Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week

 

at 2/6/26 4:21pm

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread. This weeks second caption reads: NANTWICH, ENGLAND MAY 24: A general view outside of the former RAF Hack Green secret nuclear bunker on May 24, 2023 in Nantwich, England. Hack Green played a central role in the defence of Britain for almost sixty years. It was chosen during WW2 to protect the land between Birmingham and Liverpool from hostile attack and as a location for the new RADAR equipment. The bunker went on to be used for shelter and protection during the Cold War. As relations between East and West thawed many of the UKs nuclear bunkers were sold off. The Secret Bunker is now privately owned by the Siebert family and is run as a museum trust. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Also, a reminder: Prime Directives! If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you.  If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else. No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like.  Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.   So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on.  Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard. The post Bunker Talk: Let’s Talk About All The Things We Did And Didn’t Cover This Week appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Bunker Talk] [Link to media]

— Russian Forces In Ukraine Scramble To Overcome Musk’s Starlink Restrictions

 

at 2/6/26 3:28pm

Russia is frantically trying to plug massive communications gaps after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk restricted the Starlink satellite communications system in and around Ukraine to only registered users. Both sides have relied very heavily on Starlink terminals for battlefield communications, and, more recently, Russians have been installing unregistered Starlink terminals on drones to provide beyond line-of-sight connectivity and resistance to jamming. This is a very troubling development for Ukraine, which is now experiencing attacks by drones suspected of using Starlink. The introduction of Starlink to the battlefield in Ukraine has revolutionized how war is waged, giving users high bandwidth, relatively secure communications basically anywhere, all in a small, off-the-shelf package. This has impacted everything from high-level command and control, to basic communications and data exchange between troops across the entire battlespace. It has also enabled long-range drone warfare in new and surprising ways. A Ukrainian soldier of the 61st Separate Mechanized Brigade uses the Starlink system during military exercises in the Chernihiv region, Ukraine, June 2023 (Photo by Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images) NurPhoto Replacing that capability, especially in the short term, is impossible. SpaceXs massive constellation of mesh-networked satellites that makes up the Starlink system is groundbreaking and required a huge investment and constant space access over years to achieve. A case in point as to just how important Starling has become on the battlefield in Ukraine is that SpaceX and Musk have faced criticism over how access to Starlink has been altered, even for Ukraine, throughout the war. SpaceXs enacting a white list of authorized Starlink terminals, which will allow Ukrainian forces to access the satellite constellation, followed what is essentially the companys installation of speed-based kill switches on the terminals to prevent their use on drones. The system cuts connectivity when movement above approximately 75-90 km/h (47-56 mph), is detected, DroneXL noted. That threshold sits just below the cruising speed of the fixed-wing strike drones Russia has been mounting them on. Still, there are ways around this, but the move will impact Russias ability to efficiently employ Starlink-equipped drones over long distances. This is VERY important step. Giving Russia cheap and capable BLOS link for their drones is a nightmare, but it will impact Ukraine too https://t.co/qv1CIjHED4— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) January 31, 2026 The white listing was apparently very effective, and almost immediately began impairing Moscow’s war effort, according to both sides. You’re most welcome https://t.co/Jx1J9LETEJ— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2026 “As a result” of the SpaceX action, “instead of a prepared strike against the enemy, when all our communication is cut off at once while theirs is still functioning, we got a hellish mess,” Deputy Chairman of the Moscow City Duma and Deputy Director General for Radio Broadcasting of the VGTRK television and radio company, Andrey Medvedev stated on Telegram.  “Our forces are urgently trying to set up an analogue,” complained noted Russian milblogger Alexander Sladkov. “I recall a conversation with the military, who said that, in this case, a universal and extremely cheap solution is to have our own broadband communication, specifically in the combat zone… So a problem has arisen, and its probably being solved, but it certainly creates significant difficulties.” “The fascist beloved by millions, Elon Musk, serves the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the Russian Two Majors Telegram channel posited. “This may explain the massive failure of terminals that began yesterday evening on the front. In this way, the ‘genius’ adored by liberals once again assisted the Armed Forces of Ukraine in killing our soldiers.” Russians blame Elon Musks decision to cut off unauthorized Starlink access for helping Ukraine kill its soldiers. (Photo by Harun Ozalp/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu “The fact is that in the absence of alternatives, the Russian Armed Forces use grey Starlinks to organize communication on the front,” Two Majors added. “The danger is that this was an easy way compared to creating something of their own in space, dragging out eternally, tearing fiber optic cables, setting up [WiFi] bridges, or even working massively with digital stations to organize the transmission of small data packets. Now, either do it the old-fashioned way, or urgently come up with something of their own.” “There are no alternatives [to Starlink] right now at least not at the level of today,” the Russian Colonelcassad Telegram channel explained. It added that Russia is looking for workarounds, but nothing appears to be imminent. The Russian Gazprom Space Systems satellite array is not a viable alternative at the moment, Rozin rightfully noted. “There is Gazproms dish, it works, but, to put it mildly, it lags behind in connection speed and needs development or refinement. Of course, it is technically possible to provide high-speed internet in the fields by other methods, which many are currently working on.” Russia is also exploring ways to bypass Musk’s white-listing or to rely on Chinese satellites, Colonelcassad added, but these alternatives “will take some time” to come to fruition. Meanwhile, some Russian troops have gone public with pleas for equipment to help bridge the communications gaps caused by the Starlink restrictions. After Starlink was switched off, the soldiers of the Russian army are asking for donations to buy equipment"Weve lost communication!" — complain the occupiers.They claim they have no radio bridges or stations for "offensive operations and repelling enemy attacks." pic.twitter.com/2hTLAvJTkV— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2026 The situation has become so concerning that Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov suggested attacking factories producing Starlink terminals or the satellites themselves. While this isnt uncommon bluster from Solovyov, it underlines how big of an issue this is for Russian forces now left without a similar means of communications, which they have become reliant on. Putins top propagandist Solovyov is furious with Musks decision to remove Russias access to Starlinks illegally smuggled to Russia for drone strikes against Ukraine.He threatens Russia could strike factories where Starlinks are produced or even hit their satellites in orbit pic.twitter.com/lYdHCMOoaS— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 5, 2026 The complaints aired by Russian milbloggers follow rave reviews Ukraine has given to the Starlink white listing. This isnt surprising as it could be argued that shutting off Russias access to Starlink could be among the biggest sudden possible blows to its ability to fight with any cohesion. “The Starlink terminals added to the ‘white list are working,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated. “Russian terminals have already been blocked.” Ukraines Stratcom Center claimed that, according to reports from the field, assault operations have been suspended, and the unit command and control system is experiencing serious interruptions. The reason is the Starlink shutdown for Russian troops following the introduction of mandatory pre-registration. According to reports from the front, the situation is close to critical, the center added. Over the two years of active Starlink deployment, almost all operational command and control—communication between units, fire coordination, and UAV data transmission—has been tied to the American satellite infrastructure. There has been no practical alternative comparable in stability and speed. Mass reports of Russian operations paralyzed at the front in the aftermath of losing Starlink."Command and control of troops at the front is virtually paralyzed.According to reports from the field, assault operations have been suspended, and the unit command and control… pic.twitter.com/pKHNiAd1sf— SPRAVDI — Stratcom Centre (@StratcomCentre) February 5, 2026 Serhii “Flesh” Bezkrestnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, was even more effusive. “The opponent on the fronts doesnt even have a problem, the opponent has a disaster,” Bezkrestnov said in a post on Facebook. “All management of the troops has gone down. Assault actions have been stopped in many areas.” Russia is facing a catastrophe on the front lines. All troop command and control has gone down due to the Starlink outage. On many sectors assault operations have been stopped, – Flash, Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine.As for the Ukrainian troops – it was found… pic.twitter.com/jFbGnOVz4q— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) February 5, 2026 The pro-Ukrainian Atesh partisan group on Friday claimed that the disruption led to a fatal friendly fire incident. “Without stable communication on the front line, chaos begins,” Atesh claimed. “Lack of coordination is already leading to heavy losses and not just from the enemy.” “On the Zaporizhia direction, due to a complete breakdown of communications, a typical case of friendly fire occurred,” Atesh added. “Units, having no information about each other, opened fire on their own forces. As a result, an assault group of 12 people was completely destroyed by their own forces. The Russian armys dependence on civilian technologies has worked against it. As soon as communication is lost, command collapses, and troops start exterminating themselves.” The War Zone cannot independently verify that claim. Russians are shelling their own troops due to Starlink jamming: an assault group of 12 people was destroyed by “friendly fire” on the Zaporizhzhia front, – ATESH pic.twitter.com/yXptUy13t7— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) February 6, 2026 While aimed at the Russians, Musk’s Starlink restrictions are also affecting Ukrainians who have yet to register their terminals. “at some places, Ukrainian military Starlinks, which have not been registered yet, have also been disconnected,” a Ukrainian soldier told Politico. “But the registration process is ongoing. “We continue to verify Starlink terminals,” Fedorov stated on Telegram. “The first batch of terminals that made it onto the white list is already operational.” These white lists are currently updated once a day, Fedorov added. If you submitted your terminal for registration but its not working yet, its worth waiting, he pointed out. This is a very large-scale process that takes time. In parallel, we are already working to ensure that data is submitted for verification in real time.” Regardless of issues getting terminals properly recognized, this can only be seen as a large victory for Ukrainian forces facing another winter of tough fighting. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Russian Forces In Ukraine Scramble To Overcome Musks Starlink Restrictions appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Around The Globe, Europe, Orbital Systems, Russia, Space, Ukraine] [Link to media]

— Hunt For Container Launchers Packed With Drones Kicked-Off By Pentagon

 

at 2/6/26 2:56pm

The entire U.S. military is now pushing to acquire hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of new drones, especially smaller types, in the coming years, spurred on by new direction from the Pentagon. In turn, a demand for new containerized launchers capable of rapidly deploying and, if need be, recovering those uncrewed aerial systems has now emerged. On several occasions in the past, TWZ has called attention to the value of exactly these kinds of launch capabilities, for use on land and at sea, especially for employing fully networked swarms. Earlier this week, the Pentagons Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) laid out broad requirements for what it referred to as a Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS). DIUs central focus is on leveraging new and improved commercial-off-the-shelf technologies to help meet U.S. military needs. The Department of War (DoW) faces a robotic mass challenge: current methods for deploying and sustaining unmanned aerial systems (UAS) rely on direct human interaction to launch, recover, and refit each system, the CADDS notice explains. This 1:1 operator-to-aircraft model limits deployment speed and scale while exposing operators to unnecessary risks. A sniper assigned to the Washington National Guards 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team prepares to launch a quadcopter-type drone. US Army/Staff Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon The problem to solve then is that the DoW requires the ability to deploy large quantities of UAS rapidly, while minimizing the risk and burden to human operators executing kinetic and non-kinetic UAS operations in contested environments, it adds. To that end, DOW seeks innovative solutions that enable the storage, rapid deployment, and management of multi-agent systems to provide either persistent UAS coverage over extended periods or massed effects within a single geographic region and time, per DIU. It needs to be employable from land and maritime platforms, in both day and night conditions, and during inclement weather. These have to be designs can be transported by military or commercial vehicles (land, sea, air) and that can be quickly positioned and made operational with minimal handling or setup. They also have to be able to provide automated functions for drone storage, launching, recovering, and refitting within the containerized platform; the intent is for the system to exist in a dormant state for a period of time and launch UAS upon command. DIU does not name any particular drones that the CADDS has to be able to accommodate or say how many UASs a single launcher should be able to hold. The notice does say the system will need to support homogeneous and heterogeneous mixes of Government-directed UAS. The launch system also has to be capable of being set up and broken back down in a time frame measured in minutes and have a small operational footprint. Ideally, the system should require a crew of no more than 2 personnel, per DIU. Another example of the 1:1 operator-to-aircraft model that DIU says it wants to help get away from using CADDS. US Army When it comes to the autonomous element of the launch system, DIU says it needs to support both operator-on-the-loop and operator-in-the-loop decision-making processes. The market space for containerized launchers for various payloads, and for use on land and at sea, has been steadily growing globally in recent years. There has already been a further trend in the development of such systems for launching loitering munitions and other uncrewed aerial systems, or the adaptation of existing designs to be able to do so. As one example, in the past year or so, Northrop Grumman has begun touting the ability of what it is currently calling the Modular Payload System (MPS) to launch drones, as seen in the computer-generated video below. TWZ was first to report on the development of that system all the way back in 2018, when it was being presented solely as a way to surface-launch variants of the AGM-88 anti-radiation missile. MPS is also now being pitched as a launcher for the Advanced Reactive Strike Missile (AReS), a surface-to-surface missile derived from the AGM-88G Advanced Anti-radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) and its Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) cousin. Last year, another concept for a containerized launcher capable of holding up to 48 drones at once also emerged from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan. Back in 2024, Germanys Rheinmetall and UVision in Israel had also unveiled two very similar designs, specifically for launching members of the latter companys Hero series of loitering munitions. A containerized “drone launch vehicle” based on a 10-ton truck, capable of carrying and launching up to 48 attack drones, as showcased by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. https://t.co/DlkG1X0OLL https://t.co/0vhaWlpRwo pic.twitter.com/khFY25YESx— 笑脸男人 (@lfx160219) December 19, 2025 A rendering of UVisions containerized launch system loaded on a truck. UVision This is just a small selection of the designs that have been seen to date. Firms in China have been particularly active in this regard, and developments in that country have often also been tied to work on swarming capabilities. Container-like launchers for uncrewed aerial systems, often mounted on trucks, have already been in service in many countries for years. This includes Iran, where they are used to launch Shahed-type kamikaze drones, as can be seen in the video below. However, many of these systems are focused squarely on the launch aspect and lack the recovery and refit capabilities that DIU has outlined for CADDS. Chinese drone firm DJI and others in the commercial space are increasingly offering container-like docks, but which are often designed to accommodate just one uncrewed aerial system at a time. What is particularly interesting here is how many of the stated CADDS requirements actually sound very similar, at least in very broad strokes, to a containerized system capable of launching, recovering, and recharging thousands of small, electrically-powered quadcopter-type drones at the touch of a button that the Chinese company DAMODA rolled out last year. That launcher, dubbed the Automated Drone Swarm Container System, is for drone light shows for entertainment purposes rather than military use. Still, as we previously wrote: It is worth reiterating that DAMODA’s Automated Drone Swarm Container System, at least as it exists now, is clearly designed for entertainment industry use first and foremost. Though the company’s drone light show routines are certainly visually impressive and often go viral on social media, they are pre-scripted and conducted in a very localized fashion. What the company is offering is not a drone swarm capable of performing various military-minded tasks in a highly autonomous manner at appreciable ranges from its launch point. At the same time, large-scale drone light shows put on by DAMODA (and a growing number of other companies), do highlight, on a broad level, the already highly problematic threats posed by swarms. The new Automated Drone Swarm Container System underscores the additional danger of these same threats hiding in plain sight. The steady proliferation of advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, especially when it comes to dynamic targeting, will only create additional challenges, as TWZ has explored in detail in this past feature. This is not theoretical, either. As mentioned, in June [2025], Ukrainian forces launched multiple drone attacks on airbases across Russia with the help of covert launchers loaded on the back of unassuming civilian tractor-trailer trucks. This entire effort was dubbed Operation Spiderweb and took months of planning. 5/5. After launching, the trailers self-destructed to avoid detection or recovery (see photos). pic.twitter.com/DWZo4HlOfa— Roman Sheremeta (@rshereme) June 2, 2025 Even in an overt operational context, readily deployable containerized systems capable of acting as hubs for drone operations across a broad area with limited manpower requirements could offer a major boost in capability and capacity. Ships, trucks, and aircraft, which could themselves be uncrewed, could be used to bring them to and from forward locations, even in remote areas. If they can support a heterogeneous mix of unrewed aerial systems, a single container could be used to support a wide array of mission requirements, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, kinetic strikes, and/or communications signal relay. An inherent benefit of a drone swarm, in general, is that each individual component does not have to be configured to perform all of the desired tasks. This creates additional flexibility and resilience to threats, since the loss of any particular drone does not necessarily preclude the swarm from continuing its assigned missions. There are tangential design and cost benefits for the drones themselves, since they can be configured to carry only the systems required for their particular mission demands. TWZ previously laid out a detailed case for the many benefits that could come along with loading containers packed with swarms of drones onto U.S. Navy ships. Many of those arguments are just as relevant when talking about systems designed to be employed on land. Containerized systems are often readily adaptable to both ground-based and maritime applications, to begin with. Drone swarms are only set to become more capable as advancements in autonomy, especially automated target recognition, continue to progress, driven by parallel developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, as you can read more about here. Future highly autonomous swarms will be able to execute various mission sets even more efficiently and in ways that compound challenges for defenders. Massed drone attacks with limited autonomy already have an inherent capacity to just overwhelm enemy defenses. In turn, electronic warfare systems and high-power microwave directed energy weapons have steadily emerged as some of the most capable options available to tackle swarms, but have their own limitations. Even powerful microwave systems have very short ranges and are directional in nature, and electronic warfare systems may simply not work at all against autonomous drones. In terms of what DIU is now looking at for CADDS, the stated requirements are broad. It remains to be seen what options might be submitted, let alone considered for actual operational U.S. military use. Still, DIU has laid out a real emerging capability gap amid the current push to field various tiers of drones to a degree never before seen across Americas armed forces, which counterinsurgency launch systems look well-positioned to fill. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Hunt For Container Launchers Packed With Drones Kicked-Off By Pentagon appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Air, Drones, Swarms, Unmanned] [Link to media]

— China Secretly Testing Nuclear Weapons And Covering Its Tracks, U.S. Alleges (Updated)

 

at 2/6/26 10:03am

The U.S. government has accused China of secretly conducting at least one yield-producing nuclear test in recent years despite the country having a stated moratorium on such activities. Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to engage in new nuclear testing on an equal basis with China and Russia, but it remains unclear what that might mean and what action has been taken. The new test allegation also comes as American officials continue to call for a new nuclear arms control treaty that includes China to succeed the New START agreement with Russia, which sunset yesterday. Today, I can reveal that the U.S. Government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons, Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, said during a speech at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in Switzerland this morning. The PLA [Chinas Peoples Liberation Army sought to conceal testing by obfuscating the nuclear explosions because it recognized these tests violate test ban commitments. Then Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno seen descending into a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facility at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota during an inspection in 2019. US State Department China is a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), but has never ratified it. The same is true of the United States. Both countries have stated self-imposed moratoriums on yield-producing nuclear testing. The CTBT does not prohibit sub-critical testing, which does not involve a full-fledged nuclear reaction. Chinas last acknowledged critical-level nuclear test was in 1996. The last U.S. test of that kind was in 1992. China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world, DiNanno added. China conducted one such yield-producing nuclear test on June 22nd of 2020. China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons… China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world. China conducted one such…— Under Secretary of State Thomas G. DiNanno (@UnderSecT) February 6, 2026 The CTBTs primary verification method is a global network of hundreds of seismic monitoring stations. As an aside, the last official nuclear test in Russia came in 1990, just before the fall of the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom, France, India, and Pakistan also conducted yield-producing nuclear tests at various points in the 1990s. North Korea is the only country known to have conducted such tests since 2000, with the detonation of five devices in separate instances between 2006 and 2017. The video below offers an excellent graphical representation of the extent of known nuclear testing, covering detonations between 1945 and 1998. At the time of writing, the U.S. government does not appear to have provided further details about the newly alleged Chinese nuclear testing. When American officials arrived at their current assessments about these activities is also unclear. The U.S. State Department made no mention of any such testing in China in its most recent routine international arms control compliance report, published in April 2025. That report did reiterate previous U.S. accusations that Russia has engaged in supercritical nuclear testing in violation of its commitments to multiple test ban treaties, something DiNanno also highlighted in his speech today. Russia is a signatory to the CTBT and had previously ratified it. Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked that ratification in 2023 after the countrys parliament, or Duma, passed a law approving that action. The Pentagons annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments, published in December 2025, also makes no mention of Chinese nuclear testing. President Trump may have alluded to this allegation in an interview with CBS News 60 Minutes last November. They [China and Russia] dont go and tell you about it, Trump said. You know, as powerful as they are, this is a big world. You dont necessarily know where theyre testing. They — they test way under — underground where people dont know exactly whats happening with the test. You feel a little bit of a vibration. They test and we dont test, Trump continued. But Russia tests, China — and China does test, and were gonna test also. President Donald Trump says he wants the U.S. to start testing its nuclear weapons. https://t.co/kxNksjVSyt pic.twitter.com/CBcdS8EG98— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025 In an earlier compliance report, the State Department had raised concerns about work China was observed doing at its Lop Nur nuclear test site in 2019. That report was notably published in June 2020, the same month Under Secretary DiNanno says the PLA conducted the yield-producing test. China’s possible preparation to operate its Lop Nur test site year-round, its use of explosive containment chambers, extensive excavation activities at Lop Nur, and lack of transparency on its nuclear testing activities – which has included frequently blocking the flow of data from its International Monitoring System (IMS) stations to the International Data Center operated by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization – raise concerns regarding its adherence to the zero yield standard adhered to by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in their respective nuclear weapons testing moratoria, the report explained Following Trumps interview in November 2025, Chinese authorities had pushed back and reiterated the countrys stated commitment to its moratorium on nuclear testing. China notes that the U.S. continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives, Chinese Ambassador Shen Jian, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Peoples Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, said today following Under Secretary DiNannos remarks, according to Reuters. It (the United States) is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race. For years now, China has been engaged in a massive expansion of its nuclear arsenal, both in terms of warheads and delivery systems, something that was showcased at a military parade in Beijing last September. This has included the construction of huge new fields of silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles and work on a system that involves launching a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle into orbit, among other new capabilities. The U.S. government has assessed that the Chinese have around 600 warheads in their stockpile at present, but that this number is on track to grow to 1,000 by 2030 and to 1,500 by 2035. The DF-61 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile is shown together with other nuclear missiles including JL-1, JL-3, DF-61 and DF-31BJ. Together, they are for land, air and sea operations. https://t.co/x2KWv2tR6h pic.twitter.com/fCQMpLPsZ1— Patrick in China (@PatrickZhengCHN) September 3, 2025 It should also be pointed out that the United States and Russia are both generally assessed to have roughly 4,000 warheads each. The U.S. figure has been declining in recent years, while the Russian one has been growing, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank in Washington, D.C. As noted, successive U.S. administrations have been pushing for a new nuclear arms control regime that includes China. Negotiations in the past have focused more heavily on bilateral agreements with Russia, and the Soviet Union before it. The most recent of these deals, New START, expired as scheduled yesterday, following the conclusion of a one-time five-year extension. There are still unconfirmed reports that the U.S. and Russia may be working on an interim and non-legally-binding arrangement to keep the New START limits at least for some amount of time, as you can read more about here. New START was signed in 2010 and its limits on warheads and launchers are no longer relevant in 2026, when one nuclear power is expanding its arsenal at a scale and pace not seen in over half a century and another continues to maintain and develop a vast range of nuclear systems unconstrained by New START’s terms, Unders Secretary DiNanno also said in remarks today. [Chinas] buildup is opaque and unconstrained by any arms control limitations. “Rather than extend ‘NEW START’ (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” President Trump had written yesterday on his Truth Social platform. Trump:Rather than extend “NEW START” (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future. pic.twitter.com/MPlDNeTWLZ— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 5, 2026 “The President’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile,” U.S. Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio also said during a press conference on Wednedsday in response to a question about New START. SECRETARY RUBIO: The President has been clear that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China — because of their vast & rapidly growing stockpile. pic.twitter.com/FiYVUsBAVb— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 5, 2026 Chinese officials have repeatedly rebuffed calls to join negotiations on a new nuclear arms control agreement. The allegations Under Secretary DiNanno raised today prompt new questions about the future of U.S. nuclear testing, as well. As mentioned, there has been little elaboration on exactly what President Trump meant by his announcement last year about future testing on an equal basis with Russia and China. At that time, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright had downplayed the possibility of a resumption of American yield-producing nuclear tests. Since the Presidents statement, we have received many questions about what he meant, DiNanno said during his speech in Geneva today, before diving into the accusations about Chinese and Russian tests. However, the Under Secretary did not explicitly say whether or not this meant the United States intends to conduct its own testing at this level going forward. He did say later on in his remarks that the U.S. government is committed to efforts to restore responsible behavior when it comes to nuclear testing. You can read more about what it would actually take for the U.S. government to resume full-scale nuclear testing in this previous TWZ feature. The end of New START has already been fueling renewed concerns about a new nuclear arms race, and one that would not necessarily be limited to the United States, Russia, and China. Following todays revelations in Geneva, more details at least about the new U.S. allegations about Chinese nuclear testing activities may begin to emerge. Update: 1:50 PM EST – In light of todays remarks from Under Secretary DiNanno, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organizations (CTBTO) Executive Secretary Robert Floyd has issued a statement. ”The CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (IMS) is capable of detecting nuclear test explosions with a yield equivalent to or greater than approximately 500 tonnes of TNT, including detecting all six tests conducted and declared by the DPRK [North Korea]. Below 500 tonnes is roughly 3 percent of the yield of the explosion that devastated Hiroshima, Floyd says. Mechanisms which could address smaller explosions are provided by the Treaty but can only be used once the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enters into force. That is why it is important that the nuclear arms control framework includes the entry into force of the CTBT.  The need is more urgent now than ever. Regarding reports of possible nuclear tests with yields in the hundreds of tonnes, on 22 June 2020, the CTBTO’s IMS did not detect any event consistent with the characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion at that time. Subsequent, more detailed analyses have not altered that determination, he adds. Any nuclear test explosion, by any state, is of deepest concern.” Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post China Secretly Testing Nuclear Weapons And Covering Its Tracks, U.S. Alleges (Updated) appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Nuclear, Around The Globe, China, Indo-Pacific, News & Features, Nuclear Policy, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Warheads] [Link to media]

