On February 3, 2026, the French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) announced it had ordered a new version of the SMDM (Onboard Mini Aerial Drone Systems for the Navy) from Airbus (via its subsidiary Survey Copter) with deliveries scheduled to begin in May 2026.

The DGA has ordered a total of 34 Aliaca systems for the French Navy since 2022, but the latest version is equipped with four propellers, allowing for vertical takeoff and landing while maintaining its fixed-wing propulsion mode during the mission.

“We are proud to be able to deliver the VTOL version of the Aliaca to the French Navy for the first time. The French Navy has successfully operated the Aliaca from its ships and from land for several years. The SMDM, as it is named in the French Navy, has demonstrated its full potential in operation,” said Christophe Canguilhem, Aliaca Program Director at Airbus Helicopters.

He added: “With the VTOL version, the French Navy will be able to operate the Aliaca with even more flexibility. This amendment to the initial contract demonstrates that our solution is now mature and available for our customers worldwide.”

Unveiled in April 2025, the Aliaca VTOL was developed in less than a year from a version already proven in operations within the French Navy.

It has a maximum takeoff weight of 25 kg, a wingspan of 3.5 meters, a length of 2.1 meters and can operate for two hours at a range of 50 km.

Aliaca is equipped with a camera, a high-performance gyro-stabilized electro-optical/infrared system, and an Automatic Identification System that is capable of identifying a ship within a radius of several hundred kilometers.

Qualified by the DGA and operational since 2022 as the “remote binoculars” of the French Navy, the SMDM currently equips patrol vessels.

This new configuration of the SMDM will enter a qualification phase by the DGA in early 2026 for land and sea trials before being declared operational.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of AeroTime.   

The Russian war against Ukraine has become the first large-scale conflict in which unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are not merely a supporting capability, but a central instrument of strategic coercion.

What began as an improvised adaptation has matured into a systematic campaign in which long-range strike drones, loitering munitions, and reconnaissance platforms are used to degrade critical infrastructure, exhaust air defenses, and impose cumulative economic and psychological costs on a civilian population.

The effects of this campaign extend far beyond Ukraine. For Europe, the war offers an unambiguous warning: modern societies remain acutely vulnerable to sustained drone-enabled pressure on energy, transport, and industrial systems, and existing defense concepts are poorly calibrated to this threat.

Drones as a strategic infrastructure weapon

Russia’s use of drones against Ukrainian infrastructure is best understood not as terror alone, but as a deliberate strategy of systemic attrition. Shahed/Geran-type drones, decoys, and modified strike platforms are employed in large numbers to target power generation, transmission nodes, heating plants, and industrial facilities. The objective is not necessarily permanent destruction. Instead, the goal is to force repeated shutdowns, disrupt repair cycles, stretch defensive resources to the point where resilience erodes over time, and weaken resolve throughout Ukrainian society.

This logic has been especially visible in attacks on Ukraine’s energy and heating systems. Combined heat and power plants, thermal electricity stations, and electricity distribution networks have been struck repeatedly, often just as repairs are completed. Even when physical damage is limited, the loss of electricity can prevent facilities from restarting, creating cascading failures across interconnected systems. The result is a fragile equilibrium in which services function at reduced capacity only when attacks temporarily pause. At the time of writing, roughly 70% of Kyiv homes are without electricity at any given time, and heating and hot water are also seldom available. At -15-degree temperatures, the author has not had heating for over a week.

For Russia, drones are ideally suited to this mission. They are relatively cheap, can be produced at scale, and can be launched in mixed waves designed to overwhelm air defense. Their effectiveness does not depend on precision alone, but on persistence. Each successful penetration compounds the strain on infrastructure, maintenance crews, and the civilian population. This has negative effects for the country’s industrial output, especially for the military-industrial complex that supplies the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the end, Russia has found a relatively inexpensive strategy to harm military output, operations, and civilian resilience.

The economics of exhaustion

One of the most critical lessons for Europe lies in the economics of this approach. Ukraine and its partners (such as NATO in Poland in September 2025) routinely intercept drones using surface-to-air missiles that cost orders of magnitude more than the incoming threat. Even when interception rates are high, the defender pays a disproportionate price. Over time, this imbalance creates a strategic dilemma: protect everything at unsustainable cost or accept selective degradation of infrastructure and even loss of life.

This dynamic has profound implications for European defense planning. Most European air defense architectures are optimized for aircraft and ballistic missiles, not for mass, low-cost, and unmanned threats. The Ukrainian experience demonstrates that drone campaigns do not need to be decisive in a military sense to be strategically effective. They function instead as a long-term pressure tool that exploits the defender’s economic and political constraints.

In peacetime Europe, similar attacks would likely trigger immediate political crises. Power outages, heating disruptions, or industrial shutdowns would cascade into public outrage, market instability, and pressure on governments to de-escalate or compromise. The Ukrainian case shows that resilience is not merely technical but also societal and political.

Over the past 12 months, Russia has, by a magnitude of some 200-500%, increased the cadence and amounts of drones that it is throwing at Ukraine. While back in summer 2024, four to six drones would attack Kyiv at night; the number now is easily over 100. Civilian deaths have notably increased, but the effects on critical infrastructure have been devastating, with Ukraine experiencing the worst losses of power and heating since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Critical infrastructure as the new frontline

Ukraine’s war has also exposed how deeply modern warfare has blurred the boundary between the battlefield and civilian life. Energy systems, water supply, telecommunications, and transport infrastructure are no longer rear-area assets. Today, they are primary targets, with Russia attack Ukraine’s power and heating plans in December 2025 and January 2026 almost weekly.

