Articles
News, analysis and buying guides for defense systems.
GCAP's $6.1B Contract Still Doesn't Price the Jet
GCAP is the only next-gen fighter with real, dated government contracts on record, and the £4.6B/$6.1B deal still only funds design, not a jet.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 21, 2026
Read
8 min
The Navy's $76.6B Submarine Deal Isn't a Unit Price
The Navy's $76.6B submarine contract implies $4.68B per Virginia-class boat and $5.9B per Columbia-class boat, but neither figure is a real unit price.
Category
news
Date
Aug 21, 2026
Read
7 min
Navy's Hypersonic Missiles Span $300K to $67 Million
Navy hypersonic missiles range from a $300K target price to $67M a round. The 150x gap reflects two competing theories of hypersonic warfare.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 20, 2026
Read
9 min
The Tomahawk's Promised 17x Production Jump
The Navy's $22.9B Tomahawk deal promises a jump from 60 to 1,000+ missiles a year, but the industrial base has never sustained that pace before.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 20, 2026
Read
7 min
Counter-Drone Lasers: Only One System Is Actually Fielded
Of five directed-energy weapons WeaponSpecs tracks, only Israel's Iron Beam is operational; the rest are prototypes, demonstrators, or sensors, not fielded.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 19, 2026
Read
9 min
Soviet Artillery Production Still Dwarfs NATO's
Ten Soviet-era artillery platforms in our database total 29,238 units built, more than double the 11,207 built across 22 modern systems from 15 countries.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 19, 2026
Read
12 min
No US Drone Fills the Gap Between Munition and Reaper
WeaponSpecs' UAV database shows an 11x price cliff, $90,000 to $1,000,000, with zero priced systems in between, the exact gap the Air Force needs filled.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 18, 2026
Read
10 min
UGV Control Range: Why the Biggest Claims Are Untested
Only 15 of 47 combat robots in the WeaponSpecs database publish a control range, and the longest claim, 15 km, has never been fielded in combat.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 18, 2026
Read
10 min
Attack Helicopter Climb Rate: Why More Power Isn't Faster
AH-1Z Viper tops 22 database helicopters at 15.24 m/s climb, but hp-per-kg barely predicts who's fastest (r=-0.11), and fighters still climb 15-20x quicker.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 17, 2026
Read
13 min
The Airlift Math That Killed the M10 Booker
Every tank and IFV in WeaponSpecs' database fits a C-17 by weight. Two M10 Bookers didn't, and that math killed a $2.6B Army program.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 17, 2026
Read
7 min
A $2,000 Drone Now Undercuts Every UAV We Track
The Pentagon's Drone Dominance Program targets a $2,000 drone, undercutting all 19 priced UAVs in WeaponSpecs' 101-system database, some by 45x.
Category
news
Date
Aug 16, 2026
Read
11 min
Boeing's $219M T-7A Deal Isn't a $15.6M Unit Price
Boeing's April 2026 T-7A contract divides to $15.6M a jet, half our database's $32M figure. Only 5 of 17 trainer jets publish a price at all.
Category
buying
Date
Aug 16, 2026
Read
10 min
Baltic GPS Jamming Can't Blind Most Missiles
Baltic GPS jamming hit a 2026 record, but WeaponSpecs' database shows only 30% of missiles reference GPS, and none of those rely on it alone.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 15, 2026
Read
10 min
Just 4 Countries Design 58% of the World's Rifles
Just 4 of the 20 countries represented in our 81-rifle database, the US, Russia, Germany, and Belgium, together design 58% of every system we track.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 15, 2026
Read
8 min
Only 4 of 57 Air Defenses Claim to Reach Space
Of 57 air-defense systems that publish an altitude ceiling, only 4 claim to reach above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized edge of space.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 14, 2026
Read
14 min
Why the E-2D Was Never Built to Replace the E-3
WeaponSpecs data show the E-2D Hawkeye has the shortest range and shortest endurance of all six AEW&C aircraft in its own database, by a wide margin.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 14, 2026
Read
9 min
MV-75 vs Black Hawk: Does 'Twice as Fast' Hold Up?
