February, 2026 Military Aviation News
02/28/2026
US and Israel launch an attack on Iran, as President Donald Trump confirms "major combat operations" are under way and calls for a regime change. The Israel Defense Forces says retaliatory strikes have been launched by Iran towards the country - and explosions have been heard in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Trump has urged Iranians to "take over" the Iranian government, saying "it will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations".
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02/28/2026
Türkiye's defense industry reached a historic milestone with the export of TAI's Hürjet jet trainer to Spain, marking the first sale of a Turkish combat aircraft to a NATO and EU member country. Havelsan will supply full mission simulators as part of the comprehensive package, reversing decades of Turkish import dependency, The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.
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02/28/2026
December 2025 will be remembered as a pivotal moment in the modernization of the Argentine Armed Forces. In the span of just 48 hours, the country simultaneously restored its supersonic air capabilities and introduced a new generation of armored vehicles to its ground forces, signaling a decisive shift toward NATO-standard interoperability and modern operational doctrines.
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02/28/2026
Following the “12-Day War” with Israel in June 2025, the Iranian government accelerated negotiations with Russia and China to procure advanced missile systems. According to recent reports from the Financial Times and Reuters, these talks persisted even after the international arms embargo was reinstated in September.
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02/28/2026
The US has continued to increase its deployment of jets and military aircraft in the Middle East despite ongoing talks with Iran, according to open-source intelligence reports. More than 330 US military aircraft are now positioned in the region, a rise of about 10% in two days, mainly spread across Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The buildup includes carrier air wings 8 and 9.
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02/28/2026
In an extraordinary development, the United States deployed up to 12 F-22 fighter aircraft to Israel’s southern Ovda airbase this week after several of America’s Arab partners suggested they would restrict the U.S. military’s use of their territory for potential strikes on Iran. The deployment reportedly represents the first time U.S. F-22s have been positioned in Israel in anticipation of real-world combat operations.
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02/27/2026
Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan’s two largest cities on Friday, including the capital, Kabul, according to officials from both nations, escalating months of tension and border skirmishes into an open conflict. Beyond Kabul, home to six million people, the strikes hit the southern city of Kandahar — where the Taliban’s supreme leader, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, lives — and the border province of Paktia, according to Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban government.
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02/27/2026
The Air Force plans to put Collaborative Combat Aircraft in the hands of Airmen to experiment with the semi-autonomous drones this summer, Gen. Dale R. White said Feb. 25 at AFA’s Warfare Symposium. Col. Timothy Helfrich, portfolio acquisition executive for fighters and advanced aircraft, added that the Air Force will build on a demonstration earlier this month in which an F-22 flew with a surrogate drone, and fly a Raptor with one or both CCAs now under development.
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02/27/2026
The United States must destroy Iran’s air defense network before it can begin major air operations in the country. Fortunately, it has the tools to do it. The largest US military air and naval armada since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 is currently gathering off the coast of Iran.
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02/27/2026
A former F-35 Lightning II instructor described as an elite fighter pilot with decades of experience flying US military aircraft has been accused of conspiring to help the Chinese military. Major (Ret'd) Gerald Brown Jr, 65, was arrested in Indiana and charged with providing defence services to Chinese pilots without authorisation, according to the US Department of Justice.
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02/27/2026
Türkiye plans to acquire at least 12 additional Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft on top of the 44 units it announced it would purchase last year, adding vitality to the Turkish Air Force’s aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and a few F-4E Phantoms.
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02/27/2026
Thousands of critical avionics components have disappeared from an Italian Air Force warehouse in Brindisi. Euronews reported that investigators are probing the disappearance of nearly 2,500 aircraft components for military planes worth about €17 million. The missing items include electronic modules and systems for Panavia Tornado fighter-bombers, AMX International attack aircraft and Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport planes.
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02/26/2026
A Su-30SM fighter jet of Kazakhstan’s Air Force crashed during a training flight, the country’s Defense Ministry said. The crew ejected in time and survived. A special commission set up by the Defense Ministry has launched an investigation to determine the exact causes and circumstances of the crash.
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02/26/2026
Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the air war over Ukraine remains finely balanced.
Russia entered the conflict with a vastly larger fleet, yet hundreds of confirmed and unconfirmed aircraft losses, ageing legacy jets and limited replacement capacity have steadily narrowed its effective strength. Ukraine, despite heavy attrition, has survived through dispersal, adaptation and Western fighter donations.
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02/26/2026
Open-source data shows that more than 300 U.S. military aircraft are deployed to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) as tensions rise between Washington and Tehran. Hundreds of aircraft remain on standby ahead of a third round of indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.
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02/26/2026
The commander of Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) has said that he would like to field F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II combat aircraft to help the command meet its commitment to supporting the overall Air Force mission. AFRC commander Lt. Gen. John P. Healy was speaking at the Air & Space Forces Association’s annual Warfare Symposium, where TWZ is in attendance.
