The United States intensifies pressure on Canada to complete its purchase of 88 F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft, or face consequences, amid tensions with the Trump administration.
F-35
The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) is preparing to retire its final Lockheed Martin F‑16 fighter jets at a formal farewell ceremony scheduled for 18 January at Skrydstrup Air Base (SKS) in southern Denmark.
Lockheed Martin has confirmed that 2025 became the most productive year in the history of the F-35 Lightning II program, underscoring the aircraft’s central role in allied airpower.
Italy invests €112.6 million to establish a multinational F-35 Lightning II pilot training center at Trapani-Birgi Air Base (TPS), creating the first dedicated F-35 training facility outside the United States for NATO and European Joint Strike Fighter partner nations.
U.S. stealth fighters return to Puerto Rico after Operation Absolute Resolve captured Venezuela’s president using massive airpower.
Israel is prepared to invoke a technology-based veto to prevent the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, according to a senior Israeli official, underscoring rising geopolitical and defense tensions in the eastern Mediterranean and the broader NATO alliance.
Northrop Grumman’s Talon drone has received the YFQ-48A designation and is now a leading contender in the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, supporting future operations alongside crewed fighters.
A December 19 inspector general audit found that the Department of Defense did not consistently hold Lockheed Martin accountable for poor F-35 sustainment performance under a 2024 contract.
The United States hosted a milestone moment for European air power as Finland and Lockheed Martin marked the rollout of Finland’s first F-35A Lightning II.
The United States stands at the center of modern air combat innovation as the F-35 Lightning II reshapes how fighter pilots detect threats and select weapons in real time.