The Army says its MV-75 flies twice as fast and far as the Black Hawk. Checked against 46 helicopters in our database, the claim mostly holds up.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 12, 2026
Read
8 min
Patriot Stocks Fell 65%, Rebuild Takes 42 Months
CSIS estimates Patriot interceptor stocks fell 65% during the Iran war. The Army's new $58.6B contract still takes 42 months to deliver one.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 12, 2026
Read
9 min
Only 5 of 57 Tanks in Our Database Still Run a Gas Turbine
Only 5 of 57 database tanks still run a gas turbine, all Abrams or T-80. The M1E3 is swapping its AGT1500 turbine for a hybrid diesel drivetrain.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 11, 2026
Read
10 min
Gun-Based Air Defense: Rate of Fire vs. Range
Rate of fire spans a 45x range across 7 gun-based air-defense systems, but inside the CIWS tier it barely moves engagement range at all.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 11, 2026
Read
8 min
Fighter Engine Thrust-to-Weight Ranked: F-35 Last
Eurofighter's EJ200 hits a 9.18 thrust-to-weight ratio, the best of 10 fighter engines in our database. The F-35's F135 ranks last at 6.70.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 10, 2026
Read
9 min
NBC Protection: Just 7 of 134 Vehicles Go Without It
Of 134 tanks and IFVs in our database, 110 confirm sealed NBC protection. The 7 that don't are almost all light, wheeled, and under 19 tonnes.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 10, 2026
Read
11 min
How Polymer Frames Changed Pistol Rounds Per Kilogram
9x19mm pistols from 1982 on average carry 20.7 rounds per kilogram versus 15.4 for older designs, a 34% gain from polymer frames alone.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 9, 2026
Read
9 min
The Armor Number No Tank Will Publish
Zero of 134 tanks and IFVs in our database publish an armor thickness figure. The only protection rating that appears at all tops out at 32 tonnes.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 9, 2026
Read
12 min
Ukraine's Sea Baby: Cheaper Per Kilogram Than Any Missile
Ukraine's naval drones deliver warhead payload for about $289/kg, versus $735-$13,500/kg for guided missiles in our database, a real cost gap.
Category
buying
Date
Aug 8, 2026
Read
9 min
Torpedo Range: The 50 km Number Everyone Misreads
South Korea's K761 Tiger Shark claims a 50 km range, 5.5x the US Navy's lightweight Mk 54 at 9.1 km. The gap is weight class, not a technology lead.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 8, 2026
Read
11 min
Navy Modular Missile: One Interceptor Body, Four Roles
NMM aims to replace SM-2, SM-6, and SM-3 Block IIA, whose ranges span 170-2,500 km, with one common 10-inch interceptor body and four swappable boosters.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 7, 2026
Read
9 min
Air-to-Air Missile Range: Guidance Type, Not Country
All 15 infrared-guided air-to-air missiles in our database top out at 50 km; all 15 active-radar ones start at 60 km. Guidance, not country, sets the tier.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 6, 2026
Read
13 min
Zero of Anduril's 23 Systems Publish a Price
Anduril's 23 database entries span 8 of WeaponSpecs' 23 categories, matching decades-old primes in reach, but none of the 23 publish a price.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 6, 2026
Read
11 min
The C-17 Hauls 7x More Cargo Per Km Than the KC-46
The C-17 moves 7x more cargo per km of range than the KC-46 Pegasus, not because it's a better airlifter, but because tankers spend their weight budget on fuel.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 6, 2026
Read
9 min
State of the Arsenal 2026
An audit of WeaponSpecs' own 1,143-system database: zero records are independently verified, and the full catalogue is now downloadable as CSV.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 5, 2026
Read
13 min
What Guidance Type Means on a MANPADS Spec Sheet
7 of 9 MANPADS in our database fire-and-forget on infrared; only 2 use laser beam-riding, which keeps the gunner exposed until the missile hits.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 5, 2026
Read
8 min
155mm Dominates Artillery Calibers, Not Interoperability
155mm arms 21 of 33 gun and mortar platforms in our database, more non-NATO countries than NATO ones, yet the caliber still isn't one true standard.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 4, 2026
Read
12 min
What 'Simultaneous Targets' Means on a SAM Spec Sheet
NASAMS claims 72 simultaneous targets, twice the S-400's 36, despite a 16th of its range. Across 41 systems, the number tracks radar architecture, not range.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 4, 2026
Read
10 min
Why a Guided Missile Beats Every Tank Round on Paper
Of 39 anti-armor rounds in our database, the top penetration claim belongs to a 400 m/s guided missile, not a faster kinetic dart.
