4/17/2026

Finnish Air Force pilot completes first F-35A flight in U.S. as training advances toward operational capability rollout

The Finnish Air Force announced that a Finnish pilot has conducted the first flight of a Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II at Ebbing Air Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The flight, carried out on April 15, 2026, marks a key milestone in Finland’s effort to introduce the fifth-generation fighter into operational service.

4/17/2026

Sukhoi Su-57 plant hit by fire as images show severe damage to key Russian fighter jet factory

Satellite images have confirmed significant damage at Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 plant following a fire earlier this month. According to a report by Exilenova+, images released on Tuesday show parts of a key workshop at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant collapsing after the blaze on April 11.

4/17/2026

South Korea's first serial KF-21 Boramae fighter jet completes maiden flight 22 days after rollout

South Korea’s first serial KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries, successfully completed its maiden flight on April 15, 2026, at Sacheon, marking a rapid transition from rollout to operational testing in just 22 days.

4/17/2026

French Rafales intercept Russian Su-30SM fighter jet

French Rafale fighter jets deployed to Lithuania under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission were scrambled four times in a single week, intercepting and escorting six Russian military aircraft near the airspace of the Baltic states, France’s Armed Forces General Staff said.

4/17/2026

101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell Selected to Receive U.S. Army’s New MV-75 Cheyenne II

The U.S. Army officially named its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLARAA) the MV-75 Cheyenne II on April 15th, 2026. The announcement was made during the 2026 Army Aviation Warfighting Summit hosted by the Army Aviation Association of America.

4/17/2026

Underground bunker network preserves majority of Iran air force

Despite repeated U.S. and Israeli claims that Iran’s air force had been destroyed or rendered combat-ineffective, confirmed OSINT data and post-ceasefire sightings now show that Tehran deliberately sheltered the overwhelming majority of its flyable combat aircraft in hardened underground bases — preserving an estimated two-thirds of its operational fleet while absorbing a campaign of unprecedented intensity.

4/17/2026

Experimental Operations Unit accelerates Collaborative Combat Aircraft program

The Air Force’s Experimental Operations Unit, under Air Combat Command, concluded a critical exercise with Collaborative Combat Aircraft recently at Edwards Air Force Base, California, putting principles of the new Warfighting Acquisition System into practice. The exercise employed the YFQ-44A aircraft and represents a shift toward the new concept of earlier, operator-driven experimentation to inform tactics and procedures.

4/16/2026

RAF scrambles jets after unidentified aircraft approached British airspace

The RAF scrambled two fighter jets on Tuesday after sightings of an unidentified aircraft approaching British airspace. The jets, which were launched from RAF Lossiemouth in north Scotland, were supported by a Voyager refuelling jet from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. An RAF spokesperson told ITV News: "RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched on April 14 from RAF Lossiemouth after unidentified aircraft were tracked flying towards UK airspace.

4/16/2026

Greece scrambles fighter jets as 'Turkish planes with weapons invade airspace'

A NATO member has been forced to scramble fighter jets after another member state's planes infringed upon its airspace, according to reports. Greek media reports the country deployed fighters to intercept Turkish F-16s and a single CN-235 naval cooperation aircraft.

4/16/2026

WILL CANADA GO FOR A SPLIT F-35-GRIPEN FIGHTER JET FLEET?

There has been a lot of debate and speculation on Canada’s F-35 file but Prime Minister Mark Carney has still yet to make a decision on which way he will decide. The main focus is on whether Canada will decide to go for a mixed fleet of F-35s from Lockheed Martin and Gripen fighter jets from Saab.