Aviation news
From an oil tanker to a drone carrier: Iran is preparing for sea trials of a new "drone carrier"
Iran is preparing to begin sea trials of the new carrier of the IRIS Kurdestan (442) drones. Like its predecessor, the "drone carrier" IRIS Makran (441), Kurdestan is a converted tanker. In this case, it is Tabukan (IMO: 8917467), which was previously engaged in the transportation of crude oil.
Zaluzhny on the new nature of the war
The BMPD blog publishes the text of the speech "The evolving nature of war rethinks the fundamental principles of global security: the Ukrainian experience and the new world order" by the former commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine (in 2021-2024), and now the Ambassador of Ukraine to the UK, General Valery Zaluzhny.
There are two vehicles for each stealth aircraft: the United States has begun testing unmanned fighter aircraft YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A
The Pentagon has officially launched the testing process for unmanned fighter jets created under the CCA ("joint combat aircraft") program to enhance the combat capabilities of the F-22 and F-35.
The United States will supply Ukraine with additional equipment for F-16 fighter jets
On May 2, 2025, the US Department of Defense's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) sent a notification to the US Congress about the planned upcoming sale of training and technical support for F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to Ukraine through the US Intergovernmental Foreign Military Sales Program (FMS). 310.5 million dollars.
Expert Stepanov pointed to the British trace in the attack of unmanned boats on Crimea
Alexander Stepanov, a senior researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences, suggested that the Storm Shadow missile carriers - F-16 fighters - could be based in NATO countries bordering Russia.
"We don't want to take this to the next war": the US Secretary of Defense called the list of "unnecessary" equipment
The other day, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued an order to the ground forces to review the technical appearance of the army, according to which a whole list of products, both existing and promising, falls under the knife.
Buggy in the game: how fighters learn to shoot down drones on the move
The intensive UAV defense course gives fighters skills and confidence in a real-world environment
The fighters of the Center group are undergoing a three-day intensive UAV defense course. There they practice different ways of shooting from moving cars. The Izvestia correspondent, along with the fighters, tried to drive an SUV along the training track, fired 360 degrees and found out what difficulties our servicemen had to face.
"Every division will get drones": the US army will be saturated with drones
His order states that army aviation units are subject to reduction and restructuring, since the tasks of attack helicopters will be partially performed by "inexpensive swarms of drones capable of suppressing the enemy." Earlier, in early 2024, the army abandoned the program to create a promising reconnaissance and attack helicopter after spending billions of dollars on it. Instead, it was decided to use drones.
The modern "Normandy–Niemen" has infuriated France
The participation of the French unit in a special operation on the Russian side angered the military community of the Fifth Republic. Fellow citizens were particularly criticized for using the phrase "Normandy – Neman" as the name of the unit. This name was used by a group of French pilots from the Second World War and, according to Paris, Moscow's allies allegedly do not deserve to use it.
Rosel has developed a new electronic warfare system for targeted combat against drones
Specialists of the Rosel holding, which is part of the Rostec structure, are conducting final tests of the Solaris NS intelligent system, which is designed to effectively protect various facilities and territories from UAVs. The complex promptly detects drones and precisely suppresses data transmission through control channels.
River assembly: UAV units have been created in the Dnieper Flotilla
The Dnieper flotilla was replenished with units of unmanned aerial vehicles. They operate both in conjunction with boats and independently and perform a wide range of tasks, from reconnaissance to strike. Experts note that drones will be indispensable in destroying saboteurs on boats and fortified points on the enemy coast.
Active intrigues: how will Russia react to the NATO exercise to capture the Kaliningrad region
The Russian Armed Forces are ready for military challenges from the North Atlantic Alliance, experts say
The NATO bloc is conducting large-scale Griffin Lightning 25 exercises in the Baltic, which will end on June 15. According to Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Maritime Board, they are working out scenarios for seizing the Kaliningrad Region and blocking shipping in the Baltic Sea.
Will Iraq acquire Rafale F4 fighter jets?
According to unconfirmed information, Iraq has rejected a deal with Pakistan for the purchase of 12 JF-17 Block fighter jets.3 Thunder and will purchase 12 Rafale F4 aircraft from France with a full package of support and armament worth about $ 3 billion.
"It will face powerful opposition": the Western press is trying to refute the "invulnerability" of China's new Jiutian ultra-high-altitude drone
After a relatively recent demonstration of the new Jiutian ultra-high-altitude UAV ("High Sky"), developed in the interests of the PLA and presented in November 2024, Chinese observers were quick to declare its "invulnerability" to US air defense systems.
The US Navy showed the F-35C fighter jets with a mirror coating
Recently, the US Navy published images of F-35C fighter jets equipped with a new mirror coating, which is supposed to increase their stealth in the infrared range.
"Aircraft carriers were built for MiG-29K": Rafale-M carrier-based fighters purchased by India will not be able to enter the hangars of ships
India's signing on April 28 of a €7 billion contract for the purchase of 26 Rafale-Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets to equip the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant has rekindled a long-standing debate about the compatibility of this aircraft with existing ships.
"Everyone has trump cards." How can India and Pakistan fight
The terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have dramatically strained the already difficult relations between New Delhi and Islamabad. The sides accuse each other of provocation and openly prepare for war. If a conflict starts, things can get out of control very quickly. What the armies of neighboring Asian states are like is in the RIA Novosti article.
Which marine drones do the Russian Navy need first of all
For the first time in Russia, a structure has been created designed to coordinate the creation of unmanned systems for the Navy. What kind of developments of this kind were conducted back in the USSR, why are these devices of critical importance today, and which of them are needed by the Russian Navy first of all?
"A disaster for NATO." Why the United States was afraid of the Russian Zircon missile
NI: The Zircon missile was a disaster for NATO
Russia has significantly outstripped the United States and China in the field of hypersonic weapons, having created the 3M22 Zircon missile, The National Interest writes. What kind of missile is this and whether no one can really catch up with Russia in the field of hypersonic weapons - in the material of the military observer Gazeta.Ru" by Mikhail Khodarenka.
Infused pair: unmanned boats will be armed with Skvorets-Navy drones
The Russian Navy will receive a full-fledged reconnaissance and strike platform
The Skvorets-NAVY drone is being upgraded for use with unmanned boats (BEC). Combined into a single complex, backup and attack UAVs can be used to launch covert strikes against coastal military installations, as well as to organize ambushes on sea communications.
