March, 2026 Military Aviation News
03/06/2026
A Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) went missing from radar contact while flying over Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Thursday evening, officials said. “An IAF Su-30 MKI is reported overdue. The aircraft had taken off from Jorhat air base in Assam and was last in contact at 7.42 pm,” Defence PRO Lt Col Mahender Rawat said in a statement. He said search and rescue operations have been initiated to ascertain the status of the fighter jet.
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03/06/2026
Iranian fighter planes flying less than 100 feet above ground came within minutes of hitting the U.S. military’s largest base in the Middle East, CNN reported this week. The incident, which happened Monday morning, involved two Russian-made Su-24 bombers that were headed toward Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Several thousand U.S. troops operate out of Al Udeid, making it the main hub for U.S. operations in the region.
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03/06/2026
The British fighter jets are in the Middle East to defend the UK’s regional military installations, most notably on Cyprus. Royal Air Force (RAF) Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning stealth fighters have reportedly scored their first aerial victory, downing Iranian drones over Jordan this week.
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03/06/2026
The expanded production line comes even as the Air Force has expressed a desire to shrink its F-15EX fleet. This week, the United States Air Force lost three F-15E Strike Eagle fighters in a friendly fire incident over Kuwait as part of its ongoing Operation Epic Fury. Any loss of combat aircraft is significant—not only because of the immense cost of the aircraft, but because of the risk to the lives of the pilots and weapons systems officers. Fortunately, all six crewmembers ejected and were r
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03/06/2026
With the publication of a brief statement on its official website, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has confirmed that it expects to receive an additional batch of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to equip its Air Force, which will be delivered from France as part of a new military assistance package.
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03/06/2026
The announcement came after President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that US-Israel military operations in Iran were conducted "outside international law". "US aircraft providing operational support (not combat aircraft) have been accepted at the Istres air base in France," the general staff said.
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03/06/2026
NORAD scrambled a half-dozen American and Canadian fighters, along with six support aircraft, to intercept two Russian military aircraft that entered the Air Defense Identification Zone off the coast of Alaska and Canada on March 4. The response, which included fifth-generation F-35s and F-22s and Canadian CF-18s, is among the largest NORAD has mounted in the past decade and comes as hundreds of U.S. combat aircraft are massed in the Middle East for operations against Iran.
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03/05/2026
More than three decades after its air force effectively disappeared with the collapse of the Somali state, Mogadishu is now exploring what could become the most ambitious defence procurement in its modern history.
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03/05/2026
New reporting indicates a Kuwaiti Air Force F/A-18 Hornet may have been responsible for the downing of three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles over Kuwait on March 2. People familiar with the incident told Air & Space Forces Magazine that at least one Kuwaiti fighter aircraft is believed to have fired the missiles that struck the jets. The aircraft had previously been reported shot down in what officials described as “an apparent friendly fire incident,”.
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03/05/2026
Saab has said Canada could play a role in the development of future sixth-generation combat aircraft technologies, as Ottawa continues to review the scope of its planned acquisition of F-35A fighter jets. According to a CBC News report on March 4, 2026, the Swedish defense company believes Canada could become a partner in shaping next-generation air combat capabilities while positioning its Gripen fighter as a potential alternative in Canada’s fighter replacement program.
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03/05/2026
There is a way the U.S. could play hardball with Canada, if the Liberal government of Prime Minister Mark Carney decides it wants to limit its purchase of F-35s in favour of the Gripen.
Critics who favour the Lockheed-Martin stealth fighter have long argued that the Swedish-built Gripen would not be interoperable with American aircraft and the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
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03/04/2026
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that an Israeli F-35I fighter jet shot down an Iranian Yak-130 aircraft, marking what officials described as the first fighter-to-fighter aerial engagement of the ongoing war between Israel and Iran.
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03/04/2026
For years, U.S. and allied nation military planners have been seeking to improve planning, technology development and deployment of advanced systems for command, control and communications across all domains of a potential conflict space. This has been an acutely imperative concern for disparate nations conducting operations within each other’s airspace. Recent events in the start of U.S./Israeli military strikes on Iran, have profoundly illustrated the importance of this effort.
