Air Force Works to Modernize Aging B-52 Simulators
DARPA Picks Bell Textron for New Runway-less Drone X-Plane
T-7 Completes Climate Tests as Air Force Pushes to Field New Trainer
Radar Sweep
Lawmakers Want Anti-Drone Systems at US Defense Facilities
The draft defense authorization bill that the House Armed Services Committee plans to mark up in the coming days would require the Pentagon to set up counter-drone defenses at a handful of military-related facilities inside the United States.
B-1B to Finally Get New External Pylons Drastically Expanding Missile Carriage Potential
The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead to add new external pylons onto its B-1B Lancer bombers after years of experimentation. The pylons will enhance the B-1’s already significant ability to carry large and diverse payloads, with a particular eye toward future hypersonic weapons.
Japan Starts Deploying Osprey Fleet at a New Base with an Eye on China
The Japanese army July 9 began deploying its fleet of V-22 Ospreys on a newly opened permanent base in southwestern Japan, in the country’s latest move to strengthen its defense as tensions in the region grow.
A Syrian Death Factory Gives Up Its Secrets
Under the Assad regime, Saydnaya prison became a mass-killing machine. The fact that the survivors are now able to speak openly, allowing their names and faces to be published, shows how the collapse of the regime has transformed Syrian society. The men who ended up in Saydnaya during the war included military deserters and defectors, rebel soldiers, and peaceful activists.
DARPA Ends Cargo Seaplane Program, Eyes New Uses for Tech
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has ended its experiment to create a heavy cargo seaplane. The nearly three-year-old Liberty Lifter program was intended to design and build—and possibly float and fly—a long-range, low-cost seaplane that could take off and land in rough seas.
UK Closes in on Build of First E-7 Wedgetail, Keeps Faith in Program Amid US Air Force Cancellation
The build of a first U.K. E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft is “nearing completion,” and the platform remains in line to “detect a range of missile threats towards” Britain once operational, despite the recent decision by the U.S. Air Force to cancel its own Wedgetail effort, a spokesperson for the U.K. MoD told Breaking Defense.
OPINION: Air Force Mission in Iran Was Successful, but We Must Be Clear-Eyed As to Why
Our B-2 bombers, along with other aircraft, flew deep into Iranian territory without resistance. In modern wars against adversaries such as China, we know the threat will be much different. In those cases, we know there is no guarantee of the “air superiority” our crews experienced during Operation Midnight Hammer without significant investment in airpower.
Marine Corps Requests More Funding for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Development
The Marine Corps wants $58 million in fiscal 2026 to support the next phase of its collaborative combat aircraft initiative, according to budget documents.
Russia Launches Record Drone Attack on Ukraine, Hours After Trump Criticizes Putin
At least one person has been killed after Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its invasion, Ukrainian officials said July 9, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged more military support for Kyiv.
USAF Test Pilot School Introduces A-29C Super Tucano
The A-29C will be used both for training as part of the Test Pilot School’s curriculum and experimental testing of mission systems, avionics, sensors, and weapons.
The Army Has Realized That Horses Are No Longer Good for ‘Warfighting’
Goodbye, horses, the Army’s over you. The Army is drastically scaling back its Military Working Equid program, the Army term for the service’s contingent of horses, donkeys, and mules. Why the drawdown? According to the Army, it’s “to align more resources with warfighting capability and readiness.”