Military Aviation News Archive

Kratos to build target drones to help combat aircraft pilots practice the launch of air-to-air missiles

08/13/2021

Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, Calif., will build BQM-167A Air Force Subscale Aerial Target (AFSAT) drones under terms of a potential $338.1 million U.S. Air Force contract announced Friday.

To afford next-gen combat aircraft, the US Air Force will make cuts to ISR inventory

08/09/2021

As the U.S. Air Force restructures its aircraft inventory to compete with China, the service is taking calculated risks in its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft portfolio, a top general said Wednesday. In its fiscal 2022 budget request, the Air Force proposed mothballing four of its 16 E-8 JSTARS aircraft, which are used for ground surveillance and targeting, as well as 20 Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30 surveillance drones.

U.S. military holding training exercise in Wisconsin's skies starting next week

08/08/2021

You may be hearing more jets flying through the sky next week as Camp Douglas in Juneau County hosts about 60 aircraft and 1,000 members of the U.S. military for a 12-day-long training exercise.

Turkey's Proposed Unmanned Fighter Jet to Have Low Visibility and Aggressive Maneuverability

08/08/2021

Turkey’s Baykar Savunma has revealed that the unmanned fighter jet it is currently working on will have low visibility and aggressive maneuverability. After being ejected from the F-35 program, Turkey is banking on the large stealth jet drone to provide it with the ability to penetrate enemy air defenses and attack military targets.

Michigan Air National Guard lands jets, takes off from US highway in military first

08/06/2021

The Michigan Air National Guard took off and landed multiple planes on a four-lane stretch of State Highway M-32 Thursday, which is the first time that modern combat aircraft have intentionally landed on a U.S. civilian road, the Selfridge base said. Part of M-32 near Alpena in the northwestern part of the state was closed down for the training exercise, which was dubbed "Thunder Landing Zone (LZ)."

Russia will upgrade its Su-30SM to the “Super-Sukhoi” standard

08/06/2021

The Russian Defense Ministry gave the green light to the Su-30SM upgrade program, an aircraft that has been deployed in large numbers in the Air Force and Naval Aviation, to bring it to the SM2 version or as the Russian press calls it, Super Sukhoi.

Turkmenistan showcases newly acquired Leonardo’s M-346FA combat aircraft

08/06/2021

TheM-346FA (Fighter Attack) is a light attack version of M-346 jet trainer developed by the Italian firm Leonardo. The first two aicraft were spotted on footage released by state news agency of Turkmenistan. The news agencsy reported that urkmenian President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov personally appreciated the new aircraft and flew one of them.

The budget wars: Indonesia’s biggest military challenge

08/05/2021

On 22 February, the Indonesian Survey Institute published the results of a poll that rated Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto as the top performer among President Joko Widodo’s ministers, with 75% of respondents expressing satisfaction with his performance. The result should be taken with a grain of salt as it might only reflect a reaction to name recognition rather than actual performance.

Sukhoi `Checkmate’ for India: Could be discussed later this year with Russia

08/05/2021

The possibility of exporting the latest Sukhoi `Checkmate’ Light Tactical Aircraft (LTA) aircraft will be discussed in case India expresses substantive interest in this new fighter. “For our part, we are open to cooperation and are ready to consider all proposals. Our countries are already actively developing cooperation in the field of aviation technology,” a top officer of Russia based Rostec has told Financial Express Online. Adding, “The Indian military aviation fleet is almost 80% equipped

Russia unveils new 'Checkmate' fighter jet

08/04/2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin got a sneak peek of a new fifth-generation lightweight single-engine fighter jet at an air show just outside of Moscow on Tuesday. Russian aircraft makers unveiled a prototype of the stealth fighter dubbed "Checkmate" for the 68-year-old leader at the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky, ahead of its official unveiling later in the day, according to a statement from Rostec.

NADECO-USA Condemns Sale Of Fighter Aircraft To Nigeria, Cites Buhari Regime’s Poor Human Rights Record

08/02/2021

The National Democratic Coalition in the United States of America (NADECO – USA) has condemned the delivery of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria from the US. The group, in statement on Tuesday, July 29, cited alleged gross human rights abuses as part of the reasons why the US should not have delivered the aircraft to the West African country.

Japan calls for greater attention to ‘survival’ of Taiwan

08/02/2021

Japan’s defence minister has called on the international community to pay greater attention to the “survival of Taiwan” as he warned that China’s military build-up was enveloping the island. Nobuo Kishi, the younger brother of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, told the Financial Times in an interview that broad international pressure was crucial to prevent Taiwan’s future being decided by military confrontation.

