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Thomas Newdick

@combatair.bsky.social
1.4K followers 155 following 48 posts

Writer and editor. TWZ. Military aerospace and air warfare, mostly. Contact me: t.newdick (at) gmail.com. RT, like ≠ endorsement.

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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
🤔
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Continuing a long and honorable tradition.
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
TWZ @twz.com · 25/08/2026
USAF C-17 Makes Extremely Rare Visit To Moscow The C-17 flew to the Russian capital from a base just outside Washington, D.C., with a stop in Riga, Latvia. www.twz.com/air/usaf-c-17-makes-ext…
twz.com
USAF C-17 Makes Extremely Rare Visit To Moscow
The C-17 flew to the Russian capital from a base just outside Washington, D.C., with a stop in Riga, Latvia.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
New Su-57 Weapons Configuration Points To Drone And Cruise Missile Defense Mission Russia's top fighter may have been drafted into trying to help defend against Ukraine's growing long-range strike capabilities. www.twz.com/air/new-su-5...
twz.com
New Su-57 Weapons Configuration Points To Drone And Cruise Missile Defense Mission
Russia's top fighter may have been drafted into trying to help defend against Ukraine's growing long-range strike capabilities. External heat-seeking missiles and targeting pod suggest the Felon may b...
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
Joseph Trevithick @franticgoat.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
China’s Massive J-36 Tailless ‘Fighter’ Gets Major Design Tweaks With Second Prototype www.twz.com/air/chinas-m...
twz.com
China's Massive J-36 Tailless 'Fighter' Gets Major Design Tweaks With Second Prototype
A second J-36 airframe has emerged with significant changes to its inlets, gear, and exhaust, offering clues to its state of development.
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
Punk Flight @european-military-aircrafts.net · 18/08/2025
Add: Article by @combatair.bsky.social : www.twz.com/air/chinas-f...
twz.com
China’s First Crewed Tiltrotor Aircraft Is Flying
The design has clear military applications, but successfully developing a practical aircraft in this class is far from easy. The design has clear military applications, but successfully developing a p...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
Taiwan’s RF-5 Tigergazer Reconnaissance Jets Have Retired Tigergazer, with its elongated nose full of film cameras, will be replaced by drones and new pods for Taiwan’s F-16s that use digital imaging systems. www.twz.com/air/taiwans-...
twz.com
Taiwan’s RF-5 Tigergazer Reconnaissance Jets Have Retired
Tigergazer, with its elongated nose full of film cameras, will be replaced by drones and new pods for Taiwan's F-16s that use digital imaging systems. The
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Israeli Commandos Attacked Iranian Air Defenses With Drones From Inside The Country: Report Mossad operatives went as far as setting up drone and missile bases near major air defense sites and other key targets. www.twz.com/air/israel-h...
twz.com
Israeli Commandos Attacked Iranian Air Defenses With Drones From Inside The Country: Report
Mossad operatives went as far as setting up drone and missile bases near major air defense sites and other key targets. Mossad operatives went as far as setting up drone and missile bases near major a...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Confirmed Losses Of Russian Aircraft Mount After Ukrainian Drone Assault Some of the bombers were armed with cruise missiles when Ukraine’s drones rained down on them. www.twz.com/air/firm-evi...
twz.com
Confirmed Losses Of Russian Aircraft Mount After Ukrainian Drone Assault
Some of the bombers were armed with cruise missiles when Ukraine’s drones rained down on them. Some of the bombers were armed with cruise missiles when Ukraine’s drones rained down on them.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia's Bomber Force Russia is currently in no position to replace large losses of its strategic bombers and future operations will likely be impacted by force protection needs. www.twz.com/air/what-ukr...
twz.com
What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia's Bomber Force
Russia is currently in no position to replace large losses of its strategic bombers and future operations will likely be impacted by force protection needs. Russia is currently in no position to repla...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia's Bomber Force Russia is currently in no position to replace large losses of its strategic bombers and future operations will likely be impacted by force protection needs. www.twz.com/air/what-ukr...
twz.com
What Ukraine’s Unprecedented Drone Attack Means For Russia's Bomber Force
Russia is currently in no position to replace large losses of its strategic bombers and future operations will likely be impacted by force protection needs. Russia is currently in no position to repla...
