From Balloons to Drones

Qatar Shoots Down Two Iranian Su-24 Fencer Tactical Bombers The Qatari MoD says the Qatar Emiri Air Force has shot down two Iranian Su-24s, as well as seven ballistic missiles and five drones. As the third day of

Qatar Shoots Down Two Iranian Su-24 Fencer Tactical Bombers theaviationist.com/2026/03/02/q...

UK Confirms F-35Bs Shot Down Drones as New Defences are Deployed for RAF Akrotiri The UK MoD has confirmed that its F-35B Lightning stealth fighters engaged and destroyed drones over Jordan, as it announces additional protective

UK Confirms F-35Bs Shot Down Drones as New Defences are Deployed for RAF Akrotiri theaviationist.com/2026/03/03/u...

Breaking: Israeli F-35I Shoots Down Iranian Yak-130 Over Iran This is the first time an F-35 has shot down a manned fighter jet. We will probably get more details throughout the day, but on Mar. 4, 2026, the Israeli

Breaking: Israeli F-35I Shoots Down Iranian Yak-130 Over Iran theaviationist.com/2026/03/04/f...

Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down In Apparent Friendly Fire Incident in Kuwait U.S CENTCOM has confirmed that three F-15Es have been shot down after being mistakenly targeted Kuwaiti air defenses amid Iranian missile and drone

Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down In Apparent Friendly Fire Incident in Kuwait theaviationist.com/2026/03/02/f...

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers Take Part in Night Strikes on Iran Radio communications on ATC frequencies revealed that four B-2A Spirit stealth bombers flew a round trip mission from CONUS for night strikes on Iranian

B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers Take Part in Night Strikes on Iran theaviationist.com/2026/03/01/b...

Early Cold War British Nuclear Targeting Planning Defence blog focusing on 21st century analysis of Cold War defence, security and continuity of government problems.

Early Cold War British Nuclear Targeting Planning thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com/2026/02/earl...

Call for Submissions: Wither Air Power Studies? 2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of From Balloons to Drones. To mark this anniversary, From Balloons to Drones plans to publish a series of articles examining the state of air p…

#CallforSubmissions: Wither Air Power Studies? balloonstodrones.com/2026/01/13/c... #airpowerstudies #warstudies #plsRT

Defining & Funding the USAF’s Role in Continental Defense Featured image depicts a Ground Observer Corps observation post on Vashon Island, Washington, circa 1956. Official U.S. Air Force Photo. AFHRA, IRIS 00501024. The concept of air and space-based def…

Defining & Funding the USAF's Role in Continental Defense afhrafromthestacks.wordpress.com/2026/02/20/u... #airpowerhistory

Mosquito Night Intruder Missions Audacious Covert missions alone over enemy territory, and my father, the teenage intruder

Mosquito Night Intruder Missions open.substack.com/pub/hushkit/...

#ResearchNote – The RAF Staff College (Overseas) at Haifa During its existence from 1922 to 1997, the Royal Air Force (RAF) Staff College was located in several different places. When the Staff College was initially founded in 1922, it was located at Ando…

#ResearchNote - The RAF Staff College (Overseas) at Haifa drrossmahoney.wordpress.com/2026/02/18/r...

Not today, but soon: fully autonomous air combat is coming | The Strategist Top Gun: Maverick begins with Rear Admiral Cain alluding to how Maverick and human pilots in general will have no place in the future of air combat. Maverick’s response is calm but defiant: ‘Maybe so,...

Not today, but soon: fully autonomous air combat is coming | Mustafa Bilal | www.aspistrategist.org.au/not-today-bu...

Not today, but soon: fully autonomous air combat is coming | The Strategist Top Gun: Maverick begins with Rear Admiral Cain alluding to how Maverick and human pilots in general will have no place in the future of air combat. Maverick’s response is calm but defiant: ‘Maybe so,...

Not today, but soon: fully autonomous air combat is coming | Mustafa Bilal | www.aspistrategist.org.au/not-today-bu...

Once unthinkable: Canada may choose a non-US fighter | The Strategist Canada may well cancel part of its 2022 order for 88 Lockheed Martin F-35As and replace them with Saab JAS 39E Gripens. One report suggests that Ottawa might cut the order in half and accept ...

Once unthinkable: Canada may choose a non-US fighter | Bill Sweetman | www.aspistrategist.org.au/once-unthink...

The Case for the Spitfire Being the Greatest Fighter of the Second World War That Mitchell & Smith Look

The Case for the Spitfire Being the Greatest Fighter of the Second World War, by @hushkit.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/hushkit/... #airpowerhistory

#ResearchNote – Changing Ranks? Rank titles and the structures associated with them are an important part of a military service’s identity and culture because they ‘define among others dominance, authority, as well as roles…

#ResearchNote – Changing Ranks? drrossmahoney.wordpress.com/2026/02/16/r... #airpowerhistory

#ResearchNote – Changing Ranks? Rank structures in the military are an important part of that force’s identity and culture because they ‘define among others dominance, authority, as well as roles and responsibility.’[1] Over time…

#ResearchNote – Changing Ranks? drrossmahoney.wordpress.com/2026/02/16/r...

