The Aviationist Blog

Two T-345 trainers in the colors of the 61° Stormo (Wing) have been delivered to the Italian Air Force. The first two new Leonardo T-345 trainer aircraft (local designation of the M-345), were delivered to [...]

The post First Two T-345 Trainers Delivered To The Italian Air Force appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Boeing’s Loyal Wingman completed high-speed taxi test at RAAF Woomera Airfield. Boeing Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have completed the first high-speed taxi test of the Airpower Teaming System (ATS) unmanned [...]

The post Boeing’s Loyal Wingman In New High-Visibility Paint Job Completes First High-Speed Taxi Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

For the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the legendary F-14 Tomcat, we get a look at how its legacy is still carried on by aviation enthusiasts using today’s technology. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat [...]

The post DCS World Players Recreated The First Two Air-to-Air Engagements Of The F-14 Tomcat appeared first on The Aviationist.

We celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the legendary F-14 Tomcat with an intense story from the cockpit of a 2 vs UNKNOWN engagement during Week Two at “Topgun”, the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School. On [...]

The post “Fox One, lead A-4, 18,000 feet”: Join An F-14 Tomcat RIO During An Air Combat Training Mission At Topgun appeared first on The Aviationist.

The new ABMS systems tested on the KC-46 and XQ-58 will act as a translation platform converting messages sent by each aircraft in its native language. The U.S. Air Force 5th generation fighter aircraft, the [...]

The post New ABMS Systems Will Allow Easier Communications Between F-35, F-22 And Other Assets appeared first on The Aviationist.

The B-52 “Wise Guy” is only the second Stratofortress bomber to ever be restored out of the Boneyard to be returned to the fleet. As already reported in detail in this previous article, “Wise Guy” [...]

The post Check Out These Exclusive Shots Of B-52 “Wise Guy” Flying Again After Being Resurrected From The “Boneyard” appeared first on The Aviationist.

Aircraft undergoing Programmed Depot Maintenance are almost completely disassembled, stripped off the paint. Last week we published the first video of the B-52 tail number 60-0034, nicknamed “Wise Guy”, flying again after undergoing Programmed Depot [...]

The post This Is What A C-5M Super Galaxy Undergoing Programmed Depot Maintenance Looks Like. Let’s Explain Why. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Bell V-280 Valor Next Generation Tilt Rotor Aircraft has been involved in the testing of a new Tactical Data Link and external cargo loads. The first prototype of the V-280 Valor, registration N280BH, continues to carry [...]

The post Bell V-280 Valor Tilt-Rotor Prototype Receives Tactical Data Link And Performs Sling Load Tests appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Israeli Air Force released some interesting images of an F-15D carrying a Blue Sparrow air-launched test target. This week, the Israeli Air Force has carried out a series of tests of its multi-layered anti-missile [...]

The post Israeli Air Force F-15D Launched A Blue Sparrow Ballistic Test Target During Latest “David’s Sling” Interception Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

B-52H Stratofortress “Wise Guy” has started flying from Tinker Air Force Base after Programmed Depot Maintenance, prepares to return to active service. “Wise Guy”, the B-52H Stratofortress bomber tail number 60-034, is preparing to return [...]

The post “Wise Guy” is Back! Regenerated After 10 Years At the “Boneyard” B-52H Flies Again After PDM at Tinker AFB appeared first on The Aviationist.

The first C-27J Next Generation has flown with a new camouflage color scheme that may give a hint about the undisclosed first customer. On Dec. 16, 2020, the first C-27J Next Generation, with experimental serial [...]

The post First C-27J Next Generation Spotted With Brand New Camouflage Color Scheme appeared first on The Aviationist.

Spain will be an equal nation along with France and Germany in the participation to the demonstrator phase of FCAS. The Spanish industry has signed the initial framework contract for the Future Combat Air System’s [...]

The post Spain Is Now Officially The Third Nation Of The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Programme appeared first on The Aviationist.

Two U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers flew direct from Barksdale Air Force Base to the Persian Gulf during latest “deterrence mission” against Iran. And were escorted by Saudi F-15SA aircraft during the leg flown over [...]

The post U.S. B-52 Bombers Escorted by Saudi F-15SAs Over Saudi Arabia During “Deterrence Mission” To The Persian Gulf appeared first on The Aviationist.

The program aims to get two fully configured SIGINT Gulfstream G550 aircraft plus six others to be converted later for improved C4ISTAR and CAEW/BM&C capabilities. The Italian government is working on the acquisition of new [...]

The post Italy Plans To Buy New Gulfstream G550s For SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) Missions appeared first on The Aviationist.

A B-1 Lancer conducted an external weapon release demonstration launching a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile from an external pylon. Last month, a B-1B Lancer assigned to the 412th Test Wing’s 419th Flight Test Squadron, Global [...]

The post B-1 Lancer Bomber Successfully Launched An Inert JASSM Stealthy Missile From An External Pylon During Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

Boeing’s Autonomous MQ-25 T1 test asset flew with an ARS (Aerial Refueling Store) for the the first time. Boeing and the U.S. Navy have achieved a significant milestone in the development of the carrier-based unmanned [...]

The post Boeing’s MQ-25 Carrier-Based Tanker Drone Test Asset Completes First Test Flight with Aerial Refueling Store appeared first on The Aviationist.

Development for the new Tempest sixth-generation fighter is moving on with some revolutionary concepts. Team Tempest and the Royal Air Force recently held a virtual event to provide an update about the development opportunities of [...]

The post New Images Of The Tempest Sixth-Generation Aircraft Revealed During UK Industry Engagement Event appeared first on The Aviationist.

115th Fighter Wing F-16 lost over Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. Pilot Condition Unknown. An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing from Truax Field Air National Guard Base outside Madison, [...]

The post F-16 Reported to Have “Live Ammunition” Crashes in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F veered off runway after the two pilots successfully ejected. A RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet belonging to No. 1 Squadron was involved in an incident at RAAF Base Amberely, Queensland, [...]

The post Pilots Forced To Eject From RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet During Take Off Incident At RAAF Base Amberley appeared first on The Aviationist.

Yeager Personified the Daring, Heroic Image of Early Test Pilots, Changed Aviation. Aviation legend Chuck Yeager has died at 97. Yeager is universally acknowledged as establishing the image of the jet-age test pilot, a heroic [...]

The post Chuck Yeager, Legendary Test Pilot, Face of “The Right Stuff”, Dies at 97. appeared first on The Aviationist.