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1 month ago | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
The U.S., British and Australian air forces achieved a significant milestone by certifying the U.S. Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus to refuel the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft. The test campaign was conducted in the reserved airspace near Edwards AFB, California, and the Mojave desert. An Apr.
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1 month ago | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
The Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air and Space Force) has declared operational the Mirage 2000D RMV (Rénovation Mi-Vie, Mid-Life Update) aircraft, marking the near conclusion of the project to upgrade the specialized ground attack variant of the Mirage 2000. A ceremony to mark the operational commissioning was held at Nancy-Ochey Air Base, which hosts the 3rd Fighter Wing, on Apr.
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1 month ago | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
BAE Systems has unveiled a new APK (Advanced Precision Kit) for the 70 mm Hydra rockets as a part of the APKWS II (Advanced Kill Precision Weapon System II) at the Sea Air Space 2025 conference in Maryland. The new kit consists of an IR (InfraRed) seeker in addition to the existing laser guidance, making this a dual-mode weapon.
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2 months ago | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
F-15E Strike Eagle crews from the 335th Fighter Squadron (FS) and 335th Fighter Generation Squadron (FGS) were recognized for their rapid response and performance in the defense of Israel in the night of Apr. 12-13, 2024. The U.S. Air Force described that night as the largest air-to-air engagement in over 50 years. A ceremony was held at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, on Mar. 28, 2025 with ACC (Air Combat Command) chief Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, Airmen and families in attendance.
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2 months ago | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
Sikorsky announced it has flown the prototype of its unique VTOL (Vertical Take-Off Landing) UAS (Uncrewed Aerial System) based on the Rotor Blown Wing technology. By flying in both the helicopter and airplane flight modes, the company validated the advanced control laws used to fly the unmanned aircraft.
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Feb 15, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
Aero India 2025, the largest air show in Asia, will go down in history as the first time where the Russian Su-57 and the U.S. F-35A shared the scene at an airshow. Both jets performed stunning flying displays over Bengaluru skies, captured in iconic photographs, representing both countries’ fifth generation fighter technologies. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met U.S. President Donald Trump during a visit to Washington DC.
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Feb 8, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
The German Navy’s (Deutsche Marine) first Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) has received full German colors and markings at Boeing’s factory in Seattle, Washington, the Bundeswehr revealed. Bearing the tail number 170528 and registration 63+01, this will be the first of eight aircraft that Berlin contracted in a recent Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The first five aircraft were contracted in June 2021, with three more added in Nov. 2023.
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Feb 7, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
The U.S. Navy declared the initial operational capability (IOC) of the IRST (Infrared Search and Track) Block II for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters in Nov. 2024, NAVAIR (Naval Air Systems) command announced on Feb. 4, 2025. Offering “enhanced capability to search, detect and track airborne targets at long range,” the IOC of the long-awaited IRST system marks an “important milestone in our overarching efforts to deliver advanced integrated warfighting capability to the fleet,” said Rear Adm.
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Jan 16, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam
The United States’ DSCA (Defense Security Cooperation Agency) announced on Jan. 15, 2025, the approval of a possible sale of 16 more AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range) weapons to Japan in a $39 million deal. This development follows a Jul. 4, 2024 contract by the Japan MoD for the acquisition of 50 AGM-158B JASSM-ER missiles, which were approved in an FMS (Foreign Military Sale) a year prior, on Aug. 28, 2023.
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Jan 16, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Parth Satam |Stefano D'Urso
The Danish Defense Command announced that three more F-35As arrived in the country at Skrydstrup Air Force Station, in the Southern Jutland region, on Jan. 12, 2025. The arrival of these aircraft takes the total Danish fleet to 17 aircraft, out of the total of 27 airframes ordered and delivered since 2021. Of the 17 aircraft, 11 will be in Denmark while six will remain stationed at the U.S. Air Force’s Luke AFB in Arizona.
