December, 2023 Military Aviation News
12/31/2023
On the penultimate day of 2023 the Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked one satellite launch, seven Chinese military aircraft, and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 29) and the same time the next day.
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12/31/2023
In recent military engagements, the Ukrainian armed forces have reported significant successes against Russian aircraft, raising speculation about the potential involvement of F-16 fighter jets or a new NATO weapon to counter the Russian military.
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12/31/2023
The U.S.A.F’s plan to create a fleet of drone wingmen to fly alongside piloted fighter jets will accelerate in 2024, as the service ramps up its experimentation with autonomous flight.
These drones, which the Air Force calls collaborative combat aircraft, are intended to fly alongside F-35s and the future Next Generation Air Dominance platform. The service wants them to be able to perform a variety of missions, including striking enemy targets, conducting surveillance, jamming enemy signals.
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12/30/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 22 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 28) and 6 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 29).
Of the 22 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six Chengdu J-10 combat jets, two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, and two Shenyang J-11 jet fighters crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, according to the MND.
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12/30/2023
In a push to enhance its Air Force, Indonesia has embarked on a significant modernization journey in recent years. The nation has committed to procuring diverse fighter jets, signaling a strategic move to bolster its defense capabilities. However, as the ambitious modernization drive gains momentum, financial constraints will likely emerge as a potential stumbling block for the Southeast Asian nation.
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12/30/2023
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was forced to scramble its air forces more than 300 times in response to Russian military aircraft over the course of 2023, the international organization said Friday. "NATO has standing air-policing missions that calls for Allied jets to scramble when there are signs of Russian military planes approaching Allied airspace in unpredictable ways," NATO said in a statement.
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12/30/2023
For the second time this month the Biden administration is bypassing Congress to approve an emergency weapons sale to Israel as Israel continues to prosecute its war against Hamas in Gaza under increasing international criticism. The state department said on Friday that the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, had told Congress that he had made a second emergency determination covering a $147.5m sale for equipment, including fuses, chargers and primers.
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12/29/2023
Long after Japan announced its plans to convert its Izumo-class helicopter carriers into aircraft carriers, the second vessel, JS Kaga, has been put to sea trials as per photos published on social media. The Escort Flotilla Four of Japan Marine United (JMU) has released new photos to the social networking platform X, formerly Twitter. The images show JS Kaga leaving its dock at the shipyard in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, to conduct sea testing.
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12/29/2023
Turkey has asked the US for permission to co-produce GE Aerospace engines used in F-16 jets, with an aim to deploy them for its own domestically produced fighter plane. The NATO member is looking to manufacture GE’s F110 engines in Turkey to ensure supplies for the initial phase of TAI Kaan, an all-weather fighter plane scheduled to make its maiden flight in January 2024, according to people familiar with the matter. The fifth-generation aircraft is under development by Turkish Aerospace Industr
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12/29/2023
On December 8, 2023, the Bing Jiang Tang YouTube channel shared a video showing footage of PLA Navy J-35 fighter jets, which are the Chinese counterpart of the F-35, on the deck of the Fujian aircraft carrier. The video also covered the various speculations in Chinese circles about the plane and the way it will be deployed.
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12/29/2023
The JAS 39 Gripen is not made in the United States but is a powerful fighter jet built by Saab in Sweden. While the fighter plane has no household name recognition, she is a force to be reckoned with and is among the very best fourth-generation fighters on the planet today:
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12/29/2023
Türkiye's new generation air combat fighter ANKA III made its maiden flight, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced. ANKA III is a system that is faster thanks to its jet engine, has a high payload carrying capacity, and is less visible on radar with its tailless structure, according to the producer Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).
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12/28/2023
A Mikoyan MiG-29K fighter jet skidded off a runway at Dabolim Goa International Airport (GOI) after suffering a bust tyre just before it was about to perform a routine sortie on December 26, 2023. An Indian navy spokesperson told local media that the airport’s fire brigade arrived immediately after the incident. No injuries were reported.
