September, 2023 Military Aviation News
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09/30/2023
In his last major speech before ascending to the role of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown delivered a keynote address on “The State of the Air Force,” at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference on Sept. 11, 2023. Watch the video or read the transcript below.
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09/30/2023
This July, the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, was yet another historical gathering for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. After facing years of dilemmas with regard to Russia, the allies agreed to bolster NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battlegroups and established brand-new defense plans. An agreement was reached on Sweden’s path to NATO, and Finland was welcomed as the Alliance’s 31st member.
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09/30/2023
A series of delayed simulated combat trials for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been completed, a key step toward wrapping up the fighter’s initial operational testing phase and approving it for full-rate production (FRP).
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09/30/2023
Russian air defenses close to the frontlines in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region have shot down one of Moscow's own advanced fighter jets, footage circulating online appears to show. Russian air defense systems took out a Russian Su-35 multirole fighter jet around the occupied Ukrainian city of Tokmak, Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers as well as open-source intelligence accounts reported on Friday.
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09/29/2023
“The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have lost approximately 90 fixed-wing aircraft in combat since February 2022. It has also been flying some of its combat aircraft types far more intensively than in peace time,” the UK Ministry of Defence posted on X, referring to intelligence data. Analysts note that all aircraft have a projected lifespan, in flying hours, so Russia is highly likely eating into many of its airframes’ lifespans far more quickly with extra wartime use.
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09/29/2023
Opex360 reports that French MP Julien Bayou made the comment on the sidelines of the French Parliament. “There is a pressing request that we are asked to pass on: supply of Rafale and/or Mirage 2000D, as well as radars to equip Sukhoi and Ukrainian MiGs,” opex360 wrote, quoting Bayu as saying.
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09/29/2023
The Czech government has approved a plan to buy 24 US-made F-35 advanced fighter jets in a deal valued at approximately $6.5bn, the largest defence contract ever signed by the Czech Republic that will see the country significantly boost its military capabilities and integration with NATO.
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09/27/2023
Last week, the Ukrainian Army advanced further on the southern front and continued to decimate Russian military targets in Crimea and other occupied territories of Ukraine. According to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces, the Ukrainian missile attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet headquarters in occupied Sevastopol (Crimea, southern Ukraine) allegedly eliminated 34 Russian officers.
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09/27/2023
Around a week after a Russian Lancet-3 loitering munition destroyed a parked Ukrainian Air Force (UAF) fighter, another MiG-29 jet was hit in the same way and, coincidentally, in the same region where the UAF air bases are located. The attacks are another landmark moment for drone warfare in general and Russian and Iranian kamikaze UAVs like the Lancet and the Shahed-136 in particular, that have consistently redefined warfare throughout multiple stages in the war.
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09/27/2023
Romania has begun the process for the most expensive purchase in the history of the armed forces by officially requesting legislative approval in a document sent to the parliament’s leadership to launch the program to buy 32 F-35 fighter jets worth 6.5 billion dollars. The Supreme Council of Defence of the Country, CSAT, decided in April that Romania would purchase the stealth multirole combat aircraft from the US in a government-to-government deal.
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09/27/2023
After Japan, resource-rich Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in jointly developing the 6th generation fighter jet, which is expected to take to the skies by 2035 and could eclipse the best contemporary fighter jets.
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09/26/2023
Last December, the UK, Italy and Japan agreed to combine their respective projects and build next-generation military fighter aircraft in a scheme dubbed the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP). At the DSEI international arms fair in London earlier this month, the three principal contractors, BAE Systems, Leonardo SpA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries concluded a Collaboration Agreement to develop long-term working arrangements and capability requirements for GCAP.
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09/26/2023
When the Taliban overran the last government held positions, the bulk of the Afghan Air Force departed for Tajikistan. After the fall of Kabul, the United States likewise left an inordinate amount of military hardware. A good amount of that hardware included rotorwing assets. Attention has now turned towards whether or not the Taliban are capable of fielding offensive air assets.
