August 2025 - The Aviationist
Drones| The Aviationist
Japan’s defense minister Gen Nakatani visited Turkey to enhance defense ties and, while there, also visited the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Istanbul Naval Shipyard and Baykar. Japan and Turkey have set the stage for future defense commercial ties as Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani met his Turkish counterpart and toured Turkish military industrial facilities […]| The Aviationist
The images, reportedly captured in April, show a compound helicopter with coaxial main rotors and pusher propeller, which bears similarity to Sikorsky’s X2 Technology. Few days after photos emerged of China’s first crewed tiltrotor aircraft, the first images of a Chinese compound helicopter were published online. Although these first emerged on X on Aug. 21, […]| The Aviationist
The initial $43 million contract focuses on the airframe’s enhancement and inclusion of a digital backbone to allow for UAS integration. Sikorsky has announced on Aug. 20, 2025, the award of a contract by the U.S. Army for the modernization of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. This initial contract, worth $43 million, will fund the […]| The Aviationist
The U.S. Navy has confirmed that a pilot from VFA-83 ‘Rampagers’ was safely recovered from the sea after ejecting from an F/A-18E Super Hornet during a training flight. The Navy says the pilot ejected from the single-seat fighter aircraft at approximately 09:53 EDT (13:53 UTC) on Aug. 20, 2025. Search and rescue (SAR) assets were […]| The Aviationist
The PAC-3 MSE has been coupled with the LTADMS radar to demonstrate a 360-degree engagement capability for the U.S. Army’s modernized IAMD architecture. The U.S. Army’s Patriot air defense system was tested with the PAC-3 MSE (Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement) missile and the LTADMS (Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor) radar to […]| The Aviationist
Photographer Michał Rokita captured video of the elusive Boeing 737 from near Tikaboo Peak, the closest point where civilians can view the test facility at Groom Lake known worldwide as Area 51. The footage, uploaded to Michał Rokita’s YouTube channel and discussed in a livestream by Rokita and Joerg Arnu of Dreamland Resort, shows 73-1155 departing […]| The Aviationist
A modified Avro RJ100 will support integration of Leonardo UK’s ECRS Mk2 AESA radar for RAF Typhoons, reducing costs and accelerating development. BAE Systems and QinetiQ are preparing to modify an Avro RJ100 regional jet into a dedicated flight-test platform for the integration of the European Common Radar System Mk2 (ECRS Mk2). The radar is […]| The Aviationist
The aircraft currently appears to be purely civilian passenger oriented, but it could have military applications in future. An image has emerged showing China’s first crewed tiltrotor aircraft taking flight. Leading Chinese military aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht said this was a tiltrotor prototype captured during its maiden flight, while also sharing a picture of a […]| The Aviationist
ITDS Phase II brings ATHENA sensor to Army aircraft, providing 360° situational awareness and enhanced survivability against evolving threats. Northrop Grumman has been selected by the U.S. Army to continue into Phase II of the Improved Threat Detection System (ITDS) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), a key initiative to modernize aircraft survivability for Army Aviation. The […]| The Aviationist
ATARS moves beyond trainers as Red 6 secures its first frontline fighter contract, bringing augmented reality into F-16 cockpits. Red 6 has secured a contract from the U.S. Air Force to integrate its ATARS (Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System) into the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The system is poised to deliver real-time, in-flight synthetic air combat […]| The Aviationist
Taiwanese reports said that the NCSIST is accelerating the testing to gather data that would inform new live fire trials. Taiwan’s air-launched Hsiung Feng III (HF-III or HF-3) Anti-Ship Missile (AShM) is now undergoing captive carry and drop trials from the RoCAF’s (Republic of China Air Force) F-CK-1 Ching-kuo IDF (Indigenous Defense Fighter), with tests conducted […]| The Aviationist
