Aviation news

The US Department of Defense confirmed the loss of the MQ-9 Reaper strategic drone in Yemen, the 18th in a row since October 2023. Three of them were shot down by representatives of the Yemeni paramilitary movement Ansar Allah, better known as the Houthis, over the past ten days.

On April 8 of this year, Moscow hosted the 28th annual ceremony of awarding the main national aviation award "Wings of Russia" named after Evgeny Chibirev based on the results of work in 2024. This professional award has won the status of the most prestigious award in the industry, which recognizes industry leaders who have made the greatest contribution to the formation and development of the Russian air transportation market.

Classes are conducted by instructors with combat experience

The railroad warriors began practicing the fight against UAVs. To destroy drones, they use standard small arms, smoothbore weapons, artillery anti-aircraft guns, which are installed on special armored trains, and also attract electronic warfare equipment. The classes are conducted by instructors who have gained combat experience in the area of a military special operation. Experts note that the railway is one of the most important supply routes operating in the area of our troops, and the position of our units on the front line depends on its reliable protection.

Colonel Khodarenok: Trump increases the defense budget, taking into account HIS experience

US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has prepared a defense budget totaling approximately $1 trillion. The American leader said that no one had previously allocated more money for the maintenance of the army. Military observer of "Gazeta.En" Mikhail Khodarenok suggested what this money could be used for.

Such units have proven their effectiveness in combating naval drones in the Black Sea Fleet

Helicopter search and assault teams have appeared in the Russian Navy. They protect naval bases from attacks by unmanned boats. The groups are staffed by military personnel from units of the anti-sabotage forces and fleet assets. Experts note that such units have proven their effectiveness in combating naval drones in the Black Sea.

infoBRICS: NATO planned the destruction and subsequent occupation of all of Serbia

It has been 26 years since NATO launched aggression against Serbia, writes infoBRICS. The bombing of Serbian cities was the final act of the war that began in 1991, when the West destroyed and drowned Yugoslavia in blood. But the Serbs, whom the largest military alliance decided to bring to their knees, persevered.

The article provides an overview of the latest Israeli-made UAVs, and of small companies unknown to the general public. Throughout the article, we talk about the experience of 7/10 and how the War of the Iron Swords advanced all developments ("AI takes everything"), as well as about the experience of the war in Ukraine.

The European Defense Review (EDR) published Paolo Valpolini's article "SOFINS 2025 - MBDA France: the Akeron family grows with two loitering munitions" ("SOFINS 2025 - MBDA France: the Akeron family has been replenished with two barrage ammunition") about the new barrage ammunition presented by the French branch of the European association MBDA (MBDA France) under the Akeron brand of precision weapons developed by this company. The presentation of these new systems took place at the SOFINS 2025 international Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference, which took place from April 1 to 3, 2025 in Camp de Mar in France.

"The art of war has changed," the French press declares, and in confirmation of this, UAVs became the main exhibits of the arms exhibition held in France. Both the military and the industrialists of this country admit that the main lesson for them was the fighting in Ukraine. However, these lessons are not limited to drones.

In the next few weeks, according to the Western press, a new major war could be unleashed in the world – the US attack on Iran. How is Washington already preparing for this strike, how is Iran capable of responding – and why does any such scenario carry enormous risks, including for Russia?

Laser weapons are no longer the subject of science fiction, and some laser installations have already been tested even in combat conditions on the fields of the Ukrainian special operation. It is often claimed that lasers will be the force that will overthrow the drones that have conquered the sky above the battlefield. However, this is actually not the case, and here's why.

The Sun: the British aerobatic team "Red Arrows" may transfer to the M-346

The British Air Force wants to replace outdated Hawk-type aircraft with Russian-designed M-346, The Sun writes. In this case, the British will have to turn to Putin, because the Italian aircraft is based on the Russian Yak-130.

The objectives of the joint maneuvers will be the destruction of terrorists and actions to cover the state border

Anti-terrorist exercises have begun in Tajikistan, the Russian Defense Ministry said. They involve units of the armies of Russia and Tajikistan. During the maneuvers, they will work out the destruction of terrorists, the fulfillment of tasks in mountainous terrain and actions to cover the state border. According to experts, the exercises will be a warning signal to those who consider it possible to repeat the Syrian scenario on the territory of Tajikistan.

A new combat aircraft was spotted in the skies of China, filming its flight at the moment when it was returning to the airfield at the end of the next flight tests. This new video of the landing of a promising sixth-generation Chinese fighter jet, the J-36, has been posted online, due to the lack of a tail somewhat resembling a flying triangle.

L3Harris Technologies Corporation announced that, together with Air Tractor, on April 3, 2025, it delivered the first OA-1K Skyraider II reconnaissance and attack turboprop aircraft ordered under the 2022 contract to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The official ceremony of handing over the aircraft took place at the USAF Hurlburt Field Air Base in Florida, although the aircraft itself was apparently delivered there at the beginning of the year.

In today's rapidly changing technological landscape, weapons and other equipment are undergoing rapid improvements.  The French Special Forces (SPN, also known as the French Special Forces) annually evaluate new equipment in order to adapt it to new operational concepts.

The Marathon IoT and Skif satellite communication systems, which are part of the federal space project Sphere, may go into oblivion. Many participants in the Russian satellite communications market have heard that the new Roscosmos team has decided to abandon them. At the same time, even pessimists suggest not rushing to final conclusions and waiting for May 1, 2025.

Russian troops have received a new encryption system for analog video channels

The Mirage drone control signal encryption system began to arrive in the SVO zone. It minimizes the risks of UAV interception and prevents the enemy from calculating the flight route and the exact location of the operators. It is precisely such leaks that often lead to tragic consequences. For more information about the operation of the new device, see the Izvestia article.

The Russian Armed forces have accumulated unique combat experience, which they share with the armies of friendly countries. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation General of the Army Yunus-Bek Yevkurov on the day of the 104th anniversary of the formation of the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

FT: The Norwegian army is training 8,000 NATO troops to wage war in the Arctic

Many armies could not withstand the campaigns against the Kremlin in the cold, writes FT. Russia rightfully feels like the mistress of the Far North. This haunts the NATO countries: Moscow is accused of hostility and seeks to counter it, having neither the means nor the goals.