Skywatch Volume 1: A History of the Royal Observer Corps, 1925 to 1939 By Kevin Wright The 1980s Royal Observer Corps training manual contained a short history of the organisation. This included a description of how Major General Edward Bailey Ashmore organised the ‘L…

Skywatch Volume 1: A History of the Royal Observer Corps, 1925 to 1939 helionbooks.wordpress.com/2026/02/08/s... #airpowerhistory

Interesting. SMH have just released the program for their 2026. Two notable patterns to highlight. First, a distinct lack of non-American speakers. Second, and I realise this reflects my interests, a lack of air power papers. The first may be a sign of the times!

#Interview – Sergeant Joseph Frantz: The First Aerial Combat Victory Editorial note: In 1976, Joseph Frantz, the pilot of the aeroplane credited with the first aerial victory in history, was interviewed by the Service Historique de l’Armėe de l’Air (French Air Force…

#Interview – Sergeant Joseph Frantz: The First Aerial Combat Victory balloonstodrones.com/2026/02/05/i... #airpowerhistory #ww1 #plsRT

#Interview – Sergeant Joseph Frantz: The First Aerial Combat Victory Editorial note: In 1976, Joseph Frantz, the pilot of the aeroplane credited with the first aerial victory in history, was interviewed by the Service Historique de l’Armėe de l’Air (French Air Force…

#Interview – Sergeant Joseph Frantz: The First Aerial Combat Victory balloonstodrones.com/2026/02/05/i... #airpowerhistory #WW1 #plsRT

The social history of a suitcase: tracing the lives of Royal Air Force prisoners of war through one captive’s keepsake This article examines a First World War suitcase lid belonging to Lieutenant Reginald Alfred Charles Brie of the Royal Flying Corps, later RAF, inscribed with his name, those of twenty-two fellow p...

The social history of a suitcase: tracing the lives of Royal Air Force prisoners of war through one captive’s keepsake www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1... #airpowerhistory #aviationhistory #aviationcultures

Of interest? @sophyantrobus.bsky.social @fasikcl.bsky.social @davidjair.bsky.social @ac1shaw.bsky.social @daccoulon.bsky.social @avculturesconf.bsky.social @justin-br0nk.bsky.social @drmeganekelleher.bsky.social @rafhistory.bsky.social @heatheratacts.bsky.social #airpowerstudies #airpowerhistory

Call for Submissions: Wither Air Power Studies? 2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of From Balloons to Drones. To mark this anniversary, From Balloons to Drones plans to publish a series of articles examining the state of air p…

#CallforSubmissions: Wither Air Power Studies? balloonstodrones.com/2026/01/13/c... #airpowerstudies #airpowerhistory #aviationhistory #AvGeek

Call for Submissions: Wither Air Power Studies? 2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of From Balloons to Drones. To mark this anniversary, From Balloons to Drones plans to publish a series of articles examining the state of air p…

Call for Submissions: Wither Air Power Studies? balloonstodrones.com/2026/01/13/c...

The Oral History Interviews of General Laurence S. Kuter Featured image depicts General Laurence S. Kuter seated for his 1974 oral history interview in his Naples, Florida home. AFHRA, IRIS 0105373. To begin the new year in celebration of the major first…

The Oral History Interviews of General Laurence S. Kuter afhrafromthestacks.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/g...

Ooh, pretty aeroplanes! #avgeek

#Acquisitions – Tactical Air Power and the Vietnam War While I was in the UK visiting family in Hampshire and Norfolk, I made a trip to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. As I was travelling by public transport to Norfolk, I stayed overnight, and the …

#Acquisitions - Tactical Air Power and the Vietnam War drrossmahoney.wordpress.com/2026/01/19/a... #airpowerhistory #vietnamwar

Call for Submissions: Wither Air Power Studies? 2026 marks the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of From Balloons to Drones. To mark this anniversary, From Balloons to Drones plans to publish a series of articles examining the state of air p…

#CallforSubmissions: Wither Air Power Studies? balloonstodrones.com/2026/01/13/c... #airpower #airpowerhistory #warstudies #plsRT

What does 2026 hold? 2025 in Review Ok, first, a quick review of 2025. I know I’m late, but I have been away on holiday for three weeks in the UK and Hong Kong, including a busman’s holiday to the Imperial War Mu…

What does 2026 hold? drrossmahoney.wordpress.com/2026/01/15/w... #airpowerhistory #amwriting