August, 2025 Military Aviation News
08/31/2025
A Connecticut-based firm is set to build new units of world’s most powerful fighter jet engine. Pratt & Whitney has received a contract to build Lot 18 of F135 engines. These will power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II 5th-generation fighter aircraft.
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08/31/2025
Dutch F-35 fighter jets landed in Poland today and will, from Sunday, safeguard NATO airspace over Eastern Europe for three months together with Norwegian aircraft. Earlier this week, support personnel including maintenance crews had already arrived, completing the detachment.
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08/30/2025
The US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps each have their own air wing, and all three services have a litany of high-performance fighter aircraft in their arsenals. However, the methods by which each branch trains its future fighter pilots vary significantly. The three services do not even use the same kind of training aircraft; while the US Air Force trains its future fighter pilots in the Northrop T-38 Talon, the Navy and Marine Corps rely upon the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk.
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08/30/2025
The F-35 Lightning II’s most remarkable attribute is not its stealth but its revolutionary suite of integrated sensors. The jet functions as a powerful “informational node,” fusing data from its advanced AESA radar, Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), and 360-degree Distributed Aperture System (DAS). This technology collates a vast amount of battlespace information into a single, unified picture for the pilot, lightening their workload and transforming them into a “battlespace manager.”
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08/30/2025
Out of the three Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II variants, the F-35B, in use with the US Marine Corps, is likely the most innovative. Designed specifically for the unique demands of the Marines, the F-35B deviates significantly from the baseline F-35 A-variant, which the Air Force operates from conventional takeoff and landing configurations. Instead, the F-35B offers the Marine Corps flexibility, expeditionary power, and shipboard compatibility, with short takeoff and vertical landing capabil
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08/30/2025
Boeing has presented a new rendering of its F/A-XX concept, offering the first visual indication that the company’s proposal for the US Navy’s next-generation carrier-based fighter may share design similarities with the F-47, the next U.S. Air Force fighter jet. The image was displayed at the Tailhook Symposium, a key industry event, and showed the aircraft partially obscured by clouds, with the rear section out of view.
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08/30/2025
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Friday during a parliamentary address on the Gaza crisis that Ankara has closed its airspace to Israeli official and military aircraft. “We have completely cut off our trade with Israel. We have closed our ports to Israeli ships and are not allowing Turkish ships to dock at Israeli ports. No other country has fully severed trade ties with Israel as we have,” Fidan said.
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08/29/2025
Germany, France and Spain's defence ministers will meet in October to work out options for getting the FCAS joint fighter jet programme back on track, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday. Acknowledging that the project had kept facing setbacks, Pistorius said the ministers would identify stumbling blocks and solutions before presenting leaders with options for a final decision later in the year.
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08/29/2025
Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, met with Lockheed Martin in Texas on Wednesday for discussions that included Canada’s planned purchase of fighter jets from the U.S. defence contractor. A government source said the jets were among several issues covered in the all-day meeting.
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08/29/2025
It was the first of its kind, a jet that rose like a helicopter, hovered in midair, and raced forward like a fighter. After decades of rewriting rules for aerial warfare, a U.S. Marine AV-8B Harrier embarked on its final flight. Not for combat, but for commemoration. The 140th Wing received the aircraft flown directly in for a demilitarization in partnership with Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, June 10, 2025, for the first time in the museum’s history.
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08/29/2025
A delegation of Peruvian cabinet ministers arrived in Stockholm on 27 August, where Sweden’s Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson, welcomed the fact that the latest JAS 39 Gripen E/F is in the running to become Peru’s next generation combat aircraft. If Peru selects Saab’s low-cost fighter, the country would become the third South American nation to procure the aircraft after Brazil and Colombia, and the latest member in a growing user community around the world.
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08/29/2025
An F-16 fighter jet belonging to Poland's Air Force crashed during an airshow rehearsal on Thursday in Radom. Local media said the jet crashed into the runway at around 1930 CET.
Spokesperson for the government, Adam Szlapka, confirmed the pilot was killed in the crash in a post on X but gave no further details.
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08/28/2025
Despite its small size and non-allied status, Singapore is one of the few countries in the world with a long-term military presence on U.S. soil. Since the 1990s, Singapore has deployed fighter jets and helicopters to the United States for training due to its vast airspace and opportunities to learn best practices from the U.S. Air Force.