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02/26/2026
Sweden's Saab is preparing to make the first flight of an uncrewed fighter-sized demonstration aircraft in 2027. The project is gathering pace as the NATO member state solidifies a strategy for its future combat aircraft program by 2030 in a process that could see it partner with other nations or decide to go it alone.
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02/25/2026
A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed during a mission flight in the early hours of February 25, 2026, resulting in the death of the pilot. The aircraft, assigned to the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir, went down around 00:50 local time (approximately 22:50 GMT on February 24). Communication via radio and radar tracking was lost shortly after takeoff at 00:56, and search-and-rescue operations confirmed the crash, with wreckage located at the site.
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02/25/2026
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are accelerating production capacity of the B-21 Raider, delivering unmatched combat capability faster. The B-21 program showcases Northrop Grumman’s proven performance and relentless commitment to fielding advanced technologies and capabilities at the speed of need.
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02/25/2026
The US Air Force has conducted a live demonstration of manned-unmanned teaming, linking a crewed F-22 Raptor with an uncrewed MQ-20 Avenger in a flight test designed to explore how autonomous aircraft can support frontline fighters in future operations.
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02/25/2026
Northrop Grumman has officially named its YFQ-48A prototype Talon Blue, formally identifying the autonomous fighter drone developed under its company-funded Project Talon portfolio as part of ongoing work with the United States Air Force on future collaborative combat aircraft.
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02/25/2026
Two military pilots and two merchants have been killed after an army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in central Iran. The crash on Tuesday morning occurred in Dorcheh, a town in Isfahan province, where the army has a major airbase, according to state media, which said the cause was likely a technical fault in the aircraft.
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02/25/2026
The Air Force has entered the next phase of developmental testing for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, initiating disciplined weapons integration and captive carry evaluations using inert test munitions to validate airworthiness, safety and systems performance.
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02/24/2026
When the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle first entered U.S. Air Force service in 1974, it was designed with a single mission: to ensure air superiority against any adversary. Nearly five decades later, the F-15’s legacy is measured not only in speed and payload but also in adaptability, mission success and its role in shaping the capabilities of defense forces around the world.
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02/24/2026
The United States’ ambassador in Lisbon, John Arrigo, has urged Portugal to buy Lockheed Martin’s F-35, pushing the fifth-generation fighter as the preferred successor to the Portuguese Air Force’s aging F-16 fleet. made the remarks in an interview with CNN Portugal, framing the aircraft choice around NATO interoperability and arguing that joining the large and growing European F-35 user community would place Portugal among the continent’s “top tier” air forces.
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02/24/2026
The Chengdu J-10 represents a turning point in Chinese military aviation: the first truly modern, domestically designed multirole fighter fielded at scale. Often compared to the American F-16 or the Swedish Gripen, the J-10 symbolizes China’s transition from Soviet-derived platforms to indigenous design capability. And while the J-10 lacks stealth capabilities, it still serves as a central platform to the PLAAF’s force structure.
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02/24/2026
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has lodged a complaint with U.S. Forces Korea over a brief standoff between American and Chinese fighter jets, according to local media. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back contacted the USFK commander, Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, after learning of Wednesday’s incident, the Yonhap News Agency reported Saturday.
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02/24/2026
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is giving its U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft a new name: YFQ-42A Dark Merlin. Dark merlins, deadly falcons known for their black feathers and devouring of other falcons as prey, often collaborate in groups for maximum effect against their targets.
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02/24/2026
A crewed US Air Force fighter and an uncrewed jet-powered aircraft flew together recently, communicating and showing how autonomous drones might fight in a future air war alongside human pilots. US defense firm General Atomics, a competitor in the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Program aimed at developing and fielding loyal wingman-type drones, said on Monday that its MQ-20 Avenger, long a CCA stand-in, flew with an F-22 Raptor.
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02/23/2026
Nearly two years after their last flight, the future of the Argentine Air Force’s A-4AR Fightinghawk fighter-bombers continues to raise questions amid postponed decisions, budgetary constraints, and growing expectations over time. With the objective of restoring 18 aircraft, current planning aims to preserve the aerospace operational capability of the V Air Brigade, based in Villa Reynolds, San Luis.
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02/23/2026
The European aerospace giant, Airbus, stated its readiness for any potential bifurcation of the joint German-French-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project into two separate aircraft. The company claims it could independently realize a sixth-generation fighter if necessary, despite currently producing fourth-generation platforms only through international cooperation.
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02/23/2026
Lockheed Martin has spotlighted the contribution of Canadian industry to the F-35 program, highlighting the role of ASCO Aerospace Canada in producing complex machined parts. Approximately 30 Canadian companies are currently supplying specialized parts, technology or equipment for the F-35, described as the most advanced, connected and combat-proven fighter aircraft in production.
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02/22/2026
The Peruvian government has taken a new step toward modernizing the combat aviation branch of the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) by authorizing the first funds allocated for the acquisition of new multirole fighters, in a process that has yet to determine whether it will select the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70, the Saab Gripen E, or the Dassault Rafale.
