The Indonesian Air Force has formally brought the first four French-supplied Rafale fighter aircraft into service at a defence handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta. The ceremony was attended by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and included the transfer of six Rafales, four Falcon 8X business jets, one Airbus A400M MRTT, and one Thales GM403 ground-controlled interception radar.
Author: Michael
When the U.S. military launched its war against Iran in Feb. 2026, it did not just dismantle Iranian military capabilities. It shattered the illusion that the United States would consult with its closest allies and that an ally’s refusal to grant base access can stop an American war in motion. Rather than the much discussed “outward flows” of military assets from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East, it is the anticipated “inward flows” of U.S. military assets that could be more consequential in times of crisis.
Since its proclamation of independence from Somalia in May 1991, Somaliland has sought international recognition for the territories under its control. Despite functioning as a de facto independent state for years, it lacked any formal recognition on the international stage until recently, when Israel became the first state to officially recognize Somaliland as an independent state. On Dec.
Yemeni Ansurullah Coalition Forces have released footage confirming the shootdown of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft, marking the 27th Reaper shot down by their forces, and the 51st shot down in broader regional hostilities by air defences in Yemen and Iran collectively. The aircraft was shot down in the late hours of May 17, with footage confirming that it was carrying AGM-114 air-to-ground missiles. The missile type was designed for targeted assassinations with minimal collateral damage, and uses deployable blades instead of a traditional explosive warhead.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announced that on May 19 that the Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group to ad been dispatched conduct training exercises in the Western Pacific. The exercises will include long-range tactical flights, live-fire drills, support and cover operations, and comprehensive rescue operations, which aim to test and improve combat readiness.
The Pakistani Armed Forces have deployed 8,000 personnel and significant quantities of aerial warfare assets to Saudi Arabia to support its participation in the U.S.-led war effort against Iran, which has been ongoing since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on the country on February 28. Reflecting Pakistan’s uniquely high reliance on Chinese military equipment, equipment deployed has included JF-17 fighters, an HQ-9B long range air defence system, and two squadrons of unmanned aircraft which some reports have indicated may be of Chinese origin.
Lockheed’s F-104 Starfighter was one of the fastest fighters of the early Cold War, capable of Mach 2 on a single General Electric J79 turbojet, and was developed by Kelly Johnson’s Skunk Works after he toured air bases in Korea. The aircraft used a long, thin fuselage and very small straight wings to cut drag, but the same design produced brutal low-speed handling. West Germany became one of the largest operators of the Starfighter and lost a significant portion of its fleet to crashes, earning the jet the nickname Widow Maker. Italy flew the F-104 into the early 21st century.
The U.S. Air Force has just concluded its Checkered Flag exercise at Tyndall Air Force Base, a high-end air-to-air training event designed to rehearse the kind of war the United States expects against a peer adversary like China or Russia. Run by Air Combat Command and the 325th Fighter Wing, Checkered Flag puts up to 100 aircraft in a single battle, with around 50 flying as adversaries.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s lead Ford-class aircraft carrier, has returned to port after a 326-day deployment — the longest for any U.S. carrier since Vietnam. The 4,600-sailor crew fought combat operations in the Middle East and South America under Operation Epic Fury, crossed the Atlantic multiple times, and launched hundreds of sorties. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to Carrier Strike Group 12 — including the USS Ford, USS Bainbridge, and USS Mahan.
Summary and Key Points: Israel is moving to extend the range of its F-35I Adir stealth fighters after long-range strike operations against Iran exposed the limits of tanker-dependent airpower. A new $34 million agreement with Elbit Systems will develop external fuel tanks intended to increase endurance, reduce reliance on aging Boeing 707-based tankers, and give Israeli planners more flexibility for future deep-strike missions. The tanks appear likely to function as drop tanks rather than conformal tanks, allowing the aircraft to trade stealth for range when needed.