Steve Balestrieri

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

In 1968, an SR-71’s Engine Exploded at Mach 2.88 Over Oklahoma — Colonel Sheffield Refused to Eject and Rode the Burning Plane Down

On July 29, 1968, Colonel Richard “Butch” Sheffield was the Reconnaissance Systems Officer aboard an SR-71 Blackbird piloted by Ben Bowles at Mach 2.88...

Steve BalestrieriMay 10, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The F-22 Was Classified ‘Stealth+’ and the F-47 Is Classified ‘Stealth++’ — Boeing’s Sixth-Gen May Be the Stealthiest Fighter Ever

Boeing’s F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter has been designated “Stealth++” by the U.S. Air Force — a classification one tier above...

Steve BalestrieriMay 10, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Yamato Was the Largest Battleship Ever Built — 386 American Planes Sank Her Before She Could Fire on a U.S. Battleship

On April 7, 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato — the largest battleship ever built, displacing nearly 72,000 long tons and armed with...

Steve BalestrieriMay 9, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Boeing Won a $20,000,000,000 Contract for the F-47 NGAD — 185 Aircraft Designed to Replace the F-22 and Outclass China’s J-20

In March 2025, President Donald Trump and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced that Boeing had won a $20 billion...

Steve BalestrieriMay 9, 2026

Boeing's 2707 supersonic transport was designed to fly at Mach 2.7 — 2,071 miles per hour — carrying up to 277 passengers, more than triple the capacity of the Anglo-French Concorde. Powered by four General Electric GE4 turbojets, the largest straight turbojet engines ever built, two prototypes were under construction in Seattle when Congress killed the program in 1971 by a single Senate vote. Boeing laid off more than 60,000 workers, pivoted to the subsonic 747, and 55 years later no American supersonic airliner has ever entered service.

Dollars and Sense

At 2,071 MPH, Boeing’s 2707 Was Faster and Bigger Than Concorde — Congress Killed It in 1971 by 1 Vote and No American SST Has Flown Since

Boeing’s 2707 supersonic transport was designed to fly at Mach 2.7 — 2,071 miles per hour — carrying up to 277 passengers, more than...

Steve BalestrieriMay 8, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

At Mach 2.1 and $9 Million, the F-20 Tigershark Cost a Quarter of an F-14 — 40 Years Later, the U.S. Has Never Built Anything Like It

In 1983, Northrop unveiled a Mach 2.1 fighter that cost $9 million — one quarter the price of an F-14 Tomcat — built on...

Steve BalestrieriMay 8, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

In 1982, Northrop’s Tacit Blue ‘Whale’ Had a Radar Cross-Section Smaller Than a Bat — and Stayed Classified for 18 Years

In 1982, Northrop quietly flew a stealth aircraft so radar-invisible the U.S. Air Force later said its radar cross-section was smaller than a bat’s....

Steve BalestrieriMay 8, 2026

An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing F-22 Demo Team, performs an aerial routine during the Wings Over Wayne Air Show at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, May 20, 2023. Wings Over Wayne provides an opportunity for North Carolina residents and visitors from around the world to see how SJAFB builds to the future of airpower and displays a history of aircraft innovation and capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kevin Holloway)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Chinese Computer Simulations Just Showed a Single J-20 Has Less Than a 10% Chance of Beating an F-22 Raptor in Combat

China’s own computer simulations show that a single J-20 Mighty Dragon has less than a 10% chance of defeating an F-22 Raptor in combat....

Steve BalestrieriMay 8, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor performs a vertical climb during the 2025 Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) Kaneohe Bay Air Show, at MCBH, Aug. 9, 2025. The Kaneohe Bay Air Show provided an opportunity to showcase the aircraft, equipment, and capabilities of the armed forces in the Indo-Pacific region to the local community. The air show, which contained aerial performances, static displays, demonstrations, and vendors, was designed to celebrate MCBH’s longstanding relationship with the local community. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Peter Bannister)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 and F-35 Stealth Fighter Smasher: Russia’s New S-500 Prometheus Air Defenses System Has 1 Mission

Russia is once again boasting that its much-hyped S-500 Prometheus surface-to-air missile system can track and shoot down American F-35 Lightning II and F-22...

Steve BalestrieriMay 7, 2026

National Security Journal

Steve Balestrieri

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

In 1968, an SR-71’s Engine Exploded at Mach 2.88 Over Oklahoma — Colonel Sheffield Refused to Eject and Rode the Burning Plane Down

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The F-22 Was Classified ‘Stealth+’ and the F-47 Is Classified ‘Stealth++’ — Boeing’s Sixth-Gen May Be the Stealthiest Fighter Ever

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Yamato Was the Largest Battleship Ever Built — 386 American Planes Sank Her Before She Could Fire on a U.S. Battleship

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Boeing Won a $20,000,000,000 Contract for the F-47 NGAD — 185 Aircraft Designed to Replace the F-22 and Outclass China’s J-20

Dollars and Sense

At 2,071 MPH, Boeing’s 2707 Was Faster and Bigger Than Concorde — Congress Killed It in 1971 by 1 Vote and No American SST Has Flown Since

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

At Mach 2.1 and $9 Million, the F-20 Tigershark Cost a Quarter of an F-14 — 40 Years Later, the U.S. Has Never Built Anything Like It

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

In 1982, Northrop’s Tacit Blue ‘Whale’ Had a Radar Cross-Section Smaller Than a Bat — and Stayed Classified for 18 Years

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Chinese Computer Simulations Just Showed a Single J-20 Has Less Than a 10% Chance of Beating an F-22 Raptor in Combat

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 and F-35 Stealth Fighter Smasher: Russia’s New S-500 Prometheus Air Defenses System Has 1 Mission

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