RAF Lakenheath Unveils Special Color F-15E for Operation El Dorado Canyon’s 40th Anniversary
The 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath unveiled a specially painted F‑15E Strike Eagle to mark the 40th anniversary of Operation El Dorado Canyon. The aircraft, serial 91‑0311, carries the original tan‑and‑green camouflage of the F‑111 Aardvark used in the 1986 Libya strike, along with tail and nose markings that reference the 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron and the lost F‑111 “Karma 52.” The ceremony highlighted the historic long‑range mission in which 24 F‑111Fs launched from Lakenheath, serving as a visual tribute to the operation’s legacy.
Anduril Shows Copperhead-500M Autonomous Underwater Munition’s Testing
On April 25, 2026, Anduril released the first public video of its Copperhead-500M autonomous underwater munition, a 21‑inch, 13‑foot heavyweight AUV that broke internal speed records and performed agile maneuvers in high seas. The Copperhead family, including the smaller 100M...
Report Claims Iranian F-5 Bombed U.S. Base in Kuwait During Opening Phase of War
NBC News, citing U.S. officials and an American Enterprise Institute assessment, reports that Iran struck more than 100 U.S. targets across seven Gulf‑region countries during the opening phase of the conflict. Among the alleged attacks, an Iranian‑operated F‑5 fighter is...
China’s Y-20B Airlifter’s First Trip to South Korea Repatriates Korean War Soldiers’ Remains
On April 20‑22, 2026, China’s PLAAF deployed the new Y‑20B strategic airlifter on its first overseas mission, transporting the remains of 12 Chinese People’s Volunteers from South Korea back to Shenyang. The aircraft was escorted by four J‑20 stealth fighters...
U.S. Air Force Confirms A-10 Thunderbolt II Service Life Extended to 2030
The U.S. Air Force announced that the A‑10 Thunderbolt II will remain in service until at least 2030, extending the life of two squadrons and a third through 2029. The extension reverses a prior plan to retire the fleet by...
Chinese University of Glasgow Student Arrested After Offutt Spotting Trip
A 21‑year‑old Chinese aeronautical engineering student at the University of Glasgow was detained by the FBI at New York’s JFK airport for photographing U.S. Air Force aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base, home to Strategic Command. Authorities charged him under...
CENTCOM Releases Images of Apaches Over Strait of Hormuz as Iran Reimposes Restrictions
U.S. Central Command released photos of AH‑64 Apache gunships patrolling the Strait of Hormuz as Iran reinstated tight shipping restrictions following President Donald Trump’s reaffirmation of a U.S. blockade. Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats fired on an Indian‑flagged tanker, though the...
Skunk Works Is Looking for a U-2 Pilot
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division posted a full‑time U‑2 test‑pilot role in Palmdale, offering a salary between $156,400 and $311,650 depending on location. The position focuses on engineering flight tests, production‑acceptance flights, and demonstration missions, requiring recent U‑2S qualification, a...
Sikorsky Announces New Armed Black Hawk Kit
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, unveiled new Armed Black Hawk kits at the Army Aviation Warfighting Summit on April 15, 2026. The modular kit adds thin stub wings and up to six weapon stations, enabling UH‑60 Black Hawks to carry...
U.S. Air Force Releases First Official Photos Of B-21 Raider During Aerial Refueling Tests
The U.S. Air Force released the first official images of the B‑21 Raider’s upper surface, captured during aerial refueling tests with a KC‑135 at Edwards Air Force Base. The photos reveal distinctive air intakes and a two‑piece clamshell refuel receptacle,...
Italian Air Force’s Raiders Wing Becomes First NATO Unit Accredited by AFSOC for Global Access Operations
The Italian Air Force’s 17° Stormo Incursori (Raiders Wing) has become the first NATO unit accredited by U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command for Global Access Operations (GAO). The accreditation, completed after a rigorous evaluation that began in July 2023,...
Battle Scarred Stratotanker Transits Through UK Towards the U.S. for Repairs
A U.S. Air Force KC‑135R Stratotanker (tail 59‑1444) arrived at RAF Mildenhall on April 12, 2026 bearing visible field‑patches from battle‑damage repairs incurred during Iranian attacks on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The aircraft had earlier diverted to...
New Anti-Jam Antenna Seen on USAF F-15E Strike Eagle During Epic Fury
A new Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) was photographed on a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle during Operation Epic Fury, confirming the fielding of the Digital GPS Anti‑jam Receiver (DIGAR) upgrade. The system, funded by a $13 million BAE Systems contract awarded...
Swedish Armed Forces Release Photo Showing JAS 39 Gripens Escorting Russian Kilo-Class Submarine
Swedish Armed Forces released photos showing JAS‑39 Gripen fighters escorting a Russian Kilo‑class diesel‑electric submarine as it transited the Kattegat on April 10, 2026. The encounter is part of an increasingly frequent pattern; Swedish officials say Russian subs now appear...
UK MoD Places Order for Skyhammer Low-Cost Air Defence System, First Deliveries Next Month
The UK Ministry of Defence has placed an order with Cambridge Aerospace for a "significant number" of Skyhammer low‑cost air‑defence systems, with the first units expected in May 2026 and full delivery within six months. Skyhammer is a tube‑launched, jet‑engine...