October, 2025 Military Aviation News
10/31/2025
South Korea is in active negotiations to sell KF-21 Boramae multirole fighter to the Philippines, according to reports from the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition that was held at Seoul Air Base on October 19. Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) efforts aims to expand its regional market presence. The Philippine Air Force currently operates the FA-50 light fighter and has recently requested more units.
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10/31/2025
America's air dominance is slipping, a former US Air Force pilot and airpower expert said recently, echoing some concerns raised by senior officers. US military officials have long been concerned about the US Air Force's aging and shrinking fleet, especially as China's air force not only grows in size but also in combat capability and readiness.
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10/31/2025
The US Air Force says it needs to grow its fighter fleet by another 1,500-plus aircraft over the next decade to meet national defense requirements, according to a new report submitted to Congress. The unclassified, 10-year plan calls for a total of 1,558 combat-ready fighters, up from the current projection of 1,271 aircraft in fiscal year 2026. The increase would require faster production of F-15EX and F-35A jets and continued modernization of existing aircraft.
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10/31/2025
Ukraine is now exploring the acquisition of Dassault Rafale fighter jets, adding France to its growing list of partners as it works to rebuild a modern and diverse combat fleet. The move follows ongoing F-16 deliveries and renewed discussions with Sweden over the Saab Gripen E/F.
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10/31/2025
A new report to Congress pitching the Air Force’s 10-year fighter jet plan is missing key details and explanations, raising questions and concerns among defense experts. The 24-page document details Air Force Secretary Troy Meink’s support of the interim defense strategy’s mandate “to protect the homeland, deter our adversaries, and project decisive airpower” by purchasing more F-15EXs, F-35s and F-47 aircraft.
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10/30/2025
The Swedish defence firm Saab is considering Canada as a place to assemble Gripen fighter jets as it moves to quickly ramp up production to meet demand from Ukraine. Saab's CEO Micael Johansson said in recent interviews with financial news publications that Kyiv's interest in purchasing more than 100 Gripen fighter jets would double the defence company's production requirements.
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10/30/2025
Turkey is bolstering its defense capabilities across the board. From building up its domestic production industry to procuring a wide range of military systems, including fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, and missiles, Ankara has its eyes focused on strength. Earlier this month, Turkish officials revealed Ankara’s intentions to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoons in a deal with the United Kingdom.
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10/30/2025
Ukraine has unveiled a concept model of its jet-powered unmanned aircraft, the Fighter Aircraft FA v1, during the Drone Warfare Summit held in Subic Bay, Philippines, according to Defence Blog on October 27. The three-day event, running from October 27 to 29, was the first of its kind in the Philippines and gathered defense officials, manufacturers, and military representatives from across the Indo-Pacific.
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10/30/2025
Polish MiG-29 fighter jets intercepted a Russian Il-20 spy plane over the Baltic Sea on October 28 and escorted it out of the area. Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces reported that the plane did not violate Polish airspace but was flying without a flight plan and with its transponder switched off.
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10/30/2025
The Spanish government has approved a €3.12 billion agreement for the acquisition of 45 Hurjet training aircraft, designed and manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The Hurjet, a single-engine advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, will be produced at TAI’s facilities in Turkey.
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10/29/2025
China has conducted the maiden flight of a new jet trainer aircraft, as shown in recently published images circulating on Chinese social media. The prototype aircraft was spotted during pre-flight preparations and later airborne, marking its debut in the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s expanding aviation program.
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10/29/2025
In a formal ceremony, NETMA and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH signed the contract for 20 new Eurofighter Tranche 5 for the German Air Force. The aircraft will be equipped with the newly developed ECRS Mk1 radar (Eurofighter Common Radar System Mark 1) developed by HENSOLDT and Indra, as is already the case with the Quadriga fleet. The new radar provides Eurofighter with unique detection capabilities indispensable for the future air combat environment.
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10/29/2025
Ukraine is in talks with France on the possible supply of Rafale fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on 28 October, Militarnyi reports. The French-made multirole Rafales could become a new component of Ukraine’s air fleet as the country transitions away from its aging Soviet aircraft during the Russian invasion.
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10/29/2025
Ukraine is working to build a fleet of 250 modern fighter aircraft, including F-16s, Swedish Gripens, and French Rafales, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday. The program is part of Ukraine’s long-term strategy to modernize the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) and strengthen national security.
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10/29/2025
Korean Air has signed a partnership framework with Lockheed Martin to maintain and repair American military aircraft stationed across the Indo-Pacific. Announced in Goyang, the deal supports the Pentagon’s Regional Sustainment Framework, which aims to improve combat readiness by moving plane repairs and upgrades closer to where US and allied forces operate.
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10/28/2025
Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, Moscow's top general has said. "We have launched a multi-hour flight of a nuclear-powered missile and it covered a 14,000km (8,700-mile) distance, which is not the limit," Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin in a televised meeting. The low-flying experimental weapon, first announced in 2018, has been hailed as having a potentially unlimited range and the ability to evade missile defences.
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10/28/2025
Northrop Grumman has combined two advanced technologies—its Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) and Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) AESA radar—to enhance the F-16 fighter jet’s survivability and lethality. The systems were designed to operate together, sharing the same portion of the electromagnetic spectrum without interference or performance loss.
