Military
Formally Retired in 2007, the F-117 Still Flies for the Air Force
As an aggressor aircraft, the F-117 can teach pilots how to detect and engage with a low-radar cross-section jet. The F-117 will forever hold a place in aviation lore as...
Why Israel Wants the F-22 Raptor (And Why It Won’t Get It)
Considering Israel’s proximity to hostile neighbors, it is fair to assume the nation has more wants than needs when it comes to arms. From air defense systems and fighter jets...
Meet America’s Five Air Aces of the Vietnam War
As I noted in my recent story on the passing of Col. Perry Dahl (USAF, ret.) at the ripe old age of 101, American fighter aces—i.e., combat aviators who destroyed five or more...
South Africa’s Cold War-era Olifant Tank Is the Best in Africa
When one thinks of Cold War-era main battle tanks that remain in service in the present day, chances are the American-made M1 Abrams comes immediately to mind, along with the Russian-made T-72, the British-built Challenger,...
The F-111 Aardvark: This Resilient Plane is Properly Named
While most American military aircraft are given names that connote athleticism, virility, hostility, or prowess (i.e., Lighting, Raptor, Poseidon, Thunderchief, Mustang, Apache, Talon, and Sabre), others are simply given the...
Pete Hegseth May Be America’s Next Secretary of Defense
Pete Hegseth has made it through his confirmation hearing and now appears to be on a glide path for confirmation as secretary of defense. The hearing, which lasted four hours,...
The A-6 Intruder Bomber Fought Hard for the Navy and Marines in Vietnam
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was the first all-weather attack aircraft ever to serve with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. First introduced in 1963, the A-6 stood out as a subsonic aircraft...
Air Force’s New B-52J Stratofortress Passes Another Key Milestone
The U.S. Air Force’s latest B-52 variant just reached another milestone. According to the service, the bomber’s F130 engines have passed their critical design review. These engines are expected to...
German Self-Propelled Howitzers are Getting Ready to Roll Into Ukraine
The German-language Stuttgarter Zeitung reported that the first six RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) have been handed over to the Ukrainian military at Rheinmetall’s plant in Kassel. The initial half-dozen vehicles will be...
Operation Bolo Proved Col. Robin Olds’ Status as an Air Force Legend
“We flew in the Wolfpack with Robin Olds/Some of us ain’t coming back/In a Foxtrot-Four called the Phantom II/We flew with the Red River Rats/Robin came over to Ubon, an ace...
America Is Not Prepared to Fight China’s Two Newest Stealth Bombers
China is reportedly developing two stealth bombers: the H-20 strategic bomber and the JH-XX tactical bomber. If China is capable of finishing either project, the military implications for the region...