Tactical (Page 2)

Latest in Tactical

Live fire exercise

The pros and cons of the Army’s new rifle and machine gun

By Miguel Ortiz

m4 carbine near perfect marine corps dvids

This one fix could make the M4 a near-perfect carbine

Operation Plumbbob

How the fastest manmade object ever was once a manhole cover launched by a nuke

Lance Cpl. Ford Small prepares to fire an M4 carbine fitted with a smart shooter optic during a live-fire training event with the SMASH 2000 L fire control system

SMASH2000: Finally, an AI-powered optic that turns your AR-15 into a drone hunter

By Adam Gramegna

Canadian Modular Assault Rifle CAF

Canada chooses Colt for new military service carbine

By Miguel Ortiz

A sentinel walks the 21 steps at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (U.S. Army)

Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier carry specially made M17s

By Miguel Ortiz

A US assistant gunner ammo bearer from the 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 2-87 Infantry, 3d Brigade Combat Team under Afghanistan's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) carries ammunition at their checkpoint in Kandalay village, Kandahar province southern Afghanistan on August 5, 2011. US troops together with forces from Afghan National Army earlier repelled Taliban insurgents attacks on the checkpoint protecting the western area of Kandalay village. Since the checkpoint was set up in August 3, 2011, Taliban have staged attacks on the outpost for two consecutive days. AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD

A salute to assistant gunners and ammo bearers: the invisible half of every gun

By Adam Gramegna

Horoshok anti-drone rounds come in two standard calibers: 5.56×45 mm and 5.45×39 mm, to destroy Russian FPV drones and Mavic-type UAVs using standard small arms. (Ukraine Ministry of Defense)

Your standard rifle can now be an anti-drone weapon. Seriously.

By Adam Gramegna

The XM8 is back - carbine version

The XM8 is back, but not in the way you might remember it

By Miguel Ortiz

Colt Model 1903 Automatic Pistol

This classic carry pistol was used by gangsters, generals, SWAT, and spies

By Miguel Ortiz

The 10 most lethal special operations units from around the world

By Shannon Corbeil

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division maneuver over terrain in a M113 Armored Personnel Carrier during Decisive Action Rotation 22-06 at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. April 7, 2022. Rotations at the National Training Center ensure Army Brigade Combat Teams remain versatile, responsive, and consistently available for current and future contingencies. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ryan Gosselin, Operations Group, National Training Center)

The M113 armored personnel carrier was supposed to be obsolete

By Adam Gramegna

Vietnam war booby traps training poster

8 of the most terrifying Vietnam War booby traps

By Blake Stilwell

f-35 air to air kill air force

The F-35 made historic air-to-air kills against Iran

By Miguel Ortiz

Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)

The US is using Iran’s own ‘one-way’ suicide drone against Iran

By Blake Stilwell

An Iran-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Shahed-136, is displayed in a rally commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution's victory in Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran, Iran, on February 11, 2026. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

America’s ongoing quest to stop firing $4 million missiles at $30,000 drones

By Adam Gramegna

sweden finland arctic combat using ARG

Finland might have perfected the AR-15 (at least for Arctic combat)

By Miguel Ortiz

marines reject m7 in favor of m27

Marines reject Army’s SIG M7 rifle, opting to keep H&K M27

By Miguel Ortiz

This plane survived Pearl Harbor and struck back at Midway

By Miguel Ortiz

darth vader in rogue one voice by james earl jones

You could be the next owner of Darth Vader’s revolver

By Miguel Ortiz

HK416 navy seals training

The legendary HK416 rifle’s biggest competitors might be its own descendants

By Miguel Ortiz

overhyped russian weapons t-72 desert storm dod

4 Massively over-hyped Russian weapons systems

By Harold C. Hutchison

handgun shooting stance Modern pistol technique Jeff Cooper

This Marine Corps veteran codified the modern handgun shooting technique

By Miguel Ortiz

Photographers captured an atomic blast at News Nob, the designated site for reporters to record images of the atmospheric tests, northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 24, 1957. In reaction to people’s interest, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce promoted the dates and times for these tests.