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08/28/2025
Malaysia has canceled its plan to acquire F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets from the Kuwait Air Force, according to a report by Malaysian news site Twentytwo13, citing sources familiar with the decision. The outlet said the cancellation stems from multiple factors that made the transfer complicated and ultimately unworkable. Among the primary concerns were aircraft availability, logistical and financial hurdles, and questions of long-term value for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
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08/28/2025
Footage has emerged taken from the cockpit of a Russian fighter jet, showing a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane fitted with a secretive radar pod during a mission over the Black Sea. The video underscores the growing importance of the P-8 for intelligence gathering in critical theaters such as the Black Sea, an active war zone, where a tense standoff continues between NATO and Russian assets, on the margins of the conflict in Ukraine.
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08/28/2025
According to Air and Space Forces Magazine, the Pentagon’s new $2.88 billion contract with Pratt & Whitney for 141 F135 engines has pushed the cost of an F-35A in Lot 18 to over $100 million per aircraft. When combined with Lockheed Martin’s $11.76 billion deal for 145 airframes, the fully equipped fighter now carries a price tag of $101.5 million.
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08/28/2025
In a major step toward a new era of airpower, the Department of the Air Force reached a key development milestone in its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, with one of its prototype platforms taking flight in less than two years from program launch — signaling a paradigm shift in the way the Air Force acquires new weapon systems.
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08/27/2025
Saab has today signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and received an order for four Gripen E/F fighter aircraft from FMV for the Kingdom of Thailand. The order value is approximately SEK 5.3 billion and deliveries will take place 2025-2030. The contract between Saab and FMV includes three Gripen E and one Gripen F aircraft as well as associated equipment, support and training.
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08/27/2025
The US Air Force has contracted Red 6, an augmented reality (AR) solutions company headquartered in Florida, to supply its AR system for the F-16 Fighting Falcon. With the integration of the company’s ATARS (Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System) into the fighter aircraft, an F-16 pilot can “train against intelligent, maneuvering virtual adversaries in real-time during live flight.”
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08/26/2025
The Philippines is eyeing a major $5.58 billion purchase of advanced F-16 fighter jets from the United States to counter increasing aggression from China in the South China Sea. The U.S. government has already approved the sale, and defense contractor Lockheed Martin is sweetening the deal with new technology partnerships. However, the acquisition is shrouded in mystery, as the Filipino Defense Secretary recently downplayed the reports as “media hype,” claiming there was “nothing on the table.”
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08/26/2025
According to the report, the PLAAF in 2007 fielded about 400,000 personnel and nearly 2,700 fighters, bombers, and attack aircraft. By 2025, the force numbers 403,000 personnel with roughly 2,284 combat aircraft. The headline figures conceal a steep dip during the early 2010s, when second- and third-generation jets were retired faster than new aircraft could enter service. At one point, combat aircraft fell to about 1,500 and personnel to around 330,000.
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08/26/2025
China’s new sixth-generation J-36 fighter represents a game-changing strategic pivot designed to counter American airpower. While the U.S. focuses on producing small, technologically superior “boutique” fleets like the F-47, China is emphasizing both quality and quantity. The J-36 is a large, multi-role stealth aircraft designed for mass production on a scale the U.S. industrial base may be unable to match.
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08/26/2025
Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has suggested that France is preparing to expand its promised supply of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, doubling the original commitment from 10 to 20 aircraft. The statement came during an interview with Le Monde analyzing the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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08/26/2025
Fighters from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on August 24, marking the third such encounter in one week, ABC News reported on August 25.
NORAD deployed one E-3 Sentry command-and-control plane, two F-16 fighters, and two KC-135 Stratotankers to visually identify the Russian aircraft, which remained in international airspace.
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08/25/2025
Maris paid an official visit to Sweden on Sunday (August 24) at the invitation of Maria Malmer Stenergard, Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Thai foreign minister attended the signing ceremony for the Royal Thai Air Force’s purchase of Gripen E/F fighter jets from Saab and held discussions on defence industry cooperation.
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08/24/2025
Even though Japan is making the transition to the F-35, the F-2s are still valuable; their anti-ship capabilities are truly impressive, and are likely among the best in the region.
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08/24/2025
Russia’s Su-57 stealth fighter program is being crippled by a “double-whammy” of sanctions and corruption. Western sanctions have blocked the import of critical microchips, forcing the military to accept delivery of the jets without their essential 101KS-N electro-optical targeting systems, leaving them incapable of all-weather surveillance.
