Latest news with #stealthjet
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Second UK F-35 stealth jet is forced to make an emergency landing weeks after another of the £88m warplanes was left stranded in India for a month
A British F-35B was forced to make an emergency landing in Japan just weeks after another of the stealth jets was left stuck in India due to a mechanical fault. The sophisticated £88million fighter jet was diverted to Kagoshima International Airport at around 11.30am local time on Sunday. It had been carrying out a sortie from the Royal Navy's £3.5billion aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which is spearheading the UK carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific. The warplane, one of around 24 embarked on the British supercarrier, reportedly suffered an engineering issue mid-flight and needed an emergency inspection. Footage of the jet shows it touching down at the airport at around 2pm local time, with the incident leading to the closure of the site's runway for around 20 minutes. 'The aircraft landed at Kagoshima Airport due to a malfunction,' Japan's defence ministry said in a statement. The jet is the second in the British airwing to suffer a technical glitch during the overseas mission to the Far East. In June, an F-35 was forced to make an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport in Kerala, in southern India, after hitting bad weather in the Indian Ocean. A British F-35B jet from HMS Prince of Wales made a precautionary emergency landing at Kagoshima Airport, Japan, due to a technical issue. The incident comes weeks after another F-35B from the same carrier was stranded in India. — Clash Report (@clashreport) August 10, 2025 However, the stealth jet was left stranded at the airport for more than a month after a reported hydraulic failure left it unable to take off. British engineers had to be flown out with specialist equipment to repair the jet, which was able to return to the carrier strike group on July 22. But the F-35's engineering woes led to it becoming the butt of a ruthless joke by Indian media, who mocked it for being left stuck at the airport. Kerala's own government tourist board turned the clapped-out fighter jet into a meme, posting an AI-generated poster poking fun at it. Pictured alongside palm trees and a fake TripAdvisor-style five-star review, the viral post said: 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend.' It was signed off by 'UK F-F35B'. The F-35s are the most costly defence programme Britain has ever indulged in, costing the taxpayers' billions of pounds. Last month the National Audit Office warned it will cost around £71billion over its lifetime - which includes aircraft, personnel and infrastructure costs. The Kerala Tourism board tweeted a tongue-in-cheek post about the stranded F-35 in June This is significantly higher than the Ministry of Defence's own estimates of around £18.76billion. Britain currently has 37 of the jets in service, against a pledge to buy a total of 138. One of the jets has already been destroyed following an accident in 2021 that saw it plunging off HMS Queen Elizabeth into the Mediterranean Sea. However, the programme, one of the most complicated engineering schemes in the world involving collaboration between the US, Britain, Japan and other global partners - has been blighted by problems. Plans to equip the jets with 'important weapons', including the integration of UK-developed missiles, and to assure the MoD that the aircraft retains its stealth capabilities, have been pushed back until the 2030s, the NAO warned. The full delivery of the first batch of 48 aircraft is also behind schedule due to a combination of financial pressures and problems relating to the global programme. It's meant the scheme is around two years behind schedule, with full operating capability expected to be achieved at the end of the year. Concerns have also been raised over the poor availability of the aircraft, which has resulted in fewer flying hours for pilots. In its report, the NAO warned costs for the project would likely continue to skyrocket, pushing the MoD further into a multi-billion pound financial black hole that has put a strain on spending for years. 'The MoD has spent £11 billion to date on its F-35 programme – more than it has reported, and more than it anticipated it would spend at the time of the 2013 business case,' the spending watchdog said. 'The NAO has also estimated the whole-life cost of the programme to the UK to be £71billion – considerably higher than the £18.76 billion the MoD has publicly reported.' The F-35Bs, built by aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, are prized for their short take-off and vertical landing capability. Britain has already lost one of its jets after it plunged into the sea in the Mediterranean during an accident on HMS Queen Elizabeth's deployment to the Far East in 2021. Queen Elizabeth's sister ship HMS Prince of Wales is currently on her maiden voyage to the region, having departed with the UK carrier strike group in April. The formation of warships, which includes a British Type 45 destroyer, Type 23 frigate, and support vessels - which includes foreign warships and reportedly an American submarine - is currently training with Japan's Self-Defence Forces and the US military until August 12. The deployment, dubbed 'Operation Highmast', is aimed at demonstrating Britain's commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific and its ability to operate alongside allies in the region.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
