US Air Force to buy Boeing 737 MAX for its C-40 fleet, adding a new military operator and expanding VIP transport.
USAF
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.
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.
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.
In 2026, total military aircraft numbers continue to highlight which countries possess the most expansive and versatile aerial forces.
The United States has approved a proposed $24.3bn sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, subject to congressional review. The decision comes amid renewed fighting with Yemen’s Houthis, Saudi requests for greater US support, concerns over Chinese access to sensitive military technology, and continued debate over Israel’s qualitative military edge.
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 (USAF) plans to use Exercise Emerald Flag in December 2026 for the first real large-force employment (LFE) of its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).