May, 2024 Military Aviation News
05/30/2024
The Ukrainian Air Force will receive two Saab 340 AEWCS aircraft in the ASC 890 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system configuration from Sweden, providing Kyiv with “absolutely new potential for radar reconnaissance and combat control against targets in the air and at sea,” according to the local publication Sydsvenskan.
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05/30/2024
A military fighter jet on its way to an Air Force base in California crashed Tuesday near the international airport in New Mexico’s largest city, sending up a large plume of smoke and injuring the pilot. The pilot, the only person on board, was able to escape after crashing around 2 p.m. on a hillside on the south side of Albuquerque’s airport and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, according to the city’s fire department.
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05/28/2024
The first 16 of the air force's new F-35 fighters will be paid for out of the current federal budget, even though Canada isn't expected to take delivery of the warplanes until 2026.
Defence Minister Bill Blair pointed to the investment on Monday while defending the Liberal government's military spending plans before a House of Commons committee.
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05/28/2024
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 21 Chinese military aircraft, 11 naval vessels, and four coast guard ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (May 26) and 6 a.m. on Monday (May 27). Of the 21 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 10 entered the southwest and southeast sectors 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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05/28/2024
The Philippines and Sweden have signed a key agreement to support Manila’s planned acquisition of multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Titled “Implementing Arrangement Concerning the Procurement of Defense Materiel and Equipment,” the deal provides the government framework for the Philippines to purchase Swedish-made defense equipment.
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05/28/2024
On May 27, the Chinese PLA Air Force’s WL-10, an unmanned aerial vehicle designed for high-altitude, long-endurance missions, carried out flight activities above the East China Sea. Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO), which oversees the operations of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces, announced that the incident prompted an immediate response from Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force, which scrambled fighter jets to intercept the intruding UAV.
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05/28/2024
Saab has revealed the initial details of Sweden’s Future Combat Aviation Concept study (Koncept för Framtida Stridsflyg, KFS). This independent project began in July 2023 and is expected to continue through 2025. It was presented at a press briefing held at Saab’s headquarters in Linköping.
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05/26/2024
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), a division of the U.S. Department of Defense, has confirmed the start of production of the advanced F-16 Viper fighter aircraft for Morocco. This development marks a pivotal moment in the North African kingdom’s defense strategy, aiming for greater self-sufficiency and enhanced military prowess.
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05/26/2024
The US Air Force revealed, through press release, the names of the two manufacturers selected to design and build the prototypes of the first batch of combat drones, intended to accompany the future NGAD, successors to the F-22, as well as a few hundred specially prepared F-35As.
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05/25/2024
Taiwan tracked dozens of Chinese warplanes and navy vessels off its coast on Friday, the second day of a large military exercise launched by Beijing to show its anger over the self-governing island’s inauguration of new leaders who refuse to accept its insistence that Taiwan is part of China.
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05/25/2024
The first round of Ukrainian pilots have completed F-16 fighter jet training at a military base in Arizona, advancing Kyiv one step closer to using the modern aircraft in its war against Russia.
Air National Guard spokesperson Erin Hannigan told Politico's Lara Seligman that the pilots had been training at the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard in Tucson. They are now headed to Europe for additional training.
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05/25/2024
As part of operational training, SU-30 and F-16 aircraft of the Bolivarian Military Aviation conducted combined exercises under the framework of the so-called “Domingo Sifontes Task Force.” According to information published by the Bolivarian Military Aviation on its social media platforms, the maneuvers carried out in coastal areas involved the participation of units from the Army and the Bolivarian Navy conducting patrol exercises, land incursions, and aerial coverage.
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05/25/2024
Once hailed as the epitome of cutting-edge aerial warfare, the Eurofighter Typhoon soared to prominence in the early 2000s, emerging as one of the “world’s most advanced combat aircraft.” However, its glory days seem to be fading a bit. In the ring with the Typhoon is the Rafale, a contender that emerged almost a decade after its European counterpart. Surprisingly, the Rafale is swiftly closing in on the Typhoon’s sales figures.