The new UCAV will almost certainly translate into an acquisition for the PLA, given China’s tradition to display new military systems in its parades. We may have the first unofficial image of one of China’s CCAs (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) on the back of a truck being prepared for the upcoming Sep. 3, 2025,, Victory Day […]| The Aviationist
A video leaked online shows security camera footage of the accidental ejection of an Airman while in the back seat of an F-15D. Few days ago we reported about the unusual incident at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts, saw the backseat passenger of an F-15D Eagle ejecting from the aircraft while on the ground. […]| The Aviationist
The Kremlin shared a video shot inside Putin’s presidential aircraft during the return flight to Russia after the Anchorage meeting. On Aug. 15, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, for high-stakes talks focused on the war in Ukraine. While Trump flew to JBER […]| The Aviationist
B-2 bomber and F-35s stage an impressive flyover watched by hundreds of thousands online as Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage.A U.S. Air Force B-2A Spirit| The Aviationist
The A-10 Demo Team has just announced their farewell tour 2024. The U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II demonstration team is the unit in charge of| The Aviationist
The A-10Cs were refueled and rearmed during Northern Agility 22-1 that demonstrated operations in austere environments under the U.S. Air Force’s Agile| The Aviationist
Wanna know what's behind the trademark BRTTTTT noise of the A-10 Warthog's GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling Gun? Then, watch this. Dubbed Warthog, Hog or| The Aviationist
Interesting video shows PC-9M advanced training and close air support turboprops at work. Something you don't see every day. The Slovenian Air Force| The Aviationist
Whiteman Thunderbolt pilot has spent the equivalent of 250 days flying the A-10 "tankbuster" across the world (including 11 combat deployments.) On Nov.| The Aviationist
The visit of the US President to Israel was supported by several assets and prompted an increase in the surveillance, with many ISR assets active in the| The Aviationist
The 492nd FS OIR (Operation Inherent Resolve) 2020 video includes an interesting low pass over al-Tanf garrison in Syria. In October 2020, the 492nd| The Aviationist
The unusual Sunday exercise saw the participation of F-16s armed with live air-to-air weapons. The U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy performed a joint exercise| The Aviationist
Footage shows the RSAF Tornado IDS as it is shot down by Houthi's surface-to-air missile last night. On Feb. 14, 2020, the Houthi rebels announced they| The Aviationist
Sources Unclear on Specific Weapons and Targets, But Say At Least Two Waves of Attacks Have Been Carried Out As Part Of "Operation Martyr Soleimani". Iran| The Aviationist
The damaged Rafale aircraft landed safely ten minutes later. No casualties were reported on the ground. A Rafale of the Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace| The Aviationist
The quite unlikely Typhoon's "Beast Mode" configuration might hint at a possible “missile/bomb truck” role in support of 5th and 6th gen. fighter| The Aviationist
A loud bang was heard as a French Rafale flew at supersonic speed while responding to a COMLOSS (Communication Loss) event. An almost routine intercept by| The Aviationist
All aircraft will be retrofitted to the new standard while the future F4 upgrade is already in development The French Air Force announced that the| The Aviationist
On Dec. 4, during flight trials conducted with support from QineticQ and MBDA at the Aberporth firing range, UK, a Typhoon fired a Meteor BVR (Beyond| The Aviationist
It's confirmed: overall, three F/A-18E/F jets were given a special livery for the sequel of Top Gun. So far, we have published stories about two specially| The Aviationist
The NGJ-LB system will replace the current, aging AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System (TJS). The NGJ (Next Generation Jammer) is a U.S. Navy program to| The Aviationist
Navy's last "Legacy Hornet" in service with VFA-34 are about to be retired. VFA-34 "Blue Blasters", the remaining F/A-18C Hornet squadron in the U.S.| The Aviationist
VFA-131 Operation Inherent Resolve Cruise Video includes rare footage of Russian Flanker (and Iranian F-4 Phantom) encountered by the U.S. Navy Hornets.| The Aviationist
Towed decoy systems are used to protect military aircraft from radar-guided missiles. These countermeasures are towed behind the host aircraft protecting| The Aviationist
