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An F-15E Strike was flying from Diego Garcia to Kadena when it was discovered that a wheel was missing. A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducted an emergency landing on Aug. 4, 2025, at Kadena Air Base, Japan, after it was discovered that a wheel was missing. In a press release, Kadena’s 18th Wing […]

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Despite the need to modernize, Spain shelves F-35 plans, leaving its Navy without a STOVL replacement. The purchase of F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the fifth-generation American stealth fighter, for the Spanish Armed Forces has been definitively shelved, according to a report published by the Spanish newspaper El País, citing government sources. Preliminary contacts that had […]

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Investigators say a hydraulic fitting failure set off the 2022 B-2 incident at Whiteman AFB, ending in a gear collapse, wing fire and $300M repair bill. The U.S. Air Force has released the Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report into the B-2A Spirit mishap at Whiteman AFB on Dec. 10, 2022, providing a detailed, technical reconstruction […]

The post Hydraulic Fitting Failure Led to B-2 Gear Collapse, Wing Fire and $300M Damage at Whiteman AFB in 2022 appeared first on The Aviationist.

The HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group will link up with the Japanese task group of the JS Kaga to practice combined F-35B operations. The UK’s Royal Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will again cooperate to help prepare the latter for the introduction of the F-35B Lightning II STOVL (Short Take-Off […]

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End of an era as final Jayhawk departs Pensacola, marking shift to all-simulator training for Combat System Officers. The 451st Flying Training Squadron retired their final T-1A Jayhawk to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona on July 28, 2025. This brings T-1A operations to an end for the 451st FTS and 479th Flying Training Group as training for […]

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Photographs of a previously unseen Chinese stealthy platform have surfaced online. Some photos are taken from distance, but other frames are shot straight up from below with the aircraft flying above. And, provided they are genuine, they’re clear enough: China has flown yet another tailless aircraft. If you’ve been following our coverage of the J-36 […]

The post China’s Third Tailless Next-Generation Aircraft Emerges appeared first on The Aviationist.

A hard landing at Ramstein Air Base in 2020 damaged a C-130J’s  structural integrity, which led to it becoming the first of the type to receive a wing replacement in the field. A C-130J Super Hercules flew again with a new pair of wings on Jul. 26, 2025, after being grounded for five years at […]

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The new paint scheme of Top Aces’ F-16 mimics that of the Russian Su-57 “Felon” fighter jet. On Aug. 4, 2025, one of Top Aces’ former Israeli Air Force F-16A Netz aircraft was spotted flying for the first time with an eye-catching new adversary paint scheme. The livery is clearly inspired by the Russian Su-57 […]

The post Top Aces F-16 Makes First Flight in Su-57 ‘Felon’-Inspired Livery appeared first on The Aviationist.

The 12 million flight hours milestone cements the F/A-18 and EA-18G fleet’s status as one of the most enduring families of aircraft in modern naval aviation. The U.S. Navy has announced on Aug. 1, 2025, that the F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft fleet has surpassed 12 million flight hours since the introduction in the 1980s. This […]

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Two U-2 pilots, including a Wisconsin native, share rare insights on the legendary spy plane’s enduring legacy and relevance in today’s battlespace. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 drew a record-breaking crowd of 704,000 aviation enthusiasts, according to the Experimental Aircraft Association, making it the largest event in the show’s history, eclipsing the previous record of 686,000, […]

The post Dragon Lady at Oshkosh: Exclusive U-2 Pilot Interviews Mark 70th Anniversary and Historic Homecoming appeared first on The Aviationist.

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the USS America have cross-decked onto the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales ahead of Exercise Talisman Sabre. Currently sailing in waters near Australia while preparing for the beginning of Exercise Talisman Sabre, due to kick off on Jul. 13, 2025, HMS Prince of Wales (R09) hosted […]

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Maj. Gen. Nowak flew in the KF-21’s backseat during a visit to KAI’s facilities, followed a day later by Col. Rigonald who became the first Indonesian pilot to test the jet. The Polish Air Force’s chief, Maj. Gen. Iereneusz Nowak, and an Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) test pilot, Col. Ferrel Rigonald, flew for the […]

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After more than five decades of advanced jet training, the 50th FTS is inactivated and its legacy absorbed into a new ‘super-squadron’ at Columbus AFB. The 50th Flying Training Squadron, known as the ‘Strikin’ Snakes,’ was inactivated in a formal ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, on July 2, 2025. The inactivation is one […]

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The B-1B Lancer bomber will be able to use up to six Load Adaptable Modular pylons under the fuselage to carry heavy standoff munitions and hypersonic weapons. The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a contract to procure the new Load Adaptable Modular (LAM) pylons for the B-1B Lancer bomber. The new pylons will allow […]

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As global tensions rise, the Netherlands turns to commercial aviation to reinforce its F-35 pilot pool. A new agreement between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the Dutch Ministry of Defense will allow airline pilots to serve as reserve F-35 pilots in the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). This marks a pretty interesting initiative that could blur […]

The post KLM Pilots To Fly The F-35 As Reservists In New Military-Civilian Partnership appeared first on The Aviationist.

Sixteen retired USAF officials joined with the Air & Space Forces Association to issue an open letter to Congress setting out their case opposing U.S. Government military spending plans. Proposals included in the Pentagon’s 2026 budget which would have seen a reduction in the number of F-35s procured, as well as the complete cancellation of […]

The post Former Air Force Chiefs Criticize Proposal to Cancel E-7 and Cut F-35s appeared first on The Aviationist.

The A-29C will be used both for training as part of the Test Pilot School’s curriculum and experimental testing of mission systems, avionics, sensors and weapons. The A-29C Super Tucanos of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School commenced their training operations at Edwards AFB in California, a press release from the 412th Test Wing […]

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For the first time ever during a display, the RAF Red Arrows will fuel their jets with Sustainable Aviation Fuel at 2025’s Royal International Air Tattoo. The usually diesel-fueled smoke pod will also switch to a biofuel based on vegetable oil. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has been trialed by the Royal Air Force since 2020, […]

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The arrival of the F-16s marked a significant step forward in modernizing the 51st Fighter Wing aircraft and strengthening the U.S. Air Force’s regional combat readiness. The 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, South Korea, recently received upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcons transferred from the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The arrival […]

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The ship is the first Zumwalt class to visit Yokosuka since USS Zumwalt’s 2022 visit, which was the first ever port call for the class in the Western Pacific region. USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), the second ship in the distinctive Zumwalt class of stealthy guided missile destroyers, arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Jul. […]

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