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08/24/2025
A Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashed during landing after completing a combat mission on the night of August 23, according to the Air Force Command. The pilot, Major Serhii Viktorovych Bondar, born in 1979, was killed in the incident. He was 46 years old. The Air Force stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the causes and circumstances of the crash.
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08/23/2025
New Zealand ‘s government announced new military spending Thursday of 2.7 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.6 billion) to replace aging aircraft, including helicopters it plans to purchase from the United States, senior officials said.
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08/23/2025
Denmark is pursuing an ambitious defense modernization program that spans from F-35 fighter jet acquisitions to coordinating European support for Ukraine’s air defenses, while simultaneously bolstering its Arctic presence in response to growing geopolitical pressures.
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08/23/2025
China’s interest in the Su-27 stemmed from its need to modernize its air force and acquire advanced technology – particularly relating to air superiority. The Su-27 was a top-tier, fourth-generation fighter jet with excellent range, maneuverability, and advanced avionics. It was a significant upgrade over China’s existing aircraft at the time.
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08/23/2025
At least one, and possibly both, of the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes is expected to fly in the coming days, sources told Air & Space Forces Magazine, beginning a flight test and evaluation program leading to production contracts sometime in fiscal 2026.
Anduril Industries’ YQ-44A Fury and General Atomics’ YFQ-42A are both “basically ready to go,” a Pentagon official said.
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08/23/2025
U.S. Air Force F-16s intercepted a Russian spy plane operating off the coast of Alaska on consecutive days, North American Aerospace Defense Command officials said. A Russian Il-20 surveillance aircraft ventured near Alaska Aug. 20, NORAD said in a statement at the time. And roughly 24 hours later, NORAD disclosed that a similar incident occurred the next day on Aug. 21.
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08/22/2025
A pilot was rescued from a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet crash that went into the ocean off the coast of Virginia on Wednesday morning, according to officials. The pilot ejected from a Super Hornet during a routine training flight, said Navy spokesperson Lt. Jackie Parashar. Search teams were deployed around 11:21 a.m., the spokesperson added.
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08/22/2025
A shocking incident rocked the Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport in Kuantan after one of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets reportedly crashed during takeoff. A purported viral video of the fighter jet crash has surfaced, wherein the aircraft was captured bursting into flames as soon as it took off from the airport. Reportedly, the pilot managed to escape without any reported fatalities.
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08/22/2025
The Chinese-designed Shenyang J-35A continues to generate considerable interest as more information about the aircraft becomes available. However, despite the fighter’s growing public profile, its advertised advanced capabilities, and its resemblance to the US F-35 jet, the J-35 has not attracted the flock of foreign buyers that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) had hoped.
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08/22/2025
China’s airpower has entered a startling new era, moving beyond its history of copying Russian designs and stealing U.S. technology to producing a flurry of unique, indigenous combat aircraft. In the last year, several new variants and at least three truly new, tailless fighter concepts have appeared.
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08/22/2025
The French Dassault Rafale may have “scored a kill” against the American F-35 stealth fighter at a multinational military exercise in Finland. The feat comes years after it achieved an unexpected kill against an F-22 Raptor in 2009 wargames in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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08/21/2025
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 21 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Seventeen of the 21 People’s Liberation Army aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered the nation’s southwestern air defense identification zone, according to the MND.
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08/21/2025
On August 6, Pedro Sánchez's government leaked to the newspaper El País that Spain's purchase of F-35 fighters was "definitively on hold", meaning the Spanish Navy would lose its carrier-based combat aircraft once the Harrier II Plus become operational in 2030. The news was not denied by the government and became a matter of international interest, reaching as far away as the United States.
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08/20/2025
New images have appeared on Chinese social media platforms showing a Chinese version of the US military’s Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, in what seems to be its maiden flight. If the flight-testing is successful, then this could become China’s first tilt-rotor aircraft. Notably, China is already testing a large tiltrotor drone —the Zhang Ying R6000 (also known as UR6000). The drone appeared in prototype form late last year.
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08/20/2025
The U.S. Army's MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) is ushering in a new era of military aviation through its adoption of a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). This architectural framework allows for rapid, cost-effective upgrades to essential aircraft systems, ensuring adaptability and relevance against evolving threats.
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08/20/2025
It was courtesy of the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, who perhaps spoke the quiet part out loud last week in an interview with Canadian independent podcaster Jasmin Laine. Hoekstra, a no-nonsense Republican from Michigan, was asked about the Liberal government's review of the $27.7-billion purchase of stealth fighters and the possibility that after delivery of the first tranche of jets, Canada could decide to fill the rest of its order with another type of aircraft.
