U.S. Army spyplane pops-up on Flightradar24 during mission south of the Korean DMZ
Online flight tracking reminds us that the secretive EO-5Cs regularly fly along the border between North and South Korea. The above screenshot was taken from Flightradar24 by Guglielmo Guglielmi, an…
Flightradar24 exposes the presence of U.S. and allied ISR planes operating over Daesh stronghold in Iraq
Several spyplanes and drones keep an eye on Mosul, ISIS headquarters in northern Iraq. As our readers know, we've been reporting about U.S. and allied planes that can be tracked…
A U.S. Global Hawk UAV might have popped up on Flightradar24
As North Korea conducted one of the largest-ever military drill a Global Hawk UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) could be tracked online. On Mar. 26, at around 12.00AM GMT, a weird…
A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) adds two new combat types: UAE Mirage 2000 and F-16 Block 60. And does it live on Flightradar24.com
Airbus Military has been very busy recently adding another two combat types able to be refueled from its A330 MRTT tanker aircraft, which has been ordered in three examples by…
Forget any security concern and welcome Air Force One on Flightradar24!
In my article titled Would modern transponders have made the hijacked planes visible to radars on 9-11? about Mode-S and ADS-B usage I wrote: According to an esteem by Flightradar24.com, around…
The aircraft you don't expect to see on Flightradar24: another "black" C-32
Yesterday at 19.45 GMT Today at 22.19 GMT: Looks like Foreign Emergency Support Team C-32s are quite active these days......and doesn't care about transmitting their information directly in the Public…
The "black" USAF C-32B….Live on Flightradar24
One or two days ago, I read that Flightradar24.com had added a new feeder in Washington DC. So, on Sunday May 08, 2011 at 19.50 GMT I thought it would…
The Last Flight: How a British Band Soundtracked Aviation’s Greatest Mystery
Public Service Broadcasting's The Last Flight tells Amelia Earhart's story through her diary entries, backed by masterfully composed instrumentation, and they're touring Europe and North America this year. "I was…
Italy Goes Ahead with Acquisition of 29 More AW249 Attack Helicopters
Italy has launched the parliamentary process to approve the acquisition of a new batch of AW249s, which will complete the fleet of 48 attack helicopters. Italian Parliament’s documents show that…
NASA’s X-59 QueSST Conducts Maiden Flight
After some scrubbed attempts, NASA’s X-59 QueSST flew for the first time from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale on Oct. 28, 2025. In a landmark milestone for aeronautical research,…
10 Years Ago Today: Avro Vulcan XH558’s Final Flight
Oct. 28, 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the last time an Avro Vulcan took to the skies. Following eight years of renewed airworthiness, XH558 landed on Oct. 28, 2015…
Mysterious Object Spotted At Lockheed Martin’s Helendale Radar Cross Section Test Range
A YouTube video posted by the account Uncanny Expeditions appears to show a previously unseen object undergoing testing at Lockheed Martin’s Helendale Radar Cross Section (RCS) Test Range in California’s…
Raytheon Unveils New APG-82(V)X AESA Radar
The latest iteration of the combat-proven APG-82 radar incorporates gallium nitride (GaN) technology to enhance the radar's effectiveness and capabilities. Raytheon has unveiled a major upgrade to the APG-82 Active…
Airbus A320 ATRA Flies in IOC Configuration Ahead of Eurofighter’s AESA Radar Testing
The Advanced Technology Research Aircraft was modified with the Eurofighter’s nose to support testing of the ECRS Mk.1 AESA radar. Airbus and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have reached another…
Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard Begins Envelope Expansion Flights
Scaled Composites’ Model 437 Vanguard returns to flight, expanding its envelope ahead of Northrop Grumman’s Beacon autonomy flight testing. The Scaled Composites Model 437 Vanguard has resumed flight testing at…
Indonesian Air Force’s First Rafale Takes Maiden Flight
Jakarta is procuring 16 dual-seat and 26 single seat Rafales, with deliveries expected to being by February 2026, according to Indonesian reports. The Indonesian Air Force’s (TNI Angkatan Udara -…
Second B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber Takes Flight
The second B-21 conducted its maiden flight and will now join the first one, which has been flying since 2023 at Edwards Air Force Base. The second B-21 Raider stealth…
SOCOM To Equip C-130 Fleet With APG-83 AESA Radar In Major Upgrade
Special Operations Command selected Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 SABR to replace legacy radars on AC-130J, MC-130J, and HC-130J aircraft. The U.S. Air Force has announced that Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will…
B-52 Radar Modernization Nears Flight Testing
The AN/APQ-188 radar upgrade for the B-52 is finally preparing to begin flight testing, following years of delays, cost overruns, and a program review. The U.S. Air Force’s long-running effort…
The UK’s Intelligence Flights Over Gaza: Analysis and Commentary
Let’s look at what we know about the UK’s flights over Gaza, what we can tell from them, what has been claimed, and what they might signal about UK-Israel relations.…
General Atomics’ YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft Takes Flight
The YFQ-42 becomes the first of the U.S. Air Force’s new Collaborative Combat Aircraft to enter flight testing. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has announced on Aug. 27, 2025, that its…
Last Production U-2 Returns to Flight for First Time Since 2008
80-1099 was photographed in flight for the first time in 17 years after being heavily damaged in a hydrazine fire in 2008. Aviation enthusiasts captured the aircraft in flight from…
Patriot PAC-3 MSE Demonstrates 360-Degree Engagement Capability with LTADMS Radar
The PAC-3 MSE has been coupled with the LTADMS radar to demonstrate a 360-degree engagement capability for the U.S. Army’s modernized IAMD architecture. The U.S. Army’s Patriot air defense system…
New Footage Shows Secretive RATT55 Radar Testbed Operating from Area 51’s Hangar 18
Photographer Michał Rokita captured video of the elusive Boeing 737 from near Tikaboo Peak, the closest point where civilians can view the test facility at Groom Lake known worldwide as…
BAE Systems and QinetiQ Prepare Avro RJ100 Testbed for ECRS Mk2 Radar Flight Trials
A modified Avro RJ100 will support integration of Leonardo UK’s ECRS Mk2 AESA radar for RAF Typhoons, reducing costs and accelerating development. BAE Systems and QinetiQ are preparing to modify…
Top Aces F-16 Makes First Flight in Su-57 ‘Felon’-Inspired Livery
The new paint scheme of Top Aces’ F-16 mimics that of the Russian Su-57 “Felon” fighter jet. On Aug. 4, 2025, one of Top Aces’ former Israeli Air Force F-16A…
U-2 Dragon Lady Breaks Altitude and Endurance Records During 70th Anniversary Flight
Flying from Beale AFB, a Lockheed U-2 aircraft, using the specially chosen callsign DRAGON 70, was heard communicating with ATC about a plan to set an endurance and altitude record…
Delta Regional Flight Performs ‘Aggressive Maneuver’ To Avoid B-52 Near Minot
A civilian pilot was forced to perform what has been described as an "aggressive go-around" to avoid a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber near Minot, North Dakota. The article…
Stranded An-124 Rejoins Antonov Fleet at Leipzig
One of Antonov Airlines’ prized An-124s, which was undergoing an overhaul at the time of Russia’s full scale invasion, escaped Ukraine’s contested airspace and arrived at Antonov’s temporary base at…
High Priority C-17 Flight Fuels Speculation About RAF Lakenheath Nuclear Mission
Reach 4574, a C-17 Globemaster III, flew direct from Kirtland AFB, home to the AFMC Nuclear Weapons Centre, to RAF Lakenheath with the support of KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft. Ever…
Rare Sighting: Elusive RAT55 737 Radar Test Aircraft Captured in Flight Alongside B-2 Spirit
Photographer Julian Elnasser spotted the two aircraft over Death Valley earlier this year. The secretive RAT55 NT-43A is thought to be almost exclusively used to test the airborne radar signatures…
Netherlands Completes Delivery of 24 F-16s to Ukraine
Less than a year after the first deliveries, the RNLAF completed the transfer of the last of the 24 F-16s promised to Ukraine, which will reach the country after a…
SNC’s RAPCON-X Completes Initial Flight Testing
The completion of the Flight Performance Handling & Qualification testing is a key milestone in proving the jet’s airworthiness with consistent performance for the full flight envelope. Sierra Nevada Corporation’s…
Protector RG1 Completes UK Certification Enabling Flights Outside of Restricted Airspace
The UK Military Aviation Authority issued a Military Type Certificate for the RAF’s MQ-9B Protector RG1, clearing the aircraft for flight in regular airspace. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI)…
End of an Era: Kadena Conducts Last Operational F-15 Eagle Flight
After 45 years of operations, the 18th Wing conducted its last F-15C Eagle sortie, which also represents the type's last U.S. Air Force active-duty flight. Kadena’s final F-15C/D Eagle flight…
China’s Mysterious J-36 Next-Gen Aircraft Spotted During Second Test Flight
The next-generation J-36 appears to be still in the initial phases of flight testing, flying with landing gear down and a flight data probe installed on the nose. One of…
Turkey’s Akıncı UCAV Flies with MURAD AESA Radar
Equipped with the new MURAD AESA radar, the Akıncı can track both aerial and ground targets, paving the way for a future in an air-to-air role with the integration of…
Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2T-AI Variant Takes Maiden Flight
The TB2T-AI has three new “AI computers,” a new turboprop engine and winglet. Recently, the TB2 also flew with the Antidot Electronic Warfare pods. Turkey’s Baykar Tech, maker of the…
Italy Has Already Ordered 17 AW249 Helicopters as Testing Progresses
