The Aviationist Blog

Vice-President’s Aircraft And Motorcade Are Smaller And More Mobil Than President’s. Keen-eyed aviation photographers got a rare, up-close look at Air Force 2 during its visit to Detroit’s Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (DTW) in Romulus, [...]

The post A Quick Look at the Boeing C-32A Flying as Air Force 2 Into Detroit And The Vice-Presidential Motorcade appeared first on The Aviationist.

Slovenian Army to test  various Pipistrel basic trainers to select the one that will replace its Zlin 143 and 242 aircraft. On June 29, 2021, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, Matej [...]

The post Slovenian Army To Become The First Military Operator of An All-Electric Trainer appeared first on The Aviationist.

Following the tour of the HH-60G Pave Hawk, we now have the chance to see its successor, the HH-60W, up close and learn some more details about it. About two weeks ago we commented the [...]

The post Enjoy This Walkaround Tour Of The New HH-60W Jolly Green II Combat Rescue Helicopter appeared first on The Aviationist.

Our contributor Edwin Schimmel went to Leeuwarden Air Base, the Netherlands, to observe the activity related to the WIC (Weapons Instructor Course) 2021 currently underway. Last week we reported about a mishap that occurred to [...]

The post F-35s, F-16s Take Part In WIC 2021 at Leeuwarden Air Base appeared first on The Aviationist.

The rendering shows the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber at Edwards Air Force Base, where it will be thoroughly tested before delivery to operational units. The U.S. Air Force published on July 6, 2021 a [...]

The post Let’s Talk About The New B-21 Raider Rendering And Fact Sheet Released By The U.S. Air Force appeared first on The Aviationist.

BriteCloud is the first expendable DRFM decoy that can be employed like standard chaffs and flares, differentiating from the more common towed decoys. As the radar and missile technology evolves, so must the countermeasures needed [...]

The post A Deep Dive Into BriteCloud Advanced Expendable Active Decoy appeared first on The Aviationist.

The P-8A Poseidon will replace the ageing P-3C Orion until the new Franco-German Maritime Airborne Warfare System is ready for operational service. Following the reports in May that Germany was looking to replace its ageing [...]

The post Germany Signs Deal To Purchase Five P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft appeared first on The Aviationist.

NATO holds an ADEX (Air Defense Exercise) in the Black Sea region, where tension with Russia has increased following the recent close encounters between Russian fighters and NATO warships. On Jul. 2, 2021, NATO Air and [...]

The post NATO Conducts ADEX (Air Defense Exercise) In Black Sea appeared first on The Aviationist.

A Belgian Air Force F-16 hit a building shortly after start-up. On Jul. 1, 2021, a BAF (Belgian Air Force) F-16 was involved in an incident at Leeuwarden Air Base, in the Netherlands. According to [...]

The post Belgian F-16 Damaged in Ground Incident At Leeuwarden AB. Pilot Successfully Ejected. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Swiss Federal Council announced Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is the aircraft selected from its New Fighter Aircraft competition. It won against the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and the Boeing Super Hornet. As some [...]

The post It’s Official Now: Switzerland Has Chosen The F-35 As The Next Swiss Air Force Fighter appeared first on The Aviationist.

Draken International is about to expand its fleet of fighter jets already used for Combat Air Force/Contracted Air Support (CAF/CAS) program in the U.S with ex-RNlAF F-16s. The Dutch Parliament was informed on June the 29th [...]

The post Dutch Government Agrees To Sell 12 F-16s To Draken International For Use In Adversary Role In The U.S. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The special colored HH-139A celebrates the 90th anniversary of the 15° Stormo. On Jun. 29, 2021, the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) unveiled a special colored Leonardo HH-139A multipurpose combat helicopter during the celebrations of [...]

The post The Italian Air Force Unveils First HH-139A Helicopter In Special Color Scheme appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Dutch MOD said the Russian jets carried out mock attacks on HNLMS Evertsen frigate in the Black Sea last week. Photos show at least one of the Su-30SM aircraft carried Kh-31 missiles. Russian aircraft [...]

The post Russian Su-30SM With Kh-31 Supersonic Missiles “Harassed” Dutch Frigate In Black Sea appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Israeli airborne laser prototype achieved a 100% success rate against target drones over the sea at different altitudes and ranges above one kilometer. The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on June 21, 2021 that [...]

The post Israel Tested An Airborne Laser To Shoot Down Drones appeared first on The Aviationist.

The tension is high in the Black Sea area, where Russia says it fired warning shots at British warship that had allegedly entered Russian territorial waters near Crimea. But the British MOD says no shots [...]

The post Russia Claims It Fired Warning Shots, Dropped Bombs At British Warship In Black Sea. UK MOD Denies. appeared first on The Aviationist.

According to a Swiss public television report the Lockheed Martin F-35 is well ahead of its competitors in the race for the next Swiss Air Force fighter. On Monday Jun. 21, 2021, the Swiss public [...]

The post Citing “Insiders” Swiss Public Television Says The F-35 Has Won The Swiss Air Force Fighter Jet Evaluation appeared first on The Aviationist.

Here are the most interesting aircraft taking part in Lajes Spotters Day, in the Azores. On Jun. 12, 2021, Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea N º4 at Lajes, Azores, hosted the Lajes Spotters Day 2021 [...]

The post Portuguese F-16AM Fighting Falcons, C-295 VIMAR Among The Highlights Of Lajes Spotters Day 2021 appeared first on The Aviationist.

UK Carrier Strike Group launching F-35B missions in support of Operation Shader from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. On her maiden operational deployment, HMS Queen Elizabeth, with F-35B jets belonging to both the Royal Air Force [...]

The post F-35B Jets From HMS Queen Elizabeth Have Joined The Fight Against Daesh appeared first on The Aviationist.

One F/A-18E Super Hornet of VFC-12 now sports a paint scheme inspired by the Russian Su-57 Felon. A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet “Red 12”, belonging to Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve (VFC-12), the “Fighting Omars”, [...]

The post U.S. Navy’s Adversary F/A-18E Super Hornet Has Been Given A Su-57 Felon Color Scheme appeared first on The Aviationist.

BL-4 is the fourth Italian F-35B, the third STOVL aircraft destined to the Italian Navy. On Jun. 14, 2021, the F-35B BL-4, the fourth STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) aircraft assembled in Italy, at [...]

The post Third F-35B For The Italian Navy Makes First Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.