News
Global Combat Air Programme Awards First Contract with Edgewing
3+ hour, 53+ min ago (805+ words) " Gabriele Molinelli (@Gabriel64869839) April 2, 2026 GCAP Agency Chief Executive Masami Oka stated: "This contract is an important moment for GCAP, as activities previously conducted under three nations" contracts will now be carried out as part of a fully-fledged international programme." Additionally, Marco…...
CENTCOM Confirms EA-37B Compass Call Deployed as Part of Op. Epic Fury
7+ hour, 44+ min ago (504+ words) Following the arrival of two EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at'RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026, the U.S. Central Command has now confirmed that the assets will be employed in Operation Epic Fury. This new development thus confirms that…...
New Photos Provide Clearest View Yet of Secretive NT-43A RAT55’s Dorsal Turret and Enclosure
9+ hour, 30+ min ago (268+ words) As we reported in detail yesterday, the highly-modified Boeing 737-200, the U.S. Air Force NT-43A, better known with its callsign RAT55 (or RATT 55), was among the assets operating around Cape Canaveral to support the Artemis II launch on Apr. 1, 2026. Both on the day…...
Airbus Tests Armed ‘Bird of Prey’ Interceptor Drone
23+ hour, 51+ min ago (764+ words) Airbus Defence and Space announced on Mar. 30, 2026, the first test of its "Bird of Prey" counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) platform, based on a modified Do-DT25 target drone. The drone notably fired a low-cost Mark I air-to-air missile at an unspecified…...
USAF E-3 AWACS Loss in Saudi Arabia Puts Spotlight on E-7 Wedgetail Procurement
23+ hour, 58+ min ago (1043+ words) In fact, the Wedgetail has encountered lots of skepticism from the Air Force and the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the E-7 "expensive and "gold plated," cancelling the program in favor of a gap-filler based on the E-2D Hawkeye while…...
WB-57 and Secretive RAT-55 Spotted Rehearsing for NASA's Artemis Launch
1+ day, 7+ hour ago (374+ words) At sunset tonight, Artemis II waits on the pad, ready to carry astronauts potentially farther than any humans have traveled in more than half a century. " NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) April 1, 2026 However, it appears that the WB-57 will be…...
F-35 Crashes in Nevada, Pilot Ejected Safely
1+ day, 5+ hour ago (245+ words) A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jet crashed during a mission over the Nevada Test & Training Range (NTTR) on Mar. 31, 2026. The U.S. Air Force confirmed in a statement that the pilot ejected safely and is being treated for minor injuries. Initial…...
More A-10s Are Headed to the Middle East
2+ day, 8+ hour ago (750+ words) The U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II jets have been actively supporting Operation Epic Fury in Iran since the early days, with the attack aircraft also targeting fast attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, the presence of the A-10 in theater…...
Two EA-37Bs Arrive at RAF Mildenhall on Possible First Operational Deployment
2+ day, 11+ hour ago (461+ words) Two U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026. The aircraft departed on Mar. 30 from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and arrived in the UK after a fuel stop at Joint Base…...
China’s Y-9FQ Next Gen ASW Aircraft Intercepted for the First Time Over East China Sea
3+ day, 48+ min ago (1164+ words) A Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) Y-9FQ maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft was intercepted for the first time on Mar. 28, 2026 by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) over the East China Sea. As identified by Chinese military…...