The Aviationist Blog

World’s Largest, Fastest Bomber Updated with Glass Cockpit, Engines and Avionics Upgrade. The latest version of the massive Tu-160 “White Swan” supersonic bomber (NATO reporting name “Blackjack”) flew for the first time from Kazan, Russia [...]

The C-101 jet #5 of the Patrulla Águila has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off Murcia. A Casa C-101 Aviojet belonging to the Patrulla Águila (Spanish for “Eagle Patrol”), the Spanish Air Force’s display team, [...]

Top U.S. Demo Teams Gather at NAF El Centro, California to Share Best Practices. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels jet demonstration teams are meeting this week to compare notes [...]

Italian Air Force Takes Delivery Of Its First F-35B Lightning II STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing)-model of the Joint Strike Fighter. The Italian Air Force received its first F-35B Lightning II on Saturday Feb. [...]

F-22s returned home from their first ever deployment in Qatar. And here are some interesting images. Twelve U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors that had deployed to the Middle East at the end of June 2019 [...]

We now have a better idea of what the hypersonic test airplane teased by the trailer might look like. And there’s also a Sukhoi Su-57 Felon-like die-cast model in the set. One of the most [...]

Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35s have arrived at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, for their first mission abroad, under NATO command. On Feb. 19, 2020, four RoNAF F-35A aircraft arrived in Iceland, where they have deployed [...]

Record flight for the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) that showcases a new capability. KC-130J tankers from the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigate), based at Pisa airport, and HH-101A helicopters of the 15° Stormo (Wing) [...]

There are lots of interesting new details in the new renderings of the B-21 stealth bomber. The U.S. Air Force has just published three new renderings of the B-21 “Raider”, the U.S. Air Force’s next [...]

Everything you need to know about the F-35 deal just signed in Poland. On Jan. 31, 2020, Poland signed the deal for the purchase of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft at the Dęblin Air Force [...]

The first HH-101A in NATO grey color was handed over to the 23° Gruppo (Squadron) based at Cervia Air Base. On Jan. 29, 2020, the 23° Gruppo of the 15° Stormo (Wing) of the Aeronautica [...]

Shocking footage shows the C-130 crashing in Australia and killing all the three U.S. crew members last week. A clip, filmed with a mobile phone, shows the moment the EC-130Q N134CG “Tanker 134”, operated by [...]

Precautionary Quarantine Underway for U.S. Evacuees as Chinese Military Mobilizes. In response to concern over the spread of the coronavirus, a U.S. based Boeing 747-400 owned by contract air freight service Kalitta Airlines of Willow [...]

Other incidents were reported on the same day the E-11A BACN crashed in Afghanistan. On Jan. 27, 2020 three different military aviation mishaps were reported in a 12 hours timeframe: an E-11A BACN in Afghanistan, [...]

This Phantom has been in service with the Japan Air Self Defense Force since it was imported from the United States in 1971. Now, it is flying a pretty unusual mission. Phantom #301, assigned to [...]

U.S. Air Force F-16s belonging to the 31st Fighter Wing rapidly deployed to Decimomannu Air Base, Italy as part of an exercise incorporating elements from the developing operational concept known as Agile Combat Employment. Several [...]

Images coming from Ghazni clearly show the remains of a USAF E-11A BACN aircraft. A U.S. Air Force’s E-11A BACN (Battlefield Airborne Communications Node) crashed during the morning on Jan. 27, 2020 in Afghanistan. The [...]

Joint Japanese/U.S. Rescue Saves Crew, Multiple Ships Involved in Search and Rescue. A dramatic multinational rescue took place in the Philippine Sea off the island of Okinawa on Saturday when a U.S. Navy MH-60S with [...]

First Time Actual Adversary Training Aircraft Disclosed in Use at Tucson Base. Russian-built Mi-24 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters are no strangers to U.S. airshow venues like Nellis AFB for previous editions of Aviation Nation, but official [...]

FAA Issues Advisory for Pilots: Large Military GPS Jamming Exercise in Southeast. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a flight advisory for January 16-24 warning civilian and commercial pilots that, “GPS testing is [...]