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02/22/2026
A group of Block 52 F-16CJ Vipers belonging to the South Carolina Air National Guard was recently spotted heading east across the Atlantic as part of a huge build-up of U.S. forces ahead of potential strikes on Iran. Each of the Vipers was notably seen carrying an Angry Kitten pod, a new electronic warfare system that helps defend against anti-air threats, and that may now be headed for its first use in real combat.
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02/22/2026
The Indian Air Force's Tejas fighter jet fleet is under scrutiny following a recent crash during landing. This marks the third significant incident involving the aircraft, with the pilot escaping unharmed but the jet sustaining severe damage. Investigations are underway as the Air Force awaits delayed deliveries of an upgraded variant.
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02/22/2026
Iran is currently on the edge as a new phase of escalation takes shape through aircraft movements and deployment patterns. This shift is not a matter of speeches but the quiet geometry of power projection across the region. Satellite imagery has recently identified the presence of the Ilyushin IL-80, often called Russia’s “doomsday aircraft”. This plane serves as an airborne command post built for survivability during high-intensity conflict.
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02/22/2026
Sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) marked a significant milestone this week when F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 542 landed on the ship’s flight deck on February 10, 2026. The event represents the first time F-35B Lightning IIs have conducted operations aboard Kearsarge.
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02/21/2026
US fighter jets stationed in South Korea and aircraft from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were involved in a brief aerial standoff over the Yellow Sea earlier this week, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency on February 20. The incident occurred on Wednesday, February 18, when several US Air Force F-16s operating from Osan Air Base in western South Korea were conducting routine training flights over international waters.
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02/21/2026
When Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft arrived in the Middle East this week, it marked the latest chapter in a nearly 50-year flying history for the venerable jets. Better known as AWACS, for Airborne Warning and Control System, the E-3s play a crucial role as eyes in the sky and command and control platforms for U.S. and allied aircrews in combat zones around the world.
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02/21/2026
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked two Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Feb.19, 2026. NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3, and four KC-135s to intercept, positively identify, and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ.
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02/21/2026
An Iranian fighter jet has crashed, killing one of two pilots onboard, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said. The air force plane crashed during a late-night training exercise in western Hamadan province, IRIB posted on Telegram. "The cause of the accident is under investigation," it added. The incident comes amid massive US military buildup near Iran.
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02/21/2026
Germany is evaluating unmanned aerial vehicles for its upcoming project of an unmanned fighter-bomber, capable of engaging in air combat alongside manned aircraft, conducting ground strikes, and returning home even after losing communication with control systems, Defense Express reported on February 20, citing German outlet Hartpunkt
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02/20/2026
Additional US-made F-16 Fighting Falcons could soon find a nest in central Europe, as NATO member Slovakia is reportedly in talks to expand its program of record for the single-engine multirole aircraft. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico acknowledged this week that discussions were underway to expand Slovakia’s current order for 14 F-16s to 18.
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02/20/2026
The Trump administration is pressing Saudi Arabia for clarity on its potential participation in Türkiye's fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet program, with U.S. officials questioning why the Riyadh would pursue the Turkish jet when American alternatives are 'available'.
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02/20/2026
The US has deployed 13 warships and a large fleet of aircraft to the Middle East, with a second aircraft carrier also en route, setting the stage for a potential military confrontation with Iran less than a year after President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the country's nuclear facilities.
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02/20/2026
While there are many United States warships, those that are likely the best known are called "Enterprise." The U.S. Navy has been commissioning ships with that name since the first Enterprise defended American supply routes from the British in May 1775. The trend continues with the new USS Enterprise (CVN-80), the third Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth ship to be thus named.
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02/20/2026
Germany is considering ordering more U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, two sources told Reuters, a move that would deepen Berlin's reliance on American military technology as its joint next-generation fighter programme with France falters. One source said Berlin was in talks that could lead to the purchase of more than 35 additional jets. A second source did not specify the number. Both sources cautioned that the outcome was still uncertain.
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02/20/2026
Airbus is open to a “two-fighter solution” to break the deadlock on the future air-combat system that France, Germany and Spain are developing, Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said, as work on the next-generation fighter (NGF) that’s part of the program has stalled amid infighting between Airbus and Dassault Aviation.
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02/19/2026
Australia is moving ahead with the next phase of its MQ-28A “Ghost Bat” collaborative combat aircraft program. The country is expanding production as the system transitions from prototype testing toward operational capability, according to reports.
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02/19/2026
Last week, as President Trump ordered USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, to move to the Persian Gulf, where USS Abraham Lincoln is already deployed along with nine other US warships, a Chinese foreign military attaché based in Tehran presented the commander of the Iranian Air Force with a mock-up of China’s J-20 fighter jet.
