Special Purpose

Military Aviation News

Ukraine Seeks Mirage 2000-5 Jets From Qatar in Exchange for Drone Cooperation

03/21/2026

Ukraine is seeking used Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from Qatar in exchange for help with interceptor drones, sources told Intelligence Online. According to the report, cooperation between Kyiv and Doha on counter-drone efforts has stalled due to disagreements over the Mirage fleet. Qatar has been trying for several years to sell its fleet of nine single-seat Mirage 2000-5EDA aircraft and three two-seat Mirage 2000-5DDA jets, which it purchased back in the 1990s.

U.S. Army Takes Major Leap into Future of Aviation with Delivery of First Autonomous-Ready Black Hawk

The U.S. Army officially received a groundbreaking H-60Mx Black Hawk helicopter, extensively modified to fly with or without a pilot at the controls. This next-generation "Optimally Piloted Vehicle" (OPV) now enters a rigorous testing phase, marking a pivotal moment in the Army's push to build a safer, smarter, and more versatile helicopter fleet for the future.

Ukraine says attacks hit military aircraft factories in Russia

The Ukrainian military has hit two aircraft factories in Russia with airstrikes, the General Staff in Kiev announced on Wednesday. The Aviastar aircraft factory near Ulyanovsk on the Volga River was attacked on Sunday night, the military said in Kiev. An air-conditioned hangar and a parking area, as well as several aircraft, were damaged, it said.

KF-21 Export Breakthrough: South Korea Sells 16 Fighter Jets to Indonesia, Shifting Indo-Pacific Airpower Balance as Mass Production Begins

South Korea’s first export of the KF-21 Boramae fighter to Indonesia signals a major shift in Indo-Pacific airpower dynamics as Seoul enters the global combat aircraft market with its first domestically developed 4.5-generation jet.

Netherlands to join U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme to enhance future unmanned air capabilities and integration

The Dutch Ministry of Defence has announced plans to take the next step in joining a U.S.-led Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme focused on developing unmanned aerial systems. State Secretary for Defence Derk Boswijk informed parliament that the Netherlands intends to sign a Letter of Acceptance to participate in the initiative.

Military Prepares to Accept F-35s Without Radars

The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with ballast, rather than an advanced radar in its nose, flew an acceptance flight the last week of February, Air & Space Forces Magazine has learned. The F-35B successfully completed the test flight at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility, a required step before the U.S. military could accept delivery of jets without their advanced radar.

Sri Lanka declined ground access to two US combat aircraft, president says

Sri Lanka declined permission for two U.S. combat aircraft to land at a civilian airport earlier this month, President Anura ?Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday. The U.S. had requested permission ?for the two aircraft to land at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in the southern part of the country from March 4-8, Dissanayake told lawmakers. "They wanted to bring two ?warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles from a base in Djibouti," ?he said during a statement.

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

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

Poland looks to join rival to FCAS fighter jet programme

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

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

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

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

Next Gen Propulsion – the Time Is Now

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