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09/26/2023
The U.S. Air Force’s ability to rapidly generate airpower at a moment’s notice was put to the test at Kadena Air Base, when the 18th Wing conducted a no-notice agile combat employment exercise Sept. 22, 2023. Airmen from the 18th Wing partnered with deployed Airmen from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to launch multiple F-15C/D Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Lightning IIs without prior notice.
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09/26/2023
The global influence struggle between the United States and the People’s Republic of China has quietly arrived in America’s backyard, with Washington attempting to fend off Beijing establishing a sizeable military relationship with Argentina. The competition, as it so often does between large powers, is playing out through a defense industrial decision: Namely, whether Buenos Aries buys second-hand Danish F-16 A/B Fighting Falcons or newly-made Chengdu JF-17 Thunder Block Three fighters from Chi
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09/24/2023
Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have strengthened cooperation in maritime security through their first-ever joint military exercise on Indonesian islands in the South China Sea, where China has been increasing maritime activities. Indonesia hosted the military drills that took place from Tuesday through Saturday on the Natuna Islands and elsewhere. Jakarta holds this year's rotating chair of ASEAN.
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09/24/2023
Why Yevgeny Prigozhin's private jet plummeted into a field northwest of Moscow is still a mystery. The Russian military leaders he tried to oust with his armed rebellion remain in power. His mercenary army is under new management. And President Vladimir Putin, whose authority was badly dented by the short-lived mutiny, seems as strong as ever, with Prigozhin's fiery death sending a chilling message to anyone challenging him.
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09/23/2023
The development of the Franco-German battle tank MGCS has taken a step forward this week. Army inspectors from both countries signed a document on the requirements for the joint main battle tank of the future. "This is a milestone that will enable the work to come," said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius at a joint press conference with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu.
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09/23/2023
A military pilot whose advanced fighter jet went temporarily missing last weekend is heard repeatedly requesting an ambulance in a perplexing 911 call from the South Carolina home where he had parachuted to safety, according to an audio recording released Thursday to The Associated Press.
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09/22/2023
Taiwan's defence ministry said on Friday that over the previous 24-hour period it had detected 24 Chinese air force aircraft entering into Taiwan's air defence zone, part of a regular pattern of what Taipei calls Chinese harassment. At least 17 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to a map the ministry published.
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09/22/2023
After training with Finland's F/A-18 Hornet fighter, two of Norway's F-35A fighters landed for the first time on a Finnish highway on Thursday. This is reported by the Norwegian Armed Forces. More specifically, this took place in Tervo, North Savo – which is located in central Finland.
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09/21/2023
Unknown saboteurs "blew up" several Russian military aircraft at a base near Moscow earlier this week, Ukraine's military intelligence agency said on Wednesday. The reported attack marks the latest in a string of assaults specifically targeting airfields inside Russia's internationally recognized territory, which have taken place hundreds of miles away from active fighting along the Ukraine war's front lines and exposed major shortcomings in Moscow's domestic security apparatus.
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09/21/2023
The U.S. Air Force wants to retire the A-10 Warthog, an aircraft I have ?own for years around the globe, by the end of the decade. While many may think all of us in the A-10 community want to hold onto our beloved mount for dear life, that isn’t necessarily the case. What many of us do want is a suitable replacement, of which there is none currently planned. This new aircraft should be relatively economical while also bringing additional capabilities to the ?ght, especially one in the Paci?c aga
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09/20/2023
The Australian government has said it will buy a new drone and upgrade existing patrol and response aircraft in a 1.5 billion Australian dollar ($964.88m) deal to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities. The military will buy a fourth MQ-4C Triton drone and upgrade the air force’s existing fleet of 14 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, Pat Conroy, minister for defence industry, said in a statement on Tuesday.
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09/20/2023
About an hour by train from downtown Tokyo, two five-story office towers in the quiet suburb of Akishima are an unlikely hub for Japan's jet engine industry. Inside, 2,000 employees of IHI, Japan's largest maker of jet engines, design everything from turbines for business jets to fan modules for Airbus and Boeing passenger liners.