— China Secretly Testing Nuclear Weapons And Covering Its Tracks, U.S. Alleges

 

at 2/6/26 10:03am

The U.S. government has accused China of secretly conducting at least one yield-producing nuclear test in recent years despite the country having a stated moratorium on such activities. Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to engage in new nuclear testing on an equal basis with China and Russia, but it remains unclear what that might mean and what action has been taken. The new test allegation also comes as American officials continue to call for a new nuclear arms control treaty that includes China to succeed the New START agreement with Russia, which sunset yesterday. Today, I can reveal that the U.S. Government is aware that China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons, Thomas DiNanno, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, said during a speech at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva in Switzerland this morning. The PLA [Chinas Peoples Liberation Army sought to conceal testing by obfuscating the nuclear explosions because it recognized these tests violate test ban commitments. Then Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas DiNanno seen descending into a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facility at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota during an inspection in 2019. US State Department China is a signatory to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), but has never ratified it. The same is true of the United States. Both countries have stated self-imposed moratoriums on yield-producing nuclear testing. The CTBT does not prohibit sub-critical testing, which does not involve a full-fledged nuclear reaction. Chinas last acknowledged critical-level nuclear test was in 1996. The last U.S. test of that kind was in 1992. China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world, DiNanno added. China conducted one such yield-producing nuclear test on June 22nd of 2020. China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons… China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world. China conducted one such…— Under Secretary of State Thomas G. DiNanno (@UnderSecT) February 6, 2026 The CTBTs primary verification method is a global network of hundreds of seismic monitoring stations. As an aside, the last official nuclear test in Russia came in 1990, just before the fall of the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom, France, India, and Pakistan also conducted yield-producing nuclear tests at various points in the 1990s. North Korea is the only country known to have conducted such tests since 2000, with the detonation of five devices in separate instances between 2006 and 2017. The video below offers an excellent graphical representation of the extent of known nuclear testing, covering detonations between 1945 and 1998. At the time of writing, the U.S. government does not appear to have provided further details about the newly alleged Chinese nuclear testing. When American officials arrived at their current assessments about these activities is also unclear. The U.S. State Department made no mention of any such testing in China in its most recent routine international arms control compliance report, published in April 2025. That report did reiterate previous U.S. accusations that Russia has engaged in supercritical nuclear testing in violation of its commitments to multiple test ban treaties, something DiNanno also highlighted in his speech today. Russia is a signatory to the CTBT and had previously ratified it. Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked that ratification in 2023 after the countrys parliament, or Duma, passed a law approving that action. The Pentagons annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments, published in December 2025, also makes no mention of Chinese nuclear testing. President Trump may have alluded to this allegation in an interview with CBS News 60 Minutes last November. They [China and Russia] dont go and tell you about it, Trump said. You know, as powerful as they are, this is a big world. You dont necessarily know where theyre testing. They — they test way under — underground where people dont know exactly whats happening with the test. You feel a little bit of a vibration. They test and we dont test, Trump continued. But Russia tests, China — and China does test, and were gonna test also. President Donald Trump says he wants the U.S. to start testing its nuclear weapons. https://t.co/kxNksjVSyt pic.twitter.com/CBcdS8EG98— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 3, 2025 In an earlier compliance report, the State Department had raised concerns about work China was observed doing at its Lop Nur nuclear test site in 2019. That report was notably published in June 2020, the same month Under Secretary DiNanno says the PLA conducted the yield-producing test. China’s possible preparation to operate its Lop Nur test site year-round, its use of explosive containment chambers, extensive excavation activities at Lop Nur, and lack of transparency on its nuclear testing activities – which has included frequently blocking the flow of data from its International Monitoring System (IMS) stations to the International Data Center operated by the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization – raise concerns regarding its adherence to the zero yield standard adhered to by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in their respective nuclear weapons testing moratoria, the report explained Following Trumps interview in November 2025, Chinese authorities had pushed back and reiterated the countrys stated commitment to its moratorium on nuclear testing. China notes that the U.S. continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives, Chinese Ambassador Shen Jian, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Peoples Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, said today following Under Secretary DiNannos remarks, according to Reuters. It (the United States) is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race. For years now, China has been engaged in a massive expansion of its nuclear arsenal, both in terms of warheads and delivery systems, something that was showcased at a military parade in Beijing last September. This has included the construction of huge new fields of silos for intercontinental ballistic missiles and work on a system that involves launching a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle into orbit, among other new capabilities. The U.S. government has assessed that the Chinese have around 600 warheads in their stockpile at present, but that this number is on track to grow to 1,000 by 2030 and to 1,500 by 2035. The DF-61 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile is shown together with other nuclear missiles including JL-1, JL-3, DF-61 and DF-31BJ. Together, they are for land, air and sea operations. https://t.co/x2KWv2tR6h pic.twitter.com/fCQMpLPsZ1— Patrick in China (@PatrickZhengCHN) September 3, 2025 It should also be pointed out that the United States and Russia are both generally assessed to have roughly 4,000 warheads each. The U.S. figure has been declining in recent years, while the Russian one has been growing, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) think tank in Washington, D.C. As noted, successive U.S. administrations have been pushing for a new nuclear arms control regime that includes China. Negotiations in the past have focused more heavily on bilateral agreements with Russia, and the Soviet Union before it. The most recent of these deals, New START, expired as scheduled yesterday, following the conclusion of a one-time five-year extension. There are still unconfirmed reports that the U.S. and Russia may be working on an interim and non-legally-binding arrangement to keep the New START limits at least for some amount of time, as you can read more about here. New START was signed in 2010 and its limits on warheads and launchers are no longer relevant in 2026, when one nuclear power is expanding its arsenal at a scale and pace not seen in over half a century and another continues to maintain and develop a vast range of nuclear systems unconstrained by New START’s terms, Unders Secretary DiNanno also said in remarks today. [Chinas] buildup is opaque and unconstrained by any arms control limitations. “Rather than extend ‘NEW START’ (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” President Trump had written yesterday on his Truth Social platform. Trump:Rather than extend “NEW START” (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future. pic.twitter.com/MPlDNeTWLZ— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 5, 2026 “The President’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile,” U.S. Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio also said during a press conference on Wednedsday in response to a question about New START. SECRETARY RUBIO: The President has been clear that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China — because of their vast & rapidly growing stockpile. pic.twitter.com/FiYVUsBAVb— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 5, 2026 Chinese officials have repeatedly rebuffed calls to join negotiations on a new nuclear arms control agreement. The allegations Under Secretary DiNanno raised today prompt new questions about the future of U.S. nuclear testing, as well. As mentioned, there has been little elaboration on exactly what President Trump meant by his announcement last year about future testing on an equal basis with Russia and China. At that time, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright had downplayed the possibility of a resumption of American yield-producing nuclear tests. Since the Presidents statement, we have received many questions about what he meant, DiNanno said during his speech in Geneva today, before diving into the accusations about Chinese and Russian tests. However, the Under Secretary did not explicitly say whether or not this meant the United States intends to conduct its own testing at this level going forward. He did say later on in his remarks that the U.S. government is committed to efforts to restore responsible behavior when it comes to nuclear testing. You can read more about what it would actually take for the U.S. government to resume full-scale nuclear testing in this previous TWZ feature. The end of New START has already been fueling renewed concerns about a new nuclear arms race, and one that would not necessarily be limited to the United States, Russia, and China. Following todays revelations in Geneva, more details at least about the new U.S. allegations about Chinese nuclear testing activities may begin to emerge. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post China Secretly Testing Nuclear Weapons And Covering Its Tracks, U.S. Alleges appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Nuclear, Around The Globe, China, Indo-Pacific, News & Features, Nuclear Policy, Nuclear Proliferation, Nuclear Warheads] [Link to media]

— Boeing Details New MQ-28 Ghost Bat Features, Eyes Indo-Pacific Sales

 

at 2/5/26 4:10pm

As the MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone heads toward operational capability with its launch customer, Australia, Boeing has provided details about the changes incorporated in the upcoming Block 3 version. The company also says it’s pursuing sales for the MQ-28 elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically. An update on the MQ-28 was provided by Glen Ferguson, the program director, speaking to the media at this week’s Singapore Airshow. In attendance was TWZ contributor Roy Choo. A Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone. Boeing Australia The Block 3 aircraft is currently the most ambitious iteration of the MQ-28 and will follow on from Block 2, which is now in production for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Late last year, Australia placed contracts with Boeing Defense Australia (BDA) for six Block 2 aircraft, having previously ordered three to the same standard. Australia has already acquired eight Block 1 MQ-28s, which are configured as pre-production prototypes. While the Block 2 drones are seen as a pathway to an operational capability, when that might actually materialize remains unclear. Speaking at the Singapore Airshow, Ferguson pushed questions about this to the Australian Ministry of Defense. At the same time that it ordered its latest tranche of Block 2 drones, Australia placed a contract for the development of the enhanced Block 3, about which Ferguson provided more information. As had been expected, the Block 3 will include an internal weapons bay. We now know that this will be scaled to accommodate one AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) or two GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) or equivalents, in terms of size. A pair of SDB IIs, also known as the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, would be another option, but Ferguson stressed this was potentially just the starting point. A pair of GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) under an F-15E Strike Eagle. U.S. Air Force (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Lance Cheung) “The best language to use is what we provision for in the weapons bay,” Ferguson explained. “The reality is, because we are modular, and because we have an open architecture, and because we have the ability for people to do things on their own, we can put any weapon in, across the board […] Now, which ones we use is really up to customers.” In fact, the Block 1 and 2 aircraft also have the space to accommodate a weapons bay, which could be retrofitted if the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) decides to. Late last year, a Block 2 aircraft was fitted with a single AMRAAM carried on a prominent external pylon for a landmark live-fire weapons shot. This saw the MQ-28 operate as a loyal wingman with an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), with “support” provided by an F/A-18F Super Hornet. A live AMRAAM was used to “successfully engage and destroy” an Australian-made Phoenix jet-powered target drone. An AIM-120 is launched from an MQ-28A Ghost Bat during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia, last December. Australian Department of Defense In Singapore, Boeing provided more details of the live-fire weapons test, part of the Australian Defense Force’s Trial Kareela 25-4, including how the different tasks were shared among the three RAAF assets. During the test, the F/A-18 acquired the target, while the E-7 authorized it and managed elements of the kill-chain flow. The MQ-28 was provided with authority to engage and destroy that target. According to Boeing, the MQ-28 received only four major commands to achieve this. The first was to take off. The second was to establish an orbit in a defensive counter-air patrol (CAP). The third was to leave the CAP and then autonomously intercept the target. The fourth was to arm its weapon system and release its AMRAAM once within firing parameters. Everything else, the MQ-28 did autonomously, Boeing said. A key feature of the MQ-28 is its highly modular design, meaning various munitions, sensors, and other payloads can be integrated; the entire nose can be swapped out to accommodate different payloads. On the Block 2 aircraft, we have already seen an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor fitted in the nose of at least two MQ-28s. This is understood to be a Selex system. A quartet of MQ-28s, the two in the middle having IRST sensors on top of their noses. Boeing For Block 3, Ferguson confirmed that Boeing is working on “three or four” alternative sensor payloads, although he declined to elaborate on these. As well as internal weapons carriage and new weapons and sensors, the Ghost Bat will also grow in size with Block 3. According to details published by Breaking Defense, the drone’s wingspan will increase from 20 to 24 feet (6 meters to 7.3 meters), providing a roughly 30 percent increase in fuel capacity. “One of the reasons we put the bigger wing on the Block 3 jet is for range,” Ferguson added. “Remember the Pacific mission: You obviously need range.” While not directly addressed, there have been hints in the past that Boeing has been looking at adding receptacles on top of the MQ-28’s fuselage to allow for aerial refueling from boom-equipped tankers. This would further extend the drone’s reach and on-station time, but would also add complexity and cost to the design, as you can read about here. A computer-generated video from Boeing includes MQ-28 Ghost Bat drones with apparent aerial refueling receptacles on top of their fuselages. Boeing screencap Having the Block 3 version of the drone being better optimized for the Indo-Pacific region should make it more attractive not just to the U.S. military but also to allied air forces in the same region. Ferguson said he was unable to talk about any potential plans for acquiring the MQ-28. In 2022, the Pentagon confirmed that it had acquired at least one MQ-28 to be used to support the U.S. Air Force’s advanced uncrewed aircraft and autonomy efforts. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has deployed a test and evaluation squadron to Australia to work on the aircraft, and an MQ-28 has also been operating out of Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California.  Nevertheless, “the opportunities for CCAs [Collaborative Combat Aircraft] in Southeast Asia are immense,” Ferguson said. “We are having a conversation with a lot of [potential] customers right now about how they might field, determine, or deliver a CCA capability. What I would say, though, is that for the people out there who have not started thinking about it, there’s a risk that in about three or four years, you’re going to be disappointed as you’re behind everyone else. What we’re seeing is a massive appetite for adoption of CCAs and people working on how they can put them in the force mix.” Again, with its baked-in modularity, the MQ-28 is intended to be flexible enough for other operators to integrate their own capabilities depending on their required mission sets. “For other nations looking at an MQ-28 capability, what they actually get is a core air vehicle and a core system, and the system is so critical, in that it allows them to have their own sovereign capabilities. They can adapt their own autonomous behaviors. They can apply their own sensors if they wish. They can apply their own weapons without needing to involve us at the levels you might expect on a normal crewed platform […] We have that with the RAAF, and we’re looking to share that with other countries as they look to embrace a CCA capability.” An MQ-28A Ghost Bat loaded with a NAIM-120 inert air-to-air missile variant during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia. Australian Department of Defense AC Ivan Smotrov When asked about specific potential customers discussing the MQ-28 with Boeing, Ferguson was only willing to identify Japan. In this case, Australia and Japan have already discussed collaborating on the program. During a meeting of Australian and Japanese defense ministers in September last year, an agreement was signed to boost bilateral defense cooperation, including on the MQ-28, with plans for Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) participation in MQ-28 flight test observation and training this year. As we have laid out in detail, the MQ-28 seems uniquely suited for a cooperative production and operation program across multiple allies nations, even plugging into the existing AUKUS architecture between the U.S., Australia and the U.K. You can read all about this here. Regardless, the RAAF is set to be the first service to put the MQ-28 into operational service. The next big milestones will be in 2028, with the planned service introduction of the Block 2 aircraft and the initial production of the Block 3 aircraft. But with so much happening in the world of CCAs and ‘loyal wingman’-type drones, there will very likely be more significant developments in the program before that date. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post Boeing Details New MQ-28 Ghost Bat Features, Eyes Indo-Pacific Sales appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Drones, Loyal Wingman, MQ-28, News & Features, Royal Australian Air Force, Unmanned] [Link to media]

— Middle East Preparing For War Ahead Of U.S.-Iran Negotiations

 