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12/28/2023
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or DAPA, has officially signed a deal to acquire 20 additional F-35A stealth jets. This procurement, executed under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, builds upon South Korea’s previous acquisition of 40 F-35As in the program’s inaugural phase between 2019 and 2022, underscoring the nation’s commitment to enhancing its aerial combat capabilities.
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12/28/2023
The head of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), Yuri Slyusar, revealed that the state defense order (SDO) for the advanced Su-57 fighter witnessed a twofold increase in 2023, with projections indicating further growth for 2024.
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12/27/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked eight Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 25) and 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 26).
Of the eight People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, and one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND.
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12/27/2023
Russian forces are decreasing aviation activity and use of glide bombs after Ukraine’s military shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jets on Dec. 21-22, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Dec. 24. The ISW cited Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat and military observer Kostiantyn Mashovets saying that Russian troops have limited their use of glide bombs and air strikes in southern Ukraine as well as manned aviation near occupied Crimea.
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12/27/2023
few years back, there was talk of an F-16 fighter killing an F-35 in a mock fight. The details were lost in the headlines - In 2015, the aviation world and the U.S. defense industry were shocked when an old F-16 fighter shot down in mock combat a brand new F-35. At a time when the F-35 was bringing up problem after problem, the results of the dogfight alarmed the Pentagon.
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12/27/2023
The KF-21, which KAI is developing as part of a $6.6 billion project to replace the Republic of Korea Air Force's (RoKAR's) aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighters, is also being touted as a "cheaper" alternative to the American-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
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12/27/2023
The Eagles have landed. The Air Force’s two newest fighters, F-15EX Eagle IIs, known as EX3 and EX4 touched down at Eglin Air Force Base, Dec. 20, just minutes from each other. The new arrivals bring the Air Force’s total F-15EXs to four, all located at Eglin AFB. The two aircraft belong to the 96th Test Wing (EX3) and 53rd Wing (EX4), who also own the initial two fighters.
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12/25/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked four Chinese naval vessels and two military aircraft around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (Dec. 24) and 6 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 25).
In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed air defense missile systems to track the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) activity, according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) during that ti
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12/25/2023
Taiwanese Defense Minister revealed on Sunday information that showed that four Shenyang J-16 strike fighters, two Chengdu J-10 multirole combat aircraft and two Shenyang J-11 jet fighters from China crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) during the last 24 hours.
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12/25/2023
Türkiye's defense and aviation sector is expected to experience a historic moment in the upcoming week as the first flight of the domestically developed fifth-generation national combat aircraft, KAAN, is anticipated to take place on Dec. 27. Together with KAAN's debut in the sky, Türkiye will join the ranks of countries possessing a fifth-generation fighter jet.
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12/24/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked seven Chinese military aircraft and two naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (Dec. 22) and the same time the next day. Of the seven People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, three (one Shaanxi Y-8, two Xi'an H-6s) crossed into the nation’s southwest and southeast air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the MND said.
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12/24/2023
The Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, has disclosed ongoing discussions regarding Manila’s possible acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from Washington. Romualdez emphasized the long-standing desire of the Philippine Air Force for F-16 fighter jets, acknowledging their effectiveness in air defense during an interview with CNN Philippines.
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12/24/2023
The U.S. Air Force plans to take its most significant step yet in creating a futuristic fighter aircraft when it awards a contract in 2024 for the Next Generation Air Dominance platform. The service sent a classified solicitation to industry for NGAD’s engineering and manufacturing development contract in May, officially kicking off the process to select the company that will build its next advanced fighter system.