The Ukrainian F-16s were among the assets that countered the Russian cruise missiles and one-way attack drones during the latest major attack. The| The Aviationist
Similarly to other weapons, the 250 kg AASM munition is carried by a custom made pylon under the MiG-29's innermost wing attachment point. After images| The Aviationist
First F-16s in Ukrainian Air Force markings break cover. President Volodymyr has announced that Ukraine has taken delivery of its initial batch of F-16| The Aviationist
Macron has announced plans to supply Mirage 2000-5 fighters to Ukraine and facilitate the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots in France. An unspecified| The Aviationist
A clip shows for the first time that Ukrainian Air Force Su-27s have integrated the French AASM Hammer bomb already spotted on the MiG-29s. A few weeks| The Aviationist
The rockets are being used with specially adapted M261 rocket pods. Few months after the US government announced the supply of Hydra 70 mm rockets to| The Aviationist
The new standard brings major capability upgrades which pave the way for collaborative air combat. The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA)| The Aviationist
Ultra-low level maneuvering is one of the tactics needed to dodge IR-guided MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems). The video that you can find in| The Aviationist
It's not the first time a C-17 flies in the "Jedi Transition" but it's always a pleasure to see the airlifter maneuvering through the Canyon. “Star Wars| The Aviationist
More than 30 Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Dakota will retrace their flights from Britain to the original D-Day Drop Zones in Normandy, France. Two thirds| The Aviationist
Before deploying to the Baltic region, two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft flew over the beaches of Normandy, France, as part of the commemoration ceremonies| The Aviationist
Airlifter, Gunship, Spy Plane, VIP Transport and More: It’s Important to Understand the C-47. It is a bit bumpy despite calm weather. She skids back and| The Aviationist
Here are some of the highlights of Duxford D-Day Anniversary Air Show. The first airshow of the season at Duxford celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the| The Aviationist
RAF reconnaissance planes have taken shots of the D-Day beaches after 70 years. With today's stand-off technology and higher resolutions. RAF Tornado GR4| The Aviationist
Modern, modular, and NATO-ready, the AW149 is emerging as Europe’s next generation medium multirole helicopter built for the modern battlefield. Building| The Aviationist
Stealth Jet Reappears Along with Unconfirmed Claims of F/A-18 Canyon Flights. Ace aviation photographer Mr. Toshihiko Shimizu, known as “pam_st112” on| The Aviationist
The little but decisive role played by B-52s during Kosovo crisis. The iconic U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, symbol of the U.S.| The Aviationist
Previous debriefings: Archive Second and last part of the report can be found in this post: Top military aviation stories of 2011: drones up and downs,| The Aviationist
The 142nd Wing received its first two F-15EX Eagle II jets, beginning the replacement of the unit’s existing fleet of F-15Cs. As we reported last month,| The Aviationist
Department of Defense (DoD) announces plan to outfit Misawa Air Base With F-35A, Kadena Air Base with F-15EX. On July 3, 2024, the United States| The Aviationist
The new Boeing F-15QA demo made its debut with an impressive performance at the Spirit of St. Louis Airshow carrying 12 air-to-air missiles. On May 24,| The Aviationist
The NDAA draft aims to block for the foreseeable future the divestment of the two aircraft, as well as increasing again the planned F-15EX fleet. After| The Aviationist
The new fuel tanks are part of a package of upgrades announced in 2022. Two years after the upgrades were announced, we might have the first glimpse of| The Aviationist
The U.S. government has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale to Norway of nine HH-60W Jolly Green II Combat Rescue Helicopters. The U.S. State| The Aviationist
British Typhoons and Swedish Gripens are deployed to Malbork, Poland, as part of enhanced air policing measures. 15 Russian aircraft were intercepted by| The Aviationist
LBA Systems, to be based in Italy, will be dedicated to the design, development, and production of unmanned aerial systems. Announced at the Paris Air| The Aviationist
