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Military Aviation News Archive

The Reason Why the F-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Is So Expensive

12/23/2023

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor was the world’s first operational fifth-generation fighter. And the F-22 is still relatively futuristic today; when the F-22 first flew, in the 1990s, the jet was a game changer – and unsurprisingly, the most expensive-per-unit fighter jet ever built. While the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program would eventually surpass the F-22 program in total costs, the F-22 still reigns as the most expensive-per-unit fighter. So, how did the F-22 come to be so uniquely

Netherlands to deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine

12/23/2023

The Netherlands will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help its battle against Russia’s invasion, the Dutch government said on Friday. “Today I informed President Zelenskyy of our government’s decision to prepare an initial 18 F-16 fighter aircraft for delivery to Ukraine,” caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a post on social media platform X.

Royal Air Force Typhoon T1 fighters to be cannibalized for parts

12/23/2023

Some time ago now, the decision to retire the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 fighter jets from the inventory of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was confirmed, despite criticisms and speculations about the fate of these aircraft. Now, the UK Minister for Defense Procurement, James Cartlidge, has revealed the fate in store for the Typhoon T1s.

Ukrainian forces shoot down three Russian Su-34 fighter jets on southern front

12/23/2023

Ukrainian defenders shot down three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers in the south of Ukraine on Dec. 22, the commander of the Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk has reported on Telegram The aircraft were destroyed at around noon. Oleshchuk called it a response to a nighttime "message" from the Russian military written on one of its downed kamikaze drones.

The U.S. Navy Might Be Done with the F/A-18 Super Hornet Fighter

12/21/2023

Around the holidays, money can be tight, a fact that the United States Navy has also learned as its negotiations to buy the last batch of Super Hornets are reportedly stalled over the growing price tag. USNI News reported on Tuesday that the contract for the U.S. Navy to purchase the final twenty F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets from aerospace giant Boeing appears to be at a standstill.

Trying to Compare The F-22 and F-35 Is a Waste of Your Time

12/21/2023

The U.S. military is the most technologically advanced force in the world and most likely the most fearsome fighting machine of all time. The Department of Defense’s cutting-edge platforms have been in part responsible for the U.S. global preponderance since the end of the Second World War.

Taiwan tracks 8 Chinese military aircraft, 3 naval ships around nation

12/20/2023

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked eight Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (Dec. 20) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 21). Of the eight People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, one KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that time.

US F-35 Loses ‘Stealth Panel’ Flying Over The Pacific; Second Incident Reported From Kadena Air Base

12/20/2023

On the morning of December 18, an F-35A Lightning II belonging to the US Air Force’s 356th Fighter Squadron touched down at the Japanese Kadena Air Base. In an unusual incident, it was discovered that a vital component of the stealth aircraft was missing when it landed. After the incident came to light, a spokesperson of the Air Force said that the advanced stealth fighter that returned to its Okinawa base without a panel might have lost the part over the Pacific Ocean.

F-15EX Is No Stealth Fighter: Is That Really So Bad?

12/20/2023

F-15EX - It isn't stealthy, but is it needed? Perhaps surprisingly, the fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is not the costliest jet currently being produced in America today. The Lockheed Martin-produced powerhouse may be considered the most capable of flying the skies by military experts and analysts. However, an older airframe has it beat regarding the price tag.

Mind Blowing Combo: F-35 Fighters and B-2 Bombers Are Training Together

12/19/2023

Together, the F-35 and B-2 would be a nearly unstoppable force – one that could penetrate an enemy's air defenses, hit targets, and make a return home practically before anyone was the wiser.

China curtails ‘dangerous’ fighter jet manoeuvres after Xi-Biden summit

12/19/2023

China has cut back on “dangerous” fighter jet intercepts against US aircraft since last month’s summit meeting between presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping, according to the top US military commander in the Indo-Pacific region.

US To ‘Re-Deploy’ F-15EX Heavy Fighters In Japan After Replacing Them With F-22 Raptors – Reports

12/19/2023

The United States is reportedly contemplating the resumption of the permanent deployment of fighter jets at an American base in Okinawa, a year after announcing the commencement of the phased withdrawal of aging F-15 fighter jets from Japan.

Russia Loses Two Fighter Jets in Single Day: Reports

12/19/2023

Russia has lost two jets in under 24 hours, according to new reports, in the latest show of damage to Moscow's air force sustained in the nearly two years of war in Ukraine. Russia lost an Su-34 fighter-bomber aircraft after Ukraine attacked a Russian air base on Saturday night into Sunday morning, Ukrainian media reported. Separately, Ukraine's air force said Moscow had shot down one of its own Su-25 tactical bomber jets on Sunday.