Category
guide
Date
Aug 3, 2026
Read
14 min
UAV Payload vs. Range: Why the Two Don't Scale Together
Across 29 drones that publish both figures, payload and range correlate only moderately (r=0.615), revealing two distinct UAV design philosophies.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 3, 2026
Read
10 min
IFV Autocannon Caliber: Why 30mm Isn't a Real Standard
30mm arms 19 of 55 IFVs in the WeaponSpecs database, more than any other caliber, but two incompatible ammunition families mean it isn't one true standard.
Category
buying
Date
Aug 2, 2026
Read
15 min
Zumwalt Carries a Third of a Burke's Crew Per Ton
Of 56 warships in our database, Zumwalt runs 90.1 tons of ship per sailor, nearly 3x Arleigh Burke's 29.5 tons. That's automation, not just size.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 2, 2026
Read
15 min
20 of 20: Every 125mm Tank Gun Can Fire a Missile
Every 125mm-gun tank in the WeaponSpecs database can fire a missile through its main gun. Only 5 of 24 120mm tanks can. The gap is doctrine, not caliber.
Category
comparison
Date
Aug 1, 2026
Read
12 min
Radar Range vs. Engagement Range in Air Defense
44 air-defense systems publish both a radar range and an engagement range. The gap spans 10x to a reversed 0.3x, showing which batteries fight alone.
Category
industry
Date
Aug 1, 2026
Read
14 min
Active Protection: Just 7 of 133 Are Combat-Proven
Of 133 tanks and IFVs in the database, only 7 field Trophy, the one active protection system with an independently reported combat record.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 31, 2026
Read
11 min
Stealth Fighters: Why No One Publishes an RCS Number
Not one of 1,124 systems in our database publishes a radar cross-section figure, including all 15 fighter jets currently marketed as stealth aircraft.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 31, 2026
Read
10 min
Rifle Range Has Almost Nothing to Do With Bullet Speed
Across 76 database rifles, velocity and range correlate at just r=0.375. The fastest rifle in the sample, the Mini-14, has one of the shortest ranges.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 28, 2026
Read
14 min
What Warhead Weight Means on a Missile Spec Sheet
Only 112 of 213 missiles in our database publish both figures; the median warhead share is 17.7%, and Russia's 'hypersonic' Zircon posts just 7.5%.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 28, 2026
Read
12 min
What Service Ceiling Means on a Fighter Jet Spec Sheet
Service ceiling spans 7,000-20,600m across 57 fighters in our database, but 72% share an identical published figure with a completely different jet.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 27, 2026
Read
14 min
What Top Speed Means on a Trainer Jet Spec Sheet
Trainer aircraft in our database span 574 to 1,840 km/h, a 3.2x spread, and the newest US jet's own sources cannot agree if it clears Mach 1.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 27, 2026
Read
11 min
The T-14 Armata Is Still 'Announced,' 11 Years On
42 of 1,106 WeaponSpecs-tracked systems are marked announced, not fielded; Russia's T-14 Armata tank has carried that status for 11 straight years.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 26, 2026
Read
9 min
What 'Range' Means on an Air-Defense Spec Sheet
Across 68 air-defense systems in our database, published range spans 3 km to 3,000 km, a 1,000x gap that is three missions, not one spec race.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 26, 2026
Read
13 min
The AI Race Is Actually a Manufacturing Race
China now generates more electricity than the United States, EU and India combined, and chips, workforce and robots follow the same pattern.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 25, 2026
Read
24 min
Fighter Jet Operator Counts: Newer Means Fewer
1970s-era weapons in the WeaponSpecs database average 14 operating countries; 2020s designs average 1.7. Age explains most of the gap, not capability.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 25, 2026
Read
9 min
Why 78% of Cruise Missiles Still Fly Subsonic
21 of 27 cruise missiles in the WeaponSpecs database fly under Mach 1, 78%. It's a design choice: altitude beats speed as the real stealth lever.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 25, 2026
Read
12 min
Troops Per Ton: Why the V-22 Osprey Ranks Near Last
Troops-per-ton spans a 2.93x range across 16 helicopters; the $72M V-22 Osprey and $87M CH-53K rank 15th and 14th, behind an $8M Indian utility helicopter.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 24, 2026
Read
11 min
Five Nuclear Subs Publish the Exact Same 25 Knots
Nuclear boats average 26.5 knots submerged, conventional boats 20.2, but the published number understates the real divide. Here is what submerged speed hides.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 24, 2026
Read
14 min
Comparing the World's Nuclear Arsenals in 2026
New START expired Feb 5, 2026, so no treaty now verifies any nation's warhead count; FAS puts the global total near 12,187, led by Russia's 4,400.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 23, 2026
