Can Top Gun 2 repeat the original’s success as a recruitment tool?

The world was a different place in 1986. Mike Tyson won his first title that year, making him the youngest man ever to do so. A brand new Ford Mustang cost less than $7,500, and Tom Cruise was the face of what may have been the most successful military recruitment campaign in U.S. history. Here […]

Israeli F-35s in combat could mean a new era for the troubled fighter

Although details remain sparse, Israel has announced that the long-touted F-35 has officially seen combat for the first time anywhere in the world. Israel was not one of the original nine partner nations that helped to fund the F-35s development but is among the three foreign military sales (FMS) customers for the platform — and […]

Norwegian missiles could make the F-35 America’s best ship hunter

In recent months, much ado has been made about America’s diplomatic opponents developing anti-ship capabilities that we currently have no defense against. Chinese and Russian anti-ship missiles, capable of achieving hypersonic speeds, represent a kind of threat the United States hasn’t faced in decades: a technology that America is not only behind on, but apparently, […]

Summarizing the News: What’s the deal with the F-35 lately?

In today’s media climate, even the most ardent follower of the news could be forgiven for falling behind on the complex issues of the day. Between work, family, friends, and the other obligations that make up everyday life, it’s a miracle anyone has time to devote some thought and concern to the plight of civilians […]

Lockheed Martin F-35 factory in Italy set to go on strike today

Lockheed Martin’s flagship F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is facing more bad news, as contractors working at the company’s Italian assembly line recently announced plans for a strike set to take place on Tuesday. Lockheed and its local partners employ over 600 workers at Italy’s Cameri Air Base, which is where the final assembly work is […]

Lockheed Martin unveils stealthy, offensive variants for their tanker drone

As the competition for the Navy’s MQ-25 tanker drone heats up between Boeing, Lockheed Martin and General Atomics, it would seem at least two of the contenders believe the decision could come down to which platform offers the most versatility beyond the contract’s requirements. Last week, SOFREP reported on Boeing’s decision to base their MQ-25 […]

An Air Force F-22 raptor belly flopped at Topgun school over the weekend

An F-22 Raptor participating in the Air Force’s Topgun program appears to have retracted its landing gear too early during take off, resulting in the fifth generation fighter slamming back into the ground and skidding to a stop over the weekend. The incident, which took place at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, has been […]