Air(Page 8)

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The U.S. Army has awarded a massive contract valued at close to $1 billion to AeroVironment for Switchblade-series loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, over the next five years.
Air

Army Just Signed $1B Deal For Massive Order Of Switchblade Kamikaze Drones

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 28, 2024

Poland’s first F-35A stealth fighter — locally named Husarz, or hussar — was officially rolled out today in a glitzy ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas plant.
Air

Poland’s First F-35A “Hussar” Stealth Fighter Rolled Out

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 28, 2024

Ukraine's invasion of Kursk Oblast has entered its third week
Air

Pace of Ukraine Advance Slowing As Kursk Invasion Hits Three-Week Mark

By Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

Thailand looks to have provided the Saab Gripen E/F program with a major vote of confidence, with reports that its air force has selected the Swedish-made jet as its next fighter. While the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) already operates earlier Gripen C/D aircraft, the Gripen E/F brings with it significant advances in capability, the extent of which make it almost an entirely new aircraft compared to its predecessor.
Air

Thailand Chooses Gripen E/F As Its New Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

Not for the first time, the commitment of the United Kingdom to the F-35B Lightning stealth fighter is under scrutiny, amid reports that the new government could make cuts to it as it grapples with financial woes. With the British government seemingly committed to the next-generation Tempest fighter, the ability to pay for two separate advanced combat aircraft programs is being questioned, while continued problems integrating new weapons on the F-35B also pose a threat to its long-term security.
Air

United Kingdom’s F-35B Fleet Plans Under Threat As Defense Cuts Loom

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that his country has conducted the first successful test of a new domestically-developed ballistic missile.
Air

Ukraine Says It Has Tested A New Domestically-Designed Ballistic Missile

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

Before the Ukrainian Air Force received its first batch of F-16 Viper fighters, the U.S. Air Force helped optimize electronic warfare (EW) systems on those jets against Russian threats.
Air

Electronic Warfare Systems On Ukraine’s F-16s Getting Specially Tuned To Russian Threats By USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 27, 2024

The security alert at Geilenkirchen Air Base in Germany last week, which you can read more about here, was due to fears of a possible Russian drone attack, according to multiple German media reports. The latest development comes amid growing fears of Russian-inspired aggression against Germany, including drones, but also various other ‘hybrid warfare’ tactics. As the main operating base for NATO’s fleet of E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), the base plays a critical role for the alliance — including around Ukraine.
Air

Fears Of Russian-Inspired Drone Attack Led To German Air Base Alert: Reports

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 26, 2024

Japan reports that a Chinese Y-9Z surveillance aircraft violated its airspace in what it says is the first time such an incident has taken place.
Air

Chinese Electronic Intelligence Plane Makes Unprecedented Incursion Into Japanese Airspace

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 26, 2024

North Korea has revealed two new kamikaze drones that look to be virtual copies, at least externally, of the Israeli-made Harop and Hero-400.
Air

North Korea Unveils Clones of Israeli Kamikaze Drones

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 26, 2024

412th Test Wing photographers Christian Turner, Todd Schannuth, and Richard Gonzales on the ramp with their F-16D chase jet.
Air

The Flight Test Photographers Of Edwards Air Force Base

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Aug 26, 2024

All eyes were on presidential candidate and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris this week as the Democratic National Convention kicked off. One clip of Harris's movements, in particular, got a lot of attention from those interested in military technology — the Vice President boarding an MV-22 tiltrotor on a short trip to the convention hall.
Air

MV-22 Ospreys Have Actually Been Flying The Vice President For Years

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 24, 2024

Sabotage at norwegian airbase
Air

Sabotage Confirmed At Norwegian Air Base

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Aug 23, 2024

KC-46 and F-15E had an incident resulting in the loss of the tanker's boom
Air

Audio Reveals Details Of KC-46 And F-15E Refueling Incident That Broke The Tanker’s Boom Off

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 23, 2024

The U.S. Army has chosen the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to lead the conversion of Bombardier Global 6500 business jets into new High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aircraft.
Air

Army’s HADES Surveillance Bizjet Program Moves Forward With Sierra Nevada Corp. Deal

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 23, 2024

Images taken after a Ukrainian drone strike on an airbase deep inside Russia Russia shows several combat aircraft were damaged.
Air

Russian Jets Damaged In Ukrainian Long-Range Drone Attack On Air Base

By Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 23, 2024

A Czech company has unveiled an inflatable decoy of the F-16 fighter, notably wearing Ukrainian Air Force markings. The inflatable fighter, from a firm that is already known to be providing Kyiv with decoys of other items of military equipment, appears only a matter of weeks after it was confirmed that the first real F-16s had arrived in Ukraine.
Air