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
Hans Kristensen @nukestrat.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Great backgrounder by @combatair.bsky.social about Russian nuke air-to-air missile mentioned in recent DIA testimony. www.twz.com/air/russia-f... Thanks for crediting my post bsky.app/profile/nuke...
twz.com
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
China’s J-10C Fighter: Separating Myth From Reality China's J-10C is in the spotlight after claims of Pakistani air-to-air kills against their Indian counterparts, but just how capable is it? www.twz.com/air/chinas-j...
twz.com
China’s J-10C Fighter: Separating Myth From Reality
China's J-10C is in the spotlight after claims of Pakistani air-to-air kills against their Indian counterparts, but just how capable is it? Multiple reports suggest that Pakistan’s J-10Cs played an ou...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
F-16s Pulled From U.S. Boneyard Are Being Delivered To Ukraine For Spare Parts The U.S. had not committed to giving Ukraine its F-16s, but images of the type being flown out of Arizona on a Ukrainian An-124 began circulating last week. www.twz.com/air/f-16s-pu...
twz.com
F-16s Pulled From U.S. Boneyard Are Being Delivered To Ukraine For Spare Parts
The U.S. had not committed to giving Ukraine its F-16s, but images of the type being flown out of Arizona on a Ukrainian An-124 began circulating last week. The non-operational F-16s appear to be the ...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 20/04/2025
How times change… back in 2011, the Belarusian Oboronnyye Initsiativy company was offering its Talisman electronic warfare self-protection pod for the Eurofighter Typhoon, with a combined stores carriage/jammer outboard pylon.
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
Alex Luck @alxluck.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Good overview on recent developments at the land-based carrier mockup site in Wuhan, by @combatair.bsky.social. I like how the writing especially caveats on what we do or do not know. As noted, its early, but nevertheless very interesting days in regards to Type 004. www.twz.com/sea/chinas-g...
twz.com
China's Giant Land-Based Carrier Mockup Grows In Size, Now Resembles Ford Class
The full-size aircraft carrier test facility in Wuhan is now a better approximation of China’s latest and future flattop designs. The modified land-based aircraft carrier test facility should be a bet...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Su-35s Once Expected To Arm Iran Are Now In Algeria Originally built for Egypt, the Su-35s now being transferred to Algeria had long been expected to bolster Iran’s decrepit air arm. www.twz.com/air/su-35s-o...
twz.com
Su-35s Once Expected To Arm Iran Are Now In Algeria
Originally built for Egypt, the Su-35s now being transferred to Algeria had long been expected to bolster Iran’s decrepit air arm. Originally built for Egypt, the Su-35s now being transferred to Alger...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36 The tailless X-36 demonstrator was one of several test planes and studies that likely paved the way for the F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter. www.twz.com/air/reflecti...
twz.com
Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36
The tailless X-36 demonstrator was one of several test planes and studies that likely paved the way for the F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter. The tailless X-36 demonstrator was one of several tes...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Super Hornets Are Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions Imagery shows Navy F/A-18E/Fs equipped with GBU-53/B Stormbreakers being launched on missions against Houthi militants in Yemen. www.twz.com/air/super-ho...
twz.com
Super Hornets Are Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions
Imagery shows Navy F/A-18E/Fs equipped with GBU-53/B Stormbreakers being launched on missions against Houthi militants in Yemen. Imagery shows Navy F/A-18E/Fs equipped with GBU-53/B Stormbreakers bein...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Boeing Wins F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter Contract The Air Force's next and possibly last manned tactical jet will be built by Boeing. www.twz.com/air/boeing-w...
