November, 2024 Military Aviation News
11/21/2024
Japanese officials said Wednesday they are closely watching to see if China keeps its promise to prevent further violations of Japan’s airspace after explaining that an incursion by a Chinese military aircraft nearly three months ago was unintentional and caused by turbulence. Tokyo protested and sought an explanation from Beijing after a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane briefly entered Japanese airspace off the southern main island of Kyushu on Aug. 26.
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11/21/2024
The A-10 Thunderbolt II, or Warthog, is approaching retirement as the U.S. Air Force shifts focus toward modernizing its fighter fleet for the Indo-Pacific. By the end of FY2025, the 25th Fighter Squadron's A-10s at South Korea's Osan Air Base will be phased out.
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11/21/2024
The State Department this week approved the possible sale of a host of U.S.-made upgrades to South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle fighter aircraft. The possible $6.2 billion sale includes high-speed mission system computers; Active Electronically Scanned Arrays, or AESA, radars; missile-warning systems and continued maintenance and software support, according to a news release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Tuesday.
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11/20/2024
Danish F-16s have begun arriving in Ukraine, with the Royal Danish Air Force delivering the first batch of six advanced fighters. This was confirmed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Frederiksen also revealed that an additional 13 F-16s are slated for delivery in the near future, underscoring Denmark’s continued commitment to bolstering Ukraine’s aerial defense capabilities amidst the ongoing conflict.
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11/20/2024
Relations between the governments of Peru and South Korea have taken another decisive step toward supplying new fighter jets to the South American country’s air force. New agreement signed by manufacturer KAI and Peruvian SEMAN paves the way for jets to replace aging Su-25 and MiG-29 aircraft.
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11/20/2024
A batch of five Beechcraft T-6C Texan II - the first military aircraft provided by the U.S. to Vietnam - has arrived in Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, witnesses told Radio Free Asia. One witness, who didn’t want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said he saw five training aircraft, all painted with Vietnamese air force markings, at the civilian airport in the southern hub but was told they’d be moved to a military airbase soon.
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11/19/2024
Less than a year after the contract was signed, Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of up to 82 H145M helicopters ordered by Germany at its Donauwörth site. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) have named their new H145Ms “Leichter Kampfhubschrauber” (light combat helicopter), or LKH for short. The helicopter’s missions include training, reconnaissance, special forces operations and light attack.
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11/19/2024
Carrier Air Wing 5, the aviation arm of the USS George Washington, arrived home Sunday at this air base with a new addition, a squadron of advanced F-35C Lightning II multirole fighters. Strike Fighter Squadron 147, the Argonauts, is the first unit of F-35C aircraft stationed in Japan, although other variants of the Lightning II are well-known here, squadron commander Cmdr. Christopher Case told Stars and Stripes during a flightline briefing.
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11/19/2024
Industrial relations in defense production between Peru and South Korea are undergoing a process of deepening, consolidation, and sustained expansion. One of the most recent milestones achieved by both nations, aimed at opening doors to new development and manufacturing programs, is Peru’s confirmation of its intent to join the KF-21 Program of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) through the production of various components for the new fighter jet.
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11/18/2024
F-16 multi-role fighter jets of the Ukrainian Air Force shot down about ten air targets while repelling a massive air attack on Ukraine in the morning of November 17. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky reported on this. “Today, our F-16 pilots shot down about ten air targets. The aftermath of the combined attack on our infrastructure in the Rivne, Lviv, Dnipro, Volyn, and Odesa regions are being eliminated,” the statement reads.
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11/18/2024
The Polish military emphasises that "regular pairs of fighter jets have been scrambled, and ground-based air defence and radar systems have been placed on high alert". "Attention, Polish and allied aircraft have begun operating in our airspace due to a large-scale attack by the Russian Federation, which has launched cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles against targets located, in particular, in western Ukraine," Operational Command said.
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11/18/2024
At a time when budget considerations are holding back the US’s big-ticket aviation modernization plan under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, the US Navy inched closer to its ambition of teaming crewed aircraft with unmanned aircraft operating from aircraft carriers. The US Navy successfully operated an uncrewed aircraft for the first time using a drone control system, which is now being installed on its Nimitz and Ford-class supercarriers.
