Kris Osborn

Washington, D.C.

Managing Editor, Warrior Maven at defensemaven.io

The Center for Military Modernization - Kris Osborn, President

Articles

High-Speed, Flawed Vietnam-Era F-100 Inspired F-22 & F-15

4 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

by Kris Osborn, Warrior PresidentThe F-22 and F-15 can travel at speeds up to and beyond Mach 2.25 and the F-35 can hit speeds of Mach 1.6, yet the first supersonic fighter aircraft emerged as far back as the 1950s with the North American F-100 Super Sabre.
Why Pentagon Should Have Continued Powerhouse Cold War "SeaWolf" Submarine

4 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

by Kris Osborn, Warrior PresidentThe end of the Cold War resulted in a premature end for the promising and heavily armed Seawolf-class of submarines, capable boats that arguably would have been continued if Pentagon decision-makers embraced a longer-term view of potential global threats. Only three Seawolf subs were built, yet the Navy initially planned a fleet of 29 boats, something that would arguably have helped avoid, diminish, or offset the service’s current submarine deficit.
Will the Air Force & Pentagon Seek 250 B-21s to Counter China?

6 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

by Kris Osborn, WarriorIt makes strategic sense that the Air Force would again be contemplating a massive increase in its planned fleet of B-21 stealth bombers, given the overall state of its bomber force and the need to deploy a large-enough fleet to counter a great-power adversary in a large-scale confrontation. 100-to-250 B-21sThe current Air Force plan has been to build 100 B-21s, yet there is now discussion of potentially more than doubling the fleet size to 250 or more.
Battleship Comeback? USS New Jersey Fought in WWII, Korea & Vietnam

6 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

by Kris Osborn, Warrior The famous and historic USS New Jersey battleship has had several service “lives” supporting the US Navy in a wide range of conflicts over the course of many decades, and it now stands as a timeless emblem of US Naval power. After resting as a permanent floating “museum” on the New Jersey coastline in Camden, the warship was moved to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for critical preservation work, something the ship has not done since its decommissioning.
Can the A-10 Be Upgraded for Future Close Air Support

6 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

By Kris Osborn, WarriorThe idea suggested by some that there could someday be a “stealthy” A-10 variant would seem like an absurd contradiction in terms, as the aircraft is intended to fly low and slow in sight of enemy ground troops delivering critical life saving air fires in support of advancing infantry.
Russia Arms Belarus with Oreshnik, Threatening all of Europe

6 days ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

By Jim Morris, Warrior Vice President, NewsRussia has confirmed it – the Kremlin will deploy the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile in Belarus by the end of the year, putting all of Europe within range of the weapon. The Oreshnik can carry multiple independently retargetable warheads wit hypersonic reentry vehicles, and has an estimated range of 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). It can be armed with either nuclear or conventional warheads.
F/A-XX: Inside the US Navy's Hunt for a Drone-Controlling Super Fighter

1 week ago | nationalsecurityjournal.org | Kris Osborn

Key Points – The US Navy is in the final stages of selecting a contractor (Boeing or Northrop Grumman) for its F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier-launched stealth fighter, a program crucial for future air dominance.
How Lethal is a “Fully Armed” F-35?

1 week ago | realcleardefense.com | Kris Osborn

the F-35 has become known for its stealth, sensing and high-speed data processing
China Uses Jet Fuel to Power Hypersonic Engines

1 week ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn
France Joined Japan & US in Pacific Maritime War Training

1 week ago | warriormaven.com | Kris Osborn

By Kris Osborn, WarriorIn February of 2025, the FS Charles De Gaulle, USS Carl Vinson and a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force warship all participated in a massive multi-deck exercise called Pacific Steller 2025 in the Celebes Sea. Clearly allied air-power-projection and warship synergy is a critical and important activity for the US, France and Japan to engage in, yet the success of the three-nation exercise suggests additional promising variables of tactical significance.