April, 2022 Military Aviation News
04/30/2022
The Ukrainian military destroyed 11 Russian tanks and more than 40 units of other equipment in the area of the Joint Forces Operation on Friday, April 29. According to Ukrinform, the press service of the Joint Forces Operation announced this on Facebook. On April 29, in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukrainian Joint Forces successfully repelled 14 attacks by Russian invaders. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 11 Russian tanks, seven artillery systems, 27 armored vehicles, an armored combat vehicl
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
Despite the U.S military’s shift to great power competition with China and Russia, Special Operations Command says it still needs aviation platforms that can support isolated commandos conducting irregular warfare in remote areas. To fulfill the mission known as “Armed Overwatch,” the command launched an initiative in 2020 to acquire 75 near-production-ready manned, propeller-driven turboprop aircraft.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
The near-monopoly on remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that the United States once enjoyed is rapidly eroding as other countries build and export their own unmanned aircraft. Their persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike capabilities, as well as lower cost, are huge force multipliers, and countries around the world are recognizing the asymmetric advantages RPAs provide.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
A Hongdu JL-10 or L-15 supersonic advanced jet trainer flown by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) crashed in Caolu Village in Yucheng County, Henan Province’s Shangqiu City, on April 23. Both pilots of the aircraft successfully parachuted before the crash and were found in a field, waiting to be rescued. A video taken after the crash that went viral on social media led to suspicions that the instructor pilot in the video was Russian.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
In an attempt to become a military aircraft maintenance center for neighboring African nations, Morocco has signed a strategic partnership with Belgian firms Sabca and Sabena Aerospace, alongside American giant Lockheed Martin, for the maintenance and support of F-16 and C-130 Hercules aircraft.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
Brazil is set to order four Saab-Embraer F-39E jets in addition to the 36 already purchased in 2014 under a $4.7 billion contract. The country is also considering ordering another batch of at least 30 F-39E fighters — the local designation of the JAS 39E Gripen NG.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
Colombia’s Air Force has chosen a mix of TA-50 and FA-50 Golden Eagles as its next jet trainers, military sources told Defense News. The Air Force plans to acquire at least 20 advanced jet trainers with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities under a project estimated to be worth $600 million.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/30/2022
ontrol of the air is the Air Force’s top core competency, but as its premier fighters age, its ability to perform that mission in the future is increasingly in question. By 2030, the Air Force anticipates its F-22 Raptors will no longer be sufficiently survivable in contested air space, potentially leaving the joint force vulnerable to air attack. To stay well ahead of China’s J-20 and other adversary aircraft, as well as increasingly sophisticated ground-based air defenses around the world.
(Read More...)
04/30/2022
The future F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter will operate as the Navy’s “quarterback” for manned and unmanned teaming in future carrier operations, according to the service. Navy officials described the vision for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, meant to expand the range for carrier-based operations, in written testimony to Congress this week.
(Read More...)
04/29/2022
Eglin’s Integrated Test Team demonstrated a new low-cost, air-delivered capability for defeating maritime threats in the Gulf of Mexico April 28, 2022. This was proven when an 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle released a modified GBU-31 joint direct attack munition that successfully destroyed a full-scale stationary surface vessel. This was third experiment in the QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.
(Read More...)
04/29/2022
A team from the US Air Force will go to Thailand to evaluate if the southeast Asian nation is ready to operate F-35 fighter jets. The Royal Thai Air Force announced earlier this year that it plans to procure the fifth-generation fighter jets to replace its aging fleet of combat aircraft.
Commander-in-chief Napadej Dhupatemiya revealed that the country was considering the purchase of eight to 12 F-35s and using drones to fly alongside them.
(Read More...)
04/29/2022
China's military has rapidly built one of the world's largest aviation forces, developing increasingly capable aircraft that the US Defense Department has warned are "gradually eroding" the US military's advantage in the air. In recent weeks, China's premier fighter jets and strategically valuable airlifters have reached milestones that underscore Beijing's increasing focus on and investment in military aviation.
(Read More...)
04/29/2022
The U.S. Air Force’s secretive Next Generation Air Dominance future fighter program could be the most expensive aircraft program in history, with each piloted, sixth-generation aircraft expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. When asked about the price tag for NGAD during a Wednesday appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall did not specify exactly how much an individual aircraft could cost.
(Read More...)
04/29/2022
Boeing has rolled out the first T-7A Red Hawk built for the U.S. Air Force under the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program. These jets are set to be the service’s first new advanced jet trainers since the T-38 Talon, which first took to the air more than 60 years ago. Significantly, this particular jet is the first true T-7A, the previous two aircraft being company demonstrators that were not necessarily representative of the final configuration.
(Read More...)
04/28/2022
The German government has announced that it is to send a fleet of around 50 anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, as it attempts to offset criticism that it has been too slow to provide military equipment to the war-torn country.
(Read More...)
04/28/2022
A Pentagon report reveals that billions of dollars in weapons and military equipment transferred to the Afghan government was left behind in Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country. In all, about $7 billion worth of hardware remained in the country after the Taliban seized control, according to the report prepared for Congress which was obtained by CNN.
(Read More...)
04/28/2022
Despite recent projections that it would eliminate strike fighter gaps in the next three years, the Navy now won’t have enough jets to train and deploy efficiently until 2031, two lawmakers said today. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), the top lawmakers on the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee, disclosed the new timeline during the panel’s hearing today.
(Read More...)
04/27/2022
The United States said the world was galvanized against Russia's two-month-old invasion of Ukraine as it hosted more than 40 countries for defence talks in Germany that sought to speed and synchronize the delivery of arms to Kyiv. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hosted the event at Ramstein Air Base following a trip to Kyiv where he pledged additional military support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's war effort, which is at a crossroads.
