Military Aviation News Archive
03/28/2024
As the United States and China accelerate their efforts to develop sixth-generation warplanes, the dynamics of global military competition enter a new, more complex era. China's revelation of a mockup for its proposed sixth-generation fighter in 2021 and the U.S.'s ambitious timeline to deploy its Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform by 2030 underscore a significant leap in aerial warfare technology.
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03/28/2024
The first operational F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets will be assigned to the 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard, the unit that intercepts hostile aircraft over the northwest United States, the Air Force said. The initial instructor pilots from the Portland-based wing were at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to fly training versions of the jet, which the Air Force said can exceed twice the speed of sound.
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03/28/2024
Denmark’s Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, has sealed a deal with Argentina’s Minister of Defence, Luis Alfonso Petri, in Buenos Aires, paving the way for transferring 24 Danish F-16 fighter jets to Argentina. The agreement, encapsulated in a letter of intent, reveals Denmark’s decision to revamp its military assets by replacing its ageing F-16 fleet with the F-35 jet.
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03/27/2024
South Korea has announced plans to produce 20 KF-21 Boramae fighters this year, half of the 40 initially planned. The country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has revealed production will be staggered to address feasibility concerns calling for additional tests, according to Yonhap News Agency.
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03/27/2024
Sweden is today the object of all the desires of the two European programs for new generation combat aircraft, FCAS and GCAP. However, far from being easily seduced, Stockholm has entrusted Saab with carrying out a study, which should enable it to arbitrate between these two programs, or even in favor of autonomous development, as was the case for the JAS 39 Gripen.
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03/27/2024
Aselsan, a leading defense technology company in Türkiye, introduced its cutting-edge AESA Aircraft Nose Radar technology Tuesday which was developed entirely using domestic resources. The AESA Aircraft Nose Radar, which recently completed its maiden flight with the F-16 OZGUR, promises to enhance combat aircraft capabilities significantly.
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03/27/2024
The U.S. Air Force is aggressively advancing its sixth-generation stealth fighter, the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, with a budget request nearing $3 billion to counter China's military expansion. This funding boost, aimed at research, development, and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, signifies the Air Force's commitment to maintaining aerial superiority.
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03/27/2024
The U.S. Air Force’s $3.5 billion budgetary wish list for fiscal 2025 includes more funds for spare parts to get grounded planes back in the air, and seeks resources to be able to deploy more personnel and fighter jets.
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03/26/2024
U.S. fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier struck three underground storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen late Friday, according to a U.S. official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation not yet made public, said the ship is in the Red Sea.
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03/26/2024
NATO fighter jets were deployed five times last week to identify and escort Russian aircraft, as reported by the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania. From March 18th to 24th, NATO fighter jets performing air policing duties in the Baltic States took off five times to identify and escort Russian Federation (RF) aircraft violating flight rules.
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03/26/2024
The US Air Force (USAF) is on track to certify the iconic Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk for aerial refueling on its latest tanker, the Boeing KC-46, by the end of March 2024. Despite the F-117 fleet’s retirement from active service, the USAF is moving forward with plans to integrate it into the KC-46’s refueling capabilities.
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03/26/2024
Japan has eased rules on weapons exports to allow sales of a fighter jet it will develop with the UK and Italy to other countries, marking a new milestone in Tokyo’s more proactive defence policy. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet on Tuesday approved the revision to export controls, clearing a hurdle for the Global Combat Air Programme to achieve an ambitious timeline of delivering a highly advanced combat aircraft by 2035.
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03/25/2024
Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect Polish airspace during Russia's drone and missile attack against Ukraine on March 24, the Polish Air Force's Operational Command reported on X. "All necessary procedures aimed at ensuring the safety of Polish airspace have been activated, and the Operational Command of the Polish Air Force is monitoring the situation continuously," the Polish Air Force wrote on X.
