepartmentHoward Altman · The proposed $24 billion stealth fighter deal has major ramifications across the Middle East. The post F-35 Sale To Saudi Arabia Approved By State Department appeared first on TWZ .
  6. 6.New-Build F-16s For The USAF Is An Idea That Won’t Go Away, For Good ReasonThomas Newdick · Lockheed’s F-16G pitch could be part of the answer to the Air Force's problem of trying to grow its increasingly geriatric fighter fleet. The post New-Build F-16s For The USAF Is An Idea That Won’t Go
  7. 7.Pentagon Cuts New AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Production Deal, Testing AcceleratingJoseph Trevithick · The AIM-260 was originally slated to enter service years ago and it is seen as critical to counter China's PL-15 air-to-air missile. The post Pentagon Cuts New AIM-260 Air-To-Air Missile Production De
  8. 8.How The Air Force Patched Up A Shrapnel-Damaged KC-135Howard Altman · In addition, pushing advanced repair work closer to the front lines was critical in keeping as many airframes supporting the mission as possible. The post How The Air Force Patched Up A Shrapnel-Damag
  9. 9.Cessna Cuts Cockpit Out Of SkyCourier Cargo Hauler For Uncrewed LogisticsHope Hodge Seck · As China moves at warp speed on uncrewed aerial logistics, Textron is offering a similar solution to the Pentagon with SkyCourier UX. The post Cessna Cuts Cockpit Out Of SkyCourier Cargo Hauler For Un
  10. 10.Apache Crew Rescue Highlights Need For AI In Combat Says Joint Chiefs ChairmanHoward Altman · AI enabled troops to manage networks of unmanned systems across thousands of miles of water and to pull assets together for a quick rescue. The post Apache Crew Rescue Highlights Need For AI In Combat
  11. 11.USAF Assessing Feasibility Of Restarting C-17 Production As Part Of Its Future Airlift VisionJoseph Trevithick · The USAF is about to kick off a larger review of next-generation airlift options, and is still refining requirements for new tankers. The post USAF Assessing Feasibility Of Restarting C-17 Production
  12. 12.How The USAF Is Preparing For European Allies To Join The Collaborative Combat Aircraft ClubThomas Newdick · Allied interest in Collaborative Combat Aircraft is growing as USAFE works to ensure interoperability across a wide mix of future systems. The post How The USAF Is Preparing For European Allies To Joi
  13. 13.Houthis Claim Saudi F-15 Kill Over YemenThomas Newdick · The incident is another reminder that the Houthis' patchwork of air defenses remains a credible and deadly threat. The post Houthis Claim Saudi F-15 Kill Over Yemen appeared first on TWZ .
  14. 14.Israel Is Bringing SPICE 1000 Standoff Weapon To The F-35Thomas Newdick · The standoff weapon could eventually give other F-35 operators a new path to a long-range precision strike capability. The post Israel Is Bringing SPICE 1000 Standoff Weapon To The F-35 appeared first
  15. 15.Industrial Base Concerns Over Building F/A-XX And F-47 Remain: Top Pentagon Procurement OfficerHoward Altman · Gen. Dale White says while the F-47 will fly by 2028, doing F/A-XX at the same time is concerning, but that's not unique to just next gen fighters. The post Industrial Base Concerns Over Building F/A-
  16. 16.FQ-42 Vengeance Fighter Drone Program UpdateThe War Zone staff · Branded Content: The latest from General Atomics on FQ-42 Vengeance and the company's new Wildfire MQ-9 replacement platform. The post FQ-42 Vengeance Fighter Drone Program Update appeared first on TW
  17. 17.USAF’s Fighter Drones To Make Debut In A Large Scale ExerciseJoseph Trevithick · Exercise Emerald Flag will give the USAF a completely new opportunity to test how its CCA drones work together with crewed assets. The post USAF’s Fighter Drones To Make Debut In A Large Scale Exercis
  18. 18.NATO Air Commander Details Thinking Behind The Alliance’s New Air Defense PlanHoward Altman · With alarming incursions into NATO territory by Russian drones and missiles, and the possibility that worse is on the horizon, NATO is adapting its air defense playbook. The post NATO Air Commander De
  19. 19.New Details On How Space Force Has Waged Electronic Warfare Against IranJoseph Trevithick · Space Force learned important lessons from the war with Iran about operations inside and outside of the atmosphere. The post New Details On How Space Force Has Waged Electronic Warfare Against Iran ap
  20. 20.Lockheed Flexes To Modular AGM-158 JASSM Missile ConceptThomas Newdick · FLEX aims to give the JASSM missile family modular weapons architecture spanning longer-range, anti-ship, and new launch configurations. The post Lockheed Flexes To Modular AGM-158 JASSM Missile Conce
  21. 21.YFQ-44A Fury Has Been Fit Checked With Air-To-Ground MunitionsThomas Newdick · New imagery highlights potential air-to-ground weapons integration on Fury, pointing to the possibility of a broader strike capability for production FQ-44s. The post YFQ-44A Fury Has Been Fit Checked
  22. 22.Air Force Announces New Plans To Take Over Defending Its Own Bases From Aerial AttackHoward Altman · The Air Force's top officer acknowledged that a lack of organic base defense was a factor in the destruction caused by Iran. The post Air Force Announces New Plans To Take Over Defending Its Own Bases
  23. 23.U.S. Admits It Has Weapons In OrbitJoseph Trevithick · Space Force has finally confirmed it has weapons in space and has also shared details about its "space control" mission set. The post U.S. Admits It Has Weapons In Orbit appeared first on TWZ .