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03/04/2026
British F-35s shot down drones over Jordan within the past 24 hours, the UK government said. It marks the first time a Royal Air Force F-35 has destroyed a hostile target during operations. The Middle East has been locked in an air defense frenzy as Iran fires waves of missiles and drones.
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03/04/2026
If Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, currently targeted by Iranian strikes, were to take direct military action, it could significantly accelerate the process, effectively doubling the forces already deployed by the U.S. and Israel
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03/04/2026
The government of Malaysia has officially abandoned its plans to acquire F/A-18 Hornets from Kuwait, due to continued uncertainty on when the aircraft would be available and their long-term logistical support. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari told lawmakers on February 26, that the cabinet had decided to cancel the planned purchase during a February 6 meeting, following a technical assessment by a Royal Malaysian Air Force delegation that inspected the Kuwaiti aircraft in November 2025.
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03/04/2026
In recent talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby recently praised South Korea as a "model ally" for committing to increase defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic produce. And Seoul is truly stepping up. Defense spending increased 7.5% to $44.8 billion in fiscal 2026, the KF-21 Boramae fighter begins deliveries this year and the F-15K fleet is receiving major upgrades to ensure interoperability with U.S. forces.
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03/04/2026
France has deployed Rafale jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its bases after a drone hit a French facility, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said. The announcement comes as regional tensions continue to escalate following US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
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03/04/2026
The loss of three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles to apparent friendly fire over Kuwait earlier today underscores an enduring reality of conflict: despite advances in technology, high levels of training, and the most carefully prepared plans, casualties inflicted by the same side are always a hazard. Indeed, these are not the first blue-on-blue incidents involving U.S. and allied combat aircraft in the various campaigns since the end of the Cold War.
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03/04/2026
Three US F-15E fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait in the early hours of Monday (March 2) in an apparent friendly fire incident during Operation Epic Fury, the joint US-Israel campaign against Iran. All six crew members ejected safely and are in a stable condition – but “safely” is a relative term when you’re being blasted out of a stricken aircraft travelling at combat speed.
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03/04/2026
As part of “Project Overwatch,” Lockheed Martin has tested AI model integration into the F-35 mission system. This is the first instance of AI suggesting combat targeting in-flight, marking a significant milestone for human-AI collaboration in the cockpit. Of course, the AI involvement remains limited; there are no autonomous weapons, and the AI has no authority to pull the trigger.
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03/03/2026
The boss of Rolls-Royce has said he would welcome Germany helping to build Britain’s next-generation fighter jet, arguing it would bring in more business for the project. The aircraft, designed to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon, is a joint effort between the UK, Italy and Japan. Rolls-Royce is building the engine for the jet, which has attracted fresh attention as plans for a rival Franco-German warplane edge towards collapse.
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03/03/2026
Portugal quit the F-35 program last year amid political disagreements with the Trump administration, and has shown few signs of wanting to return. The United States ambassador to Portugal is reportedly attempting to woo Lisbon back to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, months after the NATO member withdrew from a deal to obtain the multirole fighter.
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03/03/2026
U.S. Central Command said American forces have used more than 20 types of aircraft, ships, missiles and other systems in strikes on Iranian targets as part of Operation Epic Fury. According to Stars and Stripes, CENTCOM said the operation involved “the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation.” The campaign began Feb. 28 in coordination with Israeli forces. U.S. officials said more than 1,000 targets were struck in the opening phase.
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03/02/2026
Iran has deployed Yak-130 advanced jet trainer aircraft in air patrol missions over Tehran, where the aircraft have been observed armed with air-to-air missiles and tasked with countering unmanned aerial threats. Reports citing aviation observers indicate that Yak-130 aircraft of the Iranian Air Force were seen conducting patrol flights alongside MiG-29 fighter interceptors over Tehran.