Read
15 min
Warship Top Speed: Why Tonnage Barely Matters
Displacement barely predicts warship top speed: r = -0.089 across 72 WeaponSpecs database ships, and 20 of them, 250 t to 100,000 t, all publish 30 knots.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 21, 2026
Read
15 min
Two Naval Gun Calibers Arm 72% of the World's Warships
Of 53 gunned warships in the WeaponSpecs database, 76mm and 127mm guns each arm 19 ships, 38 of 53 combined, or 72 percent, of the entire fleet.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 20, 2026
Read
10 min
3-Crew vs 4-Crew Tanks: What the Difference Buys You
Our analysis of 56 tanks in the WeaponSpecs database finds crew size splits exactly 28-28 between 3-person autoloader and 4-person manual-loader crews.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 20, 2026
Read
10 min
F-22 Raptor Carries Less Payload Than a 1967 Jet
The F-22A Raptor ranks 55th of 56 fighters in published weapons payload at 2,270 kg, trailing even the 1967-service F-4E Phantom II by nearly 4x.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 19, 2026
Read
14 min
The AK-47 Outproduces Every Tank and Jet Combined
WeaponSpecs data shows the AK-47 alone at 75 million units built, more than every tank, jet, helicopter, IFV, warship, and submarine combined.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 18, 2026
Read
10 min
What 'Rate of Fire' Means on an Artillery Spec Sheet
BM-21 Grad publishes the highest rate of fire in our artillery database: 40 rounds a minute. Averaged over its own reload cycle, it's closer to 4.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 18, 2026
Read
12 min
The Apache Isn't Even a Top-15 Attack Helicopter by Speed
The AH-64E Apache Guardian ranks 18th of 29 attack helicopters in the WeaponSpecs database by published top speed. The Army built a faster one, then cancelled it.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 17, 2026
Read
10 min
Troop Capacity Per Ton: What IFV Weight Actually Buys
FNSS Zaha carries 21 troops at 30 tonnes, more than any IFV in our database; Ajax carries 3 at 38 tonnes, a 13.96x range across 67 ranked systems.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 17, 2026
Read
12 min
How Many VLS Cells Does a Warship Actually Carry?
Sejong the Great publishes 128 VLS cells, ahead of Ticonderoga's 122 and Type 055's 112, but cell count isn't one comparable unit across navies.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 17, 2026
Read
13 min
The 10 Best Ballistic Missile Defense Systems 2026
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best ballistic missile defense systems of 2026, ranked on real intercept record, envelope, export scale and maturity.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 16, 2026
Read
25 min
Fighter Thrust-to-Weight Ranked: F-35 Trails at 0.87
The Eurofighter Typhoon tops 44 ranked fighters at a 1.15 thrust-to-weight ratio; the hyped F-35 family trails at 0.75-0.94, ranking 40th of 44.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 16, 2026
Read
11 min
What 'Range' Really Means on a Drone Spec Sheet
Across 36 UAVs in our database, published range spans a 33x gap, from a figure that matches true flight distance to one that is a control-link limit.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 16, 2026
Read
13 min
The 10 Best Attack Drones of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best attack drones of 2026, ranked on real combat record, strike precision, production scale and program maturity.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 15, 2026
Read
25 min
How Old Are the Weapons Still in Frontline Service?
Across 796 dated systems in the WeaponSpecs database, the average bomber design is 40 years old, roughly four times the average UAV design's age.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 15, 2026
Read
11 min
Why Air-Defense Cost Figures Don't Compare
Only 12 of 70 air-defense systems in the database publish a cost, and those figures price different things: single rounds vs whole batteries.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 14, 2026
Read
9 min
The 10 Best Self-Propelled Howitzers of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best self-propelled howitzers of 2026, ranked on real combat record, precision, survivability and program maturity.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 14, 2026
Read
24 min
The 10 Best Anti-Tank Guided Missiles of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best anti-tank guided missiles of 2026, ranked on real combat record, guidance sophistication and program maturity.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 14, 2026
Read
24 min
Best Sniper Rifles 2026, Ranked by Combat Record
Ranked by combat record and precision, not range: a 10-to-1 countdown of the best sniper and designated-marksman rifles of 2026.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 14, 2026
Read
24 min
Which Military C2 Systems Actually Speak Link 16?
