October 18, 2025 Military Aviation News
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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