Military Aviation News Archive
05/13/2025
The Hürjet, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is undergoing a notable evolution from an advanced jet trainer into a versatile light combat aircraft. Originally intended to replace the aging T-38M and NF-5A/B fleets of the Turkish Air Force, the Hürjet is now being positioned for a broader operational role that includes naval aviation and air-to-air combat support, underscoring its growing strategic relevance.
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05/12/2025
Soaring thousands of feet above Nato’s Baltic border with Russia, British fighter pilots are acutely aware that one false move could trigger a global conflict. “It would be very easy, if I waved, to fold up my hand into this [a middle finger], and then that goes out on the news and suddenly it’s an international incident,” a plucky Royal Air Force pilot said as he described intercepting a Kremlin spyplane in his Typhoon jet.
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05/12/2025
During ongoing clashes on the India-Pakistan border in Kashmir, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly lost a Dassault Rafale fighter jet in combat. The aircraft was deployed as part of Operation Sindoor on the morning of 7 May 2025, marking the first combat use of Rafale jets by India since their acquisition. Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft during the engagement, including three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29.
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05/12/2025
Japan is considering exporting its next-gen aircraft, which it is developing in collaboration with the UK and Italy under the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP), to Australia. Tokyo reportedly invited India to the GCAP program last month.
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05/11/2025
As part of the “Eagles of Civilization 2025” exercises, which took place from April 19 to May 4, one of the Chinese Air Force’s new YY-20A aircraft refueled Egyptian MiG-29M/M2 fighter jets in flight for the first time. This was only a small portion of the extensive and varied operations carried out by the armed forces of both countries, aimed at strengthening their defense cooperation, which also included air combat simulations and search and rescue training in hostile environments.
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05/11/2025
The recent aerial clash between India and Pakistan has drawn global attention to Chinese military technology, particularly after Pakistan claimed victory in a massive dogfight involving 125 fighter jets from both sides.Tactical gear This engagement, which lasted over an hour, ranks as one of the largest and longest air battles in recent aviation history, potentially the biggest since World War II if the aircraft numbers are verified.
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05/11/2025
The United States Marine Corps has deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211), known as the “Wake Island Avengers,” to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen deterrence and military readiness in the Indo-Pacific. Announced on May 10, 2025, the deployment, conducted under the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment Program, comes amid rising tensions in the region, particularly due to China’s increasing military assertiveness.
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05/10/2025
Donald Trump says "India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire".
In a post on social media platform Truth Social, the US President says: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
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05/10/2025
When Pakistan said it had downed five Indian jets, the matter sparked a lot of discussion. It was easily a win for the country for many. But it is feared the conflict can get even bigger. Taking to X, South Asia analyst Micheal Kugelman wrote, "India's strike on Pakistan is of much greater scale than the one in 2019. Pakistan's response, which according to many reports included downing several Indian jets, has also exceeded the scale of 2019.
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05/10/2025
As reported by kf21_military on May 5, 2025, the development of a single-seat variant of the South Korean FA-50 light attack aircraft advanced with the issuance of a formal tender by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), which involves the construction of a cockpit for a controllability evaluation simulator specifically for the single-seat version of the FA-50. This step marks the beginning of technical work under the F-50 program, which was reactivated in 2024 after being previously suspended.
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05/10/2025
The escalating conflict between India and Pakistan could be offering the world a first real glimpse into how advanced Chinese military technology performs against proven Western hardware – and Chinese defense stocks are already surging. Shares of China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft rose 40% this week, as Pakistan claimed it used AVIC-produced J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian combat aircraft – including the advanced French-made Rafale – during an aerial battle on Wednesday.
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05/09/2025
Dramatic footage is emerging from Indian Punjab's Bathinda region showing what appears to be the smouldering wreckage of an Indian Air Force jet, as Islamabad claims its pilots downed five Indian sophisticated fighter aircraft in an alarming escalation along the India-Pakistan frontier on Wednesday morning. India has so far remained tight-lipped, offering no confirmation or denial.
