Air Forces

Latest in Air Forces

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft appeared near the Venezuelan coast today
U.S. Air Force

E-3 Sentry Joins U.S. Combat Aircraft Tracked Off Venezuelan Coast

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted 18 Hours Ago

A top Canadian Air Force general breaks down the role of his nation's future F-35A stealh fighters and the challenges of integrating them into the force and NORAD.
Royal Canadian Air Force

Canadian NORAD Commander’s View On Future F-35 Fighter Force

By Howard Altman

Posted 23 Hours Ago

A key Russian airbase in occupied Crimea has been targeted by a Ukrainian drone strike. According to Ukraine, the drones hit a MiG-31BM Foxhound interceptor, as well as elements of an S-400 air defense system, at Belbek Air Base, near Sevastopol.
Russian Air Force

MiG-31 Foxhound Among Russian Air Defense Assets Targeted In Crimean Drone Strike

By Thomas Newdick

Posted Yesterday

The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it is buying two Boeing 747-8 airliners from German flag carrier Lufthansa.
U.S. Air Force

USAF Buying Lufthansa 747s To Serve As Future Air Force One Trainers, Spare Parts Sources

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

The Pentagon has sent more KC-135 refueling jets to the Dominican Republic as part of the Trump administration's pressure campaign on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
U.S. Air Force

More KC-135 Tankers Deploy To The Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 17, 2025

The latest Chinese military aircraft to appear in flight test is a tactical transport aircraft, known, unofficially for now, as the Y-30. Not perhaps as headline-grabbing as China’s string of new crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft designs, the transport is nonetheless highly significant, reflecting the People’s Liberation Army’s growing ambitions to be able to conduct out-of-area operations.
People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

China’s ‘Y-30’ Turboprop Airlifter Spotted For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 16, 2025

Indian Air Force (IAF) SEPECAT Jaguar fighter jets take part in an air refueling exercise during the joint exercise 'Ex Garuda-VII' between IAF and FASF in the air near Jodhpur in India's desert state of Rajasthan on November 9, 2022.
Indian Air Force

India Can’t Give Up Its Jaguar Strike Aircraft

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

We have got what could be our first look at China’s CH-7 stealthy flying-wing drone in flight. While it’s far from the biggest Chinese drone of this configuration, it’s still of impressive size and, as we have noted in the past, appears to be tailored for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance (ISR), as well as strike missions as an uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV).
People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)

China’s Stealthy CH-7 Flying Wing Drone Has Flown

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

U.S. Air Force HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, assigned to the 943d Rescue Group, conduct helicopter air-to-air refueling with an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft,
U.S. Air Force

Combat Rescue Aircraft, Tankers Arrive In Caribbean As U.S. Military Buildup Accelerates

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

MiG-29 of the Polish Air Force take part in a NATO Air Force military drill on October 12, 2022 in Lask, Poland.
Polish Air Force

Poland’s Last MiG-29 Fulcrums Being Lined Up For Transfer To Ukraine

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 10, 2025

Japan and South Korea scrambled jets to respond to a joint Russian-Chinese bomber patrol.
Japan Air Self Defense Force

Joint Chinese-Russian Bomber Patrol Sends Japanese, South Korean Fighters Scrambling

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

The Antonov An-22 (NATO reporting name 'Cock') in the air. The aircraft powered by four turboprops each driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers, the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft. Several airframes are still in service with Russian Air Force.
Russian Air Force

There’s Likely No Way Back For Russia’s An-22 Turboprop Heavy Transports After Fatal Crash

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

An AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile is launched from an MQ-28A Ghost Bat during Trial Kareela at RAAF Base Woomera, South Australia.
Royal Australian Air Force

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Has Fired An AIM-120 AMRAAM Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

As it now stands, the Boeing 707-based E-6B is slated to be replaced by the E-130J aircraft, which Northrop Grumman will modify from Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 cargo planes.
U.S. Air Force

Congress Wants To Know If The C-130 Hercules Could Be The USAF’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Dec 8, 2025

Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Korean People’s Air Force (KPAF) provided an apparent first look at three new types of air-launched weapon, intended to arm the KPAF’s Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack aircraft, and potentially others. The event also yielded a better look at the country’s ‘copycat’ drones, the Saetbyol-4 and Saetbyol-9 that are almost exact visual copies of the U.S.-made RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper, respectively.
North Korean Air Force

Analyzing North Korea’s New Air-Launched Guided Weapons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 2, 2025

Turkish industry and media alike have heralded the recent live-fire test in which a Kizilelma uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) used a Turkish-made air-to-air missile to destroy a target drone. Turkey claims the test marks the first occasion a UCAV has launched a radar-guided air-to-air missile. But, while undoubtedly impressive, there are unanswered questions about how the engagement actually played out, especially to what degree the UCAV was being controlled by crewed fighter jets.
Turkish Air Force

Turkey’s Fighter-Like Kizilelma Drone Shot Down Aerial Target With Radar-Guided Missile

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 1, 2025