Air (Page 13)

Latest in Air

A senior Navy aviation officer says the three-month-long grounding of virtually all Osprey tiltrotors worldwide following the fatal crash of a U.S. Air Force CV-22B off the coast of Japan in 2023 sent serious ripples through his service.
C-2

CMV-22 Grounding Was “Wakeup Call” For Navy, Stakes Higher With C-2 Gone Next Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 8, 2025

Shield AI V-BAT
Unmanned

MQ-35 V-BAT’s Capabilities Grow, Micro Guided Munitions Coming Next Year

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 8, 2025

Ongoing work on the U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) tiltrotor is helping the U.S. Navy refine its next-generation Future Vertical Lift-Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) plans.
MV-22

Navy MH-60 Seahawk Replacement Will Leverage Army’s Future Vertical Lift Tiltrotor Plans

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 8, 2025

CCAs and super hornet
Loyal Wingman

Navy Won’t Scramble To Field Loyal Wingman Drones Like The Air Force

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 8, 2025

The U.S. Navy expects its future F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth fighters to offer just a 25 percent increase in range over the existing tactical combat jets in its carrier air wings.
MQ-25

F/A-XX Will Have Just 25% More Range Than Existing Navy Fighters

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

General Atomics has officially unveiled the new Bullseye standoff precision-guided missile that it’s now working with alongside Israeli defense contractor Rafael. The new weapon leverages Rafael’s existing Ice Breaker missile and is being offered to the U.S. military — and allies — at a time when the Pentagon, in particular, is increasingly focused on procuring affordable standoff weapons that can be rapidly produced en masse, for future contingencies, especially in the Indo-Pacific theater,
Air-To-Ground

Bullseye Standoff Weapon Based On Israeli Cruise Missile Unveiled By General Atomics

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

MQ-25 has a lot of potential beyond it's core tanker mission.
MQ-25

MQ-25 Stingray’s Extreme Range Gives It Massive Potential Far Beyond A Tanker

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 7, 2025

J-36 flies over highway
J-36

China’s J-36 Tailless Fighter Zips Over Road On Landing Giving Us Our Best Look Yet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 7, 2025

The Black Arrow, also known as the Small Cruise Missile, has completed a guided flight test, from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, the weapon’s manufacturer Leidos has confirmed. The Black Arrow — which is intended to carry a range of different payloads, and not just a kinetic warhead — arrives at a time when the Pentagon is looking at harnessing the potential of lower-cost weapons that can be readily produced at scale to meet the likely demands of future conflicts.
AC-130

AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Launches Black Arrow Small Cruise Missile In New Video

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 5, 2025

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera
F-35A

Very Close Encounter Between F-35 And Su-35 Caught On Cockpit Camera

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

B-2 Spirits in Diego garcia.
B-2

B-2 Stealth Bombers Deployed To Diego Garcia Have Been Striking Targets In Yemen

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Apr 4, 2025

J-50 images out of china of the new stealth fighter prototype
J-XDS

China’s ‘J-50’ Tailless Stealth Fighter Seen In New Imagery

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 4, 2025

The first OA-1K light attack aircraft — recently officially named as the Skyraider II — has been delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). While the command welcomed the militarized derivative of the popular Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, there remain serious questions about how the Air Force will actually make use of the OA-1K, as the service increasingly prepares for future high-end contingencies.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

First OA-1K Skyraider II Handed Over To Air Force Special Operations Command

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

F-47 X-32 rise shirt
F-47

Rise And Avenge The X-32 With This F-47 Inspired T-Shirt

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

B-2 spirits possibly set to strike Iran
B-2

Is The U.S. About To Go To War With Iran?