at 2/5/26 2:09pm

Even as the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to hold talks in Oman on Friday in hopes of defusing tensions between the two nations, Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran are all preparing for what could be a very violent future conflict. With the talks widely seen as a last-ditch diplomatic effort to avoid another war, the buildup of U.S. military capabilities in the region is continuing. While these negotiations are taking place, I would remind the Iranian regime that the president has many options at his disposal as the commander in chief of the most powerful military in history, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House Thursday afternoon. "While these negotiations are taking place, I would remind the Iranian regime that the president has many options at his disposal as the commander in chief of the most powerful military in history," @PressSec Karoline Leavitt says at White House. pic.twitter.com/bM7WpPq96U— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 5, 2026 Her comments followed those made Thursday morning by President Donald Trump, who continued his verbal pressure campaign against Iran. They’re negotiating, Trump said during the 74th National Prayer Breakfast. They don’t want us to hit them. You know, we have a big fleet going over there.” Trump on Iran:They’re negotiating because they don’t want to be hit.They don’t want us to hit them. pic.twitter.com/yIR8DMN2i4— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 5, 2026 U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, currently in Abu Dhabi, are expected to travel to Qatar to consult with Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani ahead of the talks in Oman, according to the Jerusalem Post. At the moment, the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to talk about Tehran’s nuclear programs. Under the proposed framework for an agreement, Iran would commit to zero enrichment of uranium for three years, Al Jazeera reported. After that, it would agree to limit enrichment of uranium to below 1.5 percent, the publication explained. Its current stock of highly enriched uranium – including about 440kg (970lb) that has been enriched to 60 percent – would be transferred to a third country. The proposed framework goes beyond Iran’s nuclear program with mediators proposing that Iran should agree not to transfer weapons and technologies to its regional, non-state allies. BREAKING: Al Jazeera claims to have obtained the US-Iran deal framework proposed by Turkey, Qatar and Egypt:1. Iran agrees to commit to zero uranium enrichment for 3 years, and then agrees to under 1.5% enrichment after that2. Its stockpile of Highly Enriched Uranium would be…— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) February 5, 2026 A wide gap, however, remains about the ultimate outcome of these talks. While Iran wants to limit them to just its nuclear program, the Trump administration has a more comprehensive range of issues that need to be addressed. “At the end of the day, the United States is prepared to engage, and has always been prepared to engage with Iran,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.  “For talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles. That includes their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region. That includes the nuclear program. And that includes the treatment of their own people.” SECRETARY RUBIO on IRAN TALKS:They will have to include certain things, and that includes the range of their ballistic missiles, their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region, the nuclear program, the treatment of their own people.pic.twitter.com/i9i97giQSe— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 4, 2026 Trumps initial threats against Iran came as information trickled out about the nations brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests that have seen upwards of 30,000 killed, according to some estimates. The unrest began in Iran on Dec. 28 over rising prices and a devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically nothing, as well as a devastating drought. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his country is working hard to prevent U.S.-Iran tensions from tipping the Middle East into a new conflict. Speaking to reporters on a return flight from a visit to Egypt, Erdogan added that talks at the level of the U.S. and Iranian leadership would be helpful after lower-level nuclear negotiations due in Oman on Friday, Reuters reported, citing a transcript of Erdogans comments shared by his office on Thursday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Ankara was doing its utmost to prevent tensions between the United States and Iran from dragging the region into a new conflict.Speaking to reporters on a return flight from Egypt, Erdogan said diplomacy remained… pic.twitter.com/A63xLbI6QJ— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 5, 2026 Regardless of diplomacy, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Thursday threatened Israel, America and the nations hosting U.S. military bases. “When Americans threaten to attack us, they should know our first target would be the Zionist entity,” said IRGC General Hossein Daghighi, using the term Iran refers to when discussing Israel. “It is well within the range of our missiles. It is America’s weak spot in the region. The enemy’s return to negotiations the Americans’ return to negotiations is a sign that they fear the capabilities of the Iranian people, Daghighi added. If attacked, we will immediately target all U.S. bases in the region. The countries and governments of the region are our brothers. We have no problems with them, but we will target the U.S. bases in these countries. If America wants to go to war with us, it should evacuate all its bases in the region and leave the region altogether. This is our objective. Our main goal is to drive America out of all the countries in the region. IRGC General Hossein Daghighi: Our main goal is to drive America out of the region; if the U.S. attacks Iran, we will strike Israel first and target all American bases. Washington returned to negotiations out of fear of the Iranian people’s capabilities. pic.twitter.com/nsog54sw7X— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 5, 2026 Irans Army spokesman said the U.S. bases in the region are easy targets to attack. We are ready to defend, and it is the American president who must choose between compromise or war, said Amir Akraminia. Our access to US bases is easy, and this issue has increased their vulnerability. US military bases are within Iran’s reach, the army spokesman said on Thursday, warning President Donald Trump to choose between compromise and war.“Our access to US bases is easy, and this has increased their vulnerability,” Amir Akraminia said. “We are ready to defend… pic.twitter.com/vDBoDV8W5O— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) February 5, 2026 Perhaps in anticipation of a new attack on its nuclear facilities, satellite images show Iran burying the entrance to the Isfahan site, which was one of three attacked during last years Operation Midnight Hammer. Iran did something similar prior that operation when it covered entrances to the Fordow facility with dirt to prevent an Israeli commando raid. Iran is burying the entrances to its nuclear facilities once again.Satellite imagery analyzed by @TheGoodISIS shows dirt is being placed at the entrance to the Esfahan nuclear site that was hit during operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER in June of last year. https://t.co/JlmbrgZsQY— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 5, 2026 Israel, which has vowed that Iran will never get nuclear weapons, remains a large wildcard in the current situation. While Jerusalem has been urging Trump to attack Iran, has been told it has to refrain from any unilateral military action against its archenemy, Sky News Arabia stated. Ahead of the talks, which are to be held on Friday in Oman, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth described the coordination between Israel and the United States as very close. Senior Israeli officials pointed to the frequent visits by military and intelligence officers between the two countries. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding a meeting with the heads of the security services on Thursday to discuss the tensions with Iran, Sky News Arabia added. It should be noted, of course, that Israel attacked Iran last June in what became known as the 12-Day War even as Washington was negotiating with Tehran. Israeli officials said that the US has asked Israel to refrain from any unilateral military action against Iran, coinciding with the scheduled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. https://t.co/ZQMK6octb4— Levent Kemal (@leventkemaI) February 5, 2026 In addition to being concerned about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, Israel is worried about its ability to produce ballistic missiles, of which Iran already has thousands. With help from Chinaand other countries, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zami has warned that it could increase its ballistic missile production to 300 per month, and within a few years, dwarf its prior ballistic missile totals, the Jerusalem Post reported. At 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 missiles in 2027-2028, analysts worry that even Israels awesome multi-layer defense shield would find it hard to keep up. Amid all the rhetoric, Israel is bracing for war. “The Air Force, and especially you, must continue to maintain a high level of alertness,” Israeli Air Force commander, General Tomer Bar, said during a visit to an Iron Dome air defense battery on Thursday. “Every day, we are strengthening our readiness and our defensive and offensive capabilities. The reserve forces present at this battery, in the air defense system, and in all units of the Air Force and the Israel Defense Forces, are the central element of our power and of the State of Israel. Your mission and the heavy responsibility you have carried since the beginning of the war and on all fronts, together with the families who support you, are truly inspiring. The professionalism, dedication, and motivation you demonstrate here give me complete confidence that the Air Force is capable of confronting any challenge that lies ahead of us.” “As we understand the situation, we are on a thin line between preparedness and attack,” an Israeli security official said. “A dramatic weekend awaits the region.” Visiting a reserve Iron Dome battery in northern Israel, Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar says the military continues to "strengthen preparedness and capabilities in both defense and offense," amid the ongoing tensions with Iran."The air force, and you in particular,… pic.twitter.com/NYHeFkwLP0— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) February 5, 2026 The stream of U.S. Air Force cargo jets to the region, however, is continuing at a brisk pace. Online flight trackers estimate that well over 100 aircraft have arrived in the Middle East over the past few weeks, bringing additional forces, including additional Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems for increased protection from any Iranian attack. While that may seem like a large number of flights, remember that last year, when the U.S. wanted to bolster its forces in the Middle East ahead of a potential conflict with Iran, it took 73 C-17 loads to move one Patriot air defense battalion across the globe. That is just one example of how hard-pressed U.S. military transport logistics are in a time of a major conflict that would require massive movements — in the air and at sea — of materiel. 2/5 AM Air Defense Move UpdateFlights carrying air defenses have continued to stream into the Middle East overnight with more leaving Texas for Europe.I have logged 50 flights since 1/23 total with 10 still in progress and no final destination is known yet. For context, last… pic.twitter.com/WlvFep7TEC— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 5, 2026 UPDATE: 20260205-1200ZA few changes from this morning but nothing significant as of yet. As the US begins waking up well see more arrivals from CONUS. Might re-adjust the format of my reports again soon!cc: @MATA_osint @ArmchairAdml @TheIntelFrog @BrianE6B @vcdgf555… pic.twitter.com/UCu3sRB99d— DefenceGeek (@DefenceGeek) February 5, 2026 As part of the effort to handle all these aircraft movements, the U.S. base at Spangdahlem, Germany, is now operating around the clock, the BBC noted. In addition, it appears another E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) jet is now in the region. "A third US Air Force E-11A aircraft departed from Chania International Airport on the Greek island of Crete yesterday. It touched down about four hours later at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia." Separately Spangdahlem Air Base, a large Nato facility in Germany operated…— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) February 5, 2026 The U.S. has already deployed additional F-15E Strike Eagles, E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare jets and A-10 Thunderbolt close support aircraft to the region, where some F-15Es and A-10s were already located. The U.S. Navy also has squadrons of F-35C stealth fighters, F/A-18E-F Super Hornets and Growlers embarked aboard the Lincoln. However, as we have frequently pointed out, there still does not appear to be enough tactical jets for the U.S. to maintain a sustained operation, even of limited scope, against Iran. A flight of Air Force F-35A stealth fighters, used in the raid to capture Maduro, is still stuck in Rota, Spain, according to online flight trackers. The jets, reportedly bound for Jordan, became marooned there after a KC-46 mishap at Moron Air Base, some 50 miles to the northeast, shut the runway for days. While the Moron runway has since been reopened, it remains unclear how many flights have been launched. We have reached out to the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command and U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Force Africa (USAFE) for details. This KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker had a mishap on Moron Air Base and remains there. (Pepe Jimenez) Pepe Jimenez We have not seen any major movement of strategic bombers yet either and there does not appear to be any major increase of assets on Diego Garcia, a U.S. base in the Indian Ocean. Last year, ahead of rising tensions with Iran, the U.S. sent a large force of bombers and other supporting assets to Diego Garcia, which TWZ was first to report on. Though Trump on Thursday mentioned that the U.S. has a big fleet heading to the Middle East, there have been no ship movements today, a U.S. Navy official told us. There are still 10 ships in the U.S. Central Command region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three of its Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer escorts. There are also two Arleigh Burke class ships in the eastern Mediterranean as well, the official added. In a veiled message to Iran, CENTCOM released a time-lapse video showing the launch and recovery of jets from the Lincoln. On the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, what looks like a random rush of jets and people is actually a well-orchestrated routine. Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are trained to work as a team to launch and recover safely and on time, every time. pic.twitter.com/64ubKaG1wC— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 5, 2026 Iran is no match for American military forces, the Navy’s highest-ranking active-duty officer said this week. Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, told hundreds of sailors at an all-hands call Wednesday that although he doesn’t take Iranian posturing lightly, U.S. forces overmatched Tehran’s threats significantly when it comes to capabilities, Stars and Stripes reported. “We have a very good approach of providing the president of the United States military options. Iran knows this. So, the fact that we have that type of capability is a strong deterrent.” Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, told hundreds of sailors at an all-hands call that although he doesn’t take Iranian posturing lightly, U.S. forces overmatched Tehran’s threats “significantly” when it comes to capabilities.https://t.co/onC0T1tj5L— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) February 5, 2026 As CENTCOM was showing off the Lincoln, the IRGC on Thursday claimed it seized two oil tankers with their foreign crews in Gulf waters for “smuggling fuel,” the official Iranian Tasnim news agency reported. More than one million liters of smuggled fuel were discovered on these two violating vessels, and 15 foreign crew members were referred to judicial authorities for legal proceedings, Tasnim added. It was not immediately clear what flags the tankers were carrying, nor the nationalities of the crews. BREAKING:Iranian IRGC terrorists claim they have captured two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf carrying around 1 million liters of diesel fuel.Fifteen foreign crew members were detained. pic.twitter.com/LbUcrTlkVQ— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 5, 2026 The seizures, part of an ongoing Iranian effort in the Gulf, came just two days after an F-35C from the Lincoln shot down an Iranian drone. In a separate incident that day, IRGC forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Col. Tim Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, said in a statement to TWZ. “Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force.” We will keep you up to date with new developments in this fast moving story. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Middle East Preparing For War Ahead Of U.S.-Iran Negotiations appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Iran, Middle East, Navies, POTUS, Sea, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

— What The Sunset Of Key U.S.-Russia Nuclear Deal Could Mean For America’s Stockpile

 

at 2/5/26 1:54pm

A key nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia has expired today, creating the potential for significant changes in U.S. force posture. This could include loading more warheads into Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), restoring nuclear weapons capability to dozens of B-52 bombers, sending Ohio class ballistic missile submarines on patrol with extra Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), or fielding all-new capabilities. There are reports that American and Russian officials are negotiating a voluntary commitment to leave the two countries nuclear arsenals as they are, but this would be a temporary measure that could still leave open the door to a new arms race if a more permanent agreement cannot be reached. U.S. and Russian Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev signed the New START Treaty in 2010, and it entered into force the following year. The terms of the deal included a provision for a one-time five-year extension, which U.S. and Russian Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed to in 2021. Russia formally suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023, citing U.S. actions in relation to the war in Ukraine, but said it would voluntarily continue to abide by the imposed limits. The agreement now sunsets for good today. Years of U.S.-Russian negotiations have so far failed to produce a follow-on treaty. U.S. President Barack Obama, at left, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, at right, shake hands after signing the New START treaty in 2010. Government of Russia New START limited each country to 700 deployed strategic missiles and bombers (700), 1,550 total strategic nuclear warheads, and 800 relevant deployed and non-deployed launchers. For purposes of the treaty, strategic missiles were defined as ICBMs and SLBMs. Each reentry vehicle inside a single ICBM or SLBM, as well as each nuclear-capable heavy bomber, counted as a single warhead. Bombers, along with silos and mobile transporter-erector launchers for IBCMs and SLBM launch tubes on submarines, were all treated as individual launchers. Axios has reported that U.S. and Russian negotiators in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates have been working to finalize a non-legally-binding voluntary commitment to stick to the New START limits at least for another six months. Delegations from the United States and Russia were already in the Middle Eastern country for talks regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Those meetings have separately produced an agreement to re-establish a high-level U.S.-Russian military-to-military dialogue for the first time since 2021. The Kremlin had released a statement yesterday that, in part, reiterated a call Putin first made last September for both parties to commit to voluntary self-limitations to keep the quantitative ceilings on the relevant weapons specified in the Treaty for at least one year after the termination of the agreement. Its not clear how this would be verified without the inspection provisions that were central to New START. Rather than extend NEW START (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future, President Trump wrote today on his Truth Social platform. However, he did not explicitly rule out the possibility of a temporary voluntary arrangement in the interim. Trump:Rather than extend “NEW START” (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future. pic.twitter.com/MPlDNeTWLZ— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 5, 2026 Not to my knowledge, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a routine press conference today when asked about whether a temporary agreement to continue abiding by the New START limits had been reached. "Not to my knowledge," @PressSec Karoline Leavitt says when asked if theres a temporary agreement with Russia to stand by the terms of the New START Treaty while negotiations are happening. pic.twitter.com/fOG5rWCsQK— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 5, 2026 Regardless, in the absence of a formally binding agreement, the U.S. government does now technically have a free hand to make major changes to the state of Americas nuclear force posture for the first time in decades. There has been talk for years already about potential near-term steps the U.S. military might take if a more permanent deal did not emerge to follow New STARTs sunset. “A one-year extension would not prejudice any of the vital steps that the United States is taking to respond to the China nuclear build-up,” Rose Gottemoeller, a long-time American diplomat who served as the lead negotiator for New START, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee just this week. “The period will buy extra time for preparation without the added challenge of a Russian Federation, newly released from New START limitations, embarking on a rapid upload campaign. This would not be in the U.S. interest.” Loading more warheads into LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs could be one option. Each of those ICBMs is currently tipped with a single warhead in line with the New START limits. However, the missiles were originally designed for a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) configuration with three warheads. Even with New START in force, Minuteman IIIs have still sometimes been fired as part of routine testing with multiple unarmed reentry vehicles, demonstrating that this remains an available capability. “I do believe that we need to take serious consideration in seeing what uploading and re-MIRVing the ICBM looks like, and what does it take to potentially do that,” now-retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, then head of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee back in 2024. There are questions about how long it might take to upload more warheads onto any portion of the 400 Minuteman IIIs currently sitting in silos spread across five states, and what that would cost. At least a portion of the deployed LGM-30Gs would also need to be refitted with MIRV-capable payload buses. Right, of course. I didn’t know about the PBVs. Good to know, thanks.— William Alberque (@walberque) February 4, 2026 The number of warheads inside deployed Trident IIs, which also have a MIRV configuration, could also change in the future. These SLBMs can carry up to 14 individual warheads, depending on their exact type, but are understood to have often not had maximum loads to keep in line with New STARTs provisions. Under the terms of the treaty, the U.S. Navy also sealed off four of the 24 tubes on each of its 10 Ohio class ballistic missile submarines. In the past, Russian officials had complained about the extent (or lack thereof) of those modifications, which also involved the removal of certain internal components, and raised concerns about being able to regularly verify that the changes had not been reversed. Still, it is unclear exactly how much effort might be required to reactivate those tubes in the future. A picture showing open, unmodified launch tubes on an Ohio class ballistic missile submarine. USN There is also the matter of restoring nuclear capability to dozens of B-52 bombers that were modified to only be capable of employing conventional weapons as part of New START. Russia also previously raised concerns about the reversibility of those changes, which that country said involved removing the nuclear code enabling switch and interconnection box, mounting a code enabling switch inhibitor plate, removing applicable cable connectors, [and] capping applicable wire bundles. Nuclear-capable B-52s are readily identifiable today by antennas mounted on either side of the rear fuselage. How can you tell if a B-52 is “combat ready” ie. nuke capable? Watch the entire walk around here: https://t.co/Akk5rFK1hW https://t.co/SD4oOD00ub pic.twitter.com/CNlHtdbzSq— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) June 20, 2024 There has been some public disagreement in recent years about the cost and complexity of re-nuclearizing the B-52s, something TWZ has explored in the past. In the annual defense policy bill, or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), for the 2025 Fiscal Year, Congress did give the U.S. Air Force authority to pursue this course of action after New START came to a close. However, the provision in the NDAA, which was signed into law in December 2024, did not explicitly compel the service to do so. There could be additional downstream impacts on the U.S. nuclear arsenal if a more formalized follow-on to New START does not emerge. This might include a MIRVed configuration for future LGM-35A Sentinel ICBMs, expanded orders for nuclear-capable B-21 Raider stealth bombers, and changes to the expected loadout of the forthcoming Colombia class nuclear ballistic missile submarines. The U.S. Air Force is already looking to ramp up B-21 production, with the possibility that this could lead to an increased overall fleet size in the future. American officials have been supportive of buying additional Raiders beyond the currently stated acquisition target of 100 aircraft. The possibility of purchasing 145 or more of the bombers has been raised in the past. The Air & Space Forces Associations internal Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies think tank is set to release a new white paper next Monday that calls for a future fleet of at least 200 B-21s (as well as 300 F-47 sixth-generation fighters). A pre-production B-21 Raider stealth bomber. USAF Future U.S. developments could also extend to categories of nuclear weapons not currently in the American arsenal. The Air Force has at least explored the idea of a nuclear-armed hypersonic boost-glide vehicle. Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Charles Richard, who served as head of STRATCOM from 2019 to 2022, issued a new call for the U.S. military to develop a weapon of this kind at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week. This is a capability already in service in Russia, at least to a degree. China has also been pursuing nuclear-capable weapons of this type, if they have not fielded them operationally already. The Russian and Chinese armed forces have also been working on other novel nuclear weapon capabilities, including space-based systems, which could influence future U.S. planning going forward. It is worth noting here that any efforts to increase the total size of Americas stockpile, rather than field new capabilities that replace existing ones, would require significant investments on various levels. Last year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the current slate of U.S. nuclear modernization efforts would cost nearly a trillion dollars, in total, between 2025 and 2034. The U.S. military is also now pushing ahead with the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, which is also expected to run into the hundreds of billions of dollars and will otherwise impact the strategic landscape. China, which is in the midst of a massive buildup of its nuclear arsenal, has been a central factor in discussions to date about a follow-on strategic arms control agreement to New START. U.S. officials have pushed to include the Chinese in any future agreement, something authorities in Beijing have repeatedly balked at. Chinas current nuclear arsenal is still much smaller than those of either the United States or Russia. The U.S. government has assessed that Chinas total stockpile could go from approximately 600 nuclear warheads today to 1,000 by 2030, and then to 1,500 by 2035. As noted, the U.S. and Russian governments were each allowed 1,550 strategic warheads under New START. Both countries have even more nuclear weapons that were never covered by New START, to begin with, and more are in development now. The President’s been clear in the past that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China because of their vast and rapidly growing stockpile, Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio said during a press conference yesterday in response to a question about New START. SECRETARY RUBIO: The President has been clear that in order to have true arms control in the 21st century, it’s impossible to do something that doesn’t include China — because of their vast & rapidly growing stockpile. pic.twitter.com/FiYVUsBAVb— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) February 5, 2026 New STARTs expiration has fueled already growing concerns about the prospect of a new global nuclear arms race, which would not necessarily be limited to the United States, Russia, and China. The treatys sunset follows the steady collapse in recent years of a series of other arms control agreements between the United States and Russia, as well as other treaties intended to promote general transparency in military affairs. The U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF, in 2019 over complaints about Russian violations has already had a notable impact on the development and fielding of new nuclear and conventionally-armed missiles in both countries. The end of New START presents a “grave moment for international peace and security, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement yesterday. Whether or not a temporary voluntary moratorium on the expansion of stockpiles on both sides leads to a new agreement, and one that might include China, is still an open question. Altogether, it remains to be seen now whether the New START limits continue to hold in the United States or Russia in the absence of a binding agreement. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post What The Sunset Of Key U.S.-Russia Nuclear Deal Could Mean For Americas Stockpile appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Nuclear, Around The Globe, Europe, News & Features, Nuclear Ballistic Missiles, Nuclear Policy, Nuclear Warheads, Russia] [Link to media]

— Watch Ukraine’s Minigun-Firing, Drone-Hunting Turboprop In Action

 