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02/18/2026
This past summer, UAE Defense Undersecretary Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi climbed into the rear seat of a South Korean KF-21 Boramae prototype for a symbolic “friendship flight” over Sacheon Air Base in South Korea. A few months later, during President Lee Jae-myung’s visit to Abu Dhabi, Seoul followed up with a far more consequential signal: a reported full value-chain partnership built around joint development, local assembly, and the co-export of future KF-21 variants.
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02/18/2026
The Army is one step closer to turning the AH-64 Apache helicopter into a drone-hunting tool. Soldiers recently carried out live-fire tests of a new explosive round specifically designed to take out enemy drones at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona.
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02/18/2026
The Indian Air Force is one of the world’s largest air forces and operates in one of the most complex security environments on earth. The IAF faces a two-front challenge: China to its north and east, and Pakistan to its west. And unlike many Western air forces focused on expeditionary operations, the IAF is built primarily for continental deterrence and high-altitude combat. Though modernizing aggressively, the IAF remains caught between legacy platforms, procurement delays.
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02/18/2026
Media reports that the Philippine government had declined to buy the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet may have been premature—though its high price tag remains an obstacle. Last June, the Philippines began reconsidering whether to proceed with the purchase of American-made F-16 Fighting Falcons, even after the sale had received US State Department approval.
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02/18/2026
Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in Turkey’s next-generation KAAN fighter jet program is attracting pushback from the administration of US President Donald Trump, which views the potential deal as cutting into Washington’s share of the kingdom’s arms market, Middle East Eye reported, citing current and former US officials.
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02/18/2026
The United States has moved more than 50 advanced fighter jets toward the Middle East over the past two days, a massive show of military force that coincides with a pivotal moment in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, according to open-source flight tracking data and a US official.
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02/18/2026
The Air Force has delayed delivery of the 18th Wing’s first F-15EX Eagle II fighters to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, according to the wing. The wing expects an updated timeline for the aircraft’s arrival this spring, according to an unsigned email from Kadena on Tuesday. The delay is due to a strike at Boeing’s St. Louis plant that occurred from Aug. 4 to Nov. 17, Ann Stefanek, spokeswoman for the secretary of the Air Force, wrote in an email Tuesday.
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02/18/2026
Australia is one of the pioneers exploring collaborative combat aircraft, or CCAs, as it throws its full weight behind Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat platform. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) already has eight Block 1 aircraft in testing. In addition, the first of three Block 2 aircraft ordered in February 2024 is currently performing ground testing and will fly soon, according to the manufacturer.
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02/16/2026
Russia’s Taganrog Aviation Scientific-Technical Complex named after Beriev (TANTK Beriev) reported a net loss of more than 5 billion rubles, or approximately $65 million, in 2025, according to financial statements published on Interfax.
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02/16/2026
Danish F-35 fighter jets landed in Keflavik, Iceland on Friday to train alongside Swedish JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, marking Denmark’s first contribution to NATO’s Arctic Sentry activity, which began on 13 February. German Eurofighter jets will also be based at Keflavik in the coming period, with all aircraft operating under NATO’s Joint Force Command Norfolk as part of efforts to strengthen the Alliance’s collective defence.
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02/16/2026
Nigeria’s Air Force said on Friday it is accelerating the acquisition of more than 46 advanced fighter jets, attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, reaffirming procurement plans first announced in July 2025 as Africa’s major military powers modernise their fleets.
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02/16/2026
International media reports at the weekend indicated that United States military aircraft and an initial batch of American troops have arrived in north-east Nigeria, in what many describe as a possible expansion of counter-terrorism cooperation between Nigeria and Washington.
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02/16/2026
Lockheed Martin’s F-21 is a proposed India-tailored evolution of the F-16 Block 70/72, marketed as a “fourth-generation++” fighter with modern AESA radar, upgraded cockpit displays, sensor-fusion style avionics, and open-architecture systems. A central selling point is “Make in India” production through an industrial partnership tied to Tata, with spillover into the global F-16 supply chain.
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02/15/2026
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) claims that one of its fighter jets was able to radar-lock a “foreign” stealth aircraft at close range. Initially reported by the PLA Daily (China’s official military paper), the incident reportedly occurred at a distance of 2,624 feet (800 meters).
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02/15/2026
Reports online indicate that the Russian Aerospace Forces have massed most of its Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name “Felon”) fifth-generation fighter fleet at Dzyomgi Air Base in the Khabarovsk region of Russia’s Far East, approximately 280 kilometers (174 miles) from the border with Manchuria (Heilongjiang). Satellite imagery shared by OSINT air analyst AviVector on social media showed multiple Su-57s at the remote facility.
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02/15/2026
Few air forces list their military pilot strengths, so estimating the number is difficult and requires estimates, sometimes broad estimates. But when doing so, an unmistakable picture of the US dominance emerges.
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02/14/2026
As part of discussions between Belgium and US giant Lockheed Martin for a potential deal covering 11 additional F-35A fifth-generation fighter jets, Brussels is pushing hard for hefty domestic industrial returns, according to the country’s defense minister.
