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.

Feature Premium

Investigating Russia's lack of SEAD/DEAD capabilities over Ukraine

The Russian military has failed to conduct effective suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) operations in Ukraine and has hit strike operations. Combat Aircraft Journal explains

USAF grounds CV-22B Osprey fleet

On August 16, the Commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, Lt Gen Jim Slife directed a safety stand down of all 52 CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft in the fleet

Feature Premium

The A-10 was designed to fight Russia, so why aren’t there any in Europe?

A myriad of US aircraft have been sent to Europe since Russia began its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II has so far only played a minor role. Dino Carrara considers the political and technical factors at play, and explains why in his opinion, the ‘Warthog’ would be a valuable asset in the European theatre 

News Premium

Global air arms converge on Australia for Exercise Pitch Black

Throughout mid-August, combat aircraft and associated support assets from a host of global air arms have deployed to Australia in preparation for Exercise Pitch Black – a large-scale force employment exercise hosted biennially by the RAAF, which returns after a four-year hiatus

Lockheed Martin to build 129 F-35s under mega $7.6bn contract

US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin for the procurement of 129 Lot 15 F-35 Lightning IIs

Feature Premium

APROC 2022: Inside Spain’s annual joint rescue exercise

Having the power to recover personnel from combat situations is an essential element of any military operation. AirForces Monthly reports on the annual joint exercise in Spain

RAF Chinooks return from deployment to Estonia

Two RAF-operated Boeing Chinook HC5/HC6 heavy-lift tactical transport helicopters from No 27 Squadron at RAF Odiham, Hampshire, have returned home following a deployment to Ämari Air Base in Estonia

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-senior commander says RAF ‘requires reset’ to meet Russian threat

In a wide-ranging interview with Key.Aero’s Dino Carrara, Air Marshal Greg Bagwell (ret’d) offers his thoughts on the air war in Ukraine and the future of the RAF in light of the heightened security situation in Europe

First brand-new F-35A delivered to 461st FLTS

The USAF's 412th Test Wing announced on August 15 that the first of six brand-new F-35A Lightning IIs has been delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, California

Feature Premium

Convair B-36 Peacemaker: The World’s Biggest Bomber

In the March 2014 issue of Aviation News, Doug Gordon told the story of the world’s largest bomber, Convair’s B-36 Peacemaker, Strategic Air Command’s first intercontinental nuclear delivery platform

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.

Subscribe to Key.Aero

Become a part of our aviation community and subscribe to Key.Aero now. You can get all the aviation information you'll ever need, whenever you want, with access to all the latest aviation updates, news, events and more.