Türkiye urges US, Germany to act swiftly on F-16, Eurofighter deals

12/18/2023

Türkiye on Saturday said it expects prompt and tangible steps from the United States on the F-16 fighter jet deal while also urging Germany to show a stance aligning with the NATO spirit regarding its request to buy Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes. Ankara has been frustrated by the prolonged process of its request to acquire F-16 jets from the U.S. it seeks to refresh its air force. This prompted it to begin discussing buying Eurofighters, produced by a consortium involving Germany, Spain, Italy a

U.S. weighs returning smaller permanent fighter force to Okinawa

12/18/2023

The U.S. military plans to resume the permanent deployment of fighter jets at an American base in Okinawa but with fewer planes than before, Nikkei Asia has learned, drawing mixed reactions from lawmakers and experts as the threat posed by China grows.

Su-22 fighter jet crashes in Iran

12/17/2023

The incident unfolded with the aircraft plummeting near Lake Persian in the Kazerun district, as disclosed by Iranian state television. The pilot managed a safe ejection from the Su-22 military aircraft, deploying the ejection seat system and escaping unscathed. No casualties were reported.

China's risky maneuvers around the US military are part of a long-running plan to use 'the enemy to train the troops'

12/16/2023

US officials are sounding the alarm about close calls with Chinese jets and warships, which they say are crowding and harassing US forces in the Western Pacific. The US says those encounters are meant to force it and its allies to operate farther from China. For the Chinese pilots carrying them out, they are also part of a years-long effort to increase the complexity and value of their training through real-world interactions with a more experienced rival.

Navy asks Lockheed Martin to build electro-optical helmet-mounted displays for F-35 combat jet air crew

12/16/2023

U.S. Navy avionics experts will acquire one production lot of the third-generation helmet-mounted displays for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter under terms of a $174.6 million order announced on Tuesday. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the Lockheed Martin Corp. Aeronautics segment in Fort Worth, Texas, for production lot 17 of the F-35's third-generation helmet-mounted displays for the U.S. military service

Japan, Britain, and Italy Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation Fighter Aircraft

12/16/2023

In a historic move, Japan, Britain, and Italy have agreed to merge their individual plans to produce a new combat aircraft for deployment in 2035. This joint trilateral initiative, known as the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), aims to develop a high-performance fighter aircraft to strengthen air superiority and enable effective deterrence. The project involves the formation of a joint body called the GCAP International Government Organization, which will manage a private sector joint venture.

U.S. and Japan defense chiefs call Osprey safety 'top priority'

12/14/2023

The Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs have said that ensuring the safety of the Osprey V-22 military aircraft is a “top priority" for the allies, following the first fatal crash of the aircraft in Japan late last month in waters off Kagoshima Prefecture. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said late Tuesday that he had asked U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during talks over the telephone — their first since the crash — that the U.S. military not resume Osprey flights until the aircraft's safety co

Taiwan tracks 9 Chinese military aircraft, 9 naval ships around nation

12/14/2023

The Ministry of National Defense tracked nine Chinese military aircraft and nine naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 13) and 6 a.m. on Thursday (Dec. 14). Of the nine People’s Liberation Army aircraft, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, and one Xian H-6 bomber entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, according to the MND. No PLA aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line during that ti

Commercial tanker refuels airborne Air Force fighter jets for first time

12/14/2023

The Air Force has refueled airborne fighters from a commercial tanker for the first time, proving another means of extending its combat airpower, the service said in a recent news release. Omega Aerial Refueling Services gassed up F-15C Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-22 Raptors from a KDC-10 tanker during last month’s Commando Sling exercise in Singapore.

US pilot safely ejects in F-16 crash off South Korea

12/12/2023

A U.S. Air Force pilot safely ejected on Monday before his F-16 fighter jet crashed into the sea off South Korea’s southwestern coast, U.S. and South Korean military officials said. The unidentified pilot was recovered by South Korean maritime forces and was “awake and in stable condition,” the U.S. Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing said in a statement. It said the pilot was being returned to Kunsan Air Base near the southwestern port city of Gunsan, where he would be evaluated further.

F-15SA: Saudi Arabia Has a Very Special and Expensive F-15 Fighter

12/12/2023

The F-15SA is the most advanced version of the upgraded two-seat F-15S Strike Eagle, and is currently operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force's No. 3 Wing at King Abdulaziz Air Base, No. 92 Squadron RSAF; and No. 5 Wing at King Khalid Air Base, No. 6 Squadron RASF and No. 55 Squadron RSAF.

Congress Restores $1 Billion For US Navy’s F/A-XX

12/12/2023

The recent version of the compromise Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), restored to almost full funding, what is believed to be a special access program (SAP) that includes the US Navy’s F/A-XX fighter.