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05/23/2024
History serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting air superiority, a mistake America must not repeat with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as it did with the F-22 Raptor. In 2009, the F-22 program was abruptly cancelled after the production of only 187 aircraft — a quarter of the originally planned 750 fighters. This short-sighted decision left the U.S. Air Force with a diminished capacity to maintain air superiority in the face of evolving threats from the major military adversa
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05/23/2024
Saudi Arabia is seeking full partner status as it decides what future combat aircraft program to join, with a decision possible within months. The kingdom aims to be “an equal partner” in any sixth-generation fighter program, Maj. Gen. Hamed Alamri, director of Joint Chiefs of Staff and chairman of the Committee on Future Capabilities of the Armed Forces for the Saudi Air Force, said May 21. “Saudi Arabia seeks to become a global innovator, not just a customer,” he told an event at the Royal Aer
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05/23/2024
The U.S. Air Force today is the oldest and smallest in its history. Consequently, it is experiencing a severe fighter aircraft gap between what it has and what it requires to execute the national defense strategy. This gap is particularly acute within the F-35 stealth advanced 5th generation aircraft inventory. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 House Armed Services Committee bill language cutting F-35 purchases exacerbate this shortfall.
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05/21/2024
Ukraine's war effort is set to receive a boost with the imminent addition of F-16 Fighting Falcons to its fleet. President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for 120 to 130 F-16s to achieve parity with Russia, but only around 85 have been pledged so far by countries like the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark.
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05/21/2024
South Korea’s latest fighter jet, the KF-21 Boromae, which is still under development, has deployed the short-range German IRIS-T missile for the first time this month. IRIS-T (infra-red imaging system – tail/thrust vector controlled) is an air-to-air guided missile manufactured by Diehl Defence as part of a German-led multinational programme.
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05/21/2024
Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares confirmed last week that a $1.14 billion contract signed for the acquisition of 11 Su-35S fighter aircraft from Russia remains in force, in spite of widespread unconfirmed reports and speculation since early 2019 that it had been terminated due to threats of sanctions by the United States Treasury Department.
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05/20/2024
Belgium's third F-35A, designated AY-03, has completed its first flight, advancing the country's transition to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II for its air force. The aircraft, featuring subdued Belgian national markings, will join Belgium's fleet of F-35s, replacing the aging F-16 Fighting Falcons.
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05/18/2024
After JF-17 and J-10C fighters, cash-strapped Pakistan turns to China for the Light Combat Aircraft JL-15 and has been eyeing to have the Chinese J-31 stealth fifth-generation aircraft by 2029. Pakistan earlier ordered 36 Chengdu J-10CE ‘Vigorous Dragon’ multi-role fighters (20 delivered, 16 to come). There are reports that they will order 14 more to make it 50.
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05/18/2024
Egypt is in the market for new fighters, but budgetary constraints mean that they may have to settle for a mixture of new and second-hand aircraft. Before 1979, when then President Anwar Sadat signed a historic peace agreement with Israel, the Egyptian Air Force was primarily equipped with aircraft of Soviet design, some of them supplied by China after the loosening of ties with Russia in 1976.
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05/18/2024
After years in development, the U.S. military's latest attempt at an airborne laser weapon to protect troops on the ground from incoming ballistic missiles appears to be headed for the scrapyard.
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05/17/2024
A pair of U.S. F-22s practiced dogfighting with South Korean F-35As on May 16, making a rare appearance over the peninsula’s inland airspace. The training saw the four stealthy fighters engaging in close-range air combat maneuver, taking turns in offensive and defensive posture in simulated confrontation scenarios, the Republic of Korea Air Force said in a release.
