July, 2023 Military Aviation News
07/31/2023
As China ramps up military activity along the Taiwan Strait, the United States recently announced US$345 million in military aid for Taiwan even as the total aid to the self-ruled island state is nearing a whopping $20 billion.
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07/30/2023
Honduras announced this Friday that the United States has promised to help strengthen its air and naval forces, during a visit by the head of the Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, to President Xiomara Castro. The Honduran Minister of Defense, José Manuel Zelaya, indicated that Castro and Richardson reached “important” agreements to “reinforce our aircraft” and “our Naval Force”.
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07/30/2023
North Korea recently showcased its latest technological developments in the military arena, revealing two new drone models that look strikingly similar to US-manufactured RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper drones.
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07/30/2023
Recent reports suggest that the Capitol is seeking Congress’ authorization to allow Denmark to sell F-16 fighters to Argentina. Argentina has been actively scouting for fighter jets to add to its inventory to fill the gap left by the retirement of Mirage aircraft in 2015. Its current operational inventory includes at least 10 A-4 fighter bombers, which armed IA-63 Pampa jet trainers supplement.
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07/29/2023
In just 10 seconds, a normal training mission became a nearly fatal accident when an F-35 fighter jet crashed while landing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on Oct. 19, 2022. An investigation published July 27 found the crash was caused by a glitch in the aircraft software system which occurred after the pilot, who survived with minor injuries after ejecting from the stricken jet, flew too close into the turbulence left by the wake of the F-35 ahead of him.
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07/29/2023
The Su-75 Checkmate is a fifth-generation single-engine fighter aircraft currently under development by Sukhoi, a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec). The fighter made its official debut at the MAKS-2021 aerospace exhibition in July 2021, and right from the outset, Moscow expressed its intentions to export the aircraft worldwide.
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07/29/2023
Russian fighter jets have harassed US military drones operating above Syria routinely throughout July, with one engagement this week damaging an American aircraft. US officials are frustrated with the repeated incidents, blasting Moscow's pilots for dangerous and reckless behavior and accusing Russia of interfering with combat drones on high-profile counterterrorism missions.
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07/27/2023
A Canadian military transport plane crashed into a French A400M transporter at the American military base in Guam in the Pacific at the end of last week, without causing any casualties, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced on Tuesday. “On July 22, 2023 at 10:30 a.m., a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-150 aircraft accidentally collided with a French Air Force and Space Force A400M aircraft that was in the parking. Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam” the statement said.
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07/27/2023
Türkiye's indigenous fighter jet, KAAN, is planned to fly with a Turkish engine in 2028, the general manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) said. Speaking at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) on Wednesday, Temel Kotil said KAAN is currently flying with F110 engine, adding that studies for KAAN’s upgrade are continuing.
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07/27/2023
A Saudi Arabian fighter jet F-15SA crashed during a training mission in Khamis Mushait, killing all members of crew onboard, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Wednesday citing the official spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki.
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07/26/2023
F-16 pilot training in Denmark is slated to start at Denmark’s Skrydstrup Fighter Wing in August. But other preparations for the fighters still need to be ironed out. As a result, Ukrainian Air Force fighter pilots and politicians have been dealing with frustration over the ambiguity and seeming lack of coordination with regard to promises of F-16s. Estimates of when F-16s will be flying combat missions defending Ukraine ranges from months to over a year.
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07/26/2023
A small but well-assorted contingent of assets from the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) will deploy to Japan early next month to take part in joint training with the JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force). Four F-35As with the 32° Stormo (Wing) from Amendola Air Base and 6° Stormo from Ghedi Air Base, accompanied by three KC-767 tankers and one G550 CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft of the 14th Wing from Pratica di Mare, and a C-130J from the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigade)
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07/26/2023
Poland has formally issued a contract to buy two 340 Airborne Early Warning aircraft from Swedish manufacturer Saab, the company said today, in a deal worth approximately SEK 600 million ($58 million USD). Saab said the planes will be equipped with its Erieye radar, and also includes ground equipment “as well as in-country logistics and support.”
