Another article on the first production Su-57 crash.
PAK-DA:
Supposedly (in russian), a contract was signed in 2017. Testing of three prototypes is supposed to happen starting this fall (2020). Development is supposed to continue through 2026. State testing is supposed to take place between 2026 to 2028.
Chinese Stealth Aircraft:
Chinese aviation watchers are expecting to see new aircraft this year.
5GAT:
The USAFA and Sierra Nevada designed and built the 5GAT 5th gen target drone. It might be useable as a Loyal Wingman.
RQ-180:
Aviation Week has a surprisingly detailed article about the RQ-180. This is the unmanned aircraft which may have been spotted last August. 6th Generation Fighters:
The USAF's NGAD has been redirected to promote the 'Digital Industrial Revolution' for manufacturing.
The USAF's NGAD has a PEO and has set up the program office in general.
The USAF's advanced engine plans have hit a funding snag.
The RAF's chief of staff has endorsed the American 'Digital Century series' fighter program.
The FCAS companies are urging their governments to move forward with the program.
France and German signed a deal regarding weapon exports. The FCAS is probably one of the weapons covered.
China's reported plan to put a ISR drone on its carriers makes sense to some.
China's Sharp Sword carrier based UAV is claimed to be entering service by the end of the year. It may be the aircraft may NOT be carrier based, but in service already. It did get displayed at the October 1st military parade.
The USAF tweeted a photo of the B-2 stating it would be the last thing Area 51 Raiders would see if they had actually tried. The USAF later apologized.
The USAF is working on a plan to fix the maintenance capability of the F-22's stealth tech.
The F-22 has some stunning images from its flights in Chicago.
Upgrades needed to the facilities in Germany so F-22s can be deployed there for long term have been cancelled as part of the funds transferred for Trump's stupid border wall.
The F-22 will not reach the readiness rates ordered by ex SecDef Mattis.
The F-22s from Tyndall are now active and integrated in Alaska.
F-35:
F-35s struggle with readiness rates. Parts availability and the oldest aircraft are the biggest issues.
MDBA unveiled its weapons concepts for the European FCAS project.
The fighter component of the FCAS project is now known as the Next Generation Fighter and will be designed to work with carriers in the same way as the Rafale from the get go.
The Tempest will probably have hypersonic weapons.
Thales and Aeralis have signed an MOU to develop a combat training system for the Tempest.
US experts opine on the NGAD.
The USAF expects to do a lot of modeling and simulation in support of the NGAD effort. This has always worked so well in the past (*cough*Zumwalt*cough*FCS*cough*). KF-X:
Jakarta is still trying to get concessions on the cost of their participation in the KF-X program.
Jakarta is also exploring trying to send commodities instead of money for their payment of the KF-X program.
Supposedly, the PAK-DA will be tested (if its ever built) in Zhukovsky. Article mostly talks about the other, older bombers Russia has.
Chengdu's Mystery Plane:
A flying pin from the Chengdu Aircraft company doesn't match with any known aircraft. Real? Trolling? What?
J-31/FC-31:
AVIC officials are upbeat on the J-31/FC-31 progress and eventual adoption by the PLA.
J-20:
The first J-20 has been assigned to a combat unit in Wuhu.
B-21:
Northrop has started building the first EMD B-21. There are additional test aircraft being built, which implies there were earlier demonstrators were flown. The first flight will be in late 2021.
B-2:
It is the 30th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2 bomber.
F-117:
NASA tested scale models of the F-117 in 1995 to see what would happen if the aircraft carried external weapons.
F-22:
Like the F-35, the F-22 will not reach the required 80% combat readiness.
Some great shots of the F-22 with aggressors were shot over Alaska.
There are some gorgeous videos of the F-22 and F-35.
The F-22 sent to Oshkosh had its RAM skin crumbling.
Israel is going to have to pick between the F-15X and F-35I in their budget since they do not have the resources for both.
Are Israeli F-35Is making strikes in Iraq against Iranian assets?
The Netherlands has plans to order another 8 to 9 F-35s.
Turkey has taken delivery of the S-400 missiles. Will Trump keep Turkey in the F-35 program? The Pentagon is planning on raiding the spare parts budget - which is already 15 years behind schedule! - to pay for removing Turkey from the program. Turkey is officially out of the F-35 fighter program by March 2020: Turkey cannot have the S-400 and the F-35. The Pentagon has started unwinding Turkey's involvement in the F-35 program. Of course, Trump found a way to blame Obama: fscking man up, Trumpster. Lockheed's CEO is stating the Turkish question is being addressed and is confident other customers will buy the F-35s built for Turkey. A refund and details of how Turkey will be removed are up in the air.