  24. 24.Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury CCA Has Flown Alongside F-35sThomas Newdick · The YFQ-44 Fury has already taken to the skies alongside fifth-gen fighters as the company works toward a true crewed-uncrewed teaming demonstration. The post Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury CCA Has Flown Alon
  25. 25.Airmen Under Fire: Stories From Iranian Barrages On U.S. BasesHoward Altman · Air Force Chief Of Staff Gen. Wilsbach offered vignettes of airmen performing under punishing Iranian attacks. The post Airmen Under Fire: Stories From Iranian Barrages On U.S. Bases appeared first on
  26. 26.Saudi Arabia Appears To Have Used Its Secretive Stash Of Ballistic Missiles For The First TimeThomas Newdick · The use of a Chinese-made DF-15A missile in Yemen would mark a major development for Riyadh’s shy ballistic missile arsenal. The post Saudi Arabia Appears To Have Used Its Secretive Stash Of Ballistic
  27. 27.Cheaper Reaper? Swarm Aero Unveils GameraHope Hodge Seck · Swarm Aero's Gamera is designed to be inexpensive but pack major range and the ability to be adapted to many missions beyond standoff strike. The post Cheaper Reaper? Swarm Aero Unveils Gamera appeare
  28. 28.Fleet Of At Least 500 Collaborative Combat Aircraft By 2032 Now In USAF’s PlansJoseph Trevithick · 500 CCAs is a step up from recently stated USAF plans, and the service also now wants 500 more new drones to succeed its MQ-9s. The post Fleet Of At Least 500 Collaborative Combat Aircraft By 2032 Now
  29. 29.U.S. Nuclear Control Mission Could Dramatically Evolve Under Looking Glass-NextJamie Hunter · Branded Content: Modernizing command, control, and communications network is critical for the future nuclear era. The post U.S. Nuclear Control Mission Could Dramatically Evolve Under Looking Glass-Ne
  30. 30.Everything We Just Learned About The Vectis Collaborative Combat Aircraft From The Skunk WorksJoseph Trevithick · We have new details on Lockheed's tailless CCA, including about its exotic "submerged" air inlet and how its design puts a premium on survivability. The post Everything We Just Learned About The Vecti
  31. 31.First-Ever Kill Of A Drone Boat By Another Drone Boat Claimed By UkraineHoward Altman · The machine gun attack of one drone boat on another is the latest milestone in uncrewed surface vessel warfare. The post First-Ever Kill Of A Drone Boat By Another Drone Boat Claimed By Ukraine appear
  32. 32.The Outlook Is Getting Grimmer By The Day For Oil Exports From The Red SeaHoward Altman · Iraqi militias strike a pipeline that's the remaining lifeline to Middle East oil and the Houthis move into a better position to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait than ever. The post The Outlook Is Get
  33. 33.Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This WeekTyler Rogoway · Has it really been 25 years since that terrible morning? The post Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week appeared first on TWZ .
