Special Purpose

Military Aviation News

A-10 Warthogs target Iranian fast-attack craft in Strait of Hormuz

03/20/2026

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft are now engaged in maritime interdiction operations along the southern flank of Operation Epic Fury, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday.

The Netherlands accelerates access to CCA technologies for advanced unmanned air systems

The Dutch Ministry of Defence has confirmed a new step in its participation in the U.S.-led Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, announcing its intention to sign a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) ahead of the April 8 deadline. The decision, communicated by State Secretary Derk Boswijk to the Dutch Parliament, formalizes the continuation of an initiative first outlined in October 2025 with the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI).

Russia tests Estonia’s border again with a brief airspace violation

Russia has once again tested Estonia’s border, with a fighter jet briefly violating the country’s airspace near Vaindloo Island in the Gulf of Finland – a smaller incident than last September’s extraordinary incursion, but one that Tallinn is clearly unwilling to let pass without protest.

Poland looks to join rival to FCAS fighter jet programme

Negotiations to join the British-Italian-Japanese fighter jet project, the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), are ongoing, a Polish deputy minister revealed. The GCAP project rivals the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS). And while the €100 billion FCAS project is on the brink of failure, a similar project by the UK, Italy and Japan is progressing. Now, Poland is turning its back on the struggling FCAS project and is aiming to join the alternative.

US F-35 Stealth Jet Forced Into Emergency Landing After Possible Iranian Strike

A fifth-generation US F-35 stealth fighter sustained damage and was forced to perform an emergency landing at a US military facility in the Middle East. The incident occurred during a mission. Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, confirmed the aircraft was on a combat mission over Iranian territory when the emergency landing became necessary, according to CNN on March 19.

Germany marks April deadline to rescue FCAS fighter project from collapse: Reports

In partnership with France, Germany says it is working to a deadline next month aimed at resolving a long-running industrial dispute over the troubled New Generation Fighter (NGF) element of Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The last ditch effort to save NGF from collapse centers on France’s Dassault and Germany’s Airbus aligning on a common approach for the NGF in the coming weeks — a timeframe communicated by a German official today and widely reported.

RAF Typhoons deploy to Romania to lead NATO Air Policing mission under Operation Biloxi 2026 on Alliance’s eastern flank

Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft from 3 (Fighter) Squadron have deployed to Romania to begin the United Kingdom’s four-month commitment to NATO’s Air Policing mission on the Alliance’s eastern flank. The deployment forms part of Operation Biloxi 2026 and will see the RAF operate from Borcea Air Base as part of NATO’s enhanced vigilance activities.

Marines plan ‘sunset’ salute for AV-8B Harrier II jet as it leaves service

The legacy of the Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II ground-attack “jump jet” will be celebrated during a week’s worth of events late this spring in North Carolina. The “Harrier Sundown Celebration” will be hosted by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point from June 1-4, according to a memorandum posted Tuesday on the Marine Corps Administration website.

Next Gen Propulsion – the Time Is Now

In recent months, Iranian drone and missile attacks have pushed U.S. and allied aircrews to operate at the edge of their range and survivability. The next crisis, whether in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, or over Taiwan, will demand fighters that can fly farther, stay on station longer, and power more advanced defenses than today’s engines allow.

Air Power and the Politics of Defence Dependence: Ethiopia’s Strategic Imperative

What Macron’s “forward deterrence” demands from France’s Rafale fleet

F-47 Won’t Be Available Until Mid-2030s, Top Lawmaker Says

Russian fighters with 'hypersonic' missiles fly over Sea of Japan

Large-scale air activities near Taiwan restart

Indian Air Force plans Jaguar retirement and Mirage-2000 life extension to 2039

EUCOM commander says U.S. European bases key to Operation Epic Fury campaign against Iran

Ukraine strikes two major Russian aviation facilities

F-35 Software Upgrades ‘Stagnated,’ Warns New Report

Airbus to Fly Uncrewed Combat Drones Alongside Eurofighter in 2026

Russian aircraft intercepted over Baltic Sea by Polish fighter jets