at 2/5/26 11:02am

New footage has emerged showing how Ukraine is using at least one adapted Antonov An-28 Cash twin-turboprop utility aircraft as part of its anti-drone inventory. While images of the aircraft, replete with multiple drone kill marks, had previously been published, we now get to see the aircraft’s armament — a six-barrel Gatling-type M134 Minigun — in action, too. A passenger An-28 aircraft armed with miniguns is shooting down Russian drones over Ukraine, French TF1 got an inside. The crew consists of civilian volunteers who have already destroyed nearly 150 drones during air defense missions. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/x1E921TPT2— NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) February 5, 2026 The video in question was published by the French television channel TF1 and can also be found at this link. The French journalists got to see the An-28 during a nighttime combat sortie, including opening fire with its 7.62mm M134, which is pintle-mounted in the cabin door. The An-28’s high-wing configuration provides a notably wide field of fire. The Minigun is well-proven in aerial applications. It was a key feature in the genesis of the AC-47 and later side-firing gunships converted from cargo planes, as well, albeit intended to engage targets on the ground. Typical firing rates for Miniguns are generally between 3,000 and 6,000 rounds per minute, or 50 and 100 shots every second. The date and location of the An-28 footage were not revealed, but one of the aircraft crew members describes hunting Russian drones “in the southeast” of Ukraine. Below the An-28’s cockpit are 115 painted silhouettes of Shahed/Geran-type long-range one-way attack drones, two of which are painted in yellow. The significance of these is unclear, but they may refer to 10 kills of the same drone types. This would tally with the French report’s statement that, overall, the An-28’s four-person crew has destroyed almost 150 Russian drones. A single kill marking also indicates that another twin-boom-type drone was brought down. Some of the kill marks painted below the An-28 cockpit. TF1 screencap On this occasion, the crew had 10 minutes to scramble into the air, with an overall flight time of five hours. The cabin is lit up as the gunner opens fire with the M134 Minigun. TF1 screencap In the course of the sortie in the video, the crew shot down five Shahed/Geran drones. One of these was intercepted while flying over a Ukrainian village. They waited until it was over an unpopulated area before engaging that, too. A Shahed/Geran seen via the An-28’s infrared camera. TF1 screencap The report also explains the basic mode of operation. The An-28 crew initially relies on air traffic controllers to guide them to the area where Russian drones are known to be flying. One of the crew is a ‘camera operator,’ who is seen sitting in front of a screen, which appears to show the feed from an infrared camera, presumably mounted externally on a turret. The gunner, and at least one other member of the crew, is provided with night-vision goggles (NVGs). The ‘camera operator’ is seen sitting in front of their screen. TF1 screencap Various hazards face the An-28 crew. First, the presence of Russian cruise missiles means they have to leave the area, due to the high risk of collision. The Russian drones are also presenting more threats to interceptors. In the course of this year, Russia has begun to arm the Shahed/Geran with both man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and R-60 air-to-air missiles. These developments come as Russia makes additional alterations to the drone, including self-protection systems. Interception of the Russian Shahed kamikaze drone with an installed R-60 air-to-air missile. It was intercepted by Darknode unit of the @usf_army, using STING anti-Shahed drone developed by the @wilendhornets and funded by @sternenkofund. https://t.co/XHEjuCP31F pic.twitter.com/oje4VOXTbz— Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) December 1, 2025 Russian forces are mounting Igla MANPADS on Shahed drones to target Ukrainian helicopters that intercept them. The drones carry a camera and radio modem, and the missile is launched remotely by an operator in Russian territory. pic.twitter.com/T5TKPHyhVu— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) January 4, 2026 Reportedly, the An-28 crew is made up of civilian volunteers, paralleling the effort made by pilots and gunners flying Yakovlev Yak-52 prop trainers on behalf of the Ukrainian Army Aviation. You can read more about their activities here. Developed in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic by the Antonov Design Bureau, the An-28 is a twin-engined light turboprop transport, first flown in 1969 and primarily intended for Aeroflot service as a short-range airliner. It has a notable short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability, making it ideal for operating in and out of shorter and more austere airstrips, of the kind that Ukraine makes extensive use of in the conflict with Russia. An An-28 makes a demonstration flight at Hostomel, Kyiv Region, in 2019. Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images A little under 200 were built, with most of the production being undertaken in Poland by PZL-Mielec. The Polish company developed an improved variant, the M28 Skytruck. A Polish Navy PZL-Mielec M-28TD Bryza maritime patrol aircraft. Photo by Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Versions of the M28 have seen more extensive military service than the An-28, notably with the United States as the C-145A Combat Coyote, which was formerly used by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). It’s interesting to note that, back in 2013, AFSOC actually explored the possibility of converting C-145As into small side-firing gunships, a sort of miniature take on the AC-130 concept, with an eye toward potentially being able to transfer that capability to American allies and partners. This, however, was armed with twin 50-caliber GAU-18 machine guns. A 2013 SOCOM briefing slide discussing the test of a C-145A configured as a side-firing gunship. SOCOM It remains unclear, for now, how many An-28s have been adapted as ‘Shahed-hunters.’ It is also hard to find accurate data on how many airworthy An-28s are available to Ukraine. On the other hand, there is the possibility that more aircraft could be transferred from Polish or U.S. military stocks, or even from other civilian or armed forces operators. Certainly, there seems to be a place for lighter aircraft, like the Minigun-armed An-28, in Ukraine’s drone-killing force. As we have reported in the past, light aircraft and helicopters are said to be responsible for downing between 10 and 12 percent of all drones claimed by Ukrainian air defenses of all kinds. Fixed-wing aircraft are also generally considered more survivable than helicopters, allowing them to operate closer to the front lines. With Russia using huge numbers of drones, alongside ballistic and cruise missiles, and decoys, against critical infrastructure targets and cities in Ukraine, the country has assembled a multi-layered air defense network. This ranges from advanced Western-supplied Patriot surface-to-air missiles and F-16 fighters at one end of the scale, via Soviet-era systems and hastily developed “FrankenSAMs,” all the way down to light aircraft, ultralight aircraft, and mobile fire teams equipped with machine guns and searchlights. In addition, there are a growing number of non-kinetic options, such as electronic warfare, too. A network of acoustic sensors all over the country and an app that ties this information to spotter reports are also key elements of Ukraine’s unique air defense network. A drone-hunting mobile fire team of the 241st Independent Brigade’s air defense platoon on combat alert somewhere in the Kyiv region. Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine The challenge is only set to grow. Russia, as we have previously noted, now manufactures Shahed/Geran drones at the rate of 2,000 per month and plans to nearly triple that in the not-too-distant future. Based on available accounts, the Minigun-armed An-28 appears to be a very efficient part of Ukraine’s anti-drone defenses, and with the level of Russian drone activity over the country growing, we are likely to see further such innovations in the future. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post Watch Ukraine’s Minigun-Firing, Drone-Hunting Turboprop In Action appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Drones, Europe, Land, Machine Guns, News & Features, Small Arms, Transports, Ukraine, Ukrainian Air Force] [Link to media]

— Navy’s T-45 Replacement Will Not Be Capable Of Making Carrier Landing Touch And Goes

 

at 2/4/26 3:38pm

The U.S. Navy has shown no signs of reversing course on major changes to its pipeline for new naval aviators in its latest draft requirements for a replacement for its T-45 Goshawk jet trainers. The Navy has already axed carrier qualifications from the syllabus for prospective tactical jet pilots and has plans to significantly alter how other training is done at bases ashore. These decisions have prompted concerns and criticism, but the service argues that advances in virtualized training and automated carrier landing capabilities have fundamentally changed the training ecosystem. Aviation Week was first to report on the recent release of the latest draft requirements for what the Navy is currently calling the Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS). The service is looking to acquire 216 new jet trainers to replace the just under 200 T-45s it has in inventory today. The Navy has been pursuing a successor to the T-45 Goshawk for years now, and the UJTS effort has been delayed multiple times. The goal now is to kick off a formal competition relatively soon, ahead of a final contract award in mid-2027. T-45s on the flightline at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro in California. USN A number of companies have already lined up to compete for UJTS. This includes Boeing with a navalized version of its T-7 Red Hawk, the TF-50N from Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the M-346N offered by Textron and Leonardo (and now branded as a Beechcraft product), and the Sierra Nevada Corporations (SNC) Freedom jet. Clockwise from top left: Renderings of Boeings navalized T-7, the TF-50N from Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries, SNCs Freedom jet, and the Beechcraft M-346N. Boeing/Lockheed Martin/Textron/Leonardo/SNC The newest UJTS draft request for proposals reinforces the aforementioned changes to the carrier qualification and so-called Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) training requirements. Though conducted at bases on land, FCLP landings have historically been structured in a way that “simulates, as near as practicable, the conditions encountered during carrier landing operations,” according to the Navy. The Navys plan now is to eliminate the actual touch-and-go component of FCLP training, also known as FCLP to touchdown, at least for students flying in the future UJTS jet trainer. Instead, the syllabus will include what is described as FCLP to wave off, where student pilots in those aircraft will fly a profile in line with being waved off from a landing attempt on an actual carrier prior to touchdown. “The Naval Aviation Enterprise has determined that the UJTS air vehicle will conduct FCLP [field carrier landing practice] to wave off,” a Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) spokesperson explained to Aviation Week. However, FCLP to touchdown will be trained via other means in the UJTS system of systems. TWZ has reached out to NAVAIR for more information about the other elements of the planned UJTS system of systems that will be used to support continued FCLP to touchdown training requirements. As noted, the Navy has already cut the carrier landing qualification requirement from the pipeline for individuals training to fly F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35C fighters, as well as EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. At least as of last August, carrier qualifications were still part of the syllabus for student aviators in line to fly E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft, as well as for all international students. Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) landings ashore are still required for graduation, a Navy spokesperson also told TWZ in August 2025, but did not specify whether or not this meant to touchdown. TWZ has reached out to the office of the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) for more information on current and future planned naval aviation training requirements. All of this has major ramifications for the forthcoming UJTS jet trainer competition. Not even having to perform FLCPs to touchdown, let alone actual carrier qualifications, fundamentally changes the aircraft designs that can be considered to replace the carrier-capable T-45s. Carrier landings and takeoffs stress airframes, especially landing gear, in completely different ways compared to typical operations from airbases on land. As it stands now, only SNCs clean sheet Freedom offering is explicitly designed for touch-and-goes on carriers and FCLP-to-touchdown landings ashore, and the company has been putting heavy emphasis on the continued importance of those capabilities. The other competitors that have emerged so far have presented variations on existing land-based jet trainer designs. The strategic decision of moving carrier qualifications from the training syllabus to their fleet replacement squadrons was driven by increased technological capabilities in the fleet, as well as the need to reduce training pipeline times, enabling the fleet to receive qualified pilots faster, the aforementioned Navy spokesperson also told TWZ last August. After earning their initial qualifications after graduation, naval aviators in the strike pipeline are required to complete touch-and-goes and carrier landings at sea during their assignment at the Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS). FRSs provide initial training on specific types of aircraft before individuals move on to operational units. What this all means, in functional terms, is that the Navy is planning for a future where tactical jet pilots will not make a full FCLP landing, let alone touch down on a carrier, until after they are winged and flying a front-line aircraft. Though not explicitly mentioned, the increased technological capabilities referred to here include the Navys substantial investments in virtualized training and automated carrier landing capabilities, such as Magic Carpet, in recent years. There is also a cost benefit arguement to be made. Eliminating the need for features required for carrier-based operations could help keep down the price tag of any future T-45 replacement, as well as reduce developmental risk. The overall changes to the training syllabus will have their own cost impacts with the cut down in time and resources required for a student pilot to get their wings. At the same time, concerns and criticism have been voiced about the possible downstream impacts of cutting elements long considered critical to naval aviation training. What can be done in virtualized aviation training environments, in particular, has become very impressive in recent years, but they still cannot fully recreate the experience of live training events. “Carrier qualification is more than catching the wire. It is the exposure to the carrier environment and how an individual deals with it,” an experienced U.S. Navy strike fighter pilot told TWZ back in 2020. “The pattern, the communications, the nuance, the stress. The ability to master this is one of our competitive advantages.” The Navy does still has yet to issue a final set of requirements for the UJTS jet trainer. However, signs only continue to grow that the service is committed to its new vision for training future naval aviators. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Navys T-45 Replacement Will Not Be Capable Of Making Carrier Landing Touch And Goes appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Carriers, Navies, News & Features, Sea, T-45, Trainers, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

— Meteor Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile In The Works For Ukraine, But There’s A Catch

 

at 2/4/26 11:48am

Good news for Ukraine: it looks increasingly likely that it will get its hands on European-made Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, a class of weapon that it badly needs to redress the balance against Russian fighter jets. Bad news: the Meteors would likely only be made available once Kyiv acquires Saab Gripen fighters, a plan that remains questionable, especially in terms of the timelines for when they might materialize. Earlier this week, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Meteor was one of the weapons being lined up for the next Swedish security aid package for Ukraine. Also on the agenda were the Gripen E and undisclosed air defense systems, Saab radars, electronic warfare systems, and drones, including long-range one-way attack drones. The announcement came after talks between the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov and his Swedish counterpart, Paul Jonsson. A Gripen E loaded with seven MBDA Meteor missiles. Saab At the Singapore Airshow this week, a Saab official told Defense News that transfer of the Meteor was under discussion and that it would be “natural” for it to be included in any Gripen package. “The Meteor missile would be a natural content in a weapon package for any Gripen user […] discussions are taking place with several export nations, including Ukraine,” said Jussi Halmetoja, operations advisor in the air domain at Saab. The Ukrainian Air Force’s need for a weapon in the Meteor class has long been apparent. As we have discussed in the past, the Meteor is one of the most capable air-to-air missiles in operational service anywhere in the world. Its key feature is its unique ramjet propulsion system, which can be throttled during different phases of flight. This ensures the missile still has considerable energy reserves during the terminal attack — it’s at this point that more conventional air-to-air missile motors lose energy, leading to a decrease in agility. Propelled by its ramjet motor, the Meteor’s all-important ‘no-escape zone’ is therefore far greater than for comparable weapons. This means the target has a much-reduced chance of evading the missile at the endgame of the engagement, something that would otherwise be far more realistic, using high-energy maneuvering. Another advantage of being able to throttle the motor is that the missile’s autopilot can calculate the most efficient route to the target for very long-range shots. Highly significant for Ukraine is the fact that the Meteor is among the longest ranged of any Western air-to-air missile, generally considered to be able to engage certain types of targets out to around 130 miles. A Meteor is fired during testing. Dassault The Meteor has an active radar seeker for the terminal phase and a two-way datalink. The datalink feeds the missile with in-flight updates as it flies out to its target and provides the pilot in the launch aircraft with information on the Meteor’s fuel, energy, and tracking state. That data can help determine if and when to fire another, disengage, or even assign a different target of opportunity. Currently, the Ukrainian Air Force’s most capable air-to-air missile is the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which arms its F-16 fighters. A Ukrainian Air Force F-16 with wingtip-mounted AMRAAMs. Ukrainian Air Force Ukraine’s AMRAAMs include the AIM-120C version, which, as we’ve discussed in the past, offers some significant advantages over the earlier AIM-120A/B models. Most importantly, the AMRAAM is Ukraine’s first active-radar-guided air-to-air missile. This is a class of weapons that was long sought after by Ukraine. Early on in the conflict, one of its fighter pilots, the late Andrii Pilshchykov, better known by his callsign “Juice,” told TWZ: “The lack of fire and forget missiles is the greatest problem for us.” According to data from one of its operators, the AIM-120C-5 subvariant provides a maximum range of around 46 miles, although the actual range of the missile is tightly controlled information and based on many engagement factors. For all its capabilities, the AMRAAM’s reach is far outstripped by Russia’s long-range R-37M air-to-air missile, known to NATO as AA-13 Axehead. Typical Russian tactics involve firing the R-37M from outside the range of the missiles carried by Ukrainian fighters. A Russian Su-35S launches an R-37M air-to-air missile. Russian Ministry of Defense screencap Mainly used by Su-35S Flanker multirole fighters and MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptors, the R-37M is a missile we have examined in detail in the past. Last week, we discussed a video showing the shootdown of a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 Frogfoot close air support jet, apparently by an R-37M. The loss of a Ukrainian Su-25. The aircraft was hit by an R-37 missile; the responsibility likely lies with either a MiG-31BM or a Su-35S fighter, as these are the types that typically patrol with such long-range missiles. The pilot lost his life during the action. Blue skies to… pic.twitter.com/lNXZPuzHXS— Zsiguli (@GZsgallos2007) January 27, 2026 With a reported range of 124 miles against certain types of targets, the R-37M flies to its target on a lofted trajectory, controlled by an inertial navigation system with mid-course radio correction, and uses an active radar seeker for its terminal phase attack. Speaking to TWZ back in 2022, Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum pilot Pilshchykov said that the R-37M, typically fired from within Russian airspace, was “limiting our capabilities to conduct our missions. Of course, if you’re maneuvering, we are not able to provide an airstrike or something else, so the game is still very, very, very tough in the air and very, very risky. If you’re not aware of the launch of a missile, you’re dead.” As it stands, the Meteor is the best candidate for Ukraine to try and redress the balance in the air war when faced by the far-reaching R-37M, and would finally put Russian aircraft at risk within their own missile ranges. The Meteor is a product of the European MBDA missile house, with manufacture undertaken by its U.K. branch. Other partners in the Meteor program are France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, which placed an order for more of the missiles last year. All of these nations are firm supporters of Ukraine, but whether they approve a transfer of the missiles to Kyiv will also depend on how they judge the intelligence risk. After all, the wreckage of such a long-range weapon is very likely to end up on Russian territory, which would expose its technologies to analysis and exploitation. The then U.K. Secretary of State for Defense, Gavin Williamson (center), is shown a Meteor missile by MBDA staff at their factory in England. Crown Copyright However, Ukraine will only be able to use the Meteor once it starts to receive Gripens (or, alternatively, Dassault Rafales offered by France). As it stands, Ukraine has signed letters of intent to acquire as many as 150 Gripen E fighters from Sweden and up to 100 Rafales from France over the next 10 years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced the signature of the letter of intent in front of a Gripen E at Linköping, Sweden, in October 2025. Swedish Ministry of Defense Now boarding pic.twitter.com/gPvRSk0ZZS— Ulf Kristersson (@SwedishPM) October 22, 2025 For Ukraine, the Gripen and Meteor could be used in a very powerful combination with the two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft equipped with Erieye radar that have been donated by Sweden. The Saab 340 AEW&C will be able to work as a fighter control asset, detecting targets, prioritizing them, and then assigning them to the fighters for interception. Using its datalink, the radar plane can also directly provide the missile with mid-course guidance updates. In fact, the fighter pilot may never have to use their own radar to engage a target. Instead, the missile is assigned a target, is fired, and then gets continuous updates from the AEW&C platform. As we have discussed in the past, either the Rafale or Gripen E would become the most advanced combat aircraft in Ukraine’s inventory, but there remain glaring questions about whether the acquisition of one of these aircraft types, let alone two, is actually feasible, especially in such numbers. A Dassault Rafale bristling with weapons, including the Meteor. Dassault The letters of intent underscore Ukraine’s political commitment to buy these fighters, but don’t constitute a purchase deal. For Ukraine, there’s nothing to lose here, and it can cement its relationships with the nations that support it by showing interest in huge arms buys without any liability. The same applies to the Meteor. However, official discussions about the missile, together with the Gripen and Rafale, once again signal the scope of Kyiv’s ambitious re-equipment plans, especially when it comes to its air force. A faster route to getting Meteor operational in Ukraine might involve Sweden providing secondhand Gripen C/Ds, something that has been proposed in the past. A Swedish Air Force Gripen C at a remote base. Saab Swedish officials have said it would take around three years for new-build Gripen Es to arrive in Ukraine. With an urgent need for fighters, Ukraine has said in the past that it wants to get its first Gripens delivered by 2026. The earlier Gripen C/D is also compatible with the Meteor. While we wait for any final Gripen or Rafale deals to be concluded, Ukraine has at least made a first step toward acquiring an air-to-air missile that would finally allow its pilots to engage Russian aircraft at extended ranges, which would offer a powerful challenge to Russia’s current freedom of movement in the air war. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post Meteor Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile In The Works For Ukraine, But There’s A Catch appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Force Munitions, Air Forces, Air-To-Air, Around The Globe, Europe, Fighters, Gripen, Meteor, NATO, News & Features, Ukraine, Ukrainian Air Force] [Link to media]

— Department Of Homeland Security’s New Gulfstream Jet Now In Service (Updated)

 

at 2/4/26 11:46am

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has started making official trips using a new Gulfstream 700 (G700) VIP jet. The U.S. Coast Guard signed a contract to acquire two of these aircraft, the first known members of the G700 family to be operated by an arm of the U.S. federal government, last year. Pictures of one of the planes, wearing a livery nearly identical to one President Donald Trump had previously picked for the future VC-25B Air Force One aircraft, emerged last month, as TWZ was first to report on. Secretary Noem traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday on board the G700. She is scheduled to take a tour of the states border with Mexico today. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also released pictures recently showing Secretary Noem using the jet in relation to a trip earlier this week to Tupelo, Mississippi. Noem attended a roundtable there with first responders who had been part of the response to Winter Storm Fern. A picture showing Secretary Noem about to board the G700 jet in relation to her trip to Tupelo, Mississippi, on February 2, 2026. DHS TWZ has reached out to DHS and the Coast Guard for more information about the use of the new Gulfstream 700 aircraft. The Coast Guard currently falls under the purview of DHS. It is clear that the G700 acquisition has been proceeding on a very fast schedule. DHS and the Coast Guard only confirmed that the two jets, referred to officially as Long Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA), had been ordered last October. A Coast Guard contracting document released at that time said the goal was to have the jets in hand no later than December 31, 2025. It is unclear whether that particular deadline was met, but at least one of the jets is now in service. As TWZ has noted previously, it is also not clear what tradeoffs may have been required to keep to the aggressive delivery timeline. The total cost of acquiring both G700s has previously been reported to be between $170 and $200 million. The price tag on a base model G700, before any alterations, painting, and other work is done, generally runs around $70 to $80 million. The Coast Guard already operates two LRCCAs, a C-37A and a C-37B, which are based on older and out-of-production Gulfstream V and G550 models, respectively. The U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies operate a variety of other Gulfstream models, as well, but none of them currently fly newer 700-series types. The U.S. Coast Guards existing C-37B LRCCA. Missy Mimlitsch/USCG The existing LRCCAs are regularly used as VIP transports for the Secretary of Homeland Security, as well as other senior DHS and Coast Guard officials. In addition, the jets have a role in U.S. continuity of government plans, which are in place to ensure American authorities can continue to function in the event of any number of serious contingency scenarios, including major hostile attacks and devastating natural disasters. Secretary Noem poses with another individual in front of the Coast Guards C-37B LRCCA during a visit to Brownsville, Texas, in January 2026. DHS As such, the LRCCAs are equipped with an extensive secure command and control communications suite. Previously released Coast Guard contracting documents specifically highlighted plans to integrate Starshield into the new G700s. SpaceX offers Starshield as a more secure government-focused cousin to its commercial Starlink space-based internet service. SpaceX has established a dominant position in the global satellite internet and communication marketspace, and Starshield and Starlink continue to see growing use across the U.S. government, including the U.S. military, where they have been used in support of tactical operations. “The G700 provides a combination of increased range, speed, seating capacity, and enhanced avionics in comparison to a used G550,” the Coast Guard also noted in justification for the sole-source contract to Gulfstream for the jets. “While a G550 is capable, it is no longer in production and USCG is at the mercy of the re-sell [sic] market to grow the LRCCA fleet in the required time.” Other details about the configuration of the new Coast Guard G700s are limited. The new livery is certainly eye-catching. The same scheme has also appeared recently on a 737 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) with a luxurious VVIP interior and clear ties to DHS. That aircraft, which carries the U.S. civil registration number N471US, emerged unexpectedly in December 2025, as you can read more about here. N471US seen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., in December 2025. David Lee At the time of writing, DHS still does not appear to have officially commented on its acquisition or use. This is despite the jet having been tracked flying in the Middle East along routes that matched up with those of the Coast Guard’s C-37B LRCCA. Both aircraft notably visited Jordan’s capital, Amman, at a time when Secretary Noem was said to have made an official visit there. His Majesty King Abdullah II, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein, discusses with #US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and the importance of #Jordan joining the Global Entry programme pic.twitter.com/xVOTsOhQtQ— RHC (@RHCJO) December 16, 2025 The paint scheme worn by the new G700 aircraft and N471US is also very similar to the one President Trump had picked for the forthcoming pair of Boeing 747-8i-based VC-25B Air Force One aircraft during his first term. President Joe Biden subsequently reinstated plans to stick with the same iconic, Kennedy-era livery worn by the current VC-25A Air Force One aircraft that the VC-25Bs are set to replace. Last year, Inside Defense reported that the U.S. Air Force was “implementing a new livery requirement for VC-25B,” but no further details have emerged since then. A rendering of a VC-25B with the livery President Trump had selected. Boeing A rendering of a VC-25B wearing the same paint scheme as the current VC-25A Air Force One aircraft. USAF The G700 acquisition, and the expected use of those aircraft by Secretary Noem, more specifically, were focal points for criticism from some members of Congress last year. Legislators had questioned whether this was an appropriate allocation of funding. The decision to order the jets during a protracted government shutdown also drew the ire of lawmakers. DHS has seen a huge boost in its total budget in the past year, linked largely to immigration enforcement and border security activities. Even before the G700 contract was finalized, DHS and the Coast Guard had been pushing back against this criticism. They have consistently argued that it is of critical importance to acquire newer LRCCAs as the aging C-37A and C-37B jets have become increasingly difficult to operate and maintain, especially in light of the continuity of government mission. TWZ has previously highlighted a larger trend in the expansion of executive aircraft operations during President Trumps second term. This has been especially pronounced in the acquisition of additional Boeing 747s in relation to the VC-25B program, including second-hand examples from German flag carrier Lufthansa to provide training support and as sources of spare parts. Work is also ongoing to repurpose a highly-modified ex-Qatari VVIP 747-8i, ostensibly gifted to the U.S. government, as what is now being called a VC-25 bridge aircraft ahead of the much-delayed VC-25Bs entering service. TWZ has raised significant questions about the feasibility of that plan in the past. Regardless, at least one of the new G700s is now flying operational missions, including with the Secretary of Homeland Security aboard. Update: 2/5/2026 – Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, has now provided a statement regarding the new G700 aircraft to the TWZ. The Coast Guard received the first of two Gulfstream G700 Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA) from Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation on January 29, 2026. The second aircraft purchased under the October 2025 contract is expected to be delivered by the end of fiscal year 2026, McLaughlin said. These aircraft are the products of a planned, and long-needed update to the Coast Guard’s long-range command and control aircraft, which are essential for mission readiness and safety. The previous CG-101 G550 was over 20 years old, outside of Gulfstream’s service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft. These aircraft are required [emphasis in the original] to provide official travel for the secretary of homeland security, deputy secretary homeland security, commandant of the Coast Guard, vice commandant and Atlantic and Pacific commanders as specified by decades-old Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Department of Homeland Security policy, McLaughlin added. The Senior military officials and cabinet members who are required to use them need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Department Of Homeland Security’s New Gulfstream Jet Now In Service (Updated) appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Americas, Around The Globe, Navies, Sea, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Homeland] [Link to media]