twz.com
Boeing Wins F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter Contract
The Air Force's next and possibly last manned tactical jet will be built by Boeing.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System The best-known of Ukraine’s so-called ‘FrankenSAMs’ puts RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles on a Soviet-era Buk-M1 ground-based air defense system. www.twz.com/air/our-best...
twz.com
Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System
The best-known of Ukraine’s so-called ‘FrankenSAMs’ puts RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles on a Soviet-era Buk-M1 ground-based air defense system. The best-known of Ukraine’s so-called ‘FrankenSAMs’ puts RIM...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
What’s old is new again? The recent suggestion of possible deployment of nuclear-armed French fighters in Germany led me to recall when this happened before: F-100D/F Super Sabres from the 11e Escadre de Chasse based at Bremgarten and Lahr-Hugsweier, 1963-64.
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Hans Kristensen @nukestrat.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
I spoke with @twz.com about The Telegraph report on hypothetical deployment of some French nuclear-capable fighters in Germany. It’s a lot more complex than the off-the-cuff comment suggests. www.twz.com/air/france-e... Also see our French nuke notebook: www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
twz.com
France Eyeing Deployment Of Nuclear-Armed Rafale Fighters To Germany: Report
Amid concerns over U.S. commitment to European security, France is mulling the extension of its nuclear umbrella farther across Europe. The latest proposal reportedly involves the deployment of nuclea...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
Air-Launched Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Being Tested By Taiwan The air-launched adaptation of the HF-3 will provide Taiwan’s F-CK-1 fighter with a faster, more survivable missile than the F-16-launched Harpoon. www.twz.com/air/taiwan-i...
twz.com
Air-Launched Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Being Tested By Taiwan
The air-launched adaptation of the HF-3 will provide Taiwan’s F-CK-1 fighter with a faster, more survivable missile than the F-16-launched Harpoon. The air-launched adaptation of the HF-3 will provide...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
Trump Offers India Path To F-35 As India sits at a fork in the road for its future fighter fleet plans, the U.S. has just upped the ante with the prospect of F-35 deliveries. www.twz.com/air/trump-of...
twz.com
Trump Offers India Path To F-35
As India sits at a fork in the road for its future fighter fleet plans, the U.S. has just upped the ante with the prospect of F-35 deliveries. As India sits at a fork in the road for its future fighte...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
First Mirage 2000 Fighter Has Arrived In Ukraine www.twz.com/air/first-mi...
twz.com
First Mirage 2000 Fighter Has Arrived In Ukraine
Less than a year after the transfer was announced, the first of the French-made delta-wing jets has now arrived in Ukraine. Less than a year after the transfer was announced, the first of the French-m...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Airbus A321 Airliners To Be Modified Into “Flying Frigate” Patrol Jets By France www.twz.com/air/airbus-a...
twz.com
Airbus A321 Airliners To Be Modified Into “Flying Frigate” Patrol Jets By France
The maritime patrol jet is intended to replace the French Navy’s aging Dassault Atlantique 2s and comes as Boeing’s P-8 gobbles up market share. The maritime patrol jet is intended to replace the Fren...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
North Korean Air Defense System Revealed In Ukraine By Russian Friendly Fire Strike A North Korean-made surface-to-air missile, broadly analogous to the Russian Tor, has appeared for the first time in combat in the Kursk region. www.twz.com/land/north-k...
twz.com
North Korean Air Defense System Revealed In Ukraine By Russian Friendly Fire Strike
A North Korean-made surface-to-air missile, broadly analogous to the Russian Tor, has appeared for the first time in combat in the Kursk region. A North Korean-made surface-to-air missile, broadly ana...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Personalized helmet (presumably a Soviet-era ZSh-7 series) belonging to a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 pilot, with the callsign “Hooligan.” Source: @army_tv_ua
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Tyler Rogoway @aviationintel.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Hints At More B61 Nuclear Bomb Variants In The U.S. Military’s Future A true successor to the specialized deep bunker-busting B61-11 variant could be a future addition as adversaries increasingly go underground. Story: www.twz.com/air/hints-at...
twz.com
Hints At More B61 Nuclear Bomb Variants In The U.S. Military's Future
A true successor to the specialized deep bunker-busting B61-11 variant could be a future addition as adversaries increasingly go underground.
