Military Aviation News Archive

The Navy Wants a 6th Generation Stealth Fighter That Would Beat Even the F-35

08/31/2019

The Navy is currently analyzing air frames, targeting systems, AI-enabled sensors, new weapons and engine technologies to engineer a new 6th-Generation fighter to fly alongside the F-35 and ultimately replace the F/A-18.

Russian Su-35s Allegedly Forced Israeli Aircraft Out of Syrian Airspace as they were Preparing for Airstrike

08/30/2019

Russian Su-35s took off from Hmeimim Airbase and made their way towards the Mediterranean Sea as the Israeli aircraft were preparing an attack against Syria. While IAF managed to hit one of its main targets, the Russian publication Tsargrad.TV reported that IAF aircraft were forced out of Syrian airspace as they were preparing for a second wave of strikes.

US military aircraft flies over Taiwan Strait

08/30/2019

A US military plane flew over the Taiwan Strait on Thursday (Aug 29), the island's government said, just days after one of its navy ships sailed through the waters and the latest arms sale between Washington and Taipei. Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement that the transport aircraft flew south along the "median line" of the narrow strait, a traditionally respected maritime line dividing self-ruled Taiwan and mainland China, in a move likely to provoke Beijing.

Approximately 150 Military Aircraft Arriving In North Texas From East Coast Due To Hurricane Dorian

08/30/2019

The U.S. military has started moving aircraft from the East Coast to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth as part of preparations for Hurricane Dorian’s landfall over the weekend. Approximately 150 aircraft will be arriving in the next couple of days. They’ll be coming from as far south as Key West, Florida to as far north as Beaufort, South Carolina.

Russian Air Force Su-34 Fullbacks Operate From An Under Construction Highway In Central Russia

08/30/2019

On Aug. 28, 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video showing Su-34s bombers operating from a highway strip during a material and technical support exercise (MTO) of the Russian Federation Armed Forces in the Central Military District. During the exercise 12 Su-34 Fullback bombers and two An-26 Curl cargo aircraft landed on the highway strip, where the entire airfield support infrastructure was deployed along with at least three Mi-8 helicopters.

China to send 1,600 troops, about 30 aircraft to Russia’s strategic military drills

08/30/2019

The Chinese Army will send 1,600 troops and around 30 helicopters and aircraft to take part in Russia’s Tsentr-2019 (Center-2019) strategic drills, Spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said at a news briefing on Thursday.

Pakistan's JF-17 Jet Has Its First Victory by Destroying an Iranian Drone

08/29/2019

Pakistan's JF-17 Jet Has Its First Victory by Destroying an Iranian Drone. An Iranian drone operating in Pakistan’s Parom area of Panjgur district was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) JF-17 fighter. It was unknown when the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down but the wreckage was recovered by local security forces on Jun. 19, 2017.

Why Did One Russian MiG-31 Fighter Shoot down Another MiG-31?

08/29/2019

In short, the MiG-31 mistakenly shot down its wingman. It has now emerged that the twin-engine fighter was brought down by another MiG-31 which fired an R-33 air-to-air missile mistakenly.

NATO jets scramble three times over past week to escort Russian military aircraft over Baltics

08/29/2019

Last week, NATO jets scrambled three times to intercept nine Russian warplanes flying over the Baltic in international space, according to Lithuania's Defense Ministry. On Monday, August 19, the NATO air force intercepted a pair of Su-30s flying from the Kaliningrad exclave to another part of the Russian Federation, the report says. On Tuesday, August 20, a NATO jet identified Russia's Su-34 and T-134 aircraft, which were also flying from Kaliningrad region.

Su-57E: Russia unveils export variant of its fifth generation fighter aircraft

08/29/2019

Russia's defence export agency Rosoboronexport has unveiled the Su-57E, the export variant of its fifth generation fighter aircraft, at the MAKS international air show here. Russia said the latest aircraft is a priority in marketing plans and preliminary negotiations for foreign buyers will start.

MAKS: Putin courts Erdogan, but Sukhoi Su-57 deal elusive

08/28/2019

A little over a month after the USA dumped Ankara from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme over its decision to buy the Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, Turkey’s President Recip Erdogan showed up at the MAKS air show looking for a new defence partner.

MAKS: India’s BrahMos may test another cruise missile air-launch

08/28/2019

BrahMos Aerospace may conduct a second air-launch test of its supersonic cruise missile to further demonstrate the weapon’s ability to fly to a number of waypoints before reaching its final destination.

PICTURE: First Brazilian Gripen E makes flight debut

08/28/2019

The first Gripen E fighter to have been produced for Brazil completed a 65min flight debut from Saab’s Linkoping site in Sweden on 26 August. Performed by company test pilot Richard Ljungberg, the milestone sortie “included test points to verify basic handling and flying qualities at different altitudes and speeds”, the airframer says.