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03/02/2026
United States Central Command released new video footage showing precision airstrikes against Iranian military targets, including the destruction of at least two Su-22 fighter jets positioned at a military airfield in Iran. In a statement accompanying the video, U.S. Central Command said: “U.S. forces are taking bold action to eliminate imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime. Strikes continue.”
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03/02/2026
The Gulf state of Qatar says its air forces shot down two Iranian warplanes. The Qatari Defense Ministry said in a statement Monday that its forces downed two Sukhoi Su-24s, Soviet-era bombers.
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03/02/2026
Several U.S. military aircraft crashed in Kuwait on Monday, as Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and U.S. targets across the Middle East. The number of aircraft downed was not mentioned in the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry statement, reported by the official state Kuwait News Agency, nor was the cause of the crashes.
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03/02/2026
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula criticized U.S. policy on military assistance to Ukraine during a Substack Live podcast hosted by military historian Phillips P. O’Brien, arguing that Washington delayed providing key combat capabilities early in the war because American leaders were deterred by Russian rhetoric.
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03/02/2026
The Israeli Air Force is using its most advanced combat aircraft, the F-35I Adir, in strikes on targets in Iran. These aircraft are adapted to Israeli requirements and represent a customized version of the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II.
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03/02/2026
To maintain combat dominance across air, land, and sea, the multirole F-35 strike fighter is available in three major variants: a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, a short/vertical takeoff and landing (SVTOL) variant, and a carrier-based variant.
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03/02/2026
A Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jet has shot down an Iranian drone heading towards Qatar, the UK’s Defence Ministry has said. It is believed to be the first drone shot down by a UK fighter jet since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, prompting Iranian retaliation. A squadron of Typhoons was deployed to Qatar earlier this year.
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03/01/2026
Japan, the Philippines and the United States held joint military drills near the Bashi Channel, the waterway between the Philippines and Taiwan, for the first time earlier this week. The naval and aerial exercises were conducted under the framework of the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), and ran from Feb. 20 through Thursday.
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03/01/2026
Sweden’s military has confirmed that a drone disabled near a visiting French aircraft carrier this week was Russian, prompting France to condemn what it described as a “ridiculous provocation” by Moscow. The incident took place in the Oresund strait between Sweden and Denmark, as France’s flagship Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was on a visit to the region.
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03/01/2026
Against the backdrop of the European FCAS sixth-generation fighter program's collapse, talk has begun about participants seeking other partners. Among these is France's proposal to replace Germany with India. Various media, particularly Indian and Asian outlets, began spreading such information. Though this may seem strange from the outside, these countries may genuinely have more in common than it appears.
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03/01/2026
As tensions grow between the US and Iran, Anadolu has tracked dozens of jets and military aircraft heading to US bases in the Middle East. According to open source intelligence reports, there are more than 300 US military aircraft in the region, primarily distributed between Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, including carrier air wings 8 and 9 aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers.
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03/01/2026
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) reached a new milestone in its operational history with the first Air Defense Alert mission carried out by its modern F-39E Gripen fighters. The deployment, conducted from Anápolis Air Base (Brazil), marks a new chapter in the consolidation of the weapons system after achieving Full Operational Capability.
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03/01/2026
With some 200 fighter jets, the Israeli Air Force says it carried out its largest-ever strike sortie in Iran today. The extensive strikes targeted Iranian ballistic missile launchers and air defense systems, according to the military.
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03/01/2026
A Pakistani fighter jet crashed in Jalalabad in Afghanistan’s east, the Afghan military and police said on Saturday, after Islamabad launched air strikes on at least three cities in a flare-up of cross-border fighting. The United States voiced its diplomatic support for Pakistan’s actions after Islamabad said it would not stop strikes that were meant to pressure an Afghan government that it accuses of backing militancy.
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03/01/2026
After completing their ferry flight from Brazil and arriving at Teniente 2.º Mario Walter Parallada Air Base, located in Durazno, the Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya (FAU) officially presented its first two new Embraer A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft. The ceremony was led by the President of Uruguay, Yamandu Orsi, along with civilian and military authorities, officially marking the beginning of a new stage for Uruguayan combat aviation.
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