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Reposted by Thomas Newdick
Joseph Trevithick @franticgoat.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Tailless Fighter-Like Airframe Appears At Chinese Jet Manufacturer Shenyang’s Main Plant www.twz.com/air/tailless...
twz.com
Tailless Fighter-Like Airframe Appears At Chinese Jet Manufacturer Shenyang's Main Plant
The appearance of the object comes after two new tailless heavy tactical jet designs appeared in the Chinese skies on December 26th.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
China Stuns With Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet’s Sudden Appearance This is the most advanced flying machine we have seen out of China, lacking any tails and packing stealth and long range. www.twz.com/air/china-st...
twz.com
China Stuns With Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet’s Sudden Appearance
This is the most advanced flying machine we have seen out of China, lacking any tails and packing stealth and long range. This is the most advanced flying machine we have seen out of China, lacking an...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
What We Know About The Russian Cargo Ship That Sank In Mediterranean Ukrainian intel claims the cargo ship was headed to Syria, to take Russian materiel out of the country, but Moscow says otherwise. www.twz.com/news-feature...
twz.com
What We Know About The Russian Cargo Ship That Sank In Mediterranean
Ukrainian intel claims the cargo ship was headed to Syria, to take Russian materiel out of the country, but Moscow says otherwise. Ukrainian intel claims the cargo ship was headed to Syria, to take Ru...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Russian General Accused Of Using Chemical Weapons Assassinated By Ukraine Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed one day after Ukrainian state prosecutors charged him in absentia with the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. www.twz.com/nuclear/russ...
twz.com
Russian General Accused Of Using Chemical Weapons Assassinated By Ukraine
Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed one day after Ukrainian state prosecutors charged him in absentia with the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed one day after...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Russia Giving North Korea MiG-29s And Su-27s Isn’t That Straightforward A U.S. admiral says that the fighters will be given to North Korea in exchange for sending troops and ammo to help Russia in Ukraine. www.twz.com/air/russia-g...
twz.com
Russia Giving North Korea MiG-29s And Su-27s Isn’t That Straightforward
A U.S. admiral says that the fighters will be given to North Korea in exchange for sending troops and ammo to help Russia in Ukraine. A U.S. admiral says that the fighters are headed to North Korea as...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Final MiG-21 Fishbeds Stand Down From Active Duty In Europe End of an era marked as Croatian MiG-21s end their operational duties ahead of their replacement by Dassault Rafales. www.twz.com/air/final-mi...
twz.com
Final MiG-21 Fishbeds Stand Down From Active Duty In Europe
End of an era marked as Croatian MiG-21s end their operational duties ahead of their replacement by Dassault Rafales. Veteran Croatian MiG-21 fighters have completed operational duties, ahead of their...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Australian F-35 Tests Expeditionary Base Concept Dura-Base matting can be used for air base repairs as well as for helping establish austere operating locations across the Pacific. www.twz.com/air/australi...
twz.com
Australian F-35 Tests Expeditionary Base Concept
Dura-Base matting can be used for air base repairs as well as for helping establish austere operating locations across the Pacific. Dura-Base matting can be used for air base repairs as well as for he...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
British Defense Cuts Hit All Three Services Hard Amphibious assault ships, drones, and an entire fleet of helicopters are all being axed in a cost-saving effort. www.twz.com/air/british-...
twz.com
British Defense Cuts Hit All Three Services Hard
Amphibious assault ships, drones, and an entire fleet of helicopters are all being axed in a cost-saving effort. Amphibious assault ships, drones, and an entire fleet of helicopters are all being axed...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Danish Navy Shadows Chinese Cargo Ship After Baltic Sea Cable Damage The Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, is now anchored, with a Royal Danish Navy patrol boat alongside it. www.twz.com/news-feature...
