The Pic of the Day: US and Ukraine strengthen ties amid Russian aggression

Secretary Pompeo delivers remarks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, following a U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission meeting, at the Department of State, on November 16, 2018. Learn more about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine in the video below: Ukraine’s war with Russian-backed separatist rebels in the east is entering its fifth year. Since February, there has […]

This Soviet Space Shuttle, based on stolen specs, had one successful orbital flight

Today, with companies like SpaceX, Blue Horizon, and Boeing working tirelessly to find ways to reach the stars for less money, it’s become a commonly accepted truth that the space shuttle, while ambitious and an incredible feat of engineering, was never the economic answer to maintaining an orbital presence. The shuttle program was an immense […]

Russia refuses to deescalate: Russian military deploys missiles to border and parades captured Ukrainians on TV

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high. In yet another expression of hostility, the Russian government paraded the captured Ukrainian sailors on television. The men — clearly under duress — acknowledged the fault of their actions and apologised for them. The skipper of the Ukrainian flotilla, Volodymyr Lisovyi, said, “I deliberately ignored requests via ultra-short-wave […]

China’s F-22 rip off is still plagued by engine troubles

China’s long-touted Chengdu J-20, claimed to be the nation’s first fully functional fifth generation fighter platform, is neither fully functional nor is it technically a fifth-generation fighter — despite already being entered into service in China’s People’s Liberation Army. Fighter generations are not determined by a formal committee; generational labels are more like industry shorthand […]

Who would win: American stealth aircraft or Russia’s advanced air defense systems?

When it comes to the general public, stealth technology is among the most widely acknowledged but least understood facets of the American defense apparatus, and as such, there’s also a great deal of confusion regarding the defensive weapon systems designed to engage them. Russia’s S-300 and S-400 air defense platforms, for instance, are often touted […]

Watch: New footage shows Russia’s advanced SU-57 fighter in a flat spin

Russia’s state-owned television network Zvezda TV released never before seen footage of the nation’s fifth-generation fighter, the Su-57 on Tuesday night. One of the two pieces of footage shows four of the rare jets flying in formation, before one of the fighters executes a maneuver commonly referred to as a “flat spin.” The second piece […]

US Navy didn’t want Lockheed Martin’s drone refueler — but the Air Force might

Recently, the U.S. Navy scrapped plans for a carrier-based armed drone aircraft in favor of their new MQ-25 Stingray program. Instead of carrying ordnance aboard the unmanned vehicles, the MQ-25 will serve as a refueler that helps to extend the operational range of fighters like the Block III F/A-18 Super Hornet and the F-35C naval […]

Trident Juncture 18: The best photos from NATO’s largest exercise since the Cold War

Trident Juncture 18, the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War, ended this month. The exercise involved more than 50,000 participants from 31 nations. Moreover, more than 250 aircraft, 65 ships and 10,000 vehicles participated — conducting air, land, maritime, and special operations drills. Here are the best pictures: . One Mark II […]

Ukraine declares martial law in response to Russian aggression

After a lengthy and emotional debate, the Ukrainian Parliament decided to enact martial law in response to Russia’s attack on and seizure of three Ukrainian vessels. Before the crucial vote, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called his fellow lawmakers to stand firm against Moscow’s aggression and vowed not to curtail personal freedoms. “This is clearly an element […]