The Aviationist Blog

Austria acquired 12 Leonardo M-346FA aircraft in a deal worth €1.5 billion, with deliveries starting in 2028. The Austrian Ministry of Defense has finalized the acquisition of the Leonardo M-346FA aircraft. The development follows the Government-to-Government agreement with Italy signed in May 2025 and a Letter of Intent in December 2024. The Deal The acquisition […]

The U.S. Air Force currently operates 96 KC-46A refuelers, which Boeing is also upgrading with new hardware and software. Boeing announced on Nov. 26, 2025, the award of a new contract, worth $2.47 billion, to build 15 additional KC-46A Pegasus refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force, covering Production Lot 12. With the 98 KC-46As […]

Two Meteor live-fire tests were conducted as part of the BVR-X Technical Exercise in the Natal region. The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB) announced a major milestone on Nov. 29, 2025, conducting its first Meteor BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile) live fire from an F-39E (Brazilian designation for the Saab JAS39 […]

With the live AAM test, the Kizilelma is now the first UCAV to launch a radar-guided air-to-air missile. Turkey’s Kizilelma UCAV ha conducted a live-fire test of the Gökdoğan BVR AAM (Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile), making it the first UCAV to demonstrate that capability, announced drone maker Baykar on Nov. 30, 2025.  The test […]

After a mammoth voyage travelling as far as Australia and Japan, HMS Prince of Wales and its carrier strike group have safely returned home to the UK. Their arrival home after eight months completes the Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG 25) deployment, which was codenamed Operation Highmast. Across the 223 days since HMS Prince of […]

The KC-135 was used to expand tactical communications across joint and combined forces for contested, multi-domain operations, and is now testing the High Value Airborne Asset Pod. The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) has just disclosed that its KC-135 Test Detachment, working alongside the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Wing, […]

The UK Defense Secretary said the Russian ship pointed lasers at a RAF P-8 Poseidon while on the edge of UK waters off Scotland. The Russian intelligence ship Yantar is currently sailing on the edge of UK waters off the coast of Scotland, monitored by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. During a […]

Anduril previously said a breakthrough in Omen’s development came through collaboration with Archer Aviation, which develops hybrid-electric VTOL systems. Archer Aviation has announced on Nov. 17, 2025, that it will supply its proprietary hybrid powertrain to third parties, starting with the Omen drone being developed by Anduril and Edge Group. The drone was recently unveiled […]

The 919th Special Operations Wing flew the AC-130A Spectre for 20 years, before transitioning to non-gunship aircraft, and will now operate the new AC-130J. The 919th Special Operations Wing (919th SOW) marked its return to the aircraft gunship role on Oct. 9, 2025, after its constituent 711th Special Operations Squadron (711th SOS) flew its first […]

Of the twelve F-15E Strike Eagles that the 336th FS deployed to Kadena Air Base, six were sent to NSF Diego Garcia for three months in response to tensions in the Middle East. The U.S. Air Force’s 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron concluded a six-month deployment with 12 F-15E Strike Eagles at Kadena Air Base, Japan, […]

Announced at the Dubai Air Show, 10 H225M helicopters will join the Royal Moroccan Air Force and begin to replace its ageing Puma fleet in the combat search and rescue role. Joining over 360 H225 and H225M helicopters in service worldwide, Morocco’s ten examples of the aircraft will be fitted with Safran Euroflir 410 electro-optical/infrared […]

The Gen III TacIRST distributed infrared threat‑warning system will equip the F-22 Raptor, with an evaluation planned in 2026. Lockheed Martin has announced the first flight of the latest iteration of its TacIRST sensor, or Gen III TacIRST. The flight was conducted in October by a Rockwell Sabreliner 65 testbed equipped with a pod carrying […]

Two S-70 Firehawk helicopters will enter service with the Czech Police and become the first examples of the type in European skies, with an option remaining open for a third airframe. After securing an order last month for two new Firehawks for the L.A. County Fire Department, Lockheed Martin, through Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec, has […]

Ahead of an expected competition to replace the RAF’s Hawk T2s, Saab, Boeing, and BAE Systems have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on a pilot training system centered on the T-7 Red Hawk. In a press release published on Nov. 18, 2025, the Vice President of Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s Business Development […]

The Sniper NTP integrates a multi-datalink, multi-processor Hybrid Base Station (HBS) with the existing Sniper ATP, turning it into an airborne communications and edge-computing node. Lockheed Martin has unveiled the latest evolution of its proven Sniper targeting pod, called the Sniper Networked Targeting Pod (NTP), whose development was announced last year. By integrating a multi-datalink, […]

A Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5F was shown with six Kh-101 ALCM kill markings in a rare close-up look at the French-supplied jet delivered earlier this year. A Ukrainian Air Force (UKrAF) French-made Mirage 2000-5F has been spotted with kill marks of what resemble Russian Kh-101 (X-101) long-range ALCM (Air-Launched Cruise Missile) in a Nov. 17, 2025, […]

GA-ASI and L3Harris joined forces to demonstrate Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming of an F-22 and MQ-20 using the new BANSHEE datalinks and Pantera radios. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has announced that, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies, it has conducted a successful Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming demonstration using an F-22 Raptor and an MQ-20 Avenger drone. Although […]

The demo will be conducted at GA-ASI’s Desert Horizon facility in California using a company-owned MQ-9B equipped with AEW&C systems supplied by Saab. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has announced that it will test the new podded Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability for the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in collaboration with Saab […]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron together signed a letter of intent that sets out the groundwork for a Ukrainian buy of up to 100 Dassault Rafale jets, more SAMP/T batteries, guided weapons, and UAVs. Standing together at Vélizy-Villacoublay Air Base, near Paris, the respective Presidents of Ukraine and France embraced with a hug after signing […]

The Arexis Electronic Warfare suite will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon’s wingtip pods, part of the fighter’s Defensive Aid Sub-System (DASS). Germany’s Eurofighter EK program moved forward on Nov. 14, 2025, with a new order for one of its main modifications. In fact, Swedish defense major Saab announced a second order from Airbus regarding its Arexis […]