2025 Military Aviation News
06/09/2025
Hungary has officially received its first L-39 Skyfox aircraft as part of a modernisation effort for its air force, under a defence deal with the Czech company Aero Vodochody. The jets, announced on May 30, 2025, will serve as advanced trainers and reconnaissance platforms, forming the second tier of pilot training after propeller-driven Zlin aircraft.
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06/09/2025
The Pakistani Government announced on June 6, 2025, through its official X account, the signing of a $4.6 billion defense agreement with Azerbaijan for the sale of 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, accompanied by a $2 billion investment package. This record-breaking deal not only marks Pakistan’s largest defense export in its history but also signals a major strategic alignment between two nations that have steadily cultivated deeper ties over the past decade.
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06/09/2025
Pakistan has officially confirmed the acquisition of up to 40 Chinese J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, making it the first international operator of China’s newest stealth aircraft. The deal marks one of Pakistan’s most significant military modernisation efforts in recent years.
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06/09/2025
The Experimental Operations Unit of the 53rd Wing is tasked with ensuring uncrewed systems like the Collaborative Combat Aircraft are both technically advanced and tactically integrated from the outset.
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06/09/2025
In an acquisition that will significantly alter the military balance in the South Caucasus, Pakistan is selling 40 fourth-generation JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Azerbaijan. The move will undoubtedly worry neighboring Armenia.
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06/08/2025
Taiwan said it detected 34 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and one official ship around its territory between 6 a.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Saturday, media reports said. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense posted on X: "34 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today."
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06/08/2025
Lockheed Martin has completed final assembly of the ninth F-35A Lightning II multi-role combat aircraft for Belgium at its facility in Fort Worth. According to both parties, this is the first Belgian-designated aircraft that will be delivered directly to Belgium after acceptance.
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06/08/2025
Amid reports that the Japan-UK-Italy Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) is facing delays, the United States has swooped in to pitch the F-47 sixth-generation aircraft to Japan. The big question is: will Japan bite the bullet?
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06/08/2025
new image appearing to show China’s ‘J-36’ 6th generation tactical jet parked on the ground has emerged online. If legitimate, this would be the best front view of the aircraft to date, notably providing clear proof of the canopy design and further confirmation of a side-by-side seating arrangement. What looks to be three open ventral weapons bays, along with nearby personnel, underscore the design’s large size — something of a hybrid between a very heavy fighter and a tactical bomber.
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06/08/2025
A Ukrainian air force surface-to-air missile shot down a Russian air force Sukhoi Su-35 over Kursk Oblast in western Russia on Saturday. The twin-engine Su-35 is Russia’s best fighter that’s in widespread use. Initial reports that a Ukrainian Lockheed Martin F-16 shot down the Su-35 were apparently false. “According to updated information, the Su-35 fighter jet that took off from the Borisoglebsk air base was shot down by a surface-to-air missile system,” analysis AviVector corrected.
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06/07/2025
Satellite images have confirmed a large-scale fire at an oil depot in Engels, Saratov region. It supplies fuel to a military airfield that was previously attacked by drones. Satellite imagery confirmed a large-scale fire at an oil depot in Engels, Saratov region. This was reported by the "Crimean Wind" monitoring group, reports UNN.
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06/07/2025
Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters deployed in Poland were scrambled four times in just seven days to intercept Russian aircraft operating near NATO airspace, according to a Ministry of Defence update. Based at the 22nd Tactical Air Base in Malbork, Poland, RAF Typhoon FGR4 jets from No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron responded to multiple incidents involving aircraft leaving Kaliningrad without flight plans or radio communication.
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06/07/2025
The U.S. Air Force continues moving forward steadily with the incorporation of the modern F-15EX Eagle II strike fighter, marking a new milestone with the recent arrival of the fourth unit at the Portland Air National Guard Base, just ahead of the first anniversary of its integration on June 5.
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06/07/2025
In an unusual public disapproval of India's weapons manufacturing ecosystem, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Amar Preet Singh lamented the delays plaguing the country's defense projects and urged accountability.
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06/07/2025
The 53rd Wing formally activated the Experimental Operations Unit during a ceremony held on June 5 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The unit, which has operated as a detachment since 2023, has now been elevated to a fully operational squadron equivalent, marking a significant step forward in the Department of the Air Force’s focus to deliver substantial operational capability for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Increment 1 before the end of the decade.
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06/06/2025
According to information published by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace on June 5, 2025, the German government has officially selected the Norwegian Joint Strike Missile (JSM) to equip its fleet of F-35 stealth multirole combat aircraft. This government-to-government agreement, approved by the Bundestag on June 4, is valued at approximately NOK 6.5 billion (USD 600 million) and marks a major advancement in transatlantic precision strike capability, with Germany becoming the fifth nation.
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06/06/2025
The Ministry of Defense is studying the potential procurement of China’s J-10 fighter jets, though no official decision has been made, said Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Donny responded to growing speculation about Indonesia’s interest in acquiring the multirole combat aircraft from China, following a recent visit by Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Chief Marshal M. Tonny Harjono to the country.
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06/06/2025
As part of their Baltic Air Policing mission, Portuguese Air Force (FAP) F-16M fighter jets conducted a significant number of interceptions of aircraft belonging to the Russian Armed Forces. The incidents, which occurred between late May and early June, amounted to a total of 20 interceptions involving various types of Russian military aircraft.
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06/06/2025
Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited have signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage in India, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains.
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06/06/2025
We’re still feeling our way with this. The concept of fighter-like drones, called collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), holds much promise to air forces, notably to the US Air Force as it contemplates war with China. But maintaining CCAs in operation isn’t looking cheap and simple. Air forces may instead drift towards getting some CCA effects with expendable drones that can be treated much like rounds of ammunition.
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06/06/2025
The U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter program looks to have hit another snag, with the Pentagon reportedly prioritizing the Air Force’s F-47 stealth fighter, amid concerns about how to run the two efforts simultaneously. Already, the F/A-XX was in limbo, with a U.S. official telling TWZ last month that the future of the program was still being reviewed. This came after reports that a contract award for the Navy’s new combat jet could be delayed by as much as three years.
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06/05/2025
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed its selection of the Saab Gripen E/F as its future multi-role fighter aircraft, marking a significant step in the country’s ongoing effort to modernize its air combat capabilities. While a formal contract has not yet been signed, Saab and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) are set to enter the next phase of the procurement process with the Kingdom of Thailand. The number of Gripen E/F aircraft to be ordered.
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06/05/2025
The Czech Republic Ministry of Defence (MoD) has given its consent to the Swedish proposal to extend the lease of its Saab JAS-39 Gripen multirole fighter aircraft fleet. The agreement, which extends the contract until 2035, received backing from the Minister of Defence’s Collegium. The proposed agreement is set to be submitted to the government for approval.
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06/05/2025
Just weeks after the most recent military conflict with India came to an end, the Pakistan Air Force is reportedly being bolstered through the purchase of China’s new stealth fighter jet, the Shenyang J-35A, marking a significant leap in capabilities compared to its current JF-17 Thunder Block III and J-10CE fighters. The news was revealed by Pakistani government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to specialized media outlets.
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06/05/2025
Amid rising security challenges in the South China Sea and Beijing’s increasing muscle flexing, the Philippines has decided to double its fleet of South Korean FA-50 fighter jets, signing a contract for 12 additional aircraft, following its initial purchase of 12 jets in 2014.
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06/05/2025
The U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX has transitioned from its long standing Developmental Test and Evaluation period to a combination of Developmental Testing (DT), Operational Testing (OT), and Live Fire (LF) evaluation last month within the the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation amid rumors of cancellations and contract awards. The transition occurred between December 2024 and April 2025—in the first quarter of FY2025.
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06/04/2025
The Marine Corps will soon rebrand a storied aviation squadron as its pilots switch to a new jet designed for next-level warfare. Amid ongoing changes to the Corps, the North Carolina-based Marine Attack Squadron 231 will be renamed "Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 231." The squadron, identified as the service's oldest flying squadron, was formed just after World War I, and it adopted the Harrier jump jet in the mid-1980s.
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06/04/2025
Ukraine struck at the heart of Russia’s air power on 1 June in one of its most daring operations of the war—codenamed Operation Spiderweb. Over 100 low-cost, first-person-view (FPV) drones hit air bases in five Russian regions, damaging at least 41 military aircraft including Tu-95, Tu-22M, and A-50 strategic planes.
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06/04/2025
As reported by Forca Aera on June 2, 2025, a high-resolution image captured the first known prototype of China’s KJ-3000 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft at an undisclosed airbase, confirming its configuration and serial number 7821. The aircraft appears coated in primer paint and is equipped with a prominent radar dome mounted atop the rear fuselage, a dorsal array of antennas, and an aerial refueling probe above the cockpit.
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06/03/2025
According to information published by De Morgen on June 2, 2025, the Belgian government is preparing to finalize a strategic order for 21 additional F-35A fighter aircraft, bringing its total fleet to 55 units. This move is part of a broader €36 billion investment plan aimed at modernizing the country’s armed forces by 2035. Scheduled ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, the decision is intended to demonstrate Belgium’s commitment to meeting Alliance standards.
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06/03/2025
The U.S. Air Force announced the designation of two Mission Design Series within its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program today: the YFQ-42A (General Atomics) and the YFQ-44A (Anduril). Representing the first in a new generation of uncrewed fighter aircraft, both will be crucial in securing air superiority for the Joint Force in future conflicts. These aircraft are designed to leverage autonomous capabilities and crewed-uncrewed teaming to defeat enemy threats in contested environments.
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06/03/2025
The European Union has given formal approval to a joint venture involving BAE Systems (Holdings) Limited, Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd, and Leonardo S.p.A. The newly formed company will act as the prime contractor and lead systems integrator for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
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06/02/2025
The U.S. Army has officially designated MV-75 as the mission design series for its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, a key modernization effort aimed at fielding the next generation of vertical lift tactical assault and utility aircraft for the Army and U.S. Special Operations Command.
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06/02/2025
Now that US president Donald Trump has appeared to set a two-week deadline for his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to cease advances in its Ukraine invasion, all eyes are on the Kremlin to see if this ongoing war could finally see an end after three long years. Moscow escalated attacks targeting civilian centers in Kyiv this month, suggesting Putin may not be that serious about slowing down the violent barrages that continue to kill scores of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the conf
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06/02/2025
As the integration program for the JAS-39 Gripen E fighters continues to progress, the Brazilian Air Force is preparing to receive a new unit manufactured by Saab in Sweden — the tenth of the total 36 aircraft ordered. The latest aircraft was recently transferred from Norrköping Airport to the city’s port, from where it will be shipped to Brazil.
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06/02/2025
A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory, a Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press on Sunday, while Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones a day before the two sides meet for a new round of direct talks in Istanbul.
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06/01/2025
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has confirmed that the company has made its largest-ever internal investment in the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter programme. Speaking at the Bernstein 41st Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on 29 May, Ortberg highlighted the strategic significance of the project for Boeing’s defence division and its St. Louis production facility.
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06/01/2025
According to a picture released by the U.S. Central Command on May 30, 2025, via its official X account, a new armament configuration of the USAF F-15E Strike Eagle has been revealed, showing the aircraft armed with Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rocket pods. The photo clearly displays three APKWS II pods mounted under each wing, each carrying seven laser-guided Hydra 70mm rockets, installed beneath the standard AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM mounts.
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06/01/2025
US President Donald Trump has offered Boeing’s sixth-generation stealth fighter, the F-47, to Japan, according to reports. If true, this would be the first concrete offer to sell the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet to any country. Notably, this comes amid reports that the US is unhappy with Japan’s participation in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a sixth-generation combat jet being pursued jointly by Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
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06/01/2025
Britain wants to purchase fighter jets capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons, in a major expansion of the deterrent intended to counter the growing threat posed by Russia. Sir Keir Starmer’s government is in highly sensitive talks over the move, which would represent the biggest development in the UK’s deterrent since the Cold War and a recognition that the world has entered a more dangerous nuclear era.
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06/01/2025
India’s military has acknowledged for the first time that an unspecified number of its fighter jets were shot down during strikes on Pakistani-controlled territory amid intense fighting between the neighbors in early May. Indian officials had previously refused to confirm even a single aircraft loss.
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05/31/2025
apan has growing doubts that its next-generation fighter project with Britain and Italy will meet a 2035 rollout target, potentially forcing Tokyo to plug air defense gaps with new U.S. F-35 stealth planes or upgrades to aging jets, two sources said. The joint Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) established in 2022 is falling behind schedule due to a lack of urgency from Britain and Italy, which could push deployment beyond 2040, according to one of the sources.
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05/31/2025
The ferocity of the shots fired in the recent India-Pakistan conflict have quietened but the skirmish is already having an impact on global air forces. Jamming devices are now considered essential, experts have told The National. A major investigation among Western powers is under way to understand how potentially three French-built Rafales were lost to Pakistan's Chinese made J-10Cs, alongside the worrying development of long-range aerial warfare.
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05/31/2025
Dutch F-35s joined Finland’s Baana 25 exercises, simulating highway landings to boost NATO’s Agile Combat Employment strategy, showcasing operational flexibility, readiness, and alliance interoperability amid modern warfare threats. It has been over two years since Finland officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). However, in that short time, it has worked closely with its allied nations in numerous drills, including its annual “Baana” exercises.
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05/31/2025
According to information published by the Norwegian Ministry of Defense on May 28, 2025, Norwegian Armed Forces achieved a groundbreaking milestone in NATO’s advancement of network-enabled warfare. While the operation was conducted on May 14, 2025, the newly revealed details emphasize a major leap in allied digital integration and precision strike capability.
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05/31/2025
Lockheed Martin is developing an advanced version of its F-35 stealth fighter jet that could potentially be uncrewed, the company's CEO said on Wednesday. Speaking at the Bernstein's 41st Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, CEO Jim Taiclet floated the possibility of an F-35 whose pilot could be "optional" within a "relatively modest time frame."
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05/30/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 16 Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels, and one official ship around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday and 6 a.m. on Friday. Seven of the 16 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern and eastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
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05/30/2025
According to information published by the British daily The Telegraph on May 20, 2025, the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm’s F-35B fighters will remain limited in their air-to-ground strike capabilities for several more years. Despite their advanced design, these aircraft currently rely solely on Paveway series guided bombs, due to the lack of integration of more sophisticated weaponry. The SPEAR 3 missile program, intended to fill this gap, has experienced significant delays.
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05/30/2025
China has emerged as a manufacturing superpower in several industries but has failed to gain traction as an exporter of combat aircraft. Could this be about to change? A fateful night in the skies above mountainous Kashmir hints that the world’s perception of Chinese combat aircraft may have reached a turning point.
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05/30/2025
Despite international sanctions and the fact that its industrial complex is focused on the war effort, Russia has completed the delivery of a new batch of Sukhoi Su-30SM2 fighter-bombers to equip the Belarusian Air Force. The news emerged through the viral circulation of images showing an undisclosed number of aircraft delivered by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant to the Belarusian Ministry of Defense.
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05/29/2025
French President Emmanuel Macron appears to have convinced Indonesia to place follow-on orders for Rafale and Scorpene submarines as it seeks to deepen defense and trade ties with Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Macron arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, from Vietnam on May 27 for the second leg of his three-country Southeast Asia tour, which also includes Singapore, and aims to project France as a balancing power in the Indo-Pacific.
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05/29/2025
The crisis within the IAF cannot by itself explain the excellent performance of Pakistani PL-15 missiles against what were supposedly India’s superior air capabilities. The dismal showing of India’s expensive French-built Dassault Rafales in its recent war against Pakistan has triggered a wave of recriminations between the Indian and French governments. Not only has the unimpressive display of the Dassault Rafales in the opening phases of the recent conflict come as a shock to the world.
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05/29/2025
India’s new stealth fighter plan aims to reassert air dominance in a region where Pakistan’s Chinese-made jets recently drew first blood in an intensifying South Asian arms race. This month, India’s Ministry of Defense green-lighted a blueprint for developing its most sophisticated stealth fighter jet, known as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), Reuters reported.
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05/28/2025
India, one of the world's largest arms importers, has made the modernisation of its forces a top priority in the face of tensions with nuclear-armed Pakistan and China. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the prototype of a 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the ministry said in a statement, calling it a "significant push towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities".
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05/28/2025
Over more than three years of conflict, various Russian/Soviet-origin fighter jets operated by the Ukrainian Air Force have been observed modified or adapted to deploy Western weaponry. To cite just a few examples, Su-27 fighters have been seen using French-made AASM HAMMER guided bombs and U.S.-made GBU-39 glide bombs. The Su-24 Fencer aircraft have also been employed as launch platforms for SCALP EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
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05/27/2025
The Finnish Foreign Ministry has summoned russian Ambassador Pavel Kuznetsov to demand an explanation in connection with the alleged violation of the country's airspace by russian military aircraft on May 23.
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05/27/2025
During the recent China-Egypt joint air drills, Eagles of Civilization 2025, held between April and May at Wadi Abu Rish Air Base, non-official sources reported that the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mahmoud Fuad Abdel Gawad, expressed a strong interest in China’s J-35 stealth fighter. While this information has not been officially confirmed by either Egyptian or Chinese authorities.
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05/27/2025
The Dutch Ministry of Defense confirmed on Monday that the final batch of six F-16 fighter jets promised to Kyiv has left the Netherlands on its way to Ukraine. The Netherlands has been a key ally of Ukraine and an early advocate for Ukraine to receive fighter jets from the West. In May 2023, former US President Joe Biden agreed to allow the Netherlands and other European countries to begin training Ukrainian pilots and to transfer F-16s to Ukraine.
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05/27/2025
Recent reports from various international media outlets, including Defense Arabic, suggest that Azerbaijan is poised to significantly bolster its air force by expanding its order of JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, a joint production between Pakistan and China.