(Read More...)
04/27/2022
China, between 2017 and 2021, has cemented its place as Pakistan’s largest supplier of major arms, including fighter aircraft, warships, submarines and missiles, data compiled by an independent institute focusing on arms transfers and conflict said. Between 2017 and 2021, Beijing met 72% of Islamabad’s demand for major arms, data from Sweden’s Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published in March showed.
(Read More...)
04/26/2022
The costs of major upgrades to the F-35 fighter are continuing to rise, and repeated delays on critical simulation tests and on a full-rate production decision are increasing the risk the Defense Department buys faulty jets that need to be fixed, a new Government Accountability Office report said. In Monday’s report, GAO found that the cost of the F-35's Block 4 modernization effort grew to $15.1 billion in 2021, $741 million more than the estimated cost in 2020.
(Read More...)
04/26/2022
The U.S. Marine Corps this month declared its new heavy lift helicopter operational, following the completion of test, training and sustainment requirements. Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lt. Gen. Mark Wise on April 22 determined the Sikorsky-made CH-53K King Stallion had achieved initial operational capability. The service announced the milestone April 25.
(Read More...)
04/25/2022
Canada chooses Lockheed Martin F-35 as its next fighter. The Canadian government has selected Lockheed Martin Corporation and the F-35 at a higher price in a tender to buy a new fighter jet, government officials said Monday. So after Switzerland and Finland, Canada is one step away from buying 88 F-35s from Lockheed Martin to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force (Rcaf) CF-18 hornets. Also in the competition was Saab Griffin. Canada had already rejected Boeing’s Super Hornet.
(Read More...)
04/25/2022
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy celebrated its 73rd anniversary on Saturday by announcing, over the past days, the commissioning of half a dozen powerful warships and two types of advanced vessel-based helicopters, which have already started training to form combat capabilities. These achievements are a reflection of the Navy’s rapid, tremendous growth over the recent years, which is enabling the naval force to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development i
(Read More...)
04/25/2022
Taiwan is not Ukraine. It is, rather, in a far more vulnerable position. No matter what other idea guides the defense of the island republic, air superiority will be critical. Washington and Taipei must prepare now to ensure this air superiority. And while discussion of a Ukrainian no-fly zone has given a wide berth to military reality, planning for Taiwan’s air defense must be grounded in hard truth.
(Read More...)
04/25/2022
The scale of Russian troop losses in Ukraine has tipped 21,000 as Putin's war rumbles into its third month today. The latest statistics, published by the Ukrainian Land Forces this morning, suggest 21,800 Russian fighters have been killed amid bitter resistance from Ukraine's armed forces and territorial defence units - though this figure could not be verified. Meanwhile, the land forces claim to have dealt massive damage to Russia's military equipment and machinery.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
Following the Czech Republic’s donation of 56 Pbv-501 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine with the approval of Germany, Slovenia is now stepping up to the plate and donating its own set of tanks to Ukraine. This is to help the country defend its territory against the Russian advance in Donbas. It is rumored that Slovenia’s Yugoslav-made M-84 tanks (an upgraded version of the T-72) would be sent to Ukraine.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
In the Joint Forces Operation area, the Ukrainian defenders have repulsed 12 attacks and destroyed dozens of units of enemy equipment, including four tanks and an aircraft, today.
"Today, April 23, the Joint Forces troops have successfully repulsed 12 enemy attacks. Thanks to their skillful actions, our soldiers inflicted losses on the Russian occupiers," the press service of the Joint Forces Operation posted on Facebook.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
Turkey has closed its airspace to Russian military and civilian flights to Syria after notifying Moscow, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu said Saturday. “We were giving permissions in three-month intervals. The latest one was until April,” the minister said in an interview with the press during his flight to Latin America, stating that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had informed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. “Henceforth the flights have stopped,” Çavusoglu added.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
Given the widely shared criticism of the big gap that exists between rhetoric and realities in India-UK defense relations in recent years, will the just-concluded visit of the British PM Boris Johnson to India result in its narrowing, discernibly? In their joint press briefing on April 22, Johnson and his host Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to think so. But then, such an atmosphere of optimism existed too when the two met “virtually” last May and outlined their “2030 Roadmap” or vision.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
The attacking Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle successfully hit a target on the sea surface with the Teber-82 guidance kit, after the target was laser-marked by another Turkish drone – Bayraktar TB2. The information was shared by Baykar Defense in a press release.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
In the last few years, Chinese ships have escalated their patrols of the area surrounding Japan’s controlled Senkaku islands, an uninhabited island chain also claimed by China and Taiwan. The islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and Diaoyutai in Taiwan, have become a centerpiece of rising regional tensions.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
Russia, which has already suffered losses in Ukraine, appears to be straining at home as well, with a large fire breaking out on April 21 in a secretive Russian military research facility, killing seven people, injuring another 25 people, and causing substantial damage, according to the state-run news outlet Tass.
(Read More...)
04/24/2022
Hungarian Government Commissioner Gaspar Marot informed the national media about the purchase from Budapest of L-39NG training aircraft manufactured by the Czech company Aero Vodochody, BulgarianMilitary.com has learned, citing Defence 24.
(Read More...)
04/23/2022
We discussed a bit the distance between the two bases because it is from one that F-15C Eagles belonging to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron have been heading to the other throughout March, as the planes were in the process of being reassigned to the 53rd Wing at Eglin. We see one of these F-15s in the main photo of this piece, released last week by the USAF. The plane is seen shortly after take-off, the two Pratt & Whitney engines burning hot as it is climbing to the sky, tanks.