According to Italian government’s documents, a prototype and three pre-production AW249s are currently being tested, while the initial order has been now increased to 17 helicopters. The Italian Army has increased…
Royal Air Force Protector RG1 Completes Further Flight Testing
Following the type’s first UK flight in November 2023, unmanned Protector RG1s, the UK designation for MQ-9B, are now conducting regular flights from their Lincolnshire base. Over the past week,…
Airbus, Navantia to Explore SIRTAP UAV’s Flight Operations from Spanish Juan Carlos I Carrier
The integration of SIRTAP of the Juan Carlos I will focus on command and control, combat system integration and navigation support, including take-off and landing operations. European defense and aerospace…
Airbus A320 ATRA Performs Maiden Flight After E-Scan AESA Radar Modification
The Advanced Technology Research Aircraft is equipped with the nose of a Eurofighter to test the new E-Scan Mk1 AESA radar, also known as European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk1.…
Jared Isaacman’s Tornado F2’s Assembly Progresses, as Jet Awaits Certification and First Flight
The former Royal Air Force Tornado F2, acquired by the future NASA chief, is the specially equipped TIARA (Tornado Integrated Avionics Research Aircraft), used as a testbed for various avionics…
First Photos of Chinese KJ-3000 AEW Aircraft in Flight Emerge Online
XAC (Xi’an Aircraft Corporation) has not fallen behind CAC and SAC exposing new aircraft this year, and has now flown its Y-20B-based KJ-3000 Airborne Early Warning aircraft. Right on the…
Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 Hit By Russian SAM, Azeri Authorities Claim
The investigation on the crash of the Embraer E190 while attempting an emergency landing is still ongoing, however reports of a possible involvement of Russian air defenses are quickly spreading…
Italy Orders New Batch Of Up To 24 Eurofighter Typhoons
Fresh on the heels of Spain’s order for 25 new Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, Italy has now signed a contract for 24 jets to replace earlier Tranche 1 airframes. The long…
Airbus Unveils A320 Flying Testbed with New Nose for ECRS Mk.1 Radar Testing
The nose section was specifically designed and manufactured by a team of Airbus Defence and Space engineers to install the ECRS Mk.1 AESA radar on the A320 D-ATRA flying testbed.…
PLAN’s Naval Aviation University Performs J-15 Flight Training on Simulated Carrier Deck
Recently released images show J-15s of one of the brigades attached to the Naval Aviation University practicing launch and recovery operations at an unspecified coastal base where a flight deck…
2024 Fundamental for GCAP, Working to Make 2035 Goal a Reality, Says Leonardo
The three nations made important steps forward this year, establishing equal work sharing, locations and coordination of the different areas of GCAP, with the objective of cutting in half timeline…
Eurofighter Typhoon Flies with E-Scan Radar for the First Time
A Spanish Eurofighter conducted the first test flight with the E-Scan radar system which will replace the older mechanically scanned Captor-M in the Spanish and German fleets. The Spanish Air…
VMUT-2 Performs First MQ-9A Reaper Flight at MCAS Cherry Point
Marines on the East Coast will soon have their own MQ-9A Reaper training unit, which will train pilots and sensor operators from spring 2025. An MQ-9A Reaper from the VMUT-2…
Sierra Nevada Corporation’s RAPCON-X Performs Successful Inaugural Flight
The maiden flight of RAPCON-X marks a significant step forward for the U.S. Army’s ATHENA program, showcasing the future of adaptive ISR capabilities to address evolving global threats. Sierra Nevada…
All the Highlights of the 2024 China Airshow
The J-35A, Su-57 and many Flanker variants were all on the menu for this year’s China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai. The 2024 China International Aviation & Aerospace…
Take A Look At These New Photographs Of The B-21 Raider During A Test Flight
Sightings of the secretive B-21 Raider flying at high altitude continue. And we can't get enough of the incredible photos captured during test flights. In the last few weeks we…
Photographer Takes Breathtaking Images Of B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber During Test Flight
Sightings of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber are becoming more frequent on the U.S. West Coast, as testing of the 6th generation bomber continues. On Oct. 31, 2024, aviation photographer…
An In-Depth Look at the NGAD Review Expected to Conclude by the End of 2024
The U.S. Air Force's Next-Generation Air Dominance program is currently under a comprehensive review to reassess the requirements of the 6th generation manned fighter in face of rising costs and…
F-16 from 85th Squadron Completes First Flight with Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite
Set to replace the legacy Viper's EW systems, the new IVEWS flew for the first time in an F-16 last month. Last month, an F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 85th…
First Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 Performs Maiden Flight
Bulgaria will be the second European country to receive the newly built F-16 Block 70, with 16 fighters to be delivered as replacement for the MiG-29 fleet. Lockheed Martin announced…
Germany’s PEGASUS SIGINT Aircraft Performs Maiden Flight
The PEGASUS aircraft, based on the Bombardier Global 6000, is the first of three that will be later integrated with the Hensoldt Kalætron Integral SIGINT sensor suite for the German…
Royal Navy Wildcat Pilot Awarded After Landing Helicopter Safely With Major Engine Fault During MEDEVAC Flight
Pilot Lt Dan Burnett has received a commendation from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for his actions in safely recovering a Wildcat AH1 helicopter to its ship after it developed a…
Production Prototype of Turkey’s Kizilelma UCAV Makes Maiden Flight With New Engine and Sensors
The third prototype of Kizilelma is also the production prototype, which shows a number of changes, including an afterburning engine, structural differences and aerodynamic improvements for higher performance. The production…
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon Flies with Leonardo’s ECRS Mk.2 Radar For The First Time
The first flight of the new ECRS Mk.2 AESA radar on the Typhoon marks a milestone in the ongoing development of the aircraft to keep it relevant in the next…
Aurora Flight Sciences Shows Liberty Lifter Concept Of Operations
The video shows how Liberty Lifter can combine heavy-lift transport at the scale of a ship with the speed of an aircraft for fast logistics missions in a sea environment.…
Royal Air Force E-7 Wedgetail Completes First Post-Conversion Test Flight
The first of three Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft ordered by the Royal Air Force completed its first test flight on Sept. 20, 2024 following conversion at Birmingham…
Leonardo AW249 Next-Gen Attack Helicopter Takes Part In “Stella Alpina 2024” Operational Exercise
Exercise “Stella Alpina 2024” saw specialized components of the Italian Army training with new systems and technologies, including a pre-production model of the new AW249 attack helicopter and electronic warfare…
Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Multimode Sensor for Radar, Electronic Warfare and Communications
Northrop Grumman says EMRIS leverages technologies developed for other programs, combining them with an open architecture and technology from DARPA’s Arrays on Commercial Timescales program. Northrop Grumman has announced the…
B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Returns to Edwards AFB for Major Upgrade on 35th Anniversary of First Flight
The upgrades involve integrating open mission systems architecture, new software, sensors and weapons to enhance the B-2’s survivability and combat capability. Thirty-five years after the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber first…
Mystery Flying Wing Aircraft Model Appears in Satellite Images of China’s Radar Test Facility
The Chinese mystery aircraft might not be an actual flying asset but rather a model used to test the design’s radar characteristics. A mysterious flying-wing aircraft appeared in satellite images…
Israeli Air Force Completes In-Flight Refueling Exercise In Apparent “Show of Force” to Iran
Israel flexes its aviation muscles as tensions with Iran soar, with an exercise simulating “a long-range flight deep in enemy territory” supported by aerial refueling. On Aug. 15, 2024, the…
F-22 Raptor Spotted During Rare Flight With External AIM-120 Missiles
While the feature was not fielded to operational units, the F-22 has also the capability to carry AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles externally. A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor has been…
USAF Airmen Embed with Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail Unit At Pitch Black 2024
U.S. Air Force pilots and air battle managers are getting "hand-on" experience with the E-7A Wedgetail during the latest iteration of Pitch Black. Beginning in 2022, the U.S. Air Force…
All The Highlights Of Royal International Air Tattoo 2024
F-15QA, CF-188, and many F-16s among the notable attendees of RIAT 2024. Taking place on Jul. 19-21, 2024, this year's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) celebrated some historic milestones for…
B-2 Stealth Bomber Demoes QUICKSINK Low Cost Maritime Strike Capability During RIMPAC 2024
The U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit carried out a QUICKSINK demonstration during the second SINKEX (Sinking Exercise) of RIMPAC 2024. This marks the very first time a B-2 Spirit has…
Royal Navy’s 809 Naval Air Squadron Completes First F-35 Flight
After reforming in December 2023, 809 Naval Air Squadron has now flown its first ever independent sortie as the UK’s newest F-35B unit. Joining 617 Squadron of the Royal Air…
B-52’s Upgraded AN/ALQ-172 Self-Protection System Tested During Recent Flight
