October, 2023 Military Aviation News
10/30/2023
Russia’s Su-75 Checkmate fighter has had a troubling life. Initially envisioned as a cheap fifth-generation fighter intended for export, it has so far failed to get off the ground – both figuratively and literally.
(Read More...)
10/30/2023
Ukraine’s Air Force launched five strikes on clusters of Russian military personnel, weapons and equipment. In addition, Ukraine’s air defence assets and personnel destroyed three Iskander-K ground-based cruise missiles.
(Read More...)
10/29/2023
A relatively low-key day for China sending military aircraft and navy ships near Taiwan was reported by the Ministry of National Defense on Saturday (Oct. 28). A defense ministry post on X (formerly Twitter) said just one aircraft and five ships were detected by 6 a.m. Saturday morning. It added that the Chinese incursions were tracked by Taiwan’s military.
(Read More...)
10/29/2023
The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is headed toward the mass of U.S. naval power in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea after transiting the Strait of Gibraltar on Saturday. Meanwhile, two ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group are now in the Red Sea. The Navy confirmed aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and its escorts made the transit early Saturday via social media.
(Read More...)
10/28/2023
he Australian Government has deployed additional ADF personnel and aircraft to the Middle East as part of Operation Beech. Operation Beech is Defence’s support to the Australian Government response to the Hamas-Israel conflict. Deploying in a non-combat role, Australian Army personnel from Townsville and Brisbane, and two Royal Australian Air Force C-130J aircraft from Sydney, will join a C-17A Globemaster heavy transport aircraft and the ADF contingent already in the region.
(Read More...)
10/28/2023
There are growing indications that Ukraine could get longer-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missile variants from the U.S. military as early as January of next year. Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said today that her country's military needs more "game changers" like ATACMS to keep up the pressure on Russian forces.
(Read More...)
10/28/2023
The Kuwaiti Air Force received four Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3 aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft received to 13 out of 28 aircraft. The delivery of the aircraft began in December 2021 as part of a comprehensive strategic project to enhance combat readiness. The Eurofighter Typhoon is considered one of the latest multi-role fighters and is distinguished by electronic warfare capabilities and high-speed response capabilities. The aircraft received have exceeded 400 flight hours so
(Read More...)
10/28/2023
Baykar’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Selçuk Bayraktar, announced this historic event on the nation’s centennial, stating, “On the Republic of Türkiye’s centennial, the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned aerial vehicle successfully completed its maiden flight.” The TB3, a variant capable of operating from short runways, is based on Baykar’s renowned Bayraktar TB2 platform. It taxied down a runway in northwestern Türkiye before taking off from the Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center.
(Read More...)
10/28/2023
According to Forbes Kazakhstan, the aircraft are offered for sale under the condition of liquidation. A total of 117 aircraft, which were previously in service with military units in the country’s Almaty, Abai, Karaganda, and Shymkent regions, are being auctioned. These aircraft predominantly include MiG-31, MiG-27, MiG-29, and Su-24 models, which were manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s.
(Read More...)
10/27/2023
South Korea’s first homegrown stealth fighter, the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 Boramae, has been envisaged with another loyal wingman project, carrying other drones in what appears to be an extended manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) concept.
(Read More...)
10/27/2023
A report in TASS quoting an unidentified Russian said the fusion worked perfectly and led to the downing of at least one Ukrainian fighter. While the information in the story could not be verified, and there was no official word from the Russian Ministry of Defense (RuMoD) at the time of filing this report, at the same time, there is little reason to doubt the claim.
(Read More...)
10/27/2023
A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of a US Air Force B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea on Tuesday, according to the US military. The Chinese pilot “flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner, demonstrated poor airmanship by closing with uncontrolled excessive speed, flying below, in front of, and within 10 feet of the B-52, putting both aircraft in danger of collision,” US Indo-Pacific Command said in a Thursday statement.
(Read More...)
10/26/2023
Dropping SEALs to confront a hostile mob at an embassy and battling Russian helicopters are just some of the tasks the nation's top military pilots face as they train in the real-life version of 'Top Gun.' The pilots at the elite Marines' Weapons and Tactics Instructor course are the best the US military has to offer. But their skills come at a price of $200,000 per student for the seven-week course - the same as an Ivy League education.
(Read More...)