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

Officials in the Russian border city of Shebekino have installed netting on buildings to protect against Ukrainian drone attacks.
Unmanned

Anti-Drone Nets Now Being Used To Protect Buildings In Russia

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

Colombia’s new fighter will be the Saab Gripen E/F, the country’s president has confirmed. The acquisition of the Swedish-made combat aircraft will finally allow the retirement of the veteran IAI Kfir with the Colombian Air Force. The development is also of major significance for Saab: other than Brazil, which co-produces the Gripen E/F, the company has previously failed to achieve any export sales of the jet.
Gripen

JAS 39 Gripen E/F Chosen As Colombia’s Next Fighter

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

Israel cratered the T4 air base in Syria to keep Turkey from using it.
Israeli Air Force

Israel Craters Runway To Keep Turkey From Taking Over Syrian Airfield

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 3, 2025

U.S. Soldiers from the 716th Military Police Company, 89th Military Police Brigade, assigned to Joint Task Force - Southern Border, patrol along the southern border near San Diego, California, on March 23, 2025. On March 20, 2025, the Secretary of Defense authorized enhanced detection and monitoring support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), enabling service members to conduct patrolling on foot or using military tactical vehicles to report suspected illegal activity to CBP.  Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, JTF-SB aligns efforts to seal the southern border and repel illegal activity and is responsible for full-scale, agile, and multi-domain operations. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Malik Waddy-Fiffee)
Unmanned

OK To Shoot Down Cartel Drones Flying Over Border Sought By NORTHCOM Boss

By Howard Altman

Posted on Apr 2, 2025

The U.S. State Department has approved the potential of 20 F-16C/D Block 70/72 fighters to the Philippines, the latest turn in a long-running saga as Manila seeks to revamp its air force. The announcement comes as the United States reinforces military ties with the Southeast Asian country, with a recent visit there by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the deployment of U.S. anti-ship and land-attack missile systems for a military drill.
F-16

Sale Of Advanced F-16s To The Philippines Moves Forward Amid Deepening U.S. Ties

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 2, 2025

There are signs that a new AIM-120E variant of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) may now be in development.
U.S. Air Force

New AIM-120E Variant Of AMRAAM Air-To-Air Missile Hinted At By USAF

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter may just be “Increment 1” of a family of Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet designs. This is the opinion of former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Andrew Hunter. It echoes something that was previously hinted at, namely the possibility that the Air Force might consider fielding two distinct versions of the NGAD fighter component.
F-47

F-47 Fighter Program Could See Multiple Versions Built In Increments

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

China’s KD-21 air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), a shadowy weapon that is widely seen as part of the country’s rapidly developing anti-shipping armory, appears to now be in operational service. The missile, carried by the H-6K bomber, made its public debut at Airshow China in Zhuhai in November 2022, but until now had not been confirmed as being carried by aircraft assigned to frontline unit.
H-6 Bomber

China’s KD-21 Air-Launched Ballistic Missile Appears To Be Operational

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has used B-2 Spirit stealth bombers against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
B-2

B-2 Spirits Amassed On Diego Garcia Underscore Hardened Aircraft Shelter Debate

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Apr 1, 2025

Puma Helicopter Retires From UK Service After More Than 50 Years
Royal Air Force

Puma Helicopter Retires From UK Service After More Than 50 Years

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Apr 1, 2025

Retired Marine Col. Charles Del Pizzo told a South Carolina newspaper his version of events that led to his F-35B crashing nearly 12 minutes after he ejected.
F-35B

Sacked Marine Pilot Whose F-35B Flew Without Him After Ejecting Gives His Side Of The Story

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 31, 2025

C-32 in Greenville without its paint.
Air Force One

C-32A ‘Air Force 2’ Jet Like You’ve Never Seen One Before

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 31, 2025

Significant parts of the veil of secrecy over the origins of Boeing's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter, and the decisions and tradeoffs made along the way, have now been pulled back.
F-47

Major F-47 Revelations Were Just Dropped By Former Air Force Secretary

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 28, 2025

Tensions between Israel and Turkey around mounting over air bases in Syria.
Israeli Air Force

Israel-Turkey Tensions Mounting Over Air Bases In Syria

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 28, 2025

Roadrunner and coyote deployed on US Destroyer
Loitering Munitions

Coyote, Roadrunner Loitering Drone Interceptors To Arm U.S. Navy Destroyers

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 28, 2025

If Northrop Grumman wins the F/A-XX context what cat name will they give their naval fighter.
F/A-XX

What Cat Name Should Northrop Grumman Give Its Fighter If It Wins The Navy’s F/A-XX Competition?