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07/26/2023
A Russian fighter jet fired flares directly at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over Syria on Sunday, damaging its propeller, U.S. Air Forces Central announced Tuesday - the latest in a string of what military officials have denounced as risky and provocative behavior. The drone was on a counter-terrorism mission against the Islamic State group, according to the Air Force.
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07/25/2023
Air Mobility Command concluded exercise Mobility Guardian 23, the largest iteration of the Air Force’s premier multinational mobility exercise to date, July 21. The debut of the exercise in the Indo-Pacific saw 70 mobility aircraft with more than 3,000 service members from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. surge across an exercise area spanning 13 million square miles.
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07/25/2023
The MiG-17 made a safe landing, the Sidewinder was extracted and the Communists promptly rushed it to the USSR, where the AIM-9 was carefully taken apart and then reverse-engineered, bit by bit. The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft. It has a high-explosive warhead and an infrared heat-seeking guidance system. The Sidewinder was developed by the US Navy for fleet air defense and was adapted by the US Air Force for fighter aircraft use
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07/25/2023
As Ukraine’s heroic defence against Russian invasion reaches the 18-month mark, Kyiv has at last received a boost in its conflict-long quest to acquire Western combat aircraft. NATO’s annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania was the venue for an 11-nation “fighter coalition” to join forces and pledge to train Ukrainian air force personnel to fly and maintain the Lockheed Martin F-16.
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07/24/2023
Amid speculations that Russia may have started operating its S-70 Okhotnik heavy-strike stealth drone against Ukraine, a MiG-29 fighter plane and the Russian S-70 Okhotnik (‘Hunter’) attack drone were sighted flying in a formation at an unknown location.
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07/24/2023
A serious shortage of Turkey’s air force pilots, aggravated by a mass purge of military aviators by the government on fabricated charges in 2016, continues to hamper the air force’s ability to operate F-16 and F-4 fighter jets. This acute problem presents even more challenges to NATO’s second-largest army than the already stymied modernization efforts for the ailing aircraft fleet amid troubled talks with the US on upgrades and new orders.
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07/24/2023
Iran on Sunday began an annual air force drill in the central part of the country, state media reported, as the United States sends more fighter planes to the region to deter the Islamic Republic from seizing commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf area. The official IRNA news agency said 11 Iranian air force bases participated in the drill, dubbed Fadaeian Velyat-11, or Devotees of the Supreme Leader-11. It said an air base at the southern port of Bandar Abbas at the mouth of the strategic Strai
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07/24/2023
Neither Russia nor Ukraine has been able to dominate the skies during their 16-month war, but Russia's aircraft have a technological edge and numerical superiority. To better fight the air war and support its ground forces, Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries for F-16 fighter jets, and those countries are moving toward supplying them.
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07/23/2023
In the summer of 2022, just months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Taiwan’s president gathered senior officials from her ruling party in downtown Taipei. On the agenda: How was Ukraine, in its war with Russia, successfully offsetting the advantages of a much more powerful foe? President Tsai Ing-wen was given an internal 77-page briefing report via PowerPoint. It had a clear answer: drones.
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07/23/2023
The Marine Aviation Support Activity 2023 (MASA 23), a joint training program between the Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps, concluded after 15 days of rigorous training and cooperation in Palawan.
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07/23/2023
Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels were tracked by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) between Friday and Saturday, according to Taiwan News. The Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels were tracked from 6 am on Friday, July 21 to 6 a.m. on Saturday, July 22.
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07/22/2023
There was something different about one of the U.S. fighters that flew over the Strait of Hormuz this past week to deter Iran from seizing oil tankers. Three green stars are plainly visible on an F-16, tail 2137, in newly released Department of Defense photos of the aircraft over the Strait and at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The F-16 is forward deployed to CENTCOM from Aviano Air Base, Italy, as part of the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.
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07/22/2023
Poland has been growing its military and investing heavily in new systems at an unprecedented rate since the start of the Ukraine invasion. Among the splashy orders were Abrams tanks, Apache combat helicopters and HIMARS rocket launchers from the United States, South Korean-made K2 tanks, Chunmoo rocket launchers, K9 self-propelled howitzers and FA-50 combat aircraft, and at least two Swedish early warning aircraft to complement additional tethered warning systems.