Hospital Bombed in Southern Afghanistan as Battles Rage

08/02/2021

The owner of a private hospital in Afghanistan said the Afghan air force bombed the facility on Saturday, killing one person and injuring three others. He said the hospital was targeted because the military erroneously believed Taliban fighters were being treated there.

Russian pilots use US-made GPS receivers during combat missions in Syria

08/02/2021

Nationalist politician and Soviet Air Force veteran Viktor Alksnis drew attention to recent images of Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber aircraft in Syria, writing on Facebook that military pilots use commercial GPS receivers during their combat operations.

Rafale Deployment ‘Message For China’ But Not Enough To Challenge Its J-20, FC-31 Fighter Jets – IAF Veteran

08/01/2021

But what is significant is that while Xi, accompanied by three politburo members of his Communist Party and General Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, began his Tibet tour from Nyingchi Prefecture, which is just opposite India’s Arunachal Pradesh, the strengthening of the EAC through the induction of the Rafale is the recognition of its growing role.

First Italian Navy F-35B STOVL fighter aircraft landed on the Cavour aircraft carrier

08/01/2021

According to information released by the Italian Navy on July 30, 2021, the first Italian Navy F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft landed on the Cavour aircraft carrier after the test and certification activity carried out with U.S. F-35 during the "Ready for Operations" (RFO) campaign concluded at the end of April this year.

VISTA Testbed becomes X-62A, Joins Skyborg Effort

08/01/2021

The U.S. Air Force’s Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) has been redesignated as the X-62A, according to the Air Force Materiel Command. The highly modified F-16 fighter has been operating for nearly 30 years as the NF-16D, the “N” signifying a permanent test modification. The aircraft’s redesignation reflects, in part, its years of testing in support of new technology development, but also highlights a new mission that is being added during a major upgrade for the aircraft.

New Ford-class Aircraft Carrier and F-35C Stealth Fighter: A Game-Changing Duo

08/01/2021

The day is fast approaching when a Ford-class aircraft carrier will set sail armed with F-35C stealth fighter jets, bringing an as of yet unprecedented combat capability to warfare. What might this mean? Will it truly give the U.S. Navy an edge over major power rivals in terms of reach, attack pace and overall power projection? Potentially.

Michigan Air Guard to make history with landing exercise near Alpena

07/31/2021

The Michigan National Guard, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and local partners, plans to close a portion of Michigan State Highway M-32 for five hours on August 5 to test its ability to land aircraft on roadways designed for cars and trucks.

UK's HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier pictured in South China Sea

07/31/2021

The South China Sea has been a hotbed of naval activity this week, with a British aircraft carrier strike group, an American surface action group, and forces from China's People's Liberation Army all staging exercises in the contested waterway. The British Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been the center of attention, with state-run Chinese media outlets and diplomats accusing Britain of stirring up trouble in the disputed waters at the behest of the United States.

UK's $348M Tempest Next-Gen Fighter Will Be Nothing Like Other Combat Aircraft

07/31/2021

Tempest is more than just a next-generation aircraft, it’s a connected system designed to respond to future combat environment challenges. UK’s Ministry of Defense has just made a huge step towards bringing Tempest to life, by awarding BAE Systems a contract that officially kicks off this groundbreaking project.

Congress Rebuffs Air Force's Plan to Retire Older Aircraft, Putting A-10 Move on Hold

07/29/2021

With congressional members rejecting the U.S. Air Force’s plans to make substantial cuts to some of its oldest aircraft fleets, the service will put its plan to shift some close air support aircraft to Arizona on hold as it figures out other options.

Two-seater Su-57 linked to ‘Wingman’ combat drone

07/29/2021

According to sources, Russia is now developing a two-seat Su-57 fighter for tandem flight with the Okhotnik combat drone, TheDefensePost reported. The latest version of the fifth-generation stealth fighter is being reportedly designed to control four Okhotniks simultaneously, Russian state media outlet TASS reported, citing a source.

Four more Rafales join Qatar Emiri Air Force

07/29/2021

Four additional Dassault Rafale multirole combat aircraft have arrived in Qatar, having left France on 27 July. This delivery of three single-seat Rafale EQ and a twin-seat Rafale DQ means that nine aircraft remain to be delivered under the Qatar Emiri Air Force’s (QEAF's) order for 36 aircraft.

Support leads to success for F-22 students in Key West

07/29/2021

More than 250 personnel assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing packed up and went on temporary duty to Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, from July 10 - 24. They travelled in support of the 43d Fighter Squadron’s F-22 Formal Training Unit capstone. Units from Tyndall Air Force Base and Eglin AFB were present to ensure F-22 Raptor student pilots, who flew in 54 sorties for the dissimilar air combat training over the southern Gulf of Mexico, were met with success.