The Aviationist Blog

In the first UK visit for the type outside of an airshow, Kawasaki C-2 58-1218 arrived at RAF Coningsby in stunning evening light on Sept. 17, 2025. One of two C-2s acting as a support aircraft for Operation Atlantic Eagles, a goodwill deployment of four Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-15J Eagles to Europe, 58-1218 […]

Reports indicated the PLA Air Force is converting its older J-6, J-7 and J-8 jets into UAVs and UCAVs to be used from airfields in the Taiwan Strait. In the run up to the Changchun Air Show in northeastern China this week, the first image of a legacy PLA Air Force Cold War-era J-6 jet […]

The PLA Air Force is steadily fielding the J-20, with at least 50 new jets delivered since June 2024, reaching a fleet of at least 300 J-20s. The PLA Air Force has now been confirmed to have 300 J-20s in service, based on the registration and tail numbers of four of the aircraft that reached […]

The British government announced its intention to join NATO’s Operation Eastern Sentry following continued incursions of Russian drones in NATO airspace. Royal Air Force Typhoons will deploy as a part of Operation Eastern Sentry to monitor and defend the skies of NATO’s eastern flank. These aircraft will operate directly from RAF Coningsby in the UK, […]

Malloy’s eight-rotor T-150 logistics drone has recently been used for ship-to-ship resupply during the HMS Prince of Wales’ CSG 25 deployment. The Royal Navy has declared the Malloy T-150 uncrewed air system (UAS) ready for front-line operations. The milestone, which moves tactical logistics closer to routine use at sea and ashore, follows two years of […]

Textron Aviation Defense will showcase the Beechcraft M-346N’s capabilities as a “ready-now” solution for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System. Textron Aviation Defense has announced the launch of a U.S. tour to showcase the Beechcraft M-346N as a “ready-now” solution for the U.S. Navy Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program. An M-346 has been […]

Recently disclosed tests with the F-22 set a new record for the AIM-120 AMRAAM in 2024, part of the form, fit, function refresh (F3R) development effort. The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), the backbone of Western beyond-visual-range air combat for more than three decades, has achieved its longest known shot to date. RTX’s Raytheon […]

President Trump announced the second lethal strike by the U.S. military as part of the counter-drugs operations. This is a developing news, we will update it once new details are available. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new lethal strike against an alleged smuggling boat in international waters in the Caribbean. Once again, the boat […]

Talks with Lockheed Martin to upgrade Greece’s 38 F-16C/D Block 50s remain stalled, while new jets won’t arrive before 2031 and will need upkeep soon after. Reports from Greece have again emerged saying the country might go for an additional order of F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, in addition to the 20 it signed on […]

Calls for a specific squawk code to be designated for gliders have emerged after a USAF KC-135 Stratotanker came within 15 metres of colliding with a glider over Eastern England. On Apr. 8, 2025, a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing was conducting circuit training at its home base, RAF Mildenhall, when the […]

The Luftwaffe is equipping 23 A400Ms with DIRCM systems, supplied by Elbit Systems, to conduct tactical operation in scenarios with MANPADS threat. The first of the German Air Force’s (Luftwaffe) A400M airlifters has been retrofitted with DIRCM (Directed InfraRed Counter-Measure) protection systems and handed back to the service, announced Airbus on Sep. 11, 2025. The […]

A highly anticipated deployment of Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 Eagles to Europe is now beginning, with aircraft departing Chitose Air Base bound first for Eielson AFB, Alaska. From Alaska, the Eagles will continue to Goose Bay, Canada, before crossing the Atlantic to arrive at RAF Coningsby, UK. After their stop at Coningsby, the jets […]

The first of ten F-35s arrived in Puerto Rico, notably showing their unit insignias removed. A flight of F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters has arrived in Puerto Rico, joining a broader and visibly expanded U.S. military posture in the Caribbean that U.S. officials tie to counter-drug operations. The news about the imminent deployment was first […]

The first live shoot of the Spike NLOS by a conventional aviation unit shows Apache crews can conduct extended-range precision strikes against targets obscured by terrain or distance. U.S. Army AH-64E v6 Apache Guardian attack helicopters of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) fired for the first time a Spike NLOS (Non-Line of Sight) missile […]

Operation Eastern Sentry boosts NATO’s eastern defenses after Russian drones violated Polish airspace, raising tensions along the Alliance’s flank. Following the unprecedented violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones earlier this week, NATO has now launched Operation Eastern Sentry, a new mission designed to bolster defenses along its eastern flank. The operation, which was announced […]