The introduction of drones has, in many ways, changed the face of warfare. Between long duration loitering, reconnaissance and even direct fire support, drones have already proven their value on the battlefield. It seems likely that, in the years to come, we’ll only see more autonomous aircraft in the skies above our war fighters. However, one of […]
Fighter Sweep
The gift for the guy that has everything? Florida firm puts Mig-29 up for sale
The Mikoyan MiG-29 (which goes by the NATO designator “Fulcrum”) may not have been the best dog fighter around (depending on who you ask), but it was purpose built to stand toe to toe with some of the best fighters the United States still has in its arsenal. When the Mig-29 first entered into service with the […]
Is Red Dawn a reality? Marines to procure Russian helicopters to prepare for a fight against Russian forces
Earlier this year, the U.S. Marine Corps filed a solicitation to procure their own Russian Mi-24 Hind or Mi-17 HIP transport helicopter with one specific goal in mind: realistic preparation for a fight against Russian forces. Not just that, however, they also want a full contractor staff to support and operate the aircraft against Marines […]
Sikorsky and Boeing finally reveal what might be the Army’s new chopper
Following much speculation, Sikorsky and Boeing have finally revealed their new prototype helicopter, which is vying to become the U.S. Army’s next utility helicopter. There are two contestants left in the Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program, which will produce the next generation utility helicopter. Competing with the SB-1 Defiant is the Bell V-280 Valor. The Army […]
Check out the 3-barrelled machete gun carried into orbit by Russian cosmonauts until 2006
Here in the United States, there’s a certain image of the Astronaut’s journey we’ve grown accustomed to: a dramatic launch, a majestic weightless experience, turbulent reentry, and finally, a splashdown somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. From there, America’s Navy swoops in, picking up the floating Astronauts and their capsules (barring an embarrassing incident like Gus Grissom’s Liberty […]
Air Force pilots will now carry a lot more firepower in case they’re forced to eject behind enemy lines
If you’re a bomber of fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, having to eject from your aircraft sounds like a worst case scenario, but as those who have done it behind enemy lines will attest, making it to the ground is just the start of your troubles. Currently, most pilots carry no weapons beyond a […]
The Gray Wolf: The Air Force’s plan to overwhelm enemy defenses with missile swarms instead of new tech
The United States has long relied on its arsenal of advanced and powerful cruise and ballistic missile platforms to serve as force multipliers, enforcers of American foreign policy, and of course, a nuclear deterrent. The American military boasts a massive stockpile of such missiles, deployable from land, sea, and air assets, and is able to […]
Ever wonder how they test ejection seats? With rocket trains, of course
Having to eject from an aircraft is never a good day — even when everything goes well. The human body just isn’t designed to withstand the sort of punishment a fighter pilot experiences when he or she makes the decision to ditch, but thanks to a great deal of research and experimentation, humanity has somehow […]