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05/17/2024
Further to a Kyiv Post report posted on Wednesday, the Russian Telegram channel Astra said that on the night of May 14 / 15, Ukrainian missile attacks against a Russian air base and nearby military locations in occupied Crimea destroyed an S-400 “Triumf” air defense system, two MiG-31 fighters, and a fuel and lubricant depot. The ASTRA account said that two Russian soldiers were killed, and 14 others were injured.
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05/16/2024
The U.S. Congress’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025 originally included the purchase of 68 stealth fighter jets F-35, but this acquisition could be reduced to as few as 48 aircraft. Problems with upgrades and failure to meet promised deadlines by Lockheed Martin would significantly reduce the number of aircraft intended to equip the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.
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05/16/2024
The U.S. Air Force has deployed several F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea, according to an announcement on the Pentagon’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website on Tuesday. The arrival of these advanced jets at Kunsan Air Base, located 178 kilometers south of Seoul, underscores the U.S. commitment to maintaining a robust defense posture in the Indo-Pacific region.
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05/16/2024
Taipei said Wednesday it had detected 45 Chinese military aircraft around Taiwan, the highest single-day number this year and coming less than a week before the self-ruled island inaugurates its new president, whom China regards as a “dangerous separatist.” China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it would never renounce the use of force to bring it under Beijing’s control.
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05/16/2024
The 8th Fighter Wing welcomed four F-22 Raptors assigned to 19th and 199th Expeditionary Fighter Squadrons, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii, May 13. The F-22s, currently operating out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, arrived to Kunsan AB, to provide the opportunity for dissimilar training and test agile combat employment (ACE) capabilities within the Indo-Pacific region.
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05/16/2024
The Russian Armed Forces have increased the deployment of their Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) multirole fighters in the Ukraine conflict, launching over six Kh-69 cruise missiles in recent sorties. But don't be fooled: this fighter jet still has many issues to be worked out.
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05/15/2024
The Norwegian Armed Forces have announced an ambitious initiative to have their F-35 fighters fly with biofuel by the end of the year, as indicated on the Norwegian Ministry of Defense's X account on May 14, 2024. This initiative is a historic first for Norway, as none of its F-35s have yet used biofuel. This project aims to demonstrate the viability of biofuels in high-tech military operations.
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05/15/2024
Since the MSPO 2023 Defense Exhibition, Poland has been in discussions with the American company Boeing regarding the potential acquisition of 32 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. This news comes shortly after Lockheed Martin announced that the first F-35A "Husarz" jets destined for Poland are expected to be assembled by next summer in Fort Worth, Texas, before being moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, for pilot training.
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05/15/2024
The Japanese government is to expand its capacity to service U.S. fighter jets based in Japan to enhance bilateral defense cooperation in East Asia. F-18 and the latest F-35 fighter jet models stationed at U.S. bases are serviced and repaired in Japan. Tokyo plans to add the F-15 and F-16 capability in 2025 at the earliest, and to tap Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI as service providers. Both companies service Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) aircraft.
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05/15/2024
Only one week after the second test flight of Turkey’s domestically-produced KAAN fighter, Turkish Aerospace Industries’ general manager has announced that the firm expects to deliver 20 aircraft by 2028 — and is making some big claims about its capabilities.
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05/14/2024
On May 10, 2024, the Hellenic Air Force General Staff announced its intention to acquire up to ten new Rafale F4 fighter jets from Dassault Aviation. This move is part of a broader strategy to modernize the Greek air force, which involves phasing out older models such as the F-4 Phantom and Mirage 2000-5 in favor of a more compact and technologically advanced fleet.
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05/14/2024
The F-35 Lightning II program achieved a significant milestone at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, with the 56th Fighter Wing completing its 100,000th sortie on May 9, 2024. This sortie, flown by Captain Garrett Ellis of the 308th Fighter Squadron, underscores the program's growing maturity and operational success. Luke AFB, home to the world's largest F-35 wing, plays a crucial role in training pilots, with each receiving extensive academic and flight training.
