The Aviationist

The Aviationist

  1. Lebanese Army Captures Hezbollah’s Tu-143 Reys Jet Drones

    Hezbollah Tu-143 LebanonThree Tu-143 high-speed reconnaissance drones have been photographed during ongoing Lebanese Army operations against Hezbollah. On Sep. 23, 2024, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported the existence of converted Soviet-era jet-powered reconnaissance drones in the arsenal of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group, calling it the DR-3, discovered during strikes across Lebanon. More than a year later, […]

  2. Lockheed Martin Delivered 191 F-35s in 2025

    191 F-35s in 2025Lockheed Martin said it set a record delivering 191 F-35 Lightning II jets in 2025, clearing backlog deliveries in the process, with a global fleet that now counts 1,300 aircraft. Lockheed Martin announced that it has delivered a total of 191 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets in 2025, setting a new record that surpassed the […]

  3. Northrop Grumman, Kratos to Develop XQ-58 Valkyrie as CCA for the USMC

    Northrop Grumman Kratos Valkyrie USMC CCANorthrop Grumman will integrate its uncrewed and autonomous technologies onto Kratos’ Valkyrie for the USMC’s MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. Northrop Grumman and Kratos announced that they will work together on the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The two have been […]

  4. Chinese National Charged With Unlawfully Photographing Home Of U.S. B-2 Fleet In Missouri

    Chinese photographing Whiteman AFBFederal prosecutors say the suspect took images of sensitive military infrastructure at Whiteman AFB, home to the B-2 stealth bomber. A Chinese national has been charged in the United States with unlawfully photographing sensitive military infrastructure at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, home to the U.S. Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet. The […]

  5. F-35 Pilots Control CCAs in U.S. Navy’s Super-Realistic JSE Simulator

    Joint Simulation Environment F-35 Collaborative Combat AircraftThe Joint Simulation Environment is playing a key role in developing tactics and operational concepts for integrating Collaborative Combat Aircraft with the F-35. Advancing the effort towards integrating F-35A Lightning II fighters with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) recently integrated F-35s with the uncrewed systems in its Joint […]