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05/27/2025
As reported by TASS on May 22, 2025, the first confirmed foreign customer of the Russian Su-57E fifth-generation multirole fighter jet will begin operating the aircraft in 2025. While the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation did not disclose the identity of the purchasing country during the MILEX 2025 defense exhibition in Minsk, multiple independent sources, including Algerian state television and statements from Russian officials, confirm that Algeria is the first export
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05/26/2025
A major shift is underway for one of the most prominent units of the United States Air National Guard. The 127th Wing, based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, will replace its A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft with 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighters. President Donald J. Trump announced this development during his visit to Selfridge on April 29, 2025. It marks a new phase for the unit, which has operated the A-10 for the past 15 years.
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05/26/2025
Japan’s Defense Ministry has announced for the first time that China sent its Liaoning aircraft carrier into the East China Sea, some 200 kilometers from the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, for practice deploying fighter jets. The Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff Office said in a statement late Sunday that the Chinese carrier was sailing alongside four destroyers in the waters north of Kuba Island in the Senkaku chain, which is also claimed by Beijing, where the islets are known as the Diao
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05/26/2025
Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence for Aviation Development Oleksandr Kozenko met with a Swedish delegation led by Thomas Lindén, Director for Ukraine Affairs at Saab, on May 23, 2025. The discussions centered on modernizing Ukraine’s aging fleet of Soviet-era aircraft and exploring the potential transfer of advanced Swedish aviation platforms.
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05/26/2025
The recent aerial clash between Pakistan and India offers a glimpse of how China is narrowing the gap in military airpower with the US. It is a warning not just for Washington, but for Taipei, too. Claims from both sides remain contested, but a broader picture is emerging among experts who track China’s air force and fighter jet development: Beijing’s defense systems are growing increasingly credible.
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05/26/2025
In 2016, Ankara announced the launch of its Turkish Fighter (TF-X), a stealth, twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fighter plane, rechristened as the KAAN project, which is part of a wider initiative intended to reduce Turkey’s dependence on foreign imports for its defense industry. At the start of the 2000s, Turkey relied on imports for 80% of its defense requirements, a figure that has now been reduced to around 20%.
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05/26/2025
Almost simultaneously with U.S. President Donald Trump concluding his tour of the Middle East, the Israeli Air Force confirmed that it carried out airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, using its F-15 Baz fighter-bombers for the operation. According to the Air Force, the missions took place on Friday, May 16th, and specifically targeted the ports of Hodeidah and Salif—an action that, according to Jerusalem, was a response to the ongoing missile and drone attacks launched by the rebels.
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05/25/2025
The U.S. has two of the world’s four fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. Owing to their similar names and appearances, the two planes have a tendency to be conflated—and the fact that both are produced by Lockheed Martin invites further confusion. But the two cutting-edge fighters are quite different in most respects. From speed to maneuverability to stealth to avionics, they were built for different missions.
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05/25/2025
On May 22, 2025, The Merge published imagery of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle undergoing flight testing with an underwing loadout of 42 APKWS II 70 mm guided rockets, marking a substantial increase in munition capacity. Compared to the typical six air-to-air missile loadout, the integration of APKWS II enables the F-15E to carry up to 42 guided rockets, potentially increasing the number of engagement opportunities by a factor of seven against UAS and cruise missiles.
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05/25/2025
Only time will tell whether or not Sweden’s domestically produced sixth-gen fighter will ever make it past the conception phase. The United States and China are not the only nations racing to build sixth-generation fighter programs. While Washington’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems and China’s J-36 fighter prototype continue to monopolize media headlines, other sixth-gen concepts have come to fruition in recent years.
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05/25/2025
On May 21, 2025, the Weibo user posted images reportedly showing a green-painted J-35A fighter jet, a color typically associated with unpainted airframes or early production models, which led to speculation that the aircraft could be the first serial production J-35A. Although some internet sources and commentators claimed the aircraft was intended for Pakistan or had already entered operational service, such interpretations are not supported by any official statements.
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05/25/2025
Two NATO members have accused Russia of provocation along the alliance's eastern flank. Poland said on Thursday that its fighter jets had intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber that performed "dangerous" maneuvers in international airspace over the Baltic Sea. The next day, Finland said it was investigating whether Russian aircraft had breached the NATO member's
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05/24/2025
South Korea, with US support, restored a grounded F-35A by pioneering wing-removal transport. This saved millions of dollars and bolstered future repairs in the F-35 sustainment program. The US-led F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) aided the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) in refurbishing its damaged Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II, previously considered irreparable and a write-off. After colliding with an eagle, the RoKAF F-35A was forced to make an emergency landing.
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05/24/2025
As part of the “Peace Condor” program, the Argentine Air Force (FAA) achieved two major milestones in May on its path toward full operational capability with F-16 fighter jets: its first participation in the global F100 engine users conference hosted by Pratt & Whitney, and the launch of a state-of-the-art tactical simulation center at the VI Air Brigade in Tandil.
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05/24/2025
On 21 May, the Italian Ministry of Defence announced the signing of an intergovernmental agreement for the supply of 12 Leonardo M-346 FA (Block 20) light combat aircraft to Austria. The contract also includes a full mission simulator, IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile integration, Link 16 data link, Nexter 20mm gun pods, LAU-32 rocket launchers, and Elbit SPEAR AECM pods for self-defence and electronic warfare.
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05/23/2025
The capability of military aircraft is a crucial element of international defense strategies, serving as a foundation for rapid-response operations, force projection, and national security. Beyond defending their own borders, nations with the largest and most advanced military aircraft fleets by 2025 will significantly influence regional and international security dynamics. Fighter jets, bombers, transport aircraft, observation systems, aerial refuelers, drones, and early-warning aircraft.
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05/23/2025
At the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition [LIMA] in Malaysia, which opened on May 20, 2025, China’s J-10CE fighter jet emerged as a focal point, drawing crowds of military officials, industry experts, and global defense enthusiasts.
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05/23/2025
Cubic Defense, the world's leading provider of advanced air combat training, announces the delivery of the first-ever encrypted ACMI upgrade to 4th gen aircraft, following the recent U.S. Air Force Production award. The modernization delivers a new era of operational readiness, bringing a much-needed proficiency to the Warfighter.
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05/23/2025
The United States Air Force will manage the F-47 fighter programme differently from previous efforts, with a focus on shared systems and greater government control, according to Gen. David Allvin, Air Force Chief of Staff. Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Allvin stated that the F-47 will share the same mission systems architecture as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
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05/23/2025
The F-47 fighter will be run differently than previous fighter programs and share the same mission systems architecture as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. That means advances in one will fuel advances in the other.
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05/22/2025
Yesterday, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), together with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), announced that the first production KF-21 Boramae fighter jet has entered its final assembly phase, bringing it one step closer to being incorporated into the South Korean Air Force in the near future. The news was confirmed during a ceremony held at the company’s facilities in the Sacheon region.
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05/22/2025
The U.S. Air Force is planning to return its F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath in England and consolidate its fleet stateside. Currently, the F-15Es in the United Kingdom are the only permanently forward-deployed examples of the aircraft, which remain the service’s first choice for a wide variety of critical missions around the globe.
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05/22/2025
In testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, senior officials from the USAF and Space Force delivered a clear and urgent message: the American airpower structure is being recalibrated to address advanced threats from strategic competitors, with a sharp focus on tactical innovation and modernization of combat systems. With the rise of peer adversaries such as China, the Air Force leadership emphasized that maintaining tactical superiority requires a new generation of aircraft.
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05/22/2025
In the early hours of May 21, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, through coordinated efforts involving its Unmanned Systems Forces and other defense components, struck the Bolkhov Semiconductor Device Plant in russia's Oryol region, a facility crucial to Moscow's military-industrial complex.
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05/22/2025
On May 19, the FighterBomber Telegram channel—typically a reliable source for insights into Russian military aviation—suggested in a post that Russia’s A-100 AEW&CS development program had been canceled. The last official statement on the A-100 program was issued in December 2023, when Rostec reported that its subsidiary, Vega Concern, was delivering modernized A-50 AEW&CS aircraft to the Russian armed forces while concurrently developing the more advanced A-100 AEW&CS.
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05/21/2025
The secretary of the U.S. Air Force on Tuesday said future Pentagon spending will support President Donald Trump's decision last month to send F-15EX fighters to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, and that they would arrive on time in 2028 as Trump announced.
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05/21/2025
On Monday, aerospace giant Lockheed Martin announced that its Advanced Development Programs division, more commonly known as the “Skunk Works,” has achieved another significant milestone with the F-35 Lightning II. The company, working with the Danish Ministry of Defense (MOD), “completed a successful live F-35 interoperability demonstration,” the latest “success in a series of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) demonstrations” involving the fifth-generation stealth fighter.
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05/21/2025
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin today responded to questioning regarding the potential of a new version of the prolific F-16, a so-called Block 80, as a way of increasing the combat mass of the service in the future. While the Air Force doesn’t at this point have a plan to start buying Vipers again, it’s certainly interesting that the topic is up for discussion, especially with the service looking hard at how it will balance its next-generation fighter requirements.
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05/21/2025
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has entered the ground testing phase of its YFQ-42A production-representative test vehicle as part of the U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme. Ground testing commenced on 7 May in preparation for the aircraft’s planned first flight later this summer.
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05/21/2025
Anduril just gave the world a closer look at “Fury,” its next-generation uncrewed fighter jet built to team up with human pilots in the skies. An episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes aired Sunday featured Anduril founder Palmer Luckey walking viewers through the aircraft’s development, offering a rare look inside the hangar where the drone is being pieced together.
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05/21/2025
First flown in 1997, the L-159 features many of the L-39/59’s aerodynamic configurations, but multiple changes were made to improve upon the L-159’s combat performance. The Aero Vodochody L-159 ALCA is a light combat aircraft and advanced trainer, developed as a replacement to Aero’s L-39 and L-59 Albatros aircraft. Built in the Czech Republic, the L-159 began development in 1993 for the purpose of replacing aircraft from the recently-collapsed Soviet Union.
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05/20/2025
Jakarta’s $8.1 billion deal to acquire 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets has come under scrutiny, with Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense initiating a review of the aircraft’s operational reliability following unverified claims of poor performance in recent aerial clashes between India and Pakistan.
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05/20/2025
According to Inquirer.net, Lockheed Martin has recently intensified its communication surrounding its offer of F-16 Block 70 “Viper” fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force’s Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) program. In a regional context increasingly marked by tensions, particularly over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea, the U.S. defense company has highlighted a combination of strategic, technical, and industrial arguments to win over Manila.
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05/20/2025
On May 15, 2025, Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation [UAC], through its Sukhoi Design Bureau, unveiled the advanced features of the upgraded Su-57M, a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet poised to enhance Russia’s air combat capabilities.
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05/20/2025
Three students from the United States Air Force Test Pilot School recently conducted flight training with the JAS 39 Gripen at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration’s (FMV) test site in Linköping. The visit is part of an ongoing exchange programme between Sweden and the two major American test pilot schools, according to a press release from FMV.
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05/20/2025
Türkiye's recent efforts to modernize its air force have led it to seek new alternatives following unfavorable developments in the F-35 program. In this context, the country has intensified negotiations for procuring Eurofighter Typhoon jets, produced by a consortium involving the U.K., Spain and Germany, while continuing to develop its domestic air defense systems.
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05/19/2025
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has clarified an incident involving the dispatch of F-16 fighter jets after a Myanmar aircraft approached Kanchanaburi around midday on Friday. Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, spokesperson for the RTAF, stated that a single K-8 military aircraft from Myanmar was detected flying close to Thai airspace in Mueang district, Kanchanaburi province, at 12.31 pm.
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05/19/2025
Taiwan said on Sunday that it tracked Chinese military aircraft and naval ships around its territory. "Overall 18 sorties #PLA aircraft in various types (including J-16, KJ-500, etc.) were detected from 0850hr today. 13 out of 18 sorties crossed the median line of the #Taiwan Strait and entered the northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ," the Defense Ministry said on X.
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05/19/2025
Denmark has announced its 26th military aid package for Ukraine, with a focus on maintaining F-16 fighter aircraft and enhancing training infrastructure, the Danish government stated. The package, valued at approximately €562.8 million (DKK 4.2 billion), covers the 2025–2028 period. It will be funded through Denmark’s Ukraine Fund and reimbursement mechanisms under the European Peace Facility (EPF).
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05/19/2025
On May 17, 2025, North Korea showcased a significant advancement in its military capabilities, unveiling a new active radar-guided air-to-air missile integrated with its MiG-29 fighter jets. The demonstration, overseen by leader Kim Jong Un during a visit to the 1st Guards Air Division of the Korean People’s Army Air Force, marks a notable step in Pyongyang’s efforts to bolster its aging air force.
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05/18/2025
American Company Boeing's revitalized production strategy for the F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet signals a major boost to U.S. Air Force combat readiness, as 90 units are now actively progressing through the assembly line. This acceleration reflects improved manufacturing efficiency and strategic foresight, with the goal of consistently delivering two aircraft per month by the end of 2026.
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05/17/2025
Denmark received four more F-35 fighter jets on Thursday, with more than half of the country’s ordered fleet of stealth aircraft now stationed on Danish soil, after delivery had been delayed as manufacturer Lockheed Martin struggled to implement an upgrade for the plane.
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05/17/2025
The Air Force graph revealed that the plane would have a top speed of approximately Mach 2+, or around 1,550 miles per hour, similar to the F-22 Raptor. In March, President Donald Trump revealed with great fanfare the Air Force’s next stealth fighter jet. The Boeing F-47— is set to become the first 6th-generation stealth fighter jet to ever take to the skies. Now, in a recent post on X, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin revealed some interesting information about the upcoming
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05/17/2025
In a striking development that has caught the attention of defense observers worldwide, China has extended an offer to sell two squadrons of its advanced Chengdu J-10CE multirole fighter jets to Colombia. The proposal came during a high-profile visit by Colombian President Gustavo Petro to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The offer, reported by multiple sources including defense outlet Infodefensa, marks a bold move by China to penetrate the Latin American.
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05/17/2025
The Air Force "lost contact" with an F-16 jet during a mission to repel a Russian aerial attack overnight on May 16 following an emergency situation on board, the Air Force reported. The pilot diverted the plane away from populated areas and ejected, after which he was found by a search and rescue team, according to the statement.
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05/17/2025
President Donald Trump’s comments Thursday in Qatar about future fighter jets planned for the U.S. military have baffled observers and been met with silence from the Pentagon. During a roundtable discussion in Doha, Qatar, flanked by the heads of Boeing and GE Aerospace, Trump surprised many in the military aviation world by asserting a twin-engined F-35 successor, which he dubbed the F-55, was in the works.
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05/16/2025
Chief of Staff for the US Air Force General David Allvin has released some further details about the recently unveiled F-47 next-generation fighter aircraft and the supporting fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) set to reshape the US Air Force.
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05/16/2025
The Australian Department of Defence in partnership with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] connected F-35 simulators at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bases Williamtown and Tindal via F-35's distributed mission training (DMT) network. This establishes Australia as the first international F-35 customer to receive this capability, further enhancing global mission readiness and interoperability of the F-35 fleet.
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05/16/2025
President Donald Trump is interested in developing a twin-engined, upgraded version of the F-35 fighter, he said during a press event May 15 in Qatar marking the sale of Boeing airliners and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways. He said he would name the improved aircraft the “F-55” and also referred to a freshly improved F-22 as the “F-22 Super.”
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05/16/2025
President Trump on Thursday revealed his wishes for bleeding-edge warplanes he dubbed F-22 Super and F-55. Trump's comments during a stop in Qatar were the first time either potential aircraft has been publicly mentioned. Such major, multibillion-dollar endeavors are not pulled from thin air, suggesting some legwork may already be underway.
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05/15/2025
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet violated Estonian airspace on the evening of 13 May, flying without a flight plan, with transponders off, and no radio contact. The breach—lasting under a minute—occurred over the Juminda Peninsula in the Gulf of Finland during Exercise Hedgehog, Estonia’s largest annual military drill involving over 16,000 NATO troops.
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05/15/2025
An urgent search is underway for two crew members reported missing after a Japanese air force training aircraft crashed following takeoff. The T-4 training jet, belonging to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), lost contact just two minutes after departing from Komaki Air Base in Aichi prefecture, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
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05/15/2025
At the FEINDEF 2025 exhibition in Madrid, the Army Recognition team met with Ingemar Karlsson, a representative from Saab, for an exclusive interview focused on the T-7, the advanced training aircraft introduced by the Swedish company. Designed as a complete pilot training system for fighter aircraft, the T-7 represents a new approach to preparing modern aircrews, combining digital flexibility, simplified maintenance, and reduced lifecycle costs.
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05/15/2025
Last September, at the Egypt International Air Show, reports emerged that the EAF was set to acquire the Chinese J-10CE although neither CATIC or the EAF would confirm this. It has been suggested that the J-10CE in the static display at Zhuhai Airshow in November last year was actually Egyptian. The fourth-generation fighter could bring a lot of new capabilities, with more advanced weapons.
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05/15/2025
The recent sparks of war between India and Pakistan, apart from the long-standing Kashmir issue, have brought renewed attention to Chinese weapons, French Rafale jets and the rivalry between the duo. While Pakistan has said to have downed three French Rafale jets belonging to India, claims about the initial attack and the aftermath have differed widely, with neither New Delhi nor Islamabad releasing many specific details.
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05/15/2025
The Air Force plans for its sixth-generation F-47 fighter to be able to fly significantly farther than previous jets. In a graphic posted Tuesday on X, formerly known as Twitter, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Allvin said the F-47 would have a combat radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles, advanced stealth capabilities, and be able to fly at speeds greater than Mach 2, or more than 1,500 miles per hour.
