The military alliance routinely scrambles fighter aircraft to intercept Russian warplanes that approach or fly near NATO airspace. NATO says the Russian planes it intercepts often fail to use their transponders and don't communicate with air traffic controllers or file a flight plan. NATO jets are sent up to identify them.

What distinguishes current programmes is a shift in scope. The Next Generation Air Dominance is explicitly defined by the US Air Force as a “family of systems,” combining a crewed fighter with uncrewed aircraft and networked capabilities to maintain air superiority in contested environments.

There’s a moment in 2013 when an Iranian F-4 Phantom unknowingly flew within reach of an invisible F-22 Raptor—and was told to turn back. No missiles, no dogfight, just a chilling display of unmatched air power.

The Austrians suspected something shady was going on. They were right.

NATO fighter jets escorted a Russian aircraft violating flight rules out of international airspace amid rising tensions.

While all eyes have been on the astounding Artemis II mission that sent humans back to the moon, NASA has been working on other projects that can help on Earth.