Advanced EW Upgrades Keep B-52 Stratofortress Combat-Ready. The upgraded B-52’s AN/ALQ-172 electronic warfare (EW) self-protection system was successfully tested recently, L3Harris has announced. The ALQ-172 self-protection integrated RF subsystem is…
Italy Moves Forward With Plan To Buy 24 New Eurofighter Typhoons
The Ministry of Defense requested the government’s approval for the acquisition of the 4th tranche of the European fighter jet, effectively launching the acquisition process. Shortly after the news of…
Air Force Research Laboratory Releases First Video Of XQ-67A’s Maiden Flight
The first flight of the new XQ-67A took place in February 2024 but the first air-to-air footage was just released. Developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) as part of…
B-52 Bombers Tour Scandinavia While Heading Home At The End Of Bomber Task Force 24-3
The first two bombers returned to Minot Air Force Base a month after their arrival in the U.K., integrating with Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish assets on their way back. After…
Leonardo AW249 Next Generation Gunship Helicopter Makes International Debut
The AW249 was presented Eurosatory in Paris, where Leonardo finally shared some more details about the next generation combat helicopter. Leonardo has not disclosed many details about its new AW249…
F-22 Raptor Surpasses 500,000 Flight Hours
The first 5th generation air superiority fighter of the U.S. Air Force has recently reached the important milestone, more than 25 years after its introduction in service. Lockheed Martin has…
Russia’s A-100 AEW&C Prototype Will Test New Powerful AESA Radar
The A-100 project had been delayed as sanctions cut Russia’s access to modern Western electronics and microprocessors. The Russian A-100 "Premier" AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft, currently being…
Ukraine to Get Sweden’s AWACS in First Airborne Radar Donation
The two Saab 340B AEW&C aircraft are part of a $1.3 Billion military aid package announced by Stockholm. In one of the most interesting military aviation donations to Ukraine since…
Northrop Grumman Has Just Dropped A New Inflight Photo Of The B-21 Raider
One day after the U.S. Air Force released the first air-to-air image of the B-21 Raider bomber, Northrop Grumman has made available another one. Here are all the details we…
Poland Buys US-made Radar Aerostats To Monitor Border With Russia
The Aerostat-based sensors will bolster the airspace monitoring assets deployed to the NATO Eastern Flank. Poland signed the LOA executive agreement on May 22, 2024 to procure four reconnaissance and…
Aurora Flight Sciences to Continue Design Liberty Lifter Experimental Heavy Cargo Seaplane
If Aurora’s concept passes the Preliminary Design Review by 2025, it will be expected to float, fly and then demonstrate the Liberty Lifter by late-2027 or early 2028. Following General…
ROKAF’s Last F-4E’s Carry Out Formation Flight Over South Korea
Republic of Korea Air Force Phantom II with special liveries flew in formation with its replacement, KF-21, across the Korean peninsula. On May 9, 2024, the Republic of Korea Air…
Italian Air Force F-35s Flew In Full “Stealth Mode” During Red Flag Alaska 24-1
Italy deployed Typhoons, F-35s, a KC-767, and a G550 CAEW to Alaska for the first time to take part in the two-week exercise with other U.S. assets. Interestingly, the Italian…
B-21 Raider Spotted During Test Flight
A video appears to show the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider bomber during a test flight over California. The B-21 Raider is carrying out test flights out of Edwards Air Force Base,…
F-15EX Delivery To Operational Units Nears With Maiden Flight Of First Jet Destined To 142nd FW
F-15EX-008 is the first planned to be delivered to the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard. The introduction into operational service of the F-15EX Eagle II is…
USAF’s XQ-67A Drone Makes First Flight
AFRL announced that its new XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station successfully accomplished its first flight. USAF’s Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced that on Feb. 28, 2024, its new XQ-67A accomplished…
The First Flight Of The B-21 Revealed Some Interesting Details Of The New Bomber
Here are all the interesting things we have noticed in the images of the B-21's first flight. At 6:51 a.m on Nov. 10, 2023, local time, the B-21 Raider made…
Everything You Need To Know (And See) About The Historic First Flight Of The B-21
We have noticed a lot of interesting details in the photos and videos of the new B-21 Raider bomber during its first flight. At 6:51 a.m on Nov.10, 2023, the…
The U.S. Military Wants To Limit Flight Tracking Of Its Aircraft
The move is supposed to mitigate the operational security threats posed by open-source ADS-B systems. Earlier this year, we reported about the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command making a…
F-117 Stealth Jets (Fitted With Radar Reflectors) In New Photos From Alaska Exercise
The F-117s have operated from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for NE 23-1 earlier this month. But the most interesting thing is the presence of the removable radar reflectors installed on the…
Deep Dive Into The International Flight Training School, ‘World’s Leading 5th Gen. Training System’
We have recently talked to the Chiefs of Staff of the ITAF, RAF, JASDF and RCAF and here's why the Italian training system, based on the M-346 and already chosen…
First F-16 Block 70 Jet Makes Maiden Flight
The new F-16 Block 70 is the world’s newest and most advanced production F-16. On Jan. 24, 2023, at 09.17AM ET, the first F-16 Block 70 jet carried out its…
The F-35 Lightning II Will Get A New Radar
The new APG-85 radar will replace the older APG-81 on the upcoming Block 4 fighters. Last year, the U.S. Air Force’s unfunded wish list for Fiscal Year 2023 mentioned the…
U.S. And Dutch F-35s Have Flown Without Radar Reflectors During First Week Of ‘Falcon Strike 2022’
Some of 5th gen. aircraft have operated in “full stealth mode” to train in the most realistic scenarios. As we already reported, F-35s from Italy, United States and the Netherlands…
Dissecting The Italian Defense Planning Document For 2022-2024
The Italian MoD is continuing the modernization of the military, with investments in many areas that will also sustain the national industry. The Italian government published, during the summer, the…
The New AW249 Attack Helicopter Flies For The First Time
The helicopter will replace the AH-129D Mangusta in service with the Italian Army. The first prototype of the Leonardo AW249 next-generation attack helicopter flew for the first time on August…
Ukrainian MiG-29s Are Hunting Russian Radars With AGM-88 HARM Missiles
US officials confirmed that the AGM-88 has been integrated on the Fulcrum to enhance its SEAD capabilities. The United States announced another security assistance package to support Ukraine, worth $775…
South Korea’s Domestically Developed KF-21 Boramae Makes First Flight
The KF-21 Boramae has just made its maiden flight. The first prototype of the KF-21 Boramae (Korean for “Hawk”), the next-generation fighter developed by KAI (Korea Aerospace Industries), carried out its…
Super Hornet Blown Off Flight Deck Of USS Truman In Mediterranean Sea
A U.S. Navy Super Hornet blew off deck due to very bad weather. A Super Hornet belonging to Carrier Air Wing 1 aboard USS Truman sailing in the Mediterranean Sea,…
South Korea’s KF-21 Begins Ground Tests Ahead Of Imminent First Flight
The aircraft was spotted taxiing to the runway at Sacheon airport, home of Korea Aerospace Industries’ facilities. The first prototype of the KF-21 Boramae (Korean for “Hawk”), the next-generation fighter…
Northrop Grumman Says It’s Confident On B-21’s Rollout Later This Year And First Flight in 2023
B-21 will not fly until next year. But we should be able to see it as it rolls out later in 2022. Here are the latest updates. An article published…
Romanian Air Force Supends Flight Activites With The MiG-21 LanceR
Given their "considerably high accident rate", all the Romanian MiG-21 LanceR aircraft have been grounded. The Romanian Air Force has suspended all the flight activities of the remaining MiG-21 LanceR…
Romanian F-16s Intercept Turkish Airlines Flight From Moscow To Istanbul After Bomb Threat
The Romanian Air Force F-16s in QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) were scrambled to intercept a Turkish A330 today. Turkish Airlines and Air Serbia, the only airlines to allow passengers to…
M-346 Crashes During Test Flight In Northern Italy. One Of The Two Crew Members Killed In The Incident
An M-346 destined to an export customer crashed in the mountains near Como. The crew ejected: one found dead, the other rescued and hospitalized. An M-346 aircraft crashed at approximately…
U.S. F-35s Have Flown Patrols Over Eastern Europe Without Radar Reflectors
Photos released by the U.S. Air Force prove F-35s have flown in "full stealth mode" over Poland. On Feb. 27, 2022, we reported that at least one F-35 Lightning II…
Everything You Need To Know About The Recent B-52’s 24-HR Mission Across The Med And Red Sea Regions
The BUFF took off from RAF Fairford, where it is deployed as part of Bomber Task Force Europe, and integrated with Typhoons, F-15s and F/A-18s during a long-range presence patrol.…
Take A Look At These Cool Photos Of The Delivery Flight Of The Kuwait Air Force’s First Eurofighter Typhoons
The first Eurofighter Typhoons destined to the Kuwait Air Force have been delivered. These stunning images show them during their delivery flight. On Dec. 14, 2021, the first two out…
First German C-130J Hercules Performs Maiden Flight
The aircraft is the first of six C-130Js that will be operated together with four French ones in a joint binational squadron. The Bundeswehr announced on November 8, 2021, the…
Upcoming Russian Movie Recalls The Story Of The RuAF Su-24 Shot Down In Syria And The Death Of Its Pilot
The Russian movie "Sky" is based on the shootdown of the Russian Air Force Su-24 over Syria in 2015 and the pilot killed after successfully ejecting from the Fencer with…
China’s New Carrier-Based Stealth Fighter Makes First Flight