— Evidence Of Mi-28 Havoc Attack Helicopters Delivered To Iran Grows

 

at 2/3/26 5:54pm

Video has emerged that is said to show a Russian-made Mi-28NE Havoc attack helicopter flying over the Iranian capital Tehran. Last week, pictures had also appeared online that looked to show at least one Mi-28NE in Iran. The arrival of Havocs in Iran might also point to the delivery of weapons and other materiel from Russia, or plans to do so soon, amid a new spike in geopolitical friction between the Middle Eastern country and the United States. Newly delivered Russian Mi-28NE attack helicopter was spotted over Tehran, Iran. pic.twitter.com/Mq5x9q4NHh— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 3, 2026 TWZ has not been able to independently confirm where and when the footage in question, seen in the social media post above, was taken. However, the pictures that began circulating online last week look to have been taken at a hangar belonging to Irans Pars Aerospace Services Company (PASC). Situated at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, PASC is tied to Irans powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and is subject to sanctions in the United States and other Western countries. One of the pictures that began circulating online last week said to show an Mi-28 in Iran. via X It is believed that Iran has received the first batch of Mil Mi-28NE attack helicopters ordered in Russia. Photos of a Mil Mi-28 helicopter in digital desert camo stationed in a hangar have emerged on social media. The arrival of the first Havocs in Iran was also… pic.twitter.com/SgZxwy9ivP— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) January 28, 2026 Geo-Location of the warehouse where the recently delivered to Iran Mil-28 helicopter photo is taken.Pars Aerospace Services Company in Tehran.35.69899, 51.29459 pic.twitter.com/VV7ruGVPWj— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) January 28, 2026 In addition, on January 3, Iranian journalist Mohammad Taheri wrote Inshallah you have a good military service, according to a machine translation of a Persian-language post on X, which included a stock picture of an Mi-28 wearing a two-tone desert camouflage scheme. Taheri has been associated with Irans quasi-official Tasnim News Agency. Tasnim was among the first to report on a possible Iranian acquisition of Havocs, as well as Su-35 Flanker fighters and Yak-130 jet trainers, all the way back in 2023. The Yak-130s appeared in Iran that same year. There had been talk of a batch of Su-35s originally built for Egypt, but that were never delivered, being sent instead to the Iranians. However, at least some of those jets appeared in Algeria instead last year. انشا الله خوب سربازی کنی#میل_28#mil_28 pic.twitter.com/f5dM6VKpOz— Mohammad Taheri (@MohamadTaheri90) January 3, 2026 The two-seat Mi-28 traces back to before the fall of the Soviet Union, with the original variant making its first flight in the 1980s. The project was shelved in the 1990s and then subsequently revived. The first version to enter actual operational service was the Mi-28N in the late 2000s. Russia subsequently introduced an NE export version, different subvariants of which have been delivered to foreign customers in the past. A further upgraded NM variant for the Russian military was also developed in the 2010s, but has been slow to enter operational service. You can read more about the Mi-28 family in this past TWZ feature. An example of the latest Mi-2NM variant. Russian Ministry of Defense Mi-28NEs in Iraqi service. The nose of an Mi-24 Hind gunship is also seen at right. Iraqi Army Mi-28s are armed with a 30mm automatic cannon in a turret under the nose and can carry various munitions, including anti-tank guided missiles and unguided rockets, on four pylons, two on each of a pair of stub wings on either side of the fuselage. The default sensor suite on the Mi-28N includes a mast radar and a turreted infrared video camera under the nose. The exact configuration of any Mi-28s for Iran, and how many the country may have ordered in total, is unclear. The recently emerged video is too low quality to see any fine details, though it does appear to be fitted with a mast-mounted radar that has been lacking on certain other export versions of the Havoc. The still pictures show a partially disassembled helicopter, which also makes it very difficult to assess the overall configuration. The images do not offer a clear view of the nose, either, where various sensors, as well as the turreted main gun, are located. Russian Helicopters, the main helicopter conglomerate in Russia today, also notably unveiled a further improved NE variation in 2018 that was said to incorporate lessons learned from the conflict in Syria. This included a directional infrared countermeasure system to provide added defense against incoming heat-seeking missiles, as well as other survivability improvements. It had new engine air filters, a particularly desirable feature for operations in desert environments, and a digital camouflage scheme, as well. The Mi-28 seen in the pictures that emerged last week looks to have the air filters, though they are covered by tarps, and has a digital paint job. An image reportedly depicting an Mi-28NE attack helicopter recently delivered from Russia to Iran, featuring digital desert camouflage and lacking specialized screen-exhaust devices (SEDs), also known as infrared signature suppressors. https://t.co/e6AZK0g7OW pic.twitter.com/Etc5eo4RPo— H. Memarian (@HEMemarian) January 28, 2026 New Mi-28s in any configuration would be a notable addition to the Iranian arsenal. The main attack helicopter in service in Iran today is the AH-1J International Cobra, which the country first acquired during the reign of the Shah. The Islamic Republic has made some upgrades to its AH-1 fleet since the 1970s, with the resulting helicopters variously referred to as Toufans or Panha 2091s. However, at their core, these are American-made helicopters that are increasingly difficult for the current regime in Tehran to sustain. The Havoc is more survivable overall and can carry a greater weapons load, as well. If Irans Mi-28s feature the infrared sensor turret and the mast-mounted radar, the helicopters could offer an even greater boost in capability, even at night or in poor weather. That, in turn, could be valuable for responding to any kind of foreign ground incursion in the future, or to internal threats to the regime. At the same time, when an Iranian Havoc fleet might reach a level of real operational capability, and how well the country is able to sustain the helicopters going forward, remains to be seen. Moscows own demands in relation to the war in Ukraine have created additional challenges for foreign operators of Russian-made helicopters and other materiel. As noted, the appearance of Mi-28s in Iran could also reflect larger deliveries of weapons and other materiel from Russia, or the potential for that to occur in the near future. In January, online flight tracking data showed at least five flights by Il-76 airlifters from Russia to Iran, which could have been carrying Havocs or other cargo. Those aircraft could also have been bringing cargo back to Russia from Iran, or carrying payloads both ways. Ties between Moscow and Tehran have grown, in general, in recent years, as Russia has found itself increasingly isolated globally over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. There has been much talk of Iran receiving exchanges in kind for its support to the Russian war effort. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 shows at least five Russian Il-76 cargo aircraft flying to Tehran in the past 48 hours, pointing to a spike in undeclared Russian deliveries to Iran. pic.twitter.com/jLP8bz45iA— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 1, 2026 In addition, since the end of the 12 Day War with Israel, Iran has been looking to bolster various ends of its depleted arsenal. There have been reports that Iran has also been seeking new air defense systems from China, another country the regime in Tehran has been working to expand its ties with. China reportedly continues to be an important source of materials to support Iranian missile programs, as well. The Mi-28 imagery has come amid the backdrop of a new surge in geopolitical friction with the United States. Just today, American authorities announced that an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flying from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea shot down an Iranian drone that had “aggressively approached” the ship. U.S. officials also accused the IRGC of harassing a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All of this follows a major build-up of U.S. military forces in the region for weeks now, together with a steady stream of reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering new strikes on Iran, at least in part in retaliation for that countrys violent crackdown on nationwide protests last month. Trump has also expressed interest in finding a negotiated arrangement of some kind with Tehran, with reports that American and Iranian officials could meet as early as Friday in Turkey. Speaking earlier on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirms the shoot down of an Iranian drone that was “acting aggressively” towards the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) today over the Arabian Sea, though states that President Trump remains committed to… pic.twitter.com/sVPzPjZIy8— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 3, 2026 When it comes to Mi-28s for Iran, evidence is growing that at least one of the helicopters has now been delivered, and more details may now continue to emerge. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Evidence Of Mi-28 Havoc Attack Helicopters Delivered To Iran Grows appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Around The Globe, Europe, Helicopters, Iran, Middle East, News & Features, Russia] [Link to media]

— Turkish F-16 Vipers Seen Operating Out Of Mogadishu’s International Airport

 

at 2/3/26 5:27pm

Turkish Air Force F-16 Vipers can be seen flying over the skies of Somalia in new videos that have emerged online. The deployment of these jets comes as Turkey is seeking to increase its presence in the troubled nation where the al-Shabaab extremist group is wreaking havoc. One video shows a Turkish F-16 taking off, afterburner ignited, from an airport in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Better footage from Mogadishu which shows a Turkish F-16 taking off pic.twitter.com/DltvrO1ypV— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) February 3, 2026 F-16 fighter jets are currently conducting test flights over Mogadishu this morning. These aircraft arrived in Somalia on Wednesday, signifying Türkiyes increasing support for the nation. It is quite probable that the Somali government is making preparations for the eventual… pic.twitter.com/VPMwXN0MIA— Bahdo Online (@Baxdo_Online) February 3, 2026 Another video shows a Turkish Air Force F-16 flying at low altitude over the city. NEW: Turkish F-16 fighter jets deployed to Somalia were seen flying at low altitude over Mogadishu. pic.twitter.com/pU23coILgH— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 3, 2026 The three Turkish F-16s landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on January 28, according to Somali government officials. The jets were “accompanied by two military helicopters intended to support operations against Al-Shabaab across southern and central Somalia,” according to the Horn Review media outlet. “While there has been no confirmation of active airstrikes conducted by the jets, their presence alone introduces a new operational dimension.” This deployment marks “the first time Turkey has forward deployed manned combat aircraft into Somalia, expanding its role beyond drones, transport aviation and advisory support,” the publication added. Turkish F-16C. (Photo by Mustafa Hatipoglu/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu “Ankara has been constructing a facility to host the F-16s over the past few months,” according to the Middle East Eye. “Turkish engineers [had] reportedly been working at the international airport for several days to prepare the site for the arrival of the jets.” The F-16 deployment is a way for Ankara “to step up strikes on al-Shabaab militants and protect its growing interests in the Horn of Africa country,” Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter. “The move is meant to bolster Turkish drone operations against the Islamist group,” which is linked to al-Qaeda and has been waging an insurgency against the government in Mogadishu for two decades, Bloomberg posited. “The Indian Ocean city — Somalia’s capital — is home to Turkey’s largest overseas military base, while Ankara is building a nearby site to test missiles and space rockets.” Turkey has a growing interest in the countrys energy industry and wants to increase trade overall, according to Middle East Eye. In addition, Somalia has vast untapped mineral wealth. The country holds significant potential in critical minerals such as aluminium, copper, iron, rare earth elements, and titanium, according to the SMA Oxford consulting firm. These minerals are vital for clean energy technologies, including batteries, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems for civilian and military use. Ankara’s deployment of its F-16s comes as al-Shabaab has been resurgent across Somalia. A view of destroyed buildings and vehicles after an attack by the terrorist organization called al-Shabaab on a hotel in Beledweyne city of Hirshabelle state in Hiran region on March 12, 2025. It was reported that 6 people were killed during the attack. (Photo by Abuukar Mohamed Muhidin/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu The jihadi groups actions have spurred the Trump administration to carry out an increasing number of airstrikes against the group. “These airstrikes have grown sharply in number during U.S. President Donald Trump’s time in office as Washington targets the al-Shabab and ISIS-Somalia jihadist groups,” Semafor reported. “A year into Trump 2.0, the number of strikes in Somalia is already at 144. That is more than half of the tally from Trump’s entire first term, which was itself record-breaking, according to the nonprofit think tank New America.” There may be another motivating factor for Turkey to bring F-16s to Somalia. Israel, its regional rival, “became the first country to recognize the Republic of Somaliland, a northeastern part of Somalia that has claimed independence for decades,” Reuters reported. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would seek immediate cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.” Turkey and Israel have long jostled for influence in the Middle East, and now it appears this competition has spread to the Horn of Africa, where Turkey continues to expand its footprint. Somalia is strategically located, with a long Gulf of Aden coastline across from Yemen and another coastline along the Arabian Sea section of the Indian Ocean. Somalia. (Google Earth) The Turkish government is increasing its training and support activities in Somalia aimed at strengthening the country’s security and stability, Turkey’s Minister of Defense, Yaşar Güler, recently stated, according to TIKLS Briefs, a daily newsletter delivering security analysis and news on the Horn of Africa. “Turkey has also established new military facilities in Somalia, including the Somali Air Command and the TURKSOM training camp in Mogadishu.” “In Somalia, we recently established the Air Force Command, which includes facilities for helicopters and drones,” added Güler. Turkey entered Somalia in 2011, helping to build the Somali National Army (SNA) by providing training, vehicles, equipment, and financial support, TIKLS Briefs noted. This is not the first time Turkey has forward-deployed its Vipers. As we previously reported, Ankara sent six F-16s to Azerbaijan during a flare-up with that nation’s fighting with Armenia in 2020. You can see a satellite image of that deployment below. There were six F-16s at Gabala International Airport in Azerbaijan, an Oct. 19 @Maxar satellite image shows. Its likely that these are the Turkish Air Force fighter jets that moved from Ganja after the city was shelled. https://t.co/49CICDF6QS— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) October 25, 2020 It is unknown at the moment how long the Turkish F-16s will stay in Somalia. Regardless, it appears that Turkey is planning to maintain a military presence in this war-torn country for quite some time. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Turkish F-16 Vipers Seen Operating Out Of Mogadishus International Airport appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Africa, Air Forces, Around The Globe, F-16, Fighters, News & Features, Turkish Air Force] [Link to media]

— F-15EX Buy Dropped By Indonesia

 

at 2/3/26 12:18pm

Indonesia, once in line to be the first export operator of the F-15EX Eagle II multirole fighter, has abandoned its plans to buy the Boeing-made jets. The deal had been in stasis for the last two years. Speaking to reporters at the Singapore Airshow, Bernd Peters, vice president of business development and strategy for Boeing Defense, Space and Security, confirmed that the F-15EX for Indonesia “is no longer an active campaign for the Boeing company.” The reason for the turnaround is unclear; Boeing deferred questions on this matter to the governments of Indonesia and the United States, which were working on the program under the Foreign Military Sales process. An Indonesian delegation, led by Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto (center), during a visit to Boeing’s St. Louis facility. Boeing TWZ has contacted Boeing for further details. Back in February of 2022, the U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Indonesia of an F-15EX derivative known as the F-15ID, as you can read more about here. By August of 2023, it appeared as if this was a done deal when Jakarta formally committed to buying up to 24 of the jets from Boeing. By now, the Indonesian version had been renamed F-15IND. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the purchase of the jets was signed in St. Louis, Missouri, the location of the F-15 production facility. Among those in attendance was Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto, who had a tour of the F-15 production line. Were honored to host Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto on a tour of our F-15 production line in St. Louis.Indonesia is an important partner and we are humbled that they have chosen F-15 to advance their capabilities for the future.More: https://t.co/DEegc15qkw pic.twitter.com/Hnz28Eoq0J— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) August 22, 2023 “We are pleased to announce our commitment to procure the critical F-15EX fighter capability for Indonesia,” Subianto said. He added: “This state-of-the-art fighter will protect and secure our nation with its advanced capabilities.” From Boeing press release:"The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever builtwhich will all be leveraged in delivering the new F-15IDNthis platform will put Indonesia at the top of air dominance capabilities" https://t.co/s8o6kXNBWY pic.twitter.com/sT3sGLePFZ— JATOSINT (@Jatosint) August 22, 2023 It’s unclear if Jakarta will instead buy another fighter type instead of the F-15. However, it’s notable that the U.S. State Department’s approval for the F-15 deal came only hours after Indonesia’s announcement that it would be buying 42 of France’s Dassault Rafale multirole fighters. Deliveries of these are now underway. [#News] Congratulations to #Indonesia and @Dassault_OnAir on its order of 42 #Rafale. Indonesia becomes the 8th country to operate the Rafale. We are very proud to supply a number of key #equipment on board! #SafranOnBoard #aviation #M88 #avgeek pic.twitter.com/giJ3H8bevE— Safran (@SAFRAN) February 10, 2022 At the time, we surmised that Washington may have been making a last-ditch effort to persuade Indonesia to opt for a mixed fleet of F-15 and Rafale jets. That bid now seems to have collapsed entirely, although we don’t yet know why. The overall cost of the F-15 deal was never made clear, but this, or production timelines, could have been sticking points. Even without F-15s, the Indonesian Air Force is building one of the most modern and capable fighter fleets in Southeast Asia. Aside from the Rafales, the Indonesian Air Force operates a mix of U.S. and Russian fighters. The Viper fleet consists of around eight survivors from the 12 F-16A/B Block 15OCU fighters delivered beginning in 1989, plus 23 upgraded F-16C/Ds. A U.S. test pilot conducts a functional check flight in an Indonesian Air Force F-16C at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in 2017. U.S. Air Force/Alex R. Lloyd In terms of Russian-made equipment, Indonesia fields several different versions of the Sukhoi Flanker. These comprise five single-seat Su-27SKs and a pair of two-seat Su-30MKs, deliveries of which started in 2003, plus nine two-seat Su-30MK2s, the first of which was handed over in 2008. Since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sanctions on Russia have likely made it far trickier to support them. Two Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18As escort Indonesian Air Force Su-27 and Su-30 Flankers during Exercise Pitch Black 2012. Commonwealth of Australia  Looking further ahead, Indonesia has long been expected to buy 50 examples of the KF-21 new-generation fighter that the country is developing jointly with South Korea. Indonesia’s PT DI is an industry partner in the KF-21 alongside Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), with a 20 percent share of the project. In the past, however, Jakarta has failed to make payments to secure its stake in the program, and its long-term commitment to the program has repeatedly been questioned. A firm commitment to the KF-21 could also have spelled the end of the F-15 acquisition. Buying both Rafales and KF-21s, as well as supporting older jets, involves enormous costs, not just in terms of upfront expenses, but also in terms of training and support. At one point, Indonesia planned to buy Su-35s, which would have seen Russia receive half its payments in the form of exports of palm oil, rubber, and other commodities. Other big-ticket arms deals have seen Indonesia rely on loan payments, reflecting the precarious defense budget situation. Sukhoi Su-35. United Aircraft Corporation For Boeing, today’s news comes as a blow, although it will be tempered by the fact that, late last year, Israel signed a contract for 25 new F-15IA aircraft. These will be the first new Eagles that the country has acquired since 1999, and these jets will also be based on the F-15EX. Meanwhile, the company says it’s still committed to working with Indonesia on existing programs like the country’s AH-64 Apache fleet. #Boeing mengucapkan selamat kpd TNI AD atas Apache AH-64 ke-8 & merasa terhormat bisa mendukung TNI AD di berbagai misi. #Apache adalah helikopter multi-role paling canggih di dunia yang dioperasikan Angkatan Darat AS & pasukan internasional. https://t.co/yIRQX3KRld pic.twitter.com/xfFZQDCDOb— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) May 16, 2018 “We feel the F-15 will continue to have a very bright future in the region,” Boeing’s Bernd Peters said. Elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, Boeing last month received a $2.8-billion award for upgrades to South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle fleet, with work expected to be completed in 2037. You can read more about this program here. Returning to the F-15EX, under the Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal, the U.S. Air Force’s program of record is now set to grow from 98 to 129 aircraft, with the addition of at least one more squadron, which will be converting from the A-10. It seems quite possible that further growth of the program could occur. Originally, the Air Force had a minimum number of 144 jets to replace the F-15C/D force. Some of the Eagle units have switched to other platforms since then, but units that fly A-10s, F-16s, and even F-15Es could end up getting F-15EX if the service chooses to go such a route. Three of the first four F-15EXs that had been delivered to the U.S. Air Force as of December 2023. U.S. Air Force Beyond that, Poland has emerged as another potential export customer for the F-15EX. Boeing is currently intent on ramping up F-15EX production to 24 aircraft annually. Between August and November of last year, deliveries were suspended due to production delays. The 16th F-15EX was delivered to the Air Force in December. Whatever happens in terms of foreign sales, the future of the F-15EX with the U.S. Air Force looks increasingly bright. Update, February 4: At the Singapore Airshow today, Leonardo announced the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) with PT ESystem Solutions Indonesia and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. The LOI is “aimed at cooperating for the supply and support of the Leonardo M-346F Block 20 aircraft to meet Indonesian Air Force operational requirements.” Leonardo Leonardo says that the LOI follows the selection of the M-346 by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense to respond to Indonesia’s training and combat capability needs. “The program will provide a major contribution to the MoD pursuing an aircraft fleet modernization plan leveraging on the M-346 advanced technology and performance to replace ageing types, such as the Hawk, among others,” Leonardo added. You can read more about the M-346F Block 20 light combat aircraft here. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com The post F-15EX Buy Dropped By Indonesia appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Around The Globe, F-15, Fighters, Indo-Pacific, News & Features] [Link to media]

