Tech & Tactics

News, explainers, and analysis about military tech and tactics.

Latest in Tech & Tactics

U.S. Sailors man the rails on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the ship's departure from Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, March 14, 2026. Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations as part of a scheduled homeport shift to Norfolk, Virginia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad)

Navy says USS Nimitz will put off retirement and stay in service into next year

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted 11 Hours Ago

An MQ-9 Reaper taxis on the runway after landing in support of Freedom Flag 24-1 at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 23, 2024. Freedom Flag 24-1 is an advanced, large-scale tactical exercise between the U.S. and allied partners dedicated to the protection of regional peace and stability through the adaptation of novel and collaborative training methods, ensuring readiness against a wide range of threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Maria Umanzor Guzman)

The Reaper just won’t quit: Try as they might, the military can’t ditch the MQ-9

By Kyle Gunn, Nicholas Slayton

Posted 20 Hours Ago

An F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 87, lands on the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Dec. 11, 2025. U.S. military forces are deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the president's priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. (U.S. Navy photo)

Fighter Aircraft

Navy F-18 that got the US’s first air-to-air kill in the 21st century is taking part in the Iran War

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 14, 2026

Air Force engineer found not guilty of cover-up in deadly Marine KC-130 crash

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 13, 2026

M111 Offensive Hand Grenade

Why the Army’s new M111 grenade uses blast overpressure instead of fragmentation

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 12, 2026

U.S. Soldiers with the 1-151st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 59th Aviation Troop Command, South Carolina National Guard, conduct their annual aerial-gunnery qualification table at the Poinsett Range, Sumter, South Carolina, May 22, 2024. Aircrews fired both 30mm rounds and rockets, the training allowed Soldiers to sharpen their armory skills, communication and team work with their assigned AH-64 Apache helicopters. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Tim Andrews)

US Apache pilots explain how helicopters are shooting down Iranian drones

Posted on Mar 11, 2026

Image: U.S. Sailors man the rails on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the ship's final departure from Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Mar. 7, 2026. Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations as part of a scheduled homeport shift to Norfolk, VA. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad)

USS Nimitz sets off for Latin America in its last deployment

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 9, 2026

251217-N-QR679-1019 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 17, 2025) - Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Asheville (SSN 758) steams forward off the coast of Guam during a photo exercise, Dec. 17, 2025. Assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, Annapolis is one of five fast-attack submarines forward-deployed in the Pacific. Renowned for their unparalleled speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, fast-attack submarines serve as the backbone of the Navy's submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. James Caliva)

Why Iran’s warship ‘didn’t have a chance’ against a Los Angeles-class submarine

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Mar 4, 2026

NELLIS AFB, NV - APRIL 25: A United States Air Force pilot (L) and weapons system officer look out the cockpit of their F-15E Strike Eagle as the jet is prepared for takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base while participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 (JEFX 06) April 25, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. JEFX is a biannual test of new systems and technologies by every branch of the military in an attempt to speed their introduction into the modern battlefield. This year's tests involve about 1,400 personnel from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia studying new technologies during mock combat over the Nevada desert and center on finding better ways to communicate critical information between armed forces. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Fighter Aircraft

Former fighter pilots explain what it’s like to eject, following Kuwait shoot downs

Posted on Mar 3, 2026

A Vulcan rocket carrying the USSF-87 mission successfully launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Feb. 12, 2026. The USSF-87 payload includes the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) system that will improve our ability to rapidly detect, warn, characterize and attribute disturbances to space systems in the geosynchronous environment. (U.S. Space Force photo by Gwendolyn Kurzen)

Space Force to refine ‘orbital warfare’ maneuvers with new prototype

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 2, 2026

Image: U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)

Iran strike marks first time US used new one-way attack drones in combat

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 1, 2026

U.S. Army Spc. Israel Arreguin with the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 759th Military Police Battalion, assigned to Joint Task Force - Southern Border and a Border Patrol agent conduct detection and monitoring operations from an observation post near Wellton, Ariz., April 23, 2025. Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, Joint Task Force – Southern Border aligns efforts to seal the southern border and repel illegal activity and is responsible for full-scale, agile, and all-domain operations, which will allow for more effective and efficient DoD operations. (U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Erica Esterly)

Military shoots down Customs and Border Protection drone with a laser

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 11: A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopter is displayed on the National Mall in preparations for celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army on June 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

Fight over military aviation safety reform stalls in Congress

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Feb 24, 2026

Image: A Soldier assigned to 1st Cavalry Division maneuvers a drone on the Hunter/Killer Lane during the U.S.Army Best Drone Warfighter Competition on Feb. 18, 2026, in Huntsville, Ala. Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers began competing for the top warfighter while showcasing their agility, adaptability, and lethality as they adapt to the evolving modern battlefield. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michelle Lessard-Terry)

The Army crowns the winners of its first drone competition

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Feb 22, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Lauren Sweitzer, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, marshals an E-3 Sentry, assigned to the 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2022. The aircraft provides an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Ross)

As aging Air Force AWACS heads to Middle East, where is its replacement?

Posted on Feb 20, 2026

An AH-64E Apache crew, assigned to 1-3 Attack Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, prepares to engage during aerial gunnery training at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Oct. 2, 2025. Gunnery qualifications are a cornerstone of their ability to provide a lethal and credible aviation force to U.S. Army Europe and Africa, essential for maintaining the combat readiness and lethality of 1-3 Attack Battalion. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Josefina Garcia)

Army successfully tests Apache with new ammunition meant to shred drone swarms

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Feb 17, 2026