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12/23/2023
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor was the world’s first operational fifth-generation fighter. And the F-22 is still relatively futuristic today; when the F-22 first flew, in the 1990s, the jet was a game changer – and unsurprisingly, the most expensive-per-unit fighter jet ever built. While the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program would eventually surpass the F-22 program in total costs, the F-22 still reigns as the most expensive-per-unit fighter. So, how did the F-22 come to be so uniquely
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12/23/2023
The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help its battle against Russia’s invasion, the Dutch government said on Friday. “Today I informed President Zelenskyy of our government’s decision to prepare an initial 18 F-16 fighter aircraft for delivery to Ukraine,” caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.
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12/23/2023
Some time ago now, the decision to retire the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 fighter jets from the inventory of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was confirmed, despite criticisms and speculations about the fate of these aircraft. Now, the UK Minister for Defense Procurement, James Cartlidge, has revealed the fate in store for the Typhoon T1s.
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12/23/2023
Ukrainian defenders shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of Ukraine on Dec. 22, the commander of the Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk has reported on Telegram The aircraft were destroyed at around noon. Oleshchuk called it a response to a nighttime "message" from the Russian military written on one of its downed kamikaze drones.
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12/21/2023
Around the holidays, money can be tight, a fact that the United States Navy has also learned as its negotiations to buy the last batch of Super Hornets are reportedly stalled over the growing price tag. USNI News reported on Tuesday that the contract for the U.S. Navy to purchase the final twenty F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets from aerospace giant Boeing appears to be at a standstill.
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12/21/2023
The U.S. military is the most technologically advanced force in the world and most likely the most fearsome fighting machine of all time. The Department of Defense’s cutting-edge platforms have been in part responsible for the U.S. global preponderance since the end of the Second World War.
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12/20/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked eight Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 20) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 21). Of the eight People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.
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12/20/2023
On the morning of December 18, an F-35A Lightning II belonging to the US Air Force’s 356th Fighter Squadron touched down at the Japanese Kadena Air Base. In an unusual incident, it was discovered that a vital component of the stealth aircraft was missing when it landed. After the incident came to light, a spokesperson of the Air Force said that the advanced stealth fighter that returned to its Okinawa base without a panel might have lost the part over the Pacific Ocean.
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12/20/2023
F-15EX - It isn't stealthy, but is it needed? Perhaps surprisingly, the fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is not the costliest jet currently being produced in America today. The Lockheed Martin-produced powerhouse may be considered the most capable of flying the skies by military experts and analysts. However, an older airframe has it beat regarding the price tag.
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12/19/2023
Together, the F-35 and B-2 would be a nearly unstoppable force – one that could penetrate an enemy's air defenses, hit targets, and make a return home practically before anyone was the wiser.
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12/19/2023
China has cut back on “dangerous” fighter jet intercepts against US aircraft since last month’s summit meeting between presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, according to the top US military commander in the Indo-Pacific region.
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12/19/2023
The United States is reportedly contemplating the resumption of the permanent deployment of fighter jets at an American base in Okinawa, a year after announcing the commencement of the phased withdrawal of aging F-15 fighter jets from Japan.
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12/19/2023
Russia has lost two jets in under 24 hours, according to new reports, in the latest show of damage to Moscow's air force sustained in the nearly two years of war in Ukraine. Russia lost an Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft after Ukraine attacked a Russian air base on Saturday night into Sunday morning, Ukrainian media reported. Separately, Ukraine's air force said Moscow had shot down one of its own Su-25 tactical bomber jets on Sunday.
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12/18/2023
Türkiye on Saturday said it expects prompt and tangible steps from the United States on the F-16 fighter jet deal while also urging Germany to show a stance aligning with the NATO spirit regarding its request to buy Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes. Ankara has been frustrated by the prolonged process of its request to acquire F-16 jets from the U.S. it seeks to refresh its air force. This prompted it to begin discussing buying Eurofighters, produced by a consortium involving Germany, Spain, Italy a
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12/18/2023
The U.S. military plans to resume the permanent deployment of fighter jets at an American base in Okinawa but with fewer planes than before, Nikkei Asia has learned, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers and experts as the threat posed by China grows.