‘Miss Atomic Bomb’ and America’s obsession with the Atomic Age

By Daniel Tobias Flint

(U.S. Army/Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Hamlin)A Soldier assigned to the 25th Infantry Division engages targets from a supported firing position during M7 rifle training at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Jan. 24, 2026. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit supports M7 fielding by reinforcing proven marksmanship fundamentals that enhance lethality and build confident, capable Soldiers. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Hamlin)

Flintlock to firepower: The grunt’s 250-year quest for a weapon that actually works

By Adam Gramegna

dd4-x1-project-hunter

The Brits didn’t want this rifle, but you’ll be able to buy it soon

By Miguel Ortiz

7 hip pocket classes that would actually be useful for troops

7 hip pocket classes that would actually be useful for troops

By Eric Milzarski

rods from god impact

These Air Force ‘Rods from God’ could hit with the force of a nuclear weapon

By Blake Stilwell

M72 LAW marines dvids

The M72 LAW: the tube that toughened the infantry

By Adam Gramegna

new fn scar by fn firearms

The legendary FN SCAR is back and (might be) better than before

By Miguel Ortiz

F-16 fighting falcon air force

4 things that made the F-16 Fighting Falcon years ahead of its time

By Ward Carroll

beretta 1301 shotgun beretta

Beretta’s top-tier 1301 is a combat shotgun for the drone age

By Miguel Ortiz

Littoral Combat Ship USS Detroit

The Littoral Combat Ship’s checkered past and how it all went wrong

By Stephen Ruiz

Task Force Ranger in Somalia black hawk down snipers

The third Delta Force sniper you didn’t see in ‘Black Hawk Down’

By Miguel Ortiz

attack helicopter spare parts cobra vietnam

How a Montana businessman built a Cobra attack helicopter from spare parts

german army pistol cz-p10c

The German Army’s new pistol isn’t German

By Miguel Ortiz

hiller rotorcycle experiment hiller

The tiny Cold War helicopter the Marines almost took into combat

By Daniel Tobias Flint

extreme cold weather chosin reservoir nara

How extremely cold weather can destroy the military’s best-laid plans

By Adam Gramegna

donald trump class battleship uss defiant navy

The Navy is bringing back battleships with the Trump-class USS Defiant

By Miguel Ortiz

M2 .50-cal dvids Marines

The M2 .50-caliber ‘Ma Deuce’ will live forever

By Adam Gramegna

swiss sig sauer p320

The Swiss military picked the SIG Sauer P320 despite it not meeting their requirements

By Miguel Ortiz

Marines crossing a rice paddy while on patrol, holding an M-60 machine gun in Vietnam, 1966. (PhotoQuest/Getty Images)

The M60 ‘Pig’ caught plenty of hate, but the love was real

By Adam Gramegna

army infantry xm7 range dvids

The infantry hates the XM7 rifle (and why the Army doesn’t care)

By Adam Gramegna

A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle, assigned to the 104th Fighter Wing, takes off June 3, 2022, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The 104FW is trained to provide around-the-clock Aerospace Control Alert, providing armed F-15 fighters ready to scramble in a moment’s notice to protect the northeast United States from any airborne threat. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Hanna Smith)

The time an F-15 set off an earthquake panic

By Miguel Ortiz

ramages rampage

‘Ramage’s Rampage’ saw a World War II sub sink 5 ships in 40 minutes

new Special Operations rifle sons of liberty mk1

The new special operations rifle takes the classic M4 to the next level

By Miguel Ortiz

m240b training iraqi army army An Iraqi soldier assigned to the 71st Iraqi Army Brigade fires his weapon during an M240B machine gun range at Camp Taji, Iraq, Oct. 14, 2015. Iraqi soldiers were firing their newly issued weapons provided through the Iraq Train and Equip Funding program, to become familiar with their capability. The training received from coalition members at Camp Taji will aid the soldiers in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. William Marlow/Released)

