P-51 airborne from its old base, 66 years on
Ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force Mustang makes maiden post-restoration flight
The last of the Victors — 30 years on
It’s now three decades since the RAF said farewell to its last ‘V-bomber’, and retired the Victor K2 tankers of No 55 Squadron. But they weren’t about to slip quietly away…
Brazilian Air Force gains fifth modernised E-99M
Embraer Defense & Security announced it had handed over its fifth modernised EMB 145-based E-99M AEW&C aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force on November 23, marking an important milestone for the upgrade programme as it saw the first aircraft delivered in its Full Operational Capability configuration
RAF Typhoons participate in large Qatari exercise
RAF Typhoons have recently taken part in Exercise Ferocious Falcon V – a large-scale Qatari-led multinational exercise.
USAF AC-130J strikes Iranian-backed militants in Iraq
A USAF-operated AC-130J Ghostrider fixed-wing gunship was called in to hit an Iranian-backed militant group after they fired a ballistic missile at American forces at Al-Asad Air Base, Iraq, the Pentagon has said
USAF receives seventh E-11 BACN from Bombardier
Bombardier Defense has announced that it has delivered another E-11 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) to the USAF, growing the number of the airborne communications relay and gateway system aircraft in US military service to seven airframes
RAF Shadows conduct ISTAR operations over Eastern Mediterranean
Two RAF-operated Shadow R2s (ZZ418 and ZZ507) deployed via Naples to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, on October 25 to carry out ISR operations over the Eastern Mediterranean
B-2 vs B-21: What's the difference between the USAF's old and new stealth bombers?
The USAF has officially entered the age of sixth-generation combat aircraft with the B-21 Raider. Combat Aircraft Journal reports on the rollout of America’s second stealth bomber and analyzes what we know so far about this highly classified aircraft
How does Iran use airliners to secretly fly weapons into Syria?
Babak Taghvaee reveals how Iran, aided by the Syrian Arab Air Force, has used airliners to fly weapons into Syria to help arm terrorist groups fighting Israel
USAF welcomes first T-7A Red Hawk at Edwards AFB
The USAF’s first T-7A Red Hawk arrived at Edwards AFB in California on November 8, marking a milestone that formally kicks off the air arm’s developmental flight test programme for the new advanced jet trainer
Your source for all the latest Airforce and military aircraft news
As the latest fifth-generation platform, the Lockheed Martin F-35 is in use globally for international partner airforces, from the United States Airforce (USAF) to the RAF and the Australian airforce, the sixth-generation fighters are already on the drawing board.
Find out which airforces are looking at virtual cockpits, networked platforms and piloted aircraft working with drone wingmen for the stealth fighters of the 2030s and discover which airforces are planning to replace their existing fleets with the fighter planes of the future.
Military Aircraft Retirement and Technology Updates
International forces around the world are deploying military aircraft manufactured in France, Russia and America including aircraft from Saab, France’s Dassault Rafale, Russian Mig-29s and the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, which it will operate for years to come.
What will also be flying well into the next decade is the USAF’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor air superiority fighter. The next decade will also see the USAF’s newest stealth bomber, the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider enter service, while the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber will be in its seventh decade of operational service after refurbishments and restorations. This page is the only place you need to be to find out all the latest news on retirements and new deployments.
Be the first to find out which existing platforms such as France’s Dassault Mirage 2000 light weight jet and the Eurofighter Typhoon are facing the need for wholesale technology updates. The Eurofighter is being upgraded for an electronic warfare role in the 2020s and the USAF is improving some of its Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons with F-35 fifth generation technology.
From restorations to retirement and procurement, international projects for new networked technologies including piloted and autonomous platforms and the contracts to manufacture them, all of this fast-moving defence aviation news and analysis can be found here.
Related Airforce Topics
Want to find out more about other types of military aircraft? We have dedicated pages for the latest Military Aircraft Shows, Military Fighter Aircraft and all the latest cutting-edge Military Aircraft Technology.
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