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12/17/2023
The incident unfolded with the aircraft plummeting near Lake Persian in the Kazerun district, as disclosed by Iranian state television. The pilot managed a safe ejection from the Su-22 military aircraft, deploying the ejection seat system and escaping unscathed. No casualties were reported.
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12/16/2023
US officials are sounding the alarm about close calls with Chinese jets and warships, which they say are crowding and harassing US forces in the Western Pacific. The US says those encounters are meant to force it and its allies to operate farther from China. For the Chinese pilots carrying them out, they are also part of a years-long effort to increase the complexity and value of their training through real-world interactions with a more experienced rival.
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12/16/2023
U.S. Navy avionics experts will acquire one production lot of the third-generation helmet-mounted displays for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter under terms of a $174.6 million order announced on Tuesday. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the Lockheed Martin Corp. Aeronautics segment in Fort Worth, Texas, for production lot 17 of the F-35's third-generation helmet-mounted displays for the U.S. military service
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12/16/2023
In a historic move, Japan, Britain, and Italy have agreed to merge their individual plans to produce a new combat aircraft for deployment in 2035. This joint trilateral initiative, known as the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), aims to develop a high-performance fighter aircraft to strengthen air superiority and enable effective deterrence. The project involves the formation of a joint body called the GCAP International Government Organization, which will manage a private sector joint venture.
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12/14/2023
The Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs have said that ensuring the safety of the Osprey V-22 military aircraft is a “top priority" for the allies, following the first fatal crash of the aircraft in Japan late last month in waters off Kagoshima Prefecture. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said late Tuesday that he had asked U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during talks over the telephone — their first since the crash — that the U.S. military not resume Osprey flights until the aircraft's safety co
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12/14/2023
The Ministry of National Defense tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and nine naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 13) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 14). Of the nine People’s Liberation Army aircraft, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, and one Xian H-6 bomber entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that ti
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12/14/2023
The Air Force has refueled airborne fighters from a commercial tanker for the first time, proving another means of extending its combat airpower, the service said in a recent news release. Omega Aerial Refueling Services gassed up F-15C Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-22 Raptors from a KDC-10 tanker during last month’s Commando Sling exercise in Singapore.
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12/12/2023
A U.S. Air Force pilot safely ejected on Monday before his F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea off South Korea’s southwestern coast, U.S. and South Korean military officials said. The unidentified pilot was recovered by South Korean maritime forces and was “awake and in stable condition,” the U.S. Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing said in a statement. It said the pilot was being returned to Kunsan Air Base near the southwestern port city of Gunsan, where he would be evaluated further.
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12/12/2023
The F-15SA is the most advanced version of the upgraded two-seat F-15S Strike Eagle, and is currently operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force's No. 3 Wing at King Abdulaziz Air Base, No. 92 Squadron RSAF; and No. 5 Wing at King Khalid Air Base, No. 6 Squadron RASF and No. 55 Squadron RSAF.
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12/12/2023
The recent version of the compromise Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), restored to almost full funding, what is believed to be a special access program (SAP) that includes the US Navy’s F/A-XX fighter.
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12/11/2023
Ukraine and its partners are considering the possibility of providing Swedish Gripen fighter jets in addition to the F-16. Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said it during the national telethon, according to RBC Ukraine.
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12/11/2023
The Belgian military got its first look at the F-35A Lightning II combat jets it ordered from Lockheed Martin on Sunday at the company’s facility in Fort Worth. Belgium, a member of NATO and the European Union, ordered 34 of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft it says will enable it to fulfill its military obligations.
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12/11/2023
A U.S. F-16 fighter jet crashed in the Yellow Sea on Monday and the pilot made an emergency escape, sources said. The jet crashed into the waters after taking off from an air base in Gunsan, 178 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the sources. They did not elaborate on whether the pilot has been rescued.