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05/14/2025
The recent dogfight between Indian and Pakistani air forces is the largest dogfight to have taken place in a generation—and is currently the biggest story in global news. The dogfight was full of takeaways—for example, the success of Chinese-made Pakistani J-10 fighters, and the downing of one or more French-made Indian Rafale fighters.
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05/14/2025
In capable hands, an F-16 Fighting Falcon can take on fifth-generation stealth fighter jets like the F-35 Lightning II and even the F-22 Raptor. For decades, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the backbone of dozens of fighter jet fleets around the world. As its era is gradually coming to a close in the coming decades, and with the development of increasingly advanced and stealth fighter jets, it is worth remembering what makes the Fighting Falcon such a superb combat aircraft.
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05/14/2025
Houthi rebels in Yemen fired on a U.S. military F-35 during recent operations, and the missile came close enough to the aircraft for the pilot to take evasive action, a U.S. official confirmed to Task & Purpose. The incident was first reported in the New York Times as part of a story about why President Donald Trump decided to end air and missile strikes against the Houthis earlier this month.
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05/14/2025
The Air Force’s F-47 fighter jet will fly some 70 percent farther without refueling than today’s F-22s, allowing tankers to stay farther from the fray—a key advantage in a potential Pacific conflict. The planned sixth-generation fighter will have a combat radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles, according to an infographic posted Tuesday on X by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. Combat radius refers to the distance an aircraft can travel and still have enough fuel to RTB.
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05/13/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 31 Chinese military aircraft, seven naval vessels, and one official ship around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday and 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Thirty of the 31 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern and southwestern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
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05/13/2025
The Air Force will rotate fighters through Misawa Air Base, Japan, as the U.S. begins to retire the F-16s now based there and the relocation of a permanent squadron of F-35s. “The Aircraft will transition on a rotational basis,” a Pacific Air Force spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine in response to questions. “These rotations ensure the continuation of our long-standing mission to defend Japan and maintain an open and free Indo-Pacific.”
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05/13/2025
The Hürjet, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is undergoing a notable evolution from an advanced jet trainer into a versatile light combat aircraft. Originally intended to replace the aging T-38M and NF-5A/B fleets of the Turkish Air Force, the Hürjet is now being positioned for a broader operational role that includes naval aviation and air-to-air combat support, underscoring its growing strategic relevance.
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05/12/2025
Soaring thousands of feet above Nato’s Baltic border with Russia, British fighter pilots are acutely aware that one false move could trigger a global conflict. “It would be very easy, if I waved, to fold up my hand into this [a middle finger], and then that goes out on the news and suddenly it’s an international incident,” a plucky Royal Air Force pilot said as he described intercepting a Kremlin spyplane in his Typhoon jet.
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05/12/2025
During ongoing clashes on the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly lost a Dassault Rafale fighter jet in combat. The aircraft was deployed as part of Operation Sindoor on the morning of 7 May 2025, marking the first combat use of Rafale jets by India since their acquisition. Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft during the engagement, including three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29.
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05/12/2025
Japan is considering exporting its next-gen aircraft, which it is developing in collaboration with the UK and Italy under the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP), to Australia. Tokyo reportedly invited India to the GCAP program last month.
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05/11/2025
As part of the “Eagles of Civilization 2025” exercises, which took place from April 19 to May 4, one of the Chinese Air Force’s new YY-20A aircraft refueled Egyptian MiG-29M/M2 fighter jets in flight for the first time. This was only a small portion of the extensive and varied operations carried out by the armed forces of both countries, aimed at strengthening their defense cooperation, which also included air combat simulations and search and rescue training in hostile environments.
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05/11/2025
The recent aerial clash between India and Pakistan has drawn global attention to Chinese military technology, particularly after Pakistan claimed victory in a massive dogfight involving 125 fighter jets from both sides.Tactical gear This engagement, which lasted over an hour, ranks as one of the largest and longest air battles in recent aviation history, potentially the biggest since World War II if the aircraft numbers are verified.
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05/11/2025
The United States Marine Corps has deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211), known as the “Wake Island Avengers,” to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen deterrence and military readiness in the Indo-Pacific. Announced on May 10, 2025, the deployment, conducted under the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program, comes amid rising tensions in the region, particularly due to China’s increasing military assertiveness.
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05/10/2025
Donald Trump says "India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire".
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
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05/10/2025
When Pakistan said it had downed five Indian jets, the matter sparked a lot of discussion. It was easily a win for the country for many. But it is feared the conflict can get even bigger. Taking to X, South Asia analyst Micheal Kugelman wrote, "India's strike on Pakistan is of much greater scale than the one in 2019. Pakistan's response, which according to many reports included downing several Indian jets, has also exceeded the scale of 2019.
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05/10/2025
As reported by kf21_military on May 5, 2025, the development of a single-seat variant of the South Korean FA-50 light attack aircraft advanced with the issuance of a formal tender by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which involves the construction of a cockpit for a controllability evaluation simulator specifically for the single-seat version of the FA-50. This step marks the beginning of technical work under the F-50 program, which was reactivated in 2024 after being previously suspended.
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05/10/2025
The escalating conflict between India and Pakistan could be offering the world a first real glimpse into how advanced Chinese military technology performs against proven Western hardware – and Chinese defense stocks are already surging. Shares of China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft rose 40% this week, as Pakistan claimed it used AVIC-produced J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian combat aircraft – including the advanced French-made Rafale – during an aerial battle on Wednesday.
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05/09/2025
Dramatic footage is emerging from Indian Punjab's Bathinda region showing what appears to be the smouldering wreckage of an Indian Air Force jet, as Islamabad claims its pilots downed five Indian sophisticated fighter aircraft in an alarming escalation along the India-Pakistan frontier on Wednesday morning. India has so far remained tight-lipped, offering no confirmation or denial.
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05/09/2025
A first-of-its-kind F-35 Lightning II Combined Test Force stood up May 1, 2025 to become part of Eglin’s developmental and operational fighter test complex. This major milestone by the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center establishes the Air Reserve Component as a key player in fifth-generation fighter aircraft testing.
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05/09/2025
Nuclear powers India and Pakistan are clashing again, and there are claims of aircraft kills from air battles that sound like a hodgepodge of foreign-made fighters. Pakistani officials said Thursday that the country had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a number of drones since India launched cross-border strikes earlier this week, kicking off a new round of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
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05/09/2025
A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinized by militaries seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts.
A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials said, marking a potential milestone for Beijing's advanced fighter jet.
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05/09/2025
Chinese-made fighter jets operated by Pakistan were responsible for shooting down at least two Indian warplanes, a battlefield achievement that marks a breakthrough for Beijing’s technology. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament on Wednesday evening that Chinese J-10Cs were used to shoot down Indian jets, in what has been described as one of the longest dogfights in history.
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05/08/2025
Some 125 Indian and Pakistani fighter jets battled for over an hour in one of the biggest dogfights in recent history, according to a Pakistani security source quoted by CNN. If the numbers of aircraft were confirmed, it would make it one of the largest air battles since World War Two.
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05/08/2025
An ejection seat believed to be from a Pakistani Air Force Mirage V fighter jet was discovered in Lahore, sparking speculation that Pakistan may have lost one of its aircraft amid a night strike from India. Footage showing the seat was first shared on TikTok earlier today. While the video’s authenticity and the exact time of recording remain unverified, the imagery clearly shows a military ejection system consistent with that used in Pakistan’s Mirage V fighter jet.
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05/08/2025
The downing of three Indian Rafale fighter jets by Pakistan has dealt a severe blow to New Delhi’s security apparatus, with strategic, psychological and diplomatic repercussions. According to government sources, the successful engagement marks a major milestone for Pakistan’s air force and exposes serious vulnerabilities in India’s air defence readiness and rules of engagement.
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05/08/2025
The Pakistan military has brought down five Indian jets in retaliation for late-night strikes by its neighbouring country, launched after midnight at the sites of Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh and Muzaffarabad, reports DAWN, citing state media. The same was confirmed by Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said that the response is ongoing, but did not share operational details, the report states, citing Sky News.
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05/08/2025
On May 7, 2025, during Teknofest 2025, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) announced a new phase for its indigenous stealth fighter program, KAAN. CEO of TAI, Mehmet Demiroglu, revealed that the second prototype is currently under construction and will feature notable changes to its airframe, including reshaped air intakes and structural enhancements. The prototype is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
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05/08/2025
A Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet crashed near Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) in northern Finland on the morning of May 7, 2025, at 10:50 local time, the military confirmed. The aircraft fell within a designated military area, prompting an emergency response.
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05/08/2025
The Air Force plans on flying the F-22 Raptor well into the 2040s. But to remain competitive against near-peer fighter jets, it needs upgrades now and in the future. The U.S. Air Force operates a plethora of superb fighter jets. With a fleet of several different types of fighter jets, the Air Force knows that it can take on any threat out there. But if there is any particular fighter jet that stands out from the rest, it is certainly the F-22 Raptor.
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05/08/2025
The air war currently unfolding between India and Pakistan is exceedingly murky, but one aspect that seems almost certain is the use of the Chinese-made PL-15 active-radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) by Pakistan. So far, Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft, and there are multiple accounts, including from Indian officials, pointing to the crash of at least two aircraft, without specifying the reasons.
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05/08/2025
Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has been lost in the Red Sea, the second jet lost from the carrier in just over a week, five people familiar with the matter told CNN. It is not entirely clear what happened yet, as the investigation is ongoing, but two of the people said there was some kind of arrestment failure as the jet was trying to land on the carrier and the pilot and weapons systems officer had to eject. They were recovered by a rescue
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05/07/2025
The Indian government says it has launched an attack on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Three locations have been attacked, Pakistan's military says. It says seven people including two children have been killed. Residents in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir told the BBC how they were jolted awake by huge explosions.
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05/07/2025
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed continued progress on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), with over £2 billion invested to date and formal programme structures now in place to deliver the next-generation fighter aircraft under the trilateral Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with Japan and Italy.
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05/07/2025
On May 7, 2025, the Indian Air Force launched a significant military exercise over the desert skies of Rajasthan, just miles from the Pakistan border, deploying its frontline Rafale and Su-30MKI fighter jets in a bold display of aerial prowess.
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05/07/2025
Komatsu Air Base on Japan’s western coast has become the latest hub for the country’s advanced air power with the arrival of its first F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. This delivery, which took place on 26 April 2025, represents a historic moment for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
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05/06/2025
The U.S. is sending non-flyable, stripped-down F-16s from Arizona storage to Ukraine for spare parts, supporting NATO-donated jets and aiding Kyiv’s air capabilities amid ongoing Russian missile attacks.
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05/06/2025
On May 5, 2025, TürkiyeToday published a pivotal interview with Haluk Görgün, President of the Presidency of Turkish Defense Industries (SSB), revealing crucial developments about Türkiye’s most ambitious unmanned aerial combat system—the Bayraktar KIZILELMA. Developed by leading Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar, the KIZILELMA is expected to be officially inducted into the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) by 2026, marking a transformative moment in Türkiye’s defense capabilities.
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05/06/2025
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) is working to expand flight testing and accelerate prototype production of the Kaan aircraft. The company says it now aims to deliver the first aircraft to the Turkish Air Force by the end of 2028. Speaking on the sidelines of the Teknofest aerospace and technology festival in an interview with Turkey’s public broadcaster TRT, TUSAS CEO Mustafa Demiroglu provided an update on the project’s progress.
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05/05/2025
Friday, May 2, the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down two russian Su-30 fighter jets in one mission. First, footage showing one of the fighters falling into the sea after a missile hit was published by the Defense Intelligence, later Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi reported that another russian aircraft was destroyed, too, although without specifying what type it was.
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05/05/2025
On May 2, 2025, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted touch-and-go operations on a 3.5-kilometer stretch of the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district. The exercise featured various frontline aircraft, including Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Jaguar, and Mirage 2000 jets, demonstrating the IAF’s operational readiness. ?
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05/05/2025
The British Royal Air Force (RAF) has unveiled its first-ever Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), StormShroud. It will operate in a manned-unmanned teaming (MUMT) format with crewed fighter jets, including the RAF F-35B Lightning II and Eurofighter Typhoons.
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05/04/2025
Celebrating his 100th day in office, President Donald Trump, during a visit to Michigan on April 29, announced that Selfridge Air National Guard Base would receive 21 F-15EX fighter jets, which will assure the base's future. "This is where they're going to be for a long time," Trump said, touting the fighters as "brand new."
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05/04/2025
Japan, Britain and Italy are almost ready to bring Saud Arabia on board in the development of a next-generation fighter aircraft, Japanese government officials told The Asahi Shimbun on May 2. The move is part of a multinational initiative dubbed the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) to jointly develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter. Saudi Arabia would be a “partner country” in the project.
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05/04/2025
Norway is set to significantly enhance its air power combat capabilities following the approval of a major Foreign Military Sale (FMS) by the U.S. State Department. Valued at an estimated $370.9 million, the deal includes a substantial number of AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles and a range of related support equipment. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified U.S. Congress of the proposed sale on May 2, 2025.
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05/04/2025
NATO conducted a joint air and missile defence mission over Romania in April 2025 as part of a coordinated Flexible Deterrence Option (FDO), underscoring Allied cohesion and readiness across eastern Europe. The multinational operation involved Greek and Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcons, Italian Eurofighter Typhoons, and a French air-to-air refuelling tanker.
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05/04/2025
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Ukraine for F-16 Training and Sustainment and related support, with a total estimated value of $310.5 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified the U.S. Congress of the decision on May 2, 2025, marking a critical move in the ongoing efforts to strengthen Ukraine's air combat readiness.
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05/04/2025
A Russian Su-30 fighter jet was destroyed by a sea drone strike carried out by Ukraine's military intelligence, marking the first time a sea drone takes down a jet, Ukraine's military intelligence said on May 3. The intelligence agency, HUR, said the unprecedented operation took place on May 2 near the Russian port of Novorossiysk in the Black Sea and published the video of the strike.
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05/02/2025
A quick-thinking US Navy sailor was able to narrowly escape a fighter jet just moments before it fell into the Red Sea on Monday. The unidentified sailor was inside the cockpit of an F/A-18 fighter jet, estimated to cost about $60 million, when it slipped off the hanger deck of the USS Harry S. Truman, Business Insider reports.
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05/02/2025
Twenty-one US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons based in Italy have flown to the UK to examine their combat readiness in Exercise Combat Archer. The training was the US Air Force's largest Weapons System Evaluation Programme (WSEP) exercise ever held in Europe.
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05/02/2025
The air force yesterday said it was investigating the accidental firing of a flare from one of its Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) jets, also known as the AIDC F-CK-1 Ching Kuo, on Wednesday. There were no injuries or damages, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident, the air force said. The flares, usually used to protect jets against incoming guided missiles, were released in flight, sources said.
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05/01/2025
India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting its airspace to all aircraft registered, operated, or leased by Pakistan, including commercial airlines and military flights. This closure, effective from April 30 to May 23, 2025, is a significant escalation amid heightened tensions following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
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05/01/2025
The country wants to buy fighter jets with American engines and at the same time pay russians for repairing its Mi-17 helicopter, which requires an appropriate response Colombia has begun the process of gradually restoring and returning to service its fleet of russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, three of which are due to return to service already in June 2025, and the next three in December, according to Zona Militar.
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05/01/2025
State Rep. Tom Kuhn, R-Troy, issued the following statement after President Trump’s announcement of the new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base: “I fully support the administration’s decision to establish a new F-15EX fighter jet mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. This investment not only secures the long-term future of Selfridge and enhances our national defense, but it also delivers a significant boost to Michigan’s economy.
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05/01/2025
U.S. Air Force aerial warfare experts are asking Northrop Grumman Corp. for additional modern active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar development for jet fighter aircraft under terms of an $8.4 million order announced on Monday.
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04/30/2025
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has confirmed that Peru is actively exploring the KF-21 as a potential candidate in its ongoing fighter acquisition process, marking a possible expansion of South Korea’s defense ties in Latin America.
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04/30/2025
Selfridge ANGB is already slated to receive twelve new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling and multirole transport aircraft to replace its existing squadron of aging KC-135 Stratotankers. The KC-46s are expected to begin arriving at Selfridge as early as 2029 according to the Secretary of Air Force Public Affairs. The base has also recently begun construction on a new hangar facility with additional new buildings planned to support future missions.
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04/30/2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, will be home to a new Boeing F-15EX Eagle II unit. The announcement was made during a visit by the U.S. President to Selfridge ANGB today, April 29, 2025.
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04/29/2025
It is estimated that the Russian Air Force has likely lost at least 100 fixed-wing combat planes.
The sheer number of military equipment lost over the last three-plus years of Russia’s Ukraine invasion is staggering. While precise figures are difficult to verify due to the nature of the ongoing war, open-source intelligence trackers continue to provide insightful analyses of weapon loss in the conflict. From main battle tanks (MBTs) and airframes to munitions and infantry fighting vehicles.
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04/29/2025
Could we be on the verge of an era where fighter jets take flight without pilots – and are controlled by artificial intelligence (AI)? U.S. Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly recently said that an upcoming combat jet could be the navy’s last one with a pilot in the cockpit. That marks a striking, if not entirely surprising, shift in thinking about the future of aerial warfare.
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04/29/2025
A US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet has been “lost” at sea after it fell overboard from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier while it was being towed on board, the Navy said in a statement on Monday. A US official said that initial reports from the scene indicated that the Truman made a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, which contributed to the fighter jet falling overboard.
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04/29/2025
Ukraine has lost a Su-27 fighter jet while it was repelling a Russian drone attack and providing air support to ground troops on the morning of April 28, Ukraine's Air Force reported. The pilot ejected and is receiving medical attention, according to the statement. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The Su-27, also known under the NATO code name "Flanker," is a highly maneuverable Soviet-era air superiority fighter used by both Ukraine and Russia.
