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American Special Operations Forces Are At A Crossroads

Nowhere was the great pivot to near-peer threats clearer than at this year’s special operations convention in Tampa, Florida.

By Howard Altman
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A black-and-white photo shows a man standing next to a surface (above ground) bomb shelter that is advertising Victor J. Nelson's sales and distribution business, circa 1951. (Jim Heimann Collection/Getty Images)

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

A laid-back weekend discussion with old friends and new.

By Tyler Rogoway

9:30 PM EDT May 10

Russian Artillery

Ukraine Situation Report: Russia Launches Offensive In Kharkiv Region

Russia looks to be seeking to build on its recent momentum on the battlefield by opening up a new front in northeastern Ukraine.

By Thomas Newdick

7:15 PM EDT May 10

A B-2 Spirit taxis at Whiteman Air Force Base

Damaged B-2 Won’t Be Repaired, Fleet To Shrink To 19 Jets

The Air Force deeming one of its B-2s to be “uneconomical to repair” comes as it pushes ahead with work on the new B-21 Raider.

By Joseph Trevithick

6:36 PM EDT May 10

After an extraordinary career spanning more than 80 years of service, and plenty of wartime missions, the South African Air Force (SAAF) is preparing to retire its last C-47 Dakotas. The decision is yet to be formally announced by the SAAF but looks set to confirm the fate of the service’s Dakotas, which have now been grounded for around two years.

South Africa’s C-47 Dakotas Set For Retirement After 80 Years Of Service

Amid budget cuts and spares shortages, time is finally up for South Africa’s Dakotas, most of which were delivered in World War Two.

By Thomas Newdick

4:54 PM EDT May 10

Air
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), which won the contract to build the U.S. Air Force’s highly specialized Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) aircraft last month, has acquired five Boeing 747-8s from Korean Air. The likelihood is that these will be converted as the successors to the Air Force’s aging 747-200-based E-4B Nightwatch ‘doomsday planes,’ although at this stage we still don’t know how many of the new SAOC aircraft will be fielded.

Former Korean Air 747s Slated To Become USAF Doomsday Planes (Updated)

Korean Air has confirmed the sale of five of its 747-8s to SNC, which is building the new Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft.

By Thomas Newdick

2:21 PM EDT May 9

H-6 Little Bird’s Future Upended Due To Army Axing Armed Scout Helicopter

By Joseph Trevithick

1:47 PM EDT May 9

Our First Look At The Tiny Cruise Missile That Aims To Arm AC-130 Gunships

By Joseph Trevithick

9:16 PM EDT May 8

A-10 Warthogs Escorting A Ballistic Missile Submarine Is Certainly Different

By Oliver Parken

8:28 PM EDT May 8

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Sea
A fourth Combatant Craft Heavy stealthy special operations boat is now on order for the Navy and testing of a loitering munition launcher for the Combatant Craft Medium is underway.

Navy’s Secretive Fleet Of Stealthy Special Operations Boats Set To Evolve

A fourth Sealion stealth boat is on order and tests of a new loitering munition launcher on a smaller type are underway.

By Joseph Trevithick

8:04 AM EDT May 10

Mako Is A Jet Ski Turned Into A Weaponized Drone

By Howard Altman

5:54 PM EDT May 9

Rifle-Armed Robot Dogs Now Being Tested By Marine Special Operators (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Oliver Parken

10:32 PM EDT May 7

Ukrainian Drone Boats Now Armed With Adapted Air-To-Air Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

1:34 PM EDT May 6

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Land

The replacement for Barrett .50 caliber riles, a well as Mk 15s in the same caliber, in U.S. special operations forces inventories may be chambered in a new smaller cartridge.

Barrett .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle Replacement For SOCOM May Fire A Smaller Round

byJoseph Trevithick

12:57 PM EDT May 10

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Space

Satellites in space

Russia’s Anti-Satellite Nuke Could Leave Lower Orbit Unusable, Test Vehicle May Already Be Deployed

byJoseph Trevithick, Oliver Parken

7:00 PM EDT May 3

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Nukes

Iskander M Ukraine running low

Putin Orders Tactical Nuclear Drills In Response To Western “Threats”

byThomas Newdick

8:12 PM EDT May 6

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SOF Week '24

Green berets on Shemya

American Special Operations Forces Are At A Crossroads

byHoward Altman

2:20 PM EDT May 12

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