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10/28/2025
The Philippines is in talks with South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for additional fighter jet acquisitions, as reported by South China Morning Post on Monday. The discussions come on the heels of the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition 2025, where KAI showcased its KF-21 Boramae multirole fighter.
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10/28/2025
Dozens of fighter jets gathered at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida last week to kick off one of the service’s biggest air combat exercises—even as much of the government remains in shutdown. More than 50 aircraft and 500 personnel are participating in Checkered Flag 26-1, which began Oct. 21 and runs through Nov. 6. USAF is flying F-16, F-22, and F-35A fighters, and the U.S. Marine Corps and Royal Australian Air Force are contributing F-35C and E-7 aircraft, respectively.
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10/28/2025
An Indonesian official’s announcement earlier this month that Jakarta intends to buy at least 42 Chinese J-10 fighter aircraft raised more than a few eyebrows. After all, the development followed similar pledges to acquire the South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae and Turkey’s TAI Kaan. The Asian nation has also previously expressed an interest in operating the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II from the US.
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10/27/2025
Turkey and the UK are expected to finalise a multibillion-dollar Eurofighter Typhoon deal during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to Ankara on Monday, several sources told Middle East Eye. Ankara has been in talks with the UK, the lead country in the Eurofighter consortium, since 2023 over the purchase of the fighter jets. In 2024, Turkey cleared a key hurdle by overcoming Germany’s veto, which had blocked the sale.
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10/27/2025
France will provide Ukraine with additional Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets and Aster surface to air missiles for the country’s SAMP/T batteries, French president Emmanuel Macron announced on October 24, 2025. The handout of these weapons systems, which will also be accompanied by the provision of the related training programs for Ukrainian personnel, may take place in the very short term.
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10/27/2025
A US Navy helicopter and a fighter jet went down Sunday during separate routine operations over the South China Sea, and all crew members were safely rescued, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet said. The Navy has launched an investigation into the cause of both incidents.
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10/26/2025
On October 21, 2025, Shield AI, a prominent player in aerospace and defense technology, introduced an innovative concept of an AI-driven, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) named the X-BAT in Washington, D.C. This development represents a significant advancement in military aviation, emphasizing autonomy and adaptability in complex operational environments.
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10/26/2025
Lockheed Martin is investing heavily in self-funded prototype development, aiming to demonstrate advanced capabilities directly to the U.S. government, CEO Jim Taiclet said on 20 October. The approach marks a shift toward "big-bet, home-run heavy allocation," including full-scale prototypes to prove scalable, reliable systems.
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10/26/2025
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford, billed by the US Navy as “the most capable, adaptable, and lethal combat platform in the world,” is being sent to the Caribbean as the Trump administration ramps up military pressure on Venezuela over alleged drug trafficking. Here’s a look at the Ford and the military assets it will bring to US operations in the region. With a displacement of more than 100,000 tons and a length of 1,100 feet, the Ford is the largest warship the US has ever put to sea.
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10/26/2025
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine expects to receive up to 150 Swedish Gripen fighter jets, with the first deliveries planned for next year. Writing on Telegram, he said that together with Sweden, Ukraine will significantly strengthen its combat aviation. He called the deal an ambitious but necessary task.
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10/26/2025
Japan scrambled fighter jets to monitor nuclear-capable Russian warplanes that flew over international waters along the edge of Japanese airspace off its coast. Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan’s air force launched the jets in response to Russian bombers approaching the Sea of Japan.
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10/25/2025
Sweden’s Gripen E multirole fighter could provide Ukraine with a high-survivability platform capable of contesting Russian airspace and defending against long-range threats. Designed for electronic warfare resilience and dispersed operations, the aircraft’s capabilities could alter the tactical balance in the region.
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10/25/2025
Talks on selling 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Türkiye are approaching final stages, with Germany lifting its longstanding reservations about the sale, according to Airbus Defense and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn. In an exclusive interview with state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Schoellhorn said Germany's past objections have been overcome, and the new coalition government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made clear it will not block the sale to NATO's second-largest military force.
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10/25/2025
France’s approach to defense exports, especially fighter aircraft, has long favored industrial reach and diplomatic flexibility over strict end-use control. Once seen as deft statecraft, this policy now arms U.S. adversaries and undermines the security of America’s closest partners—notably, Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and Taiwan.
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10/25/2025
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 is arguably the most popular aircraft. The fifth-generation fighter jet has already delivered over 1,200 units, and total program commitments exceed 3,000 aircraft across 20 nations.
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10/24/2025
Lithuania's army reported on Thursday that two Russian military aircraft had crossed the Lithuanian border, remaining in the NATO member state's airspace for 18 seconds. The aircraft, a fighter jet and a tanker, flew 700 meters (nearly half a mile) into Lithuania from the Kaliningrad region. The Lithianian air force detected the Russian SU-30 and IL-78 aircraft near Kybartai at around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT).
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10/23/2025
Britain and Germany will join forces to hunt down Russian submarines. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and Deutsche Marine aircraft will jointly conduct defensive patrols for Russian submarines, working side by side from RAF Lossiemouth, defending NATO’s Eastern and Northern flanks. British and German forces will also ramp up their cyber and military co-operation in a bid to strengthen Nato’s security.