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11/17/2024
Despite China unveiling its latest stealth aircraft, the J-35A, at the ongoing Zhuhai Air Show, the J-10C ‘Vigorous Dragon’ fighter jet has evoked significant interest from prospective buyers. The Azerbaijani Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Namig Islamzade, was photographed on November 15 examining the export variant of the J-10C fighter jet—known as the J-10CE—at the Zhuhai Air Show 2024.
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11/16/2024
The Kenyan Air Force (KAF) is in urgent need of a capable air superiority aircraft to replace its aging fleet of F-5s, acquired decades ago as a stop-gap measure for air defense and aerial control. Over the years, there has been no replacement in sight, despite the clear need for modernization.
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11/16/2024
Norwegian F-35s were called into action on Tuesday as NATO scrambled jets in response to Russian aircraft "not adhering to international norms," NATO's Air Command said in a post on X. Italy's air force intercepted a Russian Coot-A plane flying over the Baltic Sea, while the Norwegian F-35s identified multiple Russian aircraft off the coast of Norway, NATO Air Command said.
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11/16/2024
Recent satellite imagery from September 2024 has unveiled the construction of large arched shelters at the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force’s 3rd Tactical Air Base near Hamadan. These structures, measuring approximately 25 meters by 30 meters, appear oversized for the F-4 Phantom aircraft currently stationed there. This suggests that Iran is building these shelters to house russian Su-35S fighters, which perfectly match the dimensions.
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11/16/2024
RAF fighter jets were scrambled to a Russian military aircraft spotted flying close to UK airspace. Two Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray took to the skies over the North Sea to closely monitor an approaching Russian Bear-F aircraft on Thursday, the Ministry of Defence said.
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11/15/2024
Through an official statement issued on November 12, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) confirmed it will retire its last A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft from South Korea in 2025. Osan Air Base will be the last overseas base maintaining this type of aircraft in operation. Specifically, a fleet of 24 units stationed there will begin to be withdrawn starting in January.
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11/15/2024
Alexander Mikheev, the head of the Rosoboronexport - a russian state-owned company focused on the trade of russian weapons on the international market, said that currently there are already "signed contracts" for the export of the Su-57 stealth multirole fighter aircraft (NATO reporting name: Felon). This news was extremely unexpected, especially given the fact that russian weapons are actively losing their traditional markets.
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11/15/2024
Lockheed Martin F-35C fighters from the US Marine Corps took part in recent US air strikes against targets in Yemen, marking the first known combat flight for the carrier-based variant of the prolific multi-role stealth fighter. The strikes, which took place on 9 and 10 November, involved a number of platforms, including F-35Cs and unspecified US Air Force (USAF) assets, according to the Pentagon.
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11/15/2024
Russia’s Rosoboronexport has revealed its first export contracts for the Sukhoi Su-57 supersonic aircraft for foreign military customers. The state-run company verified the sales at an aerospace exhibit in China, where the aircraft was also displayed for the first time outside the federation’s territory. “The system of military-technical cooperation should bring new types of weapons and military equipment to the market,” Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheye commented during the event.
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11/15/2024
Germany has mandated its sales authority to work on the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey after initially being opposed to the move, a Turkish defence ministry source said on Thursday, but added this did not mean the process was concluded. Last year, Ankara said it was in talks with the Eurofighter consortium members Britain and Spain to buy 40 Typhoons, though Germany objected to the idea. It has since complained of a lack of progress on the issue over Berlin's reluctance.
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11/14/2024
Earlier this year, the Air Force put its planned Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Fighter on hold. NGAD is a critical element in the Air Force’s plan to maintain air dominance. Several reasons were given by Air Force officials for the suspension, including cost; yet this action is symptomatic of problems that the U.S. military is facing due to decades of defense underfunding.
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11/13/2024
Spain's plans to decommission its F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft could be an opportunity for Ukraine to strengthen its air force. A total of 80 jets are nearing the end of service life, waiting to be replaced by new Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters. A new deal on 25 additional Eurofighters potentially frees up to two squadrons of aging yet operable aircraft that could become a powerful reinforcement to Ukraine's air combat capabilities
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11/13/2024
Two new F-35A fighter jets arrived at Ørland Air Station on Friday afternoon, joining Norway’s expanding fleet. The aircraft landed at 15:30, with two more F-35s scheduled to arrive in the coming days from the Lockheed Martin production facility in the United States.
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11/13/2024
The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) must press forward with the multinational Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) to deliver a next generation fighter jet if it wants to take a stand against the “proliferation” of Russian and Chinese stealth aircraft, according to the head of the service.
