‘Not Stealth’: Russia’s Air Force Is Now Decisively Falling Behind The West In The Most Important Area Of All
Russia’s air force is now decisively falling behind the West in the single most important fighter technology of the modern era: the Active Electronically Scanning Array radar. While the United States fields AESA radars on the F-22, F-35, F-15EX, F-16E/F, and F/A-18E/F—and every modern European fighter from the Eurofighter Typhoon to the Rafale to the Gripen has one too—Russia has produced just one AESA radar, the N036 Byelka, and only on the troubled Su-57.
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Türkiye signs KAAN fighter jet procurement contract at SAHA 2026
Türkiye signed a procurement contract on Wednesday for its domestically developed KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet. The Defense Industries Secretariat (SSB) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) formalized an agreement at the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition, marking a pivotal step in the program's path toward replacing F-16s in the Turkish Air Force (TurAF) starting in the 2030s.
Ex-USAF pilot allegedly briefed Chinese military on F-35, electronic warfare
A retired US Air Force fighter pilot accused of illegally training Chinese military aviators delivered a presentation at a Beijing military conference in or around July or August 2024 on the structure of the US Air Force, the history of electronic warfare, and the F-35 platform, according to a witness account in newly available federal court filings.
Everything you need to know about uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft
By the end of this decade, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) will support crewed fighter jets on their missions. Wondering what an UCCA is? We answer the most commonly asked questions. Imagine you are the pilot of a Eurofighter, tasked with taking out an air defence position in a heavily protected zone. Thanks to seamless connectivity, you are not tackling this mission alone – far from it. All the information you need is consolidated in your cockpit. You are in close communication with ground stations and other fighter jets and you also have the ultimate mission support at your side: an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA). From your cockpit, you order the UCCA to take out the enemy air defence. It penetrates deep into enemy territory and destroys the air defence position with a guided missile.
US moves F-22 stealth fighters closer to China for faster combat response near Taiwan
The United States has moved additional F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, as reported by Stars and Stripes on May 6, 2026, reinforcing the U.S. Air Force’s ability to respond rapidly to a potential crisis near Taiwan and the East China Sea. The deployment preserves continuous fifth-generation fighter coverage along China’s maritime periphery at a time when delays to the incoming F-15EX fleet are forcing Washington to rely on rotational stealth aircraft to sustain deterrence and combat readiness in the western Pacific.
Türkiye's Baykar signs deal to sell unmanned fighter jet to Indonesia
Turkish drone powerhouse Baykar on Wednesday signed an agreement to sell its Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft to Indonesia. The deal marks the first export contract for what Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar said is one of the world's first unmanned fighter jet technologies. It covers a delivery of a fleet of 12 Kızılelma aircraft, starting in 2028. The agreement also includes an additional option for four more fleets, Bayraktar told the signing ceremony at the SAHA 2026 defense fair.
Air Force greenlights T-7A Red Hawk for production following Milestone C
The T-7A Red Hawk has officially been cleared for production. Following Milestone C approval on April 23, the Air Force is moving forward with a $219 million contract for the first 14 advanced trainer aircraft along with associated spares, support equipment, and training from Boeing Defense, Space & Security. This achievement marks a pivotal moment for the T-7 Advanced Pilot Training Program. It follows a year of focused progress under an “active management” strategy, a collaborative effort between the Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, and Boeing.
J-36: Why China’s New ‘Combat Cruiser’ Has 3 Engines, No Tail And The Air Force Is Worried
China’s mysterious Chengdu J-36 sixth-generation combat aircraft is far larger than any traditional fighter—measuring roughly 75 feet long with three engines, no tail, and a 25-foot weapons bay capable of carrying 500-kilometer-range missiles. Analysts call it an “airborne cruiser” designed not to dogfight, but to hunt American tankers, AWACS, and high-value assets across the Pacific—potentially extending China’s combat reach all the way to Guam.
Retired fighter pilot taught Chinese airmen secret US tactics, feds say
A retired Air Force fighter pilot accused of teaching American tactics to Chinese airmen allegedly drove erratically to avoid an FBI tail, kept a fake passport, and deleted messages from foreign pilots to cover his tracks, according to recent filings in federal court. New court documents shed light on how Gerald E. Brown, 65, allegedly intended to retire in China after several years on a $250,000-per-year job teaching Chinese military pilots, prosecutors say, which he also hoped would give him a chance of “going fast again and pulling g’s.”
NATO Jets Scramble Three Times in One Week to Intercept Russian Aircraft Over Baltic Region
NATO fighter jets were scrambled three times over the past week to identify and escort Russian military aircraft flying near the Baltic states, according to LRT on May 4, citing Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defense. The Lithuanian ministry reported that the incidents involved multiple Russian aircraft operating in international airspace but failing to comply with standard aviation safety protocols. These included missing flight plans, lack of communication with air traffic control, and, in some cases, disabled radar transponders.
