Middle East fighter jet deals, missile defenses and peace talks: 2026 preview
Next year could see Turkey and Saudi Arabia joining the F-35 club, war in Lebanon and more.
F-35
NATO allies oppose US peace deal for Ukraine as FCAS falters: 2025 review
From spikes in European military spending to the push for a virtual wall to protect NATO countries from Russian drones, the continent faces a new era in defense.
Switzerland reduces F-35 buy after $610 million price hike
“Due to foreseeable additional costs, it is not financially viable to maintain the originally planned number” of aircraft, said a Swiss statement.
F-35As inch closer to carrying Meteor missiles after ‘pivotal’ ground tests
Italy is sponsoring integration of the ramjet powered weapon on the F-35A, while the UK is leading integration on the F-35B model.
The low-risk way to give the F-35 more cooling for advanced avionics without starting over
[Sponsored] As it flies today, the fighter doesn’t have the cooling capacity to maintain deterrence as the battlefield evolves.
Building fighter pilots for the software age: Inside IFTS’s training approach
Robbin Laird visited Italy’s International Flight Training School in Sardinia at Decimomannu Airbase to see how it approaches training aviators for modern combat.
Denmark commits $4.5 billion for additional F-35 jets, invests in Arctic defense spending plan
Copenhagen revealed that “as something new” the F-35 acquisition will also include Collaborative Combat Aircraft-type drones, appearing to confirm for the first time that it plans on acquiring the US-made platforms.
Lockheed, Pentagon finalize deal for 296 F-35s
The $24.3 billion deal covers 148 aircraft each in production lots 18 and 19, closing out negotiations that have stretched since 2023.
What’s in a pin? Trump dons golden F-22 during Erdogan meeting
Fashion aside, the president said he and the Turkish leader would discuss Ankara rejoining the F-35 program, suggesting Erdogan would be “successful” in buying jets he wanted.
The Pentagon’s counter-drug mission could cost millions. Where will the funding come from?
Operations near Venezuela have already sunk three boats, and the flow of defense materiel to the region seems likely to continue, whatever the cost.