Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

NATO Countries Choose F-35 as it Offers Key Advantages Over F-16 and Eurofighter

07/26/2025

The U.S. outlet Task & Purpose raised the question of why 14 out of 32 NATO member states are ordering the F-35 despite its known shortcomings, and what makes it better than the F-16 or Eurofighter, which also form the backbone of NATO’s combat aviation fleet. The article is insightful in light of how the U.S. military press assesses both the strengths and weaknesses of their domestically designed aircraft. Interestingly, for American observers, the answer is not obvious by default.

Thai F-16s Deployed To Hit Cambodian Targets In Border Clash

07/26/2025

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has deployed six Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighter jets in response to cross-border rocket and artillery attacks by Cambodian forces. The developments mark a sharp escalation in tensions between the two Southeast Asian neighbors.

Kaan progresses, bolstered by international interest

07/25/2025

Türkiye’s indigenous 5th-Gen stealth fighter, Kaan, built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI, also known as Tusas), is entering a new phase of development. New prototypes are under construction and the aircraft’s future is looking increasingly bright, underpinned by growing international interest and a national determination to ensure the programme flies high, despite geopolitical tensions.

Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II: The New Fighter Jet That’s Secretly A Bomber

07/25/2025

The newest variant of Boeing’s F-15 is the F-15EX, an extensively upgraded version of the jet fighter that first entered service in the 1970s. Updated avionics, as well as what Boeing calls the world’s most powerful fighter jet radar, and other upgrades give that Cold War-era platform new life.

Why Belgium’s F-35 Fighter Jet Deal Makes France Angry

07/25/2025

The Belgian government announced earlier this week that it would seek to expand its acquisition of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, increasing the number from 34 to 45 aircraft. Antwerp, following the lead of its neighbor, the Netherlands, sought to expand its fleet of fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighters as part of its recently published “Strategic Vision,” which called for increased defense spending.

Thai fighter jet bombs Cambodian targets as border battle escalates

07/25/2025

Thailand scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to bomb targets in Cambodia on Thursday after artillery volleys from both sides killed at least 11 civilians, as border tension boiled over into rare armed conflict between the Southeast Asian countries.

Taliban Vows to Recover Military Aircraft Held in Uzbekistan

07/24/2025

The aircraft in question, including American-made A-29 Super Tucanos, Mi-17 transport helicopters, and UH-60 Black Hawks, were flown across the border by Afghan military personnel escaping the Taliban’s rapid takeover in August 2021. On the day Kabul fell, Uzbek authorities confirmed that 22 planes and 24 helicopters entered their airspace.

NORAD detects and tracks Russian aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone

07/24/2025

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on 22 July 2025. The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in the Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.

Lockheed ‘Steals’ Boeing’s F-15EX Strategy; Pitches Its 5.5-Gen “Ferrari” Stealth Fighter As A Bridge To F-47

07/24/2025

Speaking at the second quarter earnings call, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet said, “We did bid on NGAD, and we weren’t selected.” “But the pivot that we made is one we’re taking very seriously, which is how we create a bridge from today’s fifth generation to the sixth-generation NGAD, which might not be fielded for a lot of years.”

Ukraine Confirms A Prized Mirage 2000 Jet Was Lost, But Not To Russian Fire

07/24/2025

On Tuesday, 22 July, the Ukraine Air Force (PSU) lost a French-made Mirage 2000-5 fighter aircraft that had been donated in February 2025. This is the first crash of this aircraft type by the PSU, which has previously lost four of its donated F-16 models, with three of the pilots of those aircraft killed. According to the PSU, “In the evening of July 22, 2025, during the performance of a flight mission on a Mirage 2000 fighter, an aviation equipment failure occurred.

Turkey and UK edge closer to Eurofighter fighter jet deal after MoU signing

07/24/2025

Turkey and the United Kingdom took what the UK called a “big step” closer to finalizing a contract for 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fourth-generation fighter jets today by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul.

Dassault, in spat with Airbus, says European fighter jet project at risk

07/23/2025

French warplane maker Dassault Aviation (AM.PA), opens new tab raised questions over the future of a Franco-German-Spanish fighter jet project on Tuesday in a growing feud with Europe's Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab over control of the futuristic program that combines traditional warplanes with automated drones. CEO Eric Trappier said the Future Combat Air System, widely known under its French initials SCAF.