10/26/2023
A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail early warning aircraft will use its highly effective radar system to search for missiles launched from hundreds of kilometers inside Russia and Belarus as it watches over Ukraine’s supply lines from Europe. The chief of the RAAF, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, tells The Strategist that the US decision to call in the Wedgetail to help protect the flow of military and humanitarian supplies Ukraine relies on as it battles Russia’s invasion.
(Read More...)
10/26/2023
The U.S. and Australia will join hands with Japan to develop next-generation military drones, the leaders of the two countries announced Wednesday, stepping up efforts in the field of "collaborative combat aircraft." U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a joint statement after their White House meeting, noting that the two allies will "explore trilateral cooperation with Japan" on unmanned aerial systems.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
10/25/2023
A quartet of F-16 fighters and some 100 Airmen from the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, arrived in Keflavik, Iceland, on Oct. 22 to take over the NATO Air Policing mission there—the first deployment of U.S. Air Force fighters to Iceland in two years. The arrival of the F-16s detachment comes a month after three B-2 bombers departed Keflavik, wrapping up a month-long Bomber Task Force deployment there.
(Read More...)
10/25/2023
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force is upgrading the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, China’s answer to the Lockheed Martin F-22, and is experimenting with manned-unmanned teaming concepts, much in the same way the U.S. Air Force is doing, according to the Pentagon’s latest assessment of Chinese military power.
(Read More...)
10/25/2023
More Korean aircraft for the Polish Air Force. Two FA-50s have checked in at Warsaw Okecie. A total of 8 FA-50s have been delivered to date, and by the end of the year, there will be 12. Wrote the head of the Ministry of Defense. “With determination, we are modernizing the Polish Army and increasing the security of the Polish skies,” Minister Blaszczak wrote.
(Read More...)
10/25/2023
Saab, the Swedish aerospace and defense company, has secured an additional order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to ensure the continuous operation and capability improvement of the Gripen C/D fighter aircraft. The order is valued at SEK 579 million ($52.7 million).
(Read More...)
10/25/2023
More U.S. Air Force F-16s arrived in the Middle East, the service announced Oct. 24, as threats to American forces in the region continue to grow. The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron’s arrival in the U.S. CENTCOM region increases the Air Force’s fighter footprint in the Middle East to six squadrons. U.S. bases in the Middle East have begun to come under attack from militia groups aligned with Iran, and officials have voiced concerned about possible region-wid
(Read More...)
10/24/2023
As expected, recently more USAF, consisting of Air Combat Command (ACC), United States Air Force Europe (USAFE) and Air National Guard (ANG) fighter aircraft departed the Continental United States (CONUS) to be embodied into the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Dhafra Air Base (United Arab Emirates) and Muwaffaq Salti/Al Azraq Air Base (Jordan).
(Read More...)
10/24/2023
The year 2028 looms large for the Colorado Air National Guard at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora. The guard’s F-16s — fighter jets referred to as Fighting Falcons — are getting old, with most expected to start running out of useful life in about five years. Many of them were built in the late 1980s, and while updates potentially could extend their use for another three to four years, the planes’ retirement is on the horizon.
(Read More...)
10/24/2023
The French government is talking to Saudi Arabia about selling the kingdom Rafale fighter jets, France’s defense minister said on Monday. Sebastien Lecornu told reporters there were “discussions” between Rafale maker Dassault Aviation and Saudi Arabia about a potential sale but gave no details.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
10/24/2023
In these days when single aircraft can cost billions of dollars, technological sophistication can often be more important than numbers. (This is the most expensive aircraft in the U.S. Military) But that doesn’t mean that certain jets, bombers, transports, and helicopters don’t serve an important role in large numbers. And some aircraft, despite being expensive, have been proven to be so effective relative to their cost, that they are owned by dozens of militaries around the world in the hundred
(Read More...)
10/24/2023
As the ground war in Ukraine continues to grind ahead of the winter months, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are experiencing falling availability rates with their existing fleet of combat aircraft. The culprit is a combination of a high number of losses of fixed-wing aircraft combined with a drop in mission-capable rates due to the higher-than-normal number of flight hours being flown by those aircraft remaining.
(Read More...)
10/24/2023
A new report from the Pentagon details China's expanding military power, including the growth of its fighter jet fleet, which appears to have also experienced a jump in capability. Last week, the US Department of Defense released its annual China Military Power Report, a congressionally-mandated update of unclassified material and assessments on the People's Liberation Army.