New Chinese Stealth Tactical Jet Breaks Cover
Recently emerged imagery largely confirms that China is now test-flying another tailless stealthy combat jet, although it isn't clear if this is a crewed design or one of its new advanced drones. A high-performance, highly autonomous uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV) with collaborative 'loyal wingman' capabilities is a major possibility. Still, based on the design, this could very well be yet another 6th-generation crewed jet — one that is similar to, or even would compete more directly with Shenyang's J-XDS (also nicknamed the J-50 by some) fighter rather than Chengdu's massive J-36 super-heavy tactical jet. This latest development once again underscores the frantic pace of Beijing's military aerospace developments, which include activities across a wide range of drone programs as well as advanced crewed types. At least five images of the new design have been noted so far. In each case, it's not clear where or when the imagery was taken. The quality and angles are historically typical of the first 'leaks' showing new advanced Chinese military aircraft, a practice dating back many years. None of the images provide enough detail of the upper part of the forward fuselage to reveal whether or not a cockpit is present. There are clear attributes to this design that point to the possibility that it is a more substantial aircraft, crewed or otherwise. Attributes The aircraft seen in the recently emerged images has a notably pointed forward fuselage and nose section that blends into the mid-set wing midway down the fuselage. The highly swept wing has cropped tips, and the trailing edge features a prominent triangular extension, with a 'w'-like configuration. There are no vertical stabilizers or other separate tail surfaces. The broad fuselage would appear to offer a fairly significant capacity for internal fuel and stores, although details of a weapons bay are not apparent in the available underside view. In all views thus far, the aircraft is seen with its tricycle-type landing gear extended, and it may feature twin-wheel nose gear, which would be indicative of a heavier design, or perhaps one intended for carrier operations. There is an air-data probe on the nose, a feature consistent with early flight testing. Overall, the design appears to be heavily optimized for low observability, in line with the two crewed combat jets that China debuted at the end of last year, and which you can read about in detail here. In various respects, it shares some striking similarities with the so-called J-36. Based on the frontal and rear views of the aircraft, two engine intakes and two 'humps' over the rear fuselage loosely point to a twin-engine configuration — which would be quite odd for a somewhat attritable loyal wingman drone — although many other details, as well as its overall scale, cannot be verified at this stage. Evidence for a crewed fighter If the new design features a cockpit, this would raise the possibility that the design may be a competitor to the Shenyang J-XDS/J-50 fighter, perhaps a product of the rival Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which is also responsible for the much larger J-36. Finally got my hands on this video! Crystal-clear footage of Chengdu's 6th-generation fighter jet soaring over Chengdu Airport. Absolutely amazing! #Chengdu6thGenFighter# — GaoFrank (@gaofrank75) April 23, 2025 It is clear that the J-36 and J-XDS are two entirely separate classes of aircraft, as we have described in great detail before, and that they are unlikely to be direct competitors in terms of basic design and mission goals. A Chengdu competitor to Shenyang's 6th-generation stealth fighter would make a lot of sense in that regard. It would also explain the similarities in the design between this new aircraft and the J-36. As we noted earlier, the general design looks similar in many ways, and especially the forward fuselage and nose section, as well as the general inlet configuration, to the J-36. The overall planform is also similar. A smaller twin-engine traditionally fighter-sized cousin to the J-36 wouldn't be a grand surprise. A selection could be made between the J-XDS/J-50 and this new design to yield a new jet for more traditional fighter-type roles. It's also possible that this is a carrier-optimized design. A medium 6th-generation fighter is another possibility, although this seems less likely. The scale is nearly impossible to judge with the available images. And the same one in cut-out form …(Images via @Captain小潇 on Weibo by OPPOFind 8) — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 Evidence for a drone Meanwhile, there is speculation among some long-term Chinese aerospace observers that the new aircraft is one of multiple Chinese counterparts to the USAF's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) 'loyal wingman' program. At the same time, it is TWZ's opinion that a more substantial and advanced unmanned combat air vehicle is perhaps a strong possibility, one that could still incorporate CCA teaming capabilities, but would also be better suited for independent operations. Andreas Rupprecht, a Chinese aviation expert and contributor to this website, told TWZ that he thinks the new imagery shows one of the country's CCA designs, although he notes that it's significantly different from the tailless design that was spotted flying together with a pair of Y-9 