(Read More...)
04/23/2022
After days of making desperate diplomatic overtures in the region against the deal, Australia was left ‘disappointed’ as the signing of the agreement was announced earlier this week. On April 19, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced the agreement in Beijing, adding that China would work with Honiara to preserve social order, defend people’s safety, provide aid, combat natural catastrophes, and help safeguard national security, ABC News had reported.
(Read More...)
04/23/2022
The war in Ukraine has entered a new phase. Russia’s aim over the next few weeks is to deliver a paper victory for President Vladimir Putin to justify a parade on 9 May in Moscow marking Victory Day, the anniversary of the Nazi surrender in 1945.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/23/2022
The poor performance by the Russian military thus far in their full-scale invasion of Ukraine should serve as a cautionary tale of how not to fight a war. While immediate attention has been drawn to the effectiveness of man-portable weapons like the Javelin and Stinger missiles, students of the art of war know that the greatest lesson is not new at all: combat effectiveness depends on the seamless integration of all elements of combat power.
(Read More...)
04/23/2022
Britain and India will strengthen their defense and security ties, including partnering on development of combat jet technology, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced during a trip to New Delhi Thursday. Johnson said the defense cooperation pact would boost procurement across several areas, but offered few details during a press conference wrapping up the two-day visit to India. The trip was aimed principally at progressing talks about a free trade deal between the nations.
(Read More...)
04/22/2022
The criticism against German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been unrelenting. He's been accused of stalling and breaking his promises over sending heavy weapons to Ukraine. DW looks at some of the main points of contention.
(Read More...)
04/22/2022
Eying growing and distinct threats that may require the United States and Israel to conduct long-range airstrikes, both militaries urgently need to replace their aging aerial refueling fleets with the modernized KC-46A. The problem is the aircraft has been plagued by development challenges and delays.The good news is there are steps the U.S. and Israel can take together to avoid further delays and reduce the time it takes for Israel’s Air Force to use its KC-46s in real-world missions once the n
(Read More...)
04/22/2022
Boeing has been trying to woo the Indian Navy with its aircraft carrier-borne fighter - F/A-18 Super Hornet for India's aircraft carriers. Vice president of Boeing's India Business Development Alain Garcia said that the US defence major is planning to fly two Super Hornet fighter jets to Goa summer for operational demonstrations this summer. In an attempt to convince the Indian government to buy the F/A-18 Super Hornet Block III.
(Read More...)
04/21/2022
Embraer today delivered the seventh and final modernized A-4 Skyhawk fighter jet (locally designated AF-1) to the Brazilian Navy. The ceremony was held at Embraer’s industrial unit in Gavião Peixoto, in São Paulo state. Under the AF-1 program (the Navy designation for the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk), seven subsonic fighter jets were modernized – five single-seater AF-1Bs and two two-seaters AF-1Cs.
(Read More...)
04/20/2022
The Indian Air Force (IAF), on Tuesday, conducted a firing test of the BrahMos cruise missile from the Sukhoi-30 MkI aircraft from the Eastern Seaboard. According to the IAF, the test ended in a success as the missile precisely hit its target which was a decomissioned Indian Navy ship. "The mission was undertaken in close coordination with Indian Navy", the IAF said in a statement.
(Read More...)
04/20/2022
Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets had no sooner finished a six-week deployment in the Arctic before a real-world contingency required them to redeploy to NATO’s eastern flank. The Marine Corps rarely conducts NATO Air Policing. But in the total force muscle flex triggered by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 finished Exercise Cold Response in Norway and flew south to central Poland. They replaced eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es from the 336th Fighter Squadron.
(Read More...)
04/20/2022
Soldiers can hear a subtle roar from the range tower at Zdar Range, Hradište Military Area, Czech Republic, on March 8, 2022. Czech army soldiers come outside and look up to see what made the noise. Two MI-24 Hind attack helicopters fly over the range. Suddenly, an L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA) fixed-wing subsonic aircraft appears and dives close to the ground toward the tower.
(Read More...)
04/20/2022
China has deployed its premier fighter jets over its nearby seas to counter mounting U.S. military involvement in Asia, analysts say. Domestically made Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter aircraft are stationed in the country's south for missions in the South China and East China seas, as well as around Taiwan, according to experts and media reports from Asia.
(Read More...)
04/19/2022
Putin has ordered one of his nuclear-capable Tu-160 strategic bombers to fly close to the Ukrainian border in a menacing show of might, after his invading army was forced back in several regions of Ukraine and his Black Sea task force’s flagship was destroyed. As it travelled over Russia’s western Kaluga area, between Moscow and the Ukrainian border, the Tupolev 160 was escorted by an Ilyushin Il-78 aerial refuelling tanker and four fighter aircraft.
(Read More...)
04/19/2022
A former F-35 test pilot says Canada likely benefited from not purchasing the stealth fighter more than a decade ago, but that the time has come for Ottawa to finally end its waffling and commit to the aircraft. Retired Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant-colonel Billie Flynn also defended the F-35’s performance and reliability, which along with the stealth fighter’s cost remains a source of consternation in Washington and elsewhere.
(Read More...)
04/19/2022
Russia has begun its large-scale military action to seize the east of Ukraine, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. “Now we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time,” he said in a video address late on Monday night. Zelenskiy said a “significant part of the entire Russian army is now concentrated on this offensive”.
(Read More...)