13 of 17 command-and-control systems in our database publish support for NATO's Link 16 data link. Anduril's Lattice is a notable exception.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 14, 2026
Read
9 min
The 10 Best Destroyers of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best destroyers of 2026, ranked on real combat record, air defense, weapons and sustainment, not brochure numbers.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
24 min
The 10 Best Fighter Jets of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best fighter jets of 2026, ranked on real combat record, sensors, survivability and sustainment, not brochure numbers.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
26 min
The 10 Best Infantry Fighting Vehicles of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best infantry fighting vehicles of 2026, ranked on real combat record, protection, firepower and program maturity.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
25 min
The 10 Best Main Battle Tanks of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best main battle tanks of 2026, judged on combat record, protection, mobility and logistics, not brochure specs.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
28 min
The 10 Best Submarines of 2026, Ranked
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best submarines of 2026, ranked on stealth, weapons, strategic role and real operational record, not brochure numbers.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
25 min
14 of 16 'Trainer' Jets in Our Database Are Armed
14 of 16 jet trainers in WeaponSpecs' database publish a weapons payload, and 5 can fire real air-to-air missiles. Two carry none at all.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
8 min
Same 5.56mm NATO Round, Wildly Different Range Claims
26 rifles firing the same 5.56x45mm NATO round publish effective ranges from 400 to 600 meters, and the fastest ones don't claim the longest reach.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 13, 2026
Read
9 min
Anti-Ship Missiles: 4,000km Claims vs a 300km Kill
China's DF-26 claims a 4,000km anti-ship range, longest of 41 tracked missiles. The only confirmed combat kill came from Ukraine's Neptune, ranged at 300km.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 12, 2026
Read
12 min
Eurosatory 2026: What It Means for Procurement
Eurosatory 2026 drew 2,600+ exhibitors to Paris. Of the show's 7 headline deals, only 2 were signed contracts, the rest were MOUs or a letter of intent.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 12, 2026
Read
9 min
Javelin vs TOW vs NLAW: What They Really Cost
Only 3 of the 16 anti-tank missiles in our database publish a real unit cost, and among the three, price tracks guidance autonomy almost exactly.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 12, 2026
Read
10 min
Sea-Air-Space 2026: What It Means for Procurement
Sea-Air-Space 2026 was real: April 19-22, National Harbor, 400+ exhibitors. Zero of its 8 headline naval announcements disclosed a dollar figure.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 12, 2026
Read
11 min
Longest-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, Ranked
Russia's R-37M claims 300km, nearly double the AIM-120D. But not one of the 39 ranged air-to-air missiles in our database publishes an official spec.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 11, 2026
Read
9 min
Submarine Test Depth: Who Publishes, Who Hides
Of 32 submarines in the WeaponSpecs database, only 21 publish a test depth - and the three deepest figures are all unverified Russian state claims.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 11, 2026
Read
11 min
Hypersonic Missiles: Only 2 of 38 Are New
Our database has 38 systems that exceed Mach 5. By the definition that separates real hypersonic weapons from fast ballistics, only 2 qualify.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 10, 2026
Read
10 min
Military Transport Aircraft Cargo Capacity, Ranked
The C-5M Super Galaxy still carries 129,274 kg, 63,274 kg more than China's newest airlifter, the Y-20, despite a 1970s airframe.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 10, 2026
Read
10 min
NATO's Ankara Summit: What Wasn't Signed
NATO's Ankara declaration pledged unity and 70 billion euros a year for Ukraine. Four other headline deals from the summit were never signed.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 9, 2026
Read
9 min
No ICBM Has Ever Flown Its Claimed Max Range
Published ICBM ranges span 1,000-18,000 km across our database, but no country has ever flight-tested one to its full claimed distance.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 9, 2026
Read
10 min
Bomber Range Ranked: Why Subsonic Beats Supersonic
Ranking all 9 bombers in the WeaponSpecs database: the subsonic Tu-95 Bear outranges every supersonic jet in the fleet by up to 8,200 km unrefueled.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 9, 2026
Read
9 min
Tube Howitzers vs Rocket Artillery: The Real Range Gap
The longest tube howitzer in our database claims 70 km, unverified. The longest rocket system reaches 350 km, a genuinely different weapon.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 8, 2026
Read
10 min
UAV Endurance Compared: 60 Hours vs 15 Minutes
Across 52 UAVs in our database, endurance spans 60 hours to 15 minutes, a 240x gap that separates loitering ISR platforms from one-way weapons.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 8, 2026
Read
9 min
Which Fighter Jet Has the Longest Combat Radius?