Inflatable Ukrainian F-16 Decoy Emerges At Defense Show

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 22, 2024

New ‘Cheap’ Cruise Missile Concept Flight Tested By Silicon Valley-Backed Start-Up
Air

New ‘Cheap’ Cruise Missile Concept Flight Tested By Silicon Valley-Backed Start-Up

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 21, 2024

A notional light fighter concept has been presented by the U.S. Air Force’s senior uniformed officer, providing a thought-provoking insight on one direction that the service’s future combat fleet could take. The concept emerges as Air Force officials are increasingly questioning the requirements for the crewed sixth-generation stealth combat jet being developed as part of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.
Air

Air Force Floats Light Stealth Fighter Concept As Its Heavy Fighter Program May Be In Jeopardy

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 20, 2024

The U.S. Army is looking at paragliders as a way to give conventional forces, especially airborne units, new options for getting around the battlefield and surveilling enemy forces.
Land

U.S. Army Has A Plan For Paragliding Paratroopers

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 20, 2024

A drone scare around the U.S. Air Force's Plant 42 in California, a major hub for advanced aerospace development work, including highly classified military programs, has led to revelations about a real wave of mysterious drone incursions in recent months.
Air

Palmdale UFO Scare Leads To Revelations About Mystery Drone Incursions Over Secretive Plant 42

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 20, 2024

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden step off of Marine One, the new model Sikorsky VH-92A, upon arrival at Soldier Field Landing zone in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024. President Biden is delivering the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention opening night.
Air

VH-92 Helicopter Has Finally Flown Its First ‘Marine One’ Mission (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 19, 2024

Next summer, U.S. Air Force units will deploy from bases in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and elsewhere across the United States to forward locations in the Western Pacific as part of a massive new air combat exercise.
Air

Air Force Units Will Flood The Western Pacific In Huge New Airpower Exercise Next Summer

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 19, 2024

A Cessna Model 208B Grand Caravan converted into a cargo drone was among the participants in a recently concluded U.S. Air Force-led large force air combat exercise focused on preparing for a potential future conflict with China.
Air

Cessna Caravan Turned Into Cargo Drone Tested At China-Focused Airpower Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 16, 2024

The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is now the first U.S. Navy supercarrier to have a complete dedicated Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAWC).
Air

Supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush Now Has First Of its Kind Drone Control Center

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 16, 2024

An F-16 Fighting Falcon piloted by Lt. Col. Mike May from the 85th Test and Evaluation squadron sits on the ramp at Eglin Air Force Base on October 2, 2019 with a JASSM-ER. The 85th TES released the extended range missile as part of an operational test sortie.
Air

JASSM Stealth Cruise Missiles Now On The Table For Ukraine: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 15, 2024

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is moving to buy non-lethal distraction devices to mount on small hand-launched drones.
Air

FBI Fielding Drones That Fire Off Deafening Bangs

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 15, 2024

The Ukrainian Air Force has released a video offering the best look to date of one of the country's MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters employing French-made AASM-250 Hammer precision-guided bombs.
Air

Best Look Yet At Ukrainian MiG-29 Releasing Hammer Rocket-Assisted Bombs

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 15, 2024

Half a century ago today, the first prototype of the Panavia Tornado prototype, aircraft P-01, was recorded at Manching in West Germany, with test pilots Paul Millet from British Aerospace and Nils Meister of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) at the controls.
Air

Panavia Tornado Swing-Wing Combat Jet’s Ten Most Unusual Variants

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

Air National Guard F-16 Viper fighters pretending to be enemy cruise missiles together with tiny JSX-2 microjets mimicking cruise missiles and drones replicated complex threat scenarios during a recent large-scale exercise.
Air

F-16s Team With JSX-2 Microjets To Replicate Complex Cruise Missile And Drone Attacks

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

An explosion near the Savasleyka airfield in Russia after a drone strike.
News & Features

Ukrainian Drone Seen Slamming Into Russian Air Base In Large-Scale Strikes On Multiple Installations

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

Secretive ultra-quiet special operations drones, now designated RQ-29s, that have been operating in the Middle East for years might now be headed for the Pacific.
Air

