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F-35B from VMFAT-501 crashes north of North Charleston

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An F-35B fighter assigned to U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) has crashed north of North Charleston. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely but the

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Zachary Ybarra, F-35B Lightning II pilot, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), performs aerial maneuvers during an airshow demonstration practice at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Aug. 21, 2023. VMFAT-501 and VMFAT-502, MAG 11, 3rd MAW, are the two components that make up the USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team, that perform across the country to demonstrate the capabilities of the fifth generation fighter and interact with the public. Ybarra is a Rancho Cucamonga, California native. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)

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North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un explores Russia’s advanced fighter jet factory

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s tour of Russia continued with a visit to an aviation factory specializing in the production of Russia’s cutting-edge fighter jets. The visit underscores Kim’s keen interest in advanced weaponry and marks another step in strengthening ties between North Korea and Russia, both of which are currently dealing with their own challenges concerning the Western world.

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MQ-4C Triton returns to Guam, strengthening maritime security

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The United States Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has touched down at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam for its second deployment in the Pacific theater. This deployment comes after Triton’s initial tour from January 2020 to October 2022, during which valuable lessons were learned and significant upgrades were made to this cutting-edge platform.


U.S. Navy Photo by CNAF Public Affairs
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Republic of Korea to acquire additional F-35 aircraft in $5.06 billion deal

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In a significant move to bolster its defense capabilities, the Republic of Korea is set to acquire a fleet of additional F-35 aircraft and related equipment in a deal valued at approximately $5.06 billion. The approval for this Foreign Military Sale, which includes up to twenty-five F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) aircraft, along with twenty-five Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines to be installed and an additional engine as a spare, was granted by the U.S. State Department.


Photo: RoKAF

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