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10/23/2025
France plans to expand its Rafale fighter fleet by more than 60 aircraft under its 2026 finance bill, potentially raising the total number of combat-ready jets for the French Air and Space Force and French Navy to 286.
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10/23/2025
Sweden has signed a letter of intent that could see it supply up to 150 of its domestically produced Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The two leaders met for talks in Linkoping in southern Sweden and visited Saab, opens new tab, which is the maker of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter, the GlobalEye surveillance aircraft, missile systems, anti-tank infantry weapons and other equipment.
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10/23/2025
Anxious to bolster its air power, Turkey has proposed to European partners and the U.S. ways it could swiftly obtain advanced fighter jets as it seeks to make up ground on regional rivals such as Israel, sources familiar with the talks say.
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10/23/2025
Ukraine has hit a Russian chemical plant with Storm Shadow missiles, its military said on Tuesday, referring to the UK-made long-range weapon. Calling the strike "a successful hit" that penetrated the Russian air defence system, Ukraine's general staff of the armed forces said they were still assessing the outcome of the "massive" strike.
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10/22/2025
France’s carrier-capable Dassault Rafale M is the only non-U.S. fighter jet certified to operate from American aircraft carriers, a unique interoperability proven since 2007. This capability holds particular strategic significance in the vast Indo-Pacific region, where both France (with its extensive Pacific territories) and the U.S. have major interests.
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10/22/2025
The U.S. military has built up an unusually large force in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer, when the Trump administration first began to shift assets to the region as part of its so-called war against narcoterrorism.
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10/22/2025
New agreements to strengthen Ukraine's combat aviation and air defense, transformation of the NSDC Secretariat became the main topics of President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov.
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10/22/2025
Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft will take two important steps in its development when it tests its ability to conduct combat and then later collaborate with another jet fighter, a senior company official said Oct. 20. Boeing previously announced that it would autonomously fire an air-to-air missile from the MQ-28 by the end of the calendar year. That test is still on track, Randy Rotte, the company’s regional director for India, Asia and Pacific, told reporters at the ADE
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10/22/2025
Shield AI’s new unmanned, vertical-takeoff-and-landing fighter jet concept is designed to be a drone wingman or a standalone aircraft, marking the latest autonomous aircraft announcement by defense companies in recent weeks. The X-BAT, revealed at a private event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday evening, is Shield AI’s first unmanned fighter jet offering.
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10/21/2025
There is a significant fighter jet maneuver that seems to wow the crowd at Russian air shows called the Pugachev Cobra Maneuver. It’s more for show than for tactical advantage in a dog fight, but it looks intriguing and demonstrates just how much certain fighter jets can conduct aerial feats like no other aircraft in the world.
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10/21/2025
The Swedish Armed Forces officially received their first JAS 39 Gripen E fighter aircraft during a handover ceremony on 20 October 2025 at the Skaraborg Air Wing (F 7) in Såtenäs. The event marks a key milestone in Sweden’s air power modernisation, bringing a new generation of combat air capability into service.
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10/21/2025
Raytheon has delivered the first PhantomStrike radar to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for its FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft, marking a key milestone in their defence technology partnership. The radar is a compact, fully air-cooled fire-control system that combines advanced threat detection, tracking, and targeting with high efficiency and reduced cost.
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10/21/2025
The United States Air Force is retiring combat aircraft nearly five times faster than it is building new ones, raising concerns among defense analysts about the country’s long-held aerial dominance. According to Defense Express, citing a recent analysis published by Defense News, the United States is on track to decommission approximately 340 aircraft in the 2026 fiscal year while producing only 76 new ones.
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10/21/2025
Australia has accused a Chinese military aircraft of releasing flares "in close proximity" to its patrol jet over the South China Sea. The Australian government has raised its concern with Beijing over the "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvre, the defence department said in a statement on Monday. There was no damage to Australia's P-8A aircraft and its personnel were unharmed after Sunday's encounter.
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10/20/2025
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has deployed its latest JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets to Azerbaijan to participate in the bilateral air combat exercise Indus Shield Alpha, the service announced via its official channels on Sunday.
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10/20/2025
Canada’s long-delayed F-35A fighter jet program is facing renewed uncertainty as Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government weighs whether to proceed with its planned fleet of 88 aircraft from Lockheed Martin or diversify toward a mixed fleet that could include Saab’s Gripen E.
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10/19/2025
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported on Friday that it had tracked 27 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels operating close to its territorial boundaries. The ministry said that 19 of the aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering the northern, central, and southwestern parts of Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
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10/19/2025
When McDonnell Douglas first conceived of the F-15 in the late 1960s, they had one, and only one, purpose: to create the world’s best air superiority fighter. When the F-15A and B variants entered service in the mid-1970s, they embodied that design philosophy, incorporating powerful twin engines, a massive thrust-to-weight ratio, and a radar built only for finding other aircraft. In short, the original F15s were built strictly for air superiority, and had virtually no use beyond that.
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10/19/2025
A civilian-owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet, acting as a “red air” adversary for the U.S. Navy, crashed into the Pacific off Big Sur, California, this week. The pilot, working for the contractor ATAC, safely ejected after a suspected engine failure and was rescued uninjured. The incident highlights the role of private companies in military training and the inherent dangers of aviation.
