MiG-29 Parts Heist 🕵🏻‍♂️ | Ejection Seat Ride | B-2 Flyover |

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Edited by: Sidney McAlear

FLIGHT LINE

🎯 MiG-29 Boneyard Break-In: Key Components Stolen off Fighters

A daring burglary hit a Hungarian Defence Forces base at Kecskemét, where thieves easily cut through the perimeter fence and removed specialized radar components from retired MiG-29 jets stored in what is colloquially called the "Jurassic Park" area. These aircraft, decommissioned in 2010, were kept in reserve. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: The person(s) who carried out this operation clearly had the knowledge, specialized tools, and significant time needed to target and extract key components of the MiG-29. This wasn't a smash-and-grab operation - removing radar components requires technical expertise and proper equipment. Kecskemét is an active military base with modern hardware, and these jets still hold considerable value. While breaking into a military base is not unimaginable, this feels like an "inside job" or, at a minimum, someone turning a "blind eye."

Hungary is a member of NATO, and on 9 August the Hungarian Minister of Defense posted that JAS-39Cs, while forward deployed on a NATO Baltic Air Policing mission, intercepted and identified aircraft violating airspace…but made no mention of the type nor country of origin. Why does the Hungarian government consistently avoid transparency on these incidents, and why do they continually undermine efforts to support Ukraine? Recent reporting indicates the Orbán administration is supporting Russia by bypassing sanctions to facilitate aircraft repairs in Kazakhstan. As evidenced in various reports, Hungary's opposition parties regularly call out these actions, but the government never provides answers.

🎯 Accidental Ejection: A Bumpy Ride in an F-15D Eagle at Barnes Air National Guard Base

An unexpected ejection incident occurred during taxiing of a US Air National Guard F-15D Eagle at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, with the passenger appearing to have unintentionally ejected from the aircraft. The incident bears similarities to a 2019 case in France. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: Ouch. Getting a ‘surprise’ 20+ G’s to the body is not where you want to be. There will be the standard investigation, but I will venture out on a limb here and say the backseater most likely activated the seat inadvertently. Looking at the picture below, you can envision how this might have occurred. Throw in sensory overload for a passenger who is in an entirely new environment, and you can see how things went sideways.

P.S. Our Threat of the Day is the F-15…down below.

🎯 Propeller-less Plunge: $13 Million MQ-9 Reaper Dives into the Sea

A MQ-9 Reaper drone met a watery end in the Mediterranean Sea due to propeller failure, according to a report from the Air Combat Command. The incident occurred in December 2024, resulting in a complete loss of the $13.1 million unmanned aircraft. The MQ-9 was assigned to Creech AFB, was operated by a crew at Whiteman AFB, and took off from an undisclosed location in the European theater. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: The MQ-9 Reaper's lifetime Class A mishap rate is 2.32 per 100,000 flying hours over 2,673,310 total hours (up to FY21), while the manned F-16's lifetime rate is 4.1 per 100,000 hours. The majority (40%) of the RPA mishaps have historically been attributed to communication failures.

🎯 Singapore and US Abort F-15 Training Plan

Singapore's defense ministry and the US have mutually decided to abort plans to base Singaporean F-15 fighter jets on Guam for training. Operational analysis, site surveys, environmental impacts, and input from the public and government agencies influenced the decision. Despite this, some infrastructure upgrades at Andersen Air Force Base, such as a new aircraft parking apron and a fuel supply system, will proceed. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: Singapore is tight on space. Deploying jets outside their nation’s footprint is not new. For years, Singapore has maintained training detachments at Luke AFB, AZ (F-16s) and Mountain Home AFB, ID (F-15s). Luke has since closed, but Fort Smith, AR will be their new home for F-16 and eventually F-35 training.

🎯 B-2s Make Unexpected Pit Stop at Putin's Alaskan Landing Site

A B-2 bomber, flanked by four F-35s made a perfect time-on-target appearance for President Trump and President Putin as they made their way to the stage in Alaska. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: Will it end the war in Ukraine…doesn’t look like it. Is it a power flex, looks like it. I’m biased, but when you see all the might on display, it is impressive to see what the US military can accomplish.