04/18/2022
Japan scrambled the second-highest amount of times to head off potential airspace violations by Chinese and Russian aircraft over the past year, its defense ministry has said. Nobuo Kishi, defense minister, told reporters on Friday that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force flew 1,004 sorties to intercept approaching foreign aircraft in the 12 months ending in March, up 279 flights from the previous fiscal year.
(Read More...)
04/18/2022
China dispatched frigates, bombers and fighter around Taiwan as U.S. lawmakers visited the island to show support; F-15C spotted flying with Live weapons at Kadena AB, Japan, as tensions in the region grow.
(Read More...)
04/17/2022
Meanwhile, the Romanian Ministry of Defense also intends to speed up the process to buy additional F-16 jets from surplus Norwegian stocks. “At the same time, measures have been taken to speed up the procedures for the purchase of Norway’s 32 F-16 aircraft,” the ministry said in a statement.
(Read More...)
04/17/2022
Amid a strong push by the government for indigenisation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has shelved its plan to buy 48 additional Mi-17 V5 medium-lift helicopters from Russia. India had signed a deal with Russia about 10 years ago for the procurement of 80 Mi-17V5s that have been inducted in batches into the force and these 48 were planned to be inducted into the force and other aviation agencies who don’t want it anymore.
(Read More...)
04/17/2022
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) scrambled its fighter aircraft 1,004 times in fiscal year 2021 (FY 2021) in response to foreign military aircraft approaching the country’s airspace. That marked the second-highest total recorded in a year since such operations began in 1958, providing an indication of rising regional tensions.
(Read More...)
04/17/2022
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Friday organized multi-services and arms, dispatching forces including destroyers, frigates, bombers and fighters, and conducted joint combat alert patrols and drills including maritime assault, in the forefront of the East China Sea and in waters and aerial areas around the island of Taiwan, when a group of US lawmakers were visiting the island.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
The war in Ukraine has damaged the reputation of Russian arms. Heavy armor has proved especially vulnerable, but other weapons have also not performed to standard. The future, moreover, is bleak. Due to crushing Western sanctions, Russia’s defense technological and industrial base, which is already plagued by debt, will now fare even worse.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
According to Ukrinform, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said this in a statement posted on Facebook. The total estimated losses of the enemy, from February 24 to April 15, are also: tanks – 756, armored combat vehicles – 1,976, artillery systems - 366, fuel tanks - 76, air defense means - 66, aircraft - 163, helicopters - 144, vehicles – 1,443, ships/boats - 8, UAVs of the operational and tactical level – 135, special equipment – 25, and mobile SRBM systems – 4.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
The sinking of Russia’s ‘Moskva’ cruiser is a big symbolic win for Ukraine, but does very little to change the course of the war. Experts NatSec Daily spoke to since the Kremlin confirmed the news say the Slava-class ship had minimal land-attack capability and was fitted with dated systems. Its main utility was gunning Ukrainian lands like Snake Island — a replaceable capability — taking on carrier strike groups, and protecting nearby Russian ships with its air defenses.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
As they watch Russia unleash total war against a European neighbor, Sweden and Finland seem to agree: It’s finally time to join NATO. With public opinion turning strongly in favor, both countries are inching closer toward formally joining the Alliance. Just this week, their prime ministers publicly telegraphed their strong support for such a move, though Finland appears more certain than Sweden and likely to move first.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
Russia’s mounting losses of conventional equipment in the Ukraine war—and its likely inability to replace that hardware anytime soon, due to economic sanctions—won’t substantively change how the U.S. views the threat from that country, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. That’s because the threats posed by Russia’s nuclear, chemical, and biological capabilities remain unchanged.
(Read More...)
04/16/2022
Ukraine's frantic hunt for more fighter aircraft continues as Russia's invasion rolls into its eighth week. Deals to replenish the Ukrainian Air Force with Soviet-era aircraft that are familiar to operate and easy to maintain have come and gone. While there is still hope that the embattled country can get additional MiG-29s from a NATO neighbor, progress toward such an arrangement has been slow and has been dogged by military readiness and geopolitical issues.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/16/2022
Tired of the wait, Ukrainians have begun the #buymeafighterjet campaign to crowdfund the restocking of the nation’s fighter force. A video began circulating on April 14 featuring a Ukrainian Pilot wearing a helmet with the visor down and begins with the pilot walking in front of a MiG-29 that appears to be damaged, after which he appeals to the viewers for donations so that Ukraine can procure operational fighter jets.
(Read More...)
04/15/2022
Powerful explosions were heard in Kyiv early on Friday, and air raid sirens blared across Ukraine as residents braced for new Russian attacks after Moscow's lead warship in the Black Sea sank following a fire. The explosions appeared to be among the most significant in Ukraine's capital region since Russian troops pulled back from the area earlier this month in preparation for battles in the south and east.
(Read More...)
04/15/2022
These days, Finland—which shares an 800-mile border with Russia—has collectively proved itself such a brave soldier that NATO is expected to receive its membership application with open arms. As Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced this week, Finland will decide whether to apply within weeks.
(Read More...)
04/15/2022
The latest move came after US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kenneth Wilsbach revealed in mid-March that US F-35 stealth fighter jets had a close encounter with China’s J-20 stealth fighter jets over the East China Sea. The Global Times reported that the J-20 has been conducting combat patrols in the East China Sea and alert patrols in the South China Sea after switching to domestically made engines.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/15/2022
Russia is increasingly harassing NATO aircraft near Polish air space, reinforcing the need for both Polish and NATO air policing, including various U.S. Air Force assets, a senior Polish Air Force official told Air Force Magazine. “The current situation brings more tension—more risk—and it’s definitely more serious for the whole NATO community,” Polish Chief of the Air Force Directorate Brig. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak said via videoconference.