US Air Force Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Fighter – Analysis

07/23/2025

On March 21, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the Air Force would move forward with development of the F-47—to become the Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet. Following the announcement, the Air Force awarded an engineering and manufacturing development contract to Boeing to develop the aircraft.

Pentagon Eyes Southern Philippines as Refueling Hub for U.S. Warships, Military Aircraft

07/23/2025

The Defense Logistics Agency is looking to expand its maritime refueling capacity from the Philippines by contracting companies on the southern island of Mindanao to supply up to 42 million gallons of fuel a year, according to new documents.

Ukraine suffered its first loss of a French fighter jet after equipment failure forced its pilot to eject

07/23/2025

Ukraine's air force said on Tuesday that one of its Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters crashed due to a malfunction, marking its first loss of the French-donated jet. It's a blow to Ukraine's limited fleet of Western fourth-generation aircraft, which Kyiv spent years urging its allies to help build amid Russia's invasion.

We Just Got A Crucial Clue About Canada’s F-35 Stealth Fighter Decision

07/22/2025

Unclassified papers obtained by The Canadian Press have revealed a multi-billion-dollar plan to bolster Canada’s air power with a fleet of tactical unmanned aerial systems (UAS). According to the outlet, the drones will be designed to work alongside an incoming shipment of F-35 stealth strike fighters.

Bangladesh plane crash: What happened, what’s the latest

07/22/2025

“Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 BGI training aircraft crashed in Uttara. The aircraft took off at 13:06 [07:06 GMT],” the Bangladesh military’s public relations team said. Local media reported that the plane crashed at about 1:30pm. Videos emerged of the aftermath of the crash, showing a fire, as well as plumes of thick smoke rising into the sky as people watched from a distance.

Why NATO is betting big on the F-35

07/22/2025

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter started its life as one of the more controversial programs in Pentagon history. Two decades of delays, blown budgets, software problems, and political fights made it look like the fifth-generation fighter might be remembered more for what it cost than what it could do.

Here’s Everything We Know About the F-47 Program

07/21/2025

The F-47 is expected to replace or complement existing fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-22 Raptor, with initial operational capability anticipated sometime in the late 2020s or early 2030s. Not much has been revealed about the F-47 NGAD program since President Donald Trump awarded Boeing the contract over Lockheed Martin last March. However, despite the secretive nature of the program, fragments of information have become available about the F--47.

US-based unmanned combat aircraft could boost European forces’ battlefield power

07/21/2025

A San Diego-based defense giant has launched an initiative to deliver new uncrewed combat aircraft for European forces. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) will be based on the U.S. Air Force’s YFQ-42A prototype. General Atomics revealed that the advanced uncrewed system will be assembled in Europe.

UK reveals design of supersonic demonstrator for next-generation fighter

07/18/2025

BAE Systems has released the first image of the UK’s Combat Air Flying Demonstrator, marking a key milestone for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the joint effort by the UK, Italy and Japan to develop a sixth-generation fighter by 2035.

An F-35 stealth fighter has been stuck in a country not cleared to access the tech for over a month

07/18/2025

A UK F-35 stealth fighter jet has been stuck for more than a month in India, a country that isn't part of the program and does not have access to the plane's advanced tech and capabilities. The stealth fighter landed on June 14 at Thiruvananthapuram airport in the state of Kerala, where it was diverted after it ran into bad weather in the Indian Ocean. An engine issue then prevented the jet from returning to the Royal Navy's flagship carrier.

The F-35 Stealth Fighter’s Battle For Canada: The Final Verdict Is Coming

07/18/2025

After a quarter of a century, Canada is now moving into the most critical phase in the process of acquiring new fighter jets – a process in which some major decisions have already been made, but in which the most crucial choices have yet to be made.

General Atomics partners with German affiliate to develop European YFQ-42A fighter derivative

07/18/2025

Uncrewed aircraft manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) plans to offer a European-made variant of its prototype uncrewed fighter jet. The San Diego-based company on 17 July said it will partner with a General Atomics aerospace affiliate in Germany to build a derivative of the YFQ-42A autonomous fighter being developed for the US Air Force.

104 Kills & Never Shot Down! U.S. To Permanently Deploy Its “EX-Traordinary” Fighter Jets To Guard Taiwan Strait

07/18/2025

Before their first permanent overseas deployment, the latest variant of the cutting-edge fighter jet, the F-15EX Eagle II, reached Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan, for a visit. The first operational deployment of the Eagles in the Indo-Pacific has been made as the Taiwan Strait is turning into a potential flashpoint.