
Three U.S. Air Force F‑15E Strike Eagles were lost over Kuwait in an apparent friendly‑fire incident during Operation Epic Fury. All six crew members ejected safely and were rescued. CENTCOM confirmed the jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, not hostile fire. The cause remains under investigation as the coalition intensifies air operations against Iranian‑linked threats.

Shield AI announced that its X‑BAT vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing combat drone will begin flight testing near Newton, Kansas, later this year. The company highlighted VTOL capability as the program’s core differentiator during the AFA Warfare Symposium. X‑BAT is designed to combine stealth,...