A USAF wargame finds current modernization plans insufficient to defeat a Chinese Taiwan invasion by 2035. F-47 and B-21 key to any viable strategy.
Defense
The United States remains cautious about discussions surrounding the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet for India, with Lockheed Martin clarifying that no direct commercial engagement is taking place.
The U.S. Air Force has opened applications for its Fiscal Year 2026 Aviation Bonus (AvB) program, giving eligible active-duty aviators a two-month window from April 1 to May 31, 2026, to apply for annual incentive pay of up to $50,000.
BAE Systems has successfully tested the low-cost Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) aboard a Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet from its Warton flight test center in England.
Using the latest figures from Global Firepower as of March 2026, we can rank the world’s air forces by total aircraft.
South Korea and Indonesia have agreed to transfer Indonesia’s first KF‑21 Boramae fighter jet prototype, bringing the long-running joint fighter program closer to its final stage.
The U.S. Air Force requests $1B in FY2027 to procure CCA drone wingmen, marking the program’s historic shift from development to production.
The U.S. Air Force is reviving its Standoff Attack Weapon (SoAW) program, seeking an affordable air-launched cruise missile ready for fielding by 2033, backed by a record $11.36 billion missile procurement budget request for fiscal 2027.
The U.S. F-47 secures $8.5B in funding, GCAP lands a $908M contract, while Franco-German FCAS stalls over industrial disputes in 2026.
A prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems crashed shortly after takeoff on April 6, 2026.