— F-35 From USS Abraham Lincoln Shoots Down Iranian Drone (Updated)

 

at 2/3/26 12:08pm

An F-35C Joint Strike Fighter flying from the supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln has shot down an Iranian drone said to have “aggressively approached” the ship. Separately, American officials say that small boats and a drone belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All of this comes amid a major ongoing U.S. military build-up in the region aimed squarely at Iran, as well as reports that American officials could be set to meet with their Iranian counterparts later in the week. Reuters was first to report on the F-35C downing the Iranian drone, which was reportedly a Shahed-139. The Shahed-139 is a design roughly in the same class as the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, which could potentially carry small munitions. The Nimitz class USS Abraham Lincoln and elements of its strike group arrived in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility last month after being ordered to head to the region from the Pacific. The USS Abraham Lincoln seen sailing the South China Sea in December 2025. USN An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board. No American service members were harmed during the incident, and no U.S. equipment was damaged, U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a statement to TWZ. The unmanned aircraft aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship, Hawkins added. The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters. What weapon the F-35C used to down the Iranian drone is unknown. The carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter can be armed with AIM-9X Sidewinders and AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), and a 25mm gun pod, as well as various air-to-surface munitions. F-35Cs have been employed in the counter-drone role in the region in the past, downing uncrewed aerial threats launched by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen last year. STILL HERE. STILL CRUSHING THE ENEMY. The @CVN70 remains positioned to counter threats from Iran-backed Houthi forces. pic.twitter.com/mkWlOqoiDg— Department of War (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2025 U.S. Marines also notably used a counter-drone vehicle lashed to the deck of the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer to knock down an Iranian drone as the ship transited the Strait of Hormuz back in 2019. In that instance, the uncrewed aircraft was described as having come within a threatening range” of the Boxer. As a general aside, drones inherently present a lower risk of escalation because there is no danger of crew on board being harmed. This also has impacts on the risk calculus for employing uncrewed aerial systems more provocatively, as well as shooting them down. At the same time, U.S. operations in and around the Red Sea in recent years have underscored the very real threat that drones, and specifically ones of Iranian origin, present to American carriers and other warships. The Houthis in Yemen have actively targeted American naval vessels with kamikaze drones, as well as anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, in the past. During a separate incident hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the international sea passage. Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker, Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, also said in his statement to TWZ. Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force. A stock picture of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS McFaul. USN The situation de-escalated as a result, and the U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely. CENTCOM forces are operating at the highest levels of professionalism and ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft in the Middle East, Hawkins added. Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated. Iran’s unnecessary aggression near U.S. forces, regional partners and commercial vessels increases risks of collision, miscalculation, and regional destabilization. The Joint Maritime Information Center of the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office has also issued a notice regarding what appears to be the same incident, which also does not name the ship that was harassed. Iran has a long history of harassing (and even seizing) foreign commercial and naval vessels in and around the Persian Gulf, especially at times of increased geopolitical friction with the United States. UKMTO ADVISORY 001-26Click here to view the full advisoryhttps://t.co/RdhECK5388#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/F5XN4Wxeyv— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) February 3, 2026 As already noted, this all comes as U.S. military forces continue to flow into the Middle East. There have been reports for weeks now about the prospect of new American strikes on Iran, at least in part in retaliation for the countrys violent crackdown on recent nationwide protests. More recently, U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced interest in reaching some kind of deal with authorities in Iran, including over the future of that countrys nuclear program. There are reports that U.S. and Iranian officials could meet as soon as Friday in Turkey. “We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ones — the biggest and the best — and we have talks going on with Iran and we’ll see how it all works out,” Trump said just yesterday while speaking to members of the press at the White House. “If we can work something out, that would be great and if we can’t, probably bad things would happen. How todays events will impact U.S. decision-making going forward remains to be seen. Update: 2:52 PM Eastern Despite the incident, Trump still prefers a diplomatic solution to the tensions with Iran, according to the White House. Trump remains committed to always pursuing diplomacy first, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. But in order for diplomacy to work, of course, it takes two to tango. You need a willing partner to engage. And so thats something the president and Special Envoy Witkoff are exploring and discussing right now. Witkoff, she added, is set to have conversations with the Iranians later this week. Those are still scheduled as of right now, but of course, the president has always a range of options on the table, and that includes the use of military force. The Iranians know that better than anyone. Just look no further than the highly successful Operation Midnight Hammer, which took not just Iran but the entire world by surprise and completely obliterated their nuclear capabilities earlier last year. Speaking earlier on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirms the shoot down of an Iranian drone that was “acting aggressively” towards the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) today over the Arabian Sea, though states that President Trump remains committed to… pic.twitter.com/sVPzPjZIy8— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 3, 2026 Update: 3:35 PM Eastern The official Iranian Tasnim news outlet reported that the drone in question was actually a Shahed-129. As we have previously reported, it is similar to an MQ-9 Predator drone. “The Shahed 129 drone was on its usual and legal mission in international waters, engaged in reconnaissance, monitoring, and filming, which is considered a normal and lawful action,” Tasnim posited. “This drone successfully sent its reconnaissance and identification images to the center but then lost communication. However, the reason for this communication loss is being investigated, and details will be provided once confirmed.” The War Zone cannot independently verify Tasnim’s claims.  Iranian state media says the drone (that the US shot down) successfully carried out its reconnaissance mission before it abruptly "lost contact""The reason for this communication cut is under investigation", according to Tasnim News Agencyhttps://t.co/JDmehOv9Uz pic.twitter.com/MqUSGqnlBi— Faytuks News (@Faytuks) February 3, 2026 Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post F-35 From USS Abraham Lincoln Shoots Down Iranian Drone (Updated) appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Around The Globe, Carriers, Drones, F-35, F-35C, Fighters, Iran, Middle East, News & Features, Nimitz Class, Sea, USS Abraham Linclon (CVN-72)] [Link to media]

— KC-46 Mishap Closes Key European Logistical Hub For U.S. For Days (Updated)

 

at 2/3/26 11:53am

Four days after a KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker made an aborted takeoff at Moron Air Base in southern Spain, the runway at the installation remain closed and will be for several more days, according to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Notice To Airman (NOTAM). The base is a key logistics hub for military aircraft, equipment and personnel heading east from the U.S. to Europe and the Middle East. The incident came as the U.S. is building up its forces in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility amid growing tensions with Iran. We were the first to report about the mishap at Moron and related problems. The jet, callsign GOLD71, is still blocking the runway, according to online flight trackers. According to a firsthand account provided to The War Zone, the incident started after the KC-46 experienced an engine failure on Saturday while taking off. That resulted in rejected takeoff with hard braking that reportedly blew out eight tires. What damage was done to the runway remains unclear. We have reached out to U.S. Air Forces Central-U.S. Air Force Africa (USAFE) and Air Mobility Command for more details. The following video shows the aftermath of the aborted takeoff as the jet came to a halt. Aquí se ve el humo del tren principal, en un RTO con máximo peso, yo soy la USAF o Boeing y le meto reversas gordas a los Pegasus.Y hay que darle las gracias que no haya sido peor el incidente. pic.twitter.com/pAv0EYeeWf— Pepe Jiménez (@pepejimenezEdA2) February 3, 2026 “It was a routine takeoff of a Pegasus KC46 with an RTO (rejected takeoff) due to engine failure, emergency braking sequence and everything that involves braking a loaded tanker,” Pepe Jimenez, the aircraft spotter who took the video, told The War Zone on Tuesday morning. “AB Morón result blocked for days.” Additional images taken by Jimenez after the mishap show damaged landing gear and base emergency crews responding. pic.twitter.com/zTR3VMMalY— Pepe Jiménez (@pepejimenezEdA2) February 3, 2026 pic.twitter.com/XL4NhcrqoW— Pepe Jiménez (@pepejimenezEdA2) February 3, 2026 Jimenez also shared images showing personnel near the KC-46As starboard engine. Personnel milling about the starboard engine of the KC-46A involved in a mishap at Moron Air Base in Spain. (Pepe Jimenez) PJ After the mishap, the FAA issued an initial NOTAM on Jan. 31 notifying pilots that there was a disabled jet on the runway. That NOTAM expires Feb. 7. “AERODROME CAUTION: DISABLED AIRCRAFT LOCATED ON THE RUNWAY 1935 FT FROM RWY 02 THRESHOLD (SOUTH END),” it read.  On Monday, the FAA issued two more NOTAMs, notifying pilots that both the military and civilian runways at the facility would be closed until Feb. 6. FAA NOTAMS for Moron Air Base. (FAA) Jimenez told us that the incident left several aircraft at the base unable to take off. The list includes one KC-135 Stratotanker, another KC-46, one C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet, and the entire 11th Wing with Eurofighters from the Spanish Air Force, Jimenez told us. Another image Jimenez shared with us shows the Globemaster III and another Pegasus at the base. The War Zone cannot verify the current status of the aircraft at Moron. A KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling jet and a C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet at Moron Air Base after an aircraft mishap. (Pepe Jimenez photo) PJ It is unclear at the moment how badly U.S. logistics are affected by Morons closure. At the time of the incident, GOLD71 was part of an effort to take Air Force F-35A stealth fighters to the Middle East, according to online flight trackers. The F-35As, from the Vermont National Guard, were moving east from the Caribbean after taking part in the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. The fighters were diverted to Rota Air Base in Spain after the KC-46 mishap, and it remains unclear when the flight will resume to its ultimate destination. We were the first to report that they landed in Lajes, Portugal, and were possibly slated to head to Jordan. Further highlighting the importance of Moron, a F/A-18G Growler electronic warfare (EW) jet left Moron and landed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on Jan 31. Just like the F-35As, these aircraft departed from their assignment to the Caribbean before crossing the Atlantic. It is unclear if the Growlers took off before or after the KC-46 incident. Jimenez also captured an image of a Growler at Moron. An E/A 18-G Growler electronic warfare (EW) jet at Moron Air Base. (Pepe Jimenez) PJ “Morón Air Base is a vital link in any operation moving east from the United States due to its strategic location close to the Mediterranean and the Middle East, its massive flight line, long runaway, aircraft refueling systems and excellent weather,” according to the 465 Air Refueling Squadron, the facility’s host unit. Moron Air Base. (Google Earth) In addition to serving as a transit hub, Moron also hosts temporary deployments of strategic aviation, like the B-52J Stratotankers from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The B-52s arrived in November in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1. A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, sits on the flightline on Morón Air Base, Spain, Nov. 19, 2025, as part of Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Codie Trimble) Tech. Sgt. Codie Trimble B1-B Lancer bombers have also flown BTF missions to Moron from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas. A B-1B Lancer with the 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, is prepared for takeoff in support of Bomber Task Force Europe at Morón Air Base, Spain, April 8, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Zachary Wright) Staff Sgt. Zachary Wright While the U.S. has other bases in the region, like Rota some 50 miles to the southwest, the KC-46 incident at Moron highlights the complexities of large-scale logistic maneuvers like the one taking place now. The U.S. is flowing forces to the Middle East as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to pressure Iran to end its nuclear ambitions. This has required many cargo flights to move materiel and personnel, as well as tankers to keep them refueled along the way. The situation at Moron shows how one incident can slow a global operation for days. Yesterday, we reported that U.S. and Iranian officials were scheduled to meet on Friday for negotiations. Tuesday morning, Axios reported that Iran wants to change the venue from Istanbul to Oman. The Iranians also now want to hold them in a bilateral format, only with the U.S., rather than with several Arab and Muslim countries attending as observers, Axios added. Should the negotiations not happen or breakdown, Trump has options in the region for carrying through on his threat to attack Iran, even if there are not yet enough tactical aircraft in the region for a sustained military operation. We will keep an eye out to see when Moron reopens to continue assisting U.S. military logistics. Update: 8:11 AM Feb. 4 The KC-46 has been moved to a taxiway, and the runway at Moron has reopened, according to the FAAs latest NOTAM. However, Taxiway Alpha, where the jet was moved to, remains closed. It is unclear at the moment whether flights have resumed. The NOTAM is in effect through April 30. Moróns RWY02/20 is open again (with limitations). Personally I see a problem with the #KC46 just outside the runway strip penetrating obstacle limitation surfaces, but who am I pic.twitter.com/1C1THXCUL4— Sir Listenalot (@SirListenalot) February 4, 2026 Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post KC-46 Mishap Closes Key European Logistical Hub For U.S. For Days (Updated) appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Europe, KC-46, News & Features, Tankers, U.S. Air Force] [Link to media]

— Company Behind Drone-Killing Hellfire Missile-Armed Buggy Set To Get Marine Corps Contract

 

at 2/3/26 11:15am

The U.S. Marine Corps says it is planning to award a sole-source contract for a new AGM-114 Hellfire missile-armed mobile counter-drone system to defense contractor V2X. This is the same firm that developed the Tempest, a high-mobility 44 vehicle with launchers for radar-guided Longbow Hellfires and optimized for shooting down uncrewed aerial threats. At least two Tempest vehicles are now in active service in Ukraine, where they first emerged unexpectedly earlier this month. The Ukrainian Air Force has adopted the American Tempest air defense system into service. It has already destroyed 21 enemy Shahed drones. pic.twitter.com/MQjDANeRtm— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) January 13, 2026 Last week, Marine Corps Systems Command (MARSCORSYSCOM) quietly put out a contracting notice regarding what it is currently referring to as the Denied Area Sprinter-Hellfire (DASH) system. The program office within Program Executive Officer, Land Systems (PEO LS) Marine Corps for the Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) intends to award a hybrid contract (Firm-Fixed Price and Cost Type) on a sole-source basis to V2X for the Denied Area Sprinter-Hellfire (DASH) system, according to the notice. The Marine Corps has a unique and specific need to procure Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System already at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL)-9 level, to support dismounted Marines. The DASH system fills a critical need to detect, identify, track, and defeat small UAS in a highly mobile, rugged form factor that will help protect Marines, the notice continues. The United States Government intends to procure up to 50 systems to include training, initial spares, and reimbursable repairs with an expected delivery date for two systems of no later than 30 May 2026 and delivery of the remaining 48 systems no later than December 2026 to meet an FY27 initial operational capability requirement. This effort is expected to be awarded in Fiscal Year 2026. The notice does not provide specific details about the DASH systems configuration. TWZ has reached out to the U.S. Marine Corps and V2X for more information. V2Xs Tempest system on display at the Association of the U.S. Armys (AUSA) main annual convention in October 2025. V2X However, the mention of TRL-9 does point to DASH being a Marine Corps version of Tempest or a direct derivative thereof. In U.S. government contracting parlance, TRL-9 refers to systems that are not just fully developed, but that have also proven themselves in operationally relevant conditions. V2X first unveiled Tempest at the Association of the U.S. Armys (AUSA) main annual convention in Washington, D.C., last October. The configuration that has been seen to date, including in Ukraine, consists of a pair of launch rails for Hellfire missiles and a small form factor active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar mounted on what looks to be a modified Can-Am Maverick X3 44 off-road buggy. Ukraine’s Armed Forces have reportedly received prototypes of the new U.S.-made Tempest air defense system for testing, per Defense Express. Developed by V2X and unveiled in 2025, Tempest includes mobile and trailer-mounted variants tailored to counter drone threats. pic.twitter.com/nReBbm7ANh— NOELREPORTS (@NOELreports) January 11, 2026 It would appear there are at least two Tempest SAM platforms operational in #Ukraine. One photo posted on a forum, reportedly by an individual affiliated with the unit operating them, features a door tally indicating numerous Shahed kills. #UkraineWar pic.twitter.com/kgiSCEuK0Y— Matthew Moss | The Armourers Bench (@historicfirearm) January 12, 2026 The vehicle also has an array of antennas mounted on the left rear side, which are likely tied to a passive radio frequency (RF) detection system. The system does not have any other readily apparent sensors, such as electro-optical and/or infrared cameras. The combination of the radar and a passive RF detection system would be enough to enable the vehicle to be able to spot and track drones, and then cue its AGM-114L Longbow Hellfires to intercept them. Unlike the majority of Hellfire variants that are laser-guided, the AGM-114L has a millimeter wave radar seeker. Despite originally being designed to engage targets on land and at sea, the Longbow variant of the Hellfire has been in increasing use in the anti-air role in recent years. This extends beyond ground-based platforms, with the AGM-114L now having demonstrated counter-drone capability when employed in the surface-to-air mode from ships and as an air-to-air weapon launched from crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The U.S. Navys Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship USS Milwaukee fires an AGM-114L during a test. USN . @USArmy Soldiers engage an unmanned aerial system (UAS) from an AH-64 with upgraded Hellfire missile during Red Sands training exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. @usarmycentral pic.twitter.com/HG9ChuWxt6— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 30, 2024 At the same time, it is still possible that V2X may have developed a variation on this concept for the Marine Corps that uses a different underlying platform. The fact that the Tempest system can be installed on something as small and lightweight as a modified Can-Am Maverick X3 underscores the potential for it to be ported over to an array of other vehicles. V2X itself has said in the past that it was working on a trailer-based version intended primarily for point defense of static sites. Its also worth noting here that laser-guided Hellfires can even be employed in a man-portable configuration using tripod launchers on the ground, further speaking to the adaptability of the missile to different launch environments. A Ukrainian missile team fires an RBS-17 (ground launched AGM-114C Hellfire) at a Russian position, eastern Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/9bkMicyhji— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 19, 2023 For its part, the Marine Corps has already fielded counter-drone systems mounted on 44 Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicles, which it calls Light Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems (LMADIS). A complete LMADIS system consists of one MRZR with small AESA radars, electro-optical cameras, and passive RF detection capability paired with another one of the vehicles carrying an electronic warfare jammer. Marines also train to employ shoulder-fired heat-seeking Stinger surface-to-air missiles, also known as man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), in conjunction with LMADIS. An early version of LMADIS, lashed to the deck of the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, was used to knock down an Iranian drone as the ship transited the Strait of Hormuz back in 2019. One of the Marine Corps existing LMADIS buggies. USMC The Marines also have MADIS systems that utilize the 44 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JTLV). Like LMADIS, the larger MADIS distributes different sensors and effectors between individual JLTVs, as you can read more about here. A pair of Joint Light Tactical Vehicle-based MADIS platforms. USMC US Marine Corps Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) vehicles. USMC Regardless, V2Xs Tempest or a variation on the system mounted on a different vehicle would give the Marines a new, highly mobile platform for engaging drones and potentially other aerial threats. AGM-114Ls could be used against helicopters and some types of cruise missiles under certain conditions. It might also be possible to engage fixed-wing aircraft, but the range and speed of the Hellfire present significant limitations against that target set. A platform like the Can-Am Maverick X3 also allows for the employment of ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics. This means the system can pop up suddenly and reposition just as quickly, helping to create unpredictability for opponents and reduce vulnerability to counterattacks. This is a capability that is also beneficial for responding to aerial threats that might emerge unexpectedly. As already noted, Ukrainian authorities say they have been making good use of their Tempest systems to knock down incoming Russian drones. Footage of a V2X Tempest SAM system in Ukrainian service shooting down Russian drones with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. The first confirmed footage of the Hellfire-equipped dune buggy in Ukraine, likely supplied for live combat testing by an unknown nation. pic.twitter.com/1I1NK537Dj— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 11, 2026 All of this aligns with the Marine Corps vision for future expeditionary and distributed operations, especially in island-hopping scenarios in the context of a high-end fight in the Pacific. The service sees relatively small force packages operating from forward bases spread across broad areas, likely within range of enemy stand-off weapons. These are concepts of operations in which mobile air defense capabilities with low operational and logistical footprints would be advantageous, if not essential, to mission success. Hellfire-armed air defense systems have historically presented cost benefits, as well. As of 2020, Hellfire had an average cost, across all variants, of more than $200,000, though AGM-114Ls were likely substantially more expensive. As a comparison, the cost of a single Stinger missile has reportedly surged in recent years to as high as $400,000. Past reports have also said that Raytheons Coyote Block 2 counter-drone interceptors, which are growing in popularity across the U.S. military, have unit costs in the $100,000 range. It is important to point out that the AGM-114L is now out of production, according to prime contractor Lockheed Martin. That company has recently been touting potential anti-air applications for the successor to the Hellfire family, the AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), which has a dual-mode laser and millimeter wave guidance system. With the schedule the Marines have laid out for the DASH effort, targeting delivery of the first pair of systems by May, more specific details about the system and its capabilities may now emerge in the coming weeks and months. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post Company Behind Drone-Killing Hellfire Missile-Armed Buggy Set To Get Marine Corps Contract appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Land, AGM-114 Hellfire, Air, Air Force Munitions, Air-To-Ground, Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (C-UAS), Drones, News & Features, Sea, U.S. Marine Corps] [Link to media]