China has flown the carrier variant of its FC-31 stealth fighter, possibly dubbed J-35 (and bearing some resemblance to the F-35C). On Oct. 27, 2021, we reported about the first…
Kuwait’s First Two Eurofighter Typhoons Break Cover, Perform First Flight
Kuwaiti Air Force Typhoons are going to be the most advanced in service among the eight Eurofighter operators. On Oct. 15, 2021, the first two Eurofighter Typhoon jets destined to…
Leonardo Celebrates 50th Anniversary Since First Flight Of Iconic Lynx Helicopter
The Lynx helicopter was the backbone of the British Army and the Royal Navy before it was replaced by the AW159 Wildcat. On Mar. 21, 1971, the yellow prototype of…
F-35A Carried Out First In-Flight Drop Of JSM (Joint Strike Missile) Anti-Ship And Land-Attack Missile
The Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency has just released the first photos from a successful test conducted in February of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM). The first drop test of a…
Here Are All The Details We Noticed In The Photos Of The New F-15EX During Its First Flight
Some interesting details can be found in the first photos of the F-15EX, which are useful also for a comparison with the F-15C that will be replaced by the new…
First Greek F-16V Performs Maiden Flight After Block 72 Upgrade
The F-16V will continue flight testing before being ferried to the U.S. for final upgrades and certification. The first F-16V of the Hellenic Air Force flew for the first time…
First AW169 In New Advanced Light Utility Helicopter Configuration Begins Flight Testing
The AW169 LUH helicopter, based on the AW169M light intermediate twin-engine helicopter, features a new skid landing gear which replaces the standard retractable gear. The first Leonardo AW169 LUH (Light…
Let’s Talk About The Su-57 And The Radar Blockers Allegedly Sighted For The First Time Inside The Felon’s Air Intake
The Su-57 Felon's radar blockers were allegedly exposed by a video part of a longer feature aired by Russian television for the centenary of the Chkalov State Flight Test Center.…
5th Generation Aerial Target Drone to Make its Maiden Flight Later This Month
5GAT ready for first flight. According to the U.S. Department of Defense the 5th generation aerial target drone is to make its maiden flight later this month. The first flight…
The APG-83 AESA Radar Reached The Full Operational Capability With The U.S. Air Force Air National Guard
The new radars were also employed recently in a cruise missile defense exercise. Northrop Grumman announced that its AN/APG-83 SABR (Scalable Agile Beam Radar) Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar…
Royal Air Force To Get New AESA Radars for the Eurofighter Typhoon
The new radar, called European Common Radar System Mark 2, will enter service in the mid-2020s. The Royal Air Force signed a £ 317 million (about USD 421 million) contract…
Second Successful Flight of X-61A Gremlin Air Vehicle (GAV) For DARPA’s Swarming Program
The DARPA Gremlins initiative aims to demonstrate aerial launch and recovery of "swarms" of low-cost reusable unmanned aerial systems (UASs). Dynetics, Inc., has successfully test-flown a second X-61A Gremlins Air…
Virgin Orbit Performs First Test Launch of LauncherOne Rocket. But Debut Flight Fails.
The test failed prematurely because of an unknown rocket anomaly. A little less than one year after the first drop test, Virgin Orbit conducted a launch demonstration of the LauncherOne…
The F-15 Eagle’s Most Advanced Production Version Performs Its First Flight
The F-15QA is the first of 36 aircraft developed specifically for Qatar. Boeing announced that the F-15QA, the most advanced version of the F-15 Eagle, performed successfully its first flight…
Multiple Aerial Refuelings From KC-130J Tankers Keep HH-101A “Caesar” Helicopters In Flight For +6 Hours
Record flight for the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) that showcases a new capability. KC-130J tankers from the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigade), based at Pisa airport, and HH-101A helicopters…
Let’s Talk About The Israeli F-35I Adir That Appeared (Again) on Flight Tracking Websites
F-35s can be tracked online almost daily. However, the fact that the IDF allowed journalists to post the screenshots of its stealth jet tracking on FR24.com is worth a comment.…
Online Flight Tracking Provides A Look At The US Build Up In Middle East Following the Attack on US Embassy In Iraq
Here’s everything we know about the deployment that followed the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad which involved at least 30 aircraft (that could be tracked online via ADS-B).…
Let’s Talk About The Story Of A German Radar Vendor That Claims To Have Tracked Two F-35s With Passive Radar
A German radar vendor tracked the F-35 jets in 2018 from a pony farm. But it turns out the aircraft were flying with radar reflectors and ADS-B transponder (that could…
U.S. Air Force’s F-35A Jets With Radar Reflectors And External AIM-9X Missiles Carry Out First Airstrikes In Iraq
Photos of the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft involved in an airstrike at Wadi Ashai, Iraq, show a really interesting configuration. Two U.S. Air Force F-35 belonging to…
U.S. B-52 Bombers Belonging To Task Force Deployed To UK Perform “Theater Familiarization Flights” Across Europe
Stratofortress bombers are part of a Task Force of 6 "Buffs": the largest American bomber deployment to RAF Fairford since the Iraq war in 2003. On Mar. 18, 2019, a…
F-35 Stealth Aircraft Goes “Live” On Flight Tracking Websites As It Flies Mission Over Israel
An F-35, most probably one of the Adir jets recently delivered to the Israeli Air Force, appears on Flightradar24.com: deliberate action or just a case of bad OPSEC? On Jul.…
VUP-19 DET PM MQ-4C “Triton” Drone Performs First Flight From NBVC Point Mugu
U.S. Navy's MQ-4C "Triton" belonging to the Unmanned Patrol Squadron One Nine (VUP-19) DET Point Mugu conducted first flight from Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu. On Jun. 27,…
Russia’s New Tu-214ON Open Skies Surveillance Aircraft Tracked Online During Flights Over Taganrog Region
The new Tu-214ON has carried out a series of test flights in southwest Russia, close to the border with Ukraine. Tupolev is continuing the testing of the new Tu-214ON (Otkrytoye…
Video Shows Ukrainian Air Force Su-24MR Fencer Buzzing The Flight Line At An Airbase in Ukraine
Here's yet another ultra-low pass of a Ukrainian combat aircraft. The following footage was reportedly filmed in 2014. It shows a Su-24MR Fencer-E performing a low pass over the flight…
Take A Look At This Unusual Drone Video Of Two Russian Su-57 Fighters In Flight
Two Su-57s flying in formation as seen from a drone. An interesting video was shared online by the Russian "Zvezda " TV channel. It shows, two Su-57 fighter aircraft flying…
Image Of Israeli F-35 Flying Off Beirut (With Radar Reflectors) As Well As More Details About The Adir’s First Strikes Emerge
A photograph of an Israeli Air Force F-35 flying (more or less..) "over" Beirut has been made public. Interestingly, the image seems to prove the stealthy aircraft was flying with…
Saab GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning & Control Aircraft Completes First Flight
Saab's new AEW&C aircraft has successfully completed its maiden flight. On Mar. 14, Saab GlobalEye, a modified Bombardier Global 6000 jet turned into surveillance platform, took off on its first…
Interesting Photos Show U.S. Air Force F-35A Stealth Jets Deployed To Japan About To Launch Without Radar Reflectors
Some recent photos of the Hill AFB F-35s deployed to Kadena Okinawa, seem to suggest the 5th Generation fighters have started operating in "stealth mode". Stealth aircraft, such as the…
America’s Secret Airline To Area 51 Is Now Hiring Flight Attendants
JANET airlines, flying non-stop to Area 51, Tonopah Test Range and other "sensitive locations" is hiring. Janet (that unofficially stands for “Just Another Non Existent Terminal”), is the name of…
With Three Flights To Batajnica, A Volga-Dnepr An-124 Cargo Has Delivered Six “New” MiG-29 Fulcrum Jets To Serbia
These are the first new (used and for the moment disassembled) combat aircraft for Serbia since 1987. Three pairs of partially disassembled MiG-29 Fulcrum jets destined to Serbia have been…
Russian Il-76 “Candid” Modified To Support Special Operations Conducts Flight Test Over The Black Sea
A special version of the Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) airlifter, developed for special forces support was tracked online during flight test recently. A really interesting aircraft was spotted conducting flight testing over…
New Search For Avro Arrow Flight Models Lost 60 Years Ago in Lake Ontario Has Begun
Scale Model Flight Test Prototypes Sunk in Lake May Provide Clues to Mystery. The Canadian-built CF-105 Avro Arrow is many things in aviation history, but more than anything else, it…
Russian Su-24 Fencer Combat Aircraft (Closely Watched By Swedish JAS 39 Gripen Jets) Buzz Dutch Navy Frigate In The Baltic
Russian Fencers have started buzzing NATO warships in the Baltic Sea again. On May 17, two Russian Su-24M Fencer attack jets flew quite close to the Royal Netherlands Navy Frigate…
Watch a US guided missile destroyer launch Tomahawk cruise missiles against Houthi rebels radar sites in Yemen
The guided missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) launched a TLAM strike against three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast. On Oct. 13, at around…
Before Topgun Days: a book reveals how F-14 Tomcat Radar Intercept Officers were trained
Behind the scenes of the making of an F-14 Tomcat RIO. Although the Grumman F-14 Tomcat had evolved into a multi-mission strike fighter when it was eventually retired from U.S.…
Japan’s X-2 “Shinshin” indigenous stealth jet makes first flight
The first Japanese stealth jet made its maiden flight. The first prototype of the indigenous stealth war plane that Japan Air Self-Defense Force will operate in the air defense role,…
There were seven French tankers in flight last night. Exercise or real operation?