China's J-20 claims a 2,000 km fighter combat radius, but 8 of the 12 longest reaches in our database are unverified Chinese or Russian state claims.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 7, 2026
Read
8 min
The Glide-Bomb Range Race: Russia vs the West
Russia's jet-powered UMPK-PD glide bomb is battlefield-reported at up to 200km, roughly double the West's leading combat-fielded glide munitions.
Category
news
Date
Jul 7, 2026
Read
8 min
NATO Explained: Founding, Funding, and Who Really Pays
NATO's mutual-defense clause has been invoked exactly once in 76 years, for the United States. Here's the founding, funding, and cost breakdown.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 7, 2026
Read
23 min
Arleigh Burke vs Type 055 vs Sejong the Great
South Korea's Sejong the Great carries 128 VLS cells, more than China's Type 055 or the US Navy's Arleigh Burke, but the number hides three tradeoffs.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 6, 2026
Read
10 min
Attack Helicopter Payload Ratio: Apache Ranks Last
The AH-64E Apache carries just 7.4% of combat weight as weapons payload, the lowest ratio of 17 attack helicopters, versus the AH-1Z Viper's 29.8%.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 6, 2026
Read
9 min
Why Only 22% of Weapons Publish a Price
Of 1,017 systems in the WeaponSpecs database, only 22% publish a unit cost. Pistols disclose 84% of the time; missiles 10%, munitions zero.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 6, 2026
Read
8 min
M1A2 Abrams vs T-90M vs Type 99A: Tank Power-to-Weight
The M1A2 SEP v3 Abrams is the heaviest of the three at 66.8 tonnes, giving it the lowest power-to-weight ratio despite the most powerful engine.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
6 min
Amphibious Assault Ships Ranked by Aircraft Capacity
Spain's Juan Carlos I and China's Type 075 both carry up to 30 aircraft, more than the larger US America-class amphibious assault ship.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
8 min
Electronic Warfare Systems Compared: Jamming Range 2026
Russia's Murmansk-BN claims a strategic jamming range of 5,000 km, far beyond the tactical 20-35 km range of the other EW systems in our database.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
7 min
MRAP Buyer's Guide: Bushmaster vs Hawkei vs M-ATV
Australia's Hawkei is the lightest MRAP-class vehicle in our database at 8.1 tonnes, roughly half the weight of the heavier Bushmaster and M-ATV.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
8 min
Service Pistol Magazine Capacity Compared, 2026
The FN Five-seveN holds 20 rounds of 5.7x28mm, the highest standard magazine capacity of any service pistol in our database.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
7 min
M2A3 Bradley vs BMP-3 vs Puma: Three IFV Philosophies
Russia's BMP-3 carries a 100mm gun-launcher at just 18.7 tonnes, while Germany's heavier Puma trades weight for a 43-tonne armored shell.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
7 min
Iron Dome vs David's Sling vs Arrow 3: Israel's Layers
Israel's layered air defense spans three tiers: Iron Dome at 70 km, David's Sling at 300 km, and Arrow 3 at 2,400 km for exo-atmospheric intercepts.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
6 min
Is Published Range a Lie? We Audited 1,017 Systems
Of the 593 systems in our database that publish a range, only 52 also say whether it is a combat radius or a ferry figure. That gap misleads readers.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
9 min
Shahed-136 vs Switchblade 600 vs Lancet-3: Range & Role
Iran's Shahed-136 is built for 2,500 km strategic strikes, while the US Switchblade 600 and Russian Lancet-3 are short-range 40 km tactical weapons.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
7 min
Su-57 vs F-35 vs J-20: Claimed vs Verified
On paper the J-20 leads on combat radius and the Su-57 on speed. The catch: the numbers that flatter them are the ones no one outside Moscow or Beijing can verify.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
7 min
Which Warship Packs the Most Missiles Per Ton?