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05/13/2024
Two Air Force fighter jets recently squared off in a dogfight in California. One was flown by a pilot. The other wasn’t. That second jet was piloted by artificial intelligence, with the Air Force’s highest-ranking civilian riding along in the front seat. It was the ultimate display of how far the Air Force has come in developing a technology with its roots in the 1950s. But it’s only a hint of the technology yet to come.
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05/13/2024
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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05/12/2024
The F-22’s pilot, operating undetected, had sidled right in. “He flew under their aircraft to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there,” then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said. Having determined the F-4’s payloads, the Raptor pilot finally alerted the Iranians to his presence.
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05/12/2024
The first prototype of Turkey’s TAI TF Kaan fighter made its second test flight on May 6. According to the secretary of Turkish Defense Industries, the test flight went well. “Our National Combat Aircraft, which successfully made its first flight on February 21, took off from the runway at 08:46 this morning, stayed in the air for 14 minutes and reached an altitude of 10,000 feet,” Secretary Haluk Gorgun said.
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05/12/2024
The 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after General Marko Bezruchko, has successfully downed a Russian SU-25 attack aircraft in the Avdiivka direction, marking another significant achievement in aerial defense by Ukrainian forces. According to the General Staff, Russia has already lost 348 aircraft and 325 helicopters in its war against Ukraine. According to Ukrainian intelligence, at the outset of the full-scale invasion, Russia had approximately 1500 combat aircraft.
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05/12/2024
Russian authorities have long touted the Sukhoi Su-35S (NATO reporting name Flanker-E”) as being among its most capable combat aircraft in widespread service—and this week, it was announced that the Kremlin received a new batch of the multirole fighters. According to a report by Russian state media, the new aircraft were produced by the Gagarin Aircraft Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and flew to a deployment airfield after passing ground and flight trials.
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05/12/2024
Pilots in Ukraine's Soviet-era airforce, a fraction of the size of Russia's, are using a tactic first developed by the US Air Force to contest the skies above the 600-mile frontline. Videos in recent months appear to show Ukrainian pilots conducting so-called "wild weasel" missions.
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05/11/2024
The US says Israel may have used American-supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law in some instances during the war in Gaza. It is "reasonable to assess" that US-supplied arms have been used in ways "inconsistent" with Israel's obligations, says the state department.
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05/11/2024
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has suspended training for its F-16 fleet as a safety measure after one of its Lockheed Martin F-16 combat aircraft crashed at Tengah Air Base in western Singapore on 8 May. According to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), the pilot – who has accumulated over 2,000 hours of flight time on the F-16 – had experienced flight control issues shortly after taking off. He responded in accordance with emergency procedures and successfully ejected from the aircraf
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05/11/2024
The United States Department of Defense has initiated a significant transfer of fighter jets, armed drones and other aircraft from its air base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Qatar. This decision follows the UAE’s refusal to allow its territory to be utilized as a staging ground for attacks on Iraq and Yemen.
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05/10/2024
The fourth crash of the Russian-made advanced multirole aircraft Yakovlev Yak-130 in less than a decade on Thursday left one Bangladesh Air Force pilot killed and another injured in Chattogram. Instructor pilot Squadron Leader Muhammad Asim Jawwad, 31, died hours after ejection along with another instructor, Wing Commander Md Shohan Hasan Khan, as the two-seat subsonic light combat aircraft caught fire in mid-air during a low-altitude acrobatic.
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05/09/2024
The U.S. military has been increasing efforts to develop trusted autonomy capabilities for its aircraft fleet. The Department of Defense (DoD) and its services and agencies have been working on several programs to enable the operation of their in-service airplanes by using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) software.
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05/09/2024
An F-16C fighter jet crashed during takeoff from the Tengah Air Base in Singapore. The MINDEF Singapore reported on this. The accident occurred when the fighter jet took off from the Tengah Air Base at about 12:35 p.m. local time.
