Military
Military systems, defense technology, and the engineering behind modern arsenals.
143 articlesLatest in Military
COMAC: China's Rival to Airbus and Boeing. Should They Be Worried?
China's COMAC is challenging the Airbus-Boeing duopoly with the C919 jet. Explore the history, technical challenges, certification hurdles, and geopolitical factors shaping this emerging aviation rival.
The A 29 Super Tucano How a Propeller Plane Became a 21st Century War Machine
Discover how the Brazilian-made A-29 Super Tucano, a propeller-driven turboprop, became the global standard for counterinsurgency and light attack missions in modern asymmetric warfare.
Admiral Kuznetsov: The Troubled Life of Russia’s Lone Aircraft Carrier
Explore the beleaguered history of Russia's sole aircraft carrier, from Soviet construction to modern-day disasters, and discover why corruption and neglect have left this once-mighty warship barely seaworthy.
Africa's Great Green Wall: Stopping the Spread of the Sahara
The Great Green Wall is Africa's ambitious plan to build an 8,000-kilometer barrier of vegetation to halt desertification across the Sahel. Learn about its progress, challenges, and uncertain future.
Are We Doing Nuclear Power Wrong?
Nuclear power offers among the lowest-carbon electricity available, yet excessive regulation and public fear have stalled its deployment. This analysis examines how safety rules may be undermining decarbonization efforts.
The Absolute Unit That Was The USS Enterprise
The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was the largest combat aircraft ever built, a nuclear-armed strategic bomber that defined America's early Cold War deterrence strategy with its unprecedented range and payload capacity.
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- Why the Sydney Metro cost $3.1B more than projected
- The engineering flaw that grounded Berlin Airport for 9 years
- How the Hoover Dam would be impossible to permit today
- NEOM: $500B city in the desert, or the world's most expensive PR stunt?
More in Military
Nuclear Trains: Why We Can't Have These...
From Cold War prototypes to modern patents, discover why nuclear-powered trains—despite their fuel efficiency and low emissions—never made it past the drawing board due to safety, security, and financial obstacles.
Quarterhorse: The Future of Hypersonic Flight
Hermeus' Quarterhorse line aims to shatter the SR-71 Blackbird's airspeed record with reusable hypersonic aircraft. Learn about the Chimera engine, technology demonstrators Mk 0 through Mk 3, and the path to Mach 5.5+ flight.
Railguns: the Useless Billion-Dollar Weapon
The U.S. Navy spent half a billion dollars on electromagnetic railguns before scrapping the program in 2021. Discover why this sci-fi weapon failed while China, Japan, and others still chase the dream.
Rapid Dragon: The USAFs Incredible New Missile System
Discover Rapid Dragon, the USAF's revolutionary cruise missile deployment system that transforms ordinary cargo planes into devastating swarm attack platforms capable of launching up to 45 missiles simultaneously.
The RBMK: The Shoddy Nuclear Reactor That Nearly Killed Millions
How the RBMK reactor's fatally flawed design—positive void coefficient, graphite-tipped control rods, and cost-cutting corners—turned Chernobyl into history's worst nuclear disaster.
Republic F-105 Thunderchief: The Jet to End the World.
The F-105 Thunderchief was designed as a Cold War nuclear strike aircraft capable of Mach 2 speeds at low altitude. Learn how this controversial fighter-bomber became the only American warplane ever retired early due to catastrophic losses.