China boasts plan to field ‘6th-generation’ fighter jet by 2035 despite not really having a 5th-generation fighter

The Chinese aerospace firm responsible for China’s premier fifth-generation platform, the Chengdu J-20, has announced plans to field a new “sixth-generation” fighter by 2035. This announcement comes on the heels of a joint French and German endeavor to field a “next-generation” fighter that was announced last week, as well as the U.K.’s announcement last summer […]

The Pic of the Day: F-35s and Super Hornets from the USS John C. Stennis

Two F-35B Lightning II, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, left, an F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151, and an F/A-18F Super Hornet, assigned to VFA 41, fly in formation over the Arabian Sea, Dec. 14, 2018. The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, Essex Amphibious Ready Group, and […]

Why the F-15X could be the F-35’s best friend in a near-peer air war

Ever since word first broke last summer that the U.S. Air Force was considering (at the Pentagon’s direction) the idea of adding a dozen or so new F-15s to their stable as part of their 2020 budget proposal, outlets have been clamoring to find ways to pit the new F-15X against America’s premier stealth fighter, […]

The Pic of the Day: A fifth-generation flock

A formation of F-35A Lightning IIs, from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, refuel over the Utah Test and Training Range as part of a combat power exercise on Nov. 19, 2018. The exercise aims to confirm their ability to quickly employ a large force of jets against air and ground targets, and demonstrate the […]

Watch: F-35 seems to stop in mid-air as pilot puts it into a flat spin

Back in December, the U.S. Air Force announced plans to form a new F-35A demonstration team, and soon footage of the team practice made its way onto the internet. If anyone was wondering what this new demonstration team would bring to the table, it seems clear now — with some acrobatic stunts the public has […]

What exactly is the F-35 ‘Beast Mode’ we keep hearing about?

The phrase “beast mode” wasn’t coined for the sake of the F-35. In fact, more often than not, you’ll find those two words adorning tweets about professional football players breaking tackles or in the caption under videos of street fights… so how did the the phrase manage to find its way into so many headlines […]

The Pic of the Day: A job with a view

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron fly over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco before returning to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 1, 2018. Since 1953, the Thunderbirds have served as America’s premier air demonstration squadron.   U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ashley Corkins

What exactly is the F-35 ‘Beast Mode’ we keep hearing about?

The phrase “beast mode” wasn’t coined for the sake of the F-35. In fact, more often than not, you’ll find those two words adorning tweets about professional football players breaking tackles or in the caption under videos of street fights. So how did the phrase manage to find its way into so many headlines pertaining […]

The Pic of the Day: Heritage flight over Alabama

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon and a Commemorative Air Force P-51 Mustang fly in formation Sep. 6, 2018, while flying over areas of Alabama. This formation flight marked the first time in history an all African-American formation between the F-22 (piloted by Paul “Loco” Lopez), F-16 (piloted by Rich “Sheriff” Peace) […]

The Pic of the Day: NASA’s F-16XL

NASA’s single-seat F-16XL on a research flight over the desert near the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The aircraft was most recently used in the Cranked-Arrow Wing Aerodynamics Project (CAWAP) to test boundary layer pressures and distribution. Previously it had been used in a program to investigate the characteristics of sonic booms for NASA’s […]

Claiming the Arctic: Russia to begin sending intercept fighters on North Pole patrols

For the first time since the Cold War, Russia has announced plans to begin flying regular fighter patrols over the North Pole with an eye toward intercepting American military aircraft. According to sources within the Russian Ministry of Defense, two squadrons of MiG-31BM intercept fighters will be tasked with conducting routine patrol operations over the […]