Many French C-135s flying at the same time recently. One of our readers has spotted something quite unusual: as many as 7 French Air Force tankers were flying in southwestern…
How An F-15E Strike Eagle Shot Down An Iraqi Mi-24 Gunship With A GBU-10 Bomb During Operation Desert Storm
The impressive story of the only air-to-air victory achieved by the F-15E Strike Eagle. Developed to replace the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E is a…
Online flight tracking exposes FBI Aerial Surveillance over San Bernardino Mosque after Terrorist Attack
FBI aircraft have been particularly active over San Bernardino, California, during and after the mass shooting. As already highlighted on Twitter, several assets, including FBI planes and media helicopters, could…
“Turkish Air Force F-16s ambushed the Su-24 Fencer”: here’s Russia’s version of the controversial shootdown
Here's the Russian version of the Su-24 shootdown. On Nov. 24, a Su-24M Fencer bomber was shot down by a TuAF F-16 near the Turkey-Syria border. The Turkish Air Force…
Here’s the alleged Audio of the Turkish Air Force warning the Russian Su-24 before downing it
Hear a Turkish Air Force radar station warning an unknown aircraft about to enter the Turkish airspace. On Nov. 24, a Russian Air Force Su-24M belonging to the contingent deployed…
Updated: Turkey has just shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 near the border with Syria
Images coming from Syria show a Su-24 Fencer in flames. And it's Russian. On Nov. 24, 2015, the Turkish Air Force shot down what appears to be a Sukhoi Su-24…
All the theories about the crash of Metrojet Flight 7K9268 into the Sinai Peninsula
What we know and what we don't know about the crash of Metrojet A321 in Egypt. On Oct. 31, at around 04.13 UTC, Metrojet flight 7K9268, an A321 flying from…
Russian Su-30SM, Su-24 violate Turkish airspace. Flanker locks on TuAF F-16 for +5 minutes
It looks like a Sukhoi Su-30SM deployed to Syria has had a close encounter with Turkish Air Force F-16s past the Syria-Turkey border. Russian planes deployed to Syria violated the…
Latest imagery shows 28 Russian aircraft (12 Su-24s, 12 Su-25s and 4 Su-30s) on the ground at airbase in Syria
Imagery taken on Sept. 21 shows 28 aircraft on the ground at Latakia airbase. A satellite image has finally unveiled the whole Russian Air Force contingent made of 28 combat…
Online flight tracking provides interesting details about Russian air bridge to Syria
Once again, Flightradar24.com provides an insight into military operations. This time, the Russian air bridge to Syria. Some days ago we explained how everyone (including low-tech terrorists "armed" with a…
Mystery surrounds video showing Alitalia flight escorted by two German Eurofighters
A quite unusual sight for the passengers of an Alitalia Airbus 320 from Amsterdam escorted by two German Eurofighters for about 20 minutes. A video of two German Eurofighter Typhoon…
Video of China’s Stealthy J-31 aircraft’s (quite smoky) flight display practice at Zhuhai airshow
The Shenyang J-31 "Falcon Eagle" to debut at Zhuhai airshow, China's biggest commercial and defense air show, near Hong Kong. The first prototype of Shenyang J-31 Falcon Eagle, China’s second…
War in the Web 2.0 era: how Air Forces deal (or don’t) with Internet-based flight tracking tools
During Libya air war, you could track Canadian tankers circling over the Mediterranean Sea while they refueled allied planes heading to bomb Gaddafi. Three years later, nothing has changed. Flightradar24…
[Photo] Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo visits NAF El Centro, California
An An-124 recently visited at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro to load British Chinooks for their return to the UK. On Aug. 14, an Antonov 124 of the “Antonov…
With U.S. airstrikes in progress airspace over Iraq has been closed to civilian flights
One of the busiest commercial routes went over Iraq. Until it was closed because of the U.S. air strikes against ISIS positions. Even if the situation in Iraq was already…
US, European airlines cancel all flights to Israel after rocket lands near Tel Aviv airport
Tel Aviv airport is almost isolated following the decision of several U.S. and European airlines to cancel all flights to Israel amid concern for the continuing rocket attacks. Malaysia Airlines…
Russian Radars back to Cuba
Putin is about to reactivate a Russian radar reconnaissance center in Cuba. The radar station is to use the existing infrastructure located just 100 miles off the coast of Florida…
NASA shows off Hi-Tech aircraft involved in Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions flight experiment
NASA displayed an impressive array of hi-tech aircraft used in its Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions (ACCESS II) flight experiment during a media day for reporters from…
The crazy story of the Nigerian Air Force C-130H Hercules’s flight to Cambridge in 2011
The Nigerian C-130H-30 that had arrived at Cambridge in August 2011, was eventually air tested. Here is its weird story. On Apr. 16, Nigerian Air Force C-130H-30, registration NAF918, conducted…
First AgustaWestland HH-101A “Caesar” for the Italian Air Force makes first flight
The first AW101 for the Italian Air Force, designated the HH-101A “CAESAR”, made its maiden flight at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility in the UK The new helicopter, in an interesting black…
Can you believe neither Malaysian nor Thai radars saw the Malaysia Airlines MH370 crashing?
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 might have flown for some time (from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the reports and sources) before disappearing. Provided this is true, why did nobody…
Third Prototype of China’s Stealth Jet Makes Maiden Flight and Shows Improvements
Chengdu J-20 Stealth Fighter Jet "2011" has eventually made its maiden flight. A composite image shows how different third prototype is from the the first one. The third prototype of…
Cessna’s Scorpion low cost tactical jet makes first flight
Textron has announced that Cessna Aircraft Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft has conducted its maiden flight on Dec 12. The aircraft took off from McConnell Air Force Base in…
Russia deploys radar able to track military jets across whole of eastern Europe
A radar that is able to track targets at ranges of over 3,000 km has been activated within the Russian air defense system on Dec. 2, 2013. The Kolkino radar…
Video shows U.S. Navy’s new gigantic drone on its first flight
On May 22, 2013, the Triton high-altitude unmanned aircraft successfully completed its first flight from Northrop Grumman's Palmdale manufacturing plant, California. The unmanned aerial vehicle took off at 07:10AM and…
Take a seat next to the B-52 heavy bomber’s Radar Navigator
The following video brings you on board a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress during a mission from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. http://youtu.be/J9YcoYfqNh4 Anything related to the most iconic U.S.…
[Updated] Airbus A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport loses refueling boom in flight. Again.
According to Flight Global an Airbus A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT) which is destined for the UAE has lost its refueling boom whilst in flight at around 7.20pm local time on…
[Animation] The Queen's Diamond Jubilee flypast over London as seen from a radar-like computer display
Click on the image to start animation The following animation showing the Queen's Diamond Jubilee flypast over Buckingham palace was recorded on PlanePlotter by John Locker. In this animation we…
Russian Tu-214R intelligence gathering plane exposed! First photo of the new spyplane during test flight lands on the Web.
Evgeny Volkov is the name of the photographer who took the first picture of a flying Russian Tu-214R known to date. The image Evgeny has uploaded to the Russianplanes.net portal,…
China's Light Attack Helicopter Z-19: a silent (rather than radar evading) chopper
The new Z-19 does not have a cool name, but it does have some very interesting features. The use of the word 'Stealth' is probably a little too strong a…
Airspace violations – Episode 8 – Iran Air Flight 655 shot down by USS Vincennes
Previous episodes: Archive The following episode took place about 24 years ago. However, it occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, saw the direct involvement of U.S. warships operating in the…
Would modern transponders have made the hijacked planes visible to radars on 9-11?
