Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Sweden plans to first provide reconnaissance aircraft to Ukraine, then focus on Gripen jets

10/16/2025

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said his country is ready to strengthen military support for Ukraine, including through the PURL initiative and the aviation coalition, speaking ahead of a NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Ukrinform reported on Oct. 15.

Indonesia to Buy China’s Chengdu J-10 Fighter Jets, Minister Says

10/16/2025

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin revealed Wednesday that Indonesia would soon buy China’s Chengdu J-10 fighter jets as the country sought to upgrade its military fleet. Sjafrie, however, did not give a time frame for when the purchase would take place, including the number of fighter jets. The J-10s will soon fly in Jakarta,” Sjafrie said, as reported by the state news agency Antara.

Belgium reaffirms full F-16 delivery to Ukraine as F-35 rollout begins

10/16/2025

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken has confirmed that all the F-16 fighter jets pledged by Belgium to Ukraine will indeed be delivered, reiterating his government’s commitment during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Francken emphasized that the aircraft transfer would take place once Ukrainian pilots have completed their training and all necessary technical procedures are finalized.

A Russian Pilot Defected With A Mach 2.3 MiG-29 Fulcrum Fighter Jet

10/16/2025

In a dramatic 1989 defection, Soviet Air Force Captain Aleksandr Zuyev escaped to the West in his advanced MiG-29 fighter. His daring plan involved baking a cake laced with sleeping pills to incapacitate his airbase comrades. After cutting phone lines and getting wounded in a shootout with a guard, Zuyev successfully took off and flew across the Black Sea to Turkey.

Germany orders 20 new Eurofighters to strengthen air superiority

10/16/2025

Germany is strengthening its defence capabilities with the purchase of 20 new Eurofighters. Under the contract, Airbus will produce the multi-role combat aircraft at its final assembly line in Manching, near Munich in Germany. The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the German Air Force in 2031, the last in 2034.

Industry minister pushing F-35 maker for economic benefits in Canada

10/15/2025

The federal industry minister is putting pressure on U.S.-based Lockheed Martin to provide more economic benefits in Canada if the government is to proceed with its planned purchase of 88 F-35 fighter jets. Otherwise, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said in a French-language interview on Radio-Canada’s Les coulisses du pouvoir, Ottawa could move forward with a smaller fleet of F-35s and the acquisition of a second fleet of Gripen-E fighter jets manufactured by Sweden’s Saab.

Russia is reportedly planning the sale of up to six new Su-35S fighter jets to the Ethiopian Air Force

10/15/2025

According to the same leaked document that outlined Russia’s plans to supply Iran with 48 Su-35S fighters, Moscow also reportedly planned the sale of up to six new aircraft of the same model to the Ethiopian Air Force — a deal that has not yet been officially confirmed. If finalized, the acquisition would represent a major step forward in the modernization of Ethiopia’s combat fleet and stands out as part of a broader set of sales that have recently come to light.

Saab expands work on Sweden’s Future Combat Aviation Concept under new FMV order

10/15/2025

Saab has received an order worth approximately SEK 2.6 billion ($238 million) from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for continued conceptual studies on future fighter systems. The new contract, covering the 2025–2027 period, builds upon the original agreement signed in March 2024 and expands the scope of work under Sweden’s Koncept för Framtida Stridsflyg (KFS) – or Future Combat Aviation Concept study.

Will Saudi Arabia accept F-16s instead of F-35s?

10/15/2025

Among the topics apparently addressed during US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in May was a potential sale of F-35 stealth fighters. However, despite boasting of having signed “the largest defense sales agreement in history”, Washington may still prove reluctant to sell Riyadh the fighter, raising questions over whether the Kingdom might accept less advanced warplanes.

Wilsbach Pledges Tight Coordination with Navy on AMRAAM and JATM Missile Buys

10/15/2025

Air Force Chief of Staff nominee Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said he will give special attention to coordinating with the Navy on how the services jointly buy air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile and the new, secret AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile.

France Turns Mirage 2000D Fighters Into Shahed Hunters After Lessons From Ukraine

10/14/2025

France is preparing to modify its fleet of Mirage 2000D fighter jets to intercept long-range suicide drones such as Iran’s Shahed-136, according to Opex360 on October 12. The move is part of a broader effort to develop a cost-effective aerial platform for countering UAV threats, taking cues from Ukraine’s experience defending against Russian drone attacks.

America’s F-22 Edge: The USAF Outpaces NATO in Both Stealth and Scale

10/14/2025

The F-22 Raptor began a new era of aircraft in 2005–the fifth generation. As the first of this new generation, the Raptor featured a combination of stealth and speed that had never been seen before. While there have been new additions to the fifth generation, the F-22 is the poster child of this class. This aircraft alone sets the United States light years ahead of its NATO allies.

Swedish Armed Forces to receive first JAS 39 Gripen E fighters

10/14/2025

The Swedish Armed Forces is set to receive their first Saab JAS 39 Gripen E fighter jets on October 20, 2025, during a formal handover ceremony at Skaraborg Air Wing (F 7) in Såtenäs, marking a major milestone in Sweden’s long-term defense modernization. During the ceremony, a pilot from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) will land one of the new aircraft and hand the logbook to Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman, symbolically transferring the jet into Swedish Air Force service.