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10/19/2025
GA-ASI was selected to work on Navy CCA designs emphasizing a modular approach to platform selection, capable of being rapidly reconfigured and upgraded to meet changing mission requirements, including operations on and from aircraft carriers. GA-ASI’s approach supports the Navy’s revolutionary acquisition strategy of smaller, frequent purchases that enable rapid technology insertion rather than traditional long-lifecycle programs.
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10/18/2025
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement took many by surprise, including Idaho’s governor and federal lawmakers who weren’t informed ahead of time. And it was criticized across the political spectrum, with a number of prominent right-wing Republicans questioning what came off as the U.S. permitting the Middle East nation to establish an air base in Idaho.
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10/18/2025
A previously unseen image of Russia’s Su-57 multirole fighter has surfaced on pro-Kremlin social media channels, showing the aircraft’s internal tail-mounted weapons bay in detail. The release appears to be part of a broader effort by Moscow to promote the export potential of the fifth-generation jet as it seeks foreign funding to complete development.
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10/18/2025
NATO has begun its annual nuclear deterrence training exercise, Steadfast Noon 25, involving 70 aircraft and approximately 2,000 personnel from 14 Allied nations, the alliance confirmed this week. The long-scheduled drill, which runs from October 13 to 24, is part of NATO’s recurring efforts to validate its nuclear posture and joint force readiness. The exercise does not involve live nuclear weapons, and NATO officials emphasized that it is unrelated to current geopolitical developments.
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10/18/2025
The U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 has returned from a five-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Operating under CENTCOM’s Ninth Air Force, VMFA-542 flew over 1,099 combat sorties and logged 4,736 mishap-free flight hours, according to the Marine Corps. During the deployment, the unit conducted Close Air Support, Defensive Counter-Air, and Armed Overwatch missions in support of U.S. and partner forces across the region.
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10/18/2025
Russian forces accidentally shot down one of their own military aircraft overnight while attempting to intercept Ukrainian drones over Crimea, Ukrainian officials said Friday. Ukrainian authorities say they are still gathering information about the incident. Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, said the plane was shot down by Russian air defense missiles while defending against incoming Ukrainian drones.
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10/17/2025
Indonesia will acquire 42 Chinese-built Chengdu J-10C fighter jets in a deal valued at over $9 billion, marking the country’s first major non-Western aircraft procurement, according to top defense officials in Jakarta. Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin confirmed the move on Wednesday, stating that the aircraft, produced by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, would soon be flying over Jakarta.
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10/17/2025
Royal Air Force fighter pilots will be trained by Indian flying instructors for the first time under a new defence deal with Delhi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has agreed to send some of its “Top Guns” to teach British cadets how to fly Hawk T2 fast jets from October next year, The Times has learnt.
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10/17/2025
General Atomics will build MQ-9B SkyGuardian uncrewed aircraft for the U.S. Army under an $86.4 million contract. The MQ-9B, derived from the Reaper, offers 40-hour endurance, SATCOM-only control, and full all-weather capability with advanced radar and infrared sensors. Operators including Canada, the U.K., Belgium, and Japan employ the MQ-9B for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, anti-submarine missions, and precision strike operations.
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10/17/2025
The United States and China are locked in an intense race to develop unmanned aerial vehicles — a new class of weapon poised to transform the future of aerial warfare. In late August, the US military conducted the first flight test of its YFQ-42A unmanned aircraft. Just a week later, China unveiled a drone closely resembling it during a military parade marking what they call the 80th anniversary of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
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10/17/2025
The Netherlands has officially joined the United States Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme, an initiative focused on developing autonomous unmanned air systems designed to fly in coordination with manned fighter jets such as the F-35. The agreement was confirmed on 16 October with a letter of intent signed by State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman in Washington, just ahead of the annual Defence Industry Days held at the Dutch embassy.
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10/16/2025
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said his country is ready to strengthen military support for Ukraine, including through the PURL initiative and the aviation coalition, speaking ahead of a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Ukrinform reported on Oct. 15.
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10/16/2025
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin revealed Wednesday that Indonesia would soon buy China’s Chengdu J-10 fighter jets as the country sought to upgrade its military fleet. Sjafrie, however, did not give a time frame for when the purchase would take place, including the number of fighter jets. The J-10s will soon fly in Jakarta,” Sjafrie said, as reported by the state news agency Antara.
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10/16/2025
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has confirmed that all the F-16 fighter jets pledged by Belgium to Ukraine will indeed be delivered, reiterating his government’s commitment during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Francken emphasized that the aircraft transfer would take place once Ukrainian pilots have completed their training and all necessary technical procedures are finalized.
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10/16/2025
In a dramatic 1989 defection, Soviet Air Force Captain Aleksandr Zuyev escaped to the West in his advanced MiG-29 fighter. His daring plan involved baking a cake laced with sleeping pills to incapacitate his airbase comrades. After cutting phone lines and getting wounded in a shootout with a guard, Zuyev successfully took off and flew across the Black Sea to Turkey.
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10/16/2025
Germany is strengthening its defence capabilities with the purchase of 20 new Eurofighters. Under the contract, Airbus will produce the multi-role combat aircraft at its final assembly line in Manching, near Munich in Germany. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the German Air Force in 2031, the last in 2034.
