Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Only 3 countries have managed to build 5th-generation fighters, but nearly a dozen are already working on 6th-gen jets

01/04/2023

Some 20 years after their first appearance in the skies, fifth-generation fighters remain both the most advanced and rarest aircraft in service. Only four models from three countries — the US's F-22 and F-35, China's J-20, and Russia's Su-57 — have been officially introduced. But many other countries are determined to have their own next-generation models. At least nine countries are already developing sixth-generation aircraft, either on their own or in cooperation with other countries.

Ukraine’s army commander sums up military results of 2022

01/03/2023

“A year that changed us, our present and future forever,” he said. “A year that entered world history – in the name of Ukraine and its Armed Forces.” Zaluzhnyi said the Defense Forces had liberated 40% of the territories occupied after Feb. 24 and 28% of all of the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.

China’s future carrier-borne stealth fighter J-35 images emerge

01/03/2023

New images of one of the J-35 prototypes have appeared on Chinese social networks, evidence that the development program continues to advance at a good pace. China, from time to time, makes its defense progress known by leaking poor quality images of the prototypes of its military aircraft under development on the social networks it controls.

Japan: Jets scrambled to watch Chinese aircraft carrier's operation in Pacific

01/03/2023

The Japanese government said it had to scramble fighter jets and send aircraft along with warships as it monitors the operation of China's Liaoning aircraft carrier conducting naval exercises in the Pacific. Japan said it sent warships and aircraft over the last two weeks to keep an eye on five Chinese warships and the Liaoning aircraft carrier as it conducts maneuvers.

US Air Force & US Navy Fighter Jets Engage In Dogfight; F-15 Eagle Battled F/A-18 Super Hornet In Mock Drills

01/03/2023

Cruise shared a promotional picture on Twitter featuring ‘Maverick’ (the callsign of Tom Cruise’s character in the movie) looking at a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with the phrase “Feel the Need” superimposed on it. The USAF responded to this tweet, saying, “If Maverick had a need for speed, he’d hop into one of our F-15E Strike Eagles! #DYK: They have a top speed of 1,875 miles per hour.”

US Air Force temporarily deploys six fighter jets to Israeli airbase

01/03/2023

The United States Air Force on Monday deployed six fighter jets to an Israeli Air Force base in southern Israel, as part of a military tactic to constantly disperse its aircraft at various airbases. According to the IAF, during the deployment at the Nevatim Airbase, the six F-15s would conduct joint drills with Israel’s fleet of F-35 stealth fighters and a squadron of intelligence-gathering Gulfstream G550 planes.

Russia targets Ukraine facilities involved in drones production: MoD

01/02/2023

Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed that it hit "the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine," which is involved in the production of drones. In a statement, the Russian Ministry said the strikes destroyed "storage facilities and launch sites" for the drones, adding that "the aim of the strike was achieved."

Bradley Perrett | The F-35 won't allow Australia to keep up with China, we need a 2030 fighter solution now

01/02/2023

Britain, Italy and Japan have agreed to develop a new fighter. It's almost certainly the one we'll need for supplementing our current main fighter type, the Lockheed Martin F-35, in the second half of the 2030s. The problem that we need to think about now is that the F-35 is likely to be badly outclassed by new Chinese fighters 15 years from now.

Russians have lost more weapons and equipment than they had when invasion started General Staff report

01/01/2023

The Russian occupation forces have now lost more military equipment and weapons in Ukraine than they had in their possession at the time of the full-scale invasion on 24 February. Source: Brigadier-General Oleksii Hromov, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, talking to Ukrinform

China Attacked US Naval Targets During Mock Drills When Its J-11 Fighter Almost Rammed Into US RC-135 Aircraft

01/01/2023

On December 21, the same day that a Chinese J-11 fighter jet intercepted a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane in what the Pentagon called an “unsafe maneuver,” the Chinese Navy practiced an attack on a US Navy task group in the South China Sea. The US released a video of the dangerous intercept only on November 30.

British defence chiefs sign £9million deal in quest for new Red Arrows plane

12/31/2022

Defence chiefs have signed a £9million deal paving the way for a Red Arrows replacement plane. In July last year we revealed the RAF’s display team could, for the first time, be forced to fly foreign jets when their current Hawks are retired in 2030.

ANG F-15C pilot explains how he was able to score a gun kill against a TOPGUN student F/A-18F in a Mock Dogfight

12/31/2022

Pilots from the 194th Fighter Squadron, 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, based at Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif., challenged US Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) students during their graduation capstone event Nov. 18-20, 2022, at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada.