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11/13/2024
The U.S. Air Force is pursuing advanced modernization programs, including the NGAD sixth-generation fighter, CCA drone swarms, and the NGAS refueling system, to maintain air superiority amid potential conflict with China. However, the high costs of these programs are prompting difficult funding decisions.
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11/12/2024
Saab has made an offer to Colombia for the proposed purchase of an undisclosed number of Gripen fighter jets and is looking at a potential deal for the sale of the jets to Peru, the CEO of the Swedish defense firm told Reuters on Monday. A Swedish public radio station reported last week, citing unnamed sources, that Colombia would buy a fleet of JAS Gripen jets made by Saab, which has a production line in neighboring Brazil.
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11/12/2024
Taiwan may buy a US weapons package worth more than $15 billion to show President-elect Donald Trump it is serious about defending itself against China. According to the Financial Times, the package could include 60 F-35 fighter jets, four Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired warships, and 400 Patriot missiles.
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11/12/2024
Against the backdrop of the Zhuhai Airshow, to be held in China from November 12 to 17, executives from United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) have announced that the company is ready to produce and offer the export version of the Su-57 stealth fighter, which currently equips the Russian Aerospace Forces, to foreign partners.
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11/11/2024
The F-21, an advanced iteration of Lockheed Martin’s F-16, has been offered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a tailored "Make in India" opportunity in partnership with Tata. Showcasing features like an F-35-style cockpit, AESA radar, and compatibility with IAF’s Russian tankers, the F-21 aims to outclass existing Russian MiG-29s in the IAF's fleet.
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11/11/2024
China has unveiled multiple mysterious, big-ticket military equipment ahead of the Zhuhai Air Show. After the J-35A stealth combat aircraft, photographs of the new model of China’s long-awaited ‘CH-7’ stealth drone have struck the internet like lightning.
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11/10/2024
Brazil and Sweden took a firm step towards the conclusion of an agreement that will allow the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to increase its inventory of JAS-39 Gripen E/F fighters, while the Swedish Air Force will incorporate the Brazilian C-390 Millennium as a new military transport aircraft, replacing its aging C-130 Hercules.
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11/10/2024
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has revealed concept imagery for the KC-Z, a next-generation stealth aerial refueling tanker that may be piloted or unmanned. The KC-Z aims to support stealth aircraft such as the F-35, with anticipated readiness in the 2030s to 2040s.
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11/10/2024
The next-generation Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) being developed by the trilateral alliance of the UK, Japan, and Italy has received a green light from London. If all goes according to plan, this grouping could unveil the world’s second sixth-generation aircraft unless China springs some surprise.
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11/09/2024
Despite increased production of Su-35 and Su-57 fighters, Russia's Su-35 "Flanker-E" has struggled in Ukraine. Originally designed to rival American fourth-generation jets, the Su-35 boasts a range of missiles, electronic warfare capabilities, and powerful weaponry.
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11/09/2024
U.S. Air Force aerial warfare experts are ordering additional modern active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for F-16 jet fighter aircraft under terms of an $30 million order announced in September.
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11/08/2024
U.S. Air Force officials say they have paused a contract award for the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter as they rethink the aircraft’s requirements. NGAD is an advanced fighter jet intended to replace the stealthy F-22 Raptor. According to the Air Force, NGAD is also a “family of systems,” enabling air superiority, defined as the ability to operate without threat of attack, even in highly contested environments.
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11/08/2024
The Israeli defence ministry said on Thursday it had signed an agreement to acquire 25 next generation F-15 fighter jets from Boeing Co, opens new tab. It said the $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of U.S. aid approved by the U.S. administration and Congress earlier this year and included an option for 25 additional aircraft. Delivery of the new F-15IA aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually, it said.
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11/07/2024
Saab’s Gripen E fighter jet recently took the spotlight at CRUZEX 2024, Latin America’s largest multinational training exercise, hosted by the Brazilian Air Force. Saab’s November 4, 2024 announcement marked the Gripen’s first participation in this major exercise, reflecting its growing popularity in South America. With strategic appeal for countries facing budget constraints, unique defense needs, and industrial development ambitions, the Gripen has emerged as a preferred choice in the region.
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11/07/2024
Air forces must confront a tenfold increase in demand for aircraft parts according to General Mark Kelly, former Commander, US Air Combat Command, in an update to a gathering of combat air specialists in Berlin on 5 November 2024. During the International Fighter Conference, hosted by DefenceiQ, the former US Air Force superior relayed the challenges facing the fighter force, which includes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum, forming layered air defences.