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07/22/2023
In what could be bad news for Iran, there are speculative reports that the much-awaited Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets that the country was set to receive from Russia might never be delivered.
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07/22/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Friday morning (July 21) that it had detected an additional 25 Chinese military aircraft and four Chinese naval vessels around Taiwan since its report earlier the same day.
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07/22/2023
Just over ten months after Poland signed an agreement for the FA-50 with emerging Asian defense giant Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the first two aircraft have already been handed over to Polish authorities. They will be given to the Polish Air Force (PAF) next month.
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07/21/2023
The US and its five allied military forces recently staged an impressive “elephant walk” at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, displaying a diverse fleet of military aircraft, including frontline fighter jets, transport planes, aerial tankers, and bombers. The images of the elephant walk were released by the Pacific Air Force (PACAF), featuring US and Allied aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on July 19, 2023.
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07/21/2023
Private military company Draken International, which trains pilots for the US Air Force, has begun hiring instructors with flight experience on F-16 fighters in Romania. This is probably related to the training of Ukrainian pilots. This is reported by Militarnyi.
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07/21/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said early Thursday morning (July 20) that it had detected an additional 22 Chinese military aircraft and seven Chinese naval vessels around Taiwan since its report earlier the same day.
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07/20/2023
The deal to sell Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ (Brilliance) to Argentina is stuck over the British part in the fighter jet. But during the ongoing visit of the Argentinian defense minister Jorge Taiana is expected to sign a letter of intent for purchasing 20 Light Combat Helicopters ‘Prachand’ (Fierce).
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07/20/2023
Despite its impeccable record of military neutrality, Sweden is a military powerhouse. Since Sweden submitted its papers for admission into the NATO alliance, experts have emphasized that the country is “armed and ready to fight” any country that threatens its security.
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07/20/2023
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) announced on July 18 that Japan and France will hold their first-ever joint fighter jet drill in Japan next week. That marks a historic milestone in the two nation’s defense and security ties amid China’s military buildup and regional assertiveness.
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07/19/2023
The Royal Australian Air Force says it will fly its 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets through to the mid-2030s rather than retiring them by 2027 as had been intended. And it will open up a competition for a replacement rather than necessarily acquiring additional F-35A Lightning IIs. It seems likely that the Block II Super Hornets will be upgraded to full Block III configuration to maximise their capability.
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07/19/2023
Steel Airmen assigned to the 911th Airlift Wing tested their capabilities by mobilizing four C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in a maneuver called an “elephant walk,” July 18, 2023. An elephant walk is a close formation of aircraft taxiing en masse, usually before back-to-back takeoff. The maneuver, which exercised the abilities of both aircraft maintenance and aircrew personnel to quickly and simultaneously prepare multiple aircraft and crews for duty.
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07/19/2023
Russia claims to have introduced modifications to the original design of its single-engine Su-75 Checkmate stealth fighter aircraft while also pursuing the development of additional variants. United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a Russian aerospace and defense corporation, has recently filed a series of patents with the Russian Federal Intellectual Property Service, revealing intriguing modifications to the original design of the Su-75 Checkmate.
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07/19/2023
The US military is sending an assortment of fighter jets and a warship on a new mission to the Middle East, bringing a firepower boost to the region after Iranian forces recently tried to seize several commercial ships in the area's strategic waterways.
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07/18/2023
A Ukrainian pilot told The Sunday Times that his country's air force is so outclassed by Russia that it can "do nothing to them in the air." The pilot, identified only by his rank of major and his first name Maksym, told the publication on Saturday that his team has been struggling in its missions around Bakhmut against a far better-armed Russia.
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07/18/2023
Speculation has emerged on some Indian news channels that Argentina and India may be very close to finalizing a deal to sell 15 HAL Tejas fighter jets to the Latin American country. According to this information, which quote unnamned sources in the Indian government, information from sale, that could be worth around US$1.05 billion (8,675 INR Crore) and would be announced during the visit of Argentina’s defence minister to Delhi on July 17, 2023.
