Aerospace Group:

Air Force

Conventional Wisdom On S-300 Effectiveness Called Into Question

Frank Wolfe

Tuesday, January 6th, 2026

SHARE:

Conventional Wisdom On S-300 Effectiveness Called Into Question

Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of three F-35A fighters with the 356th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flying in formation before aerial refueling over the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, 2025.

Conventional defense wisdom has held that Russian-made long-range S-300 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) pose significant threats to U.S. military aircraft, including the Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-35 stealth fighter, yet the Jan. 3 U.S. operation in Venezuela and one in October 2024 by Israel against Iran have taken air out of the S-300's sails. Nearly a year ago, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet pointed to the F-35I's destruction of Iranian air defenses, which included S-300 sites, in October 2024 (Defense Daily, Jan.…

Unmanned Systems

Counter-Drone Needs Will Be Addressed In Next NDAA Based On Iran War Lessons, Banks Says

A Republican senator on Armed Services Committee on Thursday said that defending against Iranian drones has been challenge for U.S. warfighters and will be an area of focus in the […]

Pentagon

Pentagon ‘Working Options’ On Iran Supplemental, May Seek Funds For New Capabilities

The Pentagon is “working options” for a potential supplemental spending request to fund the operation against Iran and replenish munitions used in the strike campaign, with a senior official noting […]

Congress

Wicker Backs “Crash Program” To Supply Ukraine With Low-Cost Weapons

Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) on Thursday proposed a rapid effort to supply Ukraine with low-cost weapons to aid that country in turning back Russia. “We […]

Congress

Dem Lawmakers Want To Codify Trump’s Push For More Defense Contractor Accountability

A group of four Congressional Democrats want to codify President Donald Trump’s push to hold defense firms accountable for prioritizing production investments over paying out stock buybacks, and are seeking […]