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04/29/2025
India signed a deal with France on Monday to buy 26 Rafale fighter aircraft worth 630 billion rupees ($7.4 billion) for its navy, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement. India will buy 22 single-seater and four twin-seater fighters, made by France's Dassault Aviation, opens new tab, the ministry said, in a deal that would boost the Asian country's defence ties with its second-largest arms supplier.
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04/28/2025
Pakistan has released the first official images of its JF-17C fighter jet armed with Chinese-made PL-10 and PL-15 air-to-air missiles, as tensions with India continue to mount over a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir. The release comes amid rising fears of another military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Following the attack, India has promised retaliation and threatened to disrupt the flow of a major river system into Pakistan.
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04/28/2025
Since the Chinese J-10C fighter jets arrived in Egypt for the first-ever Eagles of Civilization 2025 joint air drills, all eyes have remained on the Chinese aircraft that have been offered to Cairo. However, as per reports, Cairo has set its sights on the South Korean FA-50 instead.
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04/27/2025
Norway will reach an important milestone on 28 April as it receives the first Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) for its F-35 fighter aircraft. A ceremony at Ørland Air Base will mark both the completion of Norway’s F-35 deliveries and the start of a new era in national defence capabilities.
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04/27/2025
The Croatian Air Force has received the last of the ordered French Rafale fighters. This was reported on the official page of the Croatian Ministry of Defense on the X network. The last, twelfth, Rafale fighter jet landed at Franjo Tudman Airport, thus forming a complete squadron of this type of aircraft.
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04/26/2025
In a striking reaffirmation of British global defense posture, the United Kingdom has launched Operation HIGHMAST on April 23, 2025, a wide-ranging multinational deployment spearheaded by the British Royal Navy’s flagship, HMS Prince of Wales. Central to the potency of this Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is the deployment of the UK’s most advanced stealth fighters—the F-35B Lightning IIs—from the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron and the Royal Navy’s 809 Naval Air Squadron.
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04/26/2025
“Initiated in the late 1980s, Iniochos has evolved into a comprehensive training platform designed to simulate modern air warfare challenges. The exercise provides participating air forces with opportunities to plan and execute combined air operations (COMAO) in a high-tempo environment, reflecting the complexities of contemporary combat situations”.
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04/25/2025
Wishing a fighter pilot a good flight isn’t the done thing, apparently. Stefano Centioni, a former Italian Air Force (IAF) pilot who now works for the country’s largest defence contractor, Leonardo, winces at the suggestion. “That’s the sort of thing that you say to a Ryanair pilot,” he says. We’re at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Sardinia, a collaboration between the public and private sectors that is aiming to become top gun in the niche of fighter-pilot training.
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04/25/2025
The U.S. Air Force will ramp up its presence near North Korea by sending more than two dozen additional F-16 fighters to Osan Air Base, South Korea, creating a second “super squadron” there.
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04/25/2025
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, touched down at Kadena Air Base, April 24, 2025, completing the latest round of U.S. Air Force fighter deployments to the Pacific. As the Keystone of the Pacific, Kadena is a pivotal hub for Agile Combat Employment, which allows squadrons like the 421st EFS to project combat power in concert with U.S. allies and partners.
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04/25/2025
Can the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II—commonly regarded as two of the greatest planes in the world—become even more powerful? The CEO of Lockheed Martin, the famed aerospace giant that built both planes, thinks so. The defense and aerospace giant and manufacturer of the U.S. military’s two stealth fighter jets intends to buff the aircraft with cutting-edge technology initially intended for the F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter jet.
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04/25/2025
The French Air and Space Force simultaneously conducted two high-profile exercises demonstrating its operational versatility and strategic reach. While one operation tested the force’s ability to disperse combat aircraft rapidly across the French mainland without prior notice, the other projected French air power into northern Europe in cooperation with NATO allies.
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04/24/2025
For the first time, China has deployed its cutting-edge aircraft, including the J-10C, for the “Eagles of Civilization 2025” joint air drills that kicked off on April 19 in Egypt. The deployment comes amid speculations that the Egyptian government is considering purchasing the aircraft.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced the China-Egypt joint air force training, code-named “Eagles of Civilization 2025,” from mid-April to early May, on April 16.
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04/24/2025
Portugal has taken a decisive step toward modernizing its air force by affirming its intent to acquire the U.S.-built F-35 Lightning II fighter jet as the successor to its aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons. The announcement, delivered by General João Cartaxo Alves, Chief of the Air Force General Staff (CEMFA), during the Portuguese National Defense Conference on April 22, 2025, marks a significant evolution in the country’s defense strategy.
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04/24/2025
During the most recent meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, held in Brussels and attended by more than 50 countries, the Netherlands confirmed the transfer of another batch of F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force. The announcement was made by the country’s Minister of Defense, Ruben Brekelmans, who also reported the delivery of a Patriot system and new commitments to supply I-Hawk air defense systems, aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s ability to withstand Russian attacks.
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04/24/2025
Following the release of its Q1 2025 financial results on April 23, 2025, Lockheed Martin announced a pivotal enhancement to the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet program: the integration of a system of next-generation infrared sensors aimed at increasing the aircraft’s survivability and lethality. This strategic move reinforces Lockheed Martin’s commitment to maintaining U.S. air superiority and highlights the continued evolution of the F-22 as a dominant force in modern aerial warfare.
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04/24/2025
After building the world’s largest maritime fighting force, China has gained a 1.2 to 1 production rate advantage over the US in fighter jets. Together with modern fifth-generation combat aircraft and advanced ‘long-range’ air-to-air missiles, Beijing can prevent the US from achieving air superiority within the key first island chain, a top US Commander has warned.
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04/23/2025
Uncrewed aircraft manufacturer Kratos is modifying one the company’s marquee offerings to match the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) growing ambitions for autonomous fighter jets. The San Diego-based firm has revealed a rendering of its XQ-58 Valkyrie uncrewed jet aircraft featuring a new piece of kit: landing gear.
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04/23/2025
South Korea and the UAE have signed a letter of intent for comprehensive cooperation on the development and operation of Seoul’s KF-21 Boramae fighters. The agreement was signed by the Republic of Korea Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Young-su and UAE Air Force (UAEAF) Major General Rashid Mohammed al-Shamsi, allowing UAEAF personnel to take part in future exercises and air drills involving the aircraft.
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04/23/2025
The United States has made yet another verbal offer for the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft to India. This announcement comes just two months after President Donald Trump first offered the aircraft to India during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This time, however, the offer is more subtle, as it comes from Vice President JD Vance in a speech made during his ongoing visit to India.
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04/23/2025
Lockheed Martin will not protest the Air Force’s selection of Boeing for the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter contract, company president and CEO Jim Taiclet said April 22, explaining that the company now hopes to insert the technology it developed for NGAD into its fifth-generation F-35 and F-22 fighters. “We are not going to protest the NGAD decision of the U.S. government,” Taiclet said on a company earnings call.
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04/22/2025
As part of its efforts to open new markets in the Middle East, South Korean company Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is advancing the international promotion of its new KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, specifically targeting the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF). The UAE is seeking alternatives to the U.S.-made fifth-generation F-35A, following Washington’s reluctance to authorize a potential sale.
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04/22/2025
A photograph circulating on social media has raised eyebrows among defense analysts and observers of global military dynamics. The image, posted by the open-source intelligence account MenchOsint on April 20, 2025, shows Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force [PLAAF] J-10 fighter jets flying over King Fahd Port in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. In this key logistical hub, U.S. Navy ships dock to resupply the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.
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04/22/2025
South Korea is well-known for electronics and automobiles. It is now slowly emerging as a top defence producer in the world. Recently, South Korea has signed a deal with Indonesia to produce jointly advanced fighter jets starting in 2026. South Korea is aimed to produce 20 KF-21 fighter jets, The Korean Times newspaper reported.
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04/22/2025
Vietnam may be set to purchase F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, according to a report. The deal would make Vietnam the fifth government in the Asia-Pacific region to acquire F-16 fighter aircraft, as militaries look to strengthen their capabilities amid rising territorial tensions with China, ruled by President Xi Jinping.
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04/21/2025
RAF fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to Nato airspace over the Baltic Sea. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said two RAF Typhoons were scrambled from Malbork Air Base in Poland on Tuesday to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M “Coot-A” intelligence aircraft. On Thursday, another two Typhoons were scrambled from the base to intercept an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space close to Nato airspace.
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04/21/2025
In Switzerland, a nation renowned for its steadfast neutrality and fiscal prudence, a growing wave of public and political opposition is challenging the country’s decision to purchase 36 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter jets.
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04/21/2025
China has officially confirmed the purpose behind last week’s unexpected arrival of a fleet of Xi’an Y-20 strategic transport aircraft in Egypt. According to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) dispatched a full detachment, including J-10 fighter jets, to Egypt to participate in the joint air force exercise titled “Eagles of Civilization 2025.” The exercise is scheduled to run from mid-April t
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04/21/2025
US defense giant Boeing is courting Indonesia to acquire its F-15EX fighter jets by making the deal much more attractive. According to new reports, Boeing promised that if Indonesia decides to buy the F-15EX fighters, the company will produce 85% of the aircraft locally. This commitment was made by Boeing South East Asia President Penny Burtt during a media briefing on April 15.
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04/19/2025
In a bold move reflecting the dire realities of the ongoing war, Ukraine has converted nine of its MiG-29UB Fulcrum-B aircraft, originally designed for training, into combat-ready jets to counter intensifying Russian air attacks.
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04/19/2025
While major powers like the USA, Europe, and China push forward with 6th-generation fighter concepts, significant global interest and procurement activity remain focused on advanced 4th-, 4.5-, and 5th-generation platforms. Nations balance sophisticated capability requirements against acquisition costs, operational sustainment, and industrial participation goals.
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04/19/2025
Egypt is on the verge of signing a major defense contract with South Korea for the acquisition of up to 100 FA-50 light combat aircraft, in a deal estimated to be worth over $1 billion. According to DefenseWeb, Egyptian Ambassador to South Korea Khaled Abdelrahman confirmed that negotiations with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) are nearly complete, and the agreement will include technology transfer.
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04/19/2025
The Air Force is prepping for a potential showdown with China, seeking cutting-edge technology like stealthy jets and AI-powered drone wingmen. Just two months into the new presidential administration, it learned it will have a new weapon in its arsenal: the first sixth-generation fighter jet. President Donald Trump, flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a rendering of the F-47 peeking through a shadowy background, called the jet “virtually unseeable” with “unprecedented power.”
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04/19/2025
Germany’s outgoing government is said to have blocked a British proposal to sell dozens of Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets to Turkey after the arrest of the mayor of Istanbul, potentially creating significant tensions between London and Berlin. Britain is understood to have been finalising a deal for about 40 of the jets after John Healey, the defence secretary, visited his counterpart in Ankara.
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04/18/2025
Uzbekistan is looking to replace its aging Soviet-era aircraft, and despite plans to order the French Rafale in late 2023, the acquisition hasn't seen much progress since then. Now, Uzbeks may be looking towards China instead, as russian media report with apparent frustration.
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04/18/2025
On April 6, 2025, Saab Chief Executive Officer Micael Johansson confirmed during an interview with Dagens Industri that negotiations are ongoing with Portugal and Canada regarding the potential acquisition of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. This confirmation follows Portugal’s cancellation of its planned procurement of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and reflects a shift in Lisbon’s defense planning priorities amid evolving geopolitical circumstances.
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04/18/2025
According to Turkish defence website TurkDef, which cites senior officials from Turkey’s Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Ankara is seeking to rejoin the F-35 Lightning II programme and acquire the fifth-generation fighter jets. The report states that Turkey is considering diverting USD 1.4 billion—originally allocated to the F-16 programme—towards the F-35, contingent on approval from the Trump administration for the aircraft sale.
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04/18/2025
In a move that signals a deepening of military ties in an already volatile region, China and Egypt have embarked on their first-ever joint air exercise, dubbed Civilization Eagle 2025. This unprecedented collaboration, which began in mid-April and is set to continue until early May, involves the Chinese People’s Liberation Army [PLA] Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force conducting coordinated flights and tactical training.
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04/17/2025
Switzerland’s decision to acquire 36 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets, under a contract signed in 2022, has led to ongoing political debate within the country. The aircraft are scheduled to replace the Swiss Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet and F-5 Tiger jets from 2027 onwards.
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04/17/2025
As reported by Yonhap on April 15, 2025, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea held a joint air defense exercise on Emirati territory involving the South Korean Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system. The activity marks the first publicly confirmed instance of operational integration of this system in a Middle Eastern setting. Discussions are ongoing regarding a potential UAE acquisition of the KF-21 Boramae multirole fighter.
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04/17/2025
The Italian Air Force practiced missile firings from Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Hebrides Range in Scotland. Their campaign assessed the viability of firing Meteor and AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missiles from the Typhoon’s weapon system.
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04/16/2025
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said Britain is not fully sharing technologies with Italy and Japan in a major project to develop a new fighter jet and urged London to bring down the "barriers of selfishness". In an interview with Reuters, Crosetto emphasised the importance of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which aims to develop by 2035 an aircraft that incorporates the most advanced technologies.
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04/16/2025
Building on the recent selection of the JAS-39 Gripen E/F by the Colombian Aerospace Force, Sweden is stepping up its efforts to position Saab’s fighter jet as a strong contender for other air forces in the region. This is reflected in the latest budget proposal submitted to the Swedish Parliament, aimed at securing authorization for the government to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Peru for the sale of up to 12 Gripen fighter jets, along with other military equipment.
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04/16/2025
As Defense Department leaders build their fiscal 2026 budget request, they must prioritize Air Force modernization. Three decades’ worth of chronic underfunding, paired with high combat demand, have worn the service’s aircraft so hard that the capacity and capability of the Air Force have declined to dangerous levels. It is well past time for a reset. Top leaders will only be able to successfully deter and, if necessary, defeat adversaries if they have sufficient and capable forces to do both.
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04/16/2025
The reception hall at Korean Aerospace Industries Ltd. is, in many respects, every plane and helicopter lover's dream. Filled with model aircraft, there's one in particular that stands out. At first glance, you'd be forgiven for confusing it for the now politically infamous — at least in Canadian terms — F-35 fighter. The KF-21 Boramae (Hawk) has the same angled twin tails and similar sleek lines. When pointed out, a senior KAI manager sheepishly acknowledged the "stealthy design" resemblance.
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04/16/2025
On April 12, 2025, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the loss of an F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission in eastern Ukraine—marking the second confirmed F-16 loss since the aircraft’s operational induction in August 2024. Unusually, the incident was acknowledged within hours, following initial reports on social media around 1:00 PM Kyiv time. At 2:42 PM, Acting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly confirmed the loss on X.com, posting:
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04/15/2025
In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws on April 14, 2025, Belgium’s Defense Minister, Theo Francken, formally proposed that future F-35 fighter jets ordered by Belgium be assembled in Italy rather than in the United States. The minister also revealed that he had already made the request to his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto. Francken emphasized that this initiative could create jobs within Europe and help align Belgium’s defense investments with broader European industrial and strategic ob
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04/15/2025
Belgian Defence minister Theo Francken has asked his Italian counterpart whether the extra F-35 fighter jets Belgium wants to order could be built in Italy, and not in the US. The move would create jobs in Europe, Francken said on Monday in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws.
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04/15/2025
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that a proposed purchase of twenty F-16 Falcon fighter jets was approved by the US State Department. The total estimated cost of the sale comes in at $5.58 Billion and will include 20 airframes, twenty four F110-GE-129D or F100-PW-226 engines, twenty two AN/APG-83 AESA radars and other assorted equipment and systems in or related to the F-16, including weapon systems, avionics, computers and targeting equipment.
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04/15/2025
The Bulgarian Air Force has officially received its first Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft into service following a ceremony at the Third Air Base in Graf Ignatievo.
The aircraft is the first of 16 fighter jets that will be delivered to the nation. Bulgaria signed its first Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for eight F-16s in 2019, followed by a second LOA for an additional eight jets in 2022.
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04/15/2025
The United States government has authorized the potential sale of 400 new long-range air-to-air AMRAAM missiles to equip the Royal Australian Air Force’s fighter aircraft. This information comes from the latest notification submitted by the U.S. State Department to Congress for approval of the transaction through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
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04/14/2025
The multinational company Lockheed Martin has announced that it will supply F-16 fighter planes and air defence systems to Morocco, following a statement made during the visit of a delegation from the US defence giant to Moroccan territory. he visit was arranged with the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), the organisation responsible for promoting investment throughout the North African country.
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04/14/2025
According to information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on April 8, 2025, U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312 took off from Panama Pacifico Airfield, Panama, marking the continuation of the squadron's day-to-day operations in support of an expanded strategic security partnership with the Republic of Panama.
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04/13/2025
Reports surfaced recently that China has greenlit the sale of advanced fighter jets to Uzbekistan, a move that signals a deepening military partnership between Beijing and the Central Asian nation. According to sources close to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense, cited by regional defense outlets, the deal could involve modern aircraft such as the JF-17 Block III, J-10C, or even the fifth-generation J-35, though no official confirmation has pinned down the exact model.
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04/13/2025
Turkiye has successfully completed testing of its indigenous radar signal detection and tactical electronic support pod, known as EDPOD, which was integrated into F-16 fighter jets, the country’s industry and technology minister announced Friday.
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04/13/2025
Ukraine lost a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter and its pilot, Capt. Pavlo Ivanov, on or just before Saturday. It’s the second loss of an F-16 and pilot since the single-engine, supersonic fighter—85 of which a Belgian-Danish-Dutch-Norwegian consortium has pledged to Ukraine—entered front-line service in Ukraine back in August.