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05/09/2025
A first-of-its-kind F-35 Lightning II Combined Test Force stood up May 1, 2025 to become part of Eglin’s developmental and operational fighter test complex. This major milestone by the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center establishes the Air Reserve Component as a key player in fifth-generation fighter aircraft testing.
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05/09/2025
Nuclear powers India and Pakistan are clashing again, and there are claims of aircraft kills from air battles that sound like a hodgepodge of foreign-made fighters. Pakistani officials said Thursday that the country had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a number of drones since India launched cross-border strikes earlier this week, kicking off a new round of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
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05/09/2025
A dogfight between Chinese-made Pakistani jets and French-made Indian Rafale fighters will be closely scrutinized by militaries seeking insights that could offer an edge in future conflicts.
A Chinese-made Pakistani fighter plane shot down at least two Indian military aircraft on Wednesday, two U.S. officials said, marking a potential milestone for Beijing's advanced fighter jet.
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05/09/2025
Chinese-made fighter jets operated by Pakistan were responsible for shooting down at least two Indian warplanes, a battlefield achievement that marks a breakthrough for Beijing’s technology. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament on Wednesday evening that Chinese J-10Cs were used to shoot down Indian jets, in what has been described as one of the longest dogfights in history.
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05/08/2025
Some 125 Indian and Pakistani fighter jets battled for over an hour in one of the biggest dogfights in recent history, according to a Pakistani security source quoted by CNN. If the numbers of aircraft were confirmed, it would make it one of the largest air battles since World War Two.
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05/08/2025
An ejection seat believed to be from a Pakistani Air Force Mirage V fighter jet was discovered in Lahore, sparking speculation that Pakistan may have lost one of its aircraft amid a night strike from India. Footage showing the seat was first shared on TikTok earlier today. While the video’s authenticity and the exact time of recording remain unverified, the imagery clearly shows a military ejection system consistent with that used in Pakistan’s Mirage V fighter jet.
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05/08/2025
The downing of three Indian Rafale fighter jets by Pakistan has dealt a severe blow to New Delhi’s security apparatus, with strategic, psychological and diplomatic repercussions. According to government sources, the successful engagement marks a major milestone for Pakistan’s air force and exposes serious vulnerabilities in India’s air defence readiness and rules of engagement.
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05/08/2025
The Pakistan military has brought down five Indian jets in retaliation for late-night strikes by its neighbouring country, launched after midnight at the sites of Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh and Muzaffarabad, reports DAWN, citing state media. The same was confirmed by Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said that the response is ongoing, but did not share operational details, the report states, citing Sky News.
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05/08/2025
On May 7, 2025, during Teknofest 2025, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) announced a new phase for its indigenous stealth fighter program, KAAN. CEO of TAI, Mehmet Demiroglu, revealed that the second prototype is currently under construction and will feature notable changes to its airframe, including reshaped air intakes and structural enhancements. The prototype is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
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05/08/2025
A Finnish Air Force F/A-18C Hornet fighter jet crashed near Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) in northern Finland on the morning of May 7, 2025, at 10:50 local time, the military confirmed. The aircraft fell within a designated military area, prompting an emergency response.
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05/08/2025
The Air Force plans on flying the F-22 Raptor well into the 2040s. But to remain competitive against near-peer fighter jets, it needs upgrades now and in the future. The U.S. Air Force operates a plethora of superb fighter jets. With a fleet of several different types of fighter jets, the Air Force knows that it can take on any threat out there. But if there is any particular fighter jet that stands out from the rest, it is certainly the F-22 Raptor.
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05/08/2025
The air war currently unfolding between India and Pakistan is exceedingly murky, but one aspect that seems almost certain is the use of the Chinese-made PL-15 active-radar-guided air-to-air missile (AAM) by Pakistan. So far, Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft, and there are multiple accounts, including from Indian officials, pointing to the crash of at least two aircraft, without specifying the reasons.
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05/08/2025
Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has been lost in the Red Sea, the second jet lost from the carrier in just over a week, five people familiar with the matter told CNN. It is not entirely clear what happened yet, as the investigation is ongoing, but two of the people said there was some kind of arrestment failure as the jet was trying to land on the carrier and the pilot and weapons systems officer had to eject. They were recovered by a rescue
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