(Read More...)
10/23/2023
The first group of Ukrainian pilots are almost ready to move from F-16 flight simulators to combat planes, Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said in a televised address on Oct. 22, Ukrinform reported. "We expect that the first group of F-16 pilots, who are already training on flight simulators today, will transfer to the cockpit of a training and combat aircraft in the near future,” Ihnat said.
(Read More...)
10/23/2023
Saudi Arabia is reportedly exploring a purchase of 54 multirole Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France, which could mark the first purchase by Riyadh of a French-made combat aircraft, despite decades of Paris attempting to win a deal with the kingdom. Riyadh has officially requested a detailed quote from Dassault Aviation for a potential acquisition of 54 Rafales, the French weekly La Tribune financial newspaper reported Sunday. It has given the aerospace giant until Nov. 10 to respond.
(Read More...)
10/22/2023
A giant Russian military plane exploded in a fireball as it took off from a remote airbase carrying a mystery cargo. The 164ft Il-76 plane was on the runway when an engine erupted in flames, according to reports. The aircraft rolled off the runway as the inferno spread, with dramatic video from the scene showing the 72-tonne jet engulfed in flames.
(Read More...)
10/22/2023
As intrusions into its Air Defense Identification Zone by Chinese warplanes become more frequent, the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense plans to deploy its locally-produced Sky Bow-III missiles at 12 new bases. In a report, Liberty Times said the strategy was driven by the need to confront China’s threat and bolster the country’s large-scale production of missiles. The idea is reportedly to provide the new bases with information about Chinese missiles using a long-range early warning radar
(Read More...)
10/22/2023
Russia's air force has yet to break through Ukraine's formidable air defenses and achieve air superiority, which is somewhat surprising given that the Russians supposedly have something the Ukrainians do not — a fifth-generation fighter jet.
(Read More...)
10/21/2023
"Let’s say enemy strike plans are based around them going in and taking out a whole air wing at an airfield within a morning. Well that is not going to happen if they [friendly aircraft] are dispersed around the country and moving from A to B to C to D the whole time," said Gary Waterfall, a former UK Royal Air Force air vice-marshal.
(Read More...)
10/21/2023
Ukrainian partisans from the “ATESH” movement infiltrated Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Airfield, exposing a hideout for Russian fighter jets. The guerrilla informants from the Crimean partisan movement said that Russian troops relocated aircraft to this airfield away from the Ukrainian border, ostensibly for their protection.
(Read More...)
10/21/2023
Three Su-30SM combat aircraft and two Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces remain on the territory of Belarus. Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said this in an interview with Ukrinform, answering the question of how many Russian aircraft are on the territory of Belarus.
(Read More...)
10/20/2023
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) conducted drills with a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) frigate in the East China Sea from earlier this week, and Russian bombers flew off the coast of Japan on Tuesday. Meanwhile, China is pushing back on claims its fighter jet harassed a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) conducting a mission near North Korea.
(Read More...)
10/20/2023
On Friday, the Russian Air Force reportedly lost its fifth attack jet in ten days, in a combat aircraft loss spike not seen in Moscow’s combat air operations over Ukraine since the first days of the war. Russian aviators aboard Su-25 Grach aircraft, an armored Soviet-era jet designed to resist small arms fire and even some missile strikes, were knocked down by Ukrainian anti-aircraft weapons fired in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and southern Zaporizhzhia regions, Ukrainian official military
(Read More...)
10/20/2023
Two Russian fighter jets were scrambled on Thursday to prevent three British warplanes from entering Russian airspace over the Black Sea, the Russian defence ministry has claimed. The Su-27 fighter jets were sent to intercept “three air targets” near the border, with Russia claiming to have identified them as a British RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and two Typhoon fighter planes.
(Read More...)
10/19/2023
In a shocking revelation, the Minister of Defence, Thandi Modise, disclosed the dire state of affairs within the South African Air Force (SAAF). A recent response to a parliamentary question by DA member of Parliament Kobus Marais uncovered that a staggering 85% of the SAAF’s aircraft fleet is currently out of action, leaving the nation vulnerable to security threats.
(Read More...)
