Air (Page 5)

Latest in Air

In an apparent first since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter has been destroyed, in a drone strike, according to Ukrainian reports.
MiG-29

First Russian MiG-29 Claimed Destroyed In Ukraine, But That May Not Be The Whole Story

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 4, 2025

A Royal Australian Army Tiger helicopter performs during the Australian International Airshow at the Avalon Airfield near Lara southwest of Melbourne on February 24, 2015. Some 180,000 patrons were expected through the gates over the duration of the event.
Helicopters

Australia’s Unwanted Tiger Attack Helicopters May Go To Ukraine: Reports

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 4, 2025

The Navy released findings of investigation into four mishaps aboard the USS Truman supercarrier
F/A-18E/F

F/A-18 Super Hornet Shot Down By Navy Cruiser Investigation Findings Released (Updated)

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 4, 2025

Northrop Grumman has unveiled their new CCA.
Stealth

Talon Emerges From The Shadows (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway, Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Dec 4, 2025

A Thunderbirds F-16C FIghting Falcon crashed in California, the pilot survived.
F-16

Thunderbirds F-16C Fighting Falcon Crashes in California

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker offloads fuel to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, April 8, 2025. The KC-135 Stratotanker is the backbone of U.S. Air Forces Central's global reach aerial refueling capability and delivers critical support to joint and coalition aircraft in order to guarantee war-winning airpower throughout the CENTCOM AOR.
F/A-18E/F

Super Hornet Seen With Rare SLAM-ER Missile Loadout On Yemen Mission

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

US is deploying Shahed-136 clones to the Middle East.
Unmanned

U.S. Deploys Shahed-136 Clones To Middle East As A Warning To Iran

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Dec 3, 2025

YFQ-42 undergoing testing an production run-up.

General Atomics’ Boss Gives CCA Test And Export Market Update At Dubai Airshow

By Jamie Hunter

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Nov. 23, 2025) Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) operating area, Nov. 23. The LUCAS platforms are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East to strengthen regional security and deterrence. (Courtesy Photo)
Loitering Munitions

American Shahed-136 Clones Sent To Middle East Have Satellite Datalinks, Swarming Capabilities

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 3, 2025

The Pentagon announced a new plan to purchase hundreds of thousands of drones for $1 billion.
Unmanned

Pentagon Launches $1B Program To Rapidly Buy Hundreds Of Thousands Of Kamikaze Drones

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 3, 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.
MiG-29

Analyzing North Korea’s New Air-Launched Guided Weapons

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 2, 2025

Russia has fielded a new version of the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone armed with a single R-60 air-to-air missile.
Air-To-Air

Russian Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drones Now Armed With Air-To-Air Missiles

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 1, 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

U.S. M1A2 Abrams assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Task Force Iron, maneuver to get on line with the Apache helicopters assigned to 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Task Force Iron, during Iron Defender-25 at Orzysz Training Area in Orzysz, Poland, Sept. 17, 2025. The Apache helicopters provided cover fire while the Abrams advanced. The purpose of large scale training events like Iron Defender-25 is to prove the Polish Armed Forces and their NATO allies’ ability to deter and effectively defend the territory of Poland. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Andre Gremillion Jr.)
AH-64

U.S. Army AH-64E Apache’s Counter-Drone Capability Rapidly Matures

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 30, 2025

An aerial starboard bow view of the Soviet Krivak I Class guided missile frigate 959 at anchor.
Air

The Real-Life Hunt For Red October Happened 50 Years Ago

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 28, 2025

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has arrived in the Caribbean as Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro rattles his sabre.
U.S. Air Force

Maduro Literally Rattles His Saber As Hegseth Arrives In Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 26, 2025

Japan's plans to place SAMS on an island near Taiwan has China outraged.
Japan Air Self Defense Force

Japan’s Plan To Put SAMs On Strategic Island 70 Miles From Taiwan Could Be Just The Beginning

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 26, 2025

A Ukrainian attack on the aircraft manufacturer Beriev’s facility in Taganrog in southwestern Russia overnight appears to have struck a unique laser testbed, the A-60.
A-50/A-100

Unique Russian A-60 Laser Testbed Jet Destroyed In Ukrainian Attack

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 25, 2025

J-36 shows its new thrust vector nozzles
J-36

China’s J-36 Tailless Stealth Jet’s New Thrust Vectoring Nozzles Seen From Behind

By Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 24, 2025

FDI Frigate may end up in Sweden's Naval inventory.
Air

Swedish Navy To Acquire Frigates, Its Biggest Surface Combatants In Nearly 50 Years

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Nov 24, 2025

F-35B UK issues
F-35A

United Kingdom’s F-35 Program Slammed For Cost-Saving Blunders

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 24, 2025

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing, receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, Oct. 15, 2025. B-52s are world-wide deployable and deter foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organizations, which threaten the safety, security and stability of the Western Hemisphere. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Zachary Foster)
U.S. Air Force

U.S. Pressure Campaign Against Venezuela Has Entered A New Phase

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 24, 2025

Fiber optic drone
Unmanned

FBI Wants To Add Fiber Optic Drones To Its Arsenal

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 21, 2025

The U.S. Air Force says it estimates a fleet of Next Generation Airlift (NGAL) aircraft will be flying operational missions by the 2040-2041 timeframe.
C-17

C-17 Will Fly Until 80 Years Old Under New USAF Airlifter Strategy

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 21, 2025

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - NOVEMBER 21: Smoke rises after an Indian fighter jet crashed into a field while performing a demonstration flight during the Dubai Airshow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 21, 2025.
Indian Air Force

Fatal Crash Of India’s Tejas Light Fighter Mars Dubai Airshow

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 21, 2025

U.S. tactical aircraft flying near Venezuela is part of a pressure campaign aimed at that nation's embattled leader, Nicolas Maduro
RC-135

RC-135 Accompanied By Fighters Off Venezuela Testing Maduro’s Air Defenses: U.S. Official

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 21, 2025

Each of the U.S. Air Force's Special Operations Command's (AFSOC) new OA-1K Skyraider II light attack aircraft has a somewhat unexpected feature in its cockpit.
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC)

OA-1K Skyraider II Has Off-The-Shelf Rifle Sight Mounted In Its Cockpit

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 21, 2025

The Navy's USNS Salvor is on scene to try and find two aircraft that crashed off the USS Nimitz last month.
MH-60/AH-60

Navy Salvage Ship Trying To Fish Crashed Super Hornet And Seahawk Out Of South China Sea

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 20, 2025

‘Crew One,’ a three-man weapons load team, completes the first full external loadout with live munitions for the F-35A Lightening II May 3, 2019, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron were configured in a full external live loadout of six GBU-49 small glide munitions and two AIM-9x Sidewinder missiles to execute an operation in Southwest Asia.
F-35A

Impact Of Selling F-35s To Saudi Arabia On The Region

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Nov 20, 2025

Russian officials claim that a prototype of the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate fighter could be in flight testing by early next year.
Fighters

Russia Insists Su-75 Checkmate Fighter Will Fly Next Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 20, 2025

The Utah Air National Guard demonstrated new capabilities that expand the KC-135 aerial refueling tanker's ability to also act as an airborne communications and data-sharing node during major exercises in the Pacific earlier this year.
KC-135

KC-135 Refueling Pods Have Been Converted Into Flying Communication Nodes

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 20, 2025

Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is benefiting from lessons learned in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, according to the head of the country's state-run defense conglomerate Rostec.
Su-57

Su-57 With New Upgrade Options, Russia Claims First Foreign Delivery Has Already Occurred

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 19, 2025

The Yantar, a notorious Russian spy ship, directed lasers at the crews of U.K. Royal Air Force aircraft in waters off the north of Scotland, the British government said today.
Royal Air Force

Russian Spy Ship Targets Royal Air Force Jets With Laser

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 19, 2025

Russia is increasingly using a new Iranian Shahed drone against Ukrainian troops.
Unmanned

Russia Now Using Iranian Shahed-107 Drones To Strike Beyond The Front Lines

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

Images show that a large tiltrotor drone called the R6000, being developed by United Aircraft in China, has now entered flight testing.
Future Vertical Lift

China’s Large R6000 Uncrewed Tiltrotor Is Now In Flight Testing

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

Boeing, Saab, and BAE Systems have teamed up to offer the T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. With a plan to build the jets in the United Kingdom, the partnership aims to deliver a successor to the Royal Air Force’s current fleet of BAE Systems Hawks from 2030.
T-7