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02/14/2026
The U.S. Marine Corps has released its 2026 organizational plans, outlining future steps for its aviation branch as units transition to new combat platforms and retire legacy aircraft. As part of an intensive modernization effort across the armed forces, the Corps will phase out the AV-8 Harrier vertical takeoff aircraft, which will fully give way this year to the F-35B.
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02/14/2026
Even as one door has closed for aerospace giant Boeing in recent weeks, another has opened. Only days after Indonesia announced it would not proceed with a deal to acquire the F-15ID variant of Boeing’s upgraded F-15EX Eagle II twin-engine multi-role fighter, reports circulated that Saudi Arabia had expressed interest in the aircraft instead. Riyadh has been a loyal customer of Boeing for many years.
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02/14/2026
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is in the "final stages" of negotiations with Saudi Arabia over the kingdom's potential participation in Türkiye's next-generation KAAN fighter program, with a decision expected this year, the company's CEO told Breaking Defense on Feb. 12. "It is in the final stages of decision-making process," Turkish Aerospace Industries General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu said at World Defense Show (WDS) 2026.
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02/14/2026
The Air Force is working with Collins Aerospace and Shield AI to develop the software Collaborative Combat Aircraft will use to fly missions alongside manned fighters, the service revealed Feb. 12—and drone-maker General Atomics was quick to announce it has already flown its YFQ-42A aircraft with Collins’ system.
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02/14/2026
Canada has reportedly begun making payments for “long-lead items” tied to 14 additional F-35 fighter jets despite a contract review triggered by US trade tensions and sovereignty concerns.
The purchases involve key components that must be ordered before the delivery of a fully assembled aircraft and were made to ensure that Ottawa maintains its place in the long queue for the stealth aircraft, according to unnamed sources quoted by CBC News.
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02/13/2026
Sweden will contribute JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft to the newly established NATO operation Arctic Sentry, aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and the High North, the Swedish Ministry of Defence said. The operation brings together ongoing and future NATO activities in the region to reinforce deterrence and stability.
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02/13/2026
India has approved the $39 billion purchase of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets, in an effort to bolster the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) operational readiness and modernize its military fleet. On February 12, 2026, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired under the guidance of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, backed the deal, along with the purchase of swathe of other military hardware including combat missiles.
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02/13/2026
Russia’s Rosoberonexport arms exporter indicated last year that two Su-57s had already been sold abroad. One of them may have been seen for the first time. A video circulating on social media appears to show a Russian Sukhoi Su-57 flying over a field in Algeria. According to media reports, the short clip, which first appeared on the popular Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok, was recorded by a potato farmer near the Oum El Bouaghi Air Base, located outside of Ain Beida.
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02/13/2026
Beyond China’s ostentatious display of its J-35A fighter jet at the Singapore Airshow was a lower-profile piece of equipment, the new Wing-Loong X combat drone, which experts say is far more likely to find international success. Beijing banked on Asia’s largest aerospace event, organized here from Feb. 3-7, to flex its aviation muscle, in a bid to attract more customers.
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02/13/2026
As the skies over Southeast Asia grow more crowded and contested with advanced military aircraft, small countries can no longer assume that geography and diplomacy alone will guarantee security. For Brunei Darussalam, this raises a difficult but increasingly important question: should it invest in fighter jets to defend its airspace, or focus instead on building a surface-to-air missile air defence system?
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02/12/2026
During a series of air exercises in December 2025, a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) J-16 fighter jet reportedly fired flares at a RoC Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon during the PLA’s “Justice Mission” exercises. The J-16 fired decoy flares towards the Fighting Falcon, which had been scrambled after the Chinese aircraft moved to cross the Taiwan Strait median line. The PLAAF J-16 then flew between the F-16s, which were seen as in the “firing position.”
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02/12/2026
A new policy paper by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies argues that the US Air Force must expand its fleet of next-generation combat aircraft substantially to deter or prevail in a potential conflict with China. Titled Strategic Attack: Maintaining the Air Force’s Capacity to Deny Enemy Sanctuaries, the report calls for procuring far more sixth-generation fighters and long-range stealth bombers than currently planned.
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02/12/2026
After completing at the beginning of 2024 the modernization to Block 70 of 139 aircraft, the Taiwan Air Force continues to advance in strengthening the combat capabilities of its F-16 fighters. The most recent milestone was the confirmation that Lockheed Martin will equip the Fighting Falcons with new Legion-ES infrared search and track systems —also referred to as IRST21— through a contract valued at US$ 328.5 million and encompassed within the United States Foreign Military Sales Program.
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02/12/2026
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has been competitively selected by the United States Marine Corps for evaluation in the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The agreement integrates GA-ASI’s expertise in autonomy and uncrewed aircraft systems with a government-provided mission package, using the YFQ-42A platform as a surrogate to assess integration with crewed fighters.
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02/12/2026
The Royal Air Force deployed six F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jets to a key base in the Eastern Mediterranean in anticipation of a military clash between the United States and Iran. The stealth fighter jets will bolster British air power in the region—and are expected to play an important role in a potential conflict.
