Military Aviation News Archive
06/16/2024
The Senate Armed Services Committee finished its markup of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization bill on June 14, with mandates on more than a dozen aircraft or related programs and a keen interest in the future of the Air Force fighter fleet.
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06/08/2024
In an interview with broadcasters from French media, President of France Emmanuel Macron revealed plans to send an undisclosed number of Mirage 2000-5 combat aircraft from its inventory to Ukraine, and to train 4,500 Ukrainian fighter pilots.
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06/07/2024
French President Emmanuel Macron says France will provide Ukraine with Mirage combat aircraft to help the country defend against Russia's aggression. Macron told France's public broadcaster on June 6 that a new cooperation with Ukraine to be announced on June 7 will include the sale of the French-made Mirage 2005, which will "allow Ukraine to protect its soil, its airspace" against Russian attacks.
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06/06/2024
Berlin plans to order an additional 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, in what German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said here today is part of an effort to fortify the European defense industry. “We want a strong aerospace industry in Germany and Europe,” Scholz tweeted, according to an online translation. “This includes planning security in the defense industry. That’s why we ensure reliable orders — including the purchase of 20 more Eurofighters in this legislative period.”
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06/06/2024
Japan's parliament on Wednesday approved an international treaty to set up an intergovernmental organization managing the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet by Japan, Britain and Italy.
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06/05/2024
A Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet crashed in a field in Maharashtra's Nashik today. The pilot and the co-pilot managed to eject safely but suffered minor injuries. The plane crashed in a field near Shirasgaon village, a senior police officer said. Visuals showed the plume of smoke billowing after the aircraft crashed in the field. The twin-engine aircraft was up in flames and a crowd gathered near the crash site.
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06/05/2024
Congress is pushing the U.S. Air Force to purchase more F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets and keep the production line open longer amid rising tensions with China. A proposal in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) aims to increase the Air Force's fleet to 122 F-15EXs, more than the current target of 98 but still short of the original goal of 144.
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06/05/2024
Airbus is set to unveil “Wingman” concept at the International Aerospace Exhibition ILA, in Berlin. According to the giant European aerospace company, a full-scale model of the Wingman [noteworthy, in the official press release Airbus does not use the standard definition of “Loyal Wingman” but calls it just “Wingman”] will be on display ILA, akin to a “show car” used by the automotive industry for design exercises.
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06/05/2024
German air force fighter jets have intercepted Russian aircraft reportedly operating "without a flight plan and radio contact" above the Baltic Sea. Team Luftwaffe wrote on X on Tuesday morning that Eurofighter aircraft operating from Lielvarde, Latvia, as part of the NATO Air Policing Baltic Reinforcement (VAPB) mission had to conduct "Alpha Scrambles" after being alerted about the Russian aircraft by the Combined Air Operations Centre at Uedem, Germany (CAOC UEDEM).
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06/05/2024
Fighter jets from nine Allied Nations will arrive at Ramstein Air Base to take part in the US-led multi-national exercise Ramstein 1v1, on June 6, 2024. United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa will host its first ever Ramstein 1v1 exercise, where fourth- and fifth-generation fighter aircraft will take turns squaring off in friendly competition during a day-long fighter manoeuvre exercise.
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06/04/2024
Two Japanese F-35A stealth fighter jets made emergency landings at a commercial airport in northern Japan on Monday, but there were no injuries or damage, officials said. The fighter jets were on a training flight from Misawa Air Base and landed safely at nearby Aomori Airport after one developed an unspecified mechanical problem and requested an emergency landing, airport officials said.
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06/04/2024
While the deployment of J-20s has been widely reported, the presence of “Rafale Challenger” J-10 warplanes has not really caught the media’s attention. J-10s are the only fighters deployed on both sides of the Indian border with China and Pakistan.
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06/03/2024
Russian forces operating in Ukraine lost nine jets in May, according to Kyiv, as Ukraine reports record equipment losses and casualties for Moscow's troops. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that nine Russian jets were "destroyed" in May 2024.
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06/03/2024
The United States and China are racing to develop sixth-generation warplanes, signaling intense military rivalry in a multipolar world. China unveiled a mockup of its sixth-generation fighter in 2021, aiming for deployment by 2035, while the U.S. targets 2030 for its "Next-Generation Air Dominance" (NGAD) platform.
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06/03/2024
Sweden is pausing plans to transfer JAS 39 Gripen fighters to Ukraine, reportedly to enable Kyiv’s air forces to focus on integrating the US-made F-16 fighters when they eventually arrive. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson announced the decision on May 28, citing a request by members of NATO’s aviation coalition.
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06/03/2024
South Korea’s largest defence company is developing a fighter jet engine as the country works to move up the arms exporter value chain and boost its security self-sufficiency. The chief of aero systems at Hanwha Aerospace said the company wanted to develop the engine by as early as 2036. It is working in partnership with the South Korean government, one of the world’s highest spenders on arms development.
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06/01/2024
The F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter will take on the Nato’s nuclear role for the first time on 1 June 2024, as the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), one of few Nato Allies contributing dual-capable aircraft to this mission, transfer the task from its F-16 fighters to the new fifth-generation airframe.
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06/01/2024
The Dutch military is investigating whether fighter aircraft can jointly use the civil airports in Eelde, Lelystad, and Twente, the Ministry of Defense announced on Friday. Due to rising international tensions, the military will need much more space in the coming years.
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06/01/2024
Will the Next Generation Air Dominance program, or NGAD, produce the last stealth fighter that the U.S. Air Force ever builds? The fighter jet in general may soon be outdated, given recent advances in drone technology and artificial intelligence. It’s hard to say exactly when the moment will arrive that renders fighter jets obsolete and prompts the Air Force to cancel all future development programs.
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06/01/2024
Belgium has agreed to supply up to 30 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets to Ukraine over the next few years to aid in its defense against Russian aggression. This pledge, alongside commitments from other countries, brings the total number of F-16s promised to Ukraine to around 115.
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05/30/2024
The Ukrainian Air Force will receive two Saab 340 AEWCS aircraft in the ASC 890 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system configuration from Sweden, providing Kyiv with “absolutely new potential for radar reconnaissance and combat control against targets in the air and at sea,” according to the local publication Sydsvenskan.
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05/30/2024
A military fighter jet on its way to an Air Force base in California crashed Tuesday near the international airport in New Mexico’s largest city, sending up a large plume of smoke and injuring the pilot. The pilot, the only person on board, was able to escape after crashing around 2 p.m. on a hillside on the south side of Albuquerque’s airport and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, according to the city’s fire department.
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05/28/2024
The first 16 of the air force's new F-35 fighters will be paid for out of the current federal budget, even though Canada isn't expected to take delivery of the warplanes until 2026.
Defence Minister Bill Blair pointed to the investment on Monday while defending the Liberal government's military spending plans before a House of Commons committee.
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05/28/2024
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 21 Chinese military aircraft, 11 naval vessels, and four coast guard ships around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Sunday (May 26) and 6 a.m. on Monday (May 27). Of the 21 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 10 entered the southwest and southeast sectors of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.
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05/28/2024
The Philippines and Sweden have signed a key agreement to support Manila’s planned acquisition of multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF). Titled “Implementing Arrangement Concerning the Procurement of Defense Materiel and Equipment,” the deal provides the government framework for the Philippines to purchase Swedish-made defense equipment.
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