Malaysia’s King Inspects Russia’s Su-57E Stealth Fighter in Moscow Amid Intensifying Global Fifth-Generation Airpower Rivalry
His Majesty the King of Malaysia (the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) Sultan Ibrahim today graciously attended a demonstration of the fifth-generation multirole fighter jet, the Sukhoi Su-57E, at Zhukovsky International Airport, Moscow. The fighter jet was piloted by Sergei Bogdan, the renowned 64-year-old Russian test pilot and recipient of the “Hero of Russia” title.
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UKRAINE AND SWEDEN EXPECT GRIPEN FIGHTER JET DEAL 'WITHIN MONTHS'
Ukraine and Sweden could finalize a deal for Saab Gripen E/F fighter jets within months, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said during a visit to Stockholm, according to Reuters . The two countries signed a letter of intent last year covering a potential order of up to 150 aircraft . Fedorov said Kyiv has now defined how it intends to fund the purchase.
NATO F-16s Scramble Over Baltic Sea to Intercept Russian Su-35 Fighter and An-12 Aircraft
Portuguese F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets intercepted Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission, NATO Allied Air Command reported on May 6. According to NATO, the Portuguese fighters intercepted a Russian Antonov An-12 transport aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet operating near alliance airspace.
Poland Becomes Eastern NATO's First F-35 Operator This Month Rebuilding Its Air Force Around It
Poland is set to receive its first F-35 Husarz fighters at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Lask in the third week of May 2026, becoming the first country on NATO's eastern flank to operate a fifth-generation combat aircraft. This was confirmed by Maciej Trelka, Deputy Inspector of the Polish Air Force, during the Defence24 Days conference in Warsaw on May 6.
Egypt deploys Rafale fighter jet detachment to UAE
Egypt has deployed a detachment of Rafale fighter jets to the UAE, according to an analysis published by The Pundit, in what appears to be the first public confirmation of an Egyptian combat-aircraft deployment to the Gulf state amid heightened regional tensions with Iran. The deployment was revealed during a visit by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to an Egyptian fighter detachment stationed in the UAE.
Taiwan tracks 22 Chinese military planes and 7 ships
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 22 Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and one official ship between 6 a.m. on Wednesday and the same time Thursday. The ministry reported 18 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zone, or ADIZ. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems.
Greece is interested in purchasing C-390 military planes, says minister
Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Thursday that Greece was interested in purchasing Brazilian-made Embraer C-390 military planes partly produced in Portugal. Dendias, who is paying a two-day visit to Portugal, was speaking after meeting his Portuguese counterpart, Nuno Melo, in Lisbon. "We had the opportunity to discuss many issues ... one of them was the possibility of purchasing the C-390 plane," Dendias said.
Pakistan Set to Receive First Chinese J-35 Stealth Fighters in 2026, Triggering Major South Asia Airpower Shift Against India
Islamabad could receive an initial batch of between four and twelve Chinese J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighters later this year, a development that would instantly transform Pakistan into the first export operator of Beijing’s next-generation combat aviation ecosystem and potentially alter the South Asian airpower balance before India fields its own stealth fleet.
Indonesia Becomes First Foreign Buyer of Baykar’s Kizilelma Drone Fighter With Ukrainian Engine
Indonesia has become the first foreign buyer of Baykar’s Kizilelma unmanned fighter aircraft, ordering 12 drones with an option for four more. According to Defense Express on May 6, citing Turkish defense outlet SavunmaSanayiST, the agreement was signed during the SAHA 2026 defense exhibition in Istanbul between Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar and Indonesian company PT Republik Aero Dirgantara, also known as Republkorp. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028.
F-35 Has A New Rival: China’s J-35 Stealth Fighter Just Went Global — Pakistan Might Have Bought 40
If accurate, China’s reported decision to “export” stealth and sell 40 export variants of its J-35AE to Pakistan (Note: reports vary on the terms of the ‘sale’) could represent early PLA efforts to build a global, F-35-like multinational network of 5th-generation stealth aircraft. The U.S.-built F-35 is now well-known for equipping at least 18 countries across Europe and Asia, and projections indicate there could be as many as 600 F-35s on the European continent by 2030.
