Harrison Kass

In the 1990s, the U.S. launched the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program to develop a versatile multirole fighter that could streamline procurement and maintenance across its military branches and allies. Boeing's entry, the X-32, competed against Lockheed Martin's X-35 (which would become the F-35 Lightning II).

The F-14 Tomcat is one of the most iconic fighter jets in aviation history, largely due to its prominent role in the 1986 film "Top Gun." While the aircraft performed admirably during its service, it was eventually retired by the U.S. Navy in 2006 and replaced by the more advanced F-18 Hornet.

The F-22 Raptor, considered one of the most advanced fighter jets ever built, ended its production in 2011, leaving the U.S. Air Force with 186 operational aircraft.

The B-52J is the latest planned variant of the iconic B-52 Stratofortress bomber, with test flights scheduled for 2028 and operational deployment expected by 2033. This update aims to extend the aircraft's service life beyond 100 years.

The Lockheed L-301, also known as the X-24C, was an ambitious experimental hypersonic aircraft project in the 1970s that aimed to build upon the advancements of the X-15 and X-24B programs.

In the 1986 film "Top Gun," the fictional MiG-28 adversary aircraft was actually portrayed by a black-painted Northrop F-5, adorned with a red-star insignia to represent a Cold War enemy. The F-5 was unique in that it was privately funded by Northrop without an initial government contract.

The Chinese JH-XX is a tactical stealth bomber reportedly under development alongside the strategic H-20 bomber, signaling China's ambition to enhance its aerial capabilities with two advanced stealth aircraft.

In response to an alleged Ukrainian attack using U.S.-made ATACMS missiles on Russian territory, Russian President Vladimir Putin has revised Russia's nuclear doctrine. The updated policy lowers the threshold for nuclear retaliation, allowing for nuclear strikes in response to conventional attacks on Russian soil, especially those supported by a nuclear power like the United States.

The U.S. Navy is extending the service life of its aging Nimitz-class aircraft carriers due to delays in commissioning new Ford-class carriers. T

At sea, Russia's challenges continue: the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva, was sunk early in the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, has not participated in the war and faces an uncertain future due to ongoing maintenance issues.