The Aviationist

The Aviationist

  1. Two EA-37Bs Arrive at RAF Mildenhall on Possible First Operational Deployment

    EA-37B MildenhallTwo EA-37B Compass Call aircraft stopped at RAF Mildenhall for fuel during what may be the type’s first operational deployment abroad, reports suggesting Turkey as their destination. Two U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026. The aircraft departed on Mar. 30 from Davis-Monthan […]

  2. China’s Y-9FQ Next Gen ASW Aircraft Intercepted for the First Time Over East China Sea

    The Y-9FQ ‘High New 15’ made its debut at the Sep. 3, 2025, Victory Day parade in Beijing, and has now been intercepted for the first time by Japan. A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) Y-9FQ maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft was intercepted for the first time on Mar. 28, 2026 […]

  3. Spain Continues to Deny Airspace to U.S. Aircraft Involved with Operation Epic Fury

    Spain Denies US Overflight PermissionsSpanish newspaper El País reported further on earlier news regarding Spain’s position on U.S. military action against Iran, with the country’s Prime Minister confirming all related flight plans have been rejected. After a mass exodus of U.S. Air Force (USAF) aerial refueling aircraft from Spanish bases, frequently used by U.S. forces, in early March, it […]

  4. U.S. Navy Launches Competition for T-45’s Replacement with Final RFP

    Request for Proposals for the Undergraduate Jet Training SystemThe U.S. Navy has released the final Request for Proposals for the Undergraduate Jet Training System which will replace the T-45 Goshawk, confirming an accelerated schedule with a focus on costs. The U.S. Navy has released on Mar. 26, 2026, the final Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) program, which […]

  5. Trump Says F-35 Sale to Saudi Arabia Has Been Approved

    U.S. agreed to sell F-35s to Saudi ArabiaFor the second time, President Trump says that the U.S. agreed to sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia as relations between the two countries keep improving. For the second time since late last year, reports of U.S. acquiescence for the sale of F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has appeared, […]