Finland has begun a new chapter in military aviation with the arrival of its first permanently based F-35A fighters in Rovaniemi, strengthening national defense, NATO interoperability and the country’s transition to fifth-generation airpower.
Air force
In 2026, the global balance of air power continues to reflect both historic military dominance and rapid modernisation efforts, particularly across Asia.
US Air Force to buy Boeing 737 MAX for its C-40 fleet, adding a new military operator and expanding VIP transport.
U.S. Air Force faces a $14 billion aircraft parts gap as aging fleets, supply shortages and maintenance backlogs pressure readiness.
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.
The U.S. Air Force is considering buying new F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters as it works to address capacity gaps in an aging fighter fleet.
The US Air Force is moving to make base defense a core combat function as missiles and drones expose vulnerabilities at American installations.
Based on early 2026 fleet figures, here are the 10 largest army aviation branches in the world by aircraft numbers.
Trump plans to fly Qatar-gifted Boeing jet to Ireland after security upgrades raised questions over presidential aircraft protection.
Lufthansa Aviation Training will train 50 German Air Force pilots yearly at Rostock-Laage from February 2027.