Best book on modern military aircraft

[MinnieMountain]

I'm looking for a birthday present for DS's 13th birthday. He's obsessed with modern military aeroplanes.

Can anyone with a similar obsession/ relative who is recommend a really good, up to date book on them please?

Sub-question: or anything else in that vein that I would enjoy?

Jane's used to publish reference books so good the RAF used them.
Try the RAF museum shop and the IWM Duxford shop.
There was a shop in Covent Garden called Motor Books that had an excellent selection of military books. It was a while ago but worth a try.
Also try Firestreak Books, run by ex RAF Lightning and Tornado pilot, now photographer, Ian Black.
Good luck!

If they are really into technical detail then the Haynes manuals are great.

I've got one on Cassini, HST and the Eurofighter and all of them are excellent in terms of detail. You can get them for various planes/military stuff/ and technical things of interest like space probes and rockets.

They provide much more detailed info than just a standard book. I think they are around £15 each.

What is his favorite kind of plane ?

Would a magazine be an alternative? My child enjoyed Airforces Monthly magazine.

His favourites are the SR-71 Blackbird and the current Typhoon.

The Haynes manuals sound right up his street. The magazine too. He's recently stopped reading Beano.

Go to YouTube and check out Aircrew Interview, 10% True and Aircrew Debrief - these are channels that interview fast jet pilots from all over the world. I know Aircrew Interview has interviewed a Typhoon pilot.
I can also recommend Ward Carroll, who was a USN F14 Tomcat RIO and the Fighter Pilot Podcast with Vincent Aiello, he flew F18 Hornets in the USN.
If DS likes the SR71 check out Brian Shul, he flew F4s and SR71s.

One of my DC is obsessed with this video about the Typhoons - first time that QRA had been filmed.

Oops, I can't link but it's on YouTube - Fly with RAF's Quick Reaction Alert Crews by Sky News.