3/22/2026 Taiwanese officials shown 1st F-16V jet due this year  Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. |
3/22/2026 Israeli fighter jet targeted by surface-to-air missile over Iran  An Israeli fighter jet was targeted by a surface-to-air missile during operational activity over Iran but was not damaged and completed its mission, the Israeli army said on Saturday. The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, also announced that strikes against Iran will "significantly escalate" this week, as Iranian media reports drone attacks on fuel infrastructure at Ben Gurion Airport. |
3/22/2026 All the special mission aircraft flown by the USAF and what they do  The United States Air Force (USAF) operates a range of military aircraft for various special missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. The 2026 Flight Global Report states that the USAF currently operates 167 special mission aircraft, accounting for over 27% of the active fleet operated by various US military divisions. This article explores the USAF special mission fleet and the roles these aircraft serve. |
3/22/2026 Taiwan tracks 8 Chinese naval ships and 2 military aircraft  The Ministry of National Defense tracked eight Chinese naval vessels and two military craft around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday and the same time Saturday. One of the sorties reportedly crossed the median line and entered the eastern part of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor Chinese activity. |
3/21/2026 Ukraine Seeks Mirage 2000-5 Jets From Qatar in Exchange for Drone Cooperation  Ukraine is seeking used Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from Qatar in exchange for help with interceptor drones, sources told Intelligence Online. According to the report, cooperation between Kyiv and Doha on counter-drone efforts has stalled due to disagreements over the Mirage fleet. Qatar has been trying for several years to sell its fleet of nine single-seat Mirage 2000-5EDA aircraft and three two-seat Mirage 2000-5DDA jets, which it purchased back in the 1990s. |
3/21/2026 U.S. Army Takes Major Leap into Future of Aviation with Delivery of First Autonomous-Ready Black Hawk  The U.S. Army officially received a groundbreaking H-60Mx Black Hawk helicopter, extensively modified to fly with or without a pilot at the controls. This next-generation "Optimally Piloted Vehicle" (OPV) now enters a rigorous testing phase, marking a pivotal moment in the Army's push to build a safer, smarter, and more versatile helicopter fleet for the future.
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3/21/2026 Ukraine says attacks hit military aircraft factories in Russia  The Ukrainian military has hit two aircraft factories in Russia with airstrikes, the General Staff in Kiev announced on Wednesday. The Aviastar aircraft factory near Ulyanovsk on the Volga River was attacked on Sunday night, the military said in Kiev. An air-conditioned hangar and a parking area, as well as several aircraft, were damaged, it said. |
3/21/2026 KF-21 Export Breakthrough: South Korea Sells 16 Fighter Jets to Indonesia, Shifting Indo-Pacific Airpower Balance as Mass Production Begins  South Korea’s first export of the KF-21 Boramae fighter to Indonesia signals a major shift in Indo-Pacific airpower dynamics as Seoul enters the global combat aircraft market with its first domestically developed 4.5-generation jet. |
3/21/2026 Netherlands to join U.S. Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme to enhance future unmanned air capabilities and integration  The Dutch Ministry of Defence has announced plans to take the next step in joining a U.S.-led Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme focused on developing unmanned aerial systems. State Secretary for Defence Derk Boswijk informed parliament that the Netherlands intends to sign a Letter of Acceptance to participate in the initiative. |
3/21/2026 Military Prepares to Accept F-35s Without Radars  The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with ballast, rather than an advanced radar in its nose, flew an acceptance flight the last week of February, Air & Space Forces Magazine has learned. The F-35B successfully completed the test flight at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility, a required step before the U.S. military could accept delivery of jets without their advanced radar. |