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10/15/2025
The federal industry minister is putting pressure on U.S.-based Lockheed Martin to provide more economic benefits in Canada if the government is to proceed with its planned purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets. Otherwise, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said in a French-language interview on Radio-Canada’s Les coulisses du pouvoir, Ottawa could move forward with a smaller fleet of F-35s and the acquisition of a second fleet of Gripen-E fighter jets manufactured by Sweden’s Saab.
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10/15/2025
According to the same leaked document that outlined Russia’s plans to supply Iran with 48 Su-35S fighters, Moscow also reportedly planned the sale of up to six new aircraft of the same model to the Ethiopian Air Force — a deal that has not yet been officially confirmed. If finalized, the acquisition would represent a major step forward in the modernization of Ethiopia’s combat fleet and stands out as part of a broader set of sales that have recently come to light.
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10/15/2025
Saab has received an order worth approximately SEK 2.6 billion ($238 million) from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for continued conceptual studies on future fighter systems. The new contract, covering the 2025–2027 period, builds upon the original agreement signed in March 2024 and expands the scope of work under Sweden’s Koncept för Framtida Stridsflyg (KFS) – or Future Combat Aviation Concept study.
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10/15/2025
Among the topics apparently addressed during US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in May was a potential sale of F-35 stealth fighters. However, despite boasting of having signed “the largest defense sales agreement in history”, Washington may still prove reluctant to sell Riyadh the fighter, raising questions over whether the Kingdom might accept less advanced warplanes.
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10/15/2025
Air Force Chief of Staff nominee Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said he will give special attention to coordinating with the Navy on how the services jointly buy air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile and the new, secret AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile.
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10/14/2025
France is preparing to modify its fleet of Mirage 2000D fighter jets to intercept long-range suicide drones such as Iran’s Shahed-136, according to Opex360 on October 12. The move is part of a broader effort to develop a cost-effective aerial platform for countering UAV threats, taking cues from Ukraine’s experience defending against Russian drone attacks.
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10/14/2025
The F-22 Raptor began a new era of aircraft in 2005–the fifth generation. As the first of this new generation, the Raptor featured a combination of stealth and speed that had never been seen before. While there have been new additions to the fifth generation, the F-22 is the poster child of this class. This aircraft alone sets the United States light years ahead of its NATO allies.
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10/14/2025
The Swedish Armed Forces is set to receive their first Saab JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets on October 20, 2025, during a formal handover ceremony at Skaraborg Air Wing (F 7) in Såtenäs, marking a major milestone in Sweden’s long-term defense modernization. During the ceremony, a pilot from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) will land one of the new aircraft and hand the logbook to Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman, symbolically transferring the jet into Swedish Air Force service.
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10/14/2025
Boeing is designing a tiltrotor drone wingman concept to support the Army’s helicopter fleet, similar to the Air Force’s push for collaborative combat aircraft, as the Army rushes to field unmanned drones. Renderings for the CxR aircraft revealed by Boeing on Monday at the Association of the U.S. Army’s conference in Washington. The company’s pitch would place unmanned vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft alongside Army helicopters in combat and cargo operations.
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10/14/2025
On October 9, 2025, at approximately 18:15 local time (UTC+3), Russian forces struck a target in the Chechel district of Dnipro city, located roughly 120 km inside Ukrainian-controlled territory from the nearest front line in the Zaporizhzhia direction. A video posted on social media showed a blurred object flying through the night sky toward its target, followed by images of a column of dark gray smoke rising above the city.
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10/13/2025
Belgium will receive its first four F-35A fighter jets at Florennes Air Base on October 13, according to the service. Belgian Air Force pilots were preparing to fly these aircraft from the US to Europe over the weekend. The delivery initiates the next step in Belgium’s transition from F-16s to fifth-generation fighters.
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10/13/2025
While the attention of the defense community has focused on the performance of new Chinese-origin platforms such as the JF-17 Thunder and J-10CE, the F-16 fighters remain one of the main pillars of the Pakistan Air Force’s combat aviation. Given their importance, the U.S. government could move forward—at Islamabad’s request—with the provision of new AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to equip them, according to a recent contract dated September 30 published by the Department of Defense.
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10/12/2025
India is now believed to be the biggest supplier of fuel additives used to enhance the capabilities of Russian fighter jets, according to a new report. More than half a dozen Indian companies – suppliers and manufacturers based in Delhi and Mumbai – were found to have supplied nearly half of the total of Russia’s imported fuel additives in 2024, a Kyiv-based think tank has found.
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10/12/2025
A strong case is made that Canada is already “all-in” on acquiring the F-35, with the final contract signing being a mere formality. The proof lies in irreversible actions already underway: Canadian pilot training slots are booked in the U.S. for 2026, and air bases like Cold Lake and Bagotville are undergoing major upgrades to F-35 standards. The F-35 is not a standalone purchase but the “keystone” of a broader, integrated strategy to modernize Canada’s Arctic and NORAD defenses.