As everybody know by now, on Sept. 11 2001, the first thing terrorists did as soon as they reached the cockpit of the four hijacked planes was turning the transponder…
Operation Unified Protector (was Odyssey Dawn) explained (Day 24)
Previous debriefings: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14…
A400M test flight
An interesting flight could be monitored on Feb. 28, 2011, thanks to Flightradar24: a test flight of the Airbus A-400M F-WWMT (which uses the Mode S and it is "seen"…
Airspace violations – Episode 7 – Korean Air Lines Flight 007
Tragedy on the way home. On Sept. 1, 1983, a civilian B-747 flying with registration HL7442 as Korean Air Lines Flight 007 (KAL 007, KE 007) was shot down by…
Flight checks at Pratica di Mare
On Sept. 30, Giovanni Maduli went to Pratica di Mare to spot some of the aircraft operating on the largest Italian airbase. He then sent me the following pictures. Interestingly…
Radio Comms, Tracks And All The Details About The Interception Of The ‘Ghost Jet’ Last Week
The "Ghost Private Plane" flew across Europe escorted by fighter jets who unsuccessfully tried to establish a radio contact, before tragically crashing in the Baltic Sea. A clip provides all…
The Space Shuttle Enterprise flying over New York City
On Apr. 27, Space Shuttle Enteprise, atop a NASA B747 SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) N905NA, from Washington Dulles airport, using radio callsign “Bovic 15 Heavy”, flew over New York City…
Shield AI Choses F110-GE-129 Turbofan Engine for X-BAT VTOL Unmanned Fighter
The F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofan will be equipped with the Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle to provide thrust vectoring during VTOL operations and flight. Shield AI announced on Nov. 5, 2025 it…
B-21 Raider Plan Could See Second Pilot Replaced with WSO
Aviation Week reported on a memo by the head of AFGSC that recommends a shift from current plans for two pilots on the B-21 Raider to a pilot and weapon…
GA-ASI Expands CCA Testing with Second YFQ-42A
GA-ASI has flown a second YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, following the type’s first flight in August. Two months after the type’s first flight on Aug. 27, 2025, General Atomics Aeronautical…
Indonesian Air Force Receives its First Airbus A400M
Indonesia has ordered two A400Ms, which will potentially receive a fire-fighting kit, and the government is planning to soon begin negotiations to buy four more aircraft. The Indonesian Air Force…
JP-7: A Look at the Special Fuel of the SR-71
Flying at altitudes and speeds unheard of for contemporary jet aircraft, the Blackbird family required a fuel with unique properties to perform in the extremes the aircraft would be subject…
B-29 Strategic Operations against Japan Part 2: Island Operations
Originally struggling to achieve success in the China Burma India Theater, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress made its mark once tactics were changed and incendiaries were used. Originally operating out of…
UK Police Deploying Drones over London Streets
The UK’s Metropolitan Police Service is deploying UAS to London in a new trial hoping to provide police officers with a new intelligence gathering capability. The United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police…
New Chinese Advanced Jet Trainer Flies for the First Time
China’s next-generation trainer, built by HAIG, finally emerged and performed its maiden flight. After much anticipation, China’s next-generation trainer and light combat aircraft conducted its maiden flight on Oct. 28,…
Airbus Signs MoU with Portuguese Industries Ahead of Eurofighter Proposal
As Portugal reconsiders the plans to procure the F-35, Airbus is now preparing to offer the Eurofighter Typhoon as replacement for the aging F-16 fleet. Airbus Defence and Space announced…
UAC Rolls Out Second Prototype of Upgraded Yak-130M
The Yak-130M sports a host of upgrades, including an advanced AESA radar, avionics, radio communications and targeting suites. One year after Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) presented the upgraded Yak-130M…
China’s Mysterious Aircraft at Gaobeidian Possibly Linked to ‘High-Supersonic’ Crew Escape Paper
A Chinese research paper on an ejectable cockpit for high-supersonic flight has drawn attention after a mysterious blended-wing test object appeared at the Gaobeidian radar range. Experts have linked a…
Russia Claims Burevestnik Nuclear-Powered Missile Flew 14,000 Km in 15 Hours
The existence of the 9M730 Burevestnik was first made official in early 2018 as a part of six new strategic weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles and a nuclear-capable torpedo.…
Ford Carrier Strike Group Ordered to Deploy to the Caribbean
The USS Ford, currently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea, has been ordered to sail to the U.S. Southern Command’s Area of Responsibility as tensions keep rising. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean…
Sweden Receives First Gripen E
The first Gripen E has been delivered to the Skaraborg Wing (F 7), the Swedish Air Force’s Operational Conversion Unit for the type. The first Gripen E of the Swedish…
RAF Protector RG1s Have Begun First Known Overseas Deployment
Activity visible on flight tracking websites reveals that the Royal Air Force's MQ-9B Protector RG1 has been deployed to RAF Akrotiri as the type ramps up operations to replace the…
U.S. Air Force Releases Photos Of F-35Bs Escorting B-52s Off Venezuela
U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs armed with live AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, escorted the B-52s during a bomber attack demonstration mission earlier this week. U.S. Air Forces Southern has just released a…
L3Harris, IAI to Develop Israel-Specific Version of ‘Sky Warden’ Light Attack Aircraft
The Sky Warden’s Israeli variant will integrate IAI’s mission systems, hardware and software. Israel will acquire a customized variant of L3Harris’ Sky Warden light attack aircraft, which will be locally…
Kizilelma Conducts First Live Fire Trials
Kizilelma’s live-fire tests come within days of the carriage trials with the TOLUN and TEBER-82 munitions. Baykar’s Kizilelma UCAV recorded another milestone when it dropped two inert munitions, the TOLUN…
No Smoke Trails, Just Silence: Exclusive EA-37B Pilot Interview
While the aerobatic acts thrilled the crowd at the recent Joint Base Andrews Air Show, an EA-37B Compass Call on static display, quietly revealed the power of modern electronic warfare.…
Germany Approves Eurofighter Tranche 5 Deal
Germany has approved the procurement of 20 Eurofighters of the Tranche 5 for €3.75 billion, as well as well as the Eurofighter EK variant’s development. A year after the announcement…
Kizilelma UCAV Flies with TEBER-82 and TOLUN Munitions in Carriage Trials
The Kizilelma is slated to fly alongside the KAAN as its primary Collaborative Combat Aircraft, along with the ANKA-III. Turkey’s Kizilelma UCAV, developed by drone and aerospace major Baykar, attained…
Royal Navy Re-Armed: Sea Venom Anti-Ship Missile Achieves IOC and Naval Strike Missile is Test Fired
The Royal Navy is becoming more lethal as September brings new developments in the deployment of two of its vital anti-ship missiles. The Sea Venom light anti-ship missile, carried by…
USMC F-35Bs Shown Armed with Live Weapons in Puerto Rico
Weeks after they arrived in Puerto Rico, the F-35s were shown flying with live AIM-120Ds, AIM-9Xs and GBU-54s. The U.S. is now showing in official images the U.S. Marine Corps’…
Royal Air Force Retires MQ-9A Reaper
The Royal Air Force has confirmed that its MQ-9A Reaper fleet has been withdrawn after 18 years in service, as the MQ-9B Protector RG1 readies for operational deployment. Based entirely…
U.S. Air Force Establishes Permanent MQ-9 Reaper Unit in South Korea
The 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron was activated for the first time since WW2 at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, to operate MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles. 82 years after it…
KAI Reveals Design for RoKAF’s Electronic Warfare Aircraft Program
South Korea aims to develop homegrown airborne EW and stand-off jamming technology as part of the Block-I Electronic Warfare System Development Project. In response to South Korea’s Block-I Electronic Warfare…
Greece Receives 42nd F-16V Viper, Completing 50% of Upgrade Program
The F-16V Viper significantly improves the Hellenic Air Force’s ability to operate jointly with its Rafales, its future F-35s and other NATO platforms. Lockheed Martin announced on Sep. 23, 2025,…
U.S. Navy E-2D Refuels from French Rafale, A400M and A330 MRTT
The completion of aerial refueling testing with French tankers is another step towards the introduction of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in the French Navy. The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command…
Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison Retires After 62 Years in Service
Today the IAF phased out the MiG-21 Bison after a 62-year-long career, spanning two thirds of the air force's total lifespan. The MiG-21 is often thought of as synonymous with…
This Might Be Our Best Look Yet at the Chinese J-XDS Stealth Jet
For the first time, the J-XDS was photographed at close distance on the ground, revealing new details. Two new photos, captured off the camera’s screen, show for the first time…
L3Harris Unveils Podded Variant of Viper Shield Electronic Warfare System
The Viper Shield pod shares commonality with the internally mounted variant and would offer the same level of protection from evolving threats. U.S. company L3Harris revealed on Sep. 25, 2025…
Raytheon Tests Ground-Launched Variant of GBU-53 StormBreaker
The new variant was designed, developed and tested in 50 days, with the test in the Mojave Desert using a COTS rocket motor. Raytheon has announced the testing of a…
Pratt & Whitney to Accelerate Development of XA103 NGAP Engine
Engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney will use new digital design technology to accelerate its work on the XA103, its submission for the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP)…
L3Harris Displays Phoenix AEW&C Concept at TADTE 2025 in Taiwan
The CAEW-type aircraft might be pitched to Taiwan to replace its five E-2K Hawkeyes, after it could not acquire the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. L3Harris appears to be pitching its AEW&C…
Interesting Aircraft Details You Might Have Missed
Let's take a look at some of the most interesting details you might not have noticed on your favorite aircraft. Across the variety of aircraft types operating worldwide past and…
Our Best Look Yet at the B-21 Raider’s Engine Exhaust
A new photo of the second B-21’s first flight offers a new look at the engine exhaust, which appears very similar to the B-2’s one. Last week, the second B-21…
Russian MiG-31s Enter Estonian Airspace, Italian F-35s Scramble to Intercept
Three Russian MiG-31 Foxhound fighters violated Estonian airspace, prompting the scramble of two Italian F-35s to intercept them. Three MiG-31 Foxhound fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces entered Estonian airspace…
MBDA Unveils SPEAR Glide Weapon at DSEI
MBDA has revealed a new variant of the SPEAR weapon system that provides a low-cost addition to the Royal Air Force’s arsenal. First shown off last week at DSEI, the…
