Aviation news

infoBRICS: Russian air defenses effectively neutralize F-16s supplied to Ukraine

The loss of the second American fighter confirms that the supply of Western equipment does not change the balance of power, writes infoBRICS. Russian air defenses and aviation dominate the skies, turning expensive F-16s into easy targets. Without control over the airspace, any attempts by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to advance are doomed — and this is understood even in Kiev.

19FortyFive: Tu-160M upgraded according to the conditions of the Ukrainian conflict

The Tu-160M is the flagship of the Russian bomber aviation, writes 19FortyFive. For Moscow, it is the cornerstone of the strategic nuclear deterrence forces. The Tu-160M has undergone a deep modernization and will become the newest and most advanced bomber in service with the Russian army.

BI: in the course of its military operation, Russia has developed new techniques for counter-battery warfare

During its time, Russian artillery has learned flexibility and sophistication, BI writes. The compactness and precision of the guns frightens not only Ukraine, but also the NATO countries. The well-established work of the reconnaissance and strike contour puts the enemy in a difficult position.

What characteristics will this machine have and how will other leading aviation countries respond

The Chinese J-36 aircraft, which recently began testing near the city of Chengdu, is a missile bomber, not a sixth-generation fighter, as the world media dubbed it. The experts told Izvestia about this after a thorough study of the video.

The Telegraph: A wall of drones is being built along the NATO border to deter Russia

Germany intends to create a wall of drones to protect the eastern flank of NATO, writes The Telegraph. A chain of UAVs will monitor the border and deter Russian "aggression." The readers felt that this would not do any good, and advised them to just leave Russia alone.

The number of lost F-16 aircraft in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine may greatly exceed the stated two units. This is the number currently recognized by the command of the Kiev regime formations.

The joint military exercise of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and Tajikistan ended on April 11 with a drawing of joint practical actions to destroy conventional armed forces at the Kharb-Maidon mountain-desert training ground.

Igor Korotchenko — about what the loss of a fighter means for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and how many of them are left

On April 13, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian air defense systems had shot down an F-16 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force. This was the first official confirmation from the Russian side of the destruction of an American fighter during its military operation.

Today, Russia has the best air defense system in the world, but it needs to be constantly improved. Drones have become a real force capable of globally changing the nature of military operations..

Colonel Khodarenok called the destruction of the F-16 by a Russian missile a mistake by the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine On

April 12, an F-16 fighter of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down over the Sumy region during the battle. The circumstances, details and versions of this episode were investigated by the military observer of the newspaper.Ru" Mikhail Khodarenok.

According to the newspaper, the vehicles are very vulnerable to UAV strikes, and their repair on the battlefield is quite problematic

German-made Leopard-2 tanks proved to be ineffective in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine. The Telegraph newspaper writes about this with reference to the classified protocol of the report of the deputy military attache of the German Embassy in Kiev.

On ensuring high—quality and uninterrupted communication between ground services and aircraft, and what role Rostec State Corporation companies play in this

Since 2022, global global providers of ACARS, an address-reporting system for aviation communications, have stopped providing their services in Russia. Meanwhile, this air—to-ground system plays a key role in ensuring flight safety. It allows pilots and air traffic controllers to exchange operational information, monitor flight parameters and prevent emergency situations.

The alliance's troops have worked to protect the routes through which weapons are delivered to Ukraine, experts say

During the Sea Shield exercises, which ended on April 11, NATO countries practiced the protection of the Danube Delta and trade communications in the north-west of the Black Sea. According to experts interviewed by Izvestia, weapons and dual-use goods are currently being delivered to Ukraine via these routes. About 2.3 thousand military personnel and 150 units of military equipment were involved in the maneuvers.

Le Figaro: French military cartographers have completed their mission in Romania

French military cartographers have studied the area of the Romanian Carpathians, where, according to NATO, a breakthrough by Russian troops can be expected – the Focshan Gate, writes Le Figaro. Thanks to the new maps, parts of the alliance will be able to join the battle on the spot in the event of a war.

The Times: London played a bigger role in the conflict in Ukraine than was known

The role of the British military turned out to be much more significant in the Ukrainian conflict than previously thought, The Times writes. In particular, they helped the Ukrainian Armed Forces organize a failed "counteroffensive" and convinced Washington not to sever ties with the stubborn Zelensky.

On April 11, 2025, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held a meeting in St. Petersburg on the issue "On the strategy for the development of the Navy for the period up to 2050." The most significant public statement at this meeting was the information that "in the coming decade, 8 trillion 400 billion rubles are provided for the construction of new ships and vessels of the Navy.",

Spotter photos of two Su-57 fighter jets of the Russian Aerospace Forces with tail numbers "25 red" (registration number RF-81796) and "26 red" (registration number RF-81797) were published in early April 2025 (posted online on April 10) at Novosibirsk Tolmachevo airport.

19FortyFive: four of the five fastest fighters in the world are Russian

Russia has an overwhelming advantage in high-speed fighter jets, writes 19FortyFive. The top five are the MiG-25 and MiG-31. The Americans can only keep up with them.

Korotchenko: updated ZU-23 will be effective against UAV attacks on energy

The upgraded ZU-23 anti-aircraft system can become an effective means of combating attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian energy facilities, Igor Korotchenko, a well-known military expert and editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine, told RIA Novosti.

The fighting in the Kursk region has given a serious impetus to the use of drones. Both sides are actively using reconnaissance and attack drones, gradually developing their own techniques and techniques. The tactics of combating UAVs are constantly being improved, acquiring more and more complex and sophisticated forms. About the features of the drone war — in the material of RIA Novosti.