Machinery & Gear | War History

US Air Force Orders New $13 Billion ‘Doomsday Plane’

Doomsday plane parked on the runway with other aircraft

The US Air Force has given Sierra Nevada a $13 billion contract to develop a new “Doomsday plane” – essentially, a successor to the Boeing…

Newly-Released Photos Show Manta Ray Underwater Drone Undergoing In-Water Testing

Manta Ray UUV moving through the water

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released the first images of the Northrop Grumman-developed Manta Ray drone, an uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) currently…

Archaeologists Uncover Origins of 1,000-Year-Old ‘Excálibur’ Sword Unearthed in Spain

Spanish "Excálibur" sword being measured on a white table

Archaeologists in Valencia, Spain, have revealed new details about the region’s very own Excálibur sword, with recent research and examination dating it back over 1,000…

The Soviet MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ Gave the North Vietnamese An Edge Against American Aircraft

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 in flight

Developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 quickly became a symbol of advanced aerial warfare technology. A successor to the famous…

Medieval-Era Shipwreck Offers New Insight Into the ‘Military Revolution At Sea’

Two divers swimming over the wreck of Gribshunden

A recent investigation into the wreck of the famed Danish flagship Gribshunden/Griffin has provided new and interesting insight into the evolution of naval warfare during…

Jimmy Buffett Anonymously Donated Two WWII-Era Aircraft to a Museum Before His Death

Jimmy Buffett standing in aviation gear

Jimmy Buffett’s passing on September 1, 2023 was a shock to music fans across the world. The “Margaritaville” singer’s death was attributed to an aggressive…

The M249 SAW Machine Gun Continues to Enhance the Role of Infantrymen in Combat

June Steele
Spc. Shawn Kennedy looking through the sight of an M249 SAW machine gun

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) machine gun – also known as the Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249 – is a critical tool for…

The Japanese Bolt-Action Arisaka Type 99 Rifle Saw Extensive Use In the Pacific Theater

Soldier aiming an Arisaka Type 99 rifle

The Arisaka Type 99 rifle was a significant evolution in the realm of military armaments. Born out of necessity in the 1930s, its development reflected…

Forward-Swept Wings Gave the Sukhoi Su-47 ‘Berkut’ a Unique Appearance

Sukhoi Su-47 'Berkut' in flight

Continued advancements are the norm when it comes to military aviation, and some designs stand out for their unique features and designs. The Russian Sukhoi…

10 Photos That Show US Navy Ships During Their Prime and Following Their Retirement

Comparison photo featuring two images of the USS Texas (BB-35), one showing the ship in the Panama Canal and the other of her docked as a museum ship

It would be near impossible to list all of the ships that have served under the US Navy over the centuries – so we’re not…

Retired ‘Lancelot’ B-1B Lancer Being Returned to Active Service

Rockwell B-1B Lancer 'Lancelot' taxiing down a runway at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

The US Air Force has made the decision to reactivate a Rockwell B-1B Lancer it put into storage three years ago. The strategic bomber, nicknamed…

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23: The Most-Produced Variable-Sweep Wing Aircraft in History

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 taking off

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 “Flogger” is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft designed for the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It was introduced in the 1970s, with 5,047…