Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More
Key Points – The U.S. Navy is rapidly retiring its Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers, a move that is creating a dilemma between modernizing the fleet...
Key Points – The Imperial Japanese Navy’s Yamato-class warships were the largest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed, boasting massive 18.1-inch main guns....
Key Points – NASA’s X-43A hypersonic research vehicle, part of the “Hyper-X” program, still holds the world record for an air-breathing aircraft, achieving a...
Key Points – The General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark,” born from the 1960s TFX program, was a groundbreaking tactical strike aircraft and the first production...
Key Points – Tensions between France’s Dassault Aviation and German-Spanish partner Airbus are threatening to derail the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), Europe’s sixth-generation...
Key Points – In a remarkable 2013 encounter over international waters, a US Air Force F-22 Raptor, piloted by Lt. Col. Kevin “Showtime” Sutterfield,...