Fighters (Page 2)

Latest in Fighters

F-15 crashes in the Middle East.
F-15

Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down By Friendly Fire (Updated)

By Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman

Updated on Mar 2, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group conduct pre-flight checks on a KC-135 Stratotanker before it departs during Operation Agile Spartan at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Aug. 19, 2023. The large-scale exercise reinforced the U.S. commitment to its regional partners across the Middle East through developing and maintaining missions in unpredictable ways, rapidly responding to the needs of joint and coalition commanders. The month-long, multinational operation demonstrated interoperability between regional partners, improved response capabilities, and further enhanced security throughout the region.
F-35A

Tankers Vacate Al Udeid Air Base As U.S. Citizens Are Urged To Leave Israel Immediately (Updated)

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

USS Ford heads to Israel. (U.S. Navy photo)
F-35A

USS Gerald R. Ford’s Imminent Arrival Off Israel Comes As Negotiations Grind On

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 26, 2026

U.S. Airmen assigned to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing arrive for Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 10, 2026. The 125th Fighter Wing accelerated its readiness timeframe ahead of a mission conversion deadline by deploying eight F-35A Lightning II aircraft, establishing joint-component interoperability with two active-duty U.S. Air Force units under the ACE concept.
F-35A

Former Air Force Fighter Pilot And F-35 Instructor Charged With Training Chinese Military 

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 26, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025. The F-15EX, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is one of the first F-15EXs in the Air Force, and is going through developmental and operational test series at Eglin to prepare the platform to be delivered to the warfighter.  
F-15

General Running Air Force Reserve Wants Surplus F-15E Strike Eagles, New F-15EX Eagle IIs

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2026

As well as a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors have also arrived in theater, according to multiple reports. The stealth jets took off from RAF Lakenheath in England yesterday, confirmed by open-source flight tracking data and aircraft spotters, and are now at an Israeli Air Force base in the south of Israel.
F-22

F-16s Arrive To Protect Diego Garcia, F-22s Forward Deploy To Israel

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 25, 2026

Lockheed Martin has presented a scale model of the new-look F-22 Raptor fitted with stealthy external fuel tanks and underwing infrared sensor pods. Up to this point, the fuel tanks had been seen in renderings as well as at least one long-distance photo that revealed little in the way of details. The sensor pods had previously been seen at closer quarters during flight testing, as you can read about here.
F-22

Upgraded F-22 “Raptor 2.0” Details Seen In New Model

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 24, 2026

Lockheed Martin has shared new details about how it is using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help F-35 pilots spot hostile air defenses faster and more accurately.
F-35

AI Is Now Helping The F-35 Spot Enemy Air Defenses

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 24, 2026

A group of Block 52 F-16CJ Vipers belonging to the South Carolina Air National Guard was recently spotted heading east across the Atlantic as part of a huge build-up of U.S. forces ahead of potential strikes on Iran.
F-16

F-16s Heading To Middle East Equipped With Angry Kitten Electronic Warfare Pods

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 20, 2026

Top Aces F-16s have gotten a major series of upgrades.
F-16

Private F-16 Aggressors Just Brought A Huge Upgrade To The Fight

By James Deboer

Posted on Feb 19, 2026

General Atomics' air-launched LongShort drone has made new progress toward its first flight with the completion of various tests on the ground, including a demonstration of its weapons release capabilities.
F-15

X-68A LongShot Air-To-Air Missile-Carrying Drone Moves Closer To F-15 Launch

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 17, 2026

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry, airborne warning and control system (AWACS).
F-16

Final Pieces Moving Into Place For Potential Attack On Iran

By Howard Altman

Updated on Feb 17, 2026

F-16 intercept
F-16

F-16s Find Balloons, Not UFOs, After Sunday Scramble: NORAD

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 16, 2026

The F-35's 'computer brain,' including its cloud-based components, could be cracked to accept third-party software updates, just like 'jailbreaking' a cellphone, according to the Dutch Defense Minister.
F-35

F-35 Software Could Be Jailbreaked Like An iPhone: Dutch Defense Secretary

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Feb 15, 2026

U.S. Marine Corps legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets are in line to add air-to-air optimized versions of the 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rocket to their arsenal.
F/A-18A-D

USMC’s Old F/A-18 Hornets To Get Drone Swatting Laser Guided Rockets

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 13, 2026

The U.S. Air Force has now denied taking delivery of any F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from the latest Lot 17 production batch without radars installed.
F-35