— A New-Generation Of F-16 Operations In Europe

 

at 2/3/26 10:01am

F-16 Fighting Falcon operations in Europe are in the midst of a major evolution. Long known to pilots by the nickname “Viper,” a new training center is up and running in Eastern Romania, upgrades are underway for in-service jets that are now being enhanced to a modern F-16V specification, and deliveries of brand-new Block 70/72 F-16C/D variants to first-time Eastern European customers are in full-swing. All told, this activity heralds something of a second-coming for F-16 operations in Europe. The F-16 has enjoyed prolific status in Europe for almost 50 years as U.S. Air Force and European air forces have collectively operated the Viper in large numbers. Four European Participating Air Force (EPAF) nations became the first international customers to buy the Fighting Falcon, ordering over 500 F-16A/Bs from 1975 – built locally under license – primarily to replace aging fighter stables of F-104 Starfighters. Today, a second-generation of Viper operators are realising the value of the F-16 by operating transferred EPAF jets. The new European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) flies F-16AM/BMs transferred from the Netherlands. Jamie Hunter Early model F-16A/Bs entered service from 1979 with the four original EPAF nations shortly before similar variants started joining American squadrons under the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Portugal became a fifth EPAF member from 1994 as it received surplus USAF Vipers. Greece received batches of new-build Block 30s, 50s and 52s from 1988 onwards, Türkiye received Block 30/40/50s in four batches from 1987, and then Poland getting factory-fresh Block 52+ versions, as the sprawling European F-16 family grew. The overwhelmingly positive experience of the EPAF nations with the F-16 was a factor that helped influence the four founding partners – Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway – to acquire Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as a successor to the F-16. But the story doesn’t end there. A new generation of European F-16 operators is building. Romania and Ukraine are today operating some of those original EPAF jets. The newer Block 52+ models such as those in Greece and Poland are being upgraded to the latest F-16V standard, with brand new customers in Bulgaria and Slovakia receiving the latest Block 70/72 variants fresh off the hot production line in South Carolina. Helping to underpin this new-generation of Viper operators, a new European F-16 Training Center (EFTC) has been established under a partnership between Lockheed Martin, the Netherlands, and Romania, to train combat aviators for the transferred EPAF aircraft. Originally designed to support the Romanian Air Force’s transition from the MiG-21 LanceR to the F-16, it also now trains new Ukrainian pilots, who come there to learn how to fly and fight the Viper in combat. And the lessons they learn cannot come with any more weight, as these pilots will be thrust directly into combat when they join their squadrons in their home country. A European F-16 center of excellence “Romania has stepped up when it comes to operating the F-16 in Europe, just as the Dutch did when the EPAF nations started operating the jet. The Royal Netherlands Air Force led the way in terms of introducing the F-16 in Europe. They have now passed the torch to Romania in the east of Europe,” says Bill “Sluggo” Thomas, a highly experienced F-16 pilot who today leads the EFTC for Lockheed Martin, located at the 86th Air Base in Fetești, Romania. An EFTC instructor pilot in the front seat of an F-16BM. Jamie Hunter Thomas has an abundance of Viper experience. He started flying the F-16 in 1987 with the USAF and undertook an exchange post in the Netherlands where he was attached to the Dutch F-16 Fighter Weapons School at Leeuwarden. He sat down with TWZ in his office at the EFTC to explain how the school was triggered by the rapid increase in size of the Romanian F-16 fleet, and how it became fully operational in 2023 as the only dedicated F-16 school of its kind in Europe. Romania initially acquired 12 F-16s from Portuguese stocks, followed by another five from the same source, before agreeing to buy a further 32 from Norway in 2023. When purchasing brand new F-16s through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, there is typically an accompanying support package that includes access to USAF F-16 training squadrons, such as those located at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, or the 149th Fighter Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, in Texas. However, with a third-party transfer of assets, such as with Romania, that access isn’t readily available. As F-35s have replaced Vipers in USAF service, the demand for F-16 training in the U.S. has dwindled, and so have available slots for students. Units such as those at Luke AFB, Arizona, that previously focused on F-16 training, are now dedicated to the F-35. Therefore, Romania had a burgeoning need to train new F-16 pilots and maintainers. Initially, it was able to make use of training in Portugal for its first batch of transferred Vipers. However, the rapid increase in fleet size through the acquisition of the Norwegian jets required a more substantial and enduring solution. An F-16BM takes-off from Fetești. Jamie Hunter “I think the important thing to note here is the Romanian leadership role on the eastern flank of NATO and their willingness to work with neighbouring countries,” says Thomas. “Romania is somewhat late to the game with the F-16, but now they are leading the way in supporting European F-16 operations. That takes vision and leadership to set up a training center and engage with partner nations in the region to be part of the team.” Thomas worked closely with the Romanian Air Force to curate the EFTC and furnish it with the requisite training assets, including sourcing a fleet of F-16s. Coincidentally, this came in the form of a dozen F-16s that had been retired by a Dutch training squadron located in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2022. These aircraft were originally slated to be sold to Draken, however, when that deal was canceled, the aircraft presented a solution for Romanian training and Lockheed Martin proposed to the Royal Netherlands Air Force that the jets could be used for this purpose. “In less than a year we got a contract together and on October 18, 2023, I drove onto the base here,” says Thomas. On November 7, 2023, the first five jets from the Netherlands arrived at Fetești and the first Romanian pilot training course began six days later. Fetești is located in a sparsely populated area about two hours east of the Romanian capital Bucharest by car. The air base has undergone significant infrastructure upgrades to accommodate both operational Romanian F-16s and those assigned to the EFTC, with the latter operating from weather shelters adjacent to an operations block. While the base features a raft of modern buildings, echoes of the past are never far away, with a line of derelict, rusting MiG-21 hulks sitting forlornly in full view of new Viper pilots going about their daily routine. The EFTC currently flies seven two-seat F-16BMs. Jamie Hunter A varied contractor team was assembled under the EFTC to service the Romanian Air Force contract, working to European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMAR) under the leadership of Lockheed Martin. GFD, a subsidiary of Airbus, provides former Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 instructor pilots (IPs) and Draken fulfills the same role with ex-USAF instructors for a cadre of 12 IPs. BGI provides academic and simulator instructors supporting the EFTC syllabus. Maintenance of the training fleet is provided by Daedalus with former EPAF staff, and ILIAS provides logistics management software. The F-16 training fleet was soon expanded to 18 aircraft, comprising 11 single-seat F-16AMs and seven two-seat F-16BMs, which are all in Block 15 Mid-Life Upgrade standard, which emulates many of the features found on the F-16C/D. The additional six jets came directly from retired stocks in the Netherlands and linked to Dutch support for the EFTC to train pilots from Ukraine, with an expanded fleet becoming sufficiently large to train aviators to fly the F-16. All of the ex-Dutch aircraft were recently formally transferred to Romania. On October 18, 2024, a contract was signed to begin training Ukraine pilots at the EFTC. Comprehensive training at the EFTC At first light, and with leaden gray cloud cover, the first wave of the day’s EFTC F-16 missions launches. Pairs of two-seat F-16Bs break the silence around Romania’s 86th Air Base as student and instructor teams blaze off the runway in full afterburner and quickly disappear into the thick scudding clouds as their undercarriages tuck away. Above the undercast they are quickly engaged in their respective training tasks, with most of the allocated airspace being just a short hop from the base. The F-16 course in Romania lasts roughly six months and is broadly based on the USAF Basic Course (B-Course). As is commonplace with modern fighter pilot training, this begins with academic classes, and includes judicious use of the EFTC’s two full motion dome simulators, two fixed cockpit simulators, and live flying of 10-12 sorties that teach the new aviators how to actually fly the F-16 safely. A student is expected to solo on their fifth flight. Pilots conduct a final outbrief before walking to the flight line. Jamie Hunter Unlike a typical B-Course, a tailored mission qualification training (MQT) phase follows, which covers fighter maneuvering, air-to-air and surface attack tactics, and weapons employment. Elements such as flying with the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), night vision goggles (NVGs), using the Sniper targeting pod, threat reaction techniques, ‘slow mover’ intercepts, and lots of flying on instruments in bad weather are also included. This mission qualification phase is being updated regularly to include new weapons and new tactics. “The traditional training method for the F-16 in the U.S. would be to do a basic course, then move to your allocated operational unit for local area orientation and your specific mission qualifications,” explains Thomas. “Here, we are training in the environment where these pilots will be flying operationally, so we have combined it all together into a single, streamlined, qualification course. They leave here as a wingman, but they are a full-up round.” Thomas’ comment underscores how some of these pilots will be going directly into combat, so they have to be fully-capable F-16 warfighters that bring immediate value to their squadrons. F-16 courses at the EFTC began with crossover training for experienced Romanian pilots coming from other fighters, but they are now geared towards ab initio students coming out of basic and lead-in fighter training. “On that very first class we ran here, they were all experienced Romanian MiG-21 LanceR pilots, because they had just shut down the last squadron,” says Thomas. An EFTC patch with the Impalers nickname, which acknowledges nearby Transylvania. Jamie Hunter “Three of those guys were already flight leads in the MiG. They all did a full B-Course and the mission course, and the three existing flight leads became two-ship flight leads on the F-16 ready to go back and pick up where they left off with the LanceR. The Romanian MiGs were pretty sophisticated, but it was still a big transition to the F-16.” “The challenge of taking guys who are experienced in a MiG, for example, is that they are used to wrestling with the controls. They bring that with them and try to wrestle the F-16. You dont wrestle the F-16. Theres certain habits that you have to break, thats why its really nice to have brand new guys, because they arent in any of those habits.” Unlike the old Russian jets that some of the more experienced Romanian pilots were accustomed to, the F-16 features a computerised fly-by-wire control system rather than direct mechanical linkages. The F-16’s sidestick control column in the cockpit is famous for its lack of movement, with only around one quarter of an inch of deflection. A light touch is a necessary skill for a Viper driver. When Ukraine first received F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands, it had to move quickly to train an initial core of pilots. These were all experienced MiG and Sukhoi aviators, and they learned how to operate the Viper on hastily-arranged crossover courses in the U.S. and in Denmark. Ukraine is now expanding its F-16 pilot cadre through brand new students that are coming through a diverse training pipeline. These new flyers are typically trained in Grob Tutors, Alpha Jets, and L-39s, before coming to the EFTC. To date, two classes of Ukrainian F-16 pilots have graduated from the EFTC, and there continue to be Ukrainian pilots in various phases of training, plus, new Ukrainian F-16 pilots are also being trained by the Air National Guard in Arizona. A young F-16 student gets comfortable in the back seat. Jamie Hunter “We are currently maxed-out here,” comments Thomas. “We have 25 students on six courses right now, I’ve never seen a training squadron like that. The course has already evolved through four major syllabus updates and now we are executing our first class of new Romanian crew chiefs, who are on a course run by Daedalus.” “Romania and Ukraine have different pilot training syllabi, but a lot of the elements are exactly the same. In mission qualification, for example, we run some counter-drone missions. In some cases it might be a wingman counter drone qualification, in others it might be a single-ship. You don’t want to teach people in ways that they aren’t going to operate. We look at how the pilots will be expected to operate, we don’t want to do any negative training that they will need to unlearn. When they get to their units they must be ready to go.” Simulator rides are scattered throughout the course as a means to learn new skills and rehearse missions before they are flown live. There is also a safety factor of using the two-seat B-models to fly particularly tricky missions with an instructor before they are flown solo, such as some elements of air combat and low level missions. “We do as many as we can solo,” says Thomas. “They may have three offensive basic fighter maneuvers [BFM or dogfighting] rides. The first one would be a dual with an IP and then the next two would be single-seat. The same goes for defensive and high-aspect BFM.” “Having 18 jets here is sufficient for the task, but the big thing for me was having those seven two-seaters. It actually allows us better sortie completion rates, because if the weather is terrible on the deck but it’s clear above, I can put an instructor in the back with the student in the front as a safety measure, and still go complete that ride.” An instructor pilot climbs aboard an F-16BM for an afternoon sortie. Jamie Hunter “Our simulators are critically important. You can ‘die’ in the simulator as many times as you like, but in the real world you only get one chance,” says Thomas. Reflecting the value placed on the simulators and of feedback from the front line, the EFTC course has already doubled the number of simulator rides for each student to over 50. “Live flying is very important, but what the simulator does is help you understand the consequences of your decisions. They let you become used to the pace of the mission and make decisions at that pace.” “The most crippling thing a student can do is make a mistake and dwell on it. So you made a mistake. Boom, you must stop thinking about that. Think about how you solve the situation and don’t freeze up. Deal with flying the airplane and working out the next problem rather than worrying about what just happened. The simulator can help break some of that mindset, and as an instructor you must be on top of the students during this process, because being in the air as a single-ship is not a good time to have mindset issues.” The training mindset at the EFTC is extremely operations-focused. This is no ordinary training squadron. The young Ukrainian pilots here learning how to fly and fight in the F-16 will graduate from the course and go straight to war. TWZ was able to gain some insight from a student perspective, including the value of having the F-16 in service in Ukraine. “Before we got the F-16 in Ukraine, we could do some missions, but not the really big missions like we do now,” says “Dave,” a Ukrainian student at the EFTC. “We need these aircraft because every night Russia strikes with cruise missiles, and we need to protect our people in Ukraine. There’s also missions like air support, then you can switch easily to air-to-ground. The IPs at the EFTC are preparing us for this, so at the end of the course we will be ready for war. When we graduate from this course we wont stop improving our knowledge and ourselves in this job.” “Here you see the landscape, the ground, and it’s the same as in Ukraine. We do low level route flying because the threat would drive us down there. Every time you are thinking about everything in the war, how were preparing for that in the EFTC like doing air-to-ground and then switching to air-to-air threat reactions – youre doing those kinds of things in the course.” “The students may not even know what we have planned for them on a particular mission,” Thomas explains. “They will be flying in the airspace and suddenly get a simulated surface-to-air missile launch coming at them and they need to fly certain maneuvers to defeat it. We have embedded synthetic training in the aircraft’s electronic warfare system for this.” “Baja” is a Romanian student on the cusp of graduating and heading to an operational squadron. “The Romanian pilot screening started with the Yak-52, and then I flew the IAR-99 SOIM. After that I went to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas to fly the T-6 Texan II and the T-38 Talon through Undergraduate Pilot Training and IFF [Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals]. When you come here the first part of the course is just learning the jet, getting the basic qualification as a wingman. At the start you can get some what we call “sandbags,” flying in the back seat of the two-seater and assisting the IP. Most of the program here is based on solo flying. You only fly dual where it’s needed to make sure you are capable of doing it solo.” A student taxies out on a cloudy and wet day. Jamie Hunter “For sure, flying here is more of a challenge than it was in Texas. It was always hot and sunny there, but here we’ve got some weather, but its great training. In autumn and winter basically you usually take off and land through the weather, and so most sorties involve some bad weather training,” adds “Baja.” Upgrades and new-builds In addition to training, another key feature of the F-16 evolution in Europe is modernization through both upgrades and the supply of new aircraft. Lockheed Martin’s F-16V upgrade for existing F-16s of any block brings them bang up to date and to a broadly similar standard as the Block 70/72 current production model.   The F-16V upgrade adds critical new systems to existing F-16s that are in-line with new build Block 70/72s, including the addition of the potent Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) that features an active electronically scanned array (AESA), a Raytheon Modular Mission Computer, a remodeled cockpit with a large Center Pedestal Display (CPD), and Link 16 data link. Improved interoperability with the F-35 was also an important factor in the development of the F-16V configuration. The SABR radar is a standard F-16V feature, and it offers significant benefits compared to the mechanically-scanned AN/APG-66/68 predecessors. This includes being able to scan far faster, acquiring more targets and at longer ranges, as well as the ability to produce more precise and higher fidelity tracks, even when it comes to smaller and stealthier objects. The radar is also far more reliable than its predecessor and more resistant to electronic countermeasures. AESAs, in general, have secondary electronic warfare and communications potential, as well.  A new electronic warfare package is also part of the F-16V and Block 70/72, with an option for either the L3Harris’ AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield or Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS). An upgraded Hellenic Air Force F-16V at Exercise Ramstein Flag in 2024. Jamie Hunter Greece’s F-16V modernization includes 84 Block 52+ jets, with work being undertaken locally by Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI). Speaking at Exercise Ramstein Flag in April 2025, Hellenic Air Force F-16V pilot “RAF” commented: “The AESA radar, APG-83, is what makes it stand out in the new field of battle. It gives us a high capability of tracking multiple targets at very long-ranges. We can do air-to-air and air-to-ground, it just gives us overall [situational awareness] much higher [than] we are used to.” “I’m really, really pleased with the F-16V upgrade, it’s made it into a much more modern jet. For the F-16V and its interoperability in NATO exercises, so first of all what it gives us is [] common hardware [so] that we can connect, we’re all together on a single Link 16, we can share information between us real-time, all together, which boosts our situational awareness and we can then move on to performing things that require common language [and] procedures in order to be as lethal as possible.” The Polish Ministry of Defense has followed, signing a $3.8-billion contract to upgrade the country’s full fleet of F-16C/D Block 52+ fighters to F-16V standard. The state-run Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze No. 2 S.A. (Military Aviation Works No. 2), which has a formal relationship with the manufacturer of the jets, Lockheed Martin, will perform the upgrade work. In 44 years of F-16 manufacturing at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant in Texas, some 3,620 F-16s were built, initially by General Dynamics and then by Lockheed when it acquired General Dynamics’ Fort Worth Convair division in 1993. The F-16s built under license by the European partner nations in the 1970s and 1980s were in addition to these, with other examples assembled in South Korea and Türkiye. A total of 4,588 F-16s were manufactured globally before F-16 production was moved to Greenville, South Carolina, in 2019. A two-seat F-16D Block 70 on the production line in Greenville. Lockheed Martin The plant at Donaldson Field in Greenville is now the center of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production effort. Here, the company is building brand new Block 70/72 variants for new and returning F-16 customers, including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Jordan, Slovakia, and Taiwan. The Block 70/72 variant of the F-16 builds on years of incremental development work, facilitated by Lockheed Martin’s multitude of customers, and as already mentioned, it is similar to the F-16V in terms of onboard systems, including the SABR radar. While the Block 70/72 draws heavily on the F-16V, its new-build airframe offers a service life that’s been increased from 8,000 to 12,000-hours. Some 70 percent of the airframe has been modified compared to the early F-16A/Bs, building on years of historic technical data and learning from structural enhancement programs such as Falcon STAR and Falcon UP, which reinforced certain critical areas of the F-16’s airframe that were susceptible to fatigue. The new build F-16s also come with the choice of engine — the Block 70 has the General Electric F110-GE-129 that offers 29,000 pounds of thrust and the Block 72 has the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 with 29,160 pounds of thrust. “The current backlog is 111 jets. We’ve delivered a total of 37 F-16 Block 70 aircraft, including 14 for Slovakia and eight for Bulgaria,” a Lockheed Martin spokesperson told TWZ. “The official backlog now includes a second tranche of eight jets for Bulgaria.” “Bulgarias last new combat jets were acquired over 30 years ago. Despite several attempts to date, Bulgaria faced repeated difficulties in modernizing its fighter fleet,” explains Lieutenant General Krasimir Kanev, Bulgaria’s Deputy Chief of Defense. “The long-awaited shift to modern air power became a fact with the contracts for the acquisition of F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the U.S. providing the technological leap needed for 21st-century air defense challenges. This acquisition signifies a major upgrade in capability allowing Bulgaria to continue without interruption, with its own forces and assets, to ensure both its contribution to NATINAMDS and the protection of national air sovereignty.” A brand new Bulgarian Air Force F-16D Block 70. Lockheed Martin “Bulgarias F-16 training program has evolved beyond initial air-to-air focus, with pilots now certified for complex air-to-surface missions, including virtual reality simulators and intensive flight training, enhancing their multi-mission capabilities for national defense and NATO interoperability,” Kanev adds. “Our pilots, trained in the U.S., are virtually receiving the highest level of training to ensure the use of F-16 Block 70 aircraft in their full range of capabilities. Some of the Bulgarian pilots will be trained to the level of instructor pilot, verifying that the Bulgarian Air Force can fully operate and maintain its F-16 fleet independently and meet NATO defense commitments. Additional training in Europe would provide opportunities for Bulgarian pilots, but we are not currently participating in such programs.” Kanev explains that production of Bulgaria’s first F-16s in South Carolina coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which created difficulties for Lockheed Martin and customer, while also conceding that Bulgaria has also encountered difficulties in selecting and training personnel, organizing the acceptance of the aircraft, and building the necessary infrastructure for the new fighters. “These challenges were interrelated, and the acceptance of the aircraft depended on their successful resolution.” Despite these issues, in 2025, Bulgaria received and began operating its first batch of six aircraft. “The acquisition of F-16 Block 70 aircraft will contribute significantly to the compatibility of the Bulgarian Air Force with allied formations. Interoperability can be considered in various aspects, such as infrastructure, communication and navigation equipment, the ability to share information and use of compatible communication and encrypted channels by all allied air forces allowing seamless information exchange, shared situational awareness and coordinated operations. Each of the above key aspects of interoperability will be enhanced to such an extent as to enable the Bulgarian Air Force to participate seamlessly and fully in both joint exercises and NATO missions and operations.” A Bulgarian F-16C Block 70 getting airborne for its delivery flight. Lockheed Martin The current F-16 production process continues to draw upon European manufacturing partnerships. PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary in Poland, produces the aft and center fuselage, cockpit structure, cockpit side panels and the forward equipment bay. HAI builds drop tanks, the forward fuselage engine inlet and aft fuselage airframe components. “PZL Mielec currently manufactures major fuselage structures for the newest-generation F-16 Block 70/72, and our production scope continues to expand,” comments Janusz Zakręcki, PZL’s president and general director. “This positions PZL Mielec as one of the key European contributors to the global F-16 program. Looking ahead, we see strong potential for PZL Mielec to support not only production, but also sustainment activities for the F-16 fleet.” This new generation of European F-16 operations could yield developments for the EFTC. “The training for the new Block 70/72 jets isn’t necessarily being carried out in those airplanes. A lot of the new Viper pilots are actually being trained in older model F-16s, and then they do a top-off at the end in the Block 70/72s,” says Thomas. “The airplane flies pretty much identically – its an F-16, it flies like an F-16.” An EFTC F-16BM is marshalled out of parking at Fetești. Jamie Hunter “A unit that has Block 70s could get their basic training here at the EFTC for sure. They could also do the flight lead work here, how do I keep track of my wingman, how do we keep the situational awareness going, employ weapons as a team, that kind of stuff. If there’s a special system on the airplane, that can only really be taught on that airplane or in the simulator for that airplane. So, it reads across that, in [the] future, we could maybe do that kind of work here, we could train any NATO F-16 driver.” Collectively, the EFTC, the F-16V upgrade program, and new build Block 70/72 F-16s represent a second-generation of European support for the Viper. Following initial bed-down of new F-16s in Bulgaria and Slovakia, the EFTC appears to present a logical solution for these nations to train some of its pilots and maintainers locally in the future. The pedigree of the EFTC may also present an appealing option for other more seasoned European operators of the type to make use of this tailored and highly-efficient F-16 training center, designed to become a center of excellence for the second-generation of Viper operators in Europe. The post A New-Generation Of F-16 Operations In Europe appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Sponsored Content, Air] [Link to media]