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09/19/2023
China’s military sent 103 warplanes toward Taiwan in a 24-hour period in what the island’s defense ministry called a recent new high. The planes were detected between 6 a.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday, the ministry said. As is customary, they turned back before reaching Taiwan. Chinese warplanes fly toward the self-governing island on a near-daily basis but typically in smaller numbers. The Taiwan ministry didn’t explain what time period it meant by a “recent” high.
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09/19/2023
The U.S. military said it finally found debris from a crashed F-35 fighter jet in South Carolina on Monday, a day after asking for the public's help in locating the elusive wreckage. The pilot of the F-35B Lightning II jet had safely ejected from the aircraft on Sunday afternoon. Joint Base Charleston on Sunday asked people on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to "please call the Base Defense Operations Center" with any information to assist the recovery teams.
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09/18/2023
Missiles for Tu-22M3 long-range supersonic bombers have been updated to receive a new payload with an increased weight up to 1,700 kilograms, Russia’s Long-Range Aviation Commander Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash said on Sunday. “The next aircraft is Tu-22M3. We have updated this missile with a new payload which will increase its capacity to 1,700 kilos," he said according to state news agency TASS.
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09/18/2023
One notable area in which Seoul has significantly expanded its activities is the fighter jet industry, traditionally dominated by the United States and Russia. In particular, the country has been actively establishing a presence in the advanced jet trainer and light fighter market, with its T-50/FA-50 models gaining momentum and achieving success in the global export market.
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09/18/2023
The boss of defence contractor BAE Systems has opened the door to Saudi Arabia becoming involved in the UK’s flagship fighter jet programme. Charles Woodburn, BAE’s chief executive, said the kingdom can ‘offer a lot’ and had a talented workforce that could boost the project.
Woodburn was speaking after it emerged that the Saudi government is pushing to become a full partner in the international global combat air programme
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09/18/2023
A South Carolina military airbase has appealed for the public's help in finding a missing Marines Corps fighter aircraft after its pilot ejected from it on Sunday afternoon. Marine Corps investigators have launched an inquiry after the 'mishap' which saw one of their pilots ejected from an F-35 fighter aircraft over North Charleston Sunday afternoon.
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09/17/2023
A new Taiwanese military assessment highlights the threat posed to the self-governing island by China's third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which is expected to enter service after completing sea trials sometime next year. The assessment, laid out in Taiwan's National Defense Report 2023, also calls for developing a decentralized command platform across military services based on lessons learned from observing Russia's war on Ukraine.
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09/16/2023
The Ukrainian army announced Friday morning it had recaptured Andriivka, a village on the eastern front some ten kilometres from Bakhmut. Russian forces suffered "significant" casualties and equipment losses, the Ukrainian General Staff wrote in its daily report. "During their assault, they [the Ukrainian Armed Forces] liberated Andriivka in the Donetsk region," it said.
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09/16/2023
During the final senior leader panel of the 2023 Air & Space Forces Association Air, Space & Cyber Conference, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Duke A. Pirak, deputy director, Air National Guard, discussed the shortfall of fighter aircraft across the total force and its impact on the ANG’s role in homeland defense.
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09/16/2023
Denmark’s first new F-35 fighter jets landed at the air station in Skrydstrup, Jylland on Thursday. In total, 27 of the state-of-the-art combat aircraft have been added to the Danish military arsenal to replace the earlier F-16 fleet. According to Ritzau, the F-35s, delivered by American manufacturer Lockheed Martin, cost some DKK 16 billion.
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09/16/2023
Poland is increasing its defense spending to four percent of GDP and intends to purchase two more squadrons of multi-role combat aircraft to secure the eastern flank of NATO. The frontrunners for the deal are the American F-35, F-15EX, and the South Korean KF-21 Boramae.
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09/14/2023
The Mali Air Force lost another Su-25 Frogfoot in a crash on September 9, months after it received the aircraft from Russia. According to reports from the African country, tragedy hit Mali when the country’s sole Sukhoi Su-25 strike plane crashed in the Gao region. However, the aircraft’s pilot managed to escape and is reportedly safe. Unfortunately, the crash wiped out Mali’s Su-25 attack fleet.