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11/07/2024
Two Vietnamese air force pilots parachuted to safety before their twin-seat military plane crashed in the province of Binh Dinh during a landing attempt in difficult weather on Wednesday, state media said. The landing gear of the Russian-made Yak-130 light combat training aircraft could not be deployed, forcing the pilots to escape by parachute, a defence ministry statement said. Both pilots were missing for several hours.
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11/06/2024
Boeing is one of the Pentagon’s biggest contractors and therefore a heavyweight supplier for US allies. So its alarming financial condition is much more than investment news. The company has got itself into loss-making defence programs by overestimating the potential for production profits to cover research-and-development losses. Expect it to be wary in future.
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11/06/2024
The Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter; the Next-Generation Aerial refueling System tanker; a second increment of Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones: Air Force leaders have said in recent years they need them all to be prepared for a future fight with a great power like China.
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11/06/2024
Over two thousand military personnel from Brazil and 15 other nations from across Latin America, Africa, Europe and the United States are gathered for one of the largest operational air exercises in the Southern Hemisphere, CRUZEX 2024.
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11/06/2024
Colombia will buy a fleet of JAS Gripen fighter aircraft made by Sweden's Saab, Swedish public radio SR's Ekot news broadcast reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources, but Colombia's government declined to immediately confirm the purchase. "We have taken note of the information in the media but cannot comment further at this time. We have previously had a dialogue with Colombia regarding the sale of Gripen, but there is currently no contract," a Saab spokesperson said.
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11/06/2024
China’s air force is set to officially debut its new stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, giving observers the first look at a highly anticipated asset that adds to the country’s fast growing military capabilities. The fighter, an image of which was released during an air force press conference Tuesday, will appear at an air show in the southern city of Zhuhai next week, officials said.
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11/05/2024
apan has placed its fourth follow-on order for the stealthy and lethal Joint Strike Missile (JSM) to boost its firepower amid mounting security threats in the Indo-Pacific region. “Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (‘KONGSBERG’) has entered a fourth follow-on contract with Japan to supply the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for the country’s fleet of F-35A fighter aircraft. The contract is valued at NOK 1.9 billion,” a press statement released by the manufacturer stated.
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11/05/2024
The pilot managed to eject safely and is reported to be unharmed. The incident occurred during a routine flight, and details on the cause of the crash are yet to be confirmed. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. The IAF has stated that further information will be released as the inquiry progresses.
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11/05/2024
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is mulling issuing an “open tender” for the procurement of 114 medium-role fighter aircraft (MRFA), with production taking place at home. This will be a departure from the previous procurement process wherein 36 Rafale fighter jets were bought from France under a government-to-government deal in 2016.
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11/05/2024
U.S. Navy aerial warfare experts are asking RTX Corp. to build more than 1,200 AIM-9X precision short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missiles for jet fighters and other combat aircraft under terms of a $736.6 million five-year contract announced in September. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the RTX Raytheon segment in Tucson, Ariz., to build lot 24 AIM-9X block II and block II-plus air-to-air missiles.
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11/05/2024
A Russian Su-57 stealth fighter landed in Taiyuan, North China’s Shanxi Province, on November 3, 2024, on its first-ever visit to China. It’s not yet known if the Su-57 will perform demonstration flights at the Zhuhai Airshow 2024, which will take place from November 12 to 17, 2024. The Su-57 was first showcased internationally at the Dubai Airshow in November 2017. While it was on static display at the event, it did not conduct demonstration flights.
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11/04/2024
KC-46 aerial tankers from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., landed in the Middle East in early October, beginning the refueler’s first-ever operational deployment. KC-46s previously operated out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2022, as part of an Employment Concept Exercise meant to help validate and clear the Pegasus for operational duty. But not until now have KC-46s deployed for full-scale operational use, according to a news release.
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11/04/2024
Taiwan's defense ministry said Sunday it had spotted 35 Chinese military aircraft, including fighters and bombers, flying to the island's south on the way to exercises in the Pacific, a second day in a row it has reported such activities. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, regularly sends its military in the skies and waters near the island seeking to enforce its sovereignty claims.