10/19/2023
MBDA has received a contract from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for the integration of the Mistral ATAM anti-air missile system on the Korean Marine Attack Helicopter (KMAH). Mistral ATAM is based on the Mistral short-range anti-air missile, known for its fire-and-forget engagement mode, ease of operation and unrivalled kill probability. The ATAM system includes two launchers per helicopter, each carrying two missiles.
(Read More...)
10/19/2023
The Israeli government has suspended all sales and supplies of defense and security hardware and related services to Colombia. The move followed a heated exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter, between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Israeli Ambassador in Bogota Gali Dagan about the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
(Read More...)
10/18/2023
KC-135 Stratotankers have arrived in Saudi Arabia to replace the KC-10s which recently left the region for good after 30-plus years of service. The aerial tankers from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., arrived at Prince Sultan Air Base on Oct. 2. The 384th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS) will support combat operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
(Read More...)
10/18/2023
U.S. service members conducted flight training with both Air Force MQ-9A and Navy MQ-8C unmanned aircraft systems during Service Level Training Exercise 5-23, July 27, 2023. This is the first instance of MQ-8C flight operations at the Combat Center. SLTE 5-23 is designed to challenge commanders to operate in a notional littoral environment simulated in the training areas at The Combat Center. Integrating the MQ-9A and the MQ-8C into SLTE 5-23.
(Read More...)
10/18/2023
Thales today announced that it has been awarded a contract by Korea’s Aerospace Industries (KAI) to equip FA-50 fighters for Poland with its highly successful Scorpion® Helmet Mounted Display (HMD). Under the terms of this contract, Thales is responsible for adapting, integrating, and qualifying the Scorpion® HMD onto KAI’s FA-50 Fighting Eagle, as well as installing production systems, to support the Republic of Korea’s FA-50 contract with Poland.
(Read More...)
10/18/2023
Four years after losing anti-submarine and maritime surveillance capability, Argentina will re-acquire it soon as it signs an agreement with Norway for Lockheed Martin-built P-3 Orions on October 18, ahead of a much-awaited purchase order for F-16 fighters.
(Read More...)
10/18/2023
Chinese fighter jets conducted several hundred “risky and coercive” aerial intercepts against aircraft flown by America and its allies in the Indo-Pacific over the past two years, the US defence department said on Tuesday. Speaking at the Pentagon, Ely Ratner, the top Asia defence official, said the manoeuvres were not the acts of rogue pilots and instead a “centralised and concerted” effort by the Chinese military to pressure the US and its allies.
(Read More...)
10/17/2023
South Korea's homegrown fighter jet KF-21 made its public debut on Monday, ahead of an international defense exhibition set to open at the Seoul Air Base this week. The KF-21, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), staged an aerial demonstration at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, during a press day event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023, which opens Tuesday for a six-day run.
(Read More...)
10/17/2023
As Poland awaits the first units of its 2020 order of 32 F-35 fighter jets, Warsaw is considering further expanding its combat aircraft fleet with a purchase of 32 additional warplanes, according to Polish defense officials.
(Read More...)
10/17/2023
Canada’s defence minister has accused China fighter jets of carrying out a “dangerous and reckless” interception of a Canadian military plane over international waters. Bill Blair spoke after Canada’s Global News said a Chinese jet had come within five meters (16ft) of a Canadian surveillance plane taking part in a UN operation to enforce sanctions against North Korea.
(Read More...)
10/17/2023
Israeli fighter aircraft have been bombing the Gaza Strip, often with precision-guided weapons like Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), but photos and videos posted by the Israeli Air Force suggest it's also using less accurate, unguided munitions, experts told Insider.
(Read More...)
10/16/2023
Wars bring new weapons and battlefield platforms that can change future warfare. The Ukraine-Russia war is no different. Fighting a much larger and well-equipped Russian force, Ukraine has tested and proven the use of many low-value technologies on the battlefield.
(Read More...)
10/16/2023
The Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, known as Seoul ADEX, kicks off Tuesday with the public debut of Korea's indigenously developed KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, as the country looks to score record-breaking exports for the defense industry this year.
(Read More...)
10/16/2023
During a six-day trip to Russia in September, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, traveling abroad for the first time since 2019, met with a litany of senior Russian military officials and with Russian President Vladimir Putin himself. The Russian officials on hand — including the defense minister, the commander of the navy, and the commander of the long-range bomber force — reflected Moscow's desire to court Kim's regime.
