Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

HAL excluded from India’s AMCA stealth fighter jet as private consortia take the lead

02/05/2026

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s absence from India’s flagship fifth-generation fighter programme has sent ripples through the country’s defence industrial ecosystem, but officials and analysts alike say the development reflects a deliberate restructuring of execution rather than a retreat from ambition.

Rafale Rising: Production Ramp-Up and the Road to the F5 Standard

02/05/2026

The Dassault Rafale program is entering a period of sustained high-rate production, with export customers increasingly interested in acquiring the aircraft despite strong competition provided by the Lockheed Martin F-35, Saab Gripen, and Eurofighter Typhoon. The French fighter is thriving at the moment. Dassault closed out 2025 with a firm order backlog for 220 aircraft, including 45 for France and 175 for export customers.

Keeping top combat aircraft flying is expected to only get more expensive

02/05/2026

The cost for the US and other militaries to keep newer combat aircraft ready to fly is going to soar in the coming years, a new report on sustainment trends argues. A new report from the American consulting firm Oliver Wyman projects global military aircraft spending over the next decade, including an annual sustainment cost growth of 1.1% through 2036. That's a pace roughly 11 times faster than the previous decade.

Turkish F-16 Vipers Seen Operating Out Of Mogadishu’s International Airport

02/04/2026

Turkish Air Force F-16 Vipers can be seen flying over the skies of Somalia in new videos that have emerged online. The deployment of these jets comes as Turkey is seeking to increase its presence in the troubled nation where the al-Shabab extremist group is wreaking havoc. One video shows a Turkish F-16 taking off, afterburner ignited, from an airport in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

US fighter jet shoots down Iranian drone approaching US aircraft carrier

02/04/2026

A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone as it approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. Later in the day, a Navy destroyer came to the assistance of a U.S.-flagged tanker that was harassed by multiple Iranian small boats as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.

Canadian military goes to U.S. for F-35 ceremony despite renewed trade tensions

02/03/2026

The Canadian Armed Forces will participate in a ceremony in Texas on Monday to celebrate the imminent arrival of their first F-35 — as Ottawa has still yet to announce how many U.S.-made fighter jets it will ultimately buy. The event comes as the future of the CF-18 replacement program is under review because of the ongoing trade and political disputes between Canada and the United States.

Ukraine may get more than Gripen jets — Europe's top air-to-air missile is also on the table

02/03/2026

Ukraine and Sweden have discussed the possibility of Stockholm sending Meteor missiles to Kyiv. The Meteor is considered a top European air-to-air missile, and it can be carried and fired by Gripen fighter jets. It would offer Ukraine a powerful new weapon to strike Russian aircraft from a distance.

China Adds Muscle to Military Aviation Capabilities

02/03/2026

China’s military aviation industry has shocked Western analysts repeatedly over the last few years, with designs such as the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation fighters and, more recently, the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-XX sixth-generation fighter prototypes. The speed of technological advance has led to a major leap in China’s military capabilities, and with the latest revelations, the country's aerospace industry is showing no signs of slowing down.

Peru moves toward F-16V Block 70 selection for fighter replacement

02/02/2026

Peru is advancing toward selecting the Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 70 Viper as its preferred next-generation fighter jet, officials and defence sources told local media, marking a significant pivot in Lima’s long-running effort to modernise the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) combat fleet.

How Internal Weapons Bays Replaced Hardpoints on Modern Aircraft

02/02/2026

Modern combat aircraft increasingly carry weapons bays internally rather than on external pylons. Internal weapons bays are closely associated with reducing radar cross-sections (RCS), improving a plane’s stealth capabilities. However, the bays’ purpose is broader than radar evasion. While complex and in certain respects constraining, internal weapons bays are becoming an increasingly popular design choice for modern fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft.

US Contact Sabena to Maintain F-16 Jets of One of Most Dangerous Countries in the World

02/02/2026

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has contracted Sabena Aerospace to maintain European F-16 fighter jet engines and manage materials supporting Ukraine’s growing fleet. The agreement funds intermediate and depot-level maintenance for donated aircraft, strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capacity as more F-16s enter service.

Lockheed Martin tests Sniper Networking Targeting Pod in first multi-aircraft F-16 flight demonstration

02/02/2026

Lockheed Martin has completed the inaugural flight demonstration of its Sniper Networked Targeting Pod, validating real-time data sharing between two F-16 fighter aircraft. The test reflects the growing operational demand for integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions executed simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Belarus Receives First Batch of Su-30SM2 Fighter Jets in 2026

02/02/2026

The Belarusian Air Force has received a new batch of modern Su-30SM2 fighter jets. The country’s Ministry of Defense reported this on its Telegram channel. However, based on the size of previous deliveries to Belarus, it is likely one or two fighters.The exact number of aircraft delivered is not confirmed.