Super Quiet Special Operations Drones May Migrate To Pacific Theater

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

A new Russian design for a ‘loyal wingman’-type supersonic drone has been unveiled, marking the country’s latest foray into unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs). Interestingly, the Kronshtadt company that designed the Grom (meaning Thunder) previously displayed another UCAV under the same name. The new version of the Grom is very different, however, stressing performance and simplicity over low-observable features and other advanced technologies.
Air

Russia’s Aspirational Grom Combat Drone’s Design Totally Changes, Ditches Stealth For Speed

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 14, 2024

F-15IA sale approved by state department.
Air

Israel Officially Cleared To Buy 50 New F-15IAs, Upgrade 25 F-15Is

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Aug 13, 2024

The legendary Martin Mars flying boat Hawaii Mars has made a spectacular final flight, taking it from its long-time home on Sproat Lake in British Columbia, Canada, to see out its retirement in a museum in the same state. Originally developed for the U.S. Navy and the war in the Pacific, the huge aircraft found a niche as a water bomber with Coulson Aviation but had not flown in this role since 2015.
Air

Giant Hawaii Mars Flying Boat Made Its Final Glorious Flight

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 12, 2024

Chinese drone maker Tengden says it has conducted the first flight of a new cargo drone with a multi-metric-ton cargo capacity.
Air

Chinese Cargo Drone Capable Of Carrying Two Tons Has Flown

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 12, 2024

Model 407 optionally manned drone Northrop grumman
Air

Northrop’s Stealthy Loyal Wingman Drone Breaks Cover And It Has A Cockpit

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Aug 9, 2024

Tiny JSX-2 microjets able to act as surrogates for drones and cruise missile threats are supporting the Northern Strike 24-2 exercise.
Air

Tiny Jets Masquerading As Cruise Missiles Featured In Michigan Airpower Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 9, 2024

Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 92nd Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, fly alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron over the western United States during Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3, Aug. 5, 2024. Through employment of the KC-135 aircraft, the 91st ARS extends U.S. global power and global reach by planning and executing aerial refueling missions for U.S. and allied combat and support aircraft. During Bamboo Eagle, Air Mobility Command assets will support warfighters implementing all-domain combat-power generation from disaggregated basing locations throughout the western part of the U.S., along with distributed command and control, agile logistics, and tactical air-to-air refueling. Bamboo Eagle provides participating units opportunities to reoptimizing for Great Power competition and to focus on mission readiness by to deliver cross-functional and lethal combat capabilities with the speed and agility required to meet pacing challenges. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexander Cook)
Air

Massive China-Focused Air Combat Exercise Underway Off California Coast

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 9, 2024

US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets brandishing full loads of nine air-to-air missiles have touched down at a base in Jordan ahead of expected Iranian attacks against Israel.
Air

F/A-18E Super Hornets Fully Loaded With Air-To-Air Missiles Arrive In Jordan

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 9, 2024

Ukraine's F-16s arrived with self protection pods
News & Features

F-16s Delivered To Ukraine With Advanced Countermeasure Pods For Self-Protection

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Aug 8, 2024

France will have sent Ukraine 600 Hammer bombs by the end of the year.
Air

Ukrainian MiG-29’s Special Pylon For Hammer Rocket-Boosted Bombs Emerges

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 8, 2024

Defense technology contractor Anduril has announced plans to build a novel “hyperscale” production facility that will be able to churn out significant numbers of different military products, including uncrewed combat aircraft and autonomous underwater vehicles. The project closely aligns with the Pentagon’s aim of securing the ability to manufacture at scale, to meet future demands, especially for uncrewed systems that would be critical in potential peer-state conflicts.
Air

“Hyperscale” Weapons Factory Vision Outlined By Anduril

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 8, 2024

Kratos, manufacturer of the XQ-58 Valkyrie, has confirmed that a new version of the drone is in the works that will feature built-in landing gear, which points to a larger derivative possibly with greater performance.
Air

New XQ-58 Valkyrie Variant With Built-In Landing Gear To Fly Soon

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 8, 2024

Testbed for the Navy's helicopter escape system in the 1960s
Air

Navy’s Cold War-Era Helicopter Crew Escape System Literally Sliced Fuselages Apart

By Oliver Parken

Posted on Aug 7, 2024

Ukrainian drone operators are increasingly taking the fight to the Russian helicopters operating over and around the battlefield, by launching direct attacks with first-person view (FPV) drones. While there has been one previous report of a Russian rotorcraft successfully being attacked by a drone and several videos showing near-misses, the increasing quantity of such incidents indicates that this is now becoming a more established practice.
Air