(Read More...)
10/16/2023
We already knew a J-20 mock up was at Bogue Field, North Carolina, since 2019. A new video shows that the full scale replica was (most probably) moved to MCOLF Atlantic where at least one (possibly two) Fishbed-derivative trainer mock up is based.
(Read More...)
10/16/2023
The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and is sending Air Force fighter jets to the region as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday.
(Read More...)
10/15/2023
Multiple B-1B Lancers arrived at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, on Oct. 12, kicking off a Bomber Task Force deployment as tensions rise across the globe. More than 100 Airmen deployed to support the B-1s from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, the first Bomber Task Force rotation of fiscal 2024. U.S. Air Forces in Europe emphasized in a release that the deployment was “long-planned,” and was not triggered by events such as Hamas’ incursion into Israel and events since.
(Read More...)
10/15/2023
Amidst the challenges of resource and pilot shortages within the Russian Air Force caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Moscow has announced that female pilots have commenced their service in military transport aviation. Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov, the BTA’s commander, revealed this information to the Russian state media agency TASS on October 14.
(Read More...)
10/15/2023
F-15Es arrived in the Middle East on Oct. 13, as the U.S. continued to bolster its forces in the region, the U.S. Air Force announced. The planes, which deployed from RAF Lakenheath, U.K., are part of a broader package of forces that have been deployed after Hamas’ attack on Israel, including an increased number of A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft and F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters.
(Read More...)
10/14/2023
American A-10 “Warthog” attack planes arrived in the Middle East on Thursday as the Pentagon scrambles to keep the nascent war between Israel and Hamas from sparking a broader regional conflict. Airmen from the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, deployed as part of a larger effort to rush firepower to U.S. Central Command, a senior defense official told reporters Thursday.
(Read More...)
10/14/2023
The international air exercise Frisian Flag 2023 took place from Monday 2 to Friday 13 October 2023 at Leeuwarden Air Base, The Netherlands. Unrest around the world and the ongoing war on Europe’s eastern border show a once again clearly that peace and security cannot be taken for granted. Well-trained units are therefore of great importance to ensure the security of the Netherlands and NATO territory and to defend them if necessary, now and in the future.
(Read More...)
10/14/2023
Shaw Air Force Base hosted eSports tournament ‘GameX: Mission Generation Under Attack,’ an Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC) initiative designed to test Airman and Guardian decision-making in a contested environment through video gaming, Sept. 22-23, 2023.
(Read More...)
10/14/2023
Ukraine’s Armed Forces shot down a Russian SU-25 fighter jet and an Orlan-10 reconnaissance drone on 13 October. In its evening update, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: “Over the past day, the Air Force carried out 12 strikes on areas where enemy personnel, weapons, and military equipment were concentrated, as well as on an enemy bridge. Our defenders also destroyed a Russian Su-25 fighter and an Orlan-10 operational-tactical level UAV.”
(Read More...)
10/13/2023
The Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, on Wednesday, said it had taken delivery of two combat aircraft, Diamond-62 (DA-62), procured by the federal government. A statement by the Spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said combat the planes would add impetus to ongoing air operations across the country.
(Read More...)
10/13/2023
Arms regulators in Washington have approved the transfer of US-made Lockheed Martin F-16As from Denmark to Argentina. The US Department of State said on 11 October it delivered a formal letter to Argentinian ambassador Jorge Arguello saying Washington signed off on the deal, which reportedly covers 24 of the multi-role fighters. “The transfer reaffirms our close defence ties and steadfast support for Argentina’s air force modernisation efforts,” the state department says.
(Read More...)
10/12/2023
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 20 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 11) and 6 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 12).
The defense ministry said that 20 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected. Of the detected aircraft, 14 entered the north and southwest sectors of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
(Read More...)
10/12/2023
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Wednesday that the transfer of the first F-16s to Ukraine will take place in early 2024. Thar’s according to Breaking the news, Ukrinform reports. "We expect that in March or April, we will be able to transfer the first batch of combat aircraft to Ukraine. But there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that the Ukrainians can exploit them,” Lund said.
(Read More...)
10/11/2023
A few months ago, the Army’s aviation community appeared to be facing a dire situation. A series of deadly helicopter crashes killed 14 soldiers between February and April, interrupting one of the safest periods in the Army’s flying history. That led the service’s leaders to order an Army-wide safety stand down in May — the rare move grounded all non-deployed flying units until they completed a mandatory safety training program led by their commanding generals.