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07/18/2023
A Russian Su-25 fighter jet crashed into sea moments before the newly qualified pilot ejected from the doomed plane in front of astonished tourists close to the Ukrainian frontlines. Unverified videos on social media appear to show the stricken warplane travelling at speed at a dangerously low height before it plunged into the Sea of Azov near the Russian town of Yeysk.
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07/17/2023
The six-month inquiry into Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), led by Sub-Committee Chair Mark Francois MP, found that the UK’s defence procurement system is “broken” and that “multiple, successive reviews have not yet fixed it.” The Sub-Committee discovered “a UK procurement system which is highly bureaucratic, overly stratified, far too ponderous, with an inconsistent approach to safety, very poor accountability and a culture which appears institutionally averse to individual responsibility.
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07/17/2023
Did you know that the most frequently shot-down Russian fighter jet in Ukraine is the Su-34 Fullback fighter bomber? Since the beginning of the conflict, 21 Su-34 units have been intercepted, shot down, or damaged during a mission.
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07/17/2023
For decades, Middle Eastern countries have imported advanced fighter jets in large, sometimes record-breaking, numbers. Saudi Arabia bought 84 F-15SA fighters for $60 billion in 2017 in what was the US's largest foreign arms sale. In 2021, the United Arab Emirates placed a $19 billion order for 80 Dassault Rafales, the largest foreign order Dassault has ever received for the jet.
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07/16/2023
British MPs have criticised the country’s military procurement system, saying it is “well and truly broken” and puts troops in “harm’s way” just two days before the Ministry of Defence is due to publish its strategy for the UK’s armed forces.
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07/15/2023
The U.S. will repurchase decommissioned missiles it sold to Taiwan and provide them to Ukraine as part of a military aid package, according to a local news outlet. The China Times quoted an unnamed source on Friday (July 14) who said that the Phase III MIM-23 Hawk missiles, decommissioned in June, will be sold to the U.S.
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07/15/2023
China’s military has been on a surge of activity around Taiwan this week, sending dozens of warplanes past the median line of the Taiwan Strait and into the key regions of the island’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activity has a range of implications, none of them positive for Taiwan or cross-strait stability, analysts say.
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07/15/2023
A sweeping U.S. Air Force modernization program is underway, and the time has come to start discussing options for sharing the technology with allies. Export policy for some of the Air Force’s “more sensitive” new technology is being discussed this weekend at the Royal International Air Tattoo with the leaders of international partners, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said July 14.
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07/15/2023
The UK Ministry of Defence’s Director of Future Combat Air sees “unique opportunities” for future partnerships on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) program — but indicated that doesn’t have to mean adding more nations to the core membership of the UK, Italy and Japan.
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07/14/2023
The French-made Rafale M from Dassault Aviation is set to be the Indian Navy’s next-generation carrier fighter after New Delhi gave the initial go-ahead to purchase 26 of the jets. The navalized Rafale M — the land-based is already flown by the Indian Air Force — seems to have fought off competition from Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and is planned to be acquired as part of a major French arms package that will also include three Scorpène class diesel-electric attack submarines.
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07/14/2023
With the Chinese military drills in full force near the self-ruled Taiwanese Island, the Chinese military reportedly monitored a P-8A maritime reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Taiwan Strait yet again. On July 13, as China conducted a third day of continuous military drills to the south of the island that began earlier this week, Chinese fighter planes watched the US Navy patrol plane fly across the contested Taiwan Strait, which China continues to claim as its sovereign territory.
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07/14/2023
A decision point remains several years away for the Swedish Air Force’s acquisition strategy for a next generation fighter, the commander of the Swedish Air Force told Aviation Week on July 13. Although advanced studies have been started by government and industry teams, the Air Force has no need in the near-term to decide whether to buy or join a foreign program, develop a new Swedish fighter or continue buying more JAS-39E Gripens from Saab, Maj. Gen. Jonas Wikman said on the sidelines.
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07/13/2023
On July 10, the North Korean Defense Ministry alleged that U.S. military drones and reconnaissance aircraft had conducted close-up surveillance of North Korea for eight consecutive days from July 2 to 9, with one aircraft having “illegally intruded into the inviolable airspace of the DPRK… [by] tens of kilometers.” (DPRK is an abbreviation of North Korea’s formal name: the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.)