— Washington-Tehran Talks Planned As U.S. Military Buildup Continues

 

at 2/2/26 6:34pm

Jordan on Monday became the latest Arab nation to proclaim that it won’t let its territory be used in a war against Iran. Last week, we noted that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also told the White House that their bases and airspace will be off limits for any attack on Iran. These decisions, if they hold, could greatly affect how the U.S. conducts any offensive actions against Iran. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the U.S. and Iran might hold talks in Turkey on Friday. More on that later in this story. “I held a phone call with His Excellency the Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Abbas Araghchi, discussing the situation in the region and the efforts being made to de-escalate tensions, Jordans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi explained on X. “I emphasized the necessity of adopting dialogue and diplomacy as the path to reaching a peaceful resolution for the nuclear issue and ending the tension. I also reaffirmed Jordans steadfast position on the necessity of respecting the sovereignty of states, and that Jordan will not be a battlefield for any party in any regional conflict, or a launchpad for any military action against Iran, and it will confront with all its capabilities any attempt to breach its airspace and threaten the safety of our citizens. بحثت مع معالي وزير الخارجية الإيراني الدكتور عباس عراقجي في إتصال هاتفي الأوضاع في المنطقة والجهود المبذولة لخفض التصعيد. أكدت ضرورة اعتماد الحوار والدبلوماسية سبيلا للتوصل لحل سلمي للملف النووي وإنهاء التوتر. كما أكدت موقف الأردن الثابت في ضرورة احترام سيادة الدول، وأن الأردن لن…— Ayman Safadi (@AymanHsafadi) February 2, 2026 Such a move could further limit Trump’s military options in the region. Muwaffaq Salti, in central Jordan, has been a critical base housing U.S. tactical jets and other aviation assets for years. F-15E Strike Eagles based there played a key role in defending against a massive Iranian missile and drone barrage on Israel in April 2024. Over the past few weeks, Muwaffaq Salti has also seen an influx of at least 12 additional F-15E Strike Eagles and air defense systems amid mounting pressures with Iran. These join F-15Es already there, as well as A-10 Thunderbolt II close support jets and possibly American F-16 Vipers. Taking these assets out of the fight, or not allowing overflights by other aircraft, reduces the U.S. and allies ability to strike targets in Iran. It is unlikely to factor into the possibility of defending against the large number of missiles and drones Iran could fire in retaliation for any attack. There is also the possibility that his statements are for consumption by a home audience wary of war with Iran, especially if that means fighting on the side of the Israelis. Its also possible that messaging is intended to keep them from being struck by Iran in a massive retaliatory strike, but U.S. access to basing and airspace may be clandestinely allowed, even if to a limited degree. We just dont know. Regardless, these are possibilities we suggested after Saudi Arabia and UAE made their comments about not getting involved. Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan. (Google Earth) As we predicted, a flight of six E/A-18 Growlers landed at the Jordanian base on Jan. 31. They arrived after a journey from Puerto Rico, where they had taken part in the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. You can read more about what the Growlers would bring to the table for any conflict with Iran here. Two of the four EA-18G Growlers which flew to Muwaffaq Salti AB in Jordan today carry the legacy ALQ-99 jamming system and the other two carry the newer generation ALQ-249. https://t.co/Ap8okl1zJ2 pic.twitter.com/tRMvP2zoqd— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) January 31, 2026 The U.S. is sending additional Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems to the Middle East for increased protection from any Iranian attack, The Wall Street Journal reported. Now the flight appears to be heading from Kadena Air Base in Japan, which has an air defense unit operating Patriots. Online flight trackers suggest that the cargo jets are moving some of that equipment to the Middle East. U.S. air defenses are far more limited in capacity than many realize and we have seen these exact kinds of reshuffling of assets unfold prior to a crisis erupting multiple times before in the region. You can read more about the limited supply of Patriot and THAAD batteries in our past report here and what measures are being taken to at least begin to rectify this problem here. Just how much airlift work it is to move these batteries around is pretty daunting in itself. US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III #AE07FD as RCH850 is en route to Isa AB, Bahrain (OBBS) from Spangdahlem AB, Germany (ETAD).This aircraft picked up its cargo in Kadena AB, Japan (RODN) on the 31st.Similar to what we saw last spring, it appears that air defenses are being… pic.twitter.com/kW96WyKL2T— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 2, 2026 #USAF United States Air Force Middle East Activity2 February 2026 1320zU.S. Air Force Airlifter activity appears to be shifting from Robert Gray Army Airfield (Fort Hood) to Kadena Air Base, Japan. There are currently six in-progress flights originating from Kadena, and… https://t.co/OuXPiP0gGI pic.twitter.com/gPixbzKJgx— Armchair Admiral (@ArmchairAdml) February 2, 2026 There also appears to be a flight of six Vermont Air National Guard F-35A stealth fighters headed to the region. The jets moved east from the Caribbean, where they also took part in the Maduro capture. We were the first to report that they landed in Lajes, Portugal, and were possibly slated to head to Jordan. However, the F-35s were diverted to Rota, Spain, and it remains unclear when they will leave or where they will go. Even if the F-35s are bound for the East, there still has not been the kind of influx of tactical aviation needed to sustain any operation of scale. There also doesnt appear to be any immediate bolstering of aircraft at Diego Garcia, as we have seen in prior tensions with Iran and its Houthi proxies in Yemen. Recent satellite imagery shows three Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jets, a Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol jet, and perhaps two Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130J Commando IIs. Satellite imagery from today shows many of these assets have moved on or were on missions away from the base, with just what appeared to be a pair of P-8s and a heavy airlifter, possibly a C-5, present. However, the buildup at the Indian Ocean island could accelerate at any time. Activity at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean is heating up showing 3 US Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers, a US Navy P-8A Poseidon and 2 possible MC-130J Commando IIs.A P-8 was deployed there for the majority of the summer while USAF B-2s idled nearby.Diego is a used by DoD on a… https://t.co/SSSfYQM6wP— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) February 1, 2026 Complicating the move of materiel to the Middle East, a KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tanker reportedly suffered a mishap at Moron Air Base in Spain. That jet was one of several refuelers scheduled to gas up the F-35s as they flew east. Videos emerged showing the crew aborting the flight shortly after. Footage from the moment the KC-46A (GOLD71 reg. 20-46073) that was supposed to drag F-35A to the Middle east, had an engine failure during takeoff and blew 8 tires.Morón Air Base, Spain. (video @pepejimenezEdA2) https://t.co/Fg9cwNQi1C pic.twitter.com/uEb4ahPnuB— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) February 2, 2026 pic.twitter.com/nok73YffVw— Pepe Jiménez (@pepejimenezEdA2) February 2, 2026 The Pegasus appears to still be on the runway, which has backed up logistics. We have reached out to U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Force Africa (USAFE) for more details about the mishap, the status of the aircraft, and the extent to which this is causing delays in getting military supplies to the Middle East. Morón AB LEMO still NOTAM’d closed until the 6th. GOLD 71 shelled engine and blew 8 tires. The KC-46 does not have thrust reversers. https://t.co/GZcAyhd32v pic.twitter.com/F8ImJGqgc6— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) February 2, 2026 The buildup of naval forces continues as well. Late last week, the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley arrived in the eastern Mediterranean, a U.S. Navy official told us, joining the Arleigh Burke class USS Roosevelt in that body of water. The destroyers can serve as air and missile defense pickets against incoming Iranian missiles. Last week, we were the first to report that the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black arrived in the Red Sea, becoming the 10th ship in the CENTCOM region. It joins the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its three escort Arleigh Burkes, two independently deployed Arleigh Burkes, and three Littoral Combat Ships. You can read more about these moves and what they could mean for a possible attack on or from Iran in our story here. Israels IDF said today that "a joint exercise was conducted between a U.S. Navy destroyer and Israeli Navy vessels. The drill was held as part of the ongoing cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Red Sea arena. The destroyer docked at the port as… pic.twitter.com/Nl1XlYJJRA— Seth Frantzman (@sfrantzman) February 2, 2026 Many Middle East developments over the past week as the U.S. military buildup continues: Additional strike assets en route (F-35As in Rota, EA-18Gs in CENTCOM) NSA Bahrain cleared out: all forward-deployed ships (LCS, USCG) got underway Deploying THAAD battery + Patriots-… pic.twitter.com/PwRC7bXCwb— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) February 2, 2026 The exact position of the Lincoln CSG is unclear at the moment; however, the Iranians have been flying one of their drones over the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman to surveil U.S. warships in the region. An IRGC drone identified as SEP2501, continues its mission to conduct live monitoring of the U.S. Navy fleet in the Sea of Oman.Additionally, it was reported that last night also an IRGC drone was deployed over the Arabian Sea to observe U.S. Navy activities. #Iran #US pic.twitter.com/re7vCTJ9X7— IWN (@A7_Mirza) February 2, 2026 While a lot of aircraft are heading toward the Middle East, it looks like there is one less E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) jet in the region. Last week, it was reported that a BACN was heading to Souda Air Base in Crete, a common route for deployments to the Middle East. However, flight trackers reported that another E-11A forward deployed to the Middle East has left. There may be another E-11A heading to the Middle East now, though it is too early to say just where it might end up. USAF: E 11A BACN 22 9047 BLKWF01 now heading east.The E 11A it acts as an airborne communications relay, linking aircraft and other forces pic.twitter.com/HrQlyfoMxb— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 2, 2026 E-11As are highly specialized communications gateway nodes. You can find out more about BACN and its history in this past War Zone feature. It’s also worth mentioning that the BACNs spent many years exclusively deployed to the Middle East during the Global War on Terror. USAF E-11A BACN ..21-9045 heading back home. Arrived in CENTOM back in October. 12-9506 arrived a few days ago in CENTCOM https://t.co/FC2B4U7roY pic.twitter.com/a9DYFYqEe1— RivetJoint (@SpeckleBelly64) February 1, 2026 Trump on Monday told reporters that talks with Iran were ongoing We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ones … and we have talks going on with Iran, Trump told reporters at the White House. Well see how it works out. Washington and Tehran are also still working toward negotiations. White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi “are expected to meet on Friday in Istanbul together with representatives of several Arab and Muslim countries to discuss a possible nuclear deal,” Axios reported, citing sources. The talks, if they happen, mark a rare face-to-face exchange between the two sides in the wake of President Donald Trumps threats against the Iranian regime. The U.S. leader demands that Iran end its nuclear program and ship its enriched uranium out of the country, limit its ballistic missile capabilities, and sever ties with armed proxies in the Middle East. In return, the United States will not attack Iran and remove crippling sanctions. The Istanbul summit “will focus on trying to put together a package deal that prevents war. The official stressed the Trump administration hopes Iran will come to the meeting ready to make the needed compromises,” Axios added. Talks with Iran are scheduled for Friday. pic.twitter.com/rJ41g2KFZG— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) February 2, 2026 Iran’s foreign ministry says it is reviewing the terms for resuming talks with the United States, after both sides signal readiness to revive diplomacy over the nuclear issue. Iran’s foreign ministry says it is reviewing the terms for resuming talks with the United States, after both sides signal readiness to revive diplomacy over the nuclear issue.#Iran #US pic.twitter.com/sR7iIkbC5W— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 2, 2026 Iran may even agree to suspend or shut down its nuclear program to ease tensions, The New York Times reported. Iran is willing to suspend or shut down its nuclear program to ease tensions, but prefers a U.S.-backed plan for a regional nuclear power consortium. Officials said Ali Larijani recently delivered a message from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Vladimir Putin, offering to send Iran’s… pic.twitter.com/5WvOKgyw1J— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 2, 2026 Though they have expressed a willingness to negotiate, the Iranians have thrown up a major roadblock. Top Khamenei advisor Ali Shamkhani stated that Iran will not ship its stockpile of enriched uranium out of the country. That stance, if it holds, could render discussions moot. First Ali Bagheri, Larijanis deputy at the SNSC, and now Ali Shamkhani, Khameneis representative on the Defense Council, says #Irans regime will not ship its stockpile of enriched uranium out of Iranian soil. If this is the Iranian position, the talks will be over before they… https://t.co/fS7cCd4XCi— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) February 2, 2026 One reason Iran may be open to talks is that it is “increasingly worried a U.S. strike could break its grip on power by driving an already enraged public back onto the streets, following a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests,” Reuters reported, citing six current and former officials. In high-level meetings, officials told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger over last months crackdown the bloodiest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent. The unrest began in Iran on Dec. 28 over rising prices and a devalued currency that saw the rial crater now to basically nothing, as well as a devastating drought. The ongoing harsh treatment from the regime fanned the flames. By some estimates, as many as 30,000 protestors have been killed. With thousands killed in crackdowns and public anger surging, Irans Islamic Republic faces a deepening legitimacy crisis. Heres a look at whats happening, and what could happen next https://t.co/wp3MEV79iS pic.twitter.com/HjQM49AKWd— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2026 Khamenei is blaming the massive uprising against him on Trump, who last month urged that the protests continue and said, help is on its way. The fact that we call the recent sedition #American Sedition is not just because of the complex hidden security information; what makes it clear that this was an American move is the statements of the President of the United States himself, he stated on X. First, he referred to the few thousand rioters as the people of Iran. Then he said, Go forward, go forward, Im coming!' اینکه به فتنه اخیر میگوییم #فتنه_آمریکایی، فقط بخاطر اطلاعات امنیتی مخفی پیچیده نیست؛ آنچه واضح می‌کند این حرکت آمریکایی بود، سخنان خود رئیس جمهور ایالات متحده است.اولاً که به چندهزار اغتشاشگر می‌گفت مردم ایران. بعد هم گفت بروید جلو، بروید جلو من دارم می‌آیم!— KHAMENEI.IR | فارسی (@Khamenei_fa) February 1, 2026 Meanwhile, the rhetoric from Khameneis military leaders continues to be heated. The Islamic Republic “is fully prepared to confront and give a revengeful blow to the enemy, in case of any military mischief against the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chairman of the Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said, according to official Iranian media. “Escalation in the region will have grave consequences for the US and its allies,” he added, emphasizing that “Iranian forces only think of victory, without any fear of the enemys rumbling and apparent arrogance.” Still, Iranian authorities on Sunday walked back announced plans for live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported. The naval forces of Irans Revolutionary Guards have no plan to carry out as reported by some media outlets earlier this week, an Iranian official told the news outlet. The walkback happened after U.S. Central Command issued a warning to Iran over the exercise. CENTCOM will ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East, the command stated on X. We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces. https://t.co/bBiQMS1qvD— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 30, 2026 In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country remains on high alert and is prepared for a strike from Iran. Israel “is ready for every scenario,” Netanyahu said in a speech to the Knesset in response to Iranian threats. “Whoever attacks us will face unbearable consequences.”  Prime Minister Netanyahu on Iran: “There are still challenges ahead of us. Whoever attacks us will bear consequences that are unbearable for them.” pic.twitter.com/u8dzYT9nEa— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 2, 2026 While Trump has shown a willingness to negotiate, it should be noted that the White House was in talks with Iran ahead of last Junes Operation Midnight Hammer attack on Irans nuclear weapons facilities. It remains to be seen whether a new round of face-to-face negotiations takes place, but the buildup for a potential conflict does not seem to be stopping. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com The post Washington-Tehran Talks Planned As U.S. Military Buildup Continues appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: News & Features, Air, Air Forces, Around The Globe, Iran, Middle East, Navies, POTUS, Sea, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

— USS Preble Used HELIOS Laser To Zap Four Drones In Expanding Testing

 

at 2/2/26 5:19pm

The U.S. Navys Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Preble used its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system to down four drones in a demonstration last year, Lockheed Martin has shared. Earlier this month, the Navys top officer said his goal is for directed energy weapons to become the go-to choice for warship crews when it comes to defending against close-in threats. However, the service has continued to face significant hurdles in fielding operational laser weapon systems. Speaking of amazing technology, we successfully used a shipboard laser system, Lockheed Martins HELIOS, to knock an incoming UAV [uncrewed aerial vehicle] right out of the sky, the companys CEO Jim Taiclet said during a quarterly earnings call last week. The HELIOS weapon system successfully neutralized four drone threats in a U.S. Navy-operated counter-UAS [uncrewed aerial systems] demonstration at sea, showcasing an opportunity to eliminate drone attacks using lasers, and saving U.S. and allied air defense missiles for more advanced threats. A picture taken from the bow of USS Preble in 2024. The HELIOS laser is seen mounted on a pedestal right in front of the main superstructure. USN TWZ reached out to Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for HELIOS, for more information and was directed to comments from Navy Vice Adm. Brendan McLane at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) annual symposium in January. McLane is the commander of Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. As the Navys top surface warfare officer, he is also often referred to by the title SWOBOSS. The Surface Navy has a rare opportunity with leadership aligned on delivering lethality, capability, and capacity at speed. As an enterprise, we must continue to think big as we develop the future platforms within the world. We must lay the foundations for the systems on those ships now so that they deliver on their promise to the American people, McLane had said at the SNA conference. Continued iteration with USS Preble’s HELIOS laser weapons system is another example of this. Last fall, successful at-sea testing paved the way for future laser weapons systems. We need to continue on this path. I am committed to advancing laser technology to the fleet. The dream of a laser on every ship can become a real one. TWZ has also reached out to the Navy for more information. HELIOS, which also carries the designation Mk 5 Mod 0, is a 60-kilowatt-class laser directed energy weapon designed to be powerful enough to destroy or at least damage certain targets, such as drones or small boats. As its name indicates, it has a secondary function as a ‘dazzler’ to blind optical sensors and seekers, which could also be damaged or destroyed in the process. In the past, Lockheed Martin has talked about potentially scaling HELIOS’ power rating up to 150 kilowatts. A close-up look at the HELIOS laser installed on the USS Preble. USN HELIOS has been integrated on Preble since 2022, and is currently the only Navy ship equipped with the system. Several other Arleigh Burke class destroyers have received lower-powered Optical Dazzling Interdictor (ODIN) laser systems. The Navy has installed more experimental high-energy laser directed energy weapons on other ships in the past. A look at an ODIN system installed on the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Stockdale. USN Preble successfully downed at least one drone using HELIOS in a previous test in 2024. That milestone was disclosed in an annual report from the Pentagons Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) released in January 2025. A multi-target scenario is a logical evolution in the demonstration of HELIOS capabilities. The Navys experiences during operations in and around the Red Sea in the past few years have underscored the challenges defenders face at sea and on land when responding to large volume drone attacks. Uncrewed aerial systems layered in with other threats like anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles present even more complexities. The potential for traditional air defense capabilities to be overwhelmed is real. The level of complexity will only increase as artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven capabilities, including automated targeting and fully networked swarming, keep proliferating globally. Laser directed energy weapons like HELIOS offer functionally unlimited magazine depth, as long as there is sufficient power and cooling capacity. As Lockheed Martins Taiclet noted last week, lasers also offer a way to conserve traditional surface-to-air missiles for use against targets that they might be better optimized against. That is particularly valuable for ships operating in areas where opportunities for rearming may be extremely limited and/or force them to leave their assigned station for an extended period of time. This all presents cost benefits, too. As an example, the latest versions of the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), used for point defense on many Navy ships, each cost around $1 million. Many warships across the Navy are also equipped with Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems armed with six-barreled 20mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannons, but the ammunition for those weapons is not unlimited, either. Each Phalanx has enough ammunition to fire for a total of around 30 seconds, at most, at the lower of two rate-of-fire settings, before needing to be reloaded. Many ships across the Navy also have a mixture of other guns, including 5-inch or 57mm main guns, as well as 25mm or 30mm automatic cannons, all of which can also be used against close-in threats. There are still significant questions about the demonstration last fall, including how rapidly the USS Preble was able to shift HELIOS from one target to another and how long it took each one to be effectively neutralized. The proximity of the drones to the ship and what kinds of profiles they were flying are also unknown. A single laser can only engage one target at once. As the beam gets further away from the source, its power also drops, just as a result of it having to propagate through the atmosphere. This can be further compounded by the weather and other environmental factors like smoke and dust. More power is then needed to produce suitable effects at appreciable distances. Adaptive optics are used to help overcome atmospheric distortion to a degree. Altogether, laser directed energy weapons generally remain relatively short-range systems. A graphic depicting an Arleigh Burke class destroyer firing a HELIOS laser. Note that the beam would not be visible to the naked eye during a real engagement. Lockheed Martin In addition, laser directed energy weapons, especially sensitive optics, present inherent reliability challenges for use in real-world military operations. Shipboard use adds rough sea states and saltwater exposure to the equation. There is also the matter of needing to keep everything properly cooled, which creates additional power generation and other demands. Despite the hurdles, the U.S. Navy, as well as other navies globally, have continued to pursue laser directed energy weapons, as well as high-power microwaves, because of the capabilities they promise to offer in the face of an ever-expanding drone and missile threat ecosystem. HELIOS and ODIN both feature prominently in the design of the Navys future Trump class battleships. There has been talk already about the potential for expanding that directed energy arsenal to include lasers with megawatt-class power ratings. “You know, we have continuous electron beam, free electron lasers today that can scale to megawatt-plus, gigawatt-plus [power ratings], Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, told TWZ and other outlets at the Surface Navy Association’s (SNA) annual symposium last month. “I’m telling you that I don’t think a one-megawatt laser is beyond what should be on that battery [on the Trump class].” A rendering of the first Trump class battleship, to be named USS Defiant, firing various lasers, missiles, and other weapons. USN Beyond the Trump class, “this is my goal, if it’s in line of sight of a ship, that the first solution that we’re using is directed energy, Caudle also said. “Point defense needs to shift to directed energy. It has an infinite magazine.” “What that does for me is it improves my loadout optimization, so that my loadout, my payload volume is optimized for offensive weapons,” the Navys top officer added. Furthermore, “as you increase power, the actual ability to actually engage and keep power on target, and the effectiveness of a laser just goes up.” Challenges to the Navys directed energy future clearly still remain. In speaking last month, Caudle was optimistic for the future, but he has been open about difficulties in the past. At the SNA symposium in 2025, the admiral, then head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, said he was “embarrassed” at the state of his services directed energy weapon developments. “I am not content with the pace of directed energy weapons, Vice Adm. McLane had also said back in 2024. We must deliver on this promise that this technology gives us. This is reflective of broader difficulties that all branches have faced in the development and fielding of laser directed energy weapons, in particular, for use in the air and on the ground, as well as at sea, as you can read more about here. What we do know is that the Navy continues to use the USS Preble to prove out the HELIOS system, including with the recently disclosed demonstration of its drone-zapping capabilities last fall. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The post USS Preble Used HELIOS Laser To Zap Four Drones In Expanding Testing appeared first on The War Zone.

[Category: Sea, Arleigh Burke Class, Destroyers, Directed Energy, Lasers, Navies, News & Features, U.S. Navy] [Link to media]

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