(Read More...)
10/11/2023
The KC-10 Extender took another step toward retirement last week, as the venerable tanker finished off its last ever deployment. A KC-10 from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., conducted the aircraft’s final combat sortie from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 3. The 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, which has flown the KC-10 since 2003, then held a formal deactivation ceremony Oct. 4, and the last KC-10 departed the base Oct. 5.
(Read More...)
10/11/2023
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 14 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 10) and 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 11).
The defense ministry said that 14 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and five People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected. Of the detected aircraft, six entered the north and southwest sectors of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
(Read More...)
10/11/2023
The U.S. military is embracing autonomy as it constructs the future force, and one Army official said a standard system that could plug into different platforms could prove quite useful. The Army has begun a new human-machine integrated formations initiative in which robots will make first contact with enemy forces. Meanwhile, the Air Force is developing uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft to fly alongside its next-generation fighters and bombers.
(Read More...)
10/10/2023
Nearly a decade ago, the U.S. Army retired its last helicopter designed specifically for the attack reconnaissance mission – the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. Since then, a combination of AH-64 Apache helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have filled in, performing the attack reconnaissance mission the best they could.
(Read More...)
10/09/2023
It has become clear that despite “intense lobbying” from India, Argentina has opted to purchase American F-16 fighter jets. Just one step short of announcing the finalization of F-16 as the top contender for its air force, Argentina has signed a Transfer to Third Parties (TPT) document with the US to authorize the transfer of 38 second-hand F-16s from Denmark.
(Read More...)
10/08/2023
The ‘grounded’ fleet of JF-17 in the Myanmar Air Force may be a sore point for Pakistan & China, but a report on how JF-17 pummelled Rafale fighter jets belonging to Qatar Air Force during a wargame in Turkey might have raised Islamabad’s morale.
(Read More...)
10/08/2023
The Ukrainian government will soon confiscate over 800 units of property belonging to the aggressor state Russia and its residents, among which are seven non-operational Russian MiG-25 jets, reports the Ministry of Economy press service.
(Read More...)
10/06/2023
The U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) operating in the Middle East in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, needs to evolve to meet modern-day near-peer adversarial threats, such as from China, while at the same time keeping at bay risks from Iran and ISIS-related terrorist organizations.
(Read More...)
10/06/2023
The U.S. remains fully committed to its strategy of integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific while keeping a close eye on China's provocations in the region, a senior Pentagon official said today. Ely S. Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said conflict with China is not inevitable despite indications that Beijing is increasingly leveraging its military to spread its malign influence abroad.
(Read More...)
10/06/2023
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked one Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 4) and 6 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 5) as Typhoon Koinu's storm circle enveloped much of the country.
(Read More...)
10/06/2023
The U.S. Marine Corps has begun flying its stealthy Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie drones, making it the second known operator of the type beyond the U.S. Air Force. The Marines now plan to evaluate the drones as highly autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance assets, electronic warfare platforms, and wingmen for crewed fighters, including in kinetic roles.
(Read More...)
10/06/2023
A US military F-16 fighter jet downed a Turkish drone operating above Syria on Thursday, marking a rare clash between Washington and a NATO ally. The American aircraft shot down the drone because it was considered to be a threat to US troops in the northeastern part of the country, The Wall Street Journal first reported, citing a person familiar with the incident. An American official told the outlet that US knew the drone — which was armed with air-to-ground munitions — belonged to Turkey befor
(Read More...)
10/05/2023
The drone’s presence was detected on October 4 by the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MND), which included this development in its daily update. According to the Ministry, as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8), 29 PLA aircraft and five PLAN vessels were identified near Taiwan.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
10/05/2023
The US Navy (USN) has contracted the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, Northrop Grumman (NG), to evolve the platform’s cockpit and digital architecture. Operating from an altitude more than 25,000ft, the Hawkeye alerts the naval task force to approaching air threats, while also providing threat identification and positional data to fighter aircraft.
(Read More...)