turboprop transports, in imagery that emerged last month. This other design, seen in the tweets embedded below, features a modified diamond-like delta planform combined with a much simpler trailing edge. For the first time, one of China's tailless CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) UAV/UCAVs has been spotted. — International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) July 20, 2025 As it seems, we maybe have first footage – including a brief video – showing for the first time one of China's CCA UAV/UCAVs accompanied by a Y-8/ the video: via @lyman2003 from Weibo)@HarpiaP — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) July 19, 2025 Rupprecht views rumors that the new aircraft is a possible crewed fighter or strike aircraft, possibly even a carrier-based swing-wing design, as nothing more than that. He also notes that among the Chinese aerospace blogosphere, there are persistent rumors of multiple CCAs in development to serve as 'loyal wingmen' for the new 6th-generation combat jets. Within China, these drones are informally termed 'teacups,' in contrast to the crewed 'teapots.' Allegedly another image of that mysterious CCA UCAV … however it could also be again just a stupid joke!So let us be skeptical & cautious instead of immediately assuming that it is a 3rd new "next-generation" fighter, a bomber or even a secret stealth swing-wing naval-fighter — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) August 4, 2025 The emergence of the new imagery comes soon after satellite imagery showing several likely CCA designs that should be publicly unveiled at an upcoming parade to be held on Sept. 3, marking the 80th anniversary of China's victory over Japan in World War II. A Google Earth satellite image taken on June 11, 2025, shows the drones at a military base in Yangfang, a suburb northwest of the Chinese capital of Beijing. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) regularly uses the facility to stage assets and train for large-scale parades. Although it's unclear from the satellite image whether the aircraft shown are mockups or real drones, there appears to be five new CCA-type designs, as you can read more about in our previous coverage. In addition, the same image reveals hundreds of vehicles, including what appear to be transporter erector launchers for large ballistic missiles, as well as previously identified drone designs, such as the GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV). Of those new CCA-type drones in the satellite image, four of them appear to be tailless with modified diamond-like delta and cranked-kite wings, while one looks to have a more traditional wing and tail arrangement. The designs range in length from approximately 30 to 38 feet (nine to 12 meters), and in wingspan from 20 to 35 feet (six to 11 meters). The fact that the drones in the satellite image are partly concealed by tarpaulins, as well as the relatively low resolution, means it's not immediately clear if one of them matches the new imagery of the drone being test-flown. A newer image (seen below) offers greater detail, but still there doesn't appear to be a direct match. However, with so many apparent CCA designs being developed, it wouldn't be abnormal to not include all of them in the parade. A new image was revealed showing the supposed to be CCA (loyal wingman) designs for the upcoming military parade. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) August 3, 2025 Regardless, it is now inevitable that CCA-type designs will be part of the Sept. 3 parade, which officials have already said will feature unspecified 'new-type combat capabilities.' It should also be noted that another next-generation fighter-like airframe or mockup with a modified diamond-like delta platform emerged at Shenyang's main plant earlier this year, as TWZ was first to report. While it's unclear if this is a crewed or uncrewed design, it certainly appears to be larger (roughly 50 feet/15 meters) than any of the possible CCA drones seen in the satellite image of Yangfang. At the same time, its configuration also doesn't correspond with either of the two apparent new tailless mystery aircraft that have been seen flying. Very clearly, China is busily developing a range of 'loyal wingman' type drones, as well as the crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities that will be required to operate them effectively. Among the first Chinese drones to be associated with these efforts was the aforementioned GJ-11 UCAV. This is widely understood to be a centerpiece of China's uncrewed combat aircraft plans. However, the GJ-11 is as much a UCAV as a CCA and will likely have other roles, including independent operations, beyond any teaming duties with crewed aircraft. Beijing has also revealed various other lower-tier uncrewed designs that have been designed specifically to operate in conjunction with crewed aircraft. Examples include the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's (CASC) FH-97 and FH-97A, which appear to be heavily influenced by the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie and Boeing Australia MQ-28 Ghost Bat, respectively. At the same time, there are many signs of Chinese programs to adapt crewed aircraft to operate closely with collaborative drones. The two-seat J-20S stealth fighter has been regularly depicted in official graphics as an airborne drone controller, a role that TWZ noted would be ideal for it when it first appeared. J-20 with loyal wingmen UCAVs — 彩云香江 (@louischeung_hk) September 21, 2021 The KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft is also widely considered to be envisaged as a key node within China's future crewed-uncrewed air combat ecosystem. Beijing has also explored using H-6 missile carrier aircraft as launch platforms for lower-end tactical drones, as you can read about here. H-6K drops multiple drones — 彩云香江 (@louischeung_hk) October 12, 2022 Right now, the developments in Chinese military aerospace are fascinating to watch, and the proliferation of new drone designs is likely a particular cause for concern among potential adversaries. These drones also make a highly intriguing parallel to the U.S. Air Force's CCAs. The first two of these, the General Atomics YFQ-42A and Anduril YFQ-44A, are in development, with first flights planned for next year. In the future, the U.S. Air Force and other branches of the U.S. military plan to field multiple CCA types acquired through iterative development cycles. The latest developments from China suggest that the PLA might well be planning something similar, and the Sept. 3 parade may well yield still more details in this regard. Ultimately, it seems China is also set on harnessing the potential of advanced autonomous aviation capabilities, aided by developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, to field drones that will be able to operate increasingly independently from crewed platforms. This could also include networked swarms, something that Beijing is actively working on for smaller-scale drones. With all this in mind, this aircraft could be a higher-performance counterpart to the GJ-11, capable of flying longer distances with greater payloads than smaller CCAs, as well as being more readily capable of independent operations. This would be a useful companion for longer-range aircraft, like the H-6, J-36, and future H-20 bomber. Until we get a better idea of the scale when it comes to this new aircraft, we just won't know for sure. What we do know is that the aircraft seen in the new images once again underlines the rapid pace of development in the Chinese military aerospace sector and its capacity to spring surprises on an increasingly regular basis. Contact the author: thomas@ Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
RAF jets a ‘disappointing return' on £11 billion cost as programme plagued by delays
Britain's £71 billion F-35 Lightning stealth jet programme has been plagued by significant delays, equipment shortages, and a critical lack of pilots and engineers, according to the public spending watchdog. Despite the National Audit Office hailing the F-35, used by the RAF and on Royal Navy carriers, as "significantly superior" to all previous UK aircraft, the £11 billion already spent on the project represents a "disappointing return" when measured against the Ministry of Defence's initial ambitions. While the F-35 is primarily a US endeavour, approximately 15 per cent of each aircraft's value is manufactured in the UK, securing an estimated £22 billion in contracts for British companies. The report said that 'due to failings of both the MoD and the global programme, the level of overall UK F-35 capability is currently lower than the MoD intended it would be by now at the time of its 2013 business case, and will be for several years'. The NAO said: 'In our view, the capability achieved for the estimated £11 billion spent to date is a disappointing return so far compared with MoD plans, even if other programme benefits have been significant'. As of June 2025, the UK had 37 F-35B aircraft in service out of an eventual planned total of 138, with the jets expected to remain in service until 2069 at a £71 billion whole-life cost, according to NAO estimates. But in 2024, the NAO said the 'mission capable rate' – the ability of an aircraft to perform at least one of its seven possible required missions – was approximately half the MoD's target. The 'full mission capable rate' – an aircraft's ability to carry out all its required missions – was only around a third of the target. The NAO said it was not disclosing the actual figures on national security grounds. The MoD has not been able to sustainably deliver its targets for aircraft availability, resulting in flying hours below the requirement for pilots. 'The MoD's short-term affordability decisions and serious global programme delays have hindered the delivery of aircraft and other supporting capability', the report said. There are 'major personnel shortages' across the F-35 force and 'serious gaps' in engineering roles. The report said delivery of the first phase of 48 aircraft, due by the end of April 2026, was behind schedule partly for financial reasons and partly because of global programme delays. The UK operates the F-35B variant of the jet which can fly from the two Royal Navy aircraft carriers, but it has set out plans to order 12 F-35As which can carry nuclear weapons but cannot operate from the warships. An MoD spokesman said: 'The National Audit Office 's report rightly recognises the world-class capabilities of the F-35 fighter jet, as well as its significant economic benefits – including £22 billion of work for UK companies, creating thousands of jobs. 'The programme continues to operate within its approved budget and the UK will have two full squadrons of F-35 fighter jets ready for deployment by the end of this year. 'We also recently announced we will purchase 12 F-35As, supporting 20,000 jobs in the UK, and join Nato's dual capable aircraft nuclear mission.'