Sidebar: The Lowdown now has its own YouTube channel. Check it out…

🎯 Poland's Falcon Gets a $3.8B Upgrade, Eyeing Top NATO Spot

The Polish Ministry of National Defence has signed a $3.8 billion Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) with the US government for upgrading its fleet of 48 F-16 Block 52+ multi-role combat aircraft to the advanced F-16 Viper configuration, also known as the F-16V. Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor, will partner with local supplier Military Aviation Works No. 2 to complete the upgrades in Poland. (more)

Lowdown Debrief: 1) This finally names the F-16 its true name, the “Viper” vs “Fighting Falcon.” 2) This is a big upgrade for the Viper, AESA radars, integrated offensive and defensive electronic countermeasure suite etc. The U.S. is upgrading its F-16 fleet with many of the same capabilities…it’s just a bit more compartmentalized.

🎯 Russian Ballistics Dance Past Ukrainian Defenses: A Dangerous Pas De Deux

The Russian upgrade of short-range ballistic missiles - including maneuvering flight paths and radar-decoy systems - is lessening the effectiveness of Ukraine's Patriot systems, according to a recent U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment. Notably, Russia's Iskander-M and North Korean-supplied KN-23s have been enhanced to execute quasi-ballistic trajectories and terminal maneuvers, making it harder for the Patriot systems to calculate their engagement. There's also an uptick in the use of decoys to overwhelm and confuse defenses. Furthermore, collaboration between Russia and North Korea is believed to have improved the accuracy of the KN-23 missile. This development is not just a concern for Ukraine, but also for the international community, as the Patriot is in service with numerous U.S. allies. (more)

SNAPSHOT

🚩 China may have been demonstrating that nuclear bombers are now a fully functional part of its strategic triad, alongside ICBMs and ballistic missile submarines. (more)

🚩 U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers, escorted by Spanish Air Force EF-18M Hornets, have arrived in Norway for Ally-led training operations. (more)

🚩 Air and Space Force budgets propose $2.3 billion in spending cuts in 2026, impacting over 5,700 civilian jobs. (more)

🚩 The U.S. Air Force is expanding its fleet with additional mobile command centers, designed to comfortably fit within a C-130 aircraft. (more)

🚩 The F-15C Eagle piloted by Cesar “Rico” Rodriguez, who famously downed two Iraqi MiGs in the 1991 Gulf War, has found its final resting place at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. (more)

🚩 Raytheon awarded new DoD contract for SM-2 Block IIICU All Up Rounds development program, with completion expected by September 2031. (more)

THREAT OF THE DAY (TOD)

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

Country of Origin: United States
NATO Designation: Eagle
Initial Operating Capability (IOC): 1976
Proliferation Countries: United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, Qatar
Produced: ~1,600 aircraft across all variants

Variants:
🔺 F-15A/B: Original single and two-seat variants
🔺 F-15C/D: Upgraded air superiority versions with improved avionics and engines
🔺 F-15E Strike Eagle: Dual-role fighter with advanced ground attack capabilities
🔺 F-15EX Eagle II: Latest version with modern avionics, weapons integration, and extended service life

Speed: Mach 2.5
Engine(s): Two Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan engines, each generating 23,770–29,000 lbs. of thrust
Range: ~3,450 miles (with external fuel tanks)
Radar and Targeting: Equipped with advanced radars such as the AN/APG-63 and AN/APG-82, capable of tracking multiple targets at long ranges with modern AESA upgrades

Armament:
🔺 Air-to-Air Missiles: AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder
🔺 Air-to-Ground Weapons: Precision-guided bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) in Strike Eagle/EX variants
🔺 Gun: M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon

“Fun” Facts:

• Holds an unbeaten air-to-air record of over 100 kills with zero losses.

• In 1985, an Israeli F-15 survived losing an entire wing in midair and still landed safely.

• The newest F-15EX is expected to serve into the 2040s.
  

✅ Answer: C

• USA – F-15C/D, F-15E, and F-15EX.

• Japan – F-15J/DJ (locally built under license).

• Israel – F-15A/B/C/D “Baz” and F-15I “Ra’am.”

• Saudi Arabia – F-15C/D, F-15S, and advanced F-15SA.

• South Korea – F-15K “Slam Eagle.”

• Singapore – F-15SG.

• Qatar – F-15QA.