Platforms & Systems Archives - Page 2 of 10

A second B-21 Raider, the nation’s sixth-generation stealth bomber, joins flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base (Courtesy photo).

Air Force Reviews B-21 Crew Structure for Long Missions and Advanced Automation Integration

On 15 August, Gen. Thomas Bussiere, then commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, signed a memo that laid out his preferred B-21 crew mix. He argued that the Raider’s two-seat cockpit should usually carry one pilot and one weapon systems officer,

November 4, 2025

Naval Systems

Naval and Air Movements in Caribbean After Hurricane Melissa Landfall

Hurricane Melissa reached Category 5 strength near Jamaica and forced U.S. Navy units operating across the Caribbean to shift routes and stand clear of the forecast track. Defense officials confirm afloat and aviation elements executed storm-avoidance plans during mission tasking. “Despite these

October 27, 2025

Photo by Airman 1st Class Elijah Strickland

Aircraft

F-35 Proving Frontline Value as TR-3, Block 4 Upgrades and Vectis Teaming Advance

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 closed its first long F-35B combat tour in October with 1,099 sorties and 4,736 flight hours. NORAD pushed a mixed F-35 and F-16 package to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland from Oct. 7–11 to validate an Arctic

October 24, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Aaron Thomasson

Aircraft

Gripen E Joins the Swedish Air Force as First Operational Jets Enter Service at Såtenäs

The first operational Gripen E fighters are now in Swedish Air Force service at F 7 Skaraborg Wing in Såtenäs. The formal introduction took place on Oct 20, 2025. The first two airframes carry registrations 609 and 610. Defense officials confirm the

October 21, 2025

Photo courtesy of the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Aircraft

General Atomics Gambit 6 Adds Strike Power to the Gambit Combat Drone Family

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has added a dedicated strike version to its Gambit series of autonomous combat drones, unveiling Gambit 6 at the International Fighter Conference in Rome on 4 November 2025. The new variant brings a strongly air-to-surface focused configuration to

November 5, 2025

Space Systems

How Inversion Space’s Arc Could Deliver Military Cargo From Orbit in One Hour

Los Angeles-based startup Inversion Space is developing an orbital cargo-drop system for military use. Its Arc orbital supply capsule is intended to send roughly 500 pounds of cargo from low Earth orbit to almost any point on the globe in about an

November 6, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alejandra Vega

Aircraft

HMS Prince of Wales Sets UK Record With 24 F-35Bs in Mediterranean Carrier Operations

HMS Prince of Wales has completed her Mediterranean work-up with 24 British F-35B Lightning II jets embarked, the largest number of the type yet fielded on a single ship and the biggest fifth-generation carrier air wing assembled by the United Kingdom. The

November 7, 2025

Aircraft

Germany’s PEGASUS Surveillance Jet Reveals Full SIGINT Layout on Global 6000 Airframe

Germany’s PEGASUS program has moved from drawings and component testing to a visible fleet in flight-test, and the first aircraft now shows the full external layout of its signals intelligence fit. The Luftwaffe’s new platform is based on the Bombardier Global 6000

November 7, 2025

Aircraft

New Su-57 Footage Reveals Loaded Weapons Bays and Stealth Strike Missile Loadout

New footage released on 9 November ahead of Dubai Airshow 2025 shows a Su-57 Felon flying with its internal weapons bays open and fully loaded. The aircraft is the T-50-9 prototype, bort number “509,” and the images give a clear view of

November 10, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Magbanua

Aircraft

Turkish C-130 Broke Up Over Georgia After Leaving Azerbaijan, Killing All 20 on Board

A Turkish Air Force C-130E Hercules that departed Ganja International Airport in Azerbaijan on 11 November broke apart in midair over eastern Georgia, killing all 20 people on board. Video shot from the ground shows the center section descending in a spin

November 11, 2025

Platforms & Systems - Page 2