(Read More...)
04/15/2022
With two major nuclear programs ramping up, the Air Force had to make hard choices on fighter procurement in fiscal 2023, the Air Force’s top officer said. After three budgets where Air Force fighter buying soared to heights of more than 60 aircraft per year, the service requested 33 Lockheed Martin F-35As and 24 Boeing F-15EXs in FY23, for a total of 57 jets.
(Read More...)
04/15/2022
Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, was being towed to port when "stormy seas" caused it to sink, according to a ministry message. The 510-crew missile cruiser was a symbol of Russia's military power, leading its naval assault on Ukraine. Kyiv says its missiles hit the warship. Moscow has not reported any attack. It says the vessel sank after a fire.
(Read More...)
04/14/2022
Next door to Ukraine, Poland has become a key player in Russia's war. As a member of the European Union and NATO, it is a strategic center of gravity for military and humanitarian aid, and it has welcomed Ukrainians who have fled. Yesterday, I sat down with Poland's ambassador to the United States. Marek Magieroweski said Poland is trying to integrate about 2.7 million refugees as quickly as possible.
(Read More...)
04/14/2022
Ukraine officials met with General Atomics to negotiate the potential acquisition of Reaper and Predator armed drones. As the country continues to defend itself from Russia’s invasion, members of the Ukrainian government appeal to foreign partners to receive more equipment and ammunition. Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine, detailed on Twitter the needs of the armed forces: air defense systems, unmanned aircraft, tanks, artillery, combat aircraft, and anti-ship missiles.
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/14/2022
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration has awarded a $53 million contract to conglomerate Saab to modernize the country’s JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft. As part of the agreement, the company will provide capability improvements to the aircraft and maintain its operational relevance until the mid-2030s. Saab will also provide cost-effective solutions to help sustain the Gripen for a longer period.
(Read More...)
04/13/2022
The Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have downed 300 enemy air targets since the Russian invasion started. The relevant statement was made by the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. On April 12, 2022, in eastern and southern Ukraine, most affected by Russia’s air strikes, the weather was rather unsafe for completing air tasks and, thus, the intensity of enemy aircraft operations was low.
(Read More...)
04/13/2022
The Royal Air Force awarded a six-year contract to Draken to provide aggressor aircraft to support the training of Typhoon and F-35B pilots, replicating the tactics, techniques and procedures of potential adversaries. This is the first such contract placed in the United Kingdom, although a similar service is currently being delivered by Draken International and other contractors to the United States Air Force.
(Read More...)
04/13/2022
The U.S. government has no objections to Slovakia transferring its fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets to Ukraine, a senior American defense official said today. This comes after a previous plan to give Poland's MiG-29s to the Ukrainian Air Force collapsed after authorities in the United States said they would not directly facilitate the delivery of the fighters via an American base in Germany.
(Read More...)
04/13/2022
The Air Force is asking Congress for more than $100 million in additional R&D funding for autonomous drones and networked weapon systems as the Pentagon pursues more cost-effective ways to match up against China. The technology is a top priority for Air Force leaders as they look toward the future operating environment and fiscal constraints that will limit the number of manned planes that the service can buy for Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) and other programs.
(Read More...)
04/13/2022
At the end of February 2022, the German chancellor announced a new way ahead with regard to German defense and the immediacy required for upgrading German defense capabilities.
Relatively shortly after that the German government announced a decision to acquire F-35s to replace their gaining Tornados, which provides the current nuclear option for Germany.
(Read More...)
04/12/2022
In the fall of 2010, the Indiana Air National Guard took on the task of replacing its old, 1990s-era F-16 Fighting Falcons at the Fort Wayne airfield with a fresh fleet of A-10 Warthogs.The A-10, a larger aircraft at 53 feet, 4 inches long with a 57 foot, 6-inch wingspan, has been in service with the U.S. military since the 1970s. It was used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing close-air support for troops as it lumbered above at a max speed of 420 miles per hour.
(Read More...)
04/12/2022
Military exercises are held regularly by armed forces throughout the world. An exercise can be seen as an act of diplomacy, a direct threat, a demonstration of military capability for deterrence or – in the case of Nato – an expression of unity. In purely military terms, exercises allow different nations’ armed forces to act in cooperation. They are useful for testing plans for deployment, reinforcement and logistics. New weapon systems and doctrines can be tried out in the field in as close to
(Read More...)
04/12/2022
The Navy and Marine Corps demonstrated a key capability when they operated 20 F-35B Lightning II jets from America-class amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli March 30 through April 8, fully exercising the Marine Corps’ “lightning carrier” concept for the first time in naval history on an amphibious assault ship.
(Read More...)
04/12/2022
NATO fighter jets based at a Romanian air base have intercepted Russian fighters nearing NATO territory at least four times in the span of 20 days, according to a report released Friday.
During the incidents, the Crimea-based Russian fighters flew along the Black Sea toward NATO territory before turning away, reported Air Force Magazine.
(Read More...)
04/12/2022
The announcement came in response to a request from the Ukrainian President for the MiG-29 fighter jets, some of which are in service with the Air Force of the war-torn country. As part of an elaborate drama that followed, the US contemplated transferring its F-16 fighter jets to Poland as backfill for MiG-29 aircraft.
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
The newly appointed general in command of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine is likely to usher in a fresh round of “crimes and brutality” against civilians, the US has said. Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser in Washington, said the appointment of Alexander Dvornikov as theatre commander of Russian forces in Ukraine could not disguise the strategic failure of Vladimir Putin’s war so far. “Ukraine will never be subjugated to Russia; it doesn’t matter which general President Putin tr
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
Four Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday, local media reported. The aircraft was identified as a Shenyang J-11 fighter jet, a Shaanxi Y-8 EW electronic warfare plane, and in a rare appearance near Taiwan, a CAIC WZ-10 attack helicopter and a Russian-made Mi-17 cargo helicopter, Taiwan News reported.