Elbit to supply EW kit for Portugal KC-390s

08/28/2019

Lisbon has selected Elbit Systems to provide the electronic warfare (EW) suite of its five new Embraer KC-390 tactical transports. The suite includes radar and laser warning systems, an infrared (IR) missile warning systems, a countermeasures dispensing system, DIRCM (Direction IR countermeasures) and an active electronic countermeasures system, says Elbit.

Boeing Delivers 11th C-17 Globemaster III Transport Aircraft to the Indian Air Force

08/27/2019

Boeing has delivered the 11th C-17 Globemaster III to the Indian Air Force India’s adding capability to meet current and future strategic airlift requirements. Boeing’s C-17 Globemaster III is a premier transporter for military, humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances, directly to austere airfields anywhere in the world, in all weather conditions.

Russian arms trade export show opens

08/27/2019

Rosoboronexport JSC (part of the Rostec State Corporation) has invited 120 delegations from 65 countries to the MAKS 2019 International Air Show, which will be held from August 27 to September 1, 2019 at the Gromov Flight Research Institute’s airfield in Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

Don't Sweat China's Aircraft Carriers or Stealth Fighters: The 'Peace Disease' Is a Problem

08/27/2019

China’s rapid military modernisation has triggered an intense discussion about Australia’s defence priorities, reviving old debates about an independent ‘defence of Australia’ doctrine or a deeper alliance with the United States. Missing from that debate, however, is an understanding of the weaknesses and shortcomings of the People’s Liberation Army.

Drone war takes flight, raising stakes in Iran, US tensions

08/26/2019

From the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia to the crowded neighborhoods of Beirut, a drone war has taken flight across the wider Middle East, raising the stakes in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Since the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal last year, there has been an increasing tempo of attacks and alleged threats, notably this weekend, from unmanned aircraft flown by Tehran's and Washington's allies in the region.

Tales From The Cockpit: An F-16 Pilot Recalls a Close Call Over Libya

08/26/2019

“It was dusk, one of the worst times to use night vision goggles. The sun was going down over my right shoulder. The Mediterranean was dark and the sky was dark, like being in a gigantic black hole. It was hard to tell which way was up and which way was down. We started looking for targets outside of Tripoli. We had determined, by the amount of surface-to-air equipment there, the Gaddafi regime would be using it to target coalition aircraft. Eliminating the equipment was a high priority.”

Israel claims preemptive strike on Iranian drone operation in Syria

08/26/2019

In a rare announcement, the Israeli government said its military aircraft carried out a preemptive strike against Iran-linked targets southeast of Damascus on Sunday, allegedly thwarting a planned drone attack on Israeli territory. “The IDF, by Israeli aircraft, was able to thwart an Iranian attempt led by the Quds Force from Syria to conduct an attack on Israeli targets in northern Israel using killer drones,” IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus told reporters early Sunday.

Airbus, Boeing, Dassault and Lockheed Martin Faced-Off for Swiss fighter contest at Zigermeet Airshow

08/25/2019

Held at Mollis Air Base, Switzerland between Aug. 15 and Aug. 17, 2019 Zigermeet took place two months after the Swiss Air Force ended the evaluation for the five types of combat aircraft under consideration (Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing F-18 Super Hornet, the Dassault Rafale, the Lockheed Martin F-35A and the Saab Gripen E) to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 fighter jets, and older model F/A-18C/D fighters.

Watch Out: This Country Is Getting Russia's Deadly MiG-35 Fighters

08/25/2019

Noteworthy the Egyptian Air Force MiG-35 deal represents the largest order for the Fulcrum fighter aircraft in the post-Soviet period. Taken by Dmitri Terekhov at Zhukovsky Air Base, Russia, the interesting photo in this post shows first Egyptian Air Force (EAF) MiG-29/35.

Why the F-35B Stealth Fighter Could Make Aircraft Carriers Even Deadlier

08/25/2019

Carriers may be on the verge of a global comeback. China’s ambitious aircraft carrier program is already well documented—but Beijing’s northeastern neighbors are set to deploy three new aircraft carriers between them. The United Kingdom will soon have two carriers of its own, as will Italy. There’s a common factor behind these developments, and that is the F-35B stealth jet.

Marines Considering Flying U.S. F-35Bs Off of Japan’s Largest Warships

08/25/2019

Officials in Tokyo have requested Marines deploy F-35B fighters aboard Japan’s largest warships, a U.S. defense official confirmed to USNI News on Friday. The service is now studying the feasibility of deploying short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) fighters from JS Izumo (DDH-183) and JS Kaga (DDH-184), Japan’s 24,000-ton big deck amphibious.

MAKS 2019 Airshow Preview: The Practice Flights as Seen at Zhukovsky.

08/24/2019

MAKS International Airshow is setting up this week, and some of the most remarkable aircraft in the world are flying into Zhukovsky for the massive commercial, civil and military aviation business expo and airshow. Along with other aviation journalists and photographers from around the world, we clamber for the best spotting locations awaiting arrivals and watching rehearsals the week before the show opens.