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05/09/2024
The United Arab Emirates is expanding air force ties with China in what may be a scheme to brighten their dim prospects of acquiring F-35 Lightning II stealth jets from the United States. However, this developing cooperation will not likely result in Abu Dhabi ordering alternative fifth-generation fighters from Beijing.
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05/08/2024
By 2011, China's fighter design bureau and defense industrial firms earned a reputation for turning out two types of aircraft: either adaptations of foreign designs subsequently modified by a Chinese design team or models that nearly mirrored the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30MK series. Though based on 1980s innovations, the aircraft and technology transfer that came with them nonetheless helped move the Chinese air power into the 21st century.
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05/08/2024
Thailand's air force chief will fly to Sweden and the U.S. this month to discuss details of a planned procurement of new fighter jets, a deal that could include a technology transfer agreement to foster the Southeast Asian country's nascent arms industry. Air Chief Marshal Panpakdee Pattanakul's sights are set on either the Swedish-made Gripen or the U.S.-made F-16 Block 70/72 to replace a squadron of 12 aging F-16 As and F-16 ADFs.
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05/08/2024
The Polish military reported that on 6 May, a pair of MiG-29 fighter jets on duty from the 22nd Tactical Aviation Base in Malbork intercepted and visually identified a Russian Il-20 aircraft.
According to Operational Command, the Russian Il-20 took off from an airfield in Kaliningrad Oblast and flew on a reconnaissance mission in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
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05/07/2024
According to a Reuters report, a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force Chengdu J-10 fighter jet intercepted an Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter over the Yellow Sea before dropping flares in its flight path from above. After launching from the destroyer HMAS Hobart, the helicopter was performing a routine flight over the Yellow Sea as part of Operation Argos, which enforces UN sanctions on North Korea by policing illegal shipping activity.
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05/07/2024
The Air Force is investigating the cause of a mishap involving an F-22 Raptor during an Air National Guard fighter exercise Monday. The pilot was not injured in the mishap, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia, according to the 165th Airlift Wing, which hosts Savannah Sentry, a counterair exercise for fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets from across the Air National Guard.
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05/07/2024
In a recent incident within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), U.S. Air Force F-16C fighters were deployed to intercept and escort two Russian Tu-95MS bombers from the Russian Aerospace Forces. This information was confirmed both by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Russian Ministry of Defense earlier this month.
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05/07/2024
Türkiye's homegrown fighter jet has completed its second flight, authorities said on Monday, marking another milestone in the country's endeavor to upgrade its air force and curb external dependency. KAAN took off early on Monday and managed to stay in the air for 14 minutes, reaching an altitude of 10,000 feet and a speed of 230 knots, according to a statement by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
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05/07/2024
Amid a rush within NATO to rally around next-generation combat aircraft, new alliance member Sweden is taking a pause to assess what’s next for its lineage as a warplane-producing country. The Nordic state in 2022 suspended its flirtation with one of Europe’s two marquee airpower efforts, the Global Combat Air Programme, an initiative led by the U.K., Italy and Japan that seeks to deliver a sixth-generation fighter capability by 2035.
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05/06/2024
The AI-controlled F-16 went up against another human-piloted aircraft, which marks one of the biggest advancements in military aviation since the introduction of stealth technology. It is a giant leap that could make human pilots redundant. Frank Kendall was very impressed by the demonstration and said that he would trust it with the ability to decide whether to launch weapons.
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05/06/2024
Ukraine shot down a Russian fighter jet in the east of the country on Saturday, according to Kyiv, as Moscow's aircraft continue attacks with lethal aerial bombs. Ukraine's 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade shot down "another Russian Su-25 in the Donetsk region today," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address on Saturday.
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05/06/2024
Taiwan should create a military aviation law to give legal protection to its air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in counteracting Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) drones, National Defense University associate professor of law and military officer Lee Yen-chang said on Saturday.