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
The Russian government has donated two helicopters Mil Mi-17 armed gunship version of the Armed Forces of Mali, West Africa, learned BulgarianMilitary.com. The news was confirmed by the Mali government, announcing that the helicopters arrived in the country on March 30th and were received by Defense Minister Sadio Kamara in the capital, Bamako.
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
Russian ally Serbia took the delivery of a sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system in a veiled operation this weekend, amid Western concerns that an arms buildup in the Balkans at the time of the war in Ukraine could threaten the fragile peace in the region. Media and military experts said Sunday that six Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes landed at Belgrade’s civilian airport early Saturday, reportedly carrying HQ-22 surface-to-air missile systems for the Serbian military.
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
Serbia has reiterated its intention to acquire Turkish combat drones as its president on Saturday vowed to further strengthen the country’s defenses, amid tensions in the Balkans and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We will strengthen our aviation. We will also increase the number of drones,” Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters after Serbian military forces completed their exercise named “Fire Shield 2022.”
(Read More...)
04/11/2022
The Russian jets were returned without trouble each time, but the flights pose a serious challenge to the military coalition, Airforce Magazine reported. This comes as NATO members deploying more resources to strengthen their air defense. For instance, the United Kingdom stated on April 8 that two more RAF Typhoon jets joined the four already stationed in Romania.
(Read More...)
04/10/2022
A few days ago, a video surfaced that purports to show the moment the Su-35 jet plummeted from the skies in flames before crashing into the ground. Later, photos of the charred Flanker surfaced on social media. The Su-35 was blown out of the sky near Kharkiv by Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile forces, causing “$50 million in damage” to the Russians, according to Ukrainian deputy interior minister Anton Gerashchenko.
(Read More...)
04/10/2022
Two retired U.S. Air Force generals who were deeply involved in the early development of the U.S. drone war program have suggested introducing the notorious MQ-9 Reaper, the most powerful U.S. killer drone, into the skies over Ukraine. Such a move would open a new, even more dangerous phase in Ukraine’s war in which Reapers, and MQ-1 Gray Eagle drones, both widely used in Afghanistan, might be put at the service of the Ukrainian military to attack Russian forces in Ukraine.
(Read More...)
04/10/2022
Ukrainian officials are clear on what they want from the United States and Europe: weapons. Big, heavy weapons. Not helmets. Tanks.They say they need these weapons now, not later. And a lot of them. The message has been broadly the same from the start of Russia’s invasion, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly said “I need ammunition, not a ride,” to this past week, when Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told NATO leaders in Brussels that he had a threefold agenda: “weapons, wea
(Read More...)
04/10/2022
Aircraft are desperately needed. Our park is out of date, with planes that are 30 years old or older. We have good enterprises where we have been able to repair and modernize most aircraft in 8 years [since 2014]. But still, these are aircraft of the previous generation. There are opinions that unmanned aerial vehicles [such as Bayraktars] will play an increasing role, but we see that in real combat, manned aircraft remain extremely powerful.
(Read More...)
04/09/2022
The United States has approved a $95 million military sale to boost Taiwan’s air defenses, as China sends increasing numbers of warplanes near the island democracy. Details of a contract to support “training, planning, fielding, deployment, operation, maintenance, and sustainment of the Patriot Air Defense System” on Taiwan were released by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Tuesday.
(Read More...)
04/09/2022
The Air Force awarded a $108 million deal Wednesday to a defense contractor to start acquiring parts for the B-21 Raider program -- the upcoming fleet of long-range strike bombers that will soon consume a major portion of the service's budget. The B-21 Raider project is projected to cost the Air Force $5 billion next year, including $3.25 billion for research and development.
(Read More...)
04/09/2022
While most of the world is watching the struggle between Ukraine and Russia, the eyes of U.S. Navy leaders remain fixed on China, which already has the largest navy in the world, and one that could dwarf the American fleet by the end of the decade.
(Read More...)
04/09/2022
The Prime Minister of Slovakia, Eduard Heger, has confirmed that his country has transferred its only Soviet-era S-300PMU long-range surface-to-air missile system to the Ukrainian military. This deal has been in the works for weeks now, and was made possible in large part by NATO allies, including the United States, agreeing to deploy Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Slovakia to make up for the resulting air and missile defense gap in the country.
(Read More...)
04/09/2022
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday night said Russian air traffic control had told him that a NATO fighter jet tracked an Air Serbia passenger plane within Russian airspace on Wednesday near the Latvian border. Making it clear he accepted the Russian claim, Vucic said Serbia would seek additional information from Russia and from NATO.
(Read More...)
04/08/2022
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded with the international community to provide more military supplies and to impose tighter sanctions on Russia as his foreign minister said he had one demand of Nato: “Weapons, weapons and weapons.”
(Read More...)
04/08/2022
PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE (PAF) FA-50PH jet fighters will conduct “dissimilar air combat tactics” (DACT) with Hawker Hunter aircraft of the US Navy on Friday, the last day of the two-week “Balikatan” exercises. “The last flight of the FA-50s of the 5th Fighter Wing with the Hawker Hunters of the US Navy will be on April 8, they will do DACT,” said PAF spokesperson, Col. Maynard Mariano, in a message to the Philippine News Agency Thursday.
(Read More...)