  34. 34.Adversaries Using Claude AI To Target Americans And Develop Missiles Is A Sign Of What’s To ComeJoseph Trevithick · A new report from Anthropic presents a stark picture of how malign actors are using commercially available U.S. AI services despite safeguards. The post Adversaries Using Claude AI To Target Americans
  35. 35.One Of These Missiles Is Set To Be The Army’s Next Mid-Tier Anti-Air InterceptorJoseph Trevithick · The new Enduring Shield system paired with AIM-9X Sidewinders already gives the Army its first mid-range air defense capability in decades. The post One Of These Missiles Is Set To Be The Army’s Next
  36. 36.France Accelerates Rafale F5 Upgrade After Collapse Of FCAS Next-Gen Fighter ProjectThomas Newdick · France is investing in a new Rafale configuration, along with drone wingmen, that aim to carry French tactical aviation deep into the 2030s. The post France Accelerates Rafale F5 Upgrade After Collaps
  37. 37.Work At Underground Test Site A New Indicator Of Possible Strikes On Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain BunkerJoseph Trevithick · Pickaxe Mountain presents immense targeting challenges and that's where a key test range in New Mexico comes in to play, just as it did for Midnight Hammer. The post Work At Underground Test Site A Ne
  38. 38.Houthis’ Stranglehold On Strategic Bab Al-Mandab Strait Grows StrongerHoward Altman · The capture of the port of Mokha and possibly the islands of Perim and Zuqar can give the Houthis key points of control over the Red Sea and the Strait. The post Houthis’ Stranglehold On Strategic Bab
  39. 39.Ukraine’s New Shershen SAM Can Fire A Wild Mix Of Adapted Air-To-Air MissilesThomas Newdick · The system’s open architecture could let Kyiv mix and match interceptors as its missile inventory evolves. The post Ukraine’s New Shershen SAM Can Fire A Wild Mix Of Adapted Air-To-Air Missiles appear
  40. 40.Operational F-15EXs Drop Live Bombs For The First TimeThomas Newdick · The first unit to get the F-15EX is already moving away from its exclusive air-to-air mission roots. The post Operational F-15EXs Drop Live Bombs For The First Time appeared first on TWZ .
  41. 41.Navy Destroyer Packs New ‘Piggy-Backed’ Point Defense System That Combines 30mm And .50 Cal GunsJoseph Trevithick · The Mk 38 Mod 4 offers a major capability boost, especially against drones, and is now installed on at least one destroyer. The post Navy Destroyer Packs New ‘Piggy-Backed’ Point Defense System That C
  42. 42.Ukraine Carried Out Its Deepest Drone Strike On Russia EverHoward Altman · The strike hit an energy processing plant 1,700 miles from the Ukrainian border in Russia's gas-rich Arctic region. The post Ukraine Carried Out Its Deepest Drone Strike On Russia Ever appeared first
  43. 43.Where Are The Aircraft Carriers?: September 9, 2026Ian Ellis-Jones · The Navy is applying lessons learned from recent marathon carrier cruises to the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which conducted an unreported maintenance availability ahead of deployment. The post Where Are
  44. 44.Hermeus Unveils Air-Launched Ramjet Test Vehicle for High-Speed ExperimentsThomas Newdick · The ramjet-powered vehicle could give researchers and developers a new way to put hardware into sustained high-Mach flight environments. The post Hermeus Unveils Air-Launched Ramjet Test Vehicle for H
  45. 45.First Look At General Atomics’ Wildfire, Its Successor To The MQ-9 Reaper (Updated)Joseph Trevithick · The USAF is hunting for new lower-cost armed drones to perform the same missions as the MQ-9 in the wake of huge Reaper losses. The post First Look At General Atomics’ Wildfire, Its Successor To The M
  46. 46.Army Now Testing Anthem Long-Range Strike Weapon Built for Mass ProductionThomas Newdick · Serial production of the relatively crude but cheap weapon is slated to begin in Texas next year, with plans to also build the weapon in Germany and Israel. The post Army Now Testing Anthem Long-Range
  47. 47.Everything We Know About The U.S. Navy’s Submersible Drone Iran Just CapturedJoseph Trevithick · Anduril's Dive-LD uncrewed underwater vehicle falling into Iranian hands is significant, but the system was designed to be risked in contested waters. The post Everything We Know About The U.S. Navy’s
  48. 48.Saudi’s Remaining Energy Lifeline To The World Under Threat After Successful Houthi Strikes (Updated)Howard Altman · Having the Strait of Hormuz and energy exports via the Red Sea shut down at the same time has long been a top fear for global oil markets. The post Saudi’s Remaining Energy Lifeline To The World Under
  49. 49.This Is Poland’s New Heavy Infantry Fighting VehicleThomas Newdick · Even as the utility of heavy armor is being questioned, the 40-ton Ratel aims to bring more protection and firepower to a rapidly modernizing Polish Army. The post This Is Poland’s New Heavy Infantry
  50. 50.Trump Threatens Canadian Jets At The Center Of Army Aerial Surveillance PlansJoseph Trevithick · Threatening to block Bombardier sales in the U.S. is different than actually following through with it, but Canada also has a vote. The post Trump Threatens Canadian Jets At The Center Of Army Aerial