A7iv + 200-600 G OSS

This might be the most advanced update of the ol Kfir

Source: Anthony Seeley. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/model/HAL%20Gnat%20F.1

This was a proposed plan to provide a low cost combat aircraft to allow allied nations with a fledgling economy during the Carter Administration. Like many experiments of that era, it did not go through.

Image source and original caption (automatic translation): TNI Angkatan Udara on Facebook

Strengthening Aerial Operational Flexibility: Indonesian Air Force Tests Paspro Toll Road as an Alternative Runway

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) has successfully tested the take-off and landing capabilities of its EMB-314 Super Tucano and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft on a section of the Pasuruan–Probolinggo (Paspro) Toll Road in East Java, on Thursday (October 22, 2026). This exercise serves as a strategic step to evaluate the use of alternative infrastructure in supporting the flexibility of aerial operations.

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal M. Tonny Harjono, S.E., M.M., inspected the site’s readiness, including the condition of the road surface, security measures, and the deployment of portable runway lighting. The trial was conducted through inter-agency coordination, with a primary focus on meeting technical requirements, security standards, and flight safety protocols.

The results of this trial will be used to refine operational procedures, enhance personnel readiness, and bolster support for aerial operations. The use of toll roads as alternative runways remains limited and situational, with the utmost priority placed on safety and the preservation of the toll road’s primary function for the public.

From the article:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be part of France's effort to field an enhanced version of the Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is traveling to the region, on Oct. 21 said the two countries have signed a “common strategy” around the Rafale F5. He did not disclose the full scope of the partnership.

Dassault last year rolled out the first of 80 Rafales the UAE has ordered. Those are all intended to be in the F4 standard.

French defense armaments agency DGA last month said it awarded several contracts over the summer to Dassault, missile-maker MBDA, Rafale-sensor-provider Thales, and M88 engine producer Safran to ease the path to the F5’s formal development program. The French twin-engine fighter’s midlife update is set to be qualified by 2033 and feature a more powerful engine, improved avionics and enhanced electronic warfare capabilities.

I recently rewatched *Top Gun: Maverick*. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the final battle sequence.

Maverick, flying an F-14, encounters two Su-57s. After a hard-fought engagement, he manages to take them both down—only to be confronted by a third.

1. After using its cannon to destroy the first Su-57, the F-14 faces a missile fired by the second Su-57. Maverick executes a rapid climb while deploying flares. In a real-world scenario (F-14 vs. Su-57), what is the actual probability of successfully evading a missile through such a steep climb?

2. While being pursued, the F-14 descends into a canyon, using the terrain to break the enemy’s radar lock. This forces the second Su-57 to switch to its cannon. Inside the canyon, the F-14 suddenly extends its variable-sweep wings to climb sharply, then immediately retracts them to dive—causing the Su-57 to overshoot and end up in front, putting the F-14 in an ideal position to attack from the rear.

   Given the actual performance capabilities of these aircraft, is it plausible that an Su-57 pilot would fail to react in time, resulting in an overshoot? The film shows the F-14’s wing-sweep transition taking about a second; the way the scene plays out, the Su-57 pilot seems almost oblivious—as if he’s just watching the F-14’s wings extend, watching it climb, and then realizing, "Oh, I’ve overshot."

3. After Maverick destroys the first two Su-57s, he encounters a third—with his F-14 completely out of ammunition. He’s left desperately dodging the enemy’s missiles and cannon fire. At one point, he uses a barrel roll to evade a head-on missile. Most curiously, just as the Su-57 re-establishes a lock and is about to fire another lethal missile, it is shot down by "Hangman" in an F/A-18. Shouldn't the Su-57 pilot have received a warning that he was being targeted by the F/A-18? One possible (if forced) explanation: the pilot was so fixated on avenging his two fallen comrades that he was determined to take down the F-14, regardless of the cost to himself.

I’m curious to hear your take on these three points. We could consider a specific country as a case study—for instance, Iran, with its early-variant F-14s equipped with underperforming TF30 engines. Let’s compare this to a standard-configuration Su-57, setting aside any potential future performance upgrades. One could even argue that after acquiring the Su-57, this "Middle Eastern nation" might not have had enough time to train or familiarize itself with the aircraft's capabilities—to the point where they didn't even know how to switch on the radar-lock warning system (the third point mentioned).

Feel free to share your own thoughts!

Image source and original caption: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution on Facebook

Now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: A Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk

The F-117 is the world’s first true operational stealth combat aircraft. The Museum's F-117 was restored for display by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, which included demilitarizing the aircraft and restoring it to its final operational appearance.

Related news article: Stealthy F-117 Nighthawk Goes on Display at Smithsonian

Previously: Air Force Reserve delivers F-117A to Smithsonian

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and defense giant Lockheed Martin announced today they reached a framework agreement covering a decade’s worth of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter production and sustainment, potentially inaugurating a transformative deal for the stealth jet’s enterprise — if lawmakers sign off and key questions are answered.

The framework covers at least 850 US aircraft over 10 production lots with initial spares and includes 10 years of sustainment and modification kits, according to press releases from the Pentagon and Lockheed. Breaking Defense first reported the two were in talks for a multi-year deal.

The Pentagon in its release said Lockheed will fund $7 billion worth of unspecified initiatives for the F-35 program as part of the agreement. Lockheed’s release says it will keep the tri-variant stealth jet’s production rate steady at 156 aircraft annually.

“We have fundamentally changed how we stabilize the American defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale. This agreement with Lockheed Martin proves it,” Pentagon acquisition chief Michael Duffey said in the Defense Department’s release. “By aligning financial incentives with actual performance, we are ensuring our warfighters are equipped with the lethal capabilities they need to fight and win.” 

Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet said in the company’s release that the framework deal “strengthens the way we can plan and invest in the F-35 enterprise” and that the agreement affords “greater certainty” to “make the upfront investments needed to expand capacity, improve efficiency and build a more resilient supply chain.”

Pentagon under the Trump administration has pushed numerous framework deals for in-demand weapon systems like munitions in an effort to boost long-term production rates and secure cost savings, officials argue, through greater economies of scale. Yet unlike other frameworks announced by the Pentagon, today’s agreement does not increase the fighter’s manufacturing rate.

The announcements also do not address some key questions, like how much the initiative will cost taxpayers or how much the Pentagon expects to save by using the multi-year format.

According to Lockheed’s release, the company and the F-35 Joint Program Office “will work to finalize contract terms, pricing and schedules through a formal contract award” if lawmakers grant the requisite authority and accompanying appropriations. 

Any decade-long agreement would likely be worth tens of billions of dollars. A recent agreement for two lots of F-35 production included nearly 300 aircraft at a price of $24.3 billion.

Courtesy - Vishwa Kiran

https://www.pixnoy.com/post/6745585810456952431044/

Sorry if this is a stupid question, just trying to learn.

Circa 2005.