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2 weeks ago | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
Some images recently surfaced online show U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-15E Strike Eagles based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flying with a variety of configurations featuring LAU-131 rocket launchers. This represents a new addition to the already impressive arsenal of weapons that can be employed by the F-15E, and likely a consequence of the lessons learned while countering drones in the Middle East.
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2 months ago | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
The U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) 18th Wing conducted the final operational flight of the F-15C Eagle on Jan. 24, 2025, after 45 years of flight operations at Kadena Air Base, Japan. This flight, not to be confused with the ceremonial final flight of the Wing’s Eagles, which took place on Aug.15, 2024, also marked the USAF’s last active-duty legacy Eagle flight.
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2 months ago | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
The U-36A, one of the JMSDF’s (Japan Maritime Self Defense Force) most secretive assets, conducted its last flight and retired quietly on Mar. 10, 2025. Its last flight, which was flown by the sixth and last U-36A produced, serialled 9206, was followed by a retirement ceremony at Iwakuni Air Base, which is shared with the USMC (U.S. Marine Corps), who refer to it as MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Iwakuni.
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Mar 6, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
A KAI (Korean Aerospace Industries) FA-50PH of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) went missing during anti-insurgency operations in the night between Mar. 3 and 4, 2025. The aircraft, reportedly with serial number 15-002, was part of a COIN (COunterINsurgency) mission against the New People’s Army guerrillas, a rebel group which the government has been fighting against.
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Mar 5, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
According to Breaking Defense, Lockheed Martin is no longer running for the United States Navy’s (USN) own Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), also known as the F/A-XX program. A source with knowledge of the program quoted by the publication said that Lockheed Martin submitted its proposal for the sixth generation to the Navy, but as it did not satisfy its requirements, and the company is no longer going ahead with the bid.
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Mar 4, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
The U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Chief of Staff, General David Allvin, announced the official designation of the first two CCAs (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) during a keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2025 Warfare Symposium on Mar. 3, 2025. The two aircraft by General Atomics and Anduril have been named YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, respectively, marking the first use of the ‘Unmanned Fighter’ designation by the USAF.
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Feb 26, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
This year, after 40 years and over 500 shows with the CASA (Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA) C-101 jet trainers, the Spanish Air Force’s Patrulla Aguila will start its transition to the new Pilatus PC-21 turboprops. This makes the Patrulla Aguila the first European demo team, and second worldwide, to replace jets with turboprops, after the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) Roulettes who replaced their MB-326s with PC-9s in 1989.
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Feb 25, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
Images and videos showing a T-50 (as the prototypes of the Su-57s are known by) on the ground at Iran’s 9th Tactical Air Force Base in Bandar Abbas, on the south-eastern side of the country, have started circulating online. This marks the first time the advanced jet was seen in Iran. The aircraft, with the bort number ‘054 Blue’, is actually the T-50-4 prototype, which has recently visited India.
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Feb 24, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
The dramatic show-of-force operation involved four Israeli Air Force fighter jets: two F-15I Ra’ams from 69 Squadron and two F-35I Adirs from 104 Squadron, which flew in finger four formation at low altitude over Hezbollah’s followers mourning the loss of Hassan Nasrallah. The funeral was held in the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on Feb. 23, 2025. Additional footage shows Israeli Air Force fighter jets flying low over Nasrallah’s funeral earlier today.
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Feb 23, 2025 | 
theaviationist.com | Rin Sakurai
On Feb. 18, 2025, the Swiss Government decided that they will be relocating all of their F/A-18C/D squadrons to Militärflugplatz Emmen, or Emmen Air Base, starting in 2027. This move is to prepare the two other air bases, Meiringen and Payerne, for the F-35s that will eventually be based there, and to prepare for the eventual retirement of the Hornets. Emmen is most known as the home of the Patrouille Suisse, the Swiss Air Force’s aerobatics team equipped with F-5s.