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07/12/2023
China’s air force and navy staged another large-scale drill involving fighters, bombers and warships to Taiwan’s south and southwest on Tuesday, the island’s defense ministry said, as Beijing keeps up its military pressure on Taipei. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has over the past three years regularly sent warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, or ADIZ, to try and force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty.
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07/12/2023
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on June 10 that his country will send a Boeing E-7A Wedgetail to Germany to support aerial surveillance on the border with Ukraine – which has been fighting to retake territory seized by Russia since February 2022. . The early warning and air control (AEW&C) aircraft, accompanied by 100 crew and support personnel, will be deployed in Germany from October. The aircraft will be in Europe for about six months.
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07/12/2023
Turkey looks set to receive the F-16 fighters that it’s long sought from the United States, as part of an apparent deal in which Ankara has finally conceded to Sweden’s entry into NATO. Turkey had requested a $20-billion deal for 40 new F-16s, as well as around 80 modernization kits for existing jets, since October 2021, but the deal had been held up by Congress amid worsening relations between Ankara and Washington.
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07/12/2023
Cash-strapped Indonesia is staying the course of its participation in South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae advanced jet fighter program, underscoring Jakarta’s perceived urgent need to modernize and improve its air force. This month, Janes reported that Indonesian state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) said that Indonesia is still committed to South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae 4.5 generation fighter, despite missing a payment deadline for the project.
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07/12/2023
A coalition of 11 nations will start training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, and a training centre will be set up in Romania, officials said on Tuesday on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Lithuania. NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands have been leading international efforts to train pilots as well as support staff, maintain aircraft and ultimately enable the supply of F-16s to Ukraine in its war with Russia.
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07/12/2023
On July 9, China and Thailand commenced an annual joint air combat exercise to strengthen military cooperation between the two nations and uphold “regional peace and stability.” During the joint air combat exercise, the air forces of China and Thailand will engage in training activities related to joint air defense, air support, and large-scale deployments, Chinese media reported.
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07/11/2023
Sweden is looking to restock its supply of air defence capability with an order for hundreds of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from US defence prime RTX, recently rebranded from Raytheon, in a deal worth in excess of $600m (Skr6.5bn). In a 7 July release from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notifying of the possible FMS, it was stated that Sweden was seeking to procure 250 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles and up to six AMRAAM C-8 guidance sections.
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07/11/2023
Embraer is looking to grab a slice of Europe’s defense modernization pie with sales of the C-390 airlifter and A-29 Super Tucano. Previously, the Brazilian OEM’s European market presence was limited to sales of its Tucano basic trainer, its Xingu light transport and the AMX light-combat aircraft that was developed with Italy during the 1980s.
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07/11/2023
The first consignment of South Korean FA-50 light combat jets has arrived in Poland, the country's defence minister has announced. Mariusz Blaszczak broke the news on Twitter on Monday. "The first two FA-50 aircraft for the Polish Armed Forces are already in Poland!," Blaszczak tweeted. "The light combat aircraft ordered from South Korea, which replace the post-Soviet equipment, will strengthen the potential of the Air Force."
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07/10/2023
Any decision by Australia to send retired fighter jets to aid Ukraine's resistance to invading Russian forces would be welcomed by "cheering" from Europe, according to Lithuania's foreign minister. The Lithuanian capital of Vilnius is hosting the NATO leader summit this week, less than 40 kilometres from the border with Kremlin ally Belarus.
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07/10/2023
Russian fighter jets have “harassed” American drones over Syria for the third day in a row this week, the U.S. military said. Tension between Russian and U.S. troops is not uncommon in Syria as both countries conduct patrols on the ground as well as overflights. Syria’s 12-year conflict has left half a million people dead and over 1 million wounded.