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09/14/2023
Relations between Belarus and its NATO neighbours deteriorated further over the summer. Troops have been deployed on both sides of the Belarus–Poland border, and each country has accused the other of escalating tensions. Lithuania this month closed two of six border crossings with Belarus. Belarus’s defence minister, Viktor Khrenin, went as far as suggesting that ‘the possibility of a direct military clash with NATO in the future has become quite obvious’.
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09/14/2023
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Philippine Sea, being shadowed separately by Republic of China Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyers, according to both countries.
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09/13/2023
The first prototype of the J-10 was completed in June 1997. Its first launch, a significant event in aviation history, occurred on 23rd March 1998. Despite the J-10 fighter jet’s status as the highlight of China’s native fighter jet program, various reports suggest a possible connection between Israel Aerospace Industries and the Chinese Aeronautical Construction Consortium during the J-10’s design phase.
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09/13/2023
Charlie Chan, the trade minister of the Myanmar junta government, shared details about the delivery of Su-30SME fighter jets with a Russian media outlet on September 10, as reported by Reuters. Chan made this revelation while attending the Eastern Economic Forum, an annual event held in Russia to promote regional economic cooperation and attract foreign investments.
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09/13/2023
The U.S. Air Force has received its first EC-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft from contractors BAE Systems and L3Harris Technolgies, industry officials announced Tuesday. BAE Systems said in a release that the Air Force will next start combined developmental and operational testing for this Compass Call, the first of 10 aircraft planned for the Air Force.
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09/13/2023
Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy's Leonardo have agreed the next steps to deliver the concept phase of a next-generation combat aircraft, BAE Systems said on Tuesday. The three nations agreed in December 2022 to collaborate to build an advanced front-line fighter to enter service around the middle of the next decade.
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09/12/2023
Bangladesh plans to modernize its armed forces under the Forces Goals 2030. Under the plan, the BAF already inducted 16 Chengdu J-7 fighter jets from China. Apart from this, Bangladesh floated a tender for eight Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) in the financial year 2017-2018. The tender can order four more aircraft in the second tranche.
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09/12/2023
Electronic warfare (EW) avionics experts at the Boeing Co. will produce EW avionics for modernized Japan air force F-15 jet fighter aircraft that will help protect the aircraft from radar-guided missiles. Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, announced a $474.5 million five-year order Thursday to Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis to add the BAE Systems Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System.
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09/12/2023
To confront potential threats in the Indo-Pacific, Pacific Air Forces is focused on expanding agile combat employment — an operational scheme to develop network of small bases and facilities. One component of the scheme is the collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA, and a top Air Force official said a lot are coming.
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09/12/2023
The Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A has been adopted by Middle Eastern air forces as well as the European partner nations. Shephard Defence Insight analyses its next-generation radar, cockpit technology and future upgrade plans.
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09/12/2023
China has sent a carrier strike group and dozens of warplanes into the region around Taiwan in one of its biggest operations in months. The activity comes as Beijing accuses the US and Canada of “inciting conflict” by sailing through the Taiwan Strait, and as Xi Jinping calls for “comprehensive” military combat readiness of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
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09/11/2023
Boeing Aerospace announced on September 7 that Poland was actively interested in buying the F-15EX Eagle II fighters. The announcement was made at the press conference at the annual MSPO defense trade exhibition without divulging specific details. Tim Flood, Boeing’s senior director of Global Business Development for Europe and Americas, said in a statement: “Poland’s interest in the F-15EX confirms its dedication to the preparedness and effectiveness of its military forces.
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09/11/2023
Myanmar has received the first shipment of two Russian Su-30 fighter jets, Charlie Than, Myanmar's trade minister, told the Russian RIA state news agency in remarks published on Sunday. "Two aircraft have already been delivered," Than told RIA on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Russia's annual forum aimed at developing economic cooperation in the region and encouraging foreign investment, which starts on Sunday in the port of Vladivostok.
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09/10/2023
President Yoon Suk Yeol held a summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) Summit in New Delhi, Saturday, and discussed ways to expand partnerships in the defense industry focusing on drones, military transport aircraft and other weapons.