10/05/2023
In a determined bid to modernize its Air Force and achieve self-sufficiency in military capabilities, Turkey has embarked on a groundbreaking journey with the development of the Turkish Fighter jet. This fifth-generation marvel represents a significant milestone in Turkey’s aerospace industry. Not only does it signify the nation’s technological prowess but also its resolve to carve its own path in the elite club of fifth-generation fighter aircraft developers.
(Read More...)
10/05/2023
The F-15EX Eagle II unit cost will be $93.95 million per plane in then-year dollars, assuming the Air Force sticks with its plan to buy 104 of the fighters and Congress concurs, the service said in its most recent annual Selected Acquisition Report.
(Read More...)
10/04/2023
A leading House lawmaker wants to see some hard details — and soon — from the F-35 Joint Program Office about how it plans to fix the jet fighter’s long-lagging availability rates. And Rep. Rob Wittman’s patience with the JPO on the fighter’s low readiness is starting to wear thin, he said in an interview.
(Read More...)
10/04/2023
Officials from Poland’s Armed Forces were presented with the first of two Saab 340 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft in a ceremony in Linköping, Sweden, on Friday. The surveillance aircraft, which were unveiled two months after an order was placed, will provide Poland “a national asset to reinforce territorial integrity and national security,” the aircraft manufacturer said.
(Read More...)
10/04/2023
Italy's Leonardo group (LDOF.MI) wants a bigger role in a next-generation fighter jet program to put it on an equal footing with its British and Japanese partners, company CEO Roberto Cingolani 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. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has Britain's BAE Systems and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as its lead contractors.
(Read More...)
10/04/2023
In a historic event at the Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, Croatia officially acquired its first Rafale multirole combat aircraft, marking a milestone in its capabilities. The acquisition of 12 Nato-compatible aircraft is expected to secure Croatia’s air combat requirement for the next three decades.
(Read More...)
10/03/2023
Intrusions by Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in September spiked by 42% from August. In September, 225 Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes breached Taiwan's ADIZ, a 42.2% increase from the 130 reported by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in August. Overall, there were 565 Chinese military aircraft tracked around Taiwan in September, according to Damien Symon, an open-source intelligence researcher.
(Read More...)
10/03/2023
A crew of Airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, flew the final operational sortie of the E-8C JSTARS aircraft on Sept. 21, paving the way for the last of the fleet to be retired early next month. Members of the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing flew the very last of more than 14,000 sorties for the JSTARS, which is used for targeting, battle management, and command and control.
(Read More...)
10/03/2023
Lockheed Martin flew the first F-16C Block 70 Fighting Falcon multirole combat aircraft for Slovakia at its Greenville production facility in South Carolina on 29 September. The first of 12 single-seat F-16C and two twin-seat F-16D Block 70 aircraft for the Slovak Air Force made its maiden flight about three weeks after being officially presented to the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic on 6 September.
(Read More...)
10/03/2023
Croatia received the first of 12 Dassault Rafale combat aircraft from France on 2 October, the Croatian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced. Aircraft tail number 170 was officially handed over to the Croatian MoD during a ceremony at the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace: AAE) base at Mont-de-Marsan.
(Read More...)
10/03/2023
To use a cliche, comparing the J-20 and the Rafale is like comparing oranges and apples. The two fighters were conceived and developed for entirely different roles. However, the adversarial deployment of the two fighters in the context of the simmering India-China border dispute has fanned nationalist fervor and clamor for comparison to such an extent that comparing oranges and apples seems perfectly logical.
(Read More...)
10/02/2023
Four Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets have deployed to Poland to conduct joint training exercises alongside allied aircraft from Poland, Spain, and Italy. The deployment will provide an opportunity for RAF pilots to practice dogfighting against different types of aircraft, and develop tactics to exploit their weaknesses.
(Read More...)
10/02/2023
The Kingdom of Denmark officially celebrated the in-country arrival of its first four permanently based F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Skrydstrup Air Base, Denmark. During the ceremony, Lockheed Martin officially handed over the certificate of ownership of Denmark's F-35s to the Danish Ministry of Defense Acquisition and Logistics Organization. More than 450 Danish and allied government, military and industry leaders gathered to commemorate the milestone, and over 10,000 local citizens participa
(Read More...)
10/01/2023
An air squadron that for 50 years has been training pilots to fly F/A-18 Hornets was decommissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar during a “sundowner ceremony” on Friday, marking the end of an era for the Department of the Navy.
(Read More...)
All Articles