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07/10/2023
A U.S. drone strike killed an Islamic State group leader in Syria hours after the same MQ-9 Reaper drones were harassed by Russian military jets over the western part of the country, according to the Defense Department. Three Reapers had been flying overhead searching for the militant on Friday, a U.S. defense official said, when they were harassed for about two hours by Russian aircraft. Shortly after that, the drones struck and killed Usamah al-Muhajir, who was riding a motorcycle.
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07/10/2023
When the leaders of NATO nations gather in Lithuania this week, President Biden and his closest allies will endeavor to send Russia a forceful message: that the West is united against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. But jeopardizing their show of cohesion will be several of the same leaders joining Biden for the Vilnius summit, whose refusal to admit Sweden as the 31-nation bloc’s newest member underscores the divisions that could erode NATO’s deterrent power.
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07/10/2023
In an unexpected turn of events, Baghdad has inked a deal with Islamabad after two years of diplomatic discourse to purchase their combat aircraft. As reported by The News International [Pakistan], Iraq has joined the growing list of countries, becoming the fifth nation to acquire the JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan.
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07/09/2023
According to Ukrinform, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in an evening update published on Facebook. According to the update, throughout the day, the Russian military used S-300 guided missiles and Iranian-made Shahed attack drones against Ukraine. Units of Ukraine's air defense forces destroyed five Shahed attack UAVs.
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07/09/2023
Iraq has become the fifth country that initiated deal for purchasing JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan and concluded it successfully. Pakistan has been jointly manufacturing the aircraft with China as Islamabad is also set to export its JF-17 Block III aircraft to Malaysia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Myanmar. Sensing the Thunder’s might, several countries have shown interest in Pakistan’s pride. Earlier, Argentine had also studied the combat aircraft.
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07/09/2023
The NATO Summit in Vilnius starting on July 11 will mark milestones in several strategic processes of vital importance to the Alliance. These include assessing progress on the Strategic Concept adopted in Madrid last year, recognizing Finland’s successful accession, debating the path forward on Ukraine’s application, and consideration of the end game towards Swedish membership.
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07/09/2023
China’s People’s Liberation Army sent 13 aircraft and 6 vessels into airspace and waters around Taiwan over the past 24 hours as of early Saturday, overlapping with United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing aimed at mending strained relations.
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07/08/2023
Russian aircraft once again harassed US MQ-9 Reaper drones over Syria Friday, the Air Force said, in a sign of increasing friction between the two countries in Middle East airspace. The incident marked the third time this week that US drones over Syria were intercepted by Russian aircraft.
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07/08/2023
The UK government, through its internal venture capital fund, is investing in American technology firm Red 6, which is seeking to deliver augmented-reality solutions for fighter pilot training. Red 6 says it entered an agreement with the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in June to “supply augmented-reality technologies in support of the UK military flying training system”.
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07/08/2023
Vladimir Putin sent up two supersonic White Swan Tu-160 nuclear bomber planes as part of a 12-hour war game mission, it was disclosed today, ahead of a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania. The two planes flew more than 5,600 miles before landing at an Arctic base after the marathon flight, which involved two refuelling sessions by Il-78 aircraft.
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07/08/2023
On July 6, the Operations Directorate of the French Ministry of Defense took to Twitter to announce that two Rafales engaged in a protection mission along the Iraqi-Syrian border had encountered a non-professional interaction from a Su-35. In response, the French pilots maneuvered to mitigate the risk of an accident before resuming their patrol activities.
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07/06/2023
Indian Air Force (IAF) recently carried out three long-range missions to train for and showcase its long-range strike and air patrol capability. These were flown by the Su-30 MKI and Rafale fighters. They were supported by the IAF’s IL-78 Flight Refueller Aircraft (FRA) for inflight refuelling, and the IL-76-based Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for aerial radar cover, and command and control.
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07/06/2023
The US Air Force's top commander in the Middle East warned in June of increasingly aggressive actions by Russian fighter pilots over Syria. It was only the latest warning of such activity, and it reflects a long history of contentious interactions between US and Russian forces in Syria that will persist amid broader tensions, experts say.
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07/06/2023
Two pilots of a Russian military aircraft were killed Tuesday when their jet crashed during a routine training flight in the far east of the country, the local source said. Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov also confirmed that pilots were killed on his influential Fighterbomber Telegram channel.
