October 17, 2025 Military Aviation News
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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