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10/12/2025
Russia has suffered another loss of combat aircraft – a Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter crashed. The incident was reported by Russian propagandist Fighterbomber, who published an emotional post. Another Russian propaganda outlet, Voyevoda Veshchayet, reported that two ‘experienced’ pilots were killed. The Ministry of Defence of Russia has not commented on the situation, and there is no public information about the crash site or the circumstances of the incident.
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10/12/2025
The United States has finalized an agreement with Qatar to deploy an Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the arrangement following a meeting with his Qatari counterpart, Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
The facility will support the training of Qatari pilots on F-15 fighter aircraft. The number of F-15s to be based at the site has not been disclosed.
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10/12/2025
Egypt has received a batch of Rafale F3R fighters under a contract signed with France in 2021.
This was reported by the Egyptian media. The number of aircraft in the batch was not disclosed. The contract for the supply of 30 Rafale F3R fighter jets was signed in 2021. It became the second large-scale aviation agreement between Cairo and Paris after the first deal in 2015. The total value is €3.75 billion.
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10/11/2025
Sweden will participate in NATO’s annual nuclear military exercise for the first time, a major step for a nation that avoided military alliance for 200 years and has avoided nuclear entanglements entirely. The Swedish government’s statement on Friday regarding the deployment of Saab Gripen fighter jets to the Steadfast Noon exercise follows Finland’s confirmation of its participation with F/A-18 Hornets.
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10/11/2025
F-16 fighter jets, provided to Ukraine as part of military aid, carry out about 80% of all combat sorties flown by the Ukrainian Air Force. The Air and Space Forces Magazine reported on this.
These combat aircraft are used, in particular, to intercept Russian cruise missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones.
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10/11/2025
A Russian MiG-31 fighter-interceptor jet crashed in Lipetsk Oblast while attempting to land, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Oct. 9. The MiG-31, a twin-seat supersonic aircraft capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, has been widely used by Russia to strike targets deep inside Ukraine.
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10/11/2025
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the Pentagon has agreed to build a new facility in Idaho to host fighter jets and pilots from Qatar. Hegseth made the announcement during a Pentagon ceremony honoring Qatari Minister of Defense Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, where the Trump administration official also highlighted the “core part” the Gulf nation played in securing the Gaza peace deal.
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10/11/2025
Denmark pledged today to spend 56.4 billion Danish Krone ($8.77 billion) on “significantly strengthening” its defense capabilities, split between a second tranche acquisition of 16 Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, valued at 27.4 billion Danish Krone, and an Arctic spending plan at a cost of 27.4 billion Danish Krone.
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10/10/2025
Airstrikes that Afghanistan’s Taliban government blamed on neighboring Pakistan struck two eastern provinces of the country, killing at least three people, wounding seven others and damaging homes, officials and witnesses said Thursday. In Kabul, the foreign ministry decried the strikes that took place late Wednesday in Nangarhar and Khost provinces, calling them a “provocative act” by Pakistan and summoning the Pakistani ambassador in Kabul.
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10/10/2025
Deliveries of F-15EX aircraft are being delayed by labor strikes at Boeing, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told the Senate Armed Services Committee ahead of his Oct. 9 confirmation hearing to be Air Force Chief of Staff. During the hearing, Wilsbach touted the value of the EX and other fourth-generation platforms despite their lack of stealth, saying they can contribute in other ways. As an example, he cited the F-15EX’s expected ability to carry oversized hypersonic weapons.
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10/10/2025
The United States Navy is close to naming the winner of its highly anticipated contract for its sixth-generation fighter. The still-unnamed aircraft, known simply as the F/A-XX, will eventually replace the service’s aging carrier-capable F/A-18 Super Hornet, the updated variant of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.
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10/10/2025
NATO allies are discussing the possibility of a stronger response to Russia’s ongoing provocations, including potentially allowing pilots to open fire on Russian aircraft and expanding military exercises along the Alliance’s eastern border, the Financial Times (FT) reported on October 8, citing four NATO officials.
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10/10/2025
Air Force pilots are not flying enough, and the service must fix what has become a chronic issue and the myriad of factors that contribute to it, particularly a lack of spare parts, the nominee to become the next Chief of Staff of the Air Force told senators during his confirmation hearing Oct. 9.
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10/09/2025
More frequent and more provocative Russian aircraft incursions into NATO airspace and rising pressure within the alliance to respond with force are raising the risks for front-line pilots flying air policing missions.
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10/09/2025
Greece is buying 20 F-35s (Lot-20) for about $8.6 billion, with deliveries targeted from 2028, to complement its F-16V fleet and transform the Hellenic Air Force’s reach, survivability, and ISR. The F-35’s stealth, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare sharpen air policing and intercept missions across Greece’s vast coastline and islands while deepening NATO interoperability.
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10/09/2025
Boeing’s Government Services team has completed subsystem upgrades on 37 F-15C Eagle fighter jets at the Louisiana Air National Guard Base in New Orleans. The enhancements are part of a four-year effort to ensure the ageing aircraft remain combat-effective and secure into the 2030s.
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10/09/2025
When the first T-7A Red Hawk trainer arrives at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph this December, it will mark more than just the introduction of a new aircraft. It represents the U.S. Air Force’s acknowledgment of a decades-long training crisis that has quietly undermined pilot development: the service has been teaching aviators habits they’ll later need to unlearn, building muscle memory for aircraft that retired before many current pilots were born.