Air Force Now Denies Receiving F-35s Without Radars

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Feb 13, 2026

The F-35 Joint Program Office has declined to confirm or deny a report that Joint Strike Fighters are being delivered to the U.S. military without radars due to chronic issues with a key upgrade program.
F-35

Are F-35s Being Delivered To The USAF Without Radars? (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Feb 11, 2026

F-35A stealth fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard are moving cl;oser to the Middle East amid an ongoing U.S. military buildup there.
F-35A

F-35A Stealth Fighters Moving Closer To Middle East As U.S. Military Buildup Continues

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 10, 2026

Drone-killing F-15E Strike Eagles made a cameo appearance during the Super Bowl
F-15

Laser-Guided Rocket-Armed F-15E Strike Eagles Make Super Bowl Cameo Appearance

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 9, 2026

Earlier this week, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the Meteor was one of the weapons under discussion for the next Swedish security aid package for Ukraine. Also on the agenda were the Gripen E and undisclosed air defense systems, Saab radars, electronic warfare systems, and drones, including long-range one-way attack drones. The announcement came after talks between the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov and his Swedish counterpart, Paul Jonsson.
Gripen

Meteor Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile In The Works For Ukraine, But There’s A Catch

By Thomas Newdick

Updated on Feb 4, 2026

F-16s arrive in Mogadishu.
F-16

Turkish F-16 Vipers Seen Operating Out Of Mogadishu’s International Airport

By Howard Altman

Posted on Feb 4, 2026

A U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II flies over the Gulf of America, September 16, 2025. The F-15EX, from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is one of the first F-15EXs in the Air Force, and is going through developmental and operational test series at Eglin to prepare the platform to be delivered to the warfighter.
F-15

F-15EX Buy Dropped By Indonesia

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Feb 3, 2026

A U.S. Navy F-35C Joint Strike Fighter flying from the supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln has shot down an Iranian drone said to have “aggressively approached” the ship.
F-35C

F-35 From USS Abraham Lincoln Shoots Down Iranian Drone (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick, Howard Altman

Updated on Feb 3, 2026

F/A-XX is critical as the Navy's "ability to fly with impunity" using non-stealthy types like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, even against smaller nation-state adversaries like Iran and non-state actors, is now "fleeting."
F/A-XX

F/A-XX Naval Fighter Needed For Adversaries Like Iran, Not Just China and Russia: Navy Boss

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 28, 2026

Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production line is one major step closer to shuttering with the completion of the last batch of fuselage sections and vertical tails for those jets by Northrop Grumman.
EA-18G

Last New F/A-18 Aft Fuselages Built As Super Hornet Production End Approaches

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 28, 2026

One of the most enigmatic weapons in the arsenal of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the PL-17 very long-range air-to-air missile, appears to have been shown for the first time at close quarters.
J-20

China’s Massive PL-17 Air-To-Air Missile Seen Up Close

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 28, 2026

RF-4C Phantom reconnaissance aircraft from the 152nd Tactical Reconnaissance Group, Reno, Nev., prepare for a mission during Operation Desert Shield.
F-4

Flying F-4 Reconnaissance Phantoms Unarmed And Unafraid In Desert Storm

By James Deboer

Updated on Jan 27, 2026

The Navy is now flying F-35As for test and evaluation purposes.
F-35A

Navy Is Flying Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 27, 2026

NASA’s newest F-15Ds arrived at the Armstrong Flight Research Center late last month.
F-15

Legacy F-15 Eagles Boost NASA Test Fleet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 24, 2026

President Donald Trump has brought up the possibility of changing the designation of the U.S. Air Force's F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter if the program gets to a point where "I don't like it."
F-47

Possible Change To F-47 6th Generation Fighter’s Designation Raised By Trump

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 21, 2026

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have negotiated a draft defense spending bill that includes nearly $900 million for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based combat jet program.
F/A-XX

F/A-XX Naval Fighter Rescued From Purgatory In New Defense Spending Bill

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Jan 20, 2026

With much of the world’s attention on the growing rift between the United States, Denmark, and its allies over Greenland, the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) became the latest NATO operator to retire the iconic F-16 fighter.
F-16

Denmark Retires F-16 After More Than Four Decades Of Service

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 19, 2026

F-15EX from the 142nd fighter wing roars out of pDX in a huge vapor cloud as it climbs at the end of the runway.
F-15