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09/10/2023
Japanese government officials and representatives of four domestic startups in emerging technologies with potential defense applications met in Tokyo on Sep. 6. It was to discuss ways to help the fledgling companies working on drones and robots.
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09/09/2023
The Indian diplomatic blitzkrieg of the past couple of years to further defense ties with African countries has started bearing fruits. India and Nigeria have inked an unprecedented US $1 billion deal to boost the defense industry in the African country. Nigeria has expressed interest in the Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, drones, and armored personnel carriers.
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09/09/2023
Thirty-nine combat clashes took place over the past 24 hours. Russia launched seven missile attacks, 74 air strikes, and 46 multiple-launch missile attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. The Russian Federation launched another missile and air strike overnight on 7-8 September on Ukraine. Information about the aftermath of this is being updated. The operational situation in Ukraine's east and south remains difficult.
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09/09/2023
After consideration, Belgium has now decided not to deliver its aging F-16 aircraft to the Ukrainian military. Belgian officials cited the fleet condition as a primary reason for their reluctance, estimating that the airframes have accumulated too many flight hours and are at the end of their service life. Coincidentally, Belgium will retire the first F-16A, registered FA-95, from service on August 8, 2023, after it reaches 8,000 flight hours, the end of structural life set by Lockheed Martin.
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09/08/2023
Boeing today announced it is actively seeking to sell its F-15EX fighter aircraft to Poland — but for now, both sides are keeping their cards close to their chest. Boeing held a Thursday press conference at the annual MSPO defense trade exhibition, although offered little in the way of details about what a potential F-15EX buy would look like.
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09/08/2023
The United States’ dominance of the combat aircraft industry could see increased competition as the French hope to bolster their slice of the pie. With a German veto blocking Eurofighter deliveries to Saudi Arabia, and amid Israel’s persistent opposition to any F-35 sale to Qatar, this may be French firm Dassault’s opportunity to further push its fighter in the region.
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09/07/2023
In a symbolic return to the tradition of manufacturing military jet aircraft, the F-16 structures are being built in a renovated hall where training and combat aircraft were produced more than 20 years ago. The completed F-16 aft fuselage, similar to smaller F-16 components also manufactured in Mielec, is destined for export to Lockheed Martin’s production line in Greenville, South Carolina, where F-16 Block 70/72 fighter aircraft are currently being manufactured for customers around the world.
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09/07/2023
The first F-35s with the Tech Refresh-3 upgrade—largely a processor upgrade upon which the Block 4 configuration of the fighter will ride—will be delivered before the middle of next year, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said Sept. 6. Previously, TR-3 jets were forecast to become available in the last quarter of calendar 2023.
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09/07/2023
The U.S. Air Force should consider additional uses for its planned fleet of drone wingmen beyond just flying them alongside fighter jets, a top officer said Wednesday. Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, the service’s deputy chief of staff for operations, made his pitch Wednesday at the Defense News Conference in Arlington, Virginia, suggesting the proposed collaborative combat aircraft could fly alongside the Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling system.
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09/06/2023
After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced he had struck a significant agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron on training Ukrainian pilots in France, speculation is rife that Paris could eventually announce the transfer of its Mirage 2000 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force.
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09/06/2023
Embarrassed by Ukrainian drones penetrating Russia’s most sacrosanct air space apparently at will, Kremlin air defense planners are trying several creative countermeasures: parking expensive anti-aircraft missile systems on towers, piling used truck tires on the wings of strategic bombers, and putting up smoke screens.
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09/06/2023
The pilot who pulled off a first-of-its-kind defection from Russia to Ukraine flew 32 feet above the ground with his transponder off to avoid being spotted, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The defection was first made public in late August, but additional details about the Russian pilot who flew a Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine were released by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence in a video posted on Sunday.
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09/05/2023
Intrusions by Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in August dropped slightly by 20% from July, but there were more flights that circled Taiwan. In August, 130 Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes breached Taiwan's ADIZ, a 20.2% decrease from the 163 reported by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in July.
