The Perch

Current losses count (confirmed): 1 SU-30MKI 1-2 Rafales 1 Mirage 2000 unconfirmed: 1 MiG-29

note: Second loss of a F/A-18 family of aircraft today, 3rd within this week

An F/A-18C Hornet crashed near Rovaniemi Airport in Finnish Lapland on Wednesday morning, according to a post by the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) on social media platform X. The FDF said the pilot ejected from the plane before the crash and had been located by rescue services. The accident occurred at about 10:50am (1 hour ago as of the posting of this message), with emergency services in the region receiving an alert about a "major air traffic accident" shortly afterwards. The pilot ejected and has been located and rescued Date: Wednesday 7 May 2025 Time: 10:51 Lt Type: Boeing F/A-18C Hornet Owner/operator: Finnish Air Force Registration: Unknown MSN: Unknown Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Location: Rovaniemi Airport, Finland Phase: Unknown Nature: Military Departure airport: Rovaniemi Airport (RVN/EFRO) Destination airport: Unknown

Wreckage of a downed Rafale

Pictures of the list of locations that the Indians struck during their nighttime raid, named "operation Sindoor", which occurred during the early hours of May 7th, 2025

Aircraft debris in Kashmir Valley, French words being present present on some of it. Potentially a Mirage 2000 or Rafale from the IAF

What appears to be the debris of a Snecma M88-2 from Rafale in Bathinda, India. Local Indian media outlets have already reported about the crash, stating that 1 person on the ground has died as a result of "secondary explosions" (potentially from unused ammunition/fuel going off), with 9 more injuried.

Second USN F/A-18 (this time a F variant) from the USS Harry S. Truman lost at sea Another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has been lost in the Red Sea, the second F/A-18 from the carrier that was lost in just over a week, It's not entirely clear what happened yet, as the investigation is ongoing, but two of the people said there was apparently some kind of arrestor gear failure as the jet was trying to land on the carrier, which caused the pilot and weapons systems officer to eject. They were recovered by a rescue helicopter and are both alive, but they suffered minor injuries. Separately, the Houthis reportedly fired at the USS Harry S. Truman, despite President Donald announcing an apparently ceasefire with the group hours earlier. It is not clear whether the two incidents are related. The loss of the fighter jet comes one week after another F/A-18 jet fell overboard the Truman. That time, initial reports indicated that the Truman made a hard turn to evade Houthi fire, which contributed to the fighter jet falling overboard.

It’s a Spartan 7WP Executive, used as a reconnaissance aircraft by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force. The 7WP was sent to China under Export C of A E2740 dated July 16, 1937, where it was delivered to China Airmotive of Shanghai. It was subsequently assigned to Squadron 13 of the Chinese Air Force. The identification number of 1309 represented the squadron number (13) and the aircraft number (09) assigned by that squadron. Thus 1309. The aircraft was operated by the Chinese Air Force from the date of arrival in the summer of 1937 through December 12, 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the hostilities generally regarded as the start of World War II in Asia. While piloted by Li Tianmin, Commander of Squadron 13, the aircraft successfully landed in Nanking, China, after sunset during a wartime blackout. While taxiing after the landing with limited visibility caused by clouds and the blackout, the airplane was inadvertently taxied into a pond that was located next to the runway. The pilot was uninjured.

Footage from the drone boat that fired the R-73 at the SU-30 whilst it was landing or taking off near the black sea. The pilots reportedly ejected and were rescued.

Developed under Raytheon’s Form, Fit, Function Refresh program, the AIM-120C-8 builds on the foundation of its predecessor, the AIM-120C-7, with key upgrades that address the evolving demands of air combat. The C-8 variant features 15 redesigned circuit cards in its guidance section, improving processing power and enabling continuous software updates to counter emerging threats. Compared to the C-7, the C-8 offers a 50 percent increase in range, largely due to an extended rocket motor and a more efficient flight path enabled by its GPS-aided navigation system. The missile’s high-angle off-boresight capability allows it to engage targets at extreme angles, giving pilots greater flexibility in dogfights.

U.S. approves AIM-120C-8 missiles for Saudi Arabia The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $3.5 billion sale of advanced air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, a move that strengthens the kingdom’s military capabilities and reinforces its strategic partnership with the United States. Announced on May 2, 2025, by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the deal includes 1,000 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, commonly known as AMRAAMs, and 50 additional guidance sections, along with a suite of support equipment and services. The principal contractor, RTX Corporation, based in Tucson, Arizona, will oversee the production and delivery of the missiles, pending final approval from Congress.