Israel's Sa'ar 6 corvette packs 16.0 VLS cells per 1,000 tons, beating the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke classes despite a fifth of their size.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 5, 2026
Read
10 min
Which Hypersonic Missiles Are Actually Hypersonic?
Of 23 missiles in the WeaponSpecs database clocking Mach 5-plus, only 2 fly a true hypersonic regime. The rest are ballistic missiles falling fast.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 4, 2026
Read
8 min
Aircraft Carriers Compared: Ford vs Queen Elizabeth vs Fujian
Aircraft carriers compared: Gerald R. Ford's CATOBAR supercarrier, Queen Elizabeth's STOVL design, and China's new Fujian, side by side.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
6 min
Anti-Ship Missiles: Harpoon vs Exocet vs Oniks vs Atmaca
Anti-ship missiles compared: Harpoon and Exocet sea-skimmers vs Oniks supersonic threat vs Atmaca, and why terminal defense keeps getting harder.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
6 min
Best Attack Helicopters of 2026: Apache vs Ka-52 vs Z-10
Attack helicopters compared: the AH-64E Apache leads on combat record and sensor fusion; Ka-52 and Z-10 trail on verified data.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
Bayraktar TB2 vs MQ-9 Reaper: Combat Drone Showdown
Bayraktar TB2 vs MQ-9 Reaper: different weight classes, the Reaper is a heavier, longer-range hunter; the TB2 is the budget export king.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
F-35 vs Su-57: Which Fifth-Gen Fighter Wins?
F-35 vs Su-57: the F-35 wins on stealth, sensor fusion, and combat record; the Su-57 wins on paper agility.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
How Much Does a Fighter Jet Really Cost?
Fighter jet cost breakdown: flyaway price vs full lifecycle cost, why O&S eats 70% of the budget, and how the F-35 compares to rivals.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
How to Choose a Frigate: The Naval Buyer's Guide
A naval buyer's guide to frigates, VLS cells, radar, cost vs destroyers, and local-build vs export options compared.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
Hypersonic Missiles Explained: Hype vs Reality
Hypersonic missiles: what Mach 5+ actually means, why maneuver matters more than speed, and what's marketing vs fact.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
Loitering Munitions Explained: The Drones Rewriting War
Loitering munitions explained: how $50K kamikaze drones are rewriting the cost math of modern warfare.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
MANPADS Explained: Stinger, Igla & the Portable SAM
MANPADS explained: how shoulder-fired IR-guided SAMs like Stinger and Igla punch far above their $30K-$100K cost.
Category
industry
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
AK-12 vs M4 vs HK416: The Modern Rifle Comparison
AK-12 vs M4 vs HK416 vs SCAR: rugged simplicity vs modular ubiquity vs piston reliability, compared on the data.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
NATO Standardization: Why 5.56, 155mm & Link 16 Matter
How NATO STANAG standardization on ammo, artillery calibers and datalinks quietly drives procurement decisions.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Air-Defense Buyer's Guide
Patriot vs S-400 vs SAMP/T: Patriot suits US-aligned buyers, S-400 fits sanctions-tolerant states, SAMP/T is Europe's sovereign option.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
Nuclear vs AIP Submarines: Which Should You Buy?
Nuclear vs AIP submarines: nuclear buys unlimited range at huge cost; diesel-electric AIP buys quiet littoral stealth for a fraction of the price.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
Tank Armor Explained: Composite, ERA & Active Protection
Tank armor explained: composite (Chobham-type), reactive (ERA), and active protection systems like Trophy, layered against modern threats.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
Why Sustainment Is 70% of a Weapon's Real Cost
Purchase price is the tip of the iceberg. GAO data shows sustainment eats ~70% of a weapon's lifecycle cost, here's the real total-cost-of-ownership math.
Category
buying
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
7 min
Leopard 2A7 vs Abrams vs Leclerc XLR
Leopard 2A7, M1A2 SEP v3 Abrams, Leclerc XLR, and Challenger 3 compared on firepower, armor, mobility, and cost.
Category
comparison
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
What Is a Fifth-Generation Fighter? (And Who Has One)
Fifth-generation fighter defined: stealth, sensor fusion, and networked combat, and exactly who fields one in 2026.
Category
guide
Date
Jul 3, 2026
Read
8 min
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