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11/04/2024
The B-21 Raider is set to reshape U.S. air strategy, potentially replacing not only older bombers but also the role of manned fighters. With advancing A2/AD threats, the B-21 may become a stealthy "mothership" for drones, able to project power while leveraging its versatility in a system of systems approach.
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11/03/2024
The Algerian Air Force has breathed new life into some of its Soviet-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat aircraft, which were retired a few years ago. These formidable aircraft recently participated in a significant aerial display to mark the 70th anniversary of the start of the revolt against French rule on November 1.
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11/03/2024
Reports of a possible Iran-Russia agreement to manufacture the Su-35 fighter jets inside Iran have stirred considerable debate and speculation. The deal, if confirmed, would enable Iran to produce between 48 and 72 of these advanced aircraft, marking a significant leap for a country that has sought to modernize its air capabilities for decades.
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11/02/2024
Reports indicate that France has proposed selling 24 Rafale fighter jets to Brazil, a move that marks a potential step forward in Franco-Brazilian defense relations. Since the 2000s, France has made several defense sales to Brazil, including 50 maneuverable Super Cougar helicopters and four Scorpène submarines, but recent defense contracts haven’t all gone smoothly.
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11/02/2024
Reports from Russian military bloggers and aviation sources suggest that a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber was downed under mysterious circumstances early this morning. Russian sources close to the Air Force, including well-known aviator Ilya Tumanov, have acknowledged the loss, with messages such as “Eternal memory, brothers!” indicating that the aircraft’s crew did not survive.
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11/02/2024
The F-15EX Eagle II and F-35 Lightning II are often compared due to their similar price points, around $90 million, despite differing generations. The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth jet, excels in stealth and is ideal for contested airspace, while the F-15EX, a fourth-generation-plus fighter, boasts a larger payload and shines in homeland defense and air superiority roles.
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11/02/2024
The Lockheed Martin-produced F-16 Fighting Falcon will soon be a South American warbird, as the U.S. State Department approved the Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Argentina for the multirole combat aircraft this week. Buenos Aires had requested twenty-four F-16 Block 10/15 aircraft that would be delivered via a third-party transfer.
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11/02/2024
he Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet—the centerpiece of the Air Force’s future air superiority plans—faces a crucial design review between now and the end of the year. What kind of aircraft the Air Force needs, what it can afford, and how long it will be before that aircraft is available all hang in the balance. The threat NGAD must defeat is evolving faster than predicted, its unit cost is extremely high—though classified, estimates near $300 million a copy.
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11/02/2024
On Saturday, Israeli F-35 stealth fighter aircraft penetrated highly defended Iranian airspace, struck a broad number of military targets and returned home safe. Days earlier, U.S. B-2 stealth bombers struck multiple deeply buried Houthi arms caches. These missions illustrate a key point: Despite trendy arguments to the contrary, the United States still requires the most advanced fighters and bombers in our arsenal if we want to win in future conflicts.
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11/01/2024
One of the Vice Presidents at Lockheed Martin is Jeff ‘Cobra’ Harrigian, Commander of the US Air Force in Europe (USAFE) until 2022, with 4,100 hours on F-22, F-15C and A/OA-37. Now he is responsible for ‘Strategic Campaigns’ at the world’s largest defence contractor. On the sidelines of AIRPOWER-24, ESD spoke to him about the F-35 fighter jet, its European distribution and the approaching Austrian Eurofighter succession. The interview was conducted by Georg Mader.
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11/01/2024
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that while initial arrangements with Poland and NATO were in place to supply Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets, shifting priorities and “new reasons” continue to delay the process, affecting Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russian missile strikes.
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11/01/2024
The U.S. State Department has approved an up to $7.3 billion foreign military sale to Poland of the Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper Midlife Upgrade, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday.
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11/01/2024
Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) has completed final sustainment work for the US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II ground attack aircraft two years before the fleet’s retirement. The maintenance is part of the North Carolina-based center’s technical support, repair, and overhaul coverage for all naval and expeditionary aviation assets. It concluded in an informal ceremony involving the delivery of the aircraft to Marine Attack Squadron 223, a unit at Air Station Cherry Point.
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11/01/2024
In recent hours, images and videos have gone viral showing the new carrier-based J-15B fighters of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Air Wing accompanying a remarkable and unprecedented formation of assets. This deployment, shared by China across several platforms, not only introduced the new carrier-based fighter variant but also marked a rare instance in which the Liaoning (CV-16) and Shandong (CV-17) aircraft carriers, along with a group of escorts, sailed together.
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