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03/25/2024
A pair of US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers supported by tanker planes flew over Norway and international airspace in the Norwegian- and Barents Seas in the direction of Russia's Kola Peninsula on Sunday. A MiG-31 fighter jet was scrambled from an airbase in the Murmansk region to meet the US bombers, Russia’s Defense Ministry informs in the afternoon on Sunday.
According to the ministry, the US bombers approached but turned away from Russian airspace.
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03/24/2024
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced plans to produce 20 KF-21 Boramae fighters this year, a reduction from the initially planned 40 units. This decision, part of a 7.92 trillion won ($5.92 billion) production plan, aims to address concerns from a feasibility study last year. The first batch of KF-21s, intended to become the backbone of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), is expected in the second half of 2026, with aspirations to deploy over 120 by
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03/24/2024
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 13 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (March 22) and the same time Saturday (March 23). Of the 13 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, four entered the southwest sector of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ). In response, the MND said it "monitored the situation and employed appropriate forces to respond" by sending aircraft, naval vessels, and deploying missile systems.
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03/24/2024
A training flight comprising Turkish combat and support aircraft was conducted in the international airspace of the Mediterranean, Türkiye's National Defense Ministry said on Saturday. "On March 21, 2024, a training flight was carried out in the international airspace of the Mediterranean, in the south of Cyprus Island, with the participation of our combat and support aircraft taking off from various bases affiliated with our Air Forces Command,” the ministry said on X.
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03/23/2024
The venerable Northrop F-5, a supersonic light fighter developed during the Cold War, continues to find a place in modern military operations, particularly within the U.S. Marine Corps. Despite the end of its production in 1989, the U.S. military has found the F-5 to be invaluable for training and adversary squadron roles, simulating enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
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03/23/2024
The Russians have relied on the MiG-31 during the invasion of Ukraine. Reportedly, MiG-31s shot down several Ukrainian aircraft, mostly with the long-range R-37 air-to-air missile. The Ukrainians do not have an aircraft that can match the MiG-31’s speed or altitude, meaning the MiG-31s have been able to operate in Ukrainian airspace virtually unopposed.
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03/23/2024
Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) regarding conceptual studies for future fighters for both crewed and uncrewed systems, with the contract running through to 2025. According to a 22 March release Saab will “collaborate closely” with the FMV, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defence Research Agency, GKN Aerospace, and other industry partners.
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03/23/2024
The Indo-Pacific is becoming a global hotspot, and as a result the aerospace industry and countries across the region are investing heavily to upgrade their military aircraft, particularly fighter fleets. In the days leading up to the Singapore Airshow in February, Singapore’s Chief of Air Force Maj. Gen. Kelvin Khong — who as of press time was set to transition out of the role on March 22 — released a written interview providing an update on the state of the country’s air force.
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03/23/2024
The U.S. Air Force would receive enough money to buy 51 F-35A fighter jets in fiscal 2024 under the compromise Pentagon spending bill lawmakers released Thursday — three more than the service originally requested. If enacted, the allotment would mark the most Joint Strike Fighters the Air Force has bought in a single year since 2021, when it procured 60. The service had included 48 F-35As in its fiscal 2024 budget request.
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03/22/2024
Taiwan's defence ministry said Friday that 36 Chinese military aircraft were detected around the self-ruled island in a 24-hour window - the highest number this year. Beijing claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under China's control. Since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen - who does not recognise China's claim on Taiwan - Beijing has stepped up military pressures.
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03/22/2024
Argentina’s Ministry of Defense, backed by the Executive Power, is on the cusp of initiating the formal procurement of F-16 MLU fighters to modernize the Argentine Air Force’s capabilities. Local media have confirmed the upcoming visit of Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, who is set to meet with Argentine official Luis Petri to discuss defense cooperation, with the F-16 acquisition taking center stage.
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03/22/2024
Aircraft designers at the Boeing Co. will build 17 new single- and tandem-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighter bombers under terms of a nearly $1.4 billion order announced on Tuesday. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. are asking the Boeing Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis to build 10 F/A-18F Lot 46 aircraft; two F/A-18F; and five F/A-18E Lot 47 aircraft.
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