Marines show how F-35s can destroy targets without ever firing a shot

Throughout the F-35’s troubled development, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Defense Department have repeatedly suggested that despite the advanced stealth and better level of awareness F-35 pilots have of the battlespace, the F-35’s real secret weapon is its ability to serve as a data hub. This advanced capability, which some consider to be a requirement […]

Russia attacks China for ‘ripping off’ its carrier based fighter

China has a long history of skipping the research and development stage when it comes to fielding new military aircraft, instead opting to purchase or outright steal aviation technology from peers and competitors like the United States and Russia. Much ado about China’s fifth-generation J-20 and forthcoming J-31 platforms has already been made in the […]

Chinese fifth-generation fighter not likely by end of the year, despite their claims

China’s J-20, an advanced fighter built using stolen F-22 plans, is usually referred to as a “fifth-generation fighter.” But its capabilities question that designation. The problem with these sorts of classifications is that there is no universal or official set of characteristics an aircraft needs to exhibit in order to fit in a category—not unlike […]

Taliban targeted in first US F-35 combat mission

For the first time since their inception, American F-35B Joint Strike Fighters have entered into combat operations, according to statements released by Pentagon officials on Thursday, September 27. While details remain sparse, it has been confirmed that at least one Marine Corps F-35B took off from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship and delivered ordnance […]

China will soon have 3 aircraft carriers, lots of pilots, but no aircraft

China’s long-serving aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, boasts a small fleet of troubled J-15s and, as of 2016, only 25 qualified pilots. Now, as the Chinese test and expedite production of two new domestically developed aircraft carriers, they face a number of significant challenges. Their goal is to become a true “blue water” Navy. But they still have much […]

Space Force standup would cost about the same as building one aircraft carrier

Media outlets the world over have been reporting on Air Force documents outlining the projected costs associated with establishing a new branch of the American armed forces tasked specifically with orbital defense (Space Force), and based on the headlines, it seems like many outlets have never seen the defense budget before. According to the Air […]

Air Force Secretary calls for a massive squadron buildup to protect America

For nearly two decades, the United States Air Force has been engaged in combat operations in multiple theaters around the globe, all the while maintaining a deterrent presence in many other regions. Now, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson is calling on lawmakers to dramatically increase the size of the force to offset the negative effects […]

New technology makes the F-22 deadlier, and the F-35 less special

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, the world’s first ever fifth-generation fighter, is still widely considered to be not only a superior dogfighter to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter but likely, the most capable air superiority fighter on the planet. Its unique combination of stealth characteristics, speed, and maneuverability set it apart from acrobatic fourth-generation fighters […]

New report alleges Lockheed Martin brushed 19 critical issues with the F-35 under the carpet to please lawmakers

A new report released by the independent watchdog organization Project on Government Oversight (POGO) alleges that the defense contractor responsible for the development and production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter downgraded no fewer than 19 critical issues plaguing the aircraft as they approached the September 15 deadline for the aircraft’s initial testing and evaluation […]