T-7 Red Hawk Jet Trainer Offer To United Kingdom Includes Local Assembly

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

Boeing says its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone is on track for its first live-fire weapons shot, which will be of an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), next month.
Loyal Wingman

MQ-28 Ghost Bat To Fire AIM-120 Missile In First Live Weapons Test Next Month

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 18, 2025

In its latest efforts to modernize its air force, Ukraine has signed a letter of intent to buy up to 100 Dassault Rafale multirole fighters from France over the next 10 years. Today’s agreement comes less than a month after Sweden and Ukraine unveiled a plan to export as many as 150 Gripen E fighters to Kyiv. While the Rafale is the most advanced combat aircraft so far included in Ukraine’s defense plans, there remain huge questions about whether the acquisition of one of these aircraft types, let alone two, is really feasible, especially in such numbers.
Rafale

Ukraine’s Questionable Plan To Buy Up To 100 Rafale Fighters

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 17, 2025

An MQ-20 Avenger drone flew a mock mission at the direction of a pilot in an F-22 Raptor during a demonstration earlier this year, General Atomics has disclosed.
Loyal Wingman

F-22 Pilot Controls MQ-20 Drone From The Cockpit In Mock Combat Mission

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 17, 2025

With the first example of Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter for the U.S. Air Force now in production, a company official has highlighted how its prototyping effort allowed the program to move forward at a rapid pace. Winning the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program was “humbling,” said Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security. He added that the fact the F-47 is now in production is testament to “the maturity of our design and pedigree coming off the prototype.”
F-22

F-47 Program’s Accelerated Pace Made Possible By NGAD X-Plane Efforts

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 17, 2025

Israel's stocks of AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are now more effective against long-range kamikaze drones like Iran's Shahed-136, thanks to changes to their seekers, according to a new report.
Israeli Air Force

Israel Modified AIM-9M Sidewinder Missile Seekers To Better Target Drones: Report

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Nov 15, 2025

French authorities have provided the first real look at the latest version of the Air-Sol Moyenne Portee (ASMP; or Medium-Range Air-to-Surface) ramjet-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile.
Rafale

France’s New Nuclear-Armed Supersonic Cruise Missile Seen Clearly For The First Time

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 13, 2025

Russia has created a new military branch, called the Unmanned Systems Forces, to oversee drone operations, development and testing.
Unmanned

Russia Creates New Military Branch Dedicated To Drone Warfare

By Howard Altman

Posted on Nov 13, 2025

The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced that NATO nations have dropped their plan to buy Boeing E-7A Wedgetail as its next airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform. The decision comes after South Korea rejected the E-7 for its own AEW&C program and would appear to open the door to Saab’s rival GlobalEye, which France has already said it intends to buy.
E-3

E-7 Wedgetail Radar Jet Procurement Plans Axed By NATO

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 13, 2025

Anduril Unveils Omen Hybrid-Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Drone
Unmanned

Anduril Unveils Omen Hybrid-Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Drone

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Nov 13, 2025

Current and future operators of A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft could use them to shoot down incoming drones, according to manufacturer Embraer.
Light Air Support

A-29 Super Tucano Light Attack Aircraft Being Pitched As Drone Hunter

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 12, 2025

A month after the emergence of satellite imagery that showed GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) in an apparently semi-operational state, China has released the first air-to-air video of the drone. China also revealed that the official People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) name for the GJ-11 is Mysterious Dragon.
UCAVs

China’s Stealthy GJ-11 ‘Mysterious Dragon’ Soars Out Of The Shadows

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Nov 11, 2025

Videos show a Turkish Air Force C-130E Hercules cargo plane falling in multiple pieces from the sky earlier today.
C-130

Detached Wings From Doomed Turkish C-130 Seen Spiraling Into The Ground (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 11, 2025

The planned delivery of three AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters to the Indian Army has taken an unusual turn. The Antonov Airlines An-124 cargo aircraft carrying the rotorcraft to India returned to the United States with the Apaches still onboard, with a Boeing spokesperson telling TWZ that it was looking into “logistical issues” that they said had interrupted the transportation.
An-124