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08/20/2025
Recently-circulated images of the J-20S, a two-seater version of China’s fifth-generation J-20, raised questions about what makes this variant different than the parent J-20 fighter—and what the jet’s intended role will be. Though there are several possibilities, as well as the possibility of something else entirely, speculation about the aircraft has run rampant.
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08/20/2025
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), part of the Textron Systems segment of Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT), announced today an initial task order under the Combat Air Forces Contracted Air Services indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide the Defense Contract Management Agency with chase flight support services for F-16 aircraft. The task order has a potential period of performance of up to 27 months.
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08/19/2025
Aerial footage taken onboard a plane dropping aid over Gaza shows the scale of destruction in the area during Israel's 22-month offensive.
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08/19/2025
Russia’s Su-57 fighter jet has long been advertised by Moscow as the crown jewel of its military aviation, but newly obtained classified documents suggest the aircraft was delivered to the Russian military in stripped-down form—missing critical targeting subsystems—and at inflated costs.
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08/19/2025
Software company Red 6 has won a contract with the US Air Force (USAF) to integrate its ATARS (Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System) into the F-16 Fighting Falcon. On August 15, 2025, Red 6 said that the contract was awarded to the company through Air Combat Command and the Air Force Research Laboratory.
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08/19/2025
ürkiye is advancing plans to acquire 40 Eurofighter jets, 40 next-generation F-16 aircraft, and 40 F-35 fighter jets as part of a comprehensive air force modernization strategy while awaiting the deployment of its indigenous fifth-generation KAAN fighter aircraft. The procurement strategy aims to strengthen Türkiye's air defense capabilities during the transition period before the domestically developed KAAN aircraft becomes operational, according to information reported by Türkiye daily.
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08/18/2025
Morocco is close to finalizing a major military aircraft deal with Brazilian aerospace company Embraer to acquire KC-390 Millennium military transport planes. The deal comes closer to finalization even as American defense giant Lockheed Martin continues pushing its C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to maintain its market position in the North African country.
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08/18/2025
As part of that, Poland has been seeking to modernize its defense capabilities, and the latest step entails an upgrade to its fleet of F-16s. As reported by The War Zone, Poland has signed a $3.8 billion contract to “upgrade the country’s 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ Viper fighters to the F-16V configuration.”
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08/18/2025
In a demonstration of the next-generation joint air warfare concept, Performance Drone Works (PDW), a US company specializing in artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and the US Department of Defense, exhibited joint fire support using the PDW C100 and F-35A Lightning II multirole stealth fighter jet.
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08/17/2025
Morocco is on the cusp of securing a deal for 32 U.S. advanced fighter jets, becoming the first Arab and African nation to operate the fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft, says Military Africa news platform. The $17 billion deal, spanning over 45 years, covers maintenance and technical support and spare parts, says the report, noting that the F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is at the top of modern aviation engineering, blending stealth, versatility, and cutting-edge avionics.
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08/17/2025
Switzerland’s government has instructed its defence ministry to examine options for the planned acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets after the United States refused to drop demands for additional funding. One option now under consideration is to reduce the number of aircraft purchased.
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08/17/2025
Once derided by its competitors as “too old, too expensive, too big for the stealth era, etc,” the F-15EX Eagle II is turning into the Energizer Bunny of fighter aircraft. The Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal features a number of changes in procurement priorities that this long-serving twin-engine fighter is benefiting from.
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08/17/2025
Belarus plans to expand its Air Force fleet with the addition of four Su-30SM2 fighter jets by the end of this year, Azernews reports, according to local media reports. Speaking at an official ceremony marking Air Force and Air Defense Forces Day, Major General Andrei Lukyanovich, commander of Belarus’ Air Force and Air Defense Forces, said the country is continuing to modernize its aerial capabilities.
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08/15/2025
Italian Air Force F-35A fighter jets were dispatched to intercept Russian aircraft in its first Baltic Air Policing mission since taking over safeguarding NATO airspace from the Romanian Air Force. NATO Air Command confirmed that F-35s from the Italian Air Force’s 32nd Wing detachment at Ämari Air Base in Estonia were scrambled on August 13, 2025, to respond in defense of the Baltic countries’ airspace.