RAF Typhoons to Police Poland’s Skies amid Russian Drone Incursions
The British government announced its intention to join NATO’s Operation Eastern Sentry following continued incursions of Russian drones in NATO airspace. Royal Air Force Typhoons will deploy as a part…
Greece Considers More F-35s Over F-16 Block 50 Upgrade – Reports
Talks with Lockheed Martin to upgrade Greece’s 38 F-16C/D Block 50s remain stalled, while new jets won’t arrive before 2031 and will need upkeep soon after. Reports from Greece have…
Glider Squawk Code Recommended After KC-135 Stratotanker Near Miss
Calls for a specific squawk code to be designated for gliders have emerged after a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker came within 15 metres of colliding with a glider over Eastern England.…
F-35Bs Touch Down in Puerto Rico as U.S. Increases Presence in the Caribbean
The first of ten F-35s arrived in Puerto Rico, notably showing their unit insignias removed. A flight of F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters has arrived in Puerto Rico, joining a…
Su-22 Fitter Bows Out of Polish Service
This week, over 40 years after entering service, the swing-wing Su-22 Fitter fighter bomber was withdrawn from the Polish Air Force in a farewell ceremony held at Mirosławiec. The Su-22's…
DSEI 2025 News Roundup: GCAP Updates, Royal Navy UAVs, Deep Strike Missiles, and More
As this year's Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition prepares for its final day at ExCel London, let's cast our eyes over some of the stories that have emerged…
USAF B-2 Spirit Teams Up with Norwegian F-35s and P-8 for QUICKSINK Strike
The stealth bomber demonstrated a long-range precision maritime strike in the Norwegian Sea using the QUICKSINK weapon. A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber took part in the third…
F-16s and F-35s Shoot Down Russian Drones over Poland
Warsaw confirms Russian drones violated its airspace overnight, marking the first direct engagement of Russian assets over NATO territory. Poland has confirmed it shot down multiple Russian drones that violated…
Boeing and RAAF Demonstrate MQ-28A Ghost Bat Operational Capabilities
Boeing Defence Australia completed a test campaign demonstrating the MQ-28A’s cooperative capabilities together with RAAF crewed platforms. Boeing Defence Australia announced on Sep. 5, 2025, the successful completion of the…
Spain’s First SIRTAP UAV Prototype is Ready for Testing
Spain is procuring nine SIRTAP tactical UAV systems, fully designed and manufactured by Airbus within the country. Spain’s first SIRTAP unmanned aerial system prototype is now complete and slated to…
U.S. F-35s Heading to Puerto Rico as Tensions with Venezuela Increase
Ten F-35s will be deployed to Puerto Rico to take part in the ongoing U.S. counter-narcotics operation in the Caribbean. Unidentified U.S. government sources stated to media that ten F-35…
The Breakthrough Performance of Stealth and the F-117
Although the F-117 Nighthawk first saw action during operations over Panama, the aircraft impressively demonstrated its capabilities during the initial air campaign over Baghdad, Iraq. Making coalition first strikes on…
Everything We Know About the U.S. Strike on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Boat
The strike, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, destroyed a suspected drug vessel, killing 11, but raised questions on legality and escalation. The United States military has carried…
Japan Announces Deployment Plans for Upgraded Type-12 SSM and Hypersonic Glide Missile
Japan will deploy the Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile and the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile to bases in the north, central and southern regions between 2025 and 2027. Japan’s Ministry of…
HH-60G and HH-60W Helicopters Put Countermeasures to the Test Over Water
In a first-of-its-kind test, the effectiveness of the HH-60’s countermeasures was evaluated in a maritime environment against modern aerial threats. The U.S. Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve tested…
First Clear Photo of Ukraine’s Mirage 2000 Surfaces
Delivered in February 2025, the Mirage 2000 has now been officially shown for the first time by President Zelensky for the Ukrainian Aviation Day. Months after the delivery of the…
The Evolution of the B-1 and its Adaptation to Modern Warfare
Originally conceived as a supersonic long-range strategic nuclear heavy bomber, the B-1 has evolved into a very effective multi-role conventional warplane. A product of the Cold War, the North American…
Poland Chooses Viper Shield EW Suite for its F-16s
The AN/ALQ-254 Viper Shield will be installed during the upgrade of the fleet of 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ jets to the F-16V Block 72 standard. L3Harris Technologies has announced on…
Germany Wants Four More P-8A Poseidons
Germany has already eight P-8A Poseidons on contract, the first of which is expected to be delivered this year. Germany is likely to ask for additional four P-8A Poseidon Multimission…
Rare Image Shows P-8 Poseidon’s Advanced Airborne Sensor Extended
A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon was intercepted over the Black Sea, with a video recorded by a Russian pilot showing the APS-154 Advanced Airborne Sensor extended below the fuselage. A…
NATO Hunts for Russian Submarine as USS Gerald R. Ford Sails in North Sea
U.S, UK, and Norwegian forces have mounted a significant anti-submarine operation in the Norwegian Sea using maritime patrol aircraft to track suspected Russian submarine activity. After aviation enthusiasts this week…
Three Russian Il-20 Intercepts in a Week off Alaska by NORAD
NORAD scrambled U.S. Air Force F-16s to intercept Russian Il-20 surveillance aircraft three times in the Alaskan ADIZ in less than one week. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)…
Lockheed Martin to Boost JAGM & Hellfire Production with $720 Million Contract
U.S. Army awards Lockheed Martin a new contract for JAGM and Hellfire missiles, underscoring the enduring role of these missiles in precision strike missions. On Aug. 21, 2025, Lockheed Martin secured…
Hsiung Feng III Anti-Ship Missiles Seen on Taiwan’s F-CK-1 Ching-kuo
Taiwanese reports said that the NCSIST is accelerating the testing to gather data that would inform new live fire trials. Taiwan’s air-launched Hsiung Feng III (HF-III or HF-3) Anti-Ship Missile (AShM)…
B-2 Stealth Bomber and Four F-35s Fly Over Anchorage During Trump–Putin Meeting
B-2 bomber and F-35s stage an impressive flyover watched by hundreds of thousands online as Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage.A U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit stealth bomber, escorted by…
Italian Lightnings Secure the Baltic Skies During Operation Baltic Eagle III
The Italian Air Force deployed four F-35A Lightning II to Ämari Air Base in Estonia, leading NATO’s latest Baltic Air Policing mission. The Italian Air Force deployed four F-35A Lightning…
From Combat to Exhibit: Preparing an AV-8B+ Harrier II for Museum Display
The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum showed in a video of a U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B+ Harrier II was demilitarized and moved to its new home. The…
Poland Signs $3.8B Deal for F-16V Upgrade
As part of the contract, Poland will upgrade its entire fleet of 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ jets to the F-16V Block 72 standard. The Polish Defense Minister Wladysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has…
First Look at Indonesian Rafale As Crews Train For New Jet
A new image has granted our first opportunity to see a fully painted Indonesian Rafale as crews finalize their training on the new jet. The aircraft, marked T-0301, is seen…
The Tragic Final Mission of B-17G ‘Wee Willie’
The oldest B-17G still in service with the 91st Bomb Group and the next to last B-17 lost to hostile action by the group met a horrifying fate in the…
USAF RC-135 Rivet Joint Took Part in Talisman Sabre with RAAF Jets
Exercise Talon Shield, part of the broader Talisman Sabre, saw Offutt AFB’s RC-135 Rivet Joint taking part in the exercise in Australia for the first time. Two developments last week…
Qatar-Donated 747-8 Spotted In Texas Ahead Of ‘Air Force One’ Refit
The VIP-configured B747-8, which will be converted into Air Force One, was photographed departing Alliance Fort Worth en route to Waco. On Aug. 8, the Boeing 747-8 N7478D, donated by…
France is Testing the Rafale F4.3
Preparing for the future of the Rafale, France conducted a test campaign to assess the current state of the F4.3 standard ahead of its final definition. The French Directorate General…
ULA Vulcan Centaur Rocket to Launch First Military Payload on August 12th
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur orbital launch vehicle will undertake its first National Security Space Launch (NSSL) mission next week, the rocket type’s third launch overall. The two stage vehicle…
Dragon Lady at Oshkosh: Exclusive U-2 Pilot Interviews Mark 70th Anniversary and Historic Homecoming
Two U-2 pilots, including a Wisconsin native, share rare insights on the legendary spy plane’s enduring legacy and relevance in today’s battlespace. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 drew a record-breaking crowd…
U.S. Air Force Confirms TU-2S Dragon Lady Broke Endurance Records
The historic flight, which was 11 years in the making, saw the TU-2 flying longer than 14 hours and traveling over 6,000 NM across all 48 contiguous states of the…
Leonardo AW149: A Modern Medium Helicopter Powering a New Era of Battlefield Mobility
Modern, modular, and NATO-ready, the AW149 is emerging as Europe’s next generation medium multirole helicopter built for the modern battlefield. Building on Leonardo’s extensive experience in the military helicopter sector,…
U.S. Navy F-35C Crashes Near NAS Lemoore, California
A U.S. Navy F-35C with VFA-125 crashed at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The pilot ejected safely. An F-35C Lightning II jet, attached to the “Rough Raiders” of VFA-125, from…
France’s ‘Archange’ SIGINT Aircraft Flies for the First Time
The Archange, based on the Dassault Falcon 8X, will replace the two Transall C-160G Gabriel SIGINT aircraft prematurely divested in May 2022. The French Air and Space Force’s (Armée de…
Belgium, France and UK Conduct Air Surveillance Mission Over Black Sea
A joint surveillance mission saw a French E-3F and a British RC-135 operating over the Black Sea supported by tankers and fighters from Belgium and France. Belgium, France and the…
RIAT 2025: E-7 Wedgetail, B-1 Bomber, U-2 Dragon Lady Steal the Show
The Royal International Air Tattoo delighted crowds with an incredible number of modern aircraft, including for the first time the RAF E-7 Wedgetail AEW1. The latest in the series of…
Thai F-16 Strikes Cambodia as Border Dispute Intensifies
Thailand's armed forces have confirmed that one F-16 aircraft in a flight of six opened fire at what it claimed to be a Cambodian military target as the two countries'…
Denmark Orders Four MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAVs
With support from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, Denmark has ordered four MQ-9B SkyGuardian aircraft from GA-ASI along with three Certified Ground Control Stations (CGCS). Denmark joins a growing…
L3Harris and Italy’s ELT Group Launch First Multi-Sensor ISR Test Facility Outside the U.S.
