The Aviationist Blog

The Navy confirms Boeing’s MQ-25 will not fly in 2025 as expected, shifting the pivotal test to early 2026 while ground checks and certification continue. The first flight of the U.S. Navy’s Boeing MQ-25 Stingray has slipped into early 2026, delaying earlier plans to achieve by the end of 2025 what senior service officials have […]

Anduril UK will work with GKN Aerospace on a proposal for Project NYX, the development of a new UAV designed to work in tandem with AH-64E Apache helicopters. Project NYX, which sets out the process for the delivery of a demonstrator for the Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP) program, is expected to have a contract […]

The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces is negotiating the transfer of the soon to be retired MiG-29s, with Ukraine providing in return drone and missile technologies. The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces announced in a post on social media that it is negotiating the transfer of the country’s remaining MiG-29s to […]

The Finnish Air Force’s first F-35 conducted its first flight on Dec. 8, ahead of the official rollout ceremony next week. The Finnish Air Force has announced the maiden flight of its first F-35A Lightning II from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, where Lockheed Martin’s production facilities are based, on Dec. […]

The Bangladesh Air Force has signed a letter of intent with Italian manufacturer Leonardo for the future provision of Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft. In another step towards implementing the plans set out in the Bangladesh military’s Forces Goal 2030 modernisation program, the letter of intent (LOI) was signed at the headquarters of the Bangladesh […]

The remains of the two aircraft, which crashed just 30 minutes apart on Oct. 26, were recovered at a depth of 400 feet. The U.S. Navy has successfully recovered the F/A-18F Super Hornet and the MH-60R Seahawk that crashed just 30 minutes apart on Oct. 26, 2025, during routine flight operations from the USS Nimitz. […]

The Ghost Bat was controlled from aboard an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail and received targeting data from an F/A-18F Super Hornet before firing the AIM-120. Boeing Defence Australia announced on Dec. 9, 2025 the first live-fire test of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) from an MQ-28A Ghost Bat CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft). Noting this […]

The B-1Bs of the 28th Bomb Wing are returning to Ellsworth AFB, after runway reconstruction has been completed in preparation for the B-21’s arrival. B-1B Lancer bombers from Ellsworth AFB (Air Force Base), South Dakota, assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron of the 28th Bomb Wing (28th BW), finished their ten-month temporary relocation to Grand […]

An important part of data collection for the United States space program, the North American X-15 had astonishing performance utilizing the technology of the 1950s and 60s. The North American X-15 was built for one purpose – high speeds at high altitudes. An important part of data collection for the United States space program, the […]

After leaving Hamburg in early 2024, the first PEGASUS returned to Germany to receive the dedicated Kalætron Integral SIGINT suite by Hensoldt. Germany’s first PEGASUS (Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System) SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) aircraft, based on the Bombardier’s Global 6500 business jet, was photographed at Hamburg airport on Dec. 4, 2025. The aircraft arrived there […]

Japan reports two ‘lock on’ incidents near Okinawa as advanced radar technology blurs the line between routine tracking and a hostile threat. Here’s everything you need to know. Japan has lodged a formal protest with China after two Chinese Navy J-15 fighter jets, operating from the aircraft carrier Liaoning, repeatedly conducted radar lock-on against Japan […]

The U.S. Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command received its first T-7 Red Hawk trainer at Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, marking a milestone in the replacement of the T-38 Talon. The first T-7A Red Hawk training aircraft has finally been delivered to Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Texas, on Dec. 5, […]

Following their journey from Denmark’s Skrydstrup Air Base, the delivery of the first six F-16 marks the return of a supersonic fighter capability in Argentina after decades. The Argentine Air Force’s (Fuerza Aérea Argentina – FAA) first six F-16AM/BM MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade) Block 15s reached the country on Dec. 5, 2025, landing at the FAA’s […]

The deal would include 100 AGM-158B/B2 JASSM-ER weapons that will equip Italy’s F-35s and possibly other platforms. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Italy Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range weapons. The deal would include 100 AGM-158B/B2 weapons, as […]

An investigation is underway after the Île Longue naval base, home to France’s four ballistic missile submarines, detected an incursion by small drones on Dec. 4, 2025. French news organisations Le Monde and Agence France-Presse (AFP) have said an investigation has been launched by authorities following the incursion into highly restricted and sensitive airspace. Commander […]

The pilot of a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C Fighting Falcon is in a stable condition after ejecting from the aircraft before it crashed into a lakebed near Trona, California. Reports first emerged of the Dec. 3, 2025 crash from local news and aviation enthusiasts, with many details at the time remaining unconfirmed. Eyewitnesses said […]

The aircraft suffered a landing gear collapse at Whiteman AFB on Sep. 14, 2021, and was put through an extensive Programmed Depot Maintenance at Plant 42 to return to operational service. The U.S. Air Force has returned a B-2 Spirit bomber, 89-0129 “Spirit of Georgia,” to operational service, according to images captured on Nov. 6, […]

Exclusive interview with Col. Carl “Wiseguy” Bergqvist, Commandant of the Swedish Air Force Air Warfare Center, on Gripen upgrades, dispersed operations, counter-UAS developments, and more. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Col. Carl “Wiseguy” Bergqvist, Commandant of the Swedish Air Warfare Center, for an in-depth discussion on the evolving role of the Swedish […]

CENTCOM launched Task Force Scorpion Strike will employ the Shahed-like Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones currently based in the Middle East. The U.S. military will employ Shahed-like One-Way-Attack (OWA) drones in the Middle East with the establishment of a new task force. On Dec. 3, 2025, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched Task […]

Australian media has reported on the possible transfer of Tiger attack helicopters to Ukraine as the Australian Army withdraws the type in favor of the AH-64E Apache Guardian. Ukraine first publicly expressed interest in acquiring the soon-to-be-retired fleet in 2024 shortly after being reportedly disappointed over not being offered the troubled MRH-90 Taipan utility helicopters […]