This Chart Shows Every Space Exploration Rover Ever Launched

Maybe it's been the exciting, , Jade Rabbit, but I've been thinking a lot about robotic space rovers lately. There haven't really been all that many — just eight have actually made it to either the moon or Mars. And now, for your use, are all eight collected on this...

Apr 19, 2025

Lockheed's Senior Peg: The Forgotten Stealth Bomber

Perhaps because it was built in secret and designed to be invisible, the stealth bomber is unforgettable the moment you see it. What few remember, though, is that the iconic silhouette almost looked like this. Here's the story of how Senior Peg came to be, why we didn't get it,...

Apr 19, 2025

Did A Decade Old Russian Flight Sim Predict The Invasion Of Crimea?

Over a decade after the release of Lock On: Modern Air Combat, the uber-complex Russian air combat simulator plays as if the programmers had a crystal ball. The premise? Russia has invaded the Crimean Peninsula, and the US and its allies want to kick them out. LOMAC, as fans refer...

Apr 19, 2025

Mil Porn: Canyon, Or Should I Say Crevice Flying In A Hellenic AF F-4

A view through the front windscreen and HUD of a Hellenic AF F-4E as it transitions down a very tight canyon with a pretty serious obstacle ahead! If you look at the HUD it shows that the Phantom doing 358kts and according to the flight path indicator (little circle with...

Apr 19, 2025

You Have $4 Million, Do You Buy A Bugatti Veyron SS Or MiG-29UB?

What does four million bones buy someone with a massive velocity addiction? How about an ultra rare Bugatti Veyron Super Sport or a Cold War vintage Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum . But which one should you buy? The MiG-29 was one muscular beast even in its first iterations, and it...

Apr 19, 2025

Mil Porn: Night Rangers

US Army Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment assault a bunker during night combat training in California. Photo: US Army ...

Apr 19, 2025

U.S. To Bolster Air Defense Along Russian Border: What That Means

The DoD will be sending additional fighters to the Baltics, and possibly Poland, to beef up the NATO air policing roles along Russia's border with greater Europe. Things are heating up very quickly. Russia has made it clear that they are not interested in giving Crimea back... Ever. At the...

Apr 19, 2025

Israeli Commandos Find A Boatload Of Rockets Under Iranian Cement

Israel is well known for their maritime raiding capabilities, a common tactic used to interdict cargo, or personnel, aboard ships that the Mossad deems as a threat to the homeland, sometimes to a controversial degree. Yet there is little controversy about the validity of the Israeli Navy's mission yesterday, one...

Apr 19, 2025

Is The Air Force's Secret Shuttle The Key To Russia-Free ISS Trips?

Ever since the US retired the Shuttle fleet, we've been bumming rides to the ISS on Russia's old reliable spacecraft, the Soyuz. Technically, this arrangement works well, but tensions with the Russians over the , , and are making the US realize that maybe it's time for a new ride....

Apr 19, 2025

Putin's Game Of Battleship: The Black Sea Fleet And Why It Matters

Vladimir Putin may or may not have , but his desire to tighten his grip on Crimea is surprisingly logical if you consider the history and strategic importance of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. A closer look at Russia's forces along the southern Ukrainian coast reveals a lot of Putin's thinking....

Apr 19, 2025

Weapons Do The Darndest Thangs: Slippery Seahawk!

I kept thinking of that horrible scene in Scarface! How much do you want to bet that the helo pilot got the callsign "Sosa" after this little incident? ...

Apr 19, 2025

Your Beat Up Van Has Gone More Miles Than A Super-Fast Space Probe

Good news, for fans of beat-up old vans that haven't budged from the lawn you parked them on 20 years ago. Your van has actually racked up a bunch of miles! No, a bunch of hoodlums haven't been stealing it in the night for shenanigans. It's just been sitting there,...

Apr 19, 2025

Crimean Crisis Military Update #1: Why Russia Sank Its Own Ship

So what's new militarily in regards to one of the world's least intense, but most publicized conflicts? The U.S. is sending military assets to the area, the Russians sunk one of their own ships, and if you live in Crimea you should probably invest in some noise-canceling headphones. Here's what's...

Apr 19, 2025

A Spotter's Guide To The U-2 'Dragon Lady' And Its Many Configurations

The venerable U-2 'Dragon Lady' is a spy plane born from Cold War necessity that soldiered on operationally for decades past anyone's wildest dreams. She went from sleek design to a bulging beast of burden whose silhouette can change as fast as her mission requires it to. Here's a guide...

Apr 19, 2025

Ride Along With The Luftwaffe's F-4 Phantoms One Last Time...

Aviation photographer Frank Crebas takes us on a wild ride as he documents the final days of the Luftwaffe's F-4F Phantoms. The final German F-4 were officially put to rest on June 29th, 2013. For many, the days of howling bent wing wonders smoking up the skies over Germany will...

Apr 19, 2025