Air Force
Boeing’s X-32 Fighter Can Be Explained in 3 Words
A Total Failure: In the 1990s, the U.S. launched the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to develop a versatile multirole fighter that could streamline procurement and maintenance across its military branches...
YF-23 Black Widow Stealth Fighter Can Be Explained in 3 Words
Destined to Fail: The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23, a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed in the late 1980s as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, competed closely with...
SR-71C was a Real ‘Frankenstein’ Blackbird Spy Plane That Hit Mach 3.56
What You Need to Know: The SR-71C “Hybrid Trainer,” nicknamed “The Bas****,” was a unique Blackbird variant created by merging parts of two different SR-71 aircraft. -Built using the front...
F-35 Fighter Is Becoming a $2,000,000,000,000 Headache
What You Need to Know: The cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is expected to exceed $2 trillion over its lifespan, according to a new GAO report, marking a...
China’s New H-20 Stealth Bomber Can Be Explained in 2 Words
Flying Soon? China’s H-20 stealth bomber aims to rival the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 Raider, marking a significant leap in Beijing’s strategic capabilities. -Expected to enter service this decade, the H-20’s...
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft Could Transform the Air Force
What You Need to Know: The U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has reached a major milestone, with Anduril’s “Fury” and GA-ASI’s “Gambit” unmanned aerial systems passing critical...
China’s ‘Missile Swarms’ Would Overwhelm America in a War
What You Need to Know: The U.S. defense industrial base is under immense strain, leaving the nation ill-prepared for a potential high-intensity conflict with China. Ongoing support for Ukraine and...
China Is Freaked: Taiwan Wants the F-35 Fighter
What You Need to Know: Taiwan is reportedly seeking to procure F-35 Lightning II fighters, along with other advanced American defense systems, to bolster its ability to deter a potential...
F-15SE Silent Eagle: ‘Stealth’ F-15 That Never Joined the Air Force
What You Need to Know: The F-15SE Silent Eagle, introduced in 2009, was Boeing’s stealth-enhanced variant of the F-15 Strike Eagle, designed primarily for the export market. It featured conformal...
The Air Force Has Bigger Plans Than NGAD 6th-Generation Fighters
What You Need to Know: The U.S. Air Force is developing three ambitious programs to maintain air superiority: the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)...
No Tom Clancy Book: America Really Purchased 21 Russian-Made MiG-29 Fighters
What You Need to Know: In the 1990s, the U.S. acquired 21 MiG-29 fighters from Moldova to prevent their sale to Iran and to study advanced Soviet aviation technology. The...
The A-10 Warthog Could Finally Be Headed for Retirement
Two years after celebrating her fiftieth birthday and thirty-three years after proving her efficacy as a tank killer in the Persian Gulf War (AKA Operation Desert Storm), the ever-rugged, ever-reliable Fairchild Republic A-10 Warthog steadfastly refuses to “go...