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04/12/2025
Japan scrambled jets in response to Chinese drones 30 times during the past year, the military said, up over threefold year-on-year as Beijing bolsters its air force. “Overall, we are seeing the trend staying at a high level,” Japan’s military chief of staff Yoshihide Yoshida said at a press conference on Thursday. In the financial year to March 31, Japan scrambled fighter jets 704 times to intercept foreign aircraft.
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04/12/2025
As Belgium prepares to transition to the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet with the arrival of its first aircraft later this year, its pilots are getting a head start on mastering fifth-generation air power. Belgian fighter pilots recently participated in an F-35 Manned Tactical Simulation (MTS) education and training event at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas, March 31-April 4, marking an important milestone for the country’s future arrival of F-35 aircraft.
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04/12/2025
Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier slammed the cooperation with Airbus on developing a European sixth-generation fighter jet, telling French lawmakers that working together is “very, very difficult” amid continued bickering over work share. “Something is not working,” Trappier said in a hearing of the National Assembly defense committee here on Wednesday. “So it needs to be reviewed.
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04/12/2025
The US’s quest to counter China’s growing military prowess in the Indo-Pacific has brought traction to the development of sixth-generation fighter jets. After Boeing won the contract for the US Air Force’s F-47, competition is heating up between Northrop Grumman and Boeing for the US Navy’s sixth-generation carrier-based fighter, F/A-XX.
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04/11/2025
On 9 April, the French Air and Space Force officially marked the entry into operational service of the upgraded Mirage 2000D combat aircraft during a ceremony held at Nancy-Ochey Air Base. The upgrade project, commissioned by the French defence procurement agency (DGA), involved the modernisation of 50 aircraft previously dedicated to precision strikes against ground targets using conventional weaponry.
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04/11/2025
On March 26, 2025, the Kadena Air Base announced that the U.S. Air Force has officially retired the F-15C from its active-duty inventory, marking the end of more than four decades of service for the air superiority fighter. The decision, part of a broader effort to modernize U.S. airpower, culminated in the permanent retirement of the F-15C/D Eagle fleet from Kadena.
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04/11/2025
As it hunts for new customers for its latest Gripen variant, SAAB is also looking to keep the older customers hooked. The Swedish manufacturer has made a new offer to extend the lease of Gripen fighter jets for the Czech Republic. In 2004, the Czech Republic leased 12 single-seat and two double-seat Gripen versions. The delivery of all aircraft was concluded by 31 August 2005, when the last two landed at the Caslav Air Base. This lease was to expire in 2027.
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04/11/2025
On April 10, 2025, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced his country’s interest in joining Turkey’s ambitious KAAN fighter jet program, a next-generation combat aircraft still in development, while also expressing a desire to leverage Turkey’s growing defense industry for Indonesia’s submarine efforts.
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04/10/2025
The agreement between Embraer and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), signed in early April, officially involves a potential collaboration in the production of E2 commercial jets, but the Turkish media sees the partnership as having a broader scope. The two companies could theoretically support each other in defense projects, where they work in a complementary manner.
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04/10/2025
Latest satellite imagery brings two important news at once. First, at least one Su-35 fighter jet has been delivered to Algeria from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, sourced from the batch originally ordered by Egypt but never accepted. There are signs of several more fighters being in preparation for shipment. Second, satellite monitoring has confirmed that the russian Aerospace Forces currently possess 19 Su-57 multirole fighters, but slow production rates continue to hinder export potential.
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04/10/2025
In April, three F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to take part in the “Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model—Autonomy Flying Testbed”?program (VENOM-AFT). n total, the Air Force is planning on converting six F-16s to autonomous aircraft to test the viability of the project.
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04/10/2025
The U.S. Air Force has deployed F-35A Lightning IIs and F-15E Strike Eagles to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa as part of its continued rotational presence in the Indo-Pacific. The deployment includes F-35As from the 355th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, and F-15Es from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.
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04/10/2025
India has approved the purchase of 26 Rafale fighter jets from France for its navy, two people aware of the decision said on Wednesday, a move aimed at deterring threats as rival China grows its naval presence in the Indian Ocean. A deal is expected to be signed over the next few weeks, the people said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, after the purchase was approved by India's cabinet committee on security affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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04/09/2025
Brazilian aerospace company Embraer and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that could significantly broaden their industrial collaboration. It could potentially include the co-production of the Embraer C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft and even joint development of a fifth-generation fighter jet, according to the report.
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04/09/2025
For months now, a big number has been attached to the F-35: $2.1 trillion. That’s the new estimated lifetime costs for the program, a massive sum that has become an oft-cited figure in coverage about the fighter. Now, the F-35 Joint Program Office is trying to put context around that number, releasing a “clarification” April 8 explaining those costs.
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04/09/2025
Continuing with the established schedule, Lockheed Martin has completed the delivery of two new F-16 Block 70 aircraft to the Slovak Air Force. With the arrival of these two new units from the United States, the European country continues its program to replace its aging Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets, which were transferred to Ukraine.
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04/08/2025
The Philippines plans to purchase a squadron’s worth of advanced U.S. fighter jets to shore up its air force, according to a recent Department of Defense notification of a proposed sale. The $5.58 billion package includes 20 Block 70/72 F-16 Fighting Falcons — 16 C models and four D models — along with spare parts, weapons and support systems, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release April 1.
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04/08/2025
Uzbekistan is nearing a deal to purchase modern fighter aircraft from China, according to reports circulating across regional defense media. While no official confirmation has been issued by either government, a video shared on social media purportedly shows an Uzbek pilot in training on one of the Chinese platforms.
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04/08/2025
Saudi Arabia has become the latest country to show interest in a joint U.K., Italy and Japan effort to build a sixth generation fighter within the next 10 years. The Global Combat Air Programme is a three-way split between BAE Systems in the U.K., Leonardo of Italy and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to develop the plane. All would have an equal share and no single country would control the program
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04/08/2025
The much-anticipated final decision on who will build the Navy’s next-generation fighter aircraft is currently under discussion by senior-most officials, the Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby said today. “It’s a decision at the secretary-level and above, and they’re working that now,” Kilby told reporters on the first day of the Navy-centric Sea Air Space exhibition outside of Washington, DC.
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04/07/2025
Romania takes a significant step toward bolstering its air force capabilities as reports emerged from the Romanian outlet Defense Romania that the Netherlands is engaged in discreet negotiations to permanently transfer a fleet of F-16 fighter jets to the Eastern European nation by the end of the year.
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04/07/2025
Although a contract does not yet exist, Saab is optimistic about the conclusion of the sale of Gripen E fighters to Colombia. Recently, the company’s CEO, Micael Johansson, was in the country alongside President Gustavo Petro during the announcement of the choice of the aircraft to replace the old IAI Kfir. After several years of evaluations, the Colombian government is expected to order up to 24 Gripen E jets, putting an end to uncertainties regarding the country’s air defense.
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04/07/2025
The Bulgarian Air Force’s second F-16 multi-role fighter jet will arrive in the country at the end of April or in early May, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told public broadcaster Bulgarian National Television’s weekly Panorama programme.
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03/19/2025
The U.S. Department of Defense has denied the existence of any kill switches for the latest F-35 fighter jets. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II announced this on its official account. The U.S. Department of Defense noted that while the systems on 5th-generation fighter jets are subject to some level of control by the United States and Lockheed Martin, disabling them does not deprive the aircraft of the ability to carry out flights and combat missions.
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03/19/2025
Leadership of the U.S. Air Force and Navy have recently pitched to President Donald Trump their future fighter plans, as the Pentagon and the administration prepare to decide how to fund procurement of the aircraft. Rep Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said March 18 both the service leadership briefed Trump on the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) penetrating counter air fighter and the F/A-XX programs ahead of the upcoming fiscal 2026 budget request.
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03/19/2025
The Air Force needs a high-end aircraft that can operate in contested environments and work with new Collaborative Combat Aircraft semi-autonomous drones, the service’s top officer said March 18—requirements that still yet may be met by the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter.
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03/18/2025
The crash of a Chinese Navy J-15 “Flying Shark” fighter jet on March 15 during a routine training exercise near Jialai Town in Lingao County, Hainan Province, has reignited scrutiny of China’s military aviation program. While the pilot ejected safely and there were no reported casualties on the ground, the incident raises questions about the reliability of the aircraft and its components.
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03/18/2025
Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday it had detected 59 Chinese military aircraft and nine navy vessels operating around the island over the past 24 hours as part of “joint combat patrols,” days after the democratic island’s president called Beijing “a foreign hostile force.”
The aircraft tally was the highest reported for a single day near Taiwan since October, when China’s military held massive drills around the island. The Defense Ministry in Taipei said it was closely monitoring the exerc
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03/18/2025
NATO fighter jets conducting air patrol missions in the Baltic States carried out three sorties over last week to detect and escort Russian aircraft violating flight rules. The Ministry of Defence reported that NATO fighter jets conducted a sortie on 10 March to intercept a Russian An-72 military transport aircraft flying in international airspace. On 12 March, they escorted two Russian Su-27 fighters, two supersonic Tu-22 bombers and one Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft.
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03/18/2025
As European leaders plan to put thousands of ground troops into Ukraine as a deterrent force following a possible ceasefire, the question arises: where will these military boots come from?
British officials said on March 15 that a force of 30,000 would be assembled and that operational planning was now underway. Reports said the UK, France, Turkey, Australia and Canada would form the backbone of the deployment, and that others would help with logistics and other aid.
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03/17/2025
Colombia will decide within months from which NATO country it will purchase fighter jets, new Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said, acknowledging that illegal armed groups have taken advantage of peace efforts to strengthen themselves militarily. Colombia has been looking to replace its fleet of more than 30-year-old Israeli Kfir planes for more than a decade and is considering U.S.-made F-16s, Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale, Sanchez said in a Sunday interview.
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03/16/2025
Rescuers found the wreckage of a Philippine fighter jet and the bodies of its two pilots on Wednesday in a mountainous region in the country’s south where they had been deployed on a nighttime mission to fight communist guerrillas, military officials said.
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03/16/2025
According to posts on X, the incident occurred in an open area near Jialai Town, Lingao County, in Hainan Province, China. Video footage shared alongside these claims purportedly shows a large explosion followed by a parachute, suggesting the pilot ejected safely and survived the crash.
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03/16/2025
“Canada is actively looking at potential alternatives to the U.S.-built F-35 stealth fighter and will hold conversations with rival aircraft makers” Defence Minister Bill Blair said on Mar. 14, 2024, just hours after being reappointed to the post as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet, according to an article published late on Friday by CBC News.
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03/14/2025
In May of this year, the Czech Republic will deploy its Gripen fighter aircraft to Iceland as part of the Icelandic Air Policing mission, the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of Czech Republic announced. The fighter aircraft will safeguard Iceland’s airspace for two months under NATO’s command. Given Iceland’s geographic location, NATO members have agreed to a periodic presence of NATO fighter jets, based in Keflavik, to ensure the security of its airspace.
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03/14/2025
The Algerian Air Force has reportedly made the first official flight of new Russian Su-35 fighters, recently purchased from Russia. The Algerian web portal “Mena Defense” reported, explaining that the aircraft arrived a few days ago at the Oum el Bouaghi air base, in northeastern Algeria, a strategic position that allows for effective coverage of Algerian and central Mediterranean airspace.
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03/14/2025
In the context of the imminent retirement of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) aging Eurofighter Tranche 1 combat aircraft, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence has ruled out the possibility of transferring these jets, which are slated for scrapping, to the Ukrainian Air Force. However, it has also stated that it will continue to support and maintain current training programs, including basic flight training, language courses, and other initiatives for pilots and personnel undergoing instruction i
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03/14/2025
On March 12, 2025, Panama approved a $197 million procurement plan to acquire six aircraft for the National Aeronaval Service (Senan). This purchase includes four A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from Embraer for over $78 million and two C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defense and Space for more than $109 million. The government states that the acquisition is intended to strengthen the country’s capabilities in aerial patrol, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.
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03/14/2025
Amid a rapidly deteriorating relationship between Europe and the United States, Portugal is reconsidering its plans to purchase the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet and could be looking for a European alternative.
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03/13/2025
On March 11, 2025, the Ukrainian Air Force Command, through its communications department, confirmed that the French-made SAMP/T air defense missile system successfully shot down a Russian Sukhoi fighter aircraft for the first time. The announcement, relayed by Ukrainian media, marks a significant moment for Ukraine’s air defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
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03/13/2025
The Canadian military has announced plans to acquire new helicopters to respond to potential crashes involving the F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets in the Arctic. The decision comes amid concerns that the aircraft’s single-engine feature might be a drawback for operations in the country’s far north, where harsh weather conditions and vast, remote terrain heighten the risks associated with engine failure.
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03/13/2025
The United States Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance program may not be too big of a project to fail, it may simply be too important – largely because there may be no other option. “The entire joint force counts on air superiority,” said Air Force Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command at last week’s 2025 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado.
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03/12/2025
The multi-role F-16 aircraft that were transferred to Ukraine by European countries are in any case American aircraft, the fate of which, like all other American weapons around the world, depends on what somebody in the White House thinks about this matter
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03/12/2025
The fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft is in the headlines once again after it shadowed Russian combat aircraft that were allegedly watching a military exercise. The Norwegian Armed Forces announced that two of its F-35 fighter jets took off from Evenes Air Base on March 10 to identify and shadow two Russian Tu-142 ‘BEAR-F’ maritime patrol aircraft flying in international airspace near Troms.
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03/12/2025
With a high-level committee having accepted the need for getting new multirole fighter jets, the Indian Air Force is looking to start induction of these planes in the next four to five years through a fast tracked global tender.
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03/12/2025
Czech manufacturers Aero Vodochody and Omnipol have completed delivery of the final batch of trainer and light combat aircraft to Vietnam. Hanoi ordered a fleet of 12 L-39 Skyfox aircraft from the Czech firm in 2021 and received the first half in 2023, the year Prague also expressed interest in supplying the Southeast Asian country with dual-use radars, cargo aircraft, and more Skyfoxes.
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03/09/2025
According to information released by the U.S. Department of Defense on March 8, 2025, the U.S. Marine Corps has deployed its first F-35B squadron from the continental United States to Japan to enhance airpower capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214, known as the Black Sheep, arrived at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, under the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program (UDP).
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03/09/2025
The European Union announced plans to increase its defense spending by €800 billion ($867 billion), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this week, unveiling the ReArm Europe plan. The plan includes €150 billion in loans to help member states buy air defenses, artillery, missiles, “ammunition drones,” and anti-drone systems as well as address other needs like cybersecurity and mobility.
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03/09/2025
US Air Force has officially classified its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) as fighters. The two prototype aircraft, the YFQ-42A developed by General Atomics and the YFQ-44A from Anduril Industries, are the first uncrewed aircraft to receive a fighter designation.
Under Air Force naming conventions, the “Y” indicates a prototype, “F” stands for fighter, and “Q” signifies an unmanned system. Once these aircraft transition into production, the “Y” will be dropped from their names.
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03/08/2025
The British Royal Navy has carried out flight tests of the F-35B Lightning fighter jet armed with the nation’s latest air-to-air missile, the Meteor, for the very first time. Pilot Lieutenant Commander Nick Baker and engineer Lieutenant Commander Lewis Roach, both stationed with the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the US, have been central to the recent trials involving the Meteor missile.
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03/08/2025
The Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing started its week by becoming the fourth Air National Guard unit to be equipped with fifth-generation fighter aircraft, according to a unit press release. With the March 4 arrival of F-35A Lightning II craft in Jacksonville, Fla., the wing will have more power to serve its mission of guarding the southeastern coast, the release said, noting that the coastline is not only crucial for homeland defense but for projecting force globally.
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03/08/2025
Members of the 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, hosted the 1st Fighter Wing at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mar. 6, 2025, reviving an aerial competition made popular when World War I flying aces were front-page news. In a collaboration 89 years in the making, the 1st Fighter Wing, whose lineage dates back to the 1st Pursuit Group, brought part of the Mitchell Trophy Air Race back to Selfridge, a heritage home of both the unit and the race.
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03/07/2025
North Korea “appears close to completing its first airborne early warning aircraft,” a significant upgrade for its air force, said U.S.-based research website 38 North, citing commercial satellite imagery. Airborne early warning, or AEW, aircraft use radars to detect incoming missiles, as well as other aircraft and warships at long ranges. They are also used for aerial reconnaissance over the ground and the sea.
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03/07/2025
The Swedish Government has submitted a bill to the Riksdag proposing Sweden’s involvement in NATO’s air defence operations in Poland. The objective is to safeguard military and civil support to Ukraine by strengthening airspace security.
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03/07/2025
Fifteen people in South Korea were injured, two of them seriously, after a pair of fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs in a civilian district on Thursday during a live-fire military exercise, local media reported. The incident involving the Air Force KF-16 aircraft, in the city of Pocheon near North Korea, was part of routine drills held by the South to maintain combat readiness against potential attacks from the North.
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03/05/2025
As the United States enters the era of next-generation aerial combat, a top US Air Force (USAF) official said at a symposium that China’s sixth-generation aircraft is likely intended as an air superiority aircraft. The participating officials also affirmed that the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program was irreplaceable.
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03/05/2025
A Russian Su-35 fighter jet engaged in a dangerous provocation against a French Reaper drone over the Mediterranean Sea on March 2, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported on March 4. "The Russian Su-35 fighter jet behaved dangerously toward the French Reaper drone... Three consecutive approaches could have led to the loss of control of the drone," Lecornu posted on X.
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03/05/2025
A Trump administration envoy’s push for US involvement in a Euro-Japanese fighter jet program has sparked new intrigue, skepticism and strategic questions about transatlantic defense ties. This month, Defense News reported that Paolo Zampolli, a close associate of US President Donald Trump and US special envoy to Italy, proposed US participation in the Euro-Japanese Global Combat Air Program.