F-16 Viper: Challenging China’s J-20 Fighter, Taiwan Gets 100th Modified F-16V Amid Threats From Beijing

12/31/2022

Taiwan is currently upgrading 141 F-16A/B jets into F-16Vs and has ordered 66 new F-16Vs with enhanced avionics, missiles, and radar systems to counter China’s Air Force, including the J-20 stealth fighters. On December 30, the Liberty Times reported that the 100th fully upgraded fighter, serial number 6673, landed at Hualien Air Force Base. After completing its third and final test flight at the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Taichung, the aircraft was flown to the airb

US to expand Aegis Guam performance against missile attacks

12/30/2022

Guam is a strategic position for the US to monitor Chinese activities in the region. The island is home to two US military bases. One military base houses conventional and nuclear submarines, as well as U.S. warships. Pacific Fleet The other base, Anderson, houses B-1, B-2, or B-52 heavy bombers.

Air Force to end ‘22 with no public data on Middle East air operations

12/30/2022

The Air Force will end 2022 without releasing any public data on the scope of air operations conducted in the Middle East this year. The decision limits the transparency of American troops’ continued involvement in Iraq and Syria, amid dwindling public interest and shrinking military resources in the region. “At this time, [Air Forces Central Command] is not releasing data specifying sortie type or weapons release,” spokesperson Capt. Kayshel Trudell said Tuesday.

Indian Air Force successfully test-fires extended range BrahMos cruise missile

12/30/2022

‘The missile achieved the desired mission objectives in the Bay of Bengal region. With this, IAF has achieved a significant capability boost to carry out precision strikes from SU-30MKI aircraft against land/sea targets over very long ranges,’ the IAF said in a statement. The Brahmos’ extended range capability coupled with the high performance of the SU-30MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate future battle fields, the IAF added.

South Korea To Spend Billions Upgrading Its F-15K Slam Eagle Fighters

12/30/2022

Seoul has approved major projects to upgrade its existing F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets, and to buy additional refueling tankers. The move comes as South Korea seeks to bolster its armed forces to counter the growing North Korean threat. As part of this effort, South Korea’s air force is set to be a major beneficiary, and approval for the plans comes just two days after the first North Korean cross-border drone intrusion in five years — which you can read more about here.

‘Dangerously’ close: Video shows Chinese jet buzzing US spy plane

12/30/2022

The Pentagon on Thursday released video it said showed a Chinese fighter jet coming dangerously close to a U.S. Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea last week. The People’s Liberation Army Navy pilot flew the J-11 fighter in front of, and within 20 feet of, the Rivet Joint’s nose during the Dec. 21 intercept, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.

Ukrainian fighter pilot says F-16 planes will unveil our potential, NATO has much to learn from us

12/29/2022

Ukrainian military pilots are performing tasks that are not even technically provided for by their aircraft, and operating using modern tactics; Western F-16 fighters will fully reveal the potential of pilots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Japan, India to Hold First Fighter Jet Drill in January

12/29/2022

The Japanese and Indian Air Forces will conduct their first bilateral fighter jet training in January, bolstering ties amid continued tensions with China. Their first-ever joint air combat training will commence on January 16 to 26 at Hyakuri Air Base in Ibaraki Prefecture, 95 kilometers (59 miles) northeast of Tokyo. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) said the 10-day air drills would “promote mutual understanding and strengthen defense cooperation between the air forces.”

Air Force looks to take flight on 7 imperatives: 2023 Preview

12/29/2022

The year 2022 was one of incremental change for the Air Force, as its top civilian fought to get buy-in for his seven priorities both from Congress and inside the Pentagon itself. But in a recent interview with Breaking Defense, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall hinted that 2023 could be more of a roller coaster.

Brittish PM Announces New Fighter Jet That Uses Artificial Intelligence

12/29/2022

Rishi Sunak announces an agreement Between the UK, Italy, and Japan to create a a combat fighter jet aircraft (The Tempest Jet) that will utilise artificial intelligence. The nations will develop a next generation fighter – due to enter service in the mid-2030s – that will eventually replace the Typhoon jet. The Tempest Jet carry an assortment of the latest weapons and defensive warfare capabilities.

Air National Guard Maintainers Innovate C-17 Platform

12/28/2022

The thundering of hammers and wrenches echoed throughout an ordinarily calm aircraft hangar on Dec. 21, 2022, as a $1.5 million National Guard Bureau investment was pieced together at Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, NY, home of the 105th Airlift Wing and its nine C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

Strategic Bombers: Still Relevant?

12/28/2022

Strategic bombers are designed for deep penetration missions into enemy airspace to destroy high-value targets in order to significantly degrade the opponent’s warfighting capability and will. While the term “strategic bomber” is often used synonymously with nuclear armed bomber, conventionally armed aircraft are equally capable of striking strategically significant targets deep within enemy territory.

Pentagon Grounds Some 'Higher-Risk' F-35 Fighter Jets After Hover Crash

12/28/2022

The Pentagon and United States F-35 Joint Program Office — the government's implementing agency for the production of F-35 aircraft — have reportedly grounded a "small number" of "higher-risk" F-35 aircraft until at least January. Tuesday's news comes nearly two weeks after a Dec. 15 hover crash of F-35B aircraft, reportedly brought on by propulsion system issues.