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08/15/2025
Switzerland vowed Wednesday to continue its attempts to buy F-35A fighter jets from the United States despite spiralling expenses. The US is pushing for Switzerland to bear extra costs for producing the jets of between 650 million and 1.3 billion Swiss francs ($807 million-$1.6 billion), but the Swiss want to agree on a fixed price.
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08/15/2025
Spain has indefinitely suspended plans to acquire U.S.-made F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, according to Spanish media outlet El País, prompting Spanish defense analysts to examine Türkiye's fifth-generation KAAN fighter aircraft as a potential strategic alternative for both the Spanish Air Force and Navy, according to reports from Spanish media outlet Defensa y Seguridad.
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08/15/2025
At least eight Russian Su-35 fighter jets have reportedly been lost in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Some sources suggest the number could be higher, with unconfirmed reports estimating over 25 losses. Russia has lost about 100 combat aircraft since the “Special Military Operation” began three and a half years ago.
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08/15/2025
Russia has likely lost a Su-30SM fighter jet while conducting a mission southeast of Snake Island, the Ukrainian Navy said on Aug. 14. The twin-engine, two-seat aircraft – designed for both air superiority and ground attack –reportedly crashed for unknown reasons.
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08/14/2025
The Dassault Super Rafale, also known as the Rafale F5, is the next evolution of the Rafale fighter jet, currently under development and slated for French military service around 2030. It will feature more powerful engines, advanced sensors, improved data links, and a reduced radar cross-section. The F5 will also be equipped with the ASN4G hypersonic missile and is designed to work with a newly developed Unmanned Combat Aerial System (UCAS).
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08/14/2025
India is poised to move forward with a government-to-government (G2G) proposal for 114 additional Rafale fighter jets under its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, The Times of India reports. The Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to submit the case for “Acceptance of Necessity” (AoN), an early but essential step in India’s defense procurement process, to the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) by October 2025. A final government decision is expected thereafter.
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08/14/2025
India’s announcement of its aerial victories came nearly three months after the brief border dispute with Pakistan. It is common to see both India and Pakistan each claim victory after one of their periodic border clashes, such as the recent four-day war in May. Information warfare is another reminder that in wartime, the first casualty is the truth. Both sides have downplayed their respective losses while inflating the casualties that the other endured.
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08/14/2025
Poland has signed a $3.8 billion contract to upgrade its fleet of 48 F-16C/D Block 52 multi-role combat aircraft to the advanced F-16V Block 72 configuration, enhancing the country’s airpower and interoperability with other Polish platforms such as the F-35 Lightning II, AH-64E Apache helicopters, and M1A2 Abrams tanks.
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08/14/2025
Chinese jet fighter "intercepted" a Philippine aircraft carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday, the Manila government said, days after two Chinese vessels collided in the area while allegedly trying to block a Philippine supply mission.
A Reuters journalist aboard the Philippine Coast Guard flight watched as the Chinese fighter closed in on the small Cessna Caravan turboprop.
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08/13/2025
The Panavia Tornado is a multi-role jet developed by a tripartite European consortium—originally comprising Italy, the United Kingdom, and West Germany—and designed to combine the qualities of several types of aircraft, offering a modular approach to combat aviation. The design, a twin-engine, swing-wing aircraft, combined several roles, including air defense, reconnaissance, strike, and maritime operations, into a single aircraft.
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08/13/2025
On the night of June 27, a drone strike by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) hit several of the aircraft at the Marinovka Airbase in the Volgograd region of Russia. Satellite imagery of the aerodrome confirmed that two Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters were destroyed in this raid and that two others were damaged.
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08/13/2025
Lockheed Martin is expanding its industrial collaboration package for the Philippines as part of its F-16 Block 70 solution for the country's Multi Role Fighter program. The enhanced offer includes a strategic partnership with Southern Methodist University (SMU) to drive digital innovation, intellectual property creation, and workforce development with Philippine universities and industry.
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08/13/2025
The Rafale entered service with the French Navy in 2004 and with the French Air Force in 2006. Rafale is one of the most experienced fighter aircraft in the world. It has been combat-proven since 2007. Daussault’s export success with the fighter is well-documented, as the company now has more export orders than French orders.
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08/12/2025
A British F-35B Lightning stealth fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Japan on Sunday after developing a technical fault. The £88m aircraft, one of the world’s most advanced combat jets, landed at the Kagoshima international airport at around 11.30am local time. It was operating from the HMS Prince of Wales as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group in the Indo-Pacific.
