Air Forces Around the World: Capabilities, Rivalries, and History
Boeing Wins Navy FA-XX Contract
Boeing has been announced as the winner of the US Navy's 6-generation fighter, aka FA-XX. This now means that Boeing will produce the USAF F-47 and the Navy's FA-XX, effectively cornering the market for US sixth-gen fighter production. What does this mean for Lockheed...
Back to the Future: Inside Australia’s Apache & Black Hawk Strategy
Australia’s helicopter fleet is undergoing a striking reset—bringing in Apache, Black Hawk, Chinook, and Seahawk platforms that are, in some cases, older than the aircraft they replace. So why make that choice? Greg Furguson breaks down the strategic logic behind the...
How Good is Iran’s Air Power?
Today, the Middle East is once again on the brink of regional war. Tensions between Iran and Israel remain high. For a variety of reasons, the likelihood of a second, larger-scale conflict between the two nations is almost certain, with US involvement likely. What...
Night Stalkers | Helicopters of the 160th SOAR
Dive into the shadowy world of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the elite Night Stalkers who piloted the high-stakes US raid on Venezuela in Operation Absolute Resolve. From their origins post-Eagle Claw to mastering advanced helicopters like the MH-47G...
12 Squadron RAAF History
Number 12 Squadron RAAF has a long history, from the 6th of February 1939 at Laverton, Victoria, as a general purpose unit with Hawker Demon biplane fighters and Avro Anson maritime reconnaissance aircraft, to fighters, bombers, Chinook helicopters and now P-8A...
The Gulf of Sidra Incident
In the 1980s, United States Navy airmen make history. In two rare engagements, American crews face off against eastern bloc fighters off the shores of Libya. Flying the F-14, these engagements helped define aerial combat as it entered the modern era, and – coinciding with the popularity of Top Gun – help to turn the Tomcat into the unrivalled icon of 1980s air power.
HAL AMCA – India’s 5th Gen Aircraft
The HAL AMCA is India's indigenous twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to achieve air supremacy with advanced features like internal weapons bays, supercruise capability, diverterless supersonic intakes,...
Turkey’s TF Kaan
Turkey's TF Kaan, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, is an indigenous twin-engine fifth-generation stealth fighter designed to replace the F-16 fleet with advanced features like internal weapons bays, supercruise capability, AESA radar, and low radar...
Top Fighter Squadrons of WWII
Top fighter squadrons of WWII, including Luftwaffe's JG 52 with over 10,000 kills and aces like Erich Hartmann (352 victories), dominated skies using Bf 109s on the Eastern Front. Allied standouts like RAF No. 303 Squadron (204 kills in Battle of Britain) and US Navy...
How good is Venezuela’s Air Force?
How good is Venezuela's air force? Amid sanctions and economic woes, it fields 21 operational Su-30MK2 fighters for air superiority and strikes with R-77 missiles, plus 3-5 F-16s, but older Mirages are grounded. Bolstered by S-300 SAMs, SA-17s, and MANPADS for layered...
Indian vs Pakistani Air Power
Indian vs Pakistani air power compares India's dominant 715 combat jets, featuring BrahMos-armed Su-30MKIs, Meteor-equipped Rafales, and Tejas fighters for superior standoff strikes, against Pakistan's 450 aircraft like PL-15 BVR J-10Cs, F-16s, and JF-17s emphasizing...
Sixth-Generation Air Power
Sixth-generation air power features enhanced stealth crewed fighters with optional manning, AI-driven sensors, directed-energy weapons, and collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs) like Loyal Wingmen for networked dominance. Major programs include US NGAD/F/A-XX,...
The Real Top Guns of Iran
The real top guns of Iran showcase 1980s Iran-Iraq War F-14 Tomcat aces like Jalil Zandi (11 kills), Fazlollah Javidnia (12 victories, highest-scoring F-14 pilot), and Fereidoun Ali-Mazandarani (9-11 kills) overcoming sanctions through improvised maintenance and...
How the Bf 109 saved Israel
How the Bf 109 saved Israel unfolded in 1948 when Israel secretly acquired 25 Czech-built Avia S-199 variants of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G amid an arms embargo during the War of Independence. Nicknamed "Mule" for tricky handling with Junkers Jumo 211 engines, these...
Home Made Wings | Australian Military Aircraft Manufacturing
In this documentary we cover the history of Australian military aircraft manufacturing as described by Michael Nelmes from his August 2023 article in Wings Magazine. For more great articles check out Wings Magazine https://wingsmagazine.org/ Video note from Michael...
Australia’s Forgotten Aircraft Carriers
Australia's forgotten aircraft carriers highlight the Royal Australian Navy's post-WWII naval aviation era with HMAS Sydney (ex-HMS Terrible, 1948-1973, Korean War record 89 sorties/day and Vietnam troop transport) and HMAS Melbourne (ex-HMS Majestic, 1955-1982,...