The War Zone Newsletter

 

A STRONG OFFENSE FOR THE WORLD OF DEFENSE

August 11, 2022

The U.S. Air Force is upgrading its A-10 Warthog fleet for future high-end conflicts, the service discussed with The War Zone as part of our ongoing Inside Nellis Week coverage. Chief among the A-10's 

future upgrades will be the integration of new stores and weapons. The service intends its A-10s to support modern fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-35, during combat in high-threat situations. 

Turning to the war in Ukraine, video footage emerged this week showing a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 carrying a laser-guided missile. This is apparently the first time the type has been seen carrying the precision munition since the war began. The swing-wing warplanes, which are also flown by Russia in the conflict, provide Ukraine with a dedicated fast-jet attack capability that’s notably absent from the more frequently seen MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker fighter jets. Still, operational Ukrainian Su-24s are very few in number so seeing any of them flying is rare at this point.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy revealed that the F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet that was blown off the deck of the supercarrier USS Harry S. Truman last month has been recovered. The service says the jet was recovered after being located at a depth of around 9,500 feet in the Mediterranean sea. It will now be taken to an unspecified military facility in the region before being transported back to the U.S.

We are also continuing our rolling coverage of the conflict in Ukraine as it develops, which can be found daily at The War Zone. You can also check out some of our highlights from the week below. 

 

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Oliver Parken

The War Zone