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U.S. and Philippine officials will hold “focused discussions” about selling the Philippine Air Force multirole fighter aircraft—one of several weapons systems the two countries discussed during a recent dialogue.  The talks are part of the U.S.-Philippines Ministerial Dialogue on April 11, where Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken …

US in ‘Focused’ Talks to Offer Multirole F-16s to Philippines Read More »

On March 14, two Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jets were attempting to harass an unmanned American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, when one of them — seemingly accidentally — crashed right into the drone’s rear propeller. In the days that followed, memes and internet jokes about just how poorly trained Russian fighter pilots are flooded social …

PUTIN’S PILOT CRISIS: RUSSIA IS RUNNING OUT OF WELL-TRAINED AVIATORS Read More »

The Air Force’s pilot corps is shrinking. The service was 1,907 pilots short of its 21,000-person goal for manned aircraft as of October, according to the latest data provided to Air Force Times. That’s nearly 260 more open pilot slots than it had at the end of 2021. A web of factors that include commercial airline …

Perennial pilot paucity puts Air Force in precarious position Read More »

AURORA, Colo.—The Air Force’s pilot training and safety enterprise is in the midst of a pivotal transition, with data analytics and high-tech simulators gaining ground but limited flying hours and related budget pressures a continuing issue, top generals said at the AFA Warfare Symposium.  The Air Force’s continued pilot shortage is among the drivers for change, as leaders …

With Flying Hours Limited, Simulation and Data Analysis Aid Pilot Training Read More »

Two Ukrainian pilots are in the U.S. undergoing an assessment to determine how long it could take to train them to fly attack aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets, according to two congressional officials and a senior U.S. official. The Ukrainians’ skills are being evaluated on simulators at a U.S. military base in Tucson, Arizona, the officials said, and they …

Two Ukrainian pilots are in the U.S. for training assessment on attack aircraft, including F-16s Read More »

Ukraine still has not received a solid offer for donated Western fighter jets to improve the capabilities of its air force. However, of the types available, it seems one has been consistently the forerunner, and understandably so — the F-16. This is primarily due to the type’s availability, ease of support and sprawling logistical infrastructure, the …

This Is How Long It Would Really Take Ukraine’s Pilots To Convert To F-16s Read More »

The demands for American military training is high. Yet, the program the United States has used to train partners around the world to fly is being cut without a replacement. The U.S. Air Force has an interest in building the capacity of partners and allies to expand U.S. reach and influence, but the security force …

INTEGRATED BY DESIGN: BUILDING A PARTNER AIR FORCE Read More »

If the U.S. can’t give Western jets to Kyiv, it’s got a plan B. In the last few months, the U.S. Air Force has modified Ukrainian MiG-29s to carry Western anti-radar missiles, turned U.S. strategic bombers into cargo carriers, and transformed airlifters into long-range strike aircraft, officials said this week, as Russia and the changing …

USAF Puts HARMs on MiG-29s, Cruise Missiles on C-130s, Cargo in B-52s Read More »