Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Air Force blames engine stall for F-16C crash off South Korea last year

09/03/2025

An Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon that crashed off South Korea’s western coast last year went down after an engine stall caused by hardware failure, according to Pacific Air Forces’ investigation. The jet took off from Kunsan Air Base at 8 a.m. Jan. 31, 2024, for a routine training mission that included midair refueling from a KC-46 Pegasus over the Yellow Sea, said the Aug. 22 report.

Polish fighter buy on hold for planning doc, but F-35 order won’t be cut: General

09/03/2025

“F-35 is a very crucial platform for the Polish air power projection concept. I don't see any issues with that” contract going forward, said Maj. Gen. Cezary Wisniewski, deputy general commander of the Polish Armed Forces.

Czech Air Force to continue operating Gripen fighter jets until 2035 under extended lease deal

09/02/2025

The Czech Air Force will operate JAS-39 C/D Gripen aircraft until 2035 following the signing of a new lease agreement. The document was signed in Prague by Lubor Koudelka, Director General of the Armaments and Acquisitions Section of the Ministry of Defence, and in Sweden by Mikael Granholm, Director General of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).

Romania takes delivery of three more F-16 aircraft from Norway under bilateral defence agreement

09/02/2025

On 28 August, the Romanian Ministry of National Defence announced that three multirole Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon aircraft delivered from Norway landed at the 86th Air Base Borcea, located near Fete?ti. The aircraft will be assigned to the 571st Fighter Squadron, which will operate from the 57th Air Base currently undergoing modernisation to support Western combat aircraft.

Germany OKs Procurement of New Eurofighter Typhoon Targeting Pods From Rafael

09/02/2025

Germany has approved the purchase of 90 Rafael Litening 5 targeting pods for its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, aiming to boost its armed forces’ precision strike and reconnaissance capabilities. The Litening 5 is a fifth-generation air-to-ground and air-to-air platform incorporating a mid-wave and short-wave infrared sensor suite, high-resolution color imaging, and dual-wavelength laser designation.

Europe's new fighter jet at risk amidst Franco-German ownership disputes

09/02/2025

Uncertainty is hanging over the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), a joint project between France, Germany and Spain, that aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter aircraft supported by interconnected drones within a combat cloud. The idea, launched in 2017 and costing at least €100 billion, aims to strengthen European defence.

Japan to deploy F-15J fighter jets to the UK in first-ever Self-Defence Forces mission in Europe

09/01/2025

Japan’s Ministry of Defence announced on 28 August that, under arrangements with the United Kingdom, an undisclosed number of Boeing F-15J Eagle fighter aircraft from the Japan Self-Defence Forces will be periodically deployed to Britain. The initiative is intended to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries and will mark the first time Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces have operated in Europe.

Boeing Strike: What Happens To The New F-47 NGAD Fighter?

09/01/2025

The strike at Boeing’s military aircraft facilities, now a month old, is at a stalemate with no new talks scheduled. The union, representing thousands of workers, has made a direct appeal for President Trump to intervene as the deadlock threatens work on the new F-47 fighter.

U.S. firm to build fighter jet engines that deliver 40,000 lb thrust

08/31/2025

A Connecticut-based firm is set to build new units of world’s most powerful fighter jet engine. Pratt & Whitney has received a contract to build Lot 18 of F135 engines. These will power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II 5th-generation fighter aircraft.

Dutch F-35 fighter jets land in Poland to secure NATO airspace over eastern flank for three months

08/31/2025

Dutch F-35 fighter jets landed in Poland today and will, from Sunday, safeguard NATO airspace over Eastern Europe for three months together with Norwegian aircraft. Earlier this week, support personnel including maintenance crews had already arrived, completing the detachment.

Why the US Air Force Prefers the T-38 Talon over the Navy’s T-45 Goshawk

08/30/2025

The US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps each have their own air wing, and all three services have a litany of high-performance fighter aircraft in their arsenals. However, the methods by which each branch trains its future fighter pilots vary significantly. The three services do not even use the same kind of training aircraft; while the US Air Force trains its future fighter pilots in the Northrop T-38 Talon, the Navy and Marine Corps rely upon the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk.

The F-35 Fighter’s Real Power Isn’t Stealth

08/30/2025

The F-35 Lightning II’s most remarkable attribute is not its stealth but its revolutionary suite of integrated sensors. The jet functions as a powerful “informational node,” fusing data from its advanced AESA radar, Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), and 360-degree Distributed Aperture System (DAS). This technology collates a vast amount of battlespace information into a single, unified picture for the pilot, lightening their workload and transforming them into a “battlespace manager.”