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03/05/2025
The U.S. Navy will eliminate defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp, opens new tab from the competition to build its next-generation carrier-based stealth fighter - a key part of plans to confront China on its home turf, people familiar with the decision said.
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03/04/2025
On March 3, 2025, the Telegram account Sunflower shared a video reportedly showing a French Mirage 2000-5F in flight over Ukraine, possibly marking the first verified sighting of this aircraft in Ukrainian airspace. The transfer of these fighter jets follows France’s decision to provide Ukraine with additional air combat capabilities, modifying the aircraft to meet operational requirements and training Ukrainian personnel for their use. Initially designed as an air superiority fighter.
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03/04/2025
A Philippine fighter jet with two pilots on board has lost contact during a night combat assault in support of ground forces battling communist insurgents in a southern province, and an extensive search is underway, officials said Tuesday. The FA-50 jet lost communication during the mission with other air force aircraft around midnight Monday before reaching a target area. The other aircraft were able to return safely to an air base in central Cebu province after carrying out assaults.
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03/04/2025
“Maybe [it’s] just symbolic, but it’s telling the world that we are leaning into a new chapter of aerial warfare," Gen. David Allvin said. The Air Force has officially given aircraft designations for its first two Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) prototypes ahead of the platforms’ first flights scheduled for this summer, according to the service’s top official.
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03/02/2025
Ireland’s planned purchase of combat jets and the development of a long-overdue national radar system mark a historic turning point in the country’s approach to air defence, ending decades of reliance on the United Kingdom to protect Irish skies.
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03/01/2025
The Turkish unmanned fighter aircraft Bayraktar Kizilelma has completed its first flight tests with a new afterburning engine, Baykar announced in a press release. The third production prototype, the Kizilelma PT3, made a test flight at medium altitude for 53 minutes. It is reported that the aerodynamic system was successfully tested during the flight.
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03/01/2025
The sighting of a Russian Su-57 Felon stealth fighter in Iran in late February 2025 was noteworthy for several reasons. One reason was that it served as an indirect reminder that Iran lags far behind many countries around it regarding the joint production of modern combat aircraft.
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03/01/2025
The Navy’s secretive sixth-generation fighter—which will likely share attributes with the Air Force’s own Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter—will have substantially greater range and payload than its predecessors, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of the Navy said—indicating enthusiasm for the program amid uncertainty about both services’ path forward for advanced fighters.
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02/28/2025
The United Kingdom is ready to send troops and combat aircraft to Ukraine for a peacekeeping mission. This was stated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
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02/28/2025
China today denied that the Egyptian Air Force received its first batch of J-10 fighter jets from China, state media reported. “It is inconsistent with the facts. Total fake news,” said Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian. Wu’s remarks came following various media reports that Egypt had received the jets from China. Daily News Egypt had reported on 13 February that Cairo received J-10 fighter jets from China.
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02/28/2025
The United States Air Force has begun to retire the oldest and least capable F-16 Fighting Falcons in its fleet, even as the newest models—the Block 40 and Block 50 versions of the Cold War aircraft—will remain in service until the early 2040s. Training options for the F-16 are already being scaled back, and the Air Education and Training Command announced that the final F-16 training unit at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, had recently completed its final training sortie on Wednesday, Febru
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02/28/2025
The Chinese military held a combat readiness exercise around a flashpoint with the Philippines in the South China Sea, its Southern Theater Command said, the latest exercise Beijing has undertaken in the region. The command on Thursday “organized naval and air forces to carry out combat readiness patrols in the territorial waters and airspace of China’s Huangyan Island and surrounding areas,” it said in a statement, referring to the disputed Scarborough Shoal by its Chinese name.
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02/28/2025
The 53rd Test and Evaluation Group completed an operational taxi test with a U.S. Navy AGM-84N Harpoon Block II+ anti-ship missile loaded on a U.S. Air Force F-16 in a demonstration of rapid weapons integration capabilities.
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02/27/2025
Taiwan said Thursday it had detected 45 Chinese aircraft near the self-ruled island, the highest number this year and a tally that comes a day after Taipei denounced China's "live-fire" drills off the south. In the 24 hours to 6:00 a.m., 45 Chinese aircraft and 14 warships were spotted near the island, the de-fense ministry said in a statement.
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02/27/2025
The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II has been touted as being a cost-effective alternative to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II—despite a 2023 study that found the “flyaway” cost for the Eagle II was even higher than the Lightning II. Moreover, critics of the Boeing fighter have argued it is simply a new model of an old warbird—but one with a significant combat record that includes more than 100 aerial kills and no losses.
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02/27/2025
In many military publications, writers often discuss fighter aircraft in reference to the plane’s generation. For instance, the F-15 is a fourth generation aircraft; the F-22 is a fifth-generation aircraft; and the upcoming NGAD will be a sixth-generation aircraft. But for new readers, it may be difficult to understand what exactly constitutes a distinct fighter jet generation. So, let’s take a moment to work from the beginning, and explain each generation of fighter aircraft.
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02/27/2025
Turkey has seen “lots of interest” from foreign nations in potentially joining its next-generation fighter jet project, including from an unnamed Gulf country that is “seriously considering” joining development, a senior Turkish industry official told Breaking Defense. As of now, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu said that the jet, known as KAAN, is under development only by Turkish companies as “there is no official [outside] participation yet.
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02/27/2025
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. and Aero India 2025 took place simultaneously earlier this month. These events sparked a comparison between two modern combat aircraft—the stealthy F-35 and the aerobatic Su-57—both of which stole the limelight at the airshow.
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02/25/2025
The rendering of the next-generation air-to-air missile was published by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) of the US Navy. It was part of the portfolio overview of the Program Executive Office, Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons (PEO [U&W]), which contained a list of items from the Air-to-Air Missiles Program Office (PMA-259). The other items on the list were the AIM-174B, AIM-120D, AIM-9X, and their latest variants.
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02/25/2025
The cream of the U.S. and Russian air forces shared a runway at the recent Aero India 2025 exhibition in Bengaluru, as both the Lockheed Martin F-35A and Sukhoi Su-57E attempted to woo the Indian Air Force towards an unlikely deal. Emanating from opposing blocs, the surprising juxtaposition of these latest fifth-generation fighters at Aero India, held here Feb. 10-14, illustrates India’s non-aligned stance.
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02/25/2025
The Argentine Air Force has officially presented its first Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon at a ceremony held on 24 February 2025 at the Tandil military airbase, near Buenos Aires. The event was attended by Argentine government officials, including the Minister of Defence, as well as high-ranking military personnel.
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02/25/2025
Vietnam’s People’s Air Force (VPAF) faces a critical challenge: replacing its aging fleet of fighter aircraft while simultaneously expanding its defense partnerships. The backbone of Vietnam’s air force, the Soviet-era Su-22 Fitter, is nearing obsolescence, with multiple recent crashes underscoring the urgency of modernization.
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02/24/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 10 Chinese naval vessels, five military aircraft, and two official ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday. Three of the five People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s southwestern and southeastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND. The MND also tracked two Chinese balloons to the north and over central Taiwan.
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02/24/2025
A three-week multinational exercise involving more than 2,300 participants and 62 aircraft concluded Friday at Andersen Air Force Base in Yigo, marking significant advances in fifth-generation fighter integration among United States, Japanese, and Australian forces, the U.S. Air Force said. Cope North 2025, which began Feb. 3, focused on enhancing trilateral fifth-generation interoperability, particularly with F-35 operations, representing a shift from previous years' emphasis on ACE.
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02/24/2025
The Indian Navy’s unveiling of its Naval Aviation Roadmap is more than a policy document—it is a declaration of intent. With the world’s naval forces moving decisively toward fifth-generation carrier-based airpower, India’s need for an indigenous naval stealth fighter is no longer a mere aspiration but a strategic imperative. The Naval Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (NAMCA), if realised, could define India’s maritime airpower trajectory for decades.
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02/24/2025
To reduce the "zoo" of aircraft in its air force, Greece plans to retire its Mirage 2000-5 Mk II while keeping three types of combat aircraft in service: Rafale, F-16, and eventually F-35, which are not expected to arrive before 2028.
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02/22/2025
The delivery of Belgium’s promised F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine has hit yet another snag, with the first of the 30 aircraft now not expected to arrive in Kyiv until at least the end of 2025. This delay, announced on February 21, 2025, stems from a ripple effect caused by the United States’ lagging delivery of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Belgium, according to Belgian Air Force Chief of Staff General Frederik Vansina.
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02/22/2025
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed significant interest in Turkiye’s national fighter jet project KAAN, signalling attempts by Abu Dhabi to deepen defence cooperation with Ankara. According to Turkish media, Turkish defence firms attracted considerable attention at the IDEX 2025 defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi this week, with a key interested party reportedly being the Emiratis and their defence companies.
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02/21/2025
Frontliner has released footage of an F-16 fighter jet in combat on one of the frontline directions, according to Frontliner founder and editor-in-chief Andrii Dubchak. "Silence. Frost. We are making a report on a heavy drone unit in the field. Suddenly, we hear a recognizable increasing roar of a jet engine, and a plane flies at ultra-low altitude towards the front, just beyond a nearby tree line," Dubchak described.
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02/21/2025
Engines from GE Aerospace and RTX’s Pratt & Whitney have cleared the Air Force’s “Detailed Design Reviews” for the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion program, paving the way for the engine-makers to build prototype ground demonstrators, the two companies announced separately. The plan is for the winner of the NGAP program to power the Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance NGAD fighter.
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02/21/2025
Turkey will consider creating a carrier-based version of the KAAN fighter jet based on a domestic aircraft carrier. Relevant discussions are ongoing between the Turkish Navy’s design office and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
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02/21/2025
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) is preparing its F-35 Lightning II pilots for a conflict in the Indo-Pacific amid the potential threat of a war with China. This was displayed at the recently-concluded ‘Bamboo Eagle’—USAF’s new advanced combat-readiness exercise. The U.S. Air Force Warfare Center recently wrapped up Bamboo Eagle 25-1 exercises. Over 10,000 troops from various Air Force major commands, the Joint Force, and allied air forces participated in the exercise, the USAF said in a statement on F
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02/21/2025
The head of Swedish manufacturer Saab remains optimistic that the Scandinavian nation will decide to send JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter jets to Ukraine and strengthen strike capabilities on top of US-made F-16 and French Mirage 2000 aircraft. “Without jumping into conclusions [at a political level] I hope it will happen” Saab CEO Micael Johansson told Breaking Defense at the Munich Security Conference.
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02/21/2025
Gen. Lee Young-soo, Chief of Staff of the South Korean Air Force, conducted a test flight of the KF-21, South Korea’s supersonic fighter jet, on Wednesday to evaluate its readiness for operational deployment as it approaches the final stage of development.
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02/20/2025
Current calculations show that the French Air Force has such a small stockpile of missiles and other munitions that it would last only three days of intense combat under modern warfare conditions. For Meteor-type missiles, the available stockpile would barely sustain even one day of combat.
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02/20/2025
Russian warplanes were spotted flying off the coast of Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said Tuesday, marking the latest incident involving Russian military activity being tracked by the U.S. military near the state. The Russian planes did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace, NORAD said, adding that the planes were "not seen as a threat." NORAD did not identify the type of Russian aircraft that were detected nor the number of planes.
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02/15/2025
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) showcased the long-range operational capabilities of its indigenous JF-17 fighter jets during the Exercise Spears of Victory-2025 in Saudi Arabia, the military’s media wing said on Friday, as the PAF contingent returned home.
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02/15/2025
The Aero India 2025, which concludes today, witnessed a face-off between the US’ F-35 fighter jet and Russia’s SU-57. Both the US and Russia are offering their respective fifth-generation fighter jets – which were seen side by side for the first time on an airstrip – to India.
Though the SU-57 took to the skies during Asia’s biggest air show on Thursday, the F-35 remained on static display.
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02/14/2025
According to the Australian Department of Defence, the incident occurred on February 11, 2025, when an RAAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was conducting a routine surveillance mission. A People’s Liberation Army Air Force J-16 fighter intercepted the aircraft and released flares in dangerously close proximity.
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02/14/2025
On February 6-7, 2025, Service members from the Royal Netherlands, Royal Norwegian and United States Air Forces demonstrated readiness, interoperability and maintenance proficiency during Spartan Lightning at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. A total of seven F-35A Lightning II aircraft participated in the exercise, with pilots and maintainers from the Dutch, Norwegian and United States air forces working to achieve key training objectives. The exercise provided the maintainers cross-servicing opport
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02/13/2025
On February 10, 2025, French Air and Space Force Chief of Staff General Jérôme Bellanger shared a video on his LinkedIn account, showcasing a French Rafale fighter aircraft destroying a suicide drone in flight using the MICA IR (Infrared) missile. The general also highlighted that similar drones had been intercepted and neutralized by both Rafale and Mirage 2000-5F aircraft deployed in the Middle East,
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02/13/2025
Algerian pilots are currently undergoing training in Russia to operate the Su-57, Russia’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, Algerian TV reports. This marks a significant step in Algeria’s military modernization and confirms the country’s deepening defense ties with Moscow.With deliveries of the advanced fighter expected within the year, Algeria is set to become the first foreign customer of the Su-57, a development with wide-ranging geopolitical and military implications.
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02/13/2025
Russia is offering the production of Sukhoi Su-57, its fifth-generation stealth fighter and most advanced warplane, in India for boosting the Indian Air Force’s fleet, after unveiling the jet in the South Asian country’s air show this week.
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02/12/2025
On September 14, 2024, a senior Emirati official dismissed reports about the country’s interest in resuming long-deadlocked negotiations to purchase Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II aircraft should Donald J. Trump secure a second presidential term. However, Trump’s return to the White House in January has reignited questions regarding the potential for a resumption of talks.
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02/12/2025
Russia has offered to make its fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Sukhoi Su-57 in India for the Indian Air Force, a Russian and an Indian official said on Tuesday, as Moscow looks to boost defence ties with New Delhi. Russia has for decades been the main weapons supplier to India, the world's biggest arms importer, and its fighter jets are part of India's military fleet. But Moscow's ability in recent years to export has been hobbled by the war in Ukraine, making New Delhi look westward.
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02/11/2025
Currently, numerous aviation projects are being implemented, including both manned and unmanned systems, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media. The recent updates to the technical specifications of the KAAN and Hürjet combat aircraft serve as notable examples of this progress. The length of the national fifth-generation fighter, KAAN, has been reduced by 0.7 metres.
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02/11/2025
A Polish fighter pilot has flown an F-35A Lightning II aircraft for the first time at the US Ebbing Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The milestone flight came after F-35 pilot training under the guidance of the US’ 33rd Fighter Wing began in October last year, which was followed by a couple of aircraft deliveries in December.
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02/11/2025
The constant evolution of aerial threats, such as operations in contested environments, is redefining the equipment that combat aircraft of the United States Armed Forces must possess. This is evident in the integration of new Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensors into current combat platforms. The latest milestone was reported by the U.S. Navy, which confirmed that the new IRST Block II pod, set to equip its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, has achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
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02/11/2025
India expects stable delivery of a domestically-made light combat aircraft powered by a GE, opens new tab engine in the upcoming fiscal year after a delay of nearly 12 months, a top government official said on Sunday. India's state-run planemaker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), opens new tab would have the capacity to hand over 16 to 24 aircraft in the fiscal year that starts in April following stable delivery of the engine made by the aerospace division of GE, the official said.
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02/10/2025
The plane was shot down by an “Igla” MANPADS on the outskirts of Toretsk (Donetsk region). The Russians later sent an Mi-8 helicopter to evacuate the pilot, but Ukrainian FPV operators prevented this from happening.
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02/10/2025
Taiwan said on Saturday that 11 Chinese fighter jets and eight ships, as well as a balloon, were detected around Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, nine out of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern air defense identification zone. They were detected until 6 a.m. (2200GMT) and the balloon was flying at an altitude of 20,000 feet (6 kilometers), said the ministry.
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02/10/2025
It is considered one of the world's toughest air combat training environments where pilots hone their war-fighting skills. RAF personnel, including Rivet Joint aircrew, Air Operations Controllers from 19 and 20 Squadron, along with eight Typhoons and a Voyager aircraft are participating.
Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, provides opportunities to train for challenges – from mission generation to command and control.
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02/10/2025
The U.S. Air Force has announced that the United Operational Test Team conducted the first ever dual release of externally mounted GBU-54 LJDAMs (Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition) from an F-35. The test saw an F-35C, assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9) release the guided bombs again a remote controlled High-Speed Moving Target, said the statement.
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02/07/2025
Ukraine received the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets promised by France on Thursday, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said, giving the country its second type of Western aircraft in addition to F-16 jets handed over by allies last year. The Mirage 2000 jets arrived with Ukrainian pilots on board, after several months of training in France, Lecornu said in a post on X. “They will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine.”
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02/07/2025
Over the past week, the strategic bombers of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have been conducting various patrol flights focused on the Arctic region. One of the most recent incidents occurred today, February 5, when Tu-95MS bombers, escorted by fighter jets, were intercepted by Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A stealth fighters while flying over the Barents Sea airspace.
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02/07/2025
A Russian soldier is reported to have rammed a truck into one of President Vladimir Putin's prized Su-25 fighter jets, rendering it unusable. It adds to the many military jets Russia has lost throughout the war in Ukraine. Russia's air force has suffered extensive casualties—both in cases of friendly fire, and as a result of Ukrainian forces shooting down Putin's military jets.
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02/06/2025
Russia has launched a new show of military strength as two Tu-95MS nuclear bombers conducted a four-hour flight over the Norwegian Sea north of Britain. The strategic bombers were escorted by Russian MiG-31 and Su-33 fighter jets during their mission over neutral waters. Nato warplanes shadowed the pair of Tu-95MS 'Bears' throughout their flight, which took place just days after Sir Keir Starmer urged European leaders to increase efforts against Russian aggression.
