12/22/2024

Seven Chinese nationals tried to illegally enter Guam as U.S. tested missile, authorities say

Seven Chinese citizens were arrested on charges of illegally entering Guam around the time the U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted a key missile interception test using a new radar, the island's Customs and Quarantine Agency has said. The agency said at least four of the people arrested on Dec. 10-11 were found "in the vicinity of a military installation". Guam has many such installations, including Andersen Air Force Base, where the Dec. 10 missile test was conducted.

12/22/2024

Price of Transition: How Much Serbia Paid For New Hangars For Rafale After Retiring MiG-29

Serbia will build new hangars for Rafale multirole fighter jets at the Colonel-pilot Milenko Pavlovic Air Base in the city of Batajnica. In addition, a refurbishment of existing aprons and taxiways is in the plans Serbian Ministry of Defense confirmed on an inquiry from the Tango Six website.

12/21/2024

An-72 military aircraft explodes at airfield near moscow – Defense Intelligence

An explosion occurred at the Ostafyevo airfield (moscow oblast), as a result of which an An-72 military transport aircraft was disabled. The Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has announced this on Telegram.

12/21/2024

NORAD jets intercept 4 Russian aircraft off Alaska’s coastlines

Eielson-based jets accompany 2 bombers, 2 fighters flying in international airspace over Chukchi, Bering seas The North American Aerospace Defense Command detected and tracked four Russian military aircraft Tuesday as they passed through international airspace off Alaska’s coasts. NORAD dispatched four F-16 fighters and an air tanker from Eielson Air Force Base and an electronic surveillance plane out of Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson to intercept the aircraft.

12/21/2024

Australia receives final F-35A Lightning II fighters

On December 18, 2024, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) welcomed its final three Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft at RAAF Williamtown, marking the completion of its fleet acquisition. According to the Scramble magazine, the delivery concluded a six-year process, during which all 72 aircraft ordered by the RAAF were received, strengthening Australia’s air combat capabilities.

12/21/2024

Spain orders 25 additional Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, links arms on Turkish trainer

Spain has signed off on an order for 25 Eurofighter Typhoon fourth-generation fighter jets under its Halcon II program. A contract between the Spanish government and the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) was inked today and covers the acquisition of 21 single-seat and four twin-seat aircraft.

12/21/2024

EXCLUSIVE: New Air Force review supports manned 6th-gen NGAD fighter concept

A recent internal Air Force analysis supports the development of a manned, next-generation fighter jet, three sources told Breaking Defense — a finding that comes amid a high-profile debate over the future of the multi-billion-dollar Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.

12/20/2024

Bangladesh eyes Chinese J-10C fighters to upgrade its air force fleet

Bangladesh may be exploring options to modernise its ageing fleet of fighter jets, with China’s J-10C emerging as a potential choice, according to a report by The South China Morning Post. However, acquiring the advanced multirole aircraft could strain regional relations and impose significant costs on the nation. This news follows Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan’s visit to China last month, where he expressed Bangladesh’s commitment to acquiring multirole combat aircraft and attack helicop

12/20/2024

Updating Augustine’s Law: Fighter Aircraft Cost Growth in the Age of AI and Autonomy

In 1979, Department of Defense (DOD) official Norman Augustine conducted a legendary study of U.S. fighter aircraft cost growth over time. He found that the unit cost of new-generation fighter aircraft has increased, on average, roughly an order of magnitude every 20 years since 1910. Augustine observed, “In the year 2054, the entire defense budget will purchase just one aircraft.

12/20/2024

Merhaba Eurofighter! Two Typhoon Jets Land In Turkey; Ankara Inches Close To Acquire European Aircraft?

Turkey’s bid to acquire Eurofighter jets appears to be advancing positively. On December 18, two Eurofighter Typhoons from the United Kingdom touched down at Mürted Air Base, approximately 35 kilometers north of Ankara, for inspection by Turkish officials. This arrival coincides with ongoing discussions regarding Turkey’s potential purchase of Eurofighter aircraft. The jets recently participated in a military exercise in Qatar before arriving in Turkey.