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A STRONG OFFENSE FOR THE WORLD OF DEFENSE     March 21, 2024   Langley Air Force Base, located in one of the most strategic areas of the country, across the Chesapeake Bay from the sprawling Naval Station Norfolk and the open Atlantic, was at the epicenter of waves of mysterious drone incursions that occurred throughout December. The War Zone has been investigating these incidents and the response to them for months. We know that they were so troubling and persistent that they prompted bringing in advanced assets from around the U.S. government, including one of NASA's WB-57F high-flying research planes. Now the U.S. Air Force has confirmed to us that they did indeed occur and provided details on the timeframe and diversity of drones involved. You can read more about all this in our exclusive report here.   Elsewhere, the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is reportedly acquiring a constellation of hundreds of intelligence-gathering satellites from SpaceX, with a specific focus on tracking targets down below in support of ground operations. Though details about this project are still very limited, there are clear parallels to what the U.S. Space Force has previously said about a classified space-based radar surveillance program, which it first publicly disclosed around the same time SpaceX is said to have gotten its NRO contract. If this program is the one we think it is, it could bring about a revolution in both tactical and strategic space-based sensing. You can read more about all this here.   Make sure to check out highlights of all our coverage from the last week below. We are also continuing our rolling coverage of the conflict in Ukraine as it develops.    Oliver Parken The War Zone     Russian Submarines Now Appear To Be Getting Anti-Drone “Cope Cages”   An apparent counter-drone screen on the ballistic missile submarine Tula’s conning tower speaks to growing drone threats Russia is facing.       Unprecedented U.S. Hypersonic Weapons Test From Guam Has Occurred   The final planned live-fire test of an AGM-183A hypersonic missile is major show of force toward China, though the weapon’s future is murky.       AC-130 Gunship’s Laser Weapon Cancelled, 105mm Howitzer May Be Removed   The AC-130J was set to get the first operational airborne laser weapon, but that plan is over as the gunship changes to ensure its relevance.       Ukraine’s MiG-29s Are Now Carrying French ‘Hammer’ Rocket-Assisted Bombs   France has said it will provide Ukraine with hundreds of AASM Hammer standoff precision standoff weapons, which are now arming the MiG-29.       Behold The Explosive Spectacle Of India’s Unrivaled Airpower Demonstration   Air-to-air, air-to-ground and surface-to-air live firings, as well as commando raids, are all part of India’s incredible airpower demo.       GPS Jamming Of U.K. Defense Secretary’s Jet Highlights Russia’s Regional EW Activities   The U.K. Defense Secretary was flying home from Poland, and close to Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave, when the incident occurred.       Our First Look At The ALTIUS-700M Loitering Munition Obliterating A Target   Able to knock out armor at standoff ranges, the latest loitering munition in the ALTIUS series is the most destructive yet.       From the Archive     The Stealthy F-117 Nighthawk Could Have Executed Nuclear Strikes Against The Soviet Union   The F-117 was built with the ability to deliver nuclear bombs and the Air Force didn’t forget that during the last years of the Cold War.       Hot Shots     A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 3rd Wing takes off above Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, March 13, 2024.     Marine Corps Pfc. Marc Larade fires an FIM-92 Stinger during a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps-Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, March 5, 2024.     A Bradley Fighting Vehicle assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, pulls security during a live-fire exercise at Fort Stewart, Georgia, March 9, 2023.