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08/12/2025
Pakistan’s refusal to procure China’s J-35 raises new questions over the aircraft’s performance and the state of Beijing-Islamabad military ties. Eurasian Times reports that Pakistan, once expected to become the first international customer of China’s fifth-generation J-35 (formerly J-31) stealth fighter with a planned order of 40 aircraft, has dismissed the procurement claims.
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08/12/2025
The U.S. Air Force is moving ahead with a major modernization program for its F-22 Raptor fleet, aiming to keep America’s premier fifth-generation air-superiority fighter competitive well into the next decade. In its budget request for Fiscal Year 2026, more than $90 million has been earmarked to launch a “viability” upgrade program that will bolster the jet’s stealth profile, radar performance, electronic warfare defenses, and overall survivability against rapidly advancing threats from China a
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08/12/2025
Ukraine and Sweden are preparing a large-scale combat aviation project expected to last for decades, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The president announced a "strong project" on combat aviation currently being developed jointly by Ukraine and Sweden.
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08/11/2025
Few aircraft can boast of having endured the test of time with the effectiveness, reliability, and versatility of the Northrop F-5. In a world where fighter jets are renewed every two or three decades, Chile’s F-5 continues to defy that logic, combining modernization, doctrine, and a history rich with milestones.
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08/11/2025
Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet successfully carried out a precise airstrike on a concentration of enemy assault forces in the Pokrovsk area, using the GBU-62 guided bombs. This operation represents a significant effort in disrupting the enemy’s offensive capabilities and protecting Ukrainian positions.
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08/11/2025
The United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group shared an image on X of the three carriers, plus the U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS America, sailing side by side in the North Philippine Sea on Aug. 10, with a large aerial force flying overhead. It’s a strong naval presence, with the HMS Prince of Wales, the American Nimitz-class USS George Washington and Japan’s JS Kaga among them.
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08/10/2025
Fresh footage from Russia confirms a small batch of Su-34Ms in an export configuration, supporting earlier reports of a signed contract between Moscow and a foreign client. According to Military Watch Magazine, the appearance of these desert-toned aircraft “strongly indicates that the first batch of Su-34Ms for a foreign client is already in production.”
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08/10/2025
“The (Department of the Air Force) will not implement or carry forward the beddown of up to 12 Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) F-15 aircraft nor associated aircraft airfield operations, to include temporary support aircraft, and RSAF personnel or their families and no periodic temporary increases in associated support personnel will be required at Andersen AFB,” the July 16 decision states.
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08/09/2025
The U.S. company Northrop Grumman recently published a concept image of the F/A-XX, the sixth-generation fighter projected to be the future backbone of the U.S. Navy’s carrier air wings. The image, available on the company’s Naval Aviation section, depicts a sleek, stealth-focused design.
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08/09/2025
Spanish media reports circulated earlier in the week indicating that the Spanish military—which had planned to purchase the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet—would no longer go through with the deal. If those reports prove accurate, Spain would be the second country from the Iberian Peninsula to turn away from the stealth fighter jet, after Portugal’s hesitations to procure the aircraft earlier in the year.
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08/09/2025
Spanish defence company Indra is pioneering the development of a new generation of fully digital self-protection systems for military aircraft and helicopters, designed to improve response times to missile threats and increase survivability in combat environments. The company has finalised the design phase and produced the first units, which will be delivered this year for integration and testing.
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08/09/2025
Recent second-quarter reports from the U.S.’s two prime fighter producers—Boeing and Lockheed Martin—reveal some strengths, but also underlying challenges at the midpoint of 2025. Together, they delivered 117 fourth- and fifth-generation fighters during the period, including Boeing’s F-15 and F/A-18, and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and F-35.
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08/09/2025
Social media is often where the first images of new Chinese military aircraft appear. Images can go on being shared and discussed on Chinese social media for months before there is any official recognition of a program, and before the aircraft makes what is then called its “first” flight. It might be happening again. Recent images of a previously unknown stealth aircraft have started to circulate on the usual Chinese social media outlets.
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08/08/2025
Reports indicate that the United States Navy could still award a contract for the F/A-XX later this year, but it still has yet to receive the last of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The current timeline calls for the sea service to receive the carrier-based aircraft in 2027, while the scheduled deliveries for Block III variants are expected to be completed in 2030.
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08/08/2025
An F-2 fighter jet of the JASDF crashed off Ibaraki. The pilot ejected safely and is in stable condition, but the cause of the crash remains unknown. At around 12:35 PM on August 7, an F-2 fighter jet from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's (JASDF) Hyakuri Air Base crashed during a training exercise over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture. The base is located in Omigawa City, Ibaraki.