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

Turkey has begun using tablet computers in the cockpits of its F-16s to enable rapid integration of new locally developed weapons. The development has interesting parallels with Ukraine’s use of such devices to allow its Soviet-era jets to employ Western air-to-ground weapons.
F-16

Turkish F-16s Are Using Tablets To Control Locally Made Weapons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

X-36 was an early progenitor that lead to the F-47.
F-47

Reflections Of The F-47: Looking Back At The X-36

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

The U.S. Army has formally given the designation ME-11B to its forthcoming High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence-gathering aircraft.
E-11

ME-11B Official Designation Of Army’s New Intelligence Gathering Business Jets

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

North Korea's shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on a Russian Il-76 Candid cargo aircraft, has flown.
A-50/A-100

First North Korean Airborne Early Warning Jet Flies, Kim Shows Off Interior

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

Airbus has unveiled LOAD, a new anti-drone drone concept — an adapted target drone that will be armed with air-to-air guided missiles, expressly designed to shoot down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. In recent years we’ve seen a proliferation of single-use drones with explosive warheads that are designed to bring down other uncrewed aerial vehicles. However, a reusable anti-drone drone, armed with its own missiles, appears to be something of a novelty.
Unmanned

Micro Missile-Slinging Drone-Killing Drone Concept Revealed By Airbus

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force office responsible for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) is asking for new information about options for derivatives of off-the-shelf multi-mode radars that could go into the bombers.
B-52

B-52 Radar Upgrade Alternatives Info Sought By Air Force

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has simulated a successful intercept of a mock advanced hypersonic missile by a Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) as it works up to attempt the real thing.
Air

SM-6 Missile Closer To Proving Hypersonic Weapon Intercept Capability After Aegis Destroyer Test

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

A significant force of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers looks to be currently wending its way to the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
B-2

Signs U.S. Massing B-2 Spirit Bombers In Diego Garcia (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

The future of the Navy NGAD crewed aircraft program remains in limbo.
F/A-18E/F

Navy F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Selection This Week: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 25, 2025

The U.S. Air Force's selection of Boeing's F-47 as the winner of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat jet competition raises new questions about plans for new stealthy aerial refueling tankers.
KC-10

F-47 Fighter Reveal Draws New Attention To USAF Stealth Tanker Plans

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

The puzzling canards on the F-47 could be an indicator of what the aircraft's design goals are.
F-47

What The F-47’s Canards Say About The Rest Of Its Design

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

Ukraine claims it destroyed two Ka-52 Hockum attack helicopters and two Mi-8 Hip transport helicopters in a missile attack in Belgorod.
Mi8/Mi-17

Ukraine Launched HIMARS Attack On Russian Helicopters In Belgorod

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

We may have just gotten our first evidence of the GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bomb, also known as the Small Diameter Bomber II (SDB II), being used in combat. The first operational use of the StormBreaker by the service would be a big deal, with this weapon bringing some significant advances over its predecessor, the GBU-39/B SDB I, especially the ability to hit moving targets.
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornets Now Carrying Stormbreaker Glide Bombs On Combat Missions

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 24, 2025

F-47 X-plane demonstrators
F-47

F-47 Was Born Out Of Secret X-Planes Built By Both Boeing And Lockheed

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Mar 23, 2025

F-47 NGAD from Boeing.
F-47

Boeing Wins F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter Contract (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 22, 2025

Ammo dump destroyed in Russia at Engles Air Base.
Russian Air Force

Russian Bomber Base Suffered Major Damage To Munitions Area In Ukrainian Drone Attack

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 21, 2025

F-35 Hill AFB
KC-46

F-35s From Hill AFB Arrive In England

By Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 20, 2025

Ukraine Has Another New SAM System That Fires Soviet R-73 Air-To-Air Missiles
Air-To-Air

Ukraine Has Another New SAM System That Fires Soviet R-73 Air-To-Air Missiles

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

Kratos has revealed that it is working on a new drone capable of flying at hypersonic speeds, typically defined as anything above Mach 5.
Hypersonics Aircraft