The new facility will support several programs, including the EA-37B and the JAMMS platforms. On Jul. 24, 2025, L3Harris Technologies and ELT Group, a leading Italian company in electromagnetic spectrum…
The Secretive D-21 Drone and Operation Senior Bowl
Even more Top Secret than the Lockheed SR-71, the D-21 drone was a promising Cold War idea that could have eliminated the need for manned overflights, although it was mostly…
MQ-20 Avenger Simulates Beyond-Line-Of-Sight Engagement in New Test
The test demonstrated long-range kill chain effects, including an autonomous air-to-air engagement, by using beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) Command and Control (C2). The MQ-20 Avenger Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) conducted another…
JF-17 Thunder Block III Makes RIAT Debut and Wins ‘Spirit of the Meet’ Trophy
The JF-17 Thunder was among the highlights of this year's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) took part in this year’s Royal International…
Italy Signs Contract to Acquire EA-37B Compass Call
The Italian government signed a $300 million deal to procure two EA-37B Compass Call electronic attack aircraft, after the U.S. approval in 2024. The Italian Air Force is set to…
L3Harris Unveils Red Wolf and Green Wolf Launched Effects
The missiles, which can provide both kinetic and non-kinetic effects, have been tested over 40 times since 2020 from both rotary and fixed wing platforms. L3Harris has shed more light…
Final Four 389th FS F-15E Jets Return From Combat Tour With Nose Art And Weapon Markings
Let's take a look at the JASSM and APKWS markings on the final four F-15E Strike Eagles of the 389th Fighter Squadron "Thunderbolts" as they return from their deployment to…
New Photos Show USAF F-16 Equipped with Six Rocket Pods for APKWS II
By carrying six LAU-131 A/A rocket pods, the F-16 will be able to carry up to 42 AGR-20 Falco rockets, matching the F-15E’s payload for Counter-UAS missions. The U.S. Air…
366th FW F-15Es Return From Middle East Deployment With AGM-158 And APKWS Markings
The F-15E Strike Eagles returning to their home base at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, feature interesting bomb markings (along with nose art depicting horror movie characters). Split into…
Lockheed Martin Clears F-35 Backlog Deliveries
A total of 72 aircraft were parked at Lockheed Martin’s facilities after the Technology Refresh 3 experienced severe glitches, following which the Pentagon halted deliveries in July 2023. Lockheed Martin…
General Atomics Demonstrates Autonomy Integration on XQ-67A
The recent flight tested the integration of government-owned autonomy on the XQ-67A, paired with active tactical datalink communications. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced on Jul. 16, 2025, that it has…
Germany Requests to Buy U.S. Typhon Missile Launchers
Defense Minister Boris Pistorious confirmed during a meeting with his U.S. counterpart that Germany had officially requested clearance to buy the Typhon, a containerized launcher compatible with Tomahawk and SM-6…
U.S. Approves HH-60W Sale to Norway
The U.S. government has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale to Norway of nine HH-60W Jolly Green II Combat Rescue Helicopters. The U.S. State Department has approved the Foreign Military…
Leonardo’s Miysis DIRCM Selected to Protect German C-130Js
Leonardo’s Miysis DIRCM will protect the Luftwaffe’s fleet of six KC-130J and C-130J-30 aircraft operated by the Franco-German Binational Air Transport C-130J Squadron (BATS). Leonardo has been competitively selected by…
Osan Air Base Receives Upgraded F-16s From Misawa
The arrival of the F-16s marked a significant step forward in modernizing the 51st Fighter Wing aircraft and strengthening the U.S. Air Force’s regional combat readiness. The 51st Fighter Wing…
South Korea’s P-8 Poseidons Are Now Operational
The Republic of Korea Navy will use its new P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to detect underwater North Korean threats. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is now employing operationally…
U.S. Navy Set to Procure Up To 6,000 Active Expendable Decoys for F-35s and F/A-18s
NAVAIR is planning to acquire Active Expendable Decoys with a 2"x1"x8" form factor from Leonardo UK, hinting at the system being the BriteCloud 218 countermeasure. The U.S. Naval Air Systems…
Raptors Unleashed: A Look Back At The F-22’s Initial Combat Operations Against ISIS
Looking back at its first combat operations against ISIS, the F-22 proved it could do much more than dominate the skies, delivering precision strikes and sharing critical data with allied…
B-2 Spirit Receives New Communications and Survivability Upgrades
Novel capabilities ensure B-2 crews can ‘aviate, navigate, communicate, strike their targets, and get home safely’ with a bomber which ‘remains ready, effective, and survivable.’ The U.S. Air Force Life-Cycle…
Leonardo and Bombardier Eye Maritime Variant of Global 6500 as Italy Weighs Fixed-Wing ASW Options
The MoU signed at Paris Air Show 2025 paves the way for a potential multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, as Italy looks beyond the P-72A and assesses contenders like the Kawasaki…
Stunning Air-to-Air Shots Capture NATO Baltic Air Policing Jets During Exceptionally Busy Deployment
British Typhoons and Swedish Gripens are deployed to Malbork, Poland, as part of enhanced air policing measures. 15 Russian aircraft were intercepted by the Typhoons across only six days.Photographers Rich…
A Brief History of Nuclear Weapons in the Royal Air Force
Following the announcement that the Royal Air Force is regaining nuclear weapons, we explore the service’s history using nukes, explaining why they were originally abandoned in 1998. For 43 years,…
UK Police Helicopter Reports Near Miss with U.S. F-15 from RAF Lakenheath
A U.S. F-15 and a UK police helicopter investigating drone activity came within 1,900 feet of vertical separation during a nighttime encounter. No risk of collision was identified. A National…
MQ-28A Ghost Bat Tested at Operational RAAF Base
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft operated for the first time outside of the Woomera Training Area during Exercise Carlsbad in April 2025 at RAAF Tindal, which hosts F-35A and MQ-4C units.…
British F-35s Will Carry Nuclear Weapons, But Where Are Their Conventional Weapons?
The now planned purchase of F-35As, which will join the NATO nuclear mission, has led headlines, but the UK’s F-35Bs still lack any standoff strike weapons. As UK carrier strike…
Pratt & Whitney XA103 Engine Promotional Video Shows Canard-Equipped NGAD Rendering
Although reminiscent of the official F-47 renderings, the model in RTX's video is actually based on a notional design by artist Rodrigo Avella. A new promotional video released by RTX,…
Baykar, Leonardo Advance Memorandum of Understanding with New 50:50 Joint Venture
LBA Systems, to be based in Italy, will be dedicated to the design, development, and production of unmanned aerial systems. Announced at the Paris Air Show, Italian based aerospace giant…
Operation Midnight Hammer: U.S. Air Force Releases Images of Long-Range B-2 Raid
Official images show B-2 Spirit stealth bombers being prepared, departing, and returning to Whiteman AFB as part of the U.S. operation against Iranian nuclear sites. Operation Midnight Hammer involved over…
Eurofighter Charts Aggressive Production Growth and Mid-Life Upgrade
Eurofighter is shifting to a mid-life upgrade strategy and plans to double Typhoon production to meet global demand amid delays in sixth-gen fighter programs. As Europe’s sixth-generation fighter programs struggle…
Iran Launches Counterattack Against U.S. Bases Across the Middle East
Air raid sirens and air defense missiles have been seen and heard across the Middle East as Iran responds to the U.S. airstrike against its nuclear facilities. Airspace over Qatar…
Operation Midnight Hammer: How U.S. B-2 Bombers Struck Iran Undetected
More than 125 aircraft, including 7 B-2 stealth bombers, snuck into Iran while other B-2s were sent to Guam as decoys. Details continue to emerge after the United States struck…
First Test Fire of the MICA NG Air-to-Air Missile
France conducted the first live fire test of the MICA Next Generation, the evolution of the MICA air-to-air missile in service with the French Air and Space Force. The French…