04/08/2022
When the saga of Ukraine and the MiG-29 played out last month, the plan seemed fairly simple: Poland would ship its Russian made jets to Ukraine and the US would provide older-configuration Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to Poland as a replacement.
(Read More...)
04/08/2022
The Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber was recently caught on video firing a large number of heat traps over the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine where it has intensified its airstrikes, local media reported and share links on social media. According to the reports, a video of a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber passing over the Donetsk region surfaced on the internet. However, not the appearance of the combat aircraft, but the enormous shooting of deceptive thermal targets by it has caught the attention
(Read More...)
04/07/2022
The top item in the Pentagon’s latest assistance package to Ukraine announced last week is “laser-guided rocket systems.” This might seem like a curious description, as by convention any rocket with guidance is called a missile. But in the U.S. military ‘guided rocket’ refers to a specific weapon — one that could equip Ukraine's fleet of Bayraktar TB2 drones, which may now be running short of missiles.
(Read More...)
04/07/2022
Marine Corps pilots landed 20 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters on the deck of the USS Tripoli (LHA-7) this week, marking the largest number of the jump jets loaded onto a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship. The aircraft landings are part of an ongoing joint Navy and Marine Corps exercise underway in the Pacific demonstrating the lightning carrier concept that turns amphibious assault ships into light carriers.
(Read More...)
04/07/2022
Russia’s war repositioning to Ukraine’s south and east has heightened worries for NATO Black Sea ally Romania, which saw Russia close within 30 miles of its coastline when it captured Snake Island from Ukraine Feb. 24. American F-16s are currently conducting a NATO enhanced air policing mission in Romania, and in February the U.S. sent two F-35s to help deter Russia.
(Read More...)
04/07/2022
Serbia is considering a purchase of 12 new Rafale multipurpose fighter jets developed by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, French media reported. Initially, Serbia and Dassault Aviation discussed the purchase of six aircraft but subsequently the number was increased to 12, La Tribune weekly reported on Tuesday, quoting sources familiar with the matter. The reelection of Serbia's incumbent president Aleksandar Vucic last Sunday is likely to facilitate the process, La Tribune added.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
The 2022 war in Ukraine has demonstrated the vulnerability of advanced military aircraft to modern air defense systems on both sides. From Ukraine’s loss of the famed ‘Grey Wolf’ to Russia’s numerous losses of combat jets, vehicle-mounted and man-portable air defense systems are proving to be deadly to even advanced 4.5-generation fighters.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
The U.S. Army has decided to shelve its Advanced Chinook Rotor Blades it was developing as part of the Boeing-manufactured CH-47F cargo helicopter’s latest upgrades due to issues that cropped up during testing, according to Brig. Gen. Robert Barrie, the program executive officer for Army aviation.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
The Marines broke a record on Sunday when they loaded the most 16 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters ever aboard a big-deck amphibious warship. Under cloudy skies on Sunday afternoon, deck sailors directed Marine pilots onto launching spots and maneuvered others into parking spots on the flight deck USS Tripoli (LHA-7), the Navy’s newest big deck amphibious warship, with more coming later this week.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
While the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is a joint development between India and Russia, the sale of the systems to Philippines is a transaction between the two countries and we will be able to move ahead on a “bilateral basis”, said Indian Ambassador in the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran, amid the global developments following the Russian war in Ukraine. Philippines was also given clarification on the accidental BrahMos missile launch recently.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
A new program appears to have been added to the relative flurry of activity in the field of next-generation air-to-air missiles, or AAMs, for the U.S. military. While very little is known about the Modular Advanced Missile, reference to which first appeared in a recent Air Force budget document, we now know that the weapon is an AAM and that there are plans to test-fire it from a fighter jet.
(Read More...)
04/06/2022
Not only are Ukrainian MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) a significant threat to the Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28 gunship helicopters operating over Ukraine but also ATGMs. The following clip has started to circulate online on social media on April 5, 2022, and shows a Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Alligator gunship shot down by a Ukrainian Stugna-P ATGM.
(Read More...)
04/05/2022
Boeing will begin the delivery of second batch of F-15QA combat aircraft to Qatar this year. “We plan to begin delivery of the F-15QA to the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) in 2022,” Kuljit Ghata-Aura, President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey & Africa, told The Peninsula in an exclusive interview.
(Read More...)
04/05/2022
The U.S. Navy is one step closer to fielding MQ-25 Stingray refueling drones aboard its aircraft carriers. The Navy’s 2023 budget request includes $16.8 billion to allow the MQ-25 to begin formal procurement next year. The Stingray is the first done of its type. It will be capable of refueling the Navy’s carrier air wing, including F-35Cs, F/A-18s, and other carrier aircraft. It is expected to double the combat radius for carrier-launched aircraft.
(Read More...)
04/05/2022
The US Defense Department approved Monday the sale of eight F-16 combat aircraft to Bulgaria for $1.67 billion, bolstering its air force as the regional threat has risen after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The proposed sale will improve Bulgaria's capability to meet current and future threats by enabling the Bulgarian Air Force to deploy modern fighter aircraft routinely in the Black Sea region," the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said.
(Read More...)
04/04/2022
The Ukrainian leadership asked the United States to provide Kyiv with Su-25 attack aircraft as part of military assistance. This was reported on Wednesday [March 30] by the television company CNN, the Russian online portal Nezavisimaya Gazeta said.
(Read More...)
04/04/2022
Ukrainian forces braced for an intensified Russian onslaught against the eastern Donbas region Sunday as officials from Ukraine, the U.S. and other countries condemned Moscow over allegations of civilian executions. A gruesome cleanup was underway in the northern suburbs of Kyiv, the capital, following the withdrawal of Russian troops. Ukrainian soldiers were removing bodies from streets, homes and other sites in the towns of Bucha and Irpin, which had been recently occupied by Russian forces.