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02/06/2025
Aerospace manufacturer Boeing and satellite antenna maker ThinKom Solutions successfully demonstrated high-bandwidth satellite communications technology aimed at military aircraft, the companies announced Feb. 5.
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02/06/2025
The IAF, looking to arrest the dwindling fighter squadrons, is looking to acquire 114 Medium-Role Fighter Aircraft. Saab insists that the Gripen-E will be the fastest-delivered fighter aircraft if chosen. Kent-Ake Molin, Head of the Gripen India campaign, said: “Gripen’s exceptional capabilities align seamlessly with India’s defense needs, offering advanced weapons, cutting-edge sensors, countermeasures systems, and pilot-friendly Human-Machine Collaboration (HMC).”
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02/06/2025
The electronic warfare suite which will protect the Air Force’s F-15E and F-15EX in contested airspace has been declared “operationally effective,” the Pentagon’s test director said in its recent annual report. But the system can’t be evaluated to the very limits of its capabilities because of test range limitations, and because the Air Force doesn’t want to expose what the system can really do in open-air testing.
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02/05/2025
Iran has reportedly purchased Russian-made Sukhoi 35 fighter jets amid Western concerns about Tehran and Moscow’s growing military cooperation. Ali Shadmani, the deputy Coordinator of the Khatam-ol-Anbia, who was quoted by the media, did not clarify how many jets were purchased and whether they had already been delivered to Iran.
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02/05/2025
The Government of Colombia has signed a new contract for the maintenance of its fleet of obsolete Kfir fighters. According to ArmyRecognition, the agreement was signed with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which will be responsible for servicing the aircraft. The deal is worth $7.2 million. The agreement came into force in December 2024 and will be valid until July 30, 2026.
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02/05/2025
U.S. and Philippine fighter aircraft staged a joint patrol and training Tuesday over a disputed South China Sea shoal where Chinese fighter jets fired flares last year to drive away a Philippine aircraft, Philippine officials said. The joint patrol and air-intercept drills over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines were the first by the longtime treaty allies since U.S. President Donald Trump took office again.
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02/04/2025
On January 31, 2025, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that the Netherlands will deliver another batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year. The announcement followed a meeting in The Hague with Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, during which both officials discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air capabilities and ongoing training programs for Ukrainian pilots and technicians.
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02/04/2025
The U.S. government’s objective of procuring 2,456 F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy marks a monumental effort to modernize and enhance the U.S. military’s air combat capabilities. As outlined in the latest report published by Lockheed Martin in January 2025, this ambitious procurement plan remains at the heart of the F-35 program, which continues to advance with strong production numbers, new international commitments.
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02/04/2025
Conscious of serious capability gaps, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) had announced formation of a high-level committee to address shortages in the Indian Air Force (IAF). For some time, the IAF has been grappling with the reduced fighter aircraft with the squadron strength coming to an all-time low of 31 vis-à-vis the authorised strength of 42.
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02/04/2025
As reported by Astro Awani on February 1, 2025, the Royal Malaysian Air Force is expected to finalize the acquisition of 30 used F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets from the Kuwaiti Air Force in 2025. The deal has been under negotiation for several years and is now in its final stages, requiring only documentation and approvals from Kuwait and the United States. This purchase is intended to maintain Malaysia’s air defense capabilities while awaiting the implementation of its Multi-Role Combat Aircraft
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02/03/2025
Iran has purchased Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as part of its military modernisation efforts amid rising tensions with Israel and the United States. The advanced jets, known for their speed and altitude capabilities, will significantly enhance Iran’s ageing air force, which mostly consists of older American and Soviet aircraft.
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02/02/2025
According to information from Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, shared via his official X account on January 31, 2025, a historic moment unfolded when a Polish pilot took control of the F-35 Lightning II for the first time at the U.S. Air Force base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. This marks a pivotal step forward for the Polish Air Force as the country modernizes its military capabilities.
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02/01/2025
The Netherlands will help train 26 Ukrainians for positions as F-16 aircraft crew chiefs. The training will run until the end of January, according to the Dutch Ministry of Defense. These technical specialists are responsible for the fighter jets before takeoff and after returning to base. Their training will take place at an airbase and will continue until the end of April. The exact location of the airbase has not been disclosed.
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02/01/2025
On January 31, 2025, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense announced that the country's Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov was on a three-day visit to the United States, leading a delegation to attend the official handover ceremony of Bulgaria’s first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet. The event, scheduled for the same day, was set to take place at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina. This marks the beginning of Bulgaria’s acquisition of 16 F-16 Block 70 aircraft under contracts signed i
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02/01/2025
Türkiye’s efforts to modernize its air force are advancing, with plans to acquire Eurofighter Typhoon European multinational fighter jets equipped with the advanced Meteor air-to-air missile, designed and manufactured by MBDA, a multi-national European group. This move has raised tensions in the region. Turkish media reports that despite opposition from Greece, France has approved the delivery of the Meteor missiles, which are set to enhance Türkiye’s air defense capabilities significantly.
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01/31/2025
Last year, the United States Air Force pressed “pause” on its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, citing costs and future capabilities of the sixth-generation manned aircraft that was among the “system of systems” that the service sought to employ. NGAD was meant to be the eventual replacement for the Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, but its future has been far from clear in recent months.
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01/31/2025
The United Arab Emirates received a first batch of French Rafale fighter jets Thursday under a deal made with France in 2021, in a sign of deepening ties between the two countries. The first Rafale jet produced by French company Dassault Aviation for the UAE air force was unveiled during a ceremony held in Paris. Attendees included Emirati Defense Minister Mohamed bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei and his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Defens
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01/31/2025
U.S. Air Force F-35s and Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18s conducted combat air patrols in response to Russian military aircraft operating in the Arctic early this week, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a news release Jan. 30. NORAD also said it sent two U.S. Air Force F-16s from Alaska to Greenland, “exercising its standard agreement with Greenland to forward posture NORAD presence in the Arctic,” but stated that the move was “not in response to any current threat.”
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01/30/2025
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has signed a contract with Rheinmetall Italia SPA for the procurement of a batch of Mk82 bombs to enhance the Swedish Air Force's air-to-ground strike capability. This acquisition, part of Sweden’s broader effort to modernize its arsenal, aims to increase its stock of precision munitions and improve interoperability with NATO forces.
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01/29/2025
The problem facing the United States, and by inference also some of its closest allies, is as broad as it is long: what kind of air (and space) power will the US require to prevail against a peer competitor in the middle of this century? It is a question that Frank Kendall, the now former secretary of the US Air Force (USAF), grappled with in the ‘The Department of the Air Force in 2050’ Congressional Committee report.
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01/29/2025
The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) marked a significant milestone this week, leading an integrated test team in testing rapid aircraft regeneration processes that will dramatically reduce the time the F-35 Lightning II spends on the ground during combat operations.
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01/29/2025
The Air Force on Monday greatly expanded funding for the prototype engine for the service’s planned sixth-generation fighter. General Electric of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Pratt & Whitney Engines of East Hartford, Connecticut, each received modifications to their initial Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion, contracts that bring the maximum amount for the prototype phase up to $3.5 billion apiece. That is more than three times higher than the $975 million ceiling on the original contracts awarded.
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01/29/2025
An F-35 fighter jet crashed Tuesday on a flightline on Eielson Air Force Base, a military official told Alaska News Source. The pilot was uninjured, according to Airman 1st Class Spencer Hanson. The crash occurred at about 12:49 p.m., according to Col. Paul Townsend, 354th Fighter Wing Commander.
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01/28/2025
Iran has purchased Russian-made Sukhoi-35 fighter jets, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday, amid Western concerns about Tehran and Moscow's growing military cooperation. This is the first time an Iranian official has confirmed the purchase of Su-35 jets. However, Ali Shadmani, who was quoted by the Student News Network, did not clarify how many jets were purchased and whether they had already been delivered to Iran.
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01/28/2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has officially cleared her position regarding Saudi Arabia’s potential entry into the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP)—the sixth-generation combat aircraft being jointly developed by Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The GCAP, launched in 2022, is a collaborative initiative that seeks to design, manufacture, and deliver a next-generation crewed combat aircraft.
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01/28/2025
Bangladesh has shown a growing interest in modernizing its air force as part of its broader military modernization under the “Forces Goal 2030” initiative. The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) currently operates older platforms. These aging aircraft are increasingly inadequate against modern threats and require replacement with advanced platforms.
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01/27/2025
In November of last year, Reuters reported that the Colombian government was interested in purchasing a fleet of the Swedish-built JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets. JAS stands for “Jakt, Attack, Spaning,” or, in English, “Fighter, Attack, Reconnaissance.”
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01/27/2025
A Chinese J-10C fighter jet was recently spotted carrying the PL-17, an active radar-guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, a sight that has raised eyebrows among military analysts. The PL-17, known for its exceptional range and advanced radar guidance, is typically mounted on larger aircraft like the J-20, China’s fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for long-range missions with a capacity for heavier munitions.
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01/26/2025
In a move that could reshape the regional power dynamics in South Asia, India has reportedly taken a firm stance against Pakistan’s potential arms sales to Bangladesh, particularly concerning the JF-17 Block-III fighter jet. This development comes amidst heightened tensions and strategic posturing between the two neighboring countries.
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01/25/2025
The Air Force Coalition, which facilitates the transition of Ukrainian aviation to Western aircraft, was established within the framework of Ramstein 2.0 – the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The need to replace the Soviet-era tactical aircraft fleet with Western multi-role fighter jets had been under discussion long before the full-scale invasion. Among the options considered were Swedish Gripens, American F-15/F-16s, and French Rafales. Finally, in May 2023, the Air Force Coalition was formed.
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01/25/2025
Another Rafale fighter jet has arrived in Croatia, as confirmed by the Croatian Ministry of Defense. “The ninth multi-role Rafale fighter jet landed today at the ‘Colonel Marko Zivkovic‘ barracks at Pleso. By the end of April, all 12 jets will be in Croatia, completing the Croatian Air Force’s Fighter Squadron,” they announced yesterday.
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01/25/2025
The Air Force has long struggled with a shortage of fighter pilots, with 1,150 empty billets in 2024, and aviators leaving the service in droves. How can they turn things around? Buy more planes and keep more pilots in its reserve component, says a new policy paper from a prominent aerospace think tank.
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01/25/2025
Lockheed Martin is revolutionizing the future of air combat warfare by pushing the boundaries of how fighter aircraft and autonomous systems operate together in high-stakes, contested environments. On January 22, 2025, the company released a major update detailing its innovations throughout 2024, showcasing its efforts to enable U.S.-made fighter jets, such as the F-35, to control drones. This effort is central to the U.S. Air Force’s ambitious development of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
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01/24/2025
Chinese military planes and ships surrounded Taiwan on Wednesday during a drill, with some of the aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, the defense ministry said Thursday.
In total, 35 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six warships were detected around the island during China's "joint combat readiness patrols," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said.
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01/23/2025
Turkiye and Pakistan are reportedly set to establish and operate a joint factory to produce the new Turkish KAAN fighter jet, in what would be a significant move between the two countries.
According to a number of Turkish and Pakistani news outlets, representatives from 32 institutions gathered at the 8th meeting of the Pak-Turkish Industrial Expo in Pakistan earlier this month and finalised plans for a partnership between Ankara and Islamabad for the production of Turkiye’s KAAN fighter jet.
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01/23/2025
The Philippines has decided to double the size of its FA-50 light fighter fleet, reportedly buying another 12 from South Korea, in a move that analysts told Breaking Defense won’t get China off Manila’s back but could complicate Beijing’s plans.
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01/22/2025
A Qatari military aircraft touched down at Laayoune airport yesterday evening, having departed from Algeria. According to a Moroccan source speaking to Yabiladi, the plane was transporting equipment for one of the Emir of Qatar's brothers, including birds from his hunting grounds in the Algerian desert, to his reserve in Morocco near Boujdour.
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01/22/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 14 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Twelve of the 14 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the country’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
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01/22/2025
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andriy Kovalenko, has reported an attack on the Smolensk Aircraft Plant, which is involved in the production and modernization of Russian military aircraft, including Su-25 attack aircraft.
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01/22/2025
Saab recently announced that it will supply, through its Saab Australia subdivision, its TactiCall secure communications system to the MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft developed by Boeing Australia. The company will also provide avionics equipment, including electro-mechanical actuators and controllers for the Primary Flight Control System from Saab in Sweden.
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01/21/2025
New reports have emerged suggesting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is preparing to transfer 30 Mirage 2000-9E fighter jets to Morocco. The transfer is expected to take place in 2027 when the UAE receives its new batch of Rafale F4 aircraft. According to Military Africa and several international media outlets, the potential transfer would involve half of the UAE’s operational fleet of Mirage 2000-9E fighters.
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01/21/2025
The Philippines is considering the purchase of 12 more FA-50 Fighting Eagle supersonic combat aircraft from South Korea. The potential 40-billion Philippine peso ($683.7 million) deal would double Manila’s FA-50 fleet, which has been in service since the early 2010s.
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01/21/2025
As reported by The Express Tribune on January 16, 2025, Bangladesh has officially expressed interest in the JF-17 Thunder, a fighter aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, following a high-level Bangladeshi defense delegation's visit to Pakistan on January 15, 2025. Led by Lieutenant General SM Qamarul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, the delegation met with Pakistan Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, at the Air Headquarters.
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01/21/2025
Two of the UK’s main air domain defence programmes, the Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS) and E-7 Wedgetail, have been given a ‘red’ rating in the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority Annual Report 2023-24, published on 17 January 2025. Of the 49 defence programmes listed in the report the vast majority are listed as being ‘amber’, which means that significant issues remain but the programme can still meet its targetted timelines.
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01/21/2025
U.S. Air Force officials paused a planned contract award for the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) to rethink the aircraft’s requirements. NGAD is an advanced fighter jet intended to replace the stealthy F-22 Raptor (see Figure 1). According to the Air Force, NGAD is also a “family of systems,” enabling air superiority, defined as the ability to operate without threat of attack, even in highly contested environments.
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01/20/2025
The defense ministry reported nine Chinese military aircraft and six vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Four of the aircraft entered the country’s southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones (ADIZ). In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor Chinese activity.
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01/19/2025
The production prototype of Turkish defense giant Baykar’s Bayraktar Kizilelma, Türkiye’s first-ever unmanned fighter jet, successfully passes another flight test. The development of Bayraktar Kizilelma, Baykar’s indigenous and original aircraft, continues according to the established test timeline.
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01/19/2025
Just before the turn of the year, Saudi and Turkish officials engaged in a flurry of talks on defense cooperation. In one such conversation—which included Turkish defense industry representatives—Saudi Arabia reportedly indicated it intends to buy one hundred Turkish KAAN fighter jets. But with Saudi Arabia previously keen on acquiring F-35 fighter jets from the United States, what has steered Riyadh toward Turkish technology?
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01/18/2025
In a concerning escalation of tensions over the Baltic Sea, a French Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft was subjected to Russian military intimidation. The aircraft was engaged in an international NATO operation when it was targeted by the fire-control radar of a Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. The incident occurred between Wednesday night and Thursday morning while the aircraft was flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
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01/18/2025
The US State Department has greenlighted a potential $39-million sale of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to Japan. Tokyo requested to purchase up to sixteen AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ERs along with AGM-158 JASSM dummy air training missiles and containers, JASSM anti-jam GPS receivers, personnel training, and relevant accessories, logistics, and program support.
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01/18/2025
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group’s J-36 scooped up most of the publicity around China’s late-December revelations, but a second combat type, one from Shenyang Aircraft and referred to for now as J-XX, was revealed at the same time. It was smaller, and the pictures of it were less clear, so it got some attention. But it deserves plenty, as the other half of an unprecedented double revelation and a complementary part of China’s future air combat system.
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01/18/2025
On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Air Force achieved a significant milestone in modernizing its F-15E Strike Eagle fleet by delivering the first aircraft equipped with the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS). The F-15E, now fitted with one of the most advanced electronic warfare (EW) suites in the world, took off from San Antonio, Texas, and made its way to RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, to join the 48th Fighter Wing (FW) on January 16.
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01/18/2025
Norwegian F-35 fighter jets have completed their first flight using synthetic aviation turbine fuels. The event occurred at Ørland Air Station on the country’s west coast, demonstrating that the F-35 aircraft can operate on synthetic fuel blends of up to 50 percent. The test marks significant “progress toward reducing emissions while maintaining mission readiness,” stated manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
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01/17/2025
After successfully completing the acquisition of French Rafale fighter jets, the Hellenic Air Force has now received its 30th upgraded F-16. On January 15, US-based Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-16, announced the delivery of the 30th F-16 “Viper” to the Hellenic Air Force, adding that this upgrade “strengthens Greece’s defense and its ability to operate seamlessly with allied forces.”
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01/17/2025
Looking to modernize its aging Air Force, Bangladesh has shown interest in the JF-17 Thunder fighter jets jointly developed by Pakistan and China. During a visit to Pakistan on January 15, a high-level defense delegation from Bangladesh showed a great deal of interest in Pakistan’s cutting-edge military hardware, especially the JF-17 Thunders, Pakistani publication Express Tribune reported.
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01/17/2025
The Air Force has recently approved a new F-15 electronic warfare (EW) system for full-rate production, meaning more of these legendary fourth-generation fighters will be fitted with this cutting-edge upgrade. The Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) consists of “integrated radar warning, geolocation, situational awareness, and self-protection solutions,” according to its manufacturer.
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01/17/2025
The Ukrainian Air Force has created a commission to investigate whether key personnel are being transferred to the front lines amid a shortage of troops defending the east. The move comes after a major controversy erupted after one unit claimed that its MiG-29 Fulcrum maintainers were sent to the infantry, drastically affecting its ability to launch sorties. It was the latest of several such allegations, which Ukrainian officials have denied.
