Clara Nguyen, Author at DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

China’s New Missiles, Drones and Carrier Aircraft Test U.S. Intelligence Capacity

Chinese forces sent new missiles, drones, and aircraft past Tiananmen Square, with all three legs of the nuclear force on display. Hypersonic anti-ship weapons, new families of intercontinental missiles, submarine drones, laser air-defense systems, and seven types of uncrewed aircraft appeared in

November 7, 2025

Missiles / Drones / Directed Energy

Russia Deploys Jet-Powered Glide Bombs With Up to 200 km Range in Ukraine

Russian strike aircraft are now dropping jet-powered glide bombs on Ukrainian targets at ranges approaching 200 kilometers, extending the reach of Soviet-era free-fall bombs with bolt-on wings, guidance units, and small turbojet engines. Ukrainian intelligence officers describe a new long-range variant entering

October 24, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Richard P. Ebensberger

Civil-Military Aviation & Cooperation

Qatar F-15QA Training Detachment at Mountain Home Air Force Base Deepens US-Qatar Defense Cooperation

On October 10, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a Qatari Emiri Air Force training detachment at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The site will host F-15QA aircraft and Qatari aircrews for combined training with the US Air Force. Officials confirm

October 22, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Talley

Defense Budgets / Policy

The Trump Administration Nominates Jason Hinds to Lead USAFE at the Three-Star Rank

President Donald Trump sent the nomination of Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds to the Senate on September 29 to command U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. The billet is redesignated at the lieutenant general grade, so Hinds would not receive a

October 21, 2025

Missiles / Drones / Directed Energy

Rafael Introduces L-SPIKE 4X High-Speed Loitering Munition

Rafael’s U.S. subsidiary introduced a rocket-powered loitering munition, the L-SPIKE 4X, during the Association of the United States Army exhibition in mid-October. The company presents it as a “Launched Effect” that complements the wider SPIKE family and uses legacy SPIKE launchers and

October 14, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeffery Stevens

Air & Missile Defense Systems

NATO Moves to Field Counter-Drone Systems Within Months to Oppose Russian Airspace Incursions

Gen. Ingo Gerhartz urged deployment timelines counted in months for counter-drone units across allied territory, using public remarks at the Warsaw Security Forum on Sept 29-30 to press the point. He now commands NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum and paired the schedule

October 9, 2025

Aircraft

F-15EX at Selfridge – Runway Realignment, KC-46 Beddown and What Congress Must Fund

Michigan's Selfridge Air National Guard Base will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighters. Deliveries begin in fiscal 2028. The move keeps a fighter mission at the 127th Wing once the A-10 retires. The timeline runs tight and the base still lacks several

September 2, 2025

Air & Missile Defense Systems

RTX Demonstrates AN/SPY-6(V)4 Radar Tracking in First Live Maritime Test at Pacific Missile Range Facility

The U.S. Navy and Raytheon, an RTX business, have completed the first live maritime test of the AN/SPY-6(V)4 radar at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Hawaii. The event produced real world data on air and surface target tracks and confirmed

August 26, 2025

Aircraft

US Air Force Relocates 31 F-16s to Osan Air Base for Two-Year Super Squadron Test

The Air Force is transferring F-16s and personnel from Kunsan Air Base to Osan Air Base to form a second "super squadron" in South Korea. The service describes the transfer as temporary and tied to a defined year-two trial.

August 11, 2025

Joint Exercises / Special Ops Training

RAND and Joint Counter‑UAS Office Run Six Exercises on Homeland Drone Defense

A July 25 after-action brief lays out what happened during the sixth RAND-Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office exercise, held the day before at Fort Belvoir. This was not another planning session. Teams ran live drills to stop drones from reaching runways.

July 31, 2025

Clara Nguyen

China’s New Missiles, Drones and Carrier Aircraft Test U.S. Intelligence Capacity

Russia Deploys Jet-Powered Glide Bombs With Up to 200 km Range in Ukraine

Qatar F-15QA Training Detachment at Mountain Home Air Force Base Deepens US-Qatar Defense Cooperation

The Trump Administration Nominates Jason Hinds to Lead USAFE at the Three-Star Rank

Rafael Introduces L-SPIKE 4X High-Speed Loitering Munition

NATO Moves to Field Counter-Drone Systems Within Months to Oppose Russian Airspace Incursions

F-15EX at Selfridge – Runway Realignment, KC-46 Beddown and What Congress Must Fund

RTX Demonstrates AN/SPY-6(V)4 Radar Tracking in First Live Maritime Test at Pacific Missile Range Facility

US Air Force Relocates 31 F-16s to Osan Air Base for Two-Year Super Squadron Test

RAND and Joint Counter‑UAS Office Run Six Exercises on Homeland Drone Defense

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer