Browsing: Technology & Weapons

After several years of work, Sikorsky, owned by Lockheed Martin, has finally developed and proven the operability of a new type of aircraft, the Rotor Blown Wing. Its main feature is the ability to fly horizontally, like an airplane, and also land and take off vertically without any mechanical changes to the configuration itself. That is, unlike tiltrotor aircraft, it does not need to rotate the propellers, an action that ordinarily requires a very complex torque transmission. According to Sikorsky, in January 2025, the new aircraft made 40 takeoffs and landings and 30 transitions between two flight modes, and also…

Fighters of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade are employing ground drones to install the Egoza spiral engineering barriers in Donetsk region. This method enhances battlefield defenses while reducing risks to personnel. A video released by the Brigade on March 13 showcases the operation, highlighting how these barriers obstruct russian movement. “This is needed to hinder enemy equipment and infantry. It will be harder for the enemy to pass through a field covered with the Egoza barriers, they could get entangled in it, Ukrainian drone operator with the call sign Barik explained. The operators emphasize the growing role of ground-based robotic…

At the end of February 2025, the American company Teledyne FLIR announced that it had received a contract from the Bundeswehr to supply the German army with its Black Hornet 4 reconnaissance nano UAVs – the implementation of the concluded agreement will last two years. Some details about this agreement were published by the Zona Militar publication, which spoke with Nils Haagerund, Senior Director UAS – US Programs at Teledyne FLIR Defense. The Teledyne FLIR representative, among other things, also spoke about his vision of the future family of Black Hornet drones, which are also in service with the Ukrainian…

From 2024 onward, the U.S. Air Force has suspended the implementation of the NGF (Next Generation Fighter) 6th-gen fighter jet project, developed under broader NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) program. The decision was made to step back and scrutinize whether the concept is still viable. After speaking with several U.S. military officials, The War Zone has learned the results of this evaluation, particularly, if achieving air superiority will be critically important in future warfare. In short: yes, it will. During a discussion at a symposium held by the Air and Space Forces Association, the U.S. Air Force reached the conclusion…

Turkish company Aselsan has demonstrated a new testing phase of its GÖKBERK, a counter-UAV directed energy weapon that was combined with the İHTAR electronic warfare system in its updated version. During the tests, the combat laser proved effective against drones of various types, including a commercial quadcopter, a winged reconnaissance UAV, and an FPV drone. The last one was actually the most difficult to defeat because FPV drones are generally made of a different, sturdier plastic; its components and electronic boards are arranged less densely, making them more survivable. This feature was studied in practice by the Swedish small arms…

The IRIS-T surface-to-air missile system, which has been deployed with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has once again demonstrated its effectiveness in combat. On March 12, the West Air Command shared a video on Facebook showing successful interception of russian cruise missile. The footage captures the moment the IRIS-T missile is launched from its platform, streaking toward its target before detonating on impact. The powerful explosion completely destroys russian missile, preventing it from reaching its intended destination. This interception highlights the crucial role of Western-supplied air defense systems in protecting Ukrainian airspace against ongoing russian missile attacks. The IRIS-T system…

It’s no secret that Ukrainian soldiers are developing cutting-edge technologies that are changing the rules of the game on the battlefield. Among these innovations are fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones, which have virtually no analogs in the world. Their uniqueness lies in their resistance to electronic warfare (EW) measures, making them an effective weapon on the front lines. Soldiers from the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Kholodny Yar” shared their experience using fiber-optic drones, discussing their advantages and drawbacks in a video on the brigade’s channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwY2xjawI_o-NleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHc2hYMaLVzKIrrrfF-Hsu55leDL7SitZmf-v4-rFBEluTSEheNry8dYlYw_aem_5A1oLpZs2F_URs2WplNAEA&v=yKXBwZZ-Paw&feature=youtu.be A fighter with the call sign “Omar,” along with his comrade “Shyba,” operates these drones directly…

Since 2019, Poland has been conducting the Drop program, under which it wants to manufacture new medium military transport aircraft at its facilities to replace the existing C-130 Hercules, which were received from the United States in used condition. Until now, the implementation of this program has hardly progressed, but now the Polish aircraft industry can get a new impetus thanks to an offer from Brazilian Embraer for KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft. Brazil offers Poland not only to buy these aircraft, but also to launch its own production, with the wide involvement of local contractors. At the same time,…

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that European SAMP/T air defense systems have been ineffective in Ukraine, citing both a missile shortage and poor performance against ballistic threats. News Hub has already addressed the missile supply issue by analyzing the global stocks of Aster missiles and their production rates. The second concern is more complicated, so we’ll discuss it separately. As claimed by “people familiar with the matter,” SAMP/T’s struggle with ballistic intercepts stems from software issues. This immediately draws historic parallels with the well-documented failure of Patriot systems during the 1991 Gulf War, where the American system missed…

Midnight March 10–11, 2025, the Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out a long-range kamikaze drone attack on the enemy territory which reportedly became the most massive since russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Media outlets in russia report 337 unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted by air defense, the total number of UAVs launched by Ukraine was not specified. The highlight of this aerial raid was the new Ukrainian long-range drone that made its appearance, possibly for the first time. One of the videos filmed by eyewitnesses during the attack recorded the moment a UAV, visually resembling the iranian Shahed-136, was taken down…