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02/11/2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt earlier this month, marking fresh steps in the normalization of relations with key regional powers and opening the door to new defense deals. The first stop of the two-day tour was Riyadh, where Erdogan met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to official statements, both sides emphasized the need to activate existing defense cooperation agreements.
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02/11/2026
A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) J-15 was spotted fielding two YJ-15s, one of Beijing’s latest anti-ship missiles, in images circulated last week. Revealed during China’s 2025 military parade, the missile joins China’s existing stockpiles of subsonic YJ-83 and supersonic YJ-12 anti-ship cruise missiles, which have been deployed by Chinese fighters and bombers exercising for contingencies around Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan.
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02/11/2026
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is set to receive its first US-made Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets by the end of this year, according to an announcement at the recently concluded Singapore Airshow 2026. The program of record for the Southeast Asian city-state is for eight conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A aircraft, and for 12 short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs.
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02/11/2026
Saab is exploring arming the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet with the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS) as a low-cost counter-drone option. Observations from the Ukraine war — where cost-efficient capabilities instead of expensive missiles are better fielded against typically cheap but lethal enemy drones — have driven this move, the Swedish company’s executives informed Business Insider during the Singapore Airshow.
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02/10/2026
Negotiations with Saudi Arabia on potential cooperation in Türkiye's homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter jet program have reached the "highest level," according to the aircraft's developer, signaling that a partnership agreement could be announced as early as this year.
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02/10/2026
Azerbaijan has been linked in recent defense reporting to a possible interest in acquiring Saab Gripen E/F multirole fighters, amid broader efforts to modernize its air force. The reports suggest that Baku could be evaluating the Swedish-built aircraft as part of a large-scale renewal of its combat aviation capability, but no confirmation has been issued by Azerbaijani or Swedish authorities.
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02/10/2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on 8 February that Ukraine has secured commitments for 250 combat aircraft from partner nations, marking what would be a significant expansion of the country's air capabilities. Speaking with students at the Kyiv Aviation Institute on 8 February, Zelenskyy outlined the specifics of the agreements.
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02/10/2026
In October 2024, the skies over a European test range witnessed a landmark step in the evolution of air power. During an AI-supported joint surveillance mission, two uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) executed a complex, synchronised flight pattern that moved with the real-time precision of collective intelligence rather than pre-programmed routines.
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02/10/2026
Singapore: Sweden's SAAB has proposed to the Indian Government the creation of the world's most advanced aerospace industry, comprising multi-layered design, production and maintenance as well as induction of fighter jet Gripen E.
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02/10/2026
France is preparing to transfer Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine as part of expanded military cooperation aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s air force and air defense capabilities.According to a statement released by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry on Monday, Feb. 9, the plans were discussed during talks between Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin.
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02/09/2026
Morocco ranked fourth in Africa and 37th worldwide in a new 2026 ranking of the continent’s largest military aircraft fleets, with a total of 271 military aircraft, reflecting a strategy focused on qualitative modernization, multi-role capability, and operational readiness.
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02/09/2026
In the final week of January 2026, China’s state-run broadcaster CCTV released footage showing a PLA Navy destroyer launching electronic jamming missiles during a maritime encounter near Taiwan. The event, captured on video and distributed nationally, features one of China’s most advanced surface combatants engaging in electronic warfare procedures not previously shown to the public.
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02/09/2026
The Paraguayan Air Force intercepted a Bolivian Cessna 206 aircraft suspected of transporting cocaine. Two light attack aircraft – a Tucano and a Super Tucano – were used in the interception. According to preliminary reports, the incident began around 11:00 a.m. local time, when Paraguayan military personnel detected an “irregular” aircraft in the northern part of the country. During the interception, the aircraft was identified as a Cessna 206 bearing Bolivian registration CP-2088.
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02/08/2026
Canada’s military readiness is at a crossroads as Prime Minister Mark Carney reviews the Lockheed Martin F-35 contract amid escalating trade tensions with Washington. Expert Richard Shimooka warns that pivoting to the 4.5-generation Saab Gripen E would “institutionalize weakness,” burdening the Royal Canadian Air Force with a platform designed for a previous era.
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02/08/2026
Danish F-35 fighter jets have operated alongside U.S. and Canadian forces during Operation Noble Defender in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, according to the Danish Armed Forces. The annual operation is conducted by the North American Aerospace Defense Command to demonstrate and sustain air power under extreme climatic conditions.
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02/08/2026
Boeing has disclosed development of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat Block 3, a new version of its combat unmanned aircraft designed for Australia and aimed at expanding the aircraft’s strike and endurance capabilities. The Block 3 variant is to feature a scalable internal weapons bay capable of carrying one AIM-120 AMRAAM missile or two GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs, with the possible addition of GBU-53/B StormBreaker glide bombs.
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02/08/2026
As a numbers game, the US, China, and Russia have the world’s largest combat fleets, although there are layers of naunce that give these numbers meaning. Some air forces have old 1960s-era aircraft counted even though they may never fly again.