The KF-21 fighter’s new AESA radar for the South Korean Air Force enters its final phase of testing and evaluation

02/01/2026

TheSouth Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has launched the final phase of testing and evaluation for the domestically developed Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar intended for the KF-21 Boramae fighter, with the aim of verifying its multi-mode operational capabilities prior to full entry into service.

Exercise Red Flag 2026 - Explained

02/01/2026

Every year, the Royal Air Force joins the United States and partner forces on Exercise Red Flag. It’s one of the world’s toughest air combat training environments, allowing participating nations to hone their war-fighting skills. The Exercise was established in 1975 after the Vietnam War showed that the first ten combat missions flown are the most dangerous for aircrew. Red Flag recreates the first ten missions of a modern air campaign to provide pilots and crew with realistic combat scenarios.

How does US military build-up off Iran compare to the June 2025 strikes?

01/30/2026

The United States is intensifying a military build-up off Iran that experts say could be an indicator that Washington is planning to strike the country. The USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is one of several military assets the US has deployed to the Arabian Sea in recent days.

Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder: The $30 Million Fighter Jet Rewriting the Arms Market

01/30/2026

Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder (or FC-1 Xiaolong) is a lightweight, affordable, single-engine, multirole combat aircraft that was jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. This bird is meant for maneuverability, and it features an advanced avionics suite to ensure that capability. The plane also comes with highly effective beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile capabilities. There are currently three iterations of this plane.

Spain intercepts Russian Su-30SM combat jet

01/30/2026

Spanish Air Force EF-18M fighter jets intercepted Russian combat aircraft flying near NATO airspace over the Baltic region in late January, as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, according to Spain’s Defense Staff.

How Türkiye Is Building a Next-Generation Air Force

01/30/2026

Türkiye is rapidly transforming its air power ambitions into reality as domestically developed platforms move from concept to deployment. Flagship projects such as Kizilelma, Hürjet and Anka-III illustrate how the country’s aviation industry is not only closing long-standing capability gaps but also redefining operational standards in unmanned and manned combat aviation. In a recent article, Daily Sabah highlighted these advances as evidence of Türkiye’s growing technological self-reliance.

Turkey deploys F-16 jets to Somalia as it strengthens economic ties

01/30/2026

Turkey deployed three F-16 fighter jets to Mogadishu on Wednesday amid increasing Turkish investments in Somalia’s energy and space sectors. Somali officials familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye that Ankara has been constructing a facility to host the F-16s over the past few months.

Another massive secret Ukraine drone blitz pummels Putin as 15 aircraft are struck deep inside Russia

01/29/2026

UKRAINE has hammered Russia’s air force with attacks on 15 aircrafts deep behind the front lines. Dramatic drone footage showed strikes on 15 aircraft including 11 Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets, three helicopters and an Antonov An-26 cargo plane.

Ukrainian sources say Su-30 shot down off coast

01/29/2026

Unconfirmed reports emerged late on Wednesday that a Russian Su-30SM fighter jet was shot down over the Black Sea near southern Ukraine, according to multiple Ukrainian sources familiar with the situation. The reports state that the aircraft belonged to the Russian Armed Forces and was lost in the maritime area south of Ukraine’s coastline.

2 pilots killed in Russian Su-34 combat jet crash

01/29/2026

Initial reports claimed that Ukraine’s Air Force had shot down a Russian Su-34 Fullback strike aircraft during operations over southern Ukraine, with the incident initially linked to combat activity near the Black Sea region. The aircraft was first believed to have been engaged during a combat mission in the south, where Russian tactical aviation has routinely operated in support of missile and guided bomb strikes. Early reports stated that the Su-34 was destroyed during the mission.

Taiwan shows off F-16 jets rapid response amid tensions with China

01/29/2026

Taiwan's air force showcased its ability to rapidly replenish and get back in the air its most advanced F-16 fighter jets in a readiness drill on Wednesday, designed to demonstrate combat-oriented training. Taiwan's air force scrambles on an almost daily basis to monitor and warn off Chinese aircraft which routinely fly around the island. Taipei views the incursions as part of an ongoing harassment campaign to test and tire out the much smaller Taiwanese forces and exert political pressure.

Ukraine is waiting for the delivery of new Mirage 2000-5 fighters

01/29/2026

Ukraine and France are working on the transfer of additional Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, as well as missiles for French anti-aircraft missile systems. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced this following a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.