Airforce News

On this page you will find news from the world’s airforces including first flights, latest deployments, procurement programs, weapon upgrades, training and technology, fleet retirements, the changing operational theatres and missions.

Whether it is the RAF, France’s Armée de l’air or the United States Airforce, airforces around the world are buying new platforms, choosing between legacy fleets, which maybe Russian, European or American, and building their own domestic capabilities in sub-systems, missiles or whole aircraft.

Whether the manufacturing contracts are for domestic or foreign firms, worldwide instability is driving airforce fleet renewals, recapitalisation and investment in support infrastructure, military technology, offensive and defensive systems, from missiles, super and hypersonic, to chaff and directed infra-red countermeasures.

Boeing begins new A-10C wing deliveries to USAF

Boeing announced on May 25 that, in partnership with sub-contractor Korean Aerospace Industries and other key suppliers, it has delivered the first new wing set for the A-10C Thunderbolt II fleet to the US Air Force.

‘Those sorties put hairs on your chest’: Jaguar pilot memories

In the first of a two part video interview with Wg Cdr Mike Sutton (ret’d), whose book ‘Typhoon’ follows his career in the RAF and also what it was like leading a squadron on operations against ISIS, we focus on his time flying the Jaguar

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New RAF Typhoon radar still planned for introduction by 2030

The next step of the planned European Common Radar System Mark 2 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, intended to be fitted to Royal Air Force Typhoon multi-role fighters, will see the completion of a prototype system ahead of manufacturer testing

Italian MOD finalises Avanti EVO order

Piaggio Aerospace announced while attending the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 24 that it has finalised an order for six Avanti EVOs with the Italian Ministry of Defence

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Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs at the IRIAF’s Forward Operating Base in Birjand

Combat Aircraft Journal reports on the Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs at the IRIAF’s Forward Operating Base in Birjand

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The 493rd Fighter Squadron and its F-15C Eagles depart Europe

A fixture of US air defence in Europe for more than a generation, the departure of the Grim Reapers’ F-15 fighters marks the end of an era. Combat Aircraft Journal reports

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Exclusive Interview: RAF C-130J attends Red Flag-Alaska

During the dates of April 28 to May 13, one of the largest multi-national combat training exercises was taking place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska. Key.Aero spoke to the Officer Commanding of No. 47 Squadron, RAF, Wg Cdr James Sjoberg, about the unit’s involvement at Red Flag-Alaska (RF-A) 22-1

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Record contract awarded to prepare Tyndall AFB for F-35 operations

The US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a record development contract to prepare Tyndall AFB for F-35 operations, with the site being heavily damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018

Arkansas nets LMXT tanker boom refuelling system deal

Lockheed Martin and Airbus announced on May 18 that the aerial refuelling boom system for the LMXT strategic tanker aircraft will be manufactured by Airbus in western Arkansas

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The colourful life of an aviation photographer

Fred Hill had a colourful life as an aviation photographer. Mark Hill reflects on his late father’s varied career – from learning his trade in the RAF to working on trials with the Vulcan and Shackleton at Woodford, Fred’s valuable imagery undoubtedly assisted in aircraft development

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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