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02/08/2026
In the eerie dark nights of the Nevada desert, people have often seen an aircraft that looks less like a fighter jet and more like a bat plane. First flown in 1981, over the years, people had grown used to its alien-looking shape. The F-117 Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft. However, its recent sightings in the Nevada night sky are a mystery. The aircraft had been officially retired from the US Air Force (USAF) way back in 2008.
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02/07/2026
In a landmark deployment, six Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft and a contingent of more than 110 personnel from Skaraborg Air Wing F7 have arrived at Keflavík Air Base . This rotation, running from early February to mid-March 2026, represents the first time the Swedish Air Force have led NATO’s Icelandic air policing mission since their accession to NATO in March 2024.
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02/07/2026
Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jets, recently deployed to Somalia, arrived in the city of Mogadishu with the aim of supporting operations against the terrorist group Al-Shabaab, marking a new level of Ankara’s military involvement in the Horn of Africa country. The arrival of these aircraft represents the first time Türkiye has deployed manned fighter aircraft on Somali territory, expanding its role beyond training, advisory, and indirect support tasks.
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02/07/2026
A few weeks after the Air Force announced its prestigious William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Meet would return in March, the service has decided to postpone the event to later this year, according to Air Combat Command. “The decision to postpone the competition was made to maximize available resources, and [William Tell] is intended to continue in the future,” an ACC spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine, adding that a new date for the competition will be released as soon as its available.
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02/07/2026
The US State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of equipment and support services related to the ongoing sustainment of the nation’s extensive fleet of Boeing F-15 Eagle fighters for an estimated cost of $3bn. Approval of this prospective FMS was announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency – which handles most of Washington’s impending military export sales – after it had notified US Congress of the proposed multi-billion deal.
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02/07/2026
A French publication, L’Express, claimed on February 4, 2026, that Vietnam could be one of the Rafale’s next customers. The report claimed that Vietnam had already had the opportunity to secretly evaluate the aircraft in 2018 when two Rafales had a stopover in the country during an Indo-Pacific deployment.
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02/06/2026
Specialized anti-armor aircraft date back to World War II—but not all planes are well-equipped to take on ground targets. The idea of aircraft destroying tanks is deeply embedded in modern warfare. From World War II to the Ukraine War, air power has repeatedly been used to counter armored forces on the ground. Indeed, aircraft can be devastating against tanks or other ground vehicles—but a plane’s effectiveness against tanks depends upon a specific set of circumstances.
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02/06/2026
Saudi Arabia and Turkey are considering a joint investment in Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet programme, Kaan, with a decision possibly imminent, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday. “We are signing significant defence industry cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia, and we are determined to further strengthen them,” Erdogan told journalists while returning to Turkey following his visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia this week.
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02/06/2026
Two aviation companies under contract to develop armed, unmanned aircraft and control systems for the U.S. Navy teased what they are working on this week during the Singapore Air Show. Anduril will leverage elements for the Navy from the autonomous collaborative combat aircraft under development for the U.S. Air Force to develop unmanned aircraft for the U.S. Navy’s iteration of the program, according to company leadership.
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02/06/2026
Singapore's biggest aviation event offered a rare treat this year: the chance to see modern fighters used by the world's top three military powers, all tearing through the sky in the span of 90 minutes. The biennial Singapore Airshow typically features a flying display, where pilots from around the world showcase aerobatic skills and stunt maneuvers that push their aircraft to the limit.
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02/06/2026
Sweden’s Saab appears to be capitalizing on deteriorating political relations between the US and Canada by pushing for Ottawa to fly its Gripen E/F fighter jets along with US-made F-35s, and offering domestic production to sweeten the deal. In a call with investors today Saab CEO Micael Johansson claimed Canada was considering ways “not to be too dependent on the US by having a dual fleet, both F-35 and the Gripens.”
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02/05/2026
Ukraine and Sweden are discussing the prospect of arming Kyiv with Europe’s top air-to-air missile, the Meteor, which a Saab official said would be a “natural content” of a weapon package for Gripen users. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced last week that the country was discussing the potential transfer of JAS 39 Gripen jets and Meteor missiles to the war-torn country.
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02/05/2026
Aerospace giant Boeing has been awarded a $2.8 billion contract to modernize South Korea’s fleet of F-15K Slam Eagle jet fighters. The existing aircraft will be upgraded to the United States Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II standard—following a similar effort undertaken by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), which modernized its F-15Js to the F-15JSI (Japan Super Interceptor) standard.
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02/05/2026
Commenting on the speculation that Canada might revise its plans to acquire a fleet consisting entirely of F-35s, Mikael Franzén, Saab chief marketing officer for the Gripen multirole fighter, said his company is “responding to questions.” Advocating for the combined strength of a potential mixed fleet, Franzén said, “Gripen is strong on availability and adaptability and would give combat mass to Canada.”