Why the F-35B Fighter Is the Perfect Plane for the Marine Corps

08/30/2025

Out of the three Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II variants, the F-35B, in use with the US Marine Corps, is likely the most innovative. Designed specifically for the unique demands of the Marines, the F-35B deviates significantly from the baseline F-35 A-variant, which the Air Force operates from conventional takeoff and landing configurations. Instead, the F-35B offers the Marine Corps flexibility, expeditionary power, and shipboard compatibility, with short takeoff and vertical landing capabil

Boeing suggests new Navy fighter proposal based on F-47 design

08/30/2025

Boeing has presented a new rendering of its F/A-XX concept, offering the first visual indication that the company’s proposal for the US Navy’s next-generation carrier-based fighter may share design similarities with the F-47, the next U.S. Air Force fighter jet. The image was displayed at the Tailhook Symposium, a key industry event, and showed the aircraft partially obscured by clouds, with the rear section out of view.

Turkey has closed its airspace to Israeli official and military aircraft

08/30/2025

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Friday during a parliamentary address on the Gaza crisis that Ankara has closed its airspace to Israeli official and military aircraft. “We have completely cut off our trade with Israel. We have closed our ports to Israeli ships and are not allowing Turkish ships to dock at Israeli ports. No other country has fully severed trade ties with Israel as we have,” Fidan said.

Germany, France, Spain to discuss fighter jet programme in October, says Berlin

08/29/2025

Germany, France and Spain's defence ministers will meet in October to work out options for getting the FCAS joint fighter jet programme back on track, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday. Acknowledging that the project had kept facing setbacks, Pistorius said the ministers would identify stumbling blocks and solutions before presenting leaders with options for a final decision later in the year.

Stephen Fuhr meets Lockheed Martin in Texas to discuss Canada’s F-35 fighter jet procurement plans

08/29/2025

Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, met with Lockheed Martin in Texas on Wednesday for discussions that included Canada’s planned purchase of fighter jets from the U.S. defence contractor. A government source said the jets were among several issues covered in the all-day meeting.

U.S. Marine Harrier final flight ends at Buckley Space Force Base

08/29/2025

It was the first of its kind, a jet that rose like a helicopter, hovered in midair, and raced forward like a fighter. After decades of rewriting rules for aerial warfare, a U.S. Marine AV-8B Harrier embarked on its final flight. Not for combat, but for commemoration. The 140th Wing received the aircraft flown directly in for a demilitarization in partnership with Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, June 10, 2025, for the first time in the museum’s history.

Sweden tempt Peru to buy the latest Gripen E/F fighters

08/29/2025

A delegation of Peruvian cabinet ministers arrived in Stockholm on 27 August, where Sweden’s Minister of Defence, Pål Jonson, welcomed the fact that the latest JAS 39 Gripen E/F is in the running to become Peru’s next generation combat aircraft. If Peru selects Saab’s low-cost fighter, the country would become the third South American nation to procure the aircraft after Brazil and Colombia, and the latest member in a growing user community around the world.

Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashes during air show rehearsal, killing pilot

08/29/2025

An F-16 fighter jet belonging to Poland's Air Force crashed during an airshow rehearsal on Thursday in Radom. Local media said the jet crashed into the runway at around 1930 CET. Spokesperson for the government, Adam Szlapka, confirmed the pilot was killed in the crash in a post on X but gave no further details.

What’s Behind the Cancellation of Singapore’s Fighter Jet Basing in Guam?

08/28/2025

Despite its small size and non-allied status, Singapore is one of the few countries in the world with a long-term military presence on U.S. soil. Since the 1990s, Singapore has deployed fighter jets and helicopters to the United States for training due to its vast airspace and opportunities to learn best practices from the U.S. Air Force.

Malaysia drops plan to buy Kuwait F/A-18 fighter jets

08/28/2025

Malaysia has canceled its plan to acquire F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets from the Kuwait Air Force, according to a report by Malaysian news site Twentytwo13, citing sources familiar with the decision. The outlet said the cancellation stems from multiple factors that made the transfer complicated and ultimately unworkable. Among the primary concerns were aircraft availability, logistical and financial hurdles, and questions of long-term value for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Navy P-8 Poseidon Carrying Secretive Radar Pod Seen In Russian Fighter’s Intercept Video

08/28/2025

Footage has emerged taken from the cockpit of a Russian fighter jet, showing a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane fitted with a secretive radar pod during a mission over the Black Sea. The video underscores the growing importance of the P-8 for intelligence gathering in critical theaters such as the Black Sea, an active war zone, where a tense standoff continues between NATO and Russian assets, on the margins of the conflict in Ukraine.

New F-35 Lot 18 contract raises unit cost of fighter aircraft to over $100 million each

08/28/2025

According to Air and Space Forces Magazine, the Pentagon’s new $2.88 billion contract with Pratt & Whitney for 141 F135 engines has pushed the cost of an F-35A in Lot 18 to over $100 million per aircraft. When combined with Lockheed Martin’s $11.76 billion deal for 145 airframes, the fully equipped fighter now carries a price tag of $101.5 million.

Collaborative Combat Aircraft, YFQ-42A takes to the air for flight testing

08/28/2025

In a major step toward a new era of airpower, the Department of the Air Force reached a key development milestone in its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, with one of its prototype platforms taking flight in less than two years from program launch — signaling a paradigm shift in the way the Air Force acquires new weapon systems.