twz.com
Danish Navy Shadows Chinese Cargo Ship After Baltic Sea Cable Damage
The Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, is now anchored, with a Royal Danish Navy patrol boat alongside it. The Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, is now anchored, with a Royal Danish Navy patrol boat alongside it...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
U.S.-Supplied ATACMS Missile Strike Inside Russia Have Begun Ukraine has struck a weapons depot in Russia with ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles. www.twz.com/land/u-s-sup...
twz.com
U.S.-Supplied ATACMS Missile Strike Inside Russia Have Begun
Ukraine has struck a weapons depot in Russia with ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles. Two days after approval came to use it, Ukraine has struck a Russian weapons depot with the short-range ballist...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Sabotage Claims Swirl Around Severed Baltic Sea Cable Incidents Damage to the two fiber-optic cables are the latest incidents to have affected critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. www.twz.com/news-feature...
twz.com
Sabotage Claims Swirl Around Severed Baltic Sea Cable Incidents
Damage to the two fiber-optic cables are the latest incidents to have affected critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Damage to the two fiber-optic cables are the latest incidents to have affected...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
F-4 Phantoms Tear Through Turkey To Mark 50 Years Of Service With Ankara still waiting on new fighter equipment, the classic Cold War design remains in frontline service with the Turkish Air Force. www.twz.com/air/f-4-phan...
twz.com
F-4 Phantoms Tear Through Turkey To Mark 50 Years Of Service
With Ankara still waiting on new fighter equipment, the classic Cold War design remains in frontline service with the Turkish Air Force. With Ankara still waiting on new fighter equipment, the classic...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
UK’s New SPEAR 3 Mini Cruise Missile Succeeds In First End-To-End Test The SPEAR 3 is set to provide the British F-35B stealth fighter with a much-needed standoff air-to-ground attack capability. www.twz.com/air/uks-new-...
twz.com
UK’s New SPEAR 3 Mini Cruise Missile Succeeds In First End-To-End Test
The SPEAR 3 is set to provide the British F-35B stealth fighter with a much-needed standoff air-to-ground attack capability. The SPEAR 3 is set to provide the British F-35B stealth fighter with a much...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of up to 82 H145M Leichter Kampfhubschrauber (LKH, light combat helicopter) ordered by Germany at its Donauwörth site. Missions will include training, reconnaissance, special forces operations, and light attack.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
The Time Germany Grafted An Army Howitzer Turret Onto A Frigate The bizarre-looking modification installed the turret of a PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer onto the frigate Hamburg. www.twz.com/sea/the-time...
twz.com
The Time Germany Grafted An Army Howitzer Turret Onto A Frigate
The bizarre-looking modification installed the turret of a PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer onto the frigate Hamburg. The bizarre-looking modification grafted the turret of a PzH 2000 self-propelled h...
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
North Korea’s Kim Orders Mass Production Of Kamikaze Drones North Korea will be getting a first-hand and brutal look at the game-changing nature of loitering munition technology as it fights Ukraine on behalf of Russia. www.twz.com/air/north-ko...
twz.com
North Korea’s Kim Orders Mass Production Of Kamikaze Drones
North Korea will be getting a first-hand and brutal look at the game-changing nature of loitering munition technology as it fights Ukraine on behalf of Russia.
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Thomas Newdick @combatair.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
North Korean Long-Range Self-Propelled Artillery Appears In Russia With North Korean troops now fighting Ukrainians and considering Russia’s massive appetite for artillery, the M1989 Koksan’s arrival makes sense. www.twz.com/land/north-k...
twz.com
North Korean Long-Range Self-Propelled Artillery Appears In Russia
With North Korean troops now fighting Ukrainians and considering Russia’s massive appetite for artillery, the M1989 Koksan’s arrival makes sense. With North Korean troops now fighting Ukrainians and c...
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