Boeing unveils concept for Army unmanned tiltrotor aircraft amid military push for drones

10/14/2025

Boeing is designing a tiltrotor drone wingman concept to support the Army’s helicopter fleet, similar to the Air Force’s push for collaborative combat aircraft, as the Army rushes to field unmanned drones. Renderings for the CxR aircraft revealed by Boeing on Monday at the Association of the U.S. Army’s conference in Washington. The company’s pitch would place unmanned vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft alongside Army helicopters in combat and cargo operations.

Sukhoi Fighter Jet-Launched ‘Boosted’ Grom-E1 Glide Bomb Hits Dnipro: Deep Strike Exposes Ukraine’s Eroding Air Defense?

10/14/2025

On October 9, 2025, at approximately 18:15 local time (UTC+3), Russian forces struck a target in the Chechel district of Dnipro city, located roughly 120 km inside Ukrainian-controlled territory from the nearest front line in the Zaporizhzhia direction. A video posted on social media showed a blurred object flying through the night sky toward its target, followed by images of a column of dark gray smoke rising above the city.

Belgium to Receive First F-35A Fighters on October 13

10/13/2025

Belgium will receive its first four F-35A fighter jets at Florennes Air Base on October 13, according to the service. Belgian Air Force pilots were preparing to fly these aircraft from the US to Europe over the weekend. The delivery initiates the next step in Belgium’s transition from F-16s to fifth-generation fighters.

The U.S. could move forward with the sale of new AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fighters

10/13/2025

While the attention of the defense community has focused on the performance of new Chinese-origin platforms such as the JF-17 Thunder and J-10CE, the F-16 fighters remain one of the main pillars of the Pakistan Air Force’s combat aviation. Given their importance, the U.S. government could move forward—at Islamabad’s request—with the provision of new AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to equip them, according to a recent contract dated September 30 published by the Department of Defense.

India is now lead supplier of fuel additives for Russia’s fighter jets, Ukrainian think tank warns

10/12/2025

India is now believed to be the biggest supplier of fuel additives used to enhance the capabilities of Russian fighter jets, according to a new report. More than half a dozen Indian companies – suppliers and manufacturers based in Delhi and Mumbai – were found to have supplied nearly half of the total of Russia’s imported fuel additives in 2024, a Kyiv-based think tank has found.

Canada’s F-35 Fighter Program Has Passed The Point Of No Return

10/12/2025

A strong case is made that Canada is already “all-in” on acquiring the F-35, with the final contract signing being a mere formality. The proof lies in irreversible actions already underway: Canadian pilot training slots are booked in the U.S. for 2026, and air bases like Cold Lake and Bagotville are undergoing major upgrades to F-35 standards. The F-35 is not a standalone purchase but the “keystone” of a broader, integrated strategy to modernize Canada’s Arctic and NORAD defenses.

Ka-52 Attack Helicopter Crashes in Russia: Crew Did Not Survive

10/12/2025

Russia has suffered another loss of combat aircraft – a Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter crashed. The incident was reported by Russian propagandist Fighterbomber, who published an emotional post. Another Russian propaganda outlet, Voyevoda Veshchayet, reported that two ‘experienced’ pilots were killed. The Ministry of Defence of Russia has not commented on the situation, and there is no public information about the crash site or the circumstances of the incident.

US Authorizes Qatar Air Force to Establish Permanent Facility in Idaho

10/12/2025

The United States has finalized an agreement with Qatar to deploy an Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the arrangement following a meeting with his Qatari counterpart, Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. The facility will support the training of Qatari pilots on F-15 fighter aircraft. The number of F-15s to be based at the site has not been disclosed.

France Handed Over New Rafale Fighters to Egypt

10/12/2025

Egypt has received a batch of Rafale F3R fighters under a contract signed with France in 2021. This was reported by the Egyptian media. The number of aircraft in the batch was not disclosed. The contract for the supply of 30 Rafale F3R fighter jets was signed in 2021. It became the second large-scale aviation agreement between Cairo and Paris after the first deal in 2015. The total value is €3.75 billion.

Sweden sending Gripens to NATO’s Steadfast Noon nuclear drill, in historic first

10/11/2025

Sweden will participate in NATO’s annual nuclear military exercise for the first time, a major step for a nation that avoided military alliance for 200 years and has avoided nuclear entanglements entirely. The Swedish government’s statement on Friday regarding the deployment of Saab Gripen fighter jets to the Steadfast Noon exercise follows Finland’s confirmation of its participation with F/A-18 Hornets.

F-16 Fighter Jets Carry Out 80% of Ukrainian Air Force Combat Missions – U.S. Statement

10/11/2025

F-16 fighter jets, provided to Ukraine as part of military aid, carry out about 80% of all combat sorties flown by the Ukrainian Air Force. The Air and Space Forces Magazine reported on this. These combat aircraft are used, in particular, to intercept Russian cruise missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones.

Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashed in western region during landing, Moscow says

10/11/2025

A Russian MiG-31 fighter-interceptor jet crashed in Lipetsk Oblast while attempting to land, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Oct. 9. The MiG-31, a twin-seat supersonic aircraft capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, has been widely used by Russia to strike targets deep inside Ukraine.