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07/06/2023
Lockheed Martin has once again sparked intrigue and speculation on social media by potentially offering a tantalizing glimpse at its enigmatic Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet. The aerospace and defense giant recently marked the 80th anniversary of its renowned advanced projects division, Skunk Works, by posting an Instagram story showing a series of silhouettes for some of Skunk Works’ most iconic aircraft.
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07/06/2023
Russian fighter jets harassed American aircraft on an anti-ISIS mission in Syria, the US military said on Wednesday. “Earlier today at approximately 10:40 AM, Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior while interacting with US aircraft in Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the US general responsible for air operations in the Middle East.
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07/05/2023
Single aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy, Admiral Kuznetsov could return to active service in late 2024, according to TASS, citing an official. The vessel, which holds about 30 aircraft, has been idle for six years. The last mission carried out by the Kuznetsov was in 2016, when the ship provided support to Russian troops in Syria.
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07/05/2023
For a moment, Ukraine had caught the break it needed and deserved. Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s forces were advancing on Moscow; Russia was facing a civil war that would have crippled its war of aggression in Ukraine. We don’t yet know what the fallout from the recent short-lived revolt will be: Mutiny is rarely good for the morale, cohesion or effectiveness of the troops in the trenches.
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07/05/2023
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems a £870m contract to deliver a new radar to enhance the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Typhoon fighter jet fleet and strengthen the aircraft’s control of the airspace whilst providing cutting-edge electronic warfare capabilities.
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07/04/2023
Intrusions by Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in June dropped slightly by 12% from May, but there were reports of Chinese fighter jets and Russian frigates coming unusually close to Taiwan's continuous zone in June.
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07/04/2023
Speaking exclusively to LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, admiral Rob Baeur, chairman of military committee of NATO, said providing Ukraine with the fighter jets they have been asking for "will not be solved in the short term". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with Western nations to provide his war-torn country with fighter jets, including F-16s, which a number of NATO members possess.
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07/04/2023
Israel has approved the purchase of a third squadron of F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal worth $3 billion, the Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. The additional 25 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin will bring the number of F-35s in Israel's air force to 75, the ministry said, adding that the deal will be financed through the defense aid package Israel receives from the United States.
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07/04/2023
A Russian-made Su-30 fighter jet crashed in mountainous northern Venezuela while practicing ahead of the country’s independence day. A pilot died in the accident. “I regret to inform you that during the practice maneuvers… an aircraft of our Bolivarian Military Aviation fell to the ground, causing the physical loss of the distinguished pilot Col. Paulino Jose Millan Sabino,” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wrote on Twitter. Both the aircraft crew members managed to eject, but one of the pilo
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07/01/2023
On June 29, a high-ranking Russian official said that the Russian Armed Forces had observed ten violations of the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) belonging to the “international anti-terrorist coalition” led by the US during the day in Syria. The announcement was made by Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, the Deputy Head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties and Controlling the Movement of Refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic (CPVS).
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07/01/2023
Exercise High Sierra is back gracing Townsville airspace once again, following a two-year hiatus, to graduate the latest cadre of F-35A Lightning II pilots. Exercise High Sierra is a 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) training exercise, and is the final component of the F-35A Lightning II Operational Conversion Course. Commanding Officer of 2OCU, Wing Commander Philip Eldridge, said this was the first time 2OCU has held the exercise at RAAF Base Townsville using the F-35A Lightning II.
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07/01/2023
A Czech Republic government-to-government foreign military sales (FMS) request for procurement of 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth combat aircraft has been given the go-ahead by Washington. Formal notification of approval was announced by the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on June 29. The estimated $5.62 billion FMS proposal includes the 24 aircraft, plus 25 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines and associated weapons and support equipment.
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07/01/2023
Images and videos recently surfaced on social media indicate that China’s J-20 stealth fighter, fitted with two newly developed WS-15 jet engines, has successfully completed its inaugural flight. According to reports, the first flight of the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter equipped with WS-15 engines took place on June 28. The flight was conducted from Chengdu’s primary test airfield, situated alongside its production facility in the city of Chengdu.
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