February 24, 2026 Military Aviation News
02/24/2026
When the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle first entered U.S. Air Force service in 1974, it was designed with a single mission: to ensure air superiority against any adversary. Nearly five decades later, the F-15’s legacy is measured not only in speed and payload but also in adaptability, mission success and its role in shaping the capabilities of defense forces around the world.
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02/24/2026
The United States’ ambassador in Lisbon, John Arrigo, has urged Portugal to buy Lockheed Martin’s F-35, pushing the fifth-generation fighter as the preferred successor to the Portuguese Air Force’s aging F-16 fleet. made the remarks in an interview with CNN Portugal, framing the aircraft choice around NATO interoperability and arguing that joining the large and growing European F-35 user community would place Portugal among the continent’s “top tier” air forces.
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02/24/2026
The Chengdu J-10 represents a turning point in Chinese military aviation: the first truly modern, domestically designed multirole fighter fielded at scale. Often compared to the American F-16 or the Swedish Gripen, the J-10 symbolizes China’s transition from Soviet-derived platforms to indigenous design capability. And while the J-10 lacks stealth capabilities, it still serves as a central platform to the PLAAF’s force structure.
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02/24/2026
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has lodged a complaint with U.S. Forces Korea over a brief standoff between American and Chinese fighter jets, according to local media. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back contacted the USFK commander, Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, after learning of Wednesday’s incident, the Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday.
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02/24/2026
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is giving its U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft a new name: YFQ-42A Dark Merlin. Dark merlins, deadly falcons known for their black feathers and devouring of other falcons as prey, often collaborate in groups for maximum effect against their targets.
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02/24/2026
A crewed US Air Force fighter and an uncrewed jet-powered aircraft flew together recently, communicating and showing how autonomous drones might fight in a future air war alongside human pilots. US defense firm General Atomics, a competitor in the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Program aimed at developing and fielding loyal wingman-type drones, said on Monday that its MQ-20 Avenger, long a CCA stand-in, flew with an F-22 Raptor.
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