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Incredible details of ‘world's most lethal weapon' emerge…Trump's F47 fighter jet boasts huge range & ‘double X' stealth
INCREDIBLE new details about the US jet touted as the "world's most lethal weapon" have emerged, setting out Trump's plan to rule the skies. The chief of the US airforce dropped bombshell new stats about the F-47 - designed to destroy anything China can fly. 6 6 6 General David Allvin posted a new graphic showing off America's "next generation of air dominance". He revealed that the incoming F-47 - named after Trump, the 47th president - will be operational in the period 2025-2029. There are two keys stats that mark out the F-47 as the most advanced US jet ever. First is the stealth rating; the next gen fighter is the first to be stamped with "Stealth++" - meaning it will be the most covert yet. And the combat radius was revealed to be at least 1000 nautical miles - much further than the next-highest figure of 690nm from the F-15E(X)E. The general defined the top speed as Mach 2+, which means it will fly at more than twice the speed of sound. We also learned that at least 185 of the F-47s are on order - matching the size of the F-22 fleet. General Alvin vowed that, with the next generation of airborne gadgets, the US air force would "continue to be the world's best example of speed, agility and lethality". He added: "Modernization means fielding a collection of assets that provide unique dilemmas for adversaries - matching capabilities to threats - while keeping us on the right side of the cost curve." The spanking-new jet was first announced back in March by Trump, alongside Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office. US military stages biggest EVER 'elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China At its launched, another key feature was flaunted. Embracing the development of new warfare technology, the F-47 will be accompanied by its own drone swarm. Program coordinators plan to use sophisticated robotic wingmen designed by Anduril Industries and General Atomics in the drones, according to Axios. Trump didn't confirm how much the project would cost, but a source close to the Next Generation Air Dominance pegged it at upwards of $20billion. A huge cash wad has been set aside to fund the programme and ensure America's air defences remain dominant. 6 6 Two months ago, Trump hailed these jets as 'the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built'. He added: "The F-47 is equipped with state-of-the-art stealth technologies, virtually unseeable and unprecedented power," and called the title a "beautiful name". "There's never been anything like it," he concluded. It's no wonder Trump approves of the name - as it comes from his own position as 47th president. However, he insisted that it was not his own work, but devised by his generals. The contract for the deadly new military aircraft was awarded to the struggling American company Boeing - replacing Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. This marked a major improvement in the company's fortune. Boeing will eventually receive hundreds of billions of dollars in orders over the contract's multi-decade lifetime. List of fighter jets used by the Air Force THE US Air Force uses four different F-series fighter jets. Here is an inside look at the top-tier weapons. F-15 Eagle - This is an extremely maneuverable fighter built to operate in all weather conditions. According to the Air Force, the Eagle can, "penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outright any current enemy aircraft." F-16 Fighting Falcon - This craft is more compact and can have several roles in the Air Force. It's quick and excels in air-to-air combat. The Falcon, "provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations." F-22 Raptor - The Raptor is the pinnacle of US air combat excellence. This model takes a more operational role in the skies with stealth capabilities that are ideal for recon missions. The jet assists multiple military branches and "cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft." F-35A Lightning II - This model is an upgraded version of the Air Force's aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II's. The jets, "bring with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate."