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10/09/2025
The German budget committee approved a long-planned order of advanced Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets today, greenlighting the €3.75 billion ($4.36 billion) procurement of 20 additional aircraft, designed to the Tranche 5 standard. In a translated statement, the German Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that the combat jets will be equipped with E-scan radars with deliveries set to run from 2031 to 2034.
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10/08/2025
Two air forces fly the Chinese-manufactured J-10 fighter – China and Pakistan – but a third nation could soon become an operator of this 4.5-generation jet. Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, Bangladesh’s top air force officer, announced last month that his country’s interim government had given an in-principle approval for the purchase of “multirole combat and attack aircraft” plus new surface-to-air missiles and long-range radars.
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10/08/2025
Details remain scant about an unspecified U.S. Air Force aircraft, widely believed to be a drone of some kind, which came down in southern Nevada not far from Area 51 nearly two weeks ago. Whether the aircraft was ever actually inside Area 51’s highly restricted airspace, also known as “The Box,” is unknown. The mishap prompted authorities to temporarily close the airspace above the crash site, with some exemptions, while the wreckage was cleared.
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10/08/2025
India and Brazil are in talks over a landmark defense deal that could see both nations swap high-value military platforms instead of paying in cash, according to local media. While specifics remain undisclosed, reports suggest New Delhi would acquire Brazil’s Embraer C-390 Millennium transport aircraft, while Brasília would receive an equivalent value of Indian-made defense systems.
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10/08/2025
The appearance of purported photos of the Russian Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate fighter aircraft has created a stir in the combat aviation community. Images show what appears to be the preparation of a flying prototype for a flight test on a tarmac. That facility is assessed to be the factory aerodrome of the Komsomolsk-na-Amure Aviation Production Association (KNAAPO) in Khabarovsk Province, Russian Far East.
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10/08/2025
After months of delay, the Pentagon will select as soon as this week the defense company to design and build the Navy's next stealth fighter, a U.S. official and two people familiar with the decision said, in what will be a multibillion-dollar effort for a jet seen as central to U.S. efforts to counter China.
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10/07/2025
This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that China has revealed a previously undisclosed aerial confrontation in 2024 involving a domestically produced J-16 fighter jet and two unidentified foreign stealth aircraft near its coastal waters, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
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10/07/2025
NATO allies are increasing pressure on Greece to transfer part of its Mirage 2000-5 fighter fleet to Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. The push reflects broader NATO efforts to reinforce Kyiv’s air defenses using allies’ stockpiles, according to Piraeus-based news agency Kathimerini.
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10/07/2025
The Air Force may upgrade 35 older F-22 Block 20 Raptors once slated for retirement, converting training airframes into combat-coded jets to bolster stealth capacity before sixth-generation NGAD arrives. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works says talks center on adding modern sensors, infrared search-and-track, electronic warfare, open-mission systems, and manned-unmanned teaming links for Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
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10/07/2025
The U.S. Navy’s maintainers have had to strip submarines and fighter jets for spare parts to repair other planes and subs, a government watchdog found. In at least one case, mechanics repairing a Navy fighter jet could not repair a radio because the cables needed for the job were only available from the manufacturer.
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10/07/2025
Spain is reportedly considering acquiring Turkey’s incoming fifth-generation KAAN fighter jets after shelving plans to purchase US-made F-35s in August in favor of European-built platforms. Madrid’s alleged interest in the KAAN is tied to growing defense ties with Ankara, including the prominent presence of Turkish defense companies at the Madrid defense fair in May and Spain’s acquisition of the Hürjet training aircraft in July, according to El Economista.
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10/06/2025
Human rights lawyers and the Greens are accusing the federal government of "hiding" details of Australia's involvement in a global supply chain Israel uses to maintain its F-35 fighter jets.
A page on the Department of Defence website once explained how the global F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program was "transforming Australian industry".
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10/06/2025
Raytheon has announced a new variant of its APG-82 radar for the F-15EX fighter aircraft that offers increased effective range without requiring additional power. The new solution was unveiled during the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in mid-September.
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10/06/2025
A newly leaked document allegedly from Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec appears to outline detailed pricing, delivery schedules, and export plans for advanced Sukhoi fighter jets destined for several foreign clients — including Iran, Algeria, and Ethiopia. The material was published online on October 3 by the hacker collective Black Mirror, which claims to have accessed more than 300 internal documents from Rostec’s systems.
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10/06/2025
Turkish drone maker Baykar Technologies has completed the second captive munition flight test of its Kizilelma unmanned fighter jet, this time using Roketsan’s TEBER-82 precision-guided bomb. The test involved two 500-pound TEBER-82 laser and GNSS-guided bombs mounted on external hardpoints of the Kizilelma PT-3 prototype.
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10/06/2025
While much of the attention in recent years has been focused on the development and production of the new KAI KF-21 Boramae, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has also been making steady progress in other capability enhancement programs. In particular, the one centered on upgrading 134 of its KF-16 Fighting Falcon fighters to the Block 72 Viper standard, with confirmation last September that the flight simulators will also be brought up to the same new configuration.
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10/05/2025
A leaked document regarding KRET equipment for Russian fighter jets to be exported revealed that Iran will receive 48 Su-35 fighters to modernise its fleet. The leaked document was shared on social media platforms, which provides information on the amount of the state-owned KRET’s RF equipment.