South Korea has had two more F-35As arrive in country: its 3rd and 4th out of 40.
The Franco-German FCAS effort might go down in flames over industrial fighting. Others are more optimistic about it. Some very optimistic. Some are not very optimistic at all, calling the FCAS anfdTFX potentially fantasies. A mockup will be unveiled at the Paris airshow and may have been already. Here's more info. Spain has officially joined the FCAS effort.
The USAF has admitted the F-22 will not reach the 80% combat readiness on time.
F-35:
The F-35 will take over half the fighter market over the next decade.
Lockheed and the Pentagon have reached a handshake deal over the next three LRIPs of $34 billion for 478 F-35s. The F-35A's price will fall below $80M each and is an 8.8% reduction in price for the A model. Unfortunately, the deal negotiated has Turkish jets included, but it might not be a big deal.
Immediately after the announcement, Defense News released what it claimed was a whole lot of damning reports on the F-35. Some of which are ancient news, but the news media picked it up. Others of which are of concern. Some are calling it a cluster bomb of problems. The timing is wildly interesting though. It was JUST after the handshake and the current acting SecDef is a Boeing ex employee who has been advocating for for buying a competing, less advanced, less capable fighter for a higher price (over $90M fly away and more for spinning up the whole thing)...from Boeing. Foxtrot Alpha continues the 'problems of the F-35' series.
Here's the Pentagon's plan to cut Turkey from the F-35 program. The 'unwinding' of Turkey's participation has begun. Turkish pilots are no longer training on the F-35 in the US. Turkey is angry with the letter from the SecDef. Ousting Turkey will cut F-35 sales to Europe by 20%. The US and Turkey are in close communication about the whole thing. The US has stated Turkey WILL lose the F-35 if they buy the S-400 SAM from Russia. Turkey says they will go ahead with the S-400 purchase and the other partners in the F-35 program condemn the US actions. Turkey will take delivery of the S-400 missiles within days. Oh, Erdogan, what have you done?
HASC wants an independent cost estimate of the F-35.
Watch the cockpit video of an F-35A performing a demo over Miami. The demo team seems to be changing minds about the F-35.
Another video shows how the F-35 pilot can 'see' through the fuselage of the F-35.
On the way to Italy, four USAF F-35As had to divert to Burlington International Airport.
The 34th Fighter Squadron is relocating to Mountain Home AFB temporarily.
A Luke AFB F-35 might have "accidentally" drawn the first F-35A sky penis.
The USAF is still trying to figure out what paint scheme the 65th AGRS F-35As will use.
USAF F-35As did their first deployment to Germany.
The USMC has received its first F-35C meant to fly off the Navy's carriers.
See some beautiful shots of the formation flying of the USMC F-35C with an F/A-18.
A little more on the US Navy deactivation of the Grim Reapers.
A lot of press has come out about the USS Ford and her sisters being unable to fly the F-35C from her decks. Congress has been unhappy about it. Turns out NONE of the USN's carriers - Nimitz or Ford classes - can accommodate the F-35C without significant upgrades that have not yet been done.
Rumors have it the US Navy will field an F-35C demo team in the 2020 airshow season.
Auto GCAS testing will be completed on the F-35C this month.
Australia's F-35s are expected to have IOC in December 2020.
British, American and Italian F-35s exercised together.
Canada has tweaked the rules for competitors for its fighter acquisition that will allow the F-35 to compete.
Was an Iranian general fired for hiding Israeli F-35s having penetrated Iranian airspace multiple times with impunity? Or is this more rumor nonsense?
According to Iran, Israeli F-35Is were rehearsing strikes against Iran.
Israeli F-35s exercised with other Israeli aircraft for the first time.
The second Italian F-35B being flown in VSTOL testing.
Italian F-35s participated in JS15, the largest exercise in Italy.
Italian and American F-35s were integrated using MADL during the Astral Knight exercise.
Italy's Valore Tricore 2019 has the F-35 front and center.
Japan will be buying at least 105 F-35s: 63 A models and 42 B models.
The JS Izumo will visit Vietnam for the second time. BAe thinks they are in a good position to do the upgrades to make the JS Izumo into the F-35B carrier.
Japan has officially ended the search for the downed F-35A. The pilot's remains have apparently been found. Japan thinks the probable cause for the crash was pilot disorientation. The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated the pilot may have ignored his instruments.