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09/05/2023
Lockheed Martin is partnering with the governments of Romania and the Netherlands to establish a European F-16 training center in Bucharest. The facility would help ensure the safety and effectiveness of Romanian military personnel flying and operating the multi-role fighter aircraft. It could also expand to training aviators from other European nations, including Ukraine.
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09/05/2023
Israel has submitted an official request to the United States to purchase a third squadron of F-35 stealth combat aircraft, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Sunday. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant submitted a Letter of Request to the U.S. Department of Defense in order to sign the deal "in the next few months," according to a statement released by the Israeli Defense Ministry.
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09/05/2023
An informed defense official told Russian state news agency TASS, “The Su-34 fighter jet used the Kinzhal hypersonic missile in the special military operation. The first crew who accomplished such a task will receive state awards.” The official did not, however, disclose the time and location of the attack.
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09/03/2023
The capability trial is central to the Royal Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy. According to the press release, ACE focuses on the “ability to refuel and re-arm aircraft at austere locations.” Based at RAF Wittering, 1 ELS ensures that the Royal Air Force is adequately equipped and fueled during deployed air operations.
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09/03/2023
This achievement catapults India into an exclusive league of nations with the capability to develop and launch their indigenous air-to-air missile from fighter aircraft developed on home turf. Following a similar trajectory, Japan appears to be planning to design a new air-to-air missile intended for the next-generation fighter aircraft being co-developed with Britain and Italy.
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09/03/2023
Jets Iran ordered from Russia have begun arriving in the country, according to Iranian media reports. However, these aircraft are not the Su-35 Flanker fighter jets Tehran had hoped to begin receiving this year. On Saturday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported the country received subsonic Yak-130 trainer jets, citing undated imagery and video purportedly showing the new aircraft bearing IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) markings.
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09/02/2023
Against a long-standing absence of interstate conflicts, South American armed forces largely focus on domestic operations, including fighting organized crime. However, the region’s defense and security capabilities are undermined by aging equipment amid reduced fiscal space.
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09/02/2023
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) returned from combat air training with personnel and aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) under Exercise Thai Boomerang 23, the first such iteration of the biennial event since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2019. The exercise involved F/A-18F Super Hornets from 1 Squadron RAAF working alongside RTAF F-16 Fighting Falcon and JAS-39 Gripen fighters.
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09/02/2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, announced at a recent press conference that Ukrainian pilots are already flying Swedish aircraft and that “we are getting closer to having the Gripen in our skies.” Designed to combat a possible invasion of Sweden by Russia in a northern climate, it could be a solution to Ukraine’s air superiority woes. But the question of the supply of these aircraft to Ukraine remains open.
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09/02/2023
Russian fighter aircraft approached US F-35 fighter jets and other Coalition aircraft over Syria on seven occasions during the month of August and in several instances flew within 1,000 feet, the Pentagon said Friday.
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09/01/2023
The futuristic Next Generation Air Dominance fighter platform now in the works is likely to be one of the most complex, highest-stakes weapon acquisitions in the U.S. Air Force’s history.
The sixth-generation fighter jet is expected to include new technologies ranging from cutting-edge adaptive engines to an autonomous drone flying alongside its wings. If NGAD works as the service hopes, it could prove critical in a potential war against China.
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09/01/2023
Ukrainian drones have hit at least six regions deep inside Russia in one of the largest such strikes since the start of Moscow’s invasion. Russian officials confirmed attacks on targets in the Pskov, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orlov, Ryazan and Moscow regions, with the assault on the military airfield in Pskov that damaged aircraft as the most significant. Situated more than 600km (400 miles) from Ukraine, it was where a number of elite paratroopers are stationed.
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09/01/2023
When Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in 2021 that his top concerns were “China, China, and China,” it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Kendall came back into government specifically because of his growing concern over competition with China, which he saw in terms of the Cold War competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The 2022 U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) pinpointed China as the nation’s pacing threat.
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09/01/2023
The first aircraft of Turkey’s indigenous fighter program, the TF-X, sits in a hangar ahead of its maiden flight at the end of the year. But fiscal problems could stand in the way of its success, according to an analyst, even as the country’s president seeks partners for the program.
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