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10/04/2025
Two new F-16 fighter jets arrived in Bulgaria on October 3 in fulfillment of the 2019 contract, the country’s Defence Ministry said. The aircraft landed at the Graf Ignatievo near Bulgaria’s city of Plovdiv. Of the combat aircraft that arrived on October 3, one is a single-seater and one a double-seater, the Defence Ministry said.
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10/04/2025
With the Trump administration’s counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean expanding to become a “non-international armed conflict,” the prospects of some kind of confrontation between the U.S. military and Venezuela are rising, too. On top of the counter-narcotics effort, some officials in the Trump administration are pushing to oust Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.
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10/04/2025
The United States Air Force’s Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk has officially been “retired” from service. Yet the twin-engine stealth attack aircraft continues to turn up in the most unexpected places—and at times doing the quite unexpected. So it was earlier this week, when trade publication The Aviationist reported that two of the advanced Nighthawk fighters were seen being refueled from a Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker on Tuesday over Los Angeles.
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10/03/2025
The Air National Guard lost a fighter unit Sept. 23 when the Maryland National Guard formally ended the A-10C Thunderbolt II mission at Warfield Air National Guard Base outside of Baltimore. The last A-10 departed the base two days later. The 104th Fighter Squadron had operated the aircraft for 45 years. The action was part of an Air Force plan announced in March 2024 to convert the 175th Wing from a dual-mission wing to an exclusively cyber wing.
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10/03/2025
In US President Donald Trump’s view, NATO countries have every right to shoot down Russian jets and drones crossing into their airspace. The alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte took a similar stance, saying members can target Russian drones and airplanes “if necessary.” CEPA asked its military and security experts: How should NATO respond? Their warning is clear — the alliance must establish and enforce clear red lines or risk the collapse of the very deterrence on which it relies.
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10/02/2025
A Dutch Air Force F-35 fighter jet has shot down a Russian Shahed drone, as evidenced by a marking left on the aircraft’s fuselage, according to Defensie.nl. As evidence, the outlet published a photo of the aircraft featuring a marking of a Russian attack drone on its fuselage.
The downing likely occurred in Polish airspace on September 10.
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10/02/2025
Japan and the United Kingdom are deepening their defense ties as security challenges grow across the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Following the U.K. Carrier Strike Group’s three-week visit to Japan in August and September 2025, which included joint fighter jet training over the Sea of Japan, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) dispatched F-15 fighters and support aircraft to Europe and North America for unit-to-unit exchanges.
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10/02/2025
In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Havrylyuk, warned that Russia is poised to increase its airstrikes and said that more Western aircraft are desperately needed. Havrylyuk added that help is on the way and that Kyiv is expected to receive “additional deliveries of F-16 aircraft, as well as French Mirage and Swedish Gripen” jet fighters.
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10/02/2025
The Air Force is racing toward 2035 with a simple idea: keep the edge by mixing a few game-changers with smarter versions of what already works. The B-21 Raider sneaks in first; the B-52J lugs big magazines from afar. Up top, the new F-47 NGAD leads with stealth and sensor fusion while “loyal wingman” drones add mass. In the middle, refreshed classics—F-15EX for big weapons and jamming, a “Super” F-22, and a “Ferrari-ized” F-35—stretch every dollar.
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10/02/2025
The Air Force is laying the groundwork to start incorporating the T-7A Red Hawk into its pilot training operations. But the service is still about two years away from the first student pilots learning in the new, fifth-generation, Boeing-made jet. Before that can happen, the Air Force has to train its own trainers, said Air Education and Training Command deputy commander Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn.
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10/01/2025
The Trump Administration is exploring a workaround to restore Turkey’s access to F-35s by deeming Ankara’s Russian S-400 “inoperable” after removing a component—an attempt to skirt CAATSA sanctions that Congress must review. Critics warn the reversible fix sets a dangerous precedent: Iran or North Korea could cite it to “disable” systems temporarily while preserving rapid reactivation.
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10/01/2025
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, hinted in a BBC interview that the country anticipates receiving additional combat aircraft, including F-16, as well as French Mirage jets and Swedish Gripen fighters.
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10/01/2025
Türkiye has started fitting its own developed engines into land, air, sea and missile systems, a key move toward full self-reliance in defense.The push, driven by the Defense Industry Agency (SSB), aims to cut reliance on foreign parts like engines for home-built platforms.
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10/01/2025
Taiwan has expressed interest in acquiring Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation to replace its aging Mirage 2000 fleet, according to company Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. Although Taipei has extended the service life of its Mirage 2000s, Trappier noted that Taiwan and other operators may face growing sustainment challenges as production support for the aircraft declines with Dassault’s shift toward the newer Rafale.
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10/01/2025
The Pentagon’s Joint Program Office and manufacturer Lockheed Martin have finalized a deal for roughly $24.3 billion that covers nearly 300 F-35 stealth fighters, the two parties announced Monday evening. The agreement provides for 148 airframes each in production lots 18 and 19, according to a Pentagon contract announcement, concluding negotiations that have stretched on for roughly two years. The deal includes jets for the US government as well as foreign buyers.
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