The US Air Force expects the F-35 Engine Core Upgrade to reach its critical design review in August, a senior service propulsion official said on July 27.
Defense
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is preparing for the next phase of its KF-21 Boramae fighter program as South Korea moves closer to inducting the domestically developed combat aircraft into operational service.
Japan has selected Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) Komaki South Plant in Aichi Prefecture as the national assembly site for its Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) sixth-generation fighter, marking another major milestone in the trilateral defense project with the United Kingdom and Italy.
While advanced fighter jets and bombers often dominate headlines, trained military pilots remain the foundation of every combat-ready air force.
The United States has paused its air campaign against Iran after nearly 2 weeks of consecutive nightly strikes, with a US source describing military operations as being on a hold.
Two Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled on Friday after a Qatar Airways (QR) flight from Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) to Manchester Airport (MAN) triggered a Quick Reaction Alert while entering United Kingdom airspace.
The F-35 Joint Program Office, which runs the fighter effort from just outside Washington, awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.6 billion spare parts contract last week. It is the largest such deal in the history of the F-35 Lightning II program.
Germany could eventually strengthen the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), according to the chief executive of Italian aerospace and defense company Leonardo.
The Pentagon has raised its estimated cost of the ongoing Iran conflict to $37.5 billion, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warning lawmakers that military training could be reduced unless Congress quickly approves supplemental funding.
Canada has officially joined the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) as its first observer nation, gaining access to classified discussions on one of the world’s most advanced sixth-generation fighter aircraft projects.