Fighters Archives

F-16 Fighting Falcon Onboard USS Intrepid

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s F-16 Viper Fighter Keeps Getting So Many Upgrades It Could Fly Until 2040

Summary and Key Points: As of 2026, the F-16 Fighting Falcon remains a cornerstone of global airpower despite being nearly 48 years old. -Through...

Isaac SeitzFebruary 12, 2026

(June 19, 2006) – An F-14D Tomcat from Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31), the “Tomcatters,” performs a fly by past the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Miguel A. Contreras PH2 CONTRERAS MIGUEL

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Mach 2 F-14 ‘Super’ Tomcat 21 Fighter Has a Message for the U.S. Navy

Summary and Key Points: The F-14 Super Tomcat 21 (ST21) stands as one of naval aviation’s greatest “what-if” scenarios. -Proposed in the early 1990s...

Steve BalestrieriFebruary 12, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025. The F-15EX, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is one of the first F-15EXs in the Air Force, and is going through developmental and operational test series at Eglin to confirm its operational capabilities before it is delivered to the combat Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Blake Wiles)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s F-15 Fighter Keeps Getting So Many Upgrades It Might Fly Past 2040

Summary and Key Points: The F-15 Eagle, a 50-year Air Force staple, is undergoing a dual-path evolution in 2026. -While the aging F-15C/D “Platinum...

Isaac SeitzFebruary 12, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 and F-35 Problem: China’s J-20 and J-35 Stealth Fighters Could Soon Have Double the Range

Synopsis: China’s rapid conversion of the YU-20 cargo fleet into strategic tankers marks a critical shift in the Pacific balance of power. By successfully...

Kris OsbornFebruary 11, 2026

Maj. Paul Lopez, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, performs during the Chicago Air and Water Show, Aug. 17, 2019. Founded in 2007, the F-22 Demo Team showcases the unique capabilities of the world's premier fifth-generation fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Samuel Eckholm)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force Can’t Build New F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighters

Synopsis: The F-22 Raptor remains the world’s premier air-superiority fighter, but its survival comes at a “King’s Ransom.” -Truncated to just 187 airframes in...

Christian OrrFebruary 11, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Russia or China Anymore

Synopsis: The U.S. Air Force’s $209.6 billion modernization drive for 2026 is hitting a critical juncture as China accelerates production of its J-20 and...

Jack BuckbyFebruary 11, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

China Claims New U.S. Air Force F-47 NGAD Fighter Is Already “Obsolete”

Summary and Key Points: The F-47 (Next-Generation Air Dominance) program is the U.S. Air Force’s $100 billion gamble to reclaim the “Backyard” of the...

Reuben JohnsonFebruary 10, 2026

XF-85 Goblin National Security Journal Image

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The “Parasite Fighter”: Why the U.S. Air Force Tried to Put a Jet Inside a Bomber

Summary and Key Points: Developed by McDonnell in the late 1940s, the XF-85 Goblin was a tiny, stubby interceptor designed to be launched and...

Isaac SeitzFebruary 9, 2026

The 354th Fighter Wing conducts a 75-fighter jet formation at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Aug. 12, 2022, in honor of the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Anniversary. This capabilities demonstration included F-35A Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircraft from across Pacific Air Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Gary Hilton)

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

S-500: Russia’s Missile System ‘Custom Built’ To Shoot Down Air Force F-22 and F-35 Fighters

Summary and Key Points: The S-500 Prometheus has officially entered combat duty as of late 2025, with Russia claiming it can intercept everything from...

Christian OrrFebruary 9, 2026

National Security Journal

All posts tagged "Fighters"

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s F-16 Viper Fighter Keeps Getting So Many Upgrades It Could Fly Until 2040

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Mach 2 F-14 ‘Super’ Tomcat 21 Fighter Has a Message for the U.S. Navy

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s F-15 Fighter Keeps Getting So Many Upgrades It Might Fly Past 2040

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

F-22 and F-35 Problem: China’s J-20 and J-35 Stealth Fighters Could Soon Have Double the Range

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force Can’t Build New F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighters

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Air Force’s Biggest Problem Isn’t Russia or China Anymore

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

China Claims New U.S. Air Force F-47 NGAD Fighter Is Already “Obsolete”

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The “Parasite Fighter”: Why the U.S. Air Force Tried to Put a Jet Inside a Bomber

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

S-500: Russia’s Missile System ‘Custom Built’ To Shoot Down Air Force F-22 and F-35 Fighters

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