March 17, 2023 Military Aviation News

The Air Force Wants to Kill the U-2. A Secret Spy Drone May Be Waiting in the Shadows.

03/17/2023

The U.S. Air Force may be ditching its aging U-2 spy plane in favor of a mysterious drone. The U-2 is heading for retirement by 2026 due to budget concerns, according to a new report. While no replacement for the iconic U-2 Dragon Lady has officially been named, one likely candidate is the classified Northrop Grumman RQ-180 stealth drone, about which little is known.

F-15E Strike Eagle Fleet To Be Slashed By Over Half: Report

03/17/2023

The U.S. Air Force is looking to cut the already relatively small size of its F-15E Strike Eagle fleet by around 54 percent before the end of the decade, according to a recent report. This comes despite the service's F-15Es being some of, if not its most in-demand tactical jets thanks to their highly-desirable blend of speed, range, payload capacity, crew size, and other capabilities.

Fifth gen fighters debut in the Philippines during bilateral integration

03/17/2023

U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptors from the 525th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska, with support from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, traveled to Clark Air Base, Philippines, to integrate and train with Philippine Air Force 5th Fighter Wing counterparts, March 13-14, 2023.

Poland to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine in major escalation of military backing

03/17/2023

Poland will become the first country to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine in the next few days, marking a significant upward step in military backing for Kyiv ahead of an expected counter-offensive. The precedent, involving four Soviet-era MiG-29s as a first instalment, could lead to other Nato members providing warplanes, a longstanding Ukrainian request.

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