Kratos Has A Hypersonic Drone In The Works

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

An apparent Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russia’s Engels-2 Air Base in the Saratov region 300 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to available imagery. At this stage it’s unclear whether any Russian aircraft were damaged in the incident, although there are indications that the primary target was a weapons storage area. Long-range bombers flying from the base regularly attack Ukraine and the airfield, and other like it, have long been high-priority targets for Kyiv.
Russian Air Force

Massive Explosion Rocks Key Bomber Base Deep Inside Russia

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 20, 2025

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) used drone boats to launch FPV drones against Russian radar systems in Crimea.
Unmanned

Ukraine Launches FPV Drone Attack On Russia’s Air Defenses In Crimea

By Howard Altman

Posted on Mar 19, 2025

Laser-Guided Rockets Shown Shooting Down Houthi Drones For First Time
F-16

Laser-Guided Rockets Shown Shooting Down Houthi Drones For First Time

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 19, 2025

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System
Ukrainian Air Force

Our Best Look At Ukraine’s ‘FrankenBuk’ Air Defense System

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

France's President Emmanuel Macron (C) delivers a speech in front of a Dassault Mirage 2000 (L) and a Dassault Rafale (R) fighter aircrafts during his visit of the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'air et de l'espace) Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase in Saint-Sauveur, north-eastern France on March 18, 2025.
Rafale

France To Expand Its Nuclear Deterrent With New Air Base

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

The U.S. Navy is set to help integrate the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-16 Viper fighter, giving those jets a huge enhancement in anti-ship capability.
F-16

F-16 Is Getting Massive Anti-Ship Missile Upgrade

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 18, 2025

BlueHalo has, for the first time, launched its Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1) kinetic missile, being developed for the U.S. Army’s Next-Gen Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System (C-UAS) program. The new missile, intended to be cheap to procure and able to be built rapidly in volume, is part of a new multi-pronged Army effort to better meet the proliferating drone threat head-on.
Air

BlueHalo’s FE-1 Low-Cost Surface-To-Air Missile Fired For First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

The U.S. Army is contributing ground-based radars to help spot and track drones as part of the continued build-up of U.S. military support along with the U.S.-Mexican border.
Unmanned

Radars Deployed To Mexico Border To Detect Cartel Drones (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

J36 second flight from its base in Chengdu.
J-36

China’s J-36 Tailless Stealth Fighter Seen Flying For Second Time

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Mar 17, 2025

Israel has confirmed that its F-35 stealth fighters have flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35’s so-called ‘beast mode,’ featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is well known by now, but as far as is known, has not been called upon operationally by any other countries. Meanwhile, Israel’s unique F-35I fleet — locally known as the “Adir” (Hebrew for mighty) — which features various local modifications, has frequently been at the forefront of demonstrating new capabilities.
F-35A

Israeli F-35s First To Use ‘Beast Mode’ In Combat

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Mar 17, 2025

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin has confirmed that U-2 Dragon Lady spy planes have been flying missions around the border with Mexico.
RC-135

U-2 Spy Planes Are Flying Border Security Missions Air Force Confirms

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

New imagery shows the progress made on North Korea’s shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on an Ilyushin Il-76 Candid airlifter, and which you can read more about in our analysis of when it first broke cover. Since the start of this year the aircraft now had its rotodome fitted, putting paid to any suggestion that it’s intended for a role other than AEW&C.
Il-76

Our Best Look At North Korea’s New Early-Warning Radar Plane

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Mar 14, 2025

A-4 being loaded with bombs during the Falklands War.
Airborne Countermeasures

Argentine Air Force Went To War With Chaff Made By Pasta Machine

By Thomas Newdick, Mariano Sciaroni

Posted on Mar 14, 2025

Two Ukrainian firms, both partnered with American companies, are among those now set to demonstrate long-range one-way drones to the U.S. military as part of a project called Artemis.
Loitering Munitions

Ukrainian Long-Range Attack Drones To Be Tested By U.S. Military

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Mar 14, 2025