Russian Mi-28 Havoc Attack Helicopter Engaged In Mid-Air By Ukrainian Drone

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 7, 2024

A brief video clip of a U.S. Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye linking up with an Air Force HC-130J tanker somewhere over in the Middle East calls attention to how this aircraft has become even more of a force multiplier with the added ability to refuel in flight.
Air

E-2D Refueling From HC-130 Over Middle East Highlights The Hawkeye’s Potential

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 7, 2024

An already massive hangar in northwestern China is now even bigger after receiving a 300-foot-long extension.
Air

China’s Gigantic Secretive Blimp Hangar Has Gotten Even Larger

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

Photos have emerged showing the extent of the destruction at Morozovsk Air Base, in Russia’s Rostov region, after it was struck by Ukrainian forces at the weekend.
Air

Aftermath Of Ukrainian Attack On Russian Su-34 Fullback Base Emerges (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

The U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln is heading toward the Middle East with an air wing that includes EA-18G Growlers equipped with new AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band (NGJ-MB) electronic warfare pods.
Air

EA-18G Growlers With New Jamming Pods Onboard Carrier Heading To Middle East

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

A B-1B Lancer assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron conducts flight tests on the Load Adaptable Modular pylon in the skies over California, Feb. 15.
Air

B-1B Tests New Pylon That Could Drastically Increase Its Weapons Carriage Capabilities

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 6, 2024

The US Air Force says an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship has operated from a highway for the first time as part of the service's larger push to reduce its dependence on traditional runways. This is also comes amid questions about the future of the gunships in future high-end fights.
Air

AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Has Operated From A Highway For The First Time

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 5, 2024

A remarkable video has emerged, taken by a Russian fighter pilot after ejecting from his Flanker series jet, during the conflict in Ukraine. The footage joins a growing collection of air combat incidents captured on camera, by pilots on both sides involved in the war. Although it’s unclear exactly when or where the incident took place, it’s another reminder of the high-intensity air campaign being fought in and around Ukraine and the frequent life-or-death situations that the pilots involved face on a daily basis.
Air

Russian Pilot Films His Flanker Falling Away After Ejecting During Combat Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Aug 5, 2024

F-16s for Ukraine arrive with weapons
Air

F-16 Officially In Ukrainian Service, Self Protection Pods Included

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Aug 4, 2024

Ukraine claims it sunk the Russian Improved Kilo class submarine Rostov-on-Don
Air

Ukraine Situation Report: Russian Submarine Destroyed, Kyiv Claims

By Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 3, 2024

Video clips have emerged showing Chinese maritime special operations forces using multiple types of bird-like drones.
Air

Chinese Sea Dragon Commandos Show Off Drones That Look Just Like Birds

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 3, 2024

Baba Yaga Drone Ukraine
Air

Ukraine’s “Baba Yaga” Drones Now Appear Capable Of Launching Guided Munitions

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Aug 2, 2024

F-16 Iran Middle East
Air

More U.S. Combat Aircraft Heading To Middle East Ahead Of Expected Iranian Attack On Israel (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 2, 2024

More NATO members are now 'read into' top-secret Special Access Programs (SAP) related to the Joint Strike Fighter as part of a broader push to improve information sharing and interoperability.
Air

More Top Secret F-35 Stealth Fighter Data Given To NATO Members

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 2, 2024

The Army has laid out a requirement for an AIM-120 AMRAAM-like interceptor that is the same general size as an AIM-9X SIdewinder for its Enduring Shield air defense system.
Air

Army Seeking AIM-9X-Sized Surface-To-Air Missile With AIM-120-Like Range

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 2, 2024

The entire fleet of U.S. V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft has been temporarily grounded after a mishap involving an AFSOC CV-22 last month at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.
Air

CV-22 Osprey Crash In Japan Was Caused By Gearbox Failure

By Thomas Newdick, Howard Altman

Posted on Aug 1, 2024

An US Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider gunship recently used its 30mm and 105mm to help sink a decommissioned amphibious warship during an exercise, which comes amid a larger discussion about the relevance of these aircraft in future higher-end operations.
Air

AC-130J Ghostrider Hammers Amphibious Warship During Rare Appearance At Sinking Exercise

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 1, 2024

Ukraine F-16s
Air

F-16s Arrive In Ukraine: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Aug 1, 2024

Composite image from Navy's Silent Swarm 2024 event
Sea

Silent Swarm Exercise Accelerates Navy’s Path To Distributed Electronic Warfare Future

By Oliver Parken

Posted on Aug 1, 2024