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Military Aviation News

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

04/17/2026

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Russia Announces New Export Contracts for Su-57E Fighter Jets

Saab is on the verge of withdrawing its proposal to equip the Peruvian Air Force with the new Gripen E/F fighter

Russian fighter jets pose challenges

The war in the Middle East delays the delivery of 30 Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets to Morocco by the United Arab Emirates

The Iran war took a toll on the Air Force’s Reaper fleet

Why Can’t India Talk to Lockheed Martin About the F-35 Anymore?

United States: Air National Guard leaders urge Congress to fund up to 100 new fighter jets annually to modernize aging fleet

Russia Mounts Fighter Jet Missiles on Trucks to Counter Ukrainian Drones

Turkish jet drone optical sensor detects target at 110 km

Swiss air force chief says Switzerland is ‘not defense-ready’