4/16/2026 RAF scrambles jets after unidentified aircraft approached British airspace  The RAF scrambled two fighter jets on Tuesday after sightings of an unidentified aircraft approaching British airspace. The jets, which were launched from RAF Lossiemouth in north Scotland, were supported by a Voyager refuelling jet from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. An RAF spokesperson told ITV News: "RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched on April 14 from RAF Lossiemouth after unidentified aircraft were tracked flying towards UK airspace. |
4/16/2026 Greece scrambles fighter jets as 'Turkish planes with weapons invade airspace'  A NATO member has been forced to scramble fighter jets after another member state's planes infringed upon its airspace, according to reports. Greek media reports the country deployed fighters to intercept Turkish F-16s and a single CN-235 naval cooperation aircraft. |
4/16/2026 WILL CANADA GO FOR A SPLIT F-35-GRIPEN FIGHTER JET FLEET?  There has been a lot of debate and speculation on Canada’s F-35 file but Prime Minister Mark Carney has still yet to make a decision on which way he will decide. The main focus is on whether Canada will decide to go for a mixed fleet of F-35s from Lockheed Martin and Gripen fighter jets from Saab. |
4/16/2026 Russia Announces New Export Contracts for Su-57E Fighter Jets  During the opening of the DSA-2026 international arms exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed several export contracts for Su-57E fighter jets. This was reported on the company’s website. The aircraft has drawn interest from countries politically aligned with Moscow. |
4/16/2026 Saab is on the verge of withdrawing its proposal to equip the Peruvian Air Force with the new Gripen E/F fighter  Saab AB informed the Peruvian government that, unless it receives a formal invitation to submit its final proposal, based on the Gripen E/F fighter, in the competition for the Air Force’s new combat aircraft, it “will officially withdraw from the acquisition process.” Through a letter delivered to Peru’s Ministry of Defense on April 10, the Swedish company granted two business days to learn the decision on the matter, a deadline that expires tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15. |
4/15/2026 Russian fighter jets pose challenges  Norwegian fighter jets were reportedly sent out more than 40 times last year to identify and document a total of 53 Russian fighter jets flying close to Norwegian airspace. During Easter came reports of an unusually close encounter in the Arctic, which Norway regularly patrols on behalf of NATO. |
4/15/2026 The war in the Middle East delays the delivery of 30 Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets to Morocco by the United Arab Emirates  Despite the agreement reached in 2024, Morocco will not yet receive the French-made fighter jets, which have been deployed by the UAE’s air defence forces in response to the conflict in the Middle East. |
4/15/2026 The Iran war took a toll on the Air Force’s Reaper fleet  The MQ-9 Reaper, a staple for the U.S. since the turn of the 21st century, has remained a go-to asset for the military, even as recently as the war with Iran. But over the last few years, the U.S. has lost at least 35 Reaper drones — at least 16 were downed over Iran, 7 were shot by the Houthis in Yemen in Spring 2025, and 12 from other aircraft accidents recorded by the Air Force. |
4/15/2026 Why Can’t India Talk to Lockheed Martin About the F-35 Anymore?  Lockheed Martin can no longer directly offer the F-35 to foreign countries; all negotiations for its purchase must go through the US government. It is highly unlikely that India will ever adopt the F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation multirole jet fighter—but that will not be for want of trying on America’s part. Last year, in a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, DC, President Donald Trump pitched US military hardware to the South Asian nation. |
4/15/2026 United States: Air National Guard leaders urge Congress to fund up to 100 new fighter jets annually to modernize aging fleet  Adjutants general from nearly two dozen U.S. states have urged Congress to support multiyear funding for the Air Force to procure between 72 and 100 new fighter aircraft annually. The request is aimed at modernizing the Active, Guard and Reserve components with platforms including the F-35A Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, F-15EX Eagle II and F-47. |