AH-64 Apaches Make Mysterious Return To U.S. On Their Delivery Flight To India

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has put out a new call for concepts for a future anti-air missile that costs no more than $500,000 and that could be built at a rate of at least 1,000 per year.
U.S. Air Force

USAF’s New Low-Cost Anti-Air Missile Program Aims For $500K Target Price

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

Imagery has been published providing a rare look inside the weapons bays of one of the prototypes of Russia’s Su-57 Felon new-generation fighter. While internal weapons carriage is a key design feature of the Sukhoi jet, the main weapons bays, at least, haven’t been seen in such detail, with weapons loaded. The footage comes as Moscow embarks on another export drive for the Su-57, which has reportedly so far only been ordered by Algeria.
Su-57

Su-57 Felon Brandishes Its Loaded Weapons Bays For The First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 10, 2025

The U.S. Army has set a goal of buying one million new drones of all types over the next two to three years.
Unmanned

Army Sets Out To Buy A Million Drones By 2028

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 8, 2025

The best images we’ve seen so far of the German Luftwaffe’s PEGASUS signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft reveal key details of the airframe adaptations made to the Bombardier Global 6000 bizjet platform it’s based on. The photos were shared with TWZ by @CorreaPhtgphy, who captured them earlier this year at Abilene, Texas.
Luftwaffe

Our Best Look At Germany’s New PEGASUS Surveillance Jet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 7, 2025

China's growing weapons programs puts pressure on intelligence community.
J-XDS

Can U.S. Intel Keep Up With China’s Tsunami Of Weapons Developments?

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 7, 2025

The U.K. Royal Navy flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, is now carrying 24 F-35B fighters — the largest number to go aboard either of the U.K’s two aircraft carriers. This is a significant achievement for the British F-35 force, which has long faced questions about the feasibility of deploying a meaningful number of the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jets at sea — without U.S. Marine Corps aircraft making up the numbers.
F-35B

British Carrier Hosts Largest Number Of F-35Bs On A Ship Ever

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 7, 2025

Arc orbital supply capsule.
Air

Arc Orbital Supply Capsule Aims To Put Military Supplies Anywhere On Earth Within An Hour

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 6, 2025

General Atomics' Gambit family of drones, with its common modular core ‘chassis’ concept, now has a sixth member optimized for air-to-surface missions, such as attacking hostile air defenses or enemy ships.
Unmanned

Strike Variant Joins Gambit Family Of Autonomous Air Combat Drones

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Nov 6, 2025

An Italian Air Force F-35 Lighting II arrives at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, June 30, 2024. The F-35A is an agile, versatile, high-performance, 9g capable multirole fighter that combines stealth, sensor fusion and unprecedented situational awareness. The ITAF stopped in CENTCOM as a part of Operation Indo-Pacific Jump (IPJ) 2024.
F-35A

F-35 Sale To Saudi Arabia Being Mulled By Trump Admin: Report

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 5, 2025

B-21 with a single pilot on board.
B-21

Single Pilot B-21 Raider Operations Hint At Advanced AI Capabilities

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Nov 5, 2025

A group of men run on the tarmac during the opening ceremony of the European F-16 Training Center at the 86th Romanian Military Airbase in Fetesti, Romania, on November 13, 2023.
F-16

Romania Just ‘Bought’ 18 F-16s For One Euro

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 4, 2025

We now have the first known commercial satellite imagery of the two Chinese sixth-generation stealth fighter designs that emerged nearly a year ago.
Fighters

China’s New Tailless Stealth Fighters Both Appear At Secretive Test Base

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Nov 4, 2025

Photoex with NH90 due to com-testing at sea outside Bodø.
Air Forces

Norway’s Sorry NH90 Helicopter Saga Finally Comes To An End

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 3, 2025

Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury ‘Fighter’ Drone Has Flown (Updated)
Loyal Wingman

Anduril’s YFQ-44 Fury ‘Fighter’ Drone Has Flown (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Oct 31, 2025

Russia has used its ground-launched 9M729 cruise missile to strike targets in Ukraine multiple times in recent months. This is the conclusion of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and it also tallies with reports from independent analysts who have been tracking the use of the missile, the original deployment of which led to the United States walking away from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty in 2019.
Air

Russia’s Treaty-Busting Screwdriver Cruise Missile Used Against Ukraine: Officials

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Oct 31, 2025