This Is The Greatest F-15EX Photo Yet

By Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jan 15, 2026

A newly published video interview with a Ukrainian Air Force fighter pilot sheds more light on the operations of the country’s F-16 fleet in its war with Russia. The interview with the pilot, whose name is not provided, is a rare opportunity to hear about how the Ukrainian Air Force has gone about introducing its first Western fighter jet. The Viper is now heavily engaged on various fronts, combatting cruise missiles and drones, as well as striking ground targets, including in close proximity to friendly troops.
F-16

Ukrainian F-16 Pilot’s Account Of The Challenges Of The Air War

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 6, 2026

Pentagon announces $8.6 billion Boeing contract for F-15 jets for Israel
F-15

Israel Rearming Its Eagle Force With The New F-15IA

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 30, 2025

Shenyang J-35
Fighters

Chinese Fighter Jet Exports Set To Grow Significantly

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 24, 2025

Two Russian Flanker series fighter jets have been damaged in an overnight arson attack on the military airfield at Lipetsk in the region of the same name in southwest Russia. According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (GUR), the raid was launched by “a representative of the resistance movement in Russia.” If that’s the case, it underscores the varied tactics being used to strike Russian military aircraft on their bases, coming soon after two separate drone attacks on Belbek Air Base in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Su-30

Sabotage Attack On Russian Su-30 Fighters Shown In Video

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 22, 2025

F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from the Vermon Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing have arrived in Puerto Rico for Operation Southern Spear.
F-35A

USAF F-35As Have Arrived In The Caribbean

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 20, 2025

A U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft appeared near the Venezuelan coast today
F/A-18E/F

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

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 19, 2025

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.
F-35A

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

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 18, 2025

Austria is buying 12 M-346F Block 20 light combat aircraft from Italian defense contractor Leonardo, as part of an overhaul of its air force, the Luftstreitkräfte. Austria already operates 15 Eurofighter Typhoons, procured under controversial circumstances, but these jets have notably limited capabilities and high operating costs, which has seen previous efforts to offload them.
Typhoon

Austria Buys M-346F Light Fighters

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 17, 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.
Fighters

India Can’t Give Up Its Jaguar Strike Aircraft

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 15, 2025

An F-35A from Hill Air Force Base Utah, takes off during the evaluation in Switzerland in 2019.
F-35A

Swiss Poised To Slash F-35 Order As Costs Mount

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 12, 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,
F-35A

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

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 12, 2025

F-35A Lighting Joint Strike Fighters from the 158th Fighter Wing are headed to take part in Operation Southern Spear.
F-35A

F-35A Joint Strike Fighters Deploying To Caribbean (Updated)

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Dec 11, 2025

A contingent of six U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, roughly a full squadron, is now forward-deployed at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico.
EA-18G

EA-18G Growlers Deploying To Puerto Rico An Indicator Of What’s To Come (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Updated on Dec 10, 2025

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

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.
Fighters

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

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

Online flight tracking data shows that a pair of U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets flew right into the center of the Gulf of Venezuela earlier today, and stayed there for some 40 minutes.
EA-18G

F/A-18 Super Hornets Were Just Tracked Flying Deep Inside The Gulf Of Venezuela (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

The U.S. Navy has recovered an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz that crashed within half an hour of each other in the South China Sea on Oct. 26.
F/A-18E/F

Navy Recovers Crashed Super Hornet, Seahawk From Bottom Of South China Sea

By Howard Altman

Posted on Dec 9, 2025

The House Armed Services Committee has advanced a new draft of the annual defense policy bill that includes full funding for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based combat jet program.
F/A-XX

In Limbo F/A-XX Naval Fighter Gets ‘Full Funding’ Nod From Congress, But There’s A Catch (Updated)

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 8, 2025

A Royal Thai Air Force F-16 touches down during Exercise Thai Boomerang 2015.
F-16

Thai F-16s Bomb Targets Along Disputed Cambodian Border

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 8, 2025

Ticonderoga class firing SM-2
F/A-18E/F

How USS Gettysburg Ended Up Shooting Down A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet

By Howard Altman

Updated on Dec 5, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.
Fighters

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
F/A-18E/F

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

The Navy's USNS Salvor is on scene to try and find two aircraft that crashed off the USS Nimitz last month.
F/A-18E/F

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