Massive NATO air exercise details revealed
NATO’s largest ever aircraft deployment exercise is set to take place in June this year involving more than 200 aircraft
Asian air force to make Exercise Cobra Warrior debut
It has been confirmed that the next Exercise Cobra Warrior – which is scheduled to take place in March – will feature the Indian Air Force for the first time
Brazilian C-130M deploys to fight forest fires in Chile
A Lockheed C-130M Hercules from the Brazilian Air Force has been dispatched to Chile to help fight the more than 300 estimated forest fires that are currently raging across the country’s central and southern regions
Argentina reinforces southernmost air base with permanent Pampa III unit
The Argentine Air Force has bolstered its combat presence at Base Aérea Militar Río Gallegos – the nation’s southernmost air base – after the air arm revealed it would permanently deploy three IA-63 Pampa III fighter-trainers to the facility
UK Lightning Force struck by maintenance crew shortage
The introduction of the UK’s Lightning Force is being held back due to a lack of trained ground crew personnel; a British government minister has revealed
Falcon Strike: Italy works to enhance fifth-gen fighter combat tactics
As the Italian Air Force prepares to mark its centenary on March 28, 2023, it hosted a training exercise focused on fifth-generation fighter tactics, Combat Aircraft Journal visited Amendola Air Base in Northern Italy for Exercise Falcon Strike 22 and spoke to those involved
USAF B-1Bs integrate with ROKAF F-35As as bombers return to Guam
For the first time this year, the USAF has deployed an undisclosed number of B-1B Lancer supersonic-capable strategic bombers to Andersen AFB in Guam as part of the latest Bomber Task Force mission to the highly tense Indo-Pacific region
British Typhoons train with Royal Saudi Air Force
RAF personnel currently deployed in the Middle East performed a land away and integration with the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in Saudi Arabia
RAF Chinooks return to Estonia and NATO nations announce support for Ukraine
After returning to the UK In August last year, RAF Chinooks from No 18(B) Squadron at RAF Odiham have returned to Amari Air Base in Estonia for operation PELEDA. During the first week they were tasked with transporting defence ministers to a meeting in support of Ukraine.
OPINION: What is going on with the RAF's Hawk T2 fleet?
With the RAF now suffering a crisis in its advanced jet training capability following the grounding of its Hawk T2 fleet due to engine woes, Alan Warnes asks why the UK MOD appears to be in disarray and whether or not this will be exacerbated in the upcoming Integrated Defence Review Refresh
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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