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12/10/2023
NATO radars spotted unknown planes that had taken off from Kaliningrad. Two Belgian Air Force F-16s took off from Šiauliai in Lithuania to investigate and found that they were two Russian Su-30 combat aircraft which were not in contact with civil air traffic control.
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12/09/2023
Russia remains the sole operator of the MiG-35, and even though production has been slow, a variant has been considered for export. The MiG-35 is Not a Fifth Generation Fighter - In January 2017, President of Russia's Aircraft-Building Corporation Yuri Slyusar touted the capabilities of the Mikoyan MiG-35 (NATO reporting name "Fulcrum-F"), and suggested it would be armed with a "promising" number of armaments.
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12/09/2023
The stolen parts, including starter generators and aircraft pumps for MiG-29 multi-purpose fighters, were valued at over Hrv10m ($268,000). The SSU’s efforts led to the prevention of a potentially damaging transaction involving stolen military equipment. The investigation revealed that a criminal from Dnipro, who pilfered the components from a manufacturer’s warehouse in 2019, played a key role in attempting to sell these items.
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12/09/2023
House and Senate lawmakers, in their recently unveiled compromise 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, are seeking tight oversight of both the Air Force and the Navy on their respective versions of the new and highly secret Next Generation Air Dominance fighter and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft programs Specifically, lawmakers are demanding briefs every six months on virtually all metrics of the projects.
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12/08/2023
As China aggressively pushes boundaries in the Indo-Pacific, there is a proliferation of advanced Western-origin fighters like F-16s, Rafales, and F-35s underway in the region. In a significant development that took place recently, the last F-16 fighter, upgraded to the F-16V standard as part of the Feng Zhan or Phoenix Rising program, completed flight testing in Taiwan, paving the way for the induction of these jets in the Taiwanese Air Force.
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12/08/2023
Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners successfully downed a Russian Su-24M (NATO reporting name "Fencer-D") over the Black Sea on Tuesday. The Soviet-era supersonic, all-weather tactical bomber was reported to be near Snake Island (also known as Zmiinyi Island), which is about 30 miles from the Ukrainian coastline and near Romania.
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12/08/2023
According to Dong-A Ilbo, this transformation involves outfitting the cockpit, radar, and other components with state-of-the-art equipment to introduce an advanced variant. Boeing representatives disclosed ongoing discussions between the U.S. and South Korea during a meeting held on October 29th at the Boeing Mesa facility in Arizona. They highlighted the imminent shift towards a new model by integrating cutting-edge technology into the entire front section of the aircraft.
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12/08/2023
A compromise defense policy bill released Wednesday night would grant the Air Force’s request to retire older F-15 Eagle fighters, A-10 Warthogs, and other aircraft, but again block its attempt to mothball 32 older F-22A Raptors. And lawmakers want to see more of the Air Force’s plans for folding drone wingmen known as collaborative combat aircraft into its fleet at an affordable rate, and how it plans to create the Next Generation Air Dominance future fighter platform.
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12/07/2023
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 10 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 6) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 7)
Of the 10 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one BZK-005 reconnaissance drone crossed the Taiwan Strait median line in the southwest sector of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Meanwhile, one Shenyang J-11 fighter jet entered the southwest corner of the ADIZ.
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12/07/2023
The military announced late Wednesday it was grounding all of its Osprey V-22 helicopters, one week after eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members died in a crash off the coast of Japan. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps took the extraordinary step of grounding hundreds of aircraft after a preliminary investigation of last week's crash indicated that a materiel failure — that something went wrong with the aircraft — and not a mistake by the crew led to the deaths.
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12/07/2023
Human rights groups Oxfam Novib, PAX, and The Rights Forum are seeking to halt the Dutch government‘s export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel in a hearing that began Monday. During summary proceedings in front of the Hague District Court , they argued that such exports make the Netherlands complicit in potential war crimes, pointing to Israel‘s alleged use of these planes in attacks on Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war has resulted in more than 15,000 civilian casualties.