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02/05/2026
In order to deny China “sanctuaries” from which it can launch air and missile salvos during a potential invasion of Taiwan, the U.S. Air Force needs to buy far more B-21 bombers and F-47 fighters than currently planned, according to a new report from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
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02/05/2026
The US administration is considering the imposition of sanctions on Algeria in response to the country’s acquisition of Russian fighter jets. The announcerment was made by Robert Palladino, the head of the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs on February 3 during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, according to Russia state-run news agency TASS.
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02/05/2026
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s absence from India’s flagship fifth-generation fighter programme has sent ripples through the country’s defence industrial ecosystem, but officials and analysts alike say the development reflects a deliberate restructuring of execution rather than a retreat from ambition.
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02/05/2026
The Dassault Rafale program is entering a period of sustained high-rate production, with export customers increasingly interested in acquiring the aircraft despite strong competition provided by the Lockheed Martin F-35, Saab Gripen, and Eurofighter Typhoon. The French fighter is thriving at the moment. Dassault closed out 2025 with a firm order backlog for 220 aircraft, including 45 for France and 175 for export customers.
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02/05/2026
The cost for the US and other militaries to keep newer combat aircraft ready to fly is going to soar in the coming years, a new report on sustainment trends argues. A new report from the American consulting firm Oliver Wyman projects global military aircraft spending over the next decade, including an annual sustainment cost growth of 1.1% through 2036. That's a pace roughly 11 times faster than the previous decade.
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02/04/2026
Turkish Air Force F-16 Vipers can be seen flying over the skies of Somalia in new videos that have emerged online. The deployment of these jets comes as Turkey is seeking to increase its presence in the troubled nation where the al-Shabab extremist group is wreaking havoc. One video shows a Turkish F-16 taking off, afterburner ignited, from an airport in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.
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02/04/2026
A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone as it approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. Later in the day, a Navy destroyer came to the assistance of a U.S.-flagged tanker that was harassed by multiple Iranian small boats as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.
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02/03/2026
The Canadian Armed Forces will participate in a ceremony in Texas on Monday to celebrate the imminent arrival of their first F-35 — as Ottawa has still yet to announce how many U.S.-made fighter jets it will ultimately buy. The event comes as the future of the CF-18 replacement program is under review because of the ongoing trade and political disputes between Canada and the United States.
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02/03/2026
Ukraine and Sweden have discussed the possibility of Stockholm sending Meteor missiles to Kyiv. The Meteor is considered a top European air-to-air missile, and it can be carried and fired by Gripen fighter jets. It would offer Ukraine a powerful new weapon to strike Russian aircraft from a distance.
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02/03/2026
China’s military aviation industry has shocked Western analysts repeatedly over the last few years, with designs such as the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation fighters and, more recently, the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-XX sixth-generation fighter prototypes. The speed of technological advance has led to a major leap in China’s military capabilities, and with the latest revelations, the country's aerospace industry is showing no signs of slowing down.
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02/02/2026
Peru is advancing toward selecting the Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 70 Viper as its preferred next-generation fighter jet, officials and defence sources told local media, marking a significant pivot in Lima’s long-running effort to modernise the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) combat fleet.
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02/02/2026
Modern combat aircraft increasingly carry weapons bays internally rather than on external pylons. Internal weapons bays are closely associated with reducing radar cross-sections (RCS), improving a plane’s stealth capabilities. However, the bays’ purpose is broader than radar evasion. While complex and in certain respects constraining, internal weapons bays are becoming an increasingly popular design choice for modern fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft.
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02/02/2026
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has contracted Sabena Aerospace to maintain European F-16 fighter jet engines and manage materials supporting Ukraine’s growing fleet. The agreement funds intermediate and depot-level maintenance for donated aircraft, strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capacity as more F-16s enter service.
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02/02/2026
Lockheed Martin has completed the inaugural flight demonstration of its Sniper Networked Targeting Pod, validating real-time data sharing between two F-16 fighter aircraft. The test reflects the growing operational demand for integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance functions executed simultaneously rather than sequentially.
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02/02/2026
The Belarusian Air Force has received a new batch of modern Su-30SM2 fighter jets. The country’s Ministry of Defense reported this on its Telegram channel. However, based on the size of previous deliveries to Belarus, it is likely one or two fighters.The exact number of aircraft delivered is not confirmed.
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02/01/2026
TheSouth Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has launched the final phase of testing and evaluation for the domestically developed Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar intended for the KF-21 Boramae fighter, with the aim of verifying its multi-mode operational capabilities prior to full entry into service.
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02/01/2026
Every year, the Royal Air Force joins the United States and partner forces on Exercise Red Flag. It’s one of the world’s toughest air combat training environments, allowing participating nations to hone their war-fighting skills. The Exercise was established in 1975 after the Vietnam War showed that the first ten combat missions flown are the most dangerous for aircrew. Red Flag recreates the first ten missions of a modern air campaign to provide pilots and crew with realistic combat scenarios.
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