France is gearing up to deploy a stealthy UCAS (Uncrewed Combat Air System) alongside the Rafale F5 by around 2033, following its program announcement in| The Aviationist
After several unsubstantiated claims of downing F-35s, Iran has now presented evidence of the shootdown of a Hermes 900 drone. Iran has reportedly shot| The Aviationist
The Israeli Air Force has just released footage showing the destruction of two F-14 Tomcats (likely non-operational) on the ground. The Israel Defense| The Aviationist
In a wide-ranging conversation, Gen. Bussiere, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, shared key updates on U.S. bomber modernization, strategic| The Aviationist
Unverified claims have circulated stating Israel was able to take advantage of long-rumored modifications to its F-35 fleet in order to strike Iran| The Aviationist
In a subsequent wave of air strikes, Israel claims it achieved air superiority in Iran and eliminated all air defenses, while Iran continues launching| The Aviationist
Comments made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during House and Senate Appropriations Committee hearings have cast severe doubts on the future of the| The Aviationist
Israeli media claim this could be just the opening stage of a two-week campaign against Iran. In the early hours of June 13, 2025, about 200 Israeli| The Aviationist
Following days of heightened tension, Israel launched a large attack against Iran in the early hours of Jun. 13, 2025, targeting leadership, nuclear| The Aviationist
The evaluation gave real-world operational context for the MV-75’s design, bridging the gap between engineering and battlefield application ahead of the| The Aviationist
edit Military Aviation The Initial Aerial Victories of the Axis and Allies in World War II Darrick Leiker March 2, 2025 In the opening hours of World War| The Aviationist
The C-390 will replace the four aging C-130Hs of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The Dutch Ministry of Defense identified the new tactical cargo| The Aviationist
The USS Carney, Al-Tanf garrison and Al Asad airbase have been busy defending multiple attacks in the past few days. This last week was quite busy for| The Aviationist
The Meteor long range air-to-air missile will be used alongside the MICA EM, which is also radar-guided. The French Air and Space Force declared the| The Aviationist
USS John Finn Shoots Down ICBM Outside of Atmosphere with Missile Shot. The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS John Finn (DDG-113) became the| The Aviationist
The aircraft is the last of 322 single-seat F/A-18Es and 286 two-seater F/A-18Fs. On April 17, 2020, the U.S. Navy took delivery of its final Boeing| The Aviationist
Are you able to ID the pod carried by these two "Vipers" flying at low altitude through the Jedi Transition recently? Few days ago we have published the| The Aviationist
The Ukrainian Su-25s started using the French-made AASM Hammer guided bombs in June 2024, as the stocks of Soviet-made unguided munitions were depleted| The Aviationist
The new F4-1 standard will upgrade the Rafale capabilities introduced with the F3-R standard, as well as adding some new important ones. The French| The Aviationist
Markings Continue in Homage of The Greatest Generation in the Greatest Invasion. As special commemorative events in Normandy, France and around the world| The Aviationist
Developed in the late 1960s to protect US Navy Carrier Battle Groups (CVBG) from the raids conducted by the Soviet bombers armed with long-range cruise| The Aviationist
USAF, Navy and Marines Struck Back at Qaddafi’s Libya for Terrorist Bombing. Their swing-wings straining to lift a heavy bomb load, the afterburner| The Aviationist
The milestone comes with the delivery of the first two operational aircraft to the Oregon Air National Guard. The new F-15EX Eagle II has finally reached| The Aviationist
To commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Portuguese Air Force an Air Show was held at Base Aerea 11 in Beja, Portugal. About 50,000 people attended the| The Aviationist
The first German P-8A Poseidon has received the complete German Navy livery and is expected to be delivered by August 2025, starting the replacement of| The Aviationist
The Maritime Electronic Warfare System Integrated Capability (MEWSIC) will be integrated onto Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, and the| The Aviationist
The IRST Block II enhances ‘situational awareness by supplementing air-to-air detection and track capabilities, and autonomously or in combination with| The Aviationist