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05/05/2024
The Ministry of National Defense tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. Friday (May 3) and the same time Saturday (May 4). The ministry said it monitored the situation with its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, and deployed land-based air defense missile systems. However, at the time of publication, it did not mention whether the Chinese planes had crossed the median line or entered the nation’s ADIZ.
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05/04/2024
Taiwan's defence ministry said Friday it had detected 26 Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels around the self-ruled island in the previous 24 hours. The sorties come weeks before the May 20 inauguration of new Taiwan president Lai Ching-te, who China regards as a dangerous separatist. A statement from the defence ministry said 17 of the aircraft "crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and central ADIZ (air defence identification zone)."
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05/04/2024
The United States is moving military aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, from the United Arab Emirates to Qatar, the Wall Street Journal reported. The move is the result of the UAE's decision not to allow the US to carry out air strikes on Yemen and Iraq from the Al Dhafra air base in Abu Dhabi, according to unnamed US officials.
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05/04/2024
With the midday sun blazing, an experimental orange and white F-16 fighter jet launched with a familiar roar that is a hallmark of U.S. airpower. But the aerial combat that followed was unlike any other: This F-16 was controlled by artificial intelligence, not a human pilot. And riding in the front seat was Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
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05/03/2024
A detachment of the Finnish Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets will participate in NATO’s upcoming Air Shielding Mission in Romania from June to July. The first-time contingent will be composed of up to eight planes and 100 airmen from the Karelia Air Command in Siilinjärvi, Finland. The fleet will operate alongside UK Royal Air Force Typhoons, increasing the alliance’s presence on NATO’s eastern flank, joining quick-reaction alert duties, patrol flights, and air exercises.
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05/03/2024
The Ukrainian Air Force cannot disclose the exact date when F-16 fighter jets will appear in Ukraine. Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash announced this on Ukrainian television, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
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05/03/2024
The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing is set for a significant upgrade as it prepares to transition from the F-15C to the newer F-15EX, becoming the first operational unit to do so. Pilots from the 142nd recently tested the F-15EX at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, noting substantial improvements in power, radar, and avionics compared to the aging F-15C. The F-15EX features modern fly-by-wire control systems and a glass cockpit with large touchscreens, enhancing pilot situational awarenes
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05/02/2024
F-22A Raptors from the 27th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., recently arrived at Kadena Air Base in Japan, bolstering the fifth-generation airpower at the closest U.S. military installation to Taiwan. “Amid an increasingly challenging strategic environment, it is vital that we continue to retain modern capabilities to ensure peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region,” a base spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine on May 1.
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05/02/2024
“We’ve got a 60 fighter squadron requirement,” across the Air Force, Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, said April 30 at a House Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing. “We have 25 of those in the National Guard, and our ability to retain that capability when we’re already short fighter pilots and maintainers will be critically important in the next coming years as we start to modernize our fleet.”
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05/01/2024
On April 1, pilots of the 422nd and 59th Test and Evaluation Squadrons (TES) participated in this initiative, designed to elevate aircrew capabilities in aircraft maintenance and refueling. The core objective of the IPOP is to equip pilots with the skills necessary to independently inspect and deploy their aircraft, a crucial element to foster self-sufficiency during prolonged flight missions.
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05/01/2024
The Shenyang J-15 "Flying Shark," known as Flanker-X2 by NATO, is a cornerstone of China's carrier-based air power, introduced in 2013 to operate from the People's Liberation Army Navy's aircraft carriers. Originating from failed negotiations to acquire the Russian Sukhoi Su-33, China initiated the J-15 program by reverse-engineering a Su-33 prototype obtained from Ukraine.
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05/01/2024
An Air Force pilot ejected from an F-16 fighter jet assigned to the 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., when it crashed April 30, the base announced. The crash happened at about 11:50 a.m. local time, west of the base near White Sands National Park. The only person on board the jet, the pilot “was transported by ambulance for medical care,” the base said in a Facebook post. Later that evening, officials said in a release that the pilot was in good condition.
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