(Read More...)
04/04/2022
Marine Attack Squadron 214, also known as the Black Sheep, has become the last of the four squadrons assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma to be converted from AV-8B Harriers to the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter II. Maj. Gen. Bradford J. Gering, the commanding general of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, presided over the redesignation ceremony and said the switch to the F-35B represents a leap forward in the Marine Corps' air dominance.
(Read More...)
04/04/2022
Ukrainians have shared pictures of a burning Russian fighter jet they say was shot out of the sky in the Kharkiv region as Putin's forces continue to take heavy damages. Photos from the scene remains of Russian fighting aircraft Su-35 believed to have been hit by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
(Read More...)
04/03/2022
Two South Korean air force planes collided in mid-air during training and crashed near their base on Friday, killing all four people aboard the aircraft, officials said. Both planes were KT-1 trainer aircraft — South Korea's first indigenously developed planes — that took off from an air force base in the southeastern city of Sacheon one after another for flight training, the air force said in a statement.
(Read More...)
04/03/2022
SNC says the aircraft, the most technologically enhanced and mission capable A-29 brought to market, are intended for AFSOC’s Combat Aviation Advisor (CAA) mission which is designed to build international partner capacity. The first two A-29Cs, delivered earlier this month, are already conducting training operations with AFSOC at Hurlburt Air Force Base.
(Read More...)
04/03/2022
The Air Force plans to cut nearly 6,000 military billets in fiscal 2023 as it looks to retire more of its mainstay combat aircraft, according to the Biden administration’s new budget request released Monday. But it is unclear how many airmen could be out of a job as a result.
(Read More...)
04/02/2022
A Ministry of Defence source told The Times a video (you can see it below) showed Starstreak being fired over Ukraine. The source added that the system had been used by Ukrainian forces for almost a week. The footage circulating online shows a high-velocity Starstreak projectile destroying an aircraft in the Luhansk region of Ukraine.
(Read More...)
04/02/2022
The Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness of the Italian Secretariat General of Defence/National Armaments Directorate has signed an acquisition contract with Leonardo for the supply of one C-27J to the Slovenian Ministry of Defence. The contract also covers additional equipment for aero-medical operations, training services and integrated logistic support for two years.
(Read More...)
04/02/2022
The focus of European policymakers over the past several weeks has been on dealing with arguably the biggest military crisis on European soil since the end of World War II. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has triggered what the German government has called a Zeitenwende, a turning point in history, when it comes to Europe’s defense procurement and policies.
(Read More...)
04/02/2022
Just yesterday, we commented a video posted by the Russian MOD that proved that the Ka-52 Alligator helicopters are still lobbing unguided rockets at targets in Ukraine in the very same way we had observed a couple of weeks earlier, when the first clips of Russian Aerospace Forces Ka-52 and Mi-28 Havoc helicopters had started circulating online.
(Read More...)
04/02/2022
The report claimed that the exercise encompassed a variety of terrains, including plateaus and the sea, and that it demonstrated not only the great capabilities of the pilots and aircraft but also the solid logistics support capabilities of various airbases. Warplanes such as the J-11B and J-11BS from a brigade linked with the PLA Air Force reportedly took off from a location in Central China and flew thousands of kilometers to an undisclosed location.
(Read More...)
04/01/2022
A Russian official accused Ukraine of mounting a helicopter attack on a fuel depot inside Russian territory Friday, as footage surfaced of the facility engulfed in flames. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region claimed two Ukrainian military helicopters flew across the border at low altitude on Friday morning and struck the fuel storage facility, setting millions of gallons of fuel on fire.
(Read More...)
04/01/2022
The Ukrainian parliament have proposed cash payments to Russian military soldiers and pilots to sell their serviceable military equipment. Politicians have said that they could offer $1m for a Russian pilot to give up their fighter jet, to be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
(Read More...)
.jpg)
04/01/2022
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, perhaps the most repeated request by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for assistance in the defense of his country against Russia’s invasion, is for the stand-up of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Many people assume that somehow a no-fly zone is a relatively risk-free and simple means to disperse an enemy from conducting hostile operations over a particular area of interest—nothing could be further from reality.
(Read More...)
04/01/2022
The US Department of Defense's annual report on China's military was released in November, providing new information on the growing strength of the People's Liberation Army during 2020. Among the updates to last year's assessments, which covered developments in 2019, were an increase in the estimated size of China's ground forces, an even larger naval fleet, and the introduction of new weapons.
(Read More...)
04/01/2022
Swedish media report that two Russian aircraft that violated Sweden’s airspace in early March 2022 were carrying nuclear weapons. On March 2, 2022, four Russian combat aircraft, including two Su-27 Flanker fighters and two Su-24 Fencer tactical bombers briefly violated the airspace over the Swedish island of Gotland. The incident took place while the Finnish and Swedish forces were engaged in a joint exercise in the Baltic Sea. The Russian flight group took off from the nearby enclave of Kalin
(Read More...)
04/01/2022
The service seeks to phase out a total of 33 of its oldest F-22s. These jets are apparently not combat-capable anymore and are used only for training purposes. The cost of getting these F-22s ready for combat, according to Maj. Gen. James Peccia, the Air Force’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for budget, will be $1.8 billion over eight years, which is astronomically high. Thus, the USAF decided to divert those funds for research on cutting-edge combat jet designs as part of the NGAD program. Further
(Read More...)
All Articles