2/25/2026 Turkish F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes During Training Flight in Balikesir: Pilot Killed  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. |
2/25/2026 NGC Accelerating B-21 Raider Production  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. |
2/25/2026 US Air Force tests F-22 control of MQ-20 drone in collaborative combat exercise  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. |
2/25/2026 NG names YFQ-48A fighter drone Talon Blue  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. |
2/25/2026 Iran army helicopter crashes into market, killing 2 pilots and 2 merchants  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. |
2/25/2026 Collaborative Combat Aircraft program progresses through deliberate weapons integration testing  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. |
2/24/2026 Built to Adapt: The F-15’s Transformation and Global Impact  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. |
2/24/2026 US ambassador pitches Lockheed Martin F-35 to Portugal as F-16 replacement  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. |
2/24/2026 China’s J-10 Fighter Jet Could Reshape the Indo-Pacific  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. |
2/24/2026 Seoul protests US-China fighter jet encounter over Yellow Sea, report says  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. |