Why the M240B earned cult status with GWOT veterans

By Adam Gramegna

The ‘Chopper Popper’ scored the A-10’s first air-to-air kill against an Iraqi helicopter

The ‘Chopper Popper’ scored the A-10’s first air-to-air kill against an Iraqi helicopter

By Blake Stilwell

An unarmed Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile launches during an operational test at 01:35 a.m Pacific Time Nov. 5, 2025, at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. ICBM systems require regular testing to verify system performance and identify any potential issues. Data gathered from Glory Trip 254 helps to identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring the continued accuracy and reliability of the ICBM force.(U.S. Space Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Draeke Layman)

‘Today is not the day:’ Inside the 9,600-square-mile mission to guard America’s nuclear missiles

By Adam Gramegna

Naval Base San Diego Commanding Officer Capt. Robert A. Heely trains with a ballistic shield during a tactical training exercise. The training is designed to enhance law enforcements' ability to respond effectively to high-risk situations, ensuring readiness in operational environments. The ballistic shield provides added protection for personnel during potential threats, improving safety and mission success. (U.S. Navy photo by Aegis Fire Controlman 1st Class Bryce Cothran.)

This compact ballistic shield was designed with and for special operators

By Miguel Ortiz

military weapons

These are 10 of the longest-serving weapons in the US combat arsenal

By James Elphick

myths and facts ak-47 Monument to the weapons developer Mikhail Kalashnikov on blue sky background. The creator of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-47, soviet and russian designer of small arms

Myths and facts about the rifle that never quits: the AK-47

By Adam Gramegna

A Marine fires an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon during weapons systems training conducted by Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 25, 2017. By keeping all Marines in the unit qualified on weapons systems, the Marines will be proficient and capable of providing ground security for any fixed-wing components of the aviation combat element. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/ Released)

Why the M249 SAW still echoes in every grunt’s heart

north korea intercontinental ballistic missile kim jong un kcna

North Korea showed off its new intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade

By Radio Free Asia

house of dynamite netflix screenshot

‘A House of Dynamite’ makes hard nuke questions accessible to everyone

russian superweapons putin

Rattling the world’s dumbest nuclear sabers

The Healing Warriors Of India CALICUT, KERALA, INDIA - JANUARY 01: If the existence of the flexible sword is mentioned in Nothern Ballads (popular songs of Kerala, composed on the XVIth centuary), its description is vague and they are no evidences that the weapon practised in today gymnasium looks like the original. Further more, no oral command has been found. Master Shathrughnan (on the right) asserts that the practise of this weapon is dangerous. Injuries to the head often occurs. Gymnasium is Hindustan Kalari of Calicut Kerala on January 01, 2010 in Calicut Kerala, India. (Photo by Herve BRUHAT/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

The 5 best exotic weapons in history

By Adam Gramegna

Russia torpedo Poseidon doomsday device russia

Putin says Russia tested a new, nuclear-capable remote torpedo dubbed ‘Doomsday Machine’

Mike Eckel, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Navy SEAL Mk 17 SCAR-H

The War on Terror’s iconic FN SCAR is dead

By Miguel Ortiz

Beretta's new, bayonet-ready configuration of the A300 Ultima Patrol semi-auto 12-gauge, in frogskin camo.

Beretta’s Marine Corps 250th birthday shotgun is a vibe

By Miguel Ortiz

An artist's rendering of Shield AI's X-BAT drone by Shield AI

This AI-powered fighter jet doesn’t need a pilot… or a runway

By Miguel Ortiz

A-10 Pilot's Coloring Book

The A-10 training guide from the 1970s was a hilarious coloring book

By Blake Stilwell

A prototype XC-142A making a vertical takeoff.

The powerful tilt-wing XC-142A was your granddaddy’s Osprey

By Friedrich Seiltgen

The u-hawk autonomous drone helicopter by lockheed.

Sikorsky’s new autonomous unmanned Black Hawk helicopter is here

By Miguel Ortiz