The Aviationist Blog

Despite being posted on Feb. 18 after news broke about the reversal to Trump’s preferred VIP livery design, the rendering is in fact identical to one that has been used by Boeing for some time.   After a U.S. Air Force C-32A broke cover with a fresh paint scheme, replacing the traditional egg-blue and white livery, […]

Claims about modifying the F-35’s software raise legitimate sovereignty questions. But cybersecurity architecture, cryptography, and sustainment realities define strict limits on what can and cannot be done. As we reported in detail in a previous story, on Feb. 15, 2026, talking to the BNR Nieuwsradio Podcast, Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman suggested that […]

The Navy has launched a Programmed Structural Sustainment Repair program for the dozens of F-16s acquired from the Air Force, which will allow them to fly through 2035. The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced last week two major milestones with its ex-U.S. Air Force F-16 jets used in the Adversary role. The Adversary […]

The two new Kaan airframes are scheduled to begin testing in 2026, while Turkey is also developing its own engine to replace U.S.-made powerplants used by the prototypes. The second and third prototypes of Turkey’s Kaan fighter, named P1 and P2, have now been spotted in a recent official video covering the visit of Dr. […]

A freshly repainted C-32A shows off the livery redesign long favored by President Donald Trump, which is also due to appear on the next generation of Presidential aircraft.  Boeing C-32A 99-0003 was recently noted by aviation enthusiasts flying from Greenville Majors Airport (KGVT), where the fleet undergoes periodic maintenance overhauls and upgrades with L3Harris, in […]

The deployment of F-22s towards the Middle East has been considered by many to be one of the final pieces of the puzzle regarding U.S. preparations for potential offensive action against Iran.  The Langley Air Force Base (AFB) jets landed at the UK base shortly before 1830 UTC, with their arrival well documented by local […]

The new EC-2 Stand-Off Jammer aircraft, based on the Kawasaki C-2 transport aircraft, will replace the unique EC-1 which has been in service since 1986. The latest in a number of Japanese aircraft with unusual modifications, the EC-2 Stand-Off Jammer (SOJ), just broke cover. The aircraft, which has been in development since 2021, has been […]

Newly emerged reports claim a mixed squadron with Ukrainian, U.S. and Dutch pilots is flying combat missions on Ukrainian F-16s. New reports which are quickly going viral claim that Ukraine has stood up a new mixed squadron with Ukrainian, U.S. and Dutch pilots flying combat missions together un the country’s F-16s. The reports, which we […]

India will acquire 114 additional Rafales as part of the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft program, with 96 possibly produced locally.      India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded on Feb. 12, 2026, an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for additional Dassault Rafale fighters as part of the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, the Ministry of Defence announced. The […]

The Royal Saudi Naval Force will receive four C-27Js in the new Maritime Patrol Variant, with deliveries expected to start in 2029. Leonardo has announced that it will supply four C-27Js in the new Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) variant to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense. The aircraft will be operated by the Royal Saudi Naval […]

Addressing the F-35’s operational independence from the U.S. amid tensions between Europe and the Trump administration, Secretary Gijs Tuinman made the claim to Dutch radio station BNR Nieuwsradio.  The bold claim, the veracity of which is unverifiable from an outside perspective, came as part of a wider dialogue over the operational independence of the F-35 […]

The Boeing 757 Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft began its latest series of test flights last week sporting a brand new radome grafted onto its nose, along with new fuselage fairings.  The Boeing 757-200, formerly a passenger aircraft for a number of airlines, completed its first modification phase in late 2024 and undertook a short program […]

Mission autonomy software by Collins and Shield AI was integrated on the YFQ-42 and YFQ-44 CCAs by using the government-owned A-GRA architecture. The U.S. Air Force has reached a new milestone in its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, demonstrating that government-owned Autonomy Government Reference Architecture (A-GRA) can be successfully integrated with mission autonomy software. As part […]

The U.S. Navy’s newest supercarrier is heading back towards the Middle East having already been recalled across the Atlantic to station off Venezuela. Already in its eighth month at sea, this new assignment – which will require the third Atlantic transit of its current deployment – in the midst of heightened tensions between the U.S. […]

Speaking at a geopolitics and aerospace conference in Rome, the Commander of the Italian Air Force’s Operational Forces said the service is evaluating the possibility of operating F-35s from highway strips if conventional airfields are threatened. Italy is assessing the possibility of landing and operating its F-35A Lightning II 5th generation aircraft from selected highway […]

A grainy video captured in Algeria appears to show an Su-57 flying overhead, following unconfirmed reports about the country becoming the type’s first export customer, while Russia recently received new upgraded jets. Visuals emerged on Feb. 7, 2026, are claimed to show an Su-57E Felon flying in Algeria, following unconfirmed reports about the country becoming […]

Six F-35A Lightning IIs from the Vermont ANG, previously forward deployed to Puerto Rico, have departed RAF Lakenheath on their way to the Middle East.  The six jets are part of a total of 12 F-35As from the Vermont unit that have been noted making a transit towards the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of […]

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems will integrate a U.S. Marine Corps mission kit into the YFQ-42A for the MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced it has been selected by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) […]

Saudi Arabia is attracting industry’s interest at the World Defense Show, with a continued push for the F-35, a proposed F-15 upgrade, and rumors about Kaan and JF-17. The modernization of Saudi Arabia’s military is in the spotlight at the ongoing World Defense Show, which is be held from Feb. 8 to 12, 2026, in […]

The YJ-15 was among the new anti-ship missiles that were revealed during the Sept. 3, 2025, parade in Beijing. China’s YJ-15 supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM), that was among four new major ship-killing missiles revealed during the Sep. 3, 2025, parade in Beijing, was possibly spotted for the first time carried by a J-15T carrier-borne […]