Military Aviation

This afternoon (Nov. 8), U.S. defense officials confirmed that Iranian-backed Houthi forces shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft over the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen. The Reaper was reportedly on a surveillance mission over Yemen and the U.S. said it was in international airspace and over international waters when it was […]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today (Oct. 26) it is joining the U.S. Air Force in a coordinated effort to safely integrate Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft into the National Airspace System. The armed service and the FAA will exchange data and share technical and infrastructure assets and expertise to help test AAM development. […]

Air & Space Forces website reported yesterday (Oct. 24) that more U.S. Air Force F-16s have arrived at undisclosed bases in the Middle East. Fighting Falcons from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron—known as the Jersey Devils—have become the sixth fighter squadron to deploy to the region in response to concern […]

The British Navy says it will soon be routine for drones to resupply carriers at sea and it started that process in September. A STOL drone made by W Autonomous Systems landed on HMS Prince of Wales and then took off again back to the U.K. mainland. It was the first such flight for the […]

According to a report from the Daily Caller, a 70-year-old California man flew his Mooney aircraft over Area 51 and is currently awaiting a call from the Department of Defense. In a series of voicemails, the pilot told the Daily Caller he successfully flew over the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) within Nellis Air […]

The 2023 Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show will celebrate “50 Years of Women in Naval Aviation.” According to an announcement from Naval Air Station Pensacola, the airshow “is designed to honor and recognize the significant contributions women have made to naval aviation since the enactment of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, which removed restrictions […]

The Marine Corps flew its first XQ-58A Valkyrie combat drone earlier this week and it flew “as expected,” according to a spokesman. The “highly autonomous” Valkyrie is controlled by artificial intelligence and needs little input from humans. It’s also relatively inexpensive ($6.5 million), making it “attritable” or expendable on the battlefield. “This low-maintenance, reusable vehicle […]

It’s not clear how the Israeli Air Force’s readiness in the face of Saturday’s attack by Hamas was affected by a months-long boycott of flying by some of its most experienced pilots. It’s also not clear if any of the more than 400 reserve pilots, including 300 fighter pilots, are still refusing to fly in […]

The Russian Air Force has dusted off a 60-year-old relic to meet a thoroughly modern threat. A Beriev BE-12 amphibious patrol aircraft has been spotted over the Black Sea and it’s apparently looking for Ukrainian boat drones. The uncrewed boats have had some success in carrying loads of explosives to damage Russian warships. The drones […]

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) announced it has received its first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Joby Aviation. The eVTOL was unveiled in a ceremony at Edwards Air Force Base in California Monday (Sept. 25)—some six months ahead of schedule. The delivery comes after the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a contract extension […]