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Editorial Policy

Editorial Policy | Saber-Rattling

Editorial Policy

This page explains how we work: what we publish, how we try to get it right, and what we do when we don’t. We think readers should know the rules we hold ourselves to.

Last updated: [Month Year]

What we do

Saber-Rattling covers military aviation, defense and security. That includes news, analysis, explainers and reference material like our aircraft database and comparison tools. We try to be useful to people who already know the subject and to people who are only starting to learn it.

Accuracy comes first

We would rather be right than first. Before something goes up, we check it.

  • Specifications and numbers come from manufacturers, government and military sources, and respected reference works. Where sources disagree, we say so instead of quietly picking one.
  • We link to our sources where we can, so you can check our work.
  • If something is an estimate, an unconfirmed report or our own opinion, we label it as such.
  • Claims about ongoing conflicts are treated carefully. Official statements from governments and militaries are often one-sided, and we say whose claim it is.

Fact versus opinion

News reporting and explainers aim to be neutral. Analysis and commentary are different, and they carry a byline because they reflect the writer’s judgment. We try to make the line between the two obvious. Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of everyone on the site.

Independence

We don’t take orders from governments, defense companies or political groups. Nobody gets to approve, change or kill a story because they would like to.

  • We don’t sell favorable coverage. Ever.
  • If we run ads, they are marked as ads and kept separate from editorial content.
  • If a piece includes affiliate links, we say so near the top.
  • Sponsored content, if we ever publish any, will be clearly labeled as sponsored.
  • If a writer has a connection to something they are covering, such as working for a company or having served in a unit, they have to disclose it, and we’ll note it in the piece.

Sources and sensitive information

We report on defense matters, and some information should stay private. We will not publish anything that we believe puts people in danger, such as the location of personnel, details of live operations, or classified material that has not been properly released. If a source asks for anonymity, we weigh the request carefully, and we only grant it when the information matters and there is no better way to get it.

Guest contributors

We publish work from outside writers. Guest posts go through the same editing and fact-checking as our own. We edit for clarity, accuracy and length, but we don’t rewrite someone’s argument. Guest authors are named and given a short bio. To find out how to pitch us, see our Write for Us page.

How we use AI

[Edit this section to match what you actually do.] Our articles are written by people. If we use AI tools for things like spell-checking, transcription or research help, a human is still responsible for what gets published. We do not publish text generated by AI without a person reviewing and standing behind it.

Images and media

We use photos and graphics that we have the right to use, and we credit them. Where we use official military imagery, we name the source. We don’t present illustrations, renderings or simulations as real photographs, and if an image is a mock-up or concept art, the caption says so.

Corrections and updates

We get things wrong sometimes. When we do, we fix it.

  • Small errors, like a typo or a wrong figure that doesn’t change the meaning, are fixed quietly.
  • Anything that changes the meaning of a story gets a correction note on the article that says what was wrong and what we changed.
  • Stories that develop over time are updated, and we mark the update with the date.

If you spot a mistake, please tell us at saberrattling1@gmail.com. We read every message and will reply when we can.

Comments and feedback

Disagreement is welcome. Abuse, harassment, hate speech and spam are not, and we will remove them. We may close comments on some articles when the discussion gets out of hand.

Who to contact

For questions about this policy, or to raise a concern about something we’ve published, email sabrattling1@gmail.com.

We will update this policy as the site grows. When we do, we’ll change the date at the top.