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12/05/2023
China has reportedly revealed its longest-range air-to-air missile (AAM), the PL-17, on a J-16 fighter, putting to rest speculations about what the missile looks like after its existence began to be noted a few years ago.
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12/05/2023
In September, the United States Air Force celebrated another birthday. At age 76, it is in bad shape. Despite lowering qualification standards, it cannot attract enough recruits to fill its ranks. The size and serviceability of its combat aircraft are at all-time lows. And truncated training has weakened pilot readiness.
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12/04/2023
The Navy announced they ‘safely’ recovered the Military plane that overshot the runway and has been stuck in Kaneohe Bay for almost two weeks. Navy officials say it took meticulous planning and assembling specialized equipment from off island, a multidisciplinary team of military and civilian experts to carefully raise the P-8A Poseidon from the bay.
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12/03/2023
In March 2019, the United States Air Force didn't just conduct just another "elephant walk" – the term for taxiing a large number of aircraft before takeoff. Instead, the close formation and minimum interval takeoff of fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-22 air superiority fighters could have rightfully been described as a march of the Raptors. Maybe we should call this a Raptor walk.
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12/03/2023
Will NGAD Be Worth It? While few nations even can develop and field a fifth-generation fighter, the United States is already working on a sixth-generation fighter. Known as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, the sixth-generation fighter is expected to be technologically advanced – and fiscally prohibitive, leading some to question whether the advanced airframe is worth the sticker price.
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12/03/2023
The UK is reportedly utilizing state-of-the-art technology, including Artificial Intelligence, to bolster the advancement of its next-generation fighter aircraft, Tempest. Slated to be a vital component of the UK’s future combat air system, FCAS is envisioned as a supersonic stealth fighter incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, including advanced integrated sensing and protection capabilities.
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12/03/2023
The Pentagon’s high-tech unmanned wingman project could face a serious delay of up to a year if Congress does not pass a full budget soon, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall warned today.
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12/02/2023
Russian Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which reportedly has an affiliation with the Russian Air Force, recently stated that the software for managing the weapons system aboard the Su-34 is being updated to enable the release of UMPC bombs. With the upgrade, these smart bombs will reportedly become smarter.
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12/02/2023
Canada has finalised a government-to-government agreement for 14 P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft with an option for a further two aircraft after the county's government ruled out other options to fulfil maritime patrol and other roles.
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12/02/2023
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has started to induct into service the latest version of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC)/Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) JF-17 ‘Thunder' fighter aircraft. The PAF said in mid-November that the new Block III aircraft provides the PAF with several improved capabilities over the earlier Block II version. These include, it said, “superior manoeuvrability, extended range, and enhanced combat capabilities”.
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12/01/2023
Media reports recently suggested that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan might go for a Rafale acquisition following the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to the two nations earlier this month. While both countries are in the process of modernizing their militaries, reports now say they might find the “expensive” and “complex” plane beyond their financial means.
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12/01/2023
Our annual World Air Forces directory – published in association with Embraer – details the military aircraft fleets of 161 nations, and analyses the main events of the last 12 months. To download the full report, which includes detailed fleet listings totalling more than 53,000 aircraft, scroll to the bottom of the page.
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12/01/2023
The first B-21 Raider took off at dawn from Palmdale, Calif., Nov. 10 on its premier flight, touching down at nearby Edwards Air Force base more than 90 minutes later, after using a circuitous route to check out basic handling qualities. Edwards will be the bomber’s home for the next several years, as pilots and engineers test and assess its performance.
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12/01/2023
Germany is set to replace its Tornado electronic combat/reconnaissance (ECR) aircraft with Eurofighter Typhoon Elektronischer Kampf (EK) for the task of suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) following parliamentary approval by the Budget Committee. The Typhoons will be fitted with Saab’s Arexis Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, a missionised pod, and the supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile Northrop Grumman/MBDA's AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile.
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