South Korea has delivered KF-21 No. 001 after 1,600 flight tests, beginning a plan for 40 fighters by 2028 and 80 more by 2032.
Defense
Honeywell Aerospace has introduced a new P40 upgrade for the F-35 Lightning II’s Power and Thermal Management System (PTMS), increasing cooling capacity from about 32 kilowatts to 40 kilowatts.
US Air Force to buy Boeing 737 MAX for its C-40 fleet, adding a new military operator and expanding VIP transport.
The European Defence Agency (EDA) is examining ways to preserve the continent’s ability to move oversized military cargo as the Antonov An-124 and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III fleets age and both aircraft types remain out of production.
A US Air Force F-16 assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing crashed during approach to Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany on September 22, 2026. The pilot ejected safely and received medical treatment as German and US emergency teams responded. The cause remained under investigation.
U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) have moved across North America toward Greenland as part of a multinational Arctic operation designed to test how quickly combat aircraft can operate from remote northern locations.
Sensitive F-35 components reportedly diverted to Hong Kong have triggered a US security inquiry, congressional briefings and renewed scrutiny of the fighter’s global supply chain, spare-parts accountability and protection of stealth-related technology.
Germany has received its first F-35A Lightning II from Lockheed Martin as the country prepares to introduce 35 fifth-generation fighters into Luftwaffe service.
Finland has received its first two F-35A Lightning II fighters at Rovaniemi, beginning the country’s transition from the F/A-18 Hornet to a new-generation fighter fleet.
The U.S. Air Force is on track to exceed 1,500 pilot graduates in fiscal 2026 after overhauling undergraduate pilot training through the FUPT model. The system shifts foundational instruction to civilian flight schools while keeping advanced military training at Air Force bases. The milestone strengthens pilot production, but officials say retention, operational absorption and flying-hour funding will remain critical to reducing the broader pilot shortage.