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01/17/2025
A Ukrainian pilot's reported record-breaking shootdown of six missiles with an F-16 offers insight into how much its air force has developed as it fights back against Russia's invasion. Throughout much of the war, Ukraine's air force faced one of the world's biggest air forces with a fleet of older, Soviet-designed combat aircraft while begging the West for F-16s readily available in NATO arsenals.
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01/17/2025
On Dec. 26, 2024, Mao Zedong’s birthday, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unveiled a new stealth aircraft. Reportedly designated J-36, the aircraft combines stealth capabilities with a large payload capacity, enabling both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions over extended ranges at supersonic speeds. These features make it a formidable challenge for modern air defense systems.
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01/16/2025
As reported by Max Montero on January 15, 2025, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has confirmed the acquisition of 12 additional FA-50 Block 20 Fighting Eagle light attack aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) as part of the Re-Horizon 3 program. Valued at approximately $680 million, this government-to-government (G2G) project is intended to establish a second squadron for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
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01/16/2025
In recent years, Africa, and particularly North Africa, has become the scene of a serious arms race between two large neighboring countries—Algeria and Morocco. Despite differences in their political strategies, both nations are making significant investments in modernizing their armed forces.
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01/16/2025
The Russian Ministry of Defense’s Armed Forces newspaper, “Red Star,” [Krasnaya Zvezda] reports on an incident that occurred in the sky above the front line in Ukraine. A Russian Su-35 fighter jet was struck by a surface-to-air missile, but the pilot managed to bring the aircraft to a Russian airfield and successfully land it.
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01/16/2025
Airbus opens new tab CEO Guillaume Faury said he could see the two separate European programmes working on new fighter jets and combat air systems being combined in future or at least designed to work together. Britain, Italy and Japan said in December they were setting up a joint company to develop, design and build an advanced stealth jet, named GCAP, while France, Germany and Spain are working on the rival FCAS project.
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01/15/2025
The Royal Norwegian Air Forces for the first time in history deployed in Poland with their newest F-35 multirole fighter jets. Their assignment marks a rotation in NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission. Their temporary home, Krzesiny Airbase in Poznan, is home to the Polish 31st Tactical Aviation Base and its F-16 C/D Block-52 Advance+ as well as the Polish F-16 Tiger Demo Team.
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01/15/2025
Indonesia is gearing up to deploy Rafale fighter jets acquired from France, outlining a phased integration into the Indonesian Air Force ahead of delivery. While the delivery timeline remains undisclosed, Air Force Chief Marshal Tonny Harjono revealed that Indonesian pilots will begin training with French Air Force instructors this July. The Rafales will be stationed at Pekanbaru and Pontianak air bases — strategic hubs for bolstering Indonesia’s airspace sovereignty, according to the governmen
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01/15/2025
A US Air Force (USAF) official has cautioned that China could surpass the US in the race to deploy the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet, amid reports that Beijing’s prototype has already completed its maiden flight. Andrew Hunter, the outgoing USAF acquisition executive, recently told Breaking Defense that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could achieve initial operational capability for its sixth-generation fighter before the US.
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01/15/2025
By the end of April, Bulgaria is expected to receive the first two F-16 fighter jets, while a third jet will remain in the United States for training. These aircraft are part of a deal for 16 combat planes, which will be delivered in stages over the coming years. Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov announced that the first jet will be officially received on January 31 in Greenville, Florida.
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01/14/2025
In late December, the first F-16 Block 10 aircraft for Argentina’s Air Force arrived in the country in what Minister of Defense Luis Petri hailed as the “most important” acquisition since the nation’s “return to democracy” in 1982. The South American nation has operated without a primary combat aircraft for almost a decade, but now, after many negotiations and false starts, Buenos Aires has received the first of 25 F-16s (including one training aircraft) previously operated by the Danish Air For
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01/14/2025
Denmark is promising significant upgrades to its defence posture on the island of Greenland, including the possibility of hosting Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters on the strategic Arctic territory.
Copenhagen is suggesting improvements to the airport at Kangerlussuaq that would allow the site to support operations by the advanced fifth-generation jets. The development was reported by Danish broadcasters TV2 and DR on 10 January.
The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) currently operates 17
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01/14/2025
F-35 Lightning II fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, on Jan. 13, in the latest rotation of fighters to the strategic U.S. outpost in the western Pacific, the Air Force announced. The F-35s are assigned to the Vermont ANG’s 158th Fighter Wing, which in 2019 became the first Guard unit to be equipped with the fifth-generation multirole fighter. The aircraft that deployed to Japan will operate as the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.
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01/14/2025
Possible alternatives to a manned 6th-generation combat jet include a more affordable, “F-35 follow- on” aircraft that could manage robot wingmen, the outgoing Air Force secretary said.
While the incoming administration will decide the fate of the Next Generation Air Dominance program, which was paused last year due to soaring cost projections, Frank Kendall said on Monday that recent analysis has highlighted the “value” in pursuing a crewed 6th-gen jet.
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01/14/2025
The US and China are locked in a “race” to field the next generation of airpower — and there’s no guarantee America will cross the finish line first, according to the Air Force’s outgoing acquisition executive. “They could beat us to the punch,” Andrew Hunter told Breaking Defense in an interview at the Pentagon.
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01/13/2025
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) will test the capability of a Gripen fighter jet to take off and land on a highway before making a final decision on purchasing a fleet of the Swedish fighter jets by the middle of this year, a well-informed source said on Sunday. The source within the RTAF said it would be the first time the RTAF tests the take-off and landing of a Gripen fighter jet on a highway.
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01/13/2025
By 2027, in areas west of the international dateline where U.S. assets are deployed, China will outnumber U.S. forces about 12 to 1 in modern fighter jets (including 5 to 3 in fifth-generation aircraft) and 3 to 1 in maritime patrol planes. Speaking from the base theater to both an in-person and virtual audience, Brig. Gen. Doug Wickert, commander of the 412th Test Wing, at Edwards AFB, during the Monday’s Back-in-the-Saddle Day, held on Jan. 6, 2025.
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01/13/2025
USAF Secretary Frank Kendall said in an interview that the current Air Force leadership’s decisions on the Next-Generation Air Dominance program and the service’s overall strategic outlook were unaffected by the appearance of new Chinese combat aircraft, including a new AWACS platform, a smaller, fighter-size aircraft, and possibly a new bomber and medium bomber.
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01/12/2025
The fall of Russian ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria has disrupted the Kremlin’s strategy not only for the Mediterranean but also for Africa, pushing it to focus on Libya as a potential foothold, experts say. Russia runs a military port and an air base on the Syrian coast, designed to facilitate its operations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Sahel, Sudan, and the Central African Republic.
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01/12/2025
The Ministry of National Defence (MND) of Taiwan detected eight aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and six naval vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) near its territory as of 6. It was also noted that seven of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). The details were shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
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01/12/2025
Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai attended a National Children's Day event at Wing 601, Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Base, on Saturday. The event featured aerial displays and activities organised by the RTAF, with Air Chief Marshal Panpakdee Pattanakul, the Air Force commander-in-chief, extending a warm welcome.
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01/11/2025
The Ministry of National Defence (MND) of Taiwan detected four aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and six naval vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as of 6. It was also noted that three of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. The details were shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
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01/11/2025
Algeria appears ready to finalize a deal with Russia for the purchase of Su-57 fighter jets, a move that would make the North African country one of the few operators of fifth-generation stealth aircraft. According to the Russian Telegram channel Russian Arms, a high-level Russian government delegation is currently en route to Algeria. The delegation is expected to secure agreements on military-technical cooperation, sign contracts for advanced weaponry, and finalize the Su-57 deal.
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01/11/2025
The incorporation of new long-range strike capabilities across various combat platforms has become a priority for the United States Armed Forces. A potential conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, with the People’s Republic of China as the main adversary, has prompted strategic shifts in U.S. planning over recent years.
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01/10/2025
The Air Force has received a new Rafale fighter jet, completing its acquisition of 24 of the French-made aircraft. The single-seat jet, which bears the serial number 457, landed at the 114th Combat Wing in Tanagra air base shortly after 1 p.m., after a non-stop flight from Mérignac in Bordeaux, and was handed over to the 332nd Squadron.
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01/10/2025
Pakistan’s appetite for a fifth-generation fighter jet appears to be expanding. Amid reports that the cash-strapped country has decided to purchase China’s newly unveiled J-35A aircraft, it is now reportedly holding discussions with Ankara for collaboration on Turkey’s fifth-generation combat jet, KAAN.
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01/09/2025
The developments of the last two months of 2024 have set alarm bells ringing in New Delhi as China debuted a second fifth-generation aircraft and flew two sixth-generation fighter jet prototypes. In contrast, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is currently staring at a massive lacuna in its capability with no fifth-generation stealth aircraft and a rapidly dwindling squadron strength.
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01/09/2025
The most spectacular debutant, making its maiden flight on December 26 was from Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group: a stealth combat aircraft that various anonymous commenters on the Chinese internet identify as the J-36. It is the largest combat aircraft designed and developed in China, and the second-largest to fly anywhere in 35 years.
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01/09/2025
Analyses and wargames indicate the second increment of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program should not be an “exquisite” aircraft—meaning very stealthy and equipped with many sensors and weapons—but it should have more capability than Increment 1, and an additional cost of 20-30 percent would be acceptable, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told Air & Space Forces Magazine this week.
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01/08/2025
The Taiwanese military on Tuesday conducted a live combat drill at Hukou Camp, a county in the northwest in response to the detection of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan.
According to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, the drill was part of the annual media event to demonstrate the army’s readiness against any threat. "F-CK-1 fighters demonstrated scramble drills, highlighting their commitment to defending our airspace," said the ministry on X.
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01/08/2025
For the first time in history, a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet shot down six Russian cruise missiles in one combat mission. Yuriy Ihnat, head of the Air Force Command Communications Department, reported on this. The combat aircraft pilot used the F-16’s missiles and cannon to destroy the air targets.
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01/08/2025
The US Navy has officially coined the term “Murder Hornet” to refer to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets equipped with a formidable combination of five AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and four AIM-9X Sidewinders. This powerful configuration, aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness, was among the key developments highlighted in the Navy’s 2024 year-in-review factsheet, first reported by The War Zone.
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01/07/2025
Recent media reports from Israel indicate that Morocco is advancing in its plans to acquire Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lighting II stealth fighter jets. According to the Israeli newspaper Identité Juive, Morocco is set to become the first Arab and African country to procure U.S. F-35 fighter jets, marking a significant milestone in its military modernization efforts.
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01/07/2025
As part of an official ceremony held in mid-December, the Myanmar Air Force celebrated the delivery and induction of the last two Su-30SME fighter-bombers acquired from Russia. With this final batch, the Southeast Asian country has completed the incorporation of a total of six Russian-made aircraft into its combat fleet.
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01/07/2025
The Brazilian Air Force’s (FAB) search for a second type of fighter jet has reportedly led China to propose the sale of J-10 aircraft from Chengdu. According to the Brazilian outlet Veja, the Chinese government has reportedly submitted a proposal to Brazil to supply J-10C fighter jets, generation 4.5. However, the talks have not progressed for reasons that have not been clarified. The J-10 is a medium-sized fighter jet that entered service in 2004 and is similar to the Eurofighter Typhoon.
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01/07/2025
Imagery has appeared on Chinese social media of a new large combat aircraft, apparently making a test flight, which may be China’s new secret H-20 stealth bomber. The location and exact date of the imagery were not disclosed, and the People’s Republic of China has not made an official comment about the footage, the authenticity of which cannot yet be established. The U.S. Department of Defense just recently predicted the bomber would not debut for years.
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01/07/2025
The U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces stepped up their campaign against Islamic State fighters over the past week, including a confrontation with militants holed up in an Iraqi cave, the U.S. Central Command said Jan. 6. F-16s and F-15s carried out airstrikes against ISIS fighters operating in Iraq’s Hamrin Mountains. U.S. Air Force A-10s, which were called in to support ground forces, were successful in killing Islamic State militants fighting in the cave, the command said.
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01/07/2025
Imagery of two new, tailless Chinese military aircraft disseminated on social media last week likely reveals a prototype stealth medium bomber and a new lambda-winged technology demonstrator, aerospace experts and former Air Force officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The larger aircraft could be analogous to the FB-22 medium stealth bomber considered but not adopted by the U.S. Air Force in the early 2000s.
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01/07/2025
Sri Lanka is adopting more American Bell 206 helicopters and a Pakistani Chengdu J-7 aircraft to enhance the country’s air force capabilities. The investment stipulates eight of the 206 systems in their TH-57 Sea Ranger military derivative ordered from Washington DC and a single Chinese-made J-7 in its FT-7 export trainer variant from Islamabad.
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01/07/2025
Iran Observer announced on social network X that Iran’s Su-35 fighter jets are set to be inducted into service this year. This is a significant milestone for the Iranian Air Force, which has been striving for years to modernize its fleet. The Su-35, developed by Russia, is a fourth-generation multirole fighter, and its adoption could dramatically shift the balance of power in the region.
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01/05/2025
The Nigerian Air Force, on Saturday, said it acquired 12 additional fighter aircraft to boost the operational capabilities of the force. The new additions to the NAF fleet include two King Air 360i light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AgustaWestland 109 Trekkers, and four DA-62 surveillance aircraft. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, stated this during a parley with NAF veterans resident in Kaduna.
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01/05/2025
The first batch of French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets is set to arrive in Ukraine by January 20, 2025, according to reports from Avions Legendaires. The initial batch is expected to include three to six aircraft, which will likely replace Ukraine’s aging fleet of Su-24 bombers.
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01/05/2025
The F-22 Raptor, one of America’s most advanced air superiority fighters, is built to face high-end aerial threats like advanced fighter jets and fast-moving aircraft. However, during a recent deployment to the Middle East, pilots of these fifth-generation fighters adjusted their tactics to protect US and allied forces from an unexpected low-tech threat, Iranian-made drones and cruise missiles.
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01/04/2025
The Moroccan Air Force is exploring the option of replacing its aging Franco-German Assault Alpha jets with the Chinese L-15 light attack and trainer aircraft According to local news media, Le Desk, the Royal Air Force indicated its preference for the L-15 Falcon, made by the Chinese aircraft manufacturer Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation (HAIC) to replace its aging fleet of Alpha jets of Franco-German design.
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01/04/2025
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has decommissioned its last two pairs of AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters and OV-10 Bronco light attack aircraft. The aircraft were primarily used in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in the Southeast Asian archipelago. During the formal decommissioning ceremony conducted by the 15th Strike Wing at the Major Danilo Atienza Air Base in Sangley Point, Cavite, the service announced that it signed a deal to acquire six new A-29 Super Tucano.
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01/03/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 24 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday and 6 a.m. on Friday. Eighteen of the 24 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the nation’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zone, according to the MND. The MND said on Thursday morning that 22 of the PLA aircraft carried out “joint combat readiness patrols” around Taiwan with PLA naval ships.
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01/03/2025
The Air Force sent at least 39 retired A-10 Thunderbolt IIs to the boneyard in 2024, a significant increase as the service moves toward removing the aircraft from its inventory even as it recently used the planes in training exercises and in combat overseas.
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01/03/2025
The Taiwanese Air Force is sending its fighter pilots to the United States to train on the F-16 Viper ahead of its delivery in 2026. Taiwan is sending a total of 103 military personnel for training in the United States ahead of the delivery of new military platforms within the next two years.
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01/03/2025
India has emerged as a pivotal player in the global defense arena, with invitations pouring in from leading military powers to collaborate on next-generation fighter jet programs. It is reported that Germany and Spain have extended an offer for India to join their Future Combat Air System [FCAS], a flagship European project aimed at developing cutting-edge 6th-generation combat aircraft. Simultaneously, the UK-Japan-Italy consortium has invited India to participate in the Global Combat Air Prog
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01/03/2025
Once banished from the F-35 program and left with a glaring capability gap, Turkey has turned around its destiny by dramatically expanding its aerospace industry. At the dawn of the 21st century, Turkey was the world’s third-biggest arms importer. However, its reliance on foreign military imports has plummeted drastically, from around 80% in 2004 to less than 20% today. On the contrary, Turkey has emerged as a defense exporter, with its cutting-edge arms being used on many battlefields.
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01/02/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked seven Chinese naval vessels and three military aircraft around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and 6 a.m. on Thursday. The three People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the nation’s southwest air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
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01/02/2025
Top Aces, the private ADAIR (Advanced Adversary Air) company which provides adversary, or Aggressor, training in support of multiple militaries, is continuing to expand its support to the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). In fact, the company is employing both its A-4s and Alpha Jets, with the former sporting an arctic splinter camo, to support the training of Canadian CF-18 pilots.
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01/01/2025
As the Rafale fighter jet cements its status as a benchmark in military aviation, France faces mounting challenges in promoting its advanced aircraft in Morocco. Despite being a long-time ally of Paris, the North African kingdom has, for now, opted against including Dassault Aviation’s Rafale in its military modernization plans, according to reports from the Moroccan newspaper The Parliamentarian.
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01/01/2025
audi Arabia is seeking to buy 100 Kaan fighter jets from Turkiye as part of its Vision 2030 plan, Turkish newspaper Milliyet has reported. The fifth-generation Kaan fighter jet was developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), and can perform air-to-air combat missions, as well as conduct precision air to ground strikes at supersonic speeds.
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01/01/2025
In July 2019, during the twilight of the first Trump administration, the Defense Department kicked Turkey out of the F-35 joint strike fighter program. While analysts can debate the wisdom of including Turkey in the F-35 program to start with, its expulsion was warranted: By purchasing Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, Turkey put NATO at risk in two ways.
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