Aviation news

The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) received the first aircraft of this type in April and expects to eventually acquire 75 copies. However, the Pentagon is preparing for conflicts with opponents of equal strength, not for fighting the rebels. This raises the question of the future of the program, which may be curtailed by Donald Trump's team, which has thoroughly undertaken a review of public procurement.

Both likely participants in a full-fledged military conflict possess an impressive number of warheads and their means of delivery

The confrontation between the two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, has been developing more than rapidly in recent days. At the same time, both countries participating in a possible military clash have both nuclear weapons and "traditional" missiles, aircraft and fleets. Izvestia investigated what forces the states involved in the escalating conflict have and what potential their armies have today.

Columnist Osborne: Boeing's breakthrough F-47 fighter carries a message to Russia and China

Boeing's newest F-47 fighter jet "carries a message" to China and Russia, said American columnist Chris Osborne, believing that it lies in the radical design of the aircraft.

Colonel Khodarenok: in case of provocation on May 9, Kiev will be turned into ruins

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky hinted at the plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike at the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9. On the night of May 5, Ukrainian drones attacked the Moscow region and some other settlements. Military observer of "Gazeta.Retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok discusses what measures that strengthen the defense of the capital on a holiday might look like, and what consequences Kiev might face if the Ukrainian Armed Forces try to strike at the Russian capital.

Director of Science and Business Cooperation at Rostec — on strengthening cooperation between the industrial sector and universities and what role the State Corporation plays in this

An important strategic task of modern Russia is to achieve technological sovereignty. And science is one of the main drivers of its implementation. Rostec State Corporation makes a significant contribution to this field by creating promising and competitive designs for both military and civilian applications together with universities and research institutes.

As reported on April 29, 2025, PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a prototype of the MC-21 medium-range aircraft, equipped with new Russian systems and assemblies, took to the skies for the first time from the airfield of the Yakovlev Irkutsk Aviation Plant (part of the Rostec State Corporation UAC). Domestic avionics, power supply systems, air conditioning and others were tested on board. The flight marked the beginning of factory finishing tests.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.