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08/08/2025
The Japanese Air Self Defense Force on Thursday deployed its first three F-35B stealth fighters in southwestern Japan. The three stealth fighters were piloted by U.S. personnel as they flew from Guam to the Nytuabaru Air Base in the Miyazaki Prefecture, one of them making a vertical landing.
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08/08/2025
The pressing need for Canada to replace its moribund CF-18 fleet is long overdue, and can’t wait, many aviation analysts say. Canada’s Hornet aircraft have “been desperately in need of replacement for more than a decade,” said Justin Bronk, a research fellow for airpower and military technology at the U.K.-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank.
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08/08/2025
Back in June, Canada’s Auditor General, Karen Hogan, released a report finding that the government’s plan to purchase 88 Lockheed Martin jets was facing numerous problems, including “skyrocketing costs, a shortage of trained pilots, and a lack of critical infrastructure.”
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08/07/2025
Sudan's air force has destroyed an Emirati aircraft carrying Colombian mercenaries as it landed at a paramilitary-controlled airport in Darfur, killing at least 40 people, the army-aligned state TV said Wednesday. A military source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the UAE plane "was bombed and completely destroyed" at Darfur's Nyala airport.
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08/07/2025
Korea Aerospace Industries has provided us with a look at the future, stealthier version of its KF-21 fighter, which is now known as the KF-21EX. Concept artwork of the refined version of the jet has been released, with internal weapons carriage being its distinguishing feature. This is part of an effort to make the KF-21 more survivable in the face of ever more capable air defense systems, although the resulting aircraft will not offer the same level of low observability as the F-35.
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08/07/2025
Spain’s decision not to adopt the F-35 Lightning II fighter could widen its rift with the United States. NATO member Spain announced on Wednesday that it would buy European instead of American fighter jets, opting for either the Eurofighter or the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The Spanish language El País reported that talks over the purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II had been suspended “indefinitely.”
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08/06/2025
On August 5, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) officially confirmed the future procurement of Saab JAS 39 Gripen E and F multirole fighter jets to enhance its air combat capabilities. The Thai government has approved an initial order of four aircraft, with deliveries beginning by 2029 as part of a broader programme targeting a total of twelve jets by 2035.
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08/06/2025
Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name “Felon”) could soon carry hypersonic weapons, according to a high-ranking official with the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Zircon (Tsirkon) has been named as one of the potential weapons employed on the multirole stealth fighter.
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08/06/2025
Spain’s commitment to NATO was called into question this spring after the western European nation sought to be excluded from the international military alliance’s defense spending goals. Madrid has confirmed it would commit to the 32-nation coalition by spending 2.1 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, but sought an exclusion from the 5 percent target called for by NATO leaders.
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08/06/2025
Türkiye’s domestically produced fifth-generation fighter jet Kaan is emerging as a potential competitor to the U.S.-made F-35 in defense exports, according to Newsweek. The aircraft is drawing growing interest from developing nations, with Indonesia becoming the first buyer after inking a deal in July for 48 units.
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08/06/2025
An exchange of messages late Friday 1 August signalled more trouble for the multinational Future Combat Air System/Systeme de Combat Aerien du Futur programme. Launched in 2018 and with France, Germany and Spain as partners, the project is ostensibly splitting because the French sub-team insisted on responsibility being allocated according to corporate experience – which, given that France is 100% responsible for Rafale, would leave German and Spanish industry in the back seat.
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08/05/2025
Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II is a significant upgrade on the iconic F-15 platform. Thanks to the integration of cutting-edge technology, the F-15EX is arguably the most capable fourth-generation fighter aircraft ever built. While the original F-15 platform debuted in the 1970s, the new EX variant leverages decades of operational experience and 21st-century engineering to create a multirole fighter that can serve as a bridge between fourth-generation and fifth-generation platforms.
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08/05/2025
A new image circulating on Chinese social media appears to show another next-generation combat aircraft undergoing flight testing—marking the third such design spotted in recent months, and underscoring China’s rapid expansion of its advanced airpower programs.
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08/05/2025
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed Monday that its special operations unit “A” conducted a drone strike on the Russian-occupied Saky military airfield in Crimea overnight, damaging and destroying multiple combat aircraft and a stockpile of aviation munitions. According to an official statement released on August 4, unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the SBU successfully penetrated Russian defenses and struck targets on the airfield.
