How new missiles, AI, and defenses are reshaping modern war
Arms Race in the Skies
This cluster tracks a fast-evolving contest between offensive strike systems—hypersonic and ballistic missiles, drones, next-gen fighters—and increasingly sophisticated air and naval defenses. Live coverage from the Israel–Iran theater and the Russia–Ukraine war sits alongside explainers on Iron Dome’s limits, Israel’s Iron Beam laser, microwave ‘force field’ counters to drones, and the rising value of air defense networks. Supporting tech like AI-driven weapons R&D, advanced optics, power systems for soldiers, and semiconductor breakthroughs shows how high-tech enablers quietly underpin battlefield shifts. Together, these pieces highlight a global race to outpace adversaries’ sensors and shields while managing the geopolitical risks of ever-faster, harder-to-stop weapons.