Oregon ANG F-15EX Drops Live Bombs: A Powerful First
Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing became the first operational unit whose F-15EX drops live bombs, achieved during Weapons Instructor Course training at Nellis on Aug. 27, 2026.
Read Story →The Aviation Diary
Category: Military Aviation
Military Aviation features breaking news on fighter jets, bombers, helicopters, military aircraft, air forces, naval aviation, defense operations, exercises, and aerospace technology worldwide.
Last USMC Harrier: Final Flight Ends 55 Years of Service
BuNo 166288, the last AV-8B Harrier II built for the U.S. Marine Corps, has been demilitarized and moved to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola for permanent static display.
Read Story →
Athens Flying Week Crash: Greek F-4 Phantom Kills Two Pilots
A Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom II crashed during a display at Athens Flying Week on Sept. 5, 2026, killing both pilots in one of the jet's final public appearances before Greece retires the type.
Read Story →
Egypt CH-47F Chinook Delivery: A Powerful Fleet Boost
Egypt's air force has taken delivery of the first five of 12 Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters under a $426 million deal announced at the El Alamein International Airshow, replacing its aging CH-47D fleet.
Read Story →
VMFA-533 F-35B Japan Rotation Begins at Iwakuni
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533 arrived at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, on September 5, 2026, marking the Hawks' first Unit Deployment Program rotation flying the F-35B.
Read Story →
F-35 Starshield SATCOM Targets 2031 Satellite Fielding
The Pentagon plans to equip the F-35 with Starshield-enabled satellite communications by September 2031, letting the jet share targeting data far beyond conventional radio range.
Read Story →
Turkey Eurofighter Training Begins Ahead of 2030 Jets
Turkish Air Force pilots began flying the Eurofighter Typhoon in the UK on September 7, 2026, years ahead of the first new-build aircraft due to arrive in Turkey around 2030.
Read Story →
Viper Shield F-16: L3Harris Completes First 35 Systems
L3Harris has completed the first 35 Viper Shield F-16 electronic warfare systems and assembled its first production pod, moving toward full-rate manufacturing for 233 systems on order.
Read Story →
Auto GCAS Super Hornet: Navy Sets 2027 Install Date
Naval Air Systems Command has set a schedule to install Auto GCAS on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets starting in 2027, with EA-18G Growler installations following in 2028.
Read Story →
Rivet Joint UK Operations: Powerful Return After 365 Days
A USAF RC-135W Rivet Joint flew from RAF Mildenhall for the first time in a year on September 2, 2026, after Middle East operations against Iran pulled the aircraft away from Europe.
Read Story →