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08/05/2025
Turkey has reportedly approved Egypt’s participation in its KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet program, marking a potential milestone in the two countries’ expanding military cooperation following years of strained ties, according to media reports. The development was recently reported by Tactical Report, a Middle East-focused intelligence weekly specializing in defense and geopolitical developments in addition to Turkish media outlets.
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08/05/2025
After promoting the J-10C in the export markets as ‘Rafale Killers’ ever since the brief four-day war between India and Pakistan in May, in which Islamabad claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, Beijing is now going one step further. It intends to claim a tagline of ‘stealth fighter jet killer’ for the J-10C.
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08/05/2025
Several thousand workers at three Midwest manufacturing plants where Boeing develops military aircraft and weapons went on strike early Monday, potentially complicating the aerospace company’s progress in regaining its financial footing. The strike started at Boeing facilities in St. Louis; St. Charles, Missouri; and Mascoutah, Illinois.
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08/04/2025
India has rejected a US push to sell it F-35 stealth fighters, dealing a blow to defense ties just as President Donald Trump announced new tariffs and publicly criticized New Delhi’s close ties with Russia.
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08/04/2025
According to Indian defense media reports published on August 1, the KF-21 is being evaluated amid growing interest from the Indian Air Force (IAF) in acquiring both 4.5- and 5th-generation fighters. The South Korean jet is viewed as a cost-competitive platform with future growth potential and compatibility with India’s domestic industrial policy.
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08/03/2025
Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to sell F-35 stealth fighters to India. But India’s government has now said there are no ongoing discussions about a potential purchase of Lightning IIs, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. “No formal discussions have been held as yet on this issue,” Indian Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said in response to a question from the press this week.
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08/03/2025
The U.S. Air Force is relocating nearly three dozen F-16 fighter jets in South Korea in order to beef up its air power closer to the north. At the end of July, F-16s based out of Kunsan Air Base began moving to Osan Air Base, several dozen miles north, closer to the demilitarized zone with North Korea. 31 F-16s based out of Kunsan Air Base will shift to Osan Air Base, creating a new “super squadron” at the base.
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08/03/2025
Baykar Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar announced Friday that the company's Kizilelma unmanned combat aircraft also known as "Fighter UAV" has entered serial production, with the sixth prototype currently on the production line and delivery to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) inventory planned for next year.
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08/02/2025
U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 510th Fighter Squadron and around 220 Airmen based out of the 31st Fighter Wing joined Bulgarian, Romanian and Hellenic air forces for Thracian Star 25, a multinational integration exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability and strengthening NATO’s airpower across Europe.
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08/02/2025
The recent border skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia has raised interest in the respective armed forces of the belligerents. While Thailand holds a clear advantage in terms of air power, the Royal Cambodian Air Force (RCAF) is still worthy of study. The RCAF’s capabilities are fairly modest, with about 1,500 personnel and—notably—zero operational fighter jets. The service’s inventory consists of only 24 or 25 aircraft, all of which are fixed-wing transports and utility helicopters.
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08/02/2025
The US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor program was the most expensive and most advanced fighter in the world – some say the best raw fighter ever. Although some say it was eclipsed only by the USAF’s fifth-generation system, the F-35.
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08/02/2025
Personnel from each U.S. military branch concluded the two-week, joint force training exercise, Red Flag-Alaska 25-3, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, today. “The purpose of Red Flag-Alaska is for the joint force to practice combat skills we don't normally get to practice at a home station,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Christian Bergtholdt, RF-A 25-3 deployed forces commander.
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08/01/2025
Naval Air Station Lemoore said in a statement on Wednesday that an F-35C "went down" not far from the central California base at 6:30 p.m. local time. "We can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel," it said. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office shared video footage showing a fiery wreck, with a thick plume of black smoke rising from a cotton field just north of the base.
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08/01/2025
The Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced a draft defense spending bill that would reverse the Pentagon’s plan to freeze the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based combat jet program. In addition, the legislation includes funding for the U.S. Air Force to continue with the acquisition of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft, something the Department of Defense also wants to axe.
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08/01/2025
In February, U.S President Donald Trump, in one of his trademark off-script surprises, offered to supply the Indian Air Force (IAF) with the United States’ most capable and secretive combat aircraft: the F-35 Lightning II “joint strike fighter” (JSF). This is the first time that Washington has signaled interest in supplying India with the F-35.
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