Lasers, other directed-energy weapons and electromagnetic railguns have been science-fiction staples for more than a century. Today, however, military needs are becoming more realistic and technology is steadily improving—with effects that might well be revolutionary.

A look at the obstacles that lie ahead for Lockheed Martin’s mammoth F-35 program, how its limitations with dogfighting is leading other militaries to tout maneuverability and how the U.K. is equipping other fighters with weapons that the F-35 can’t yet use. Amy Butler and Tony Osborne also spend a little time discussing this summer’s tanker blues.

This week's top aerospace and defense news you need to know.

The naming conventions of Russia’s air defense systems may be more complicated than Russian literature, but NATO has developed a system of code names for the radars that simply state what they look like.

Some Australian politicians say they know the best answer for the country’s submarine needs. They don’t.

A Lockheed Martin aircraft could be carrying a high-power laser in 2020; it’s not the F-35.

U.S. Navy pushes toward railguns, while U.S. Army shows interest.

A shadowy new class of microwave weapon could be used to identify and disable air threats to U.S. cities.