European states face comparable vulnerabilities. Like Ukraine’s energy grid, European energy grids are centralized, digitally managed, and often poorly protected against physical attacks. Many rely on a small number of critical nodes whose disruption would have nationwide effects. The transition to renewable energy, while strategically necessary, has introduced additional exposure through dispersed but lightly protected assets such as substations, wind farms, and grid interconnectors.

Moreover, Europe’s infrastructure is designed for efficiency, not redundancy under attack. The Ukrainian experience demonstrates that distributed generation and decentralized systems are far more resilient to drone campaigns than large, centralized facilities – a lesson Ukrainians are experiencing now. Yet most European energy systems still depend heavily on precisely the kind of infrastructure Russia has learned to exploit.

Decentralized, numerous nodes of power and heat supply have proven more difficult and more costly for the aggressor to destroy. While this is not always possible or feasible, energy infrastructure can be designed – and even overhauled – to be less vulnerable to attack, or at the very least to be only one of many nodes in a much larger system that does not collapse when one is destroyed.

Adaptation and the arms race in the air

Another key risk lies in the speed of adaptation. Russia has demonstrated an ability to iterate quickly, modifying drones to counter electronic warfare, adjusting flight profiles, and integrating new guidance and navigation methods. The campaign against Ukraine’s infrastructure is not static, but rather a learning process.

Europe should assume that adversaries will apply these lessons directly, while China and others are watching. Drone swarms, decoys, and mixed attack profiles will be used to probe defenses, identify weak points, and refine tactics. The barrier to entry is also low. State and even non-state actors alike can (and currently are) acquire or manufacture systems capable of disrupting critical infrastructure with limited resources.

The Ukrainian case also highlights the limits of purely defensive adaptation. While air defense remains essential, it cannot be the sole answer. This is demonstrated in Ukraine. While the country has battle-effective air defense capabilities, large, combined attacks mean that the system can be overwhelmed, and destruction occurs. Military planners therefore need to go beyond traditional combat measures. Hardening infrastructure, dispersing and decentralizing generation, diversifying energy infrastructure, and building rapid-repair capacity are equally important. Yet these measures require time, investment, and political will, all of which are often lacking in peacetime Europe, nearly four years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Psychological and political effects

Beyond physical damage, drone campaigns exert a powerful psychological effect. The constant threat of attack, the unpredictability of outages, and the visible struggle to maintain basic services erode public confidence. In Ukraine, this pressure is mitigated by wartime solidarity and a clear understanding of the stakes. But even in Ukraine, after weeks of energy and heating deficiencies, societal cohesion does wear down. In Europe, similar conditions would be far more destabilizing.

Russian drone operations should therefore be seen as a form of political warfare. They test not only infrastructure, but governance. How quickly can authorities respond? How transparently can they communicate? How much disruption will societies tolerate before demanding political change?

For European adversaries, this is an attractive avenue of coercion. It offers plausible deniability, scalable escalation, and a means to exploit internal divisions without crossing traditional thresholds of war.

Implications for European defense

The central risk for Europe is complacency. Ukraine’s experience is often framed as unique, shaped by geography and the intensity of the conflict. This is a dangerous illusion. The underlying vulnerabilities are structural and widely shared.

European defense planning must therefore integrate several hard lessons:

• First, air defense must be rebalanced. High-end interceptors are necessary but insufficient. Europe requires layered systems capable of countering mass, low-cost drones economically, including guns, drone interceptors, short-range missiles, electronic warfare, and directed-energy systems.
• Second, critical infrastructure protection must become a core defense mission. This includes physical hardening, redundancy, and the ability to operate under degraded conditions. Energy, water, and transport systems must be designed with conflict in mind, not just efficiency. Critical infrastructure sites should also be equipped with electronic warfare and other security systems.
• Third, resilience must be institutionalized. Rapid repair, spare parts, stockpiles, trained crews, and clear command structures are as important as interception. Ukraine’s ability to restore partial functionality after repeated attacks has prevented collapse, but at enormous cost. Europe should not wait to learn these lessons under fire.
• Finally, strategic communication and civil preparedness are essential. Societies must understand that disruption does not equal defeat. Without public resilience, even limited attacks can achieve disproportionate political effects.

Conclusion

Russian drone operations against Ukrainian critical infrastructure represent a fundamental shift in how modern warfare targets societies. They demonstrate that strategic effects can be achieved not through decisive blows, but through sustained, adaptive pressure on the systems that underpin everyday life.

For Europe, the warning should be clear. The continent’s infrastructure, defense posture, and political systems are not prepared for this form of warfare. Addressing this gap requires more than technical fixes. It demands a rethinking of defense, resilience, and the relationship between civilian infrastructure and national security.

Ukraine is facing this lesson in real time. Europe still has the opportunity to learn it in advance.

The potential order, notified to the US Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), would significantly expand Singapore’s long-range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft based on the Boeing 737-800 commercial passenger airframe, equipped with a naval search radar for search and tracking capability. It can also be fitted, both internally and externally, with an array of armaments dedicated to submarine and anti-ship warfare, such as torpedoes, mines, depth charges, and anti-ship missiles.

What Singapore is seeking to buy

Under the proposed sale, the Government of Singapore has requested up to four Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The package includes a comprehensive mission systems suite, notably the AN/APY-10 maritime surveillance radar, AN/AQQ-2(V) acoustic system, MX-20HD electro-optical and infrared turret, and the AN/AAQ-24(V)N directional infrared countermeasures system.

Additional equipment covers identification friend or foe (IFF) transponders, electronic warfare management systems, countermeasures dispensers, cryptographic equipment, mission software, spare engines, training devices, and long-term logistics and engineering support.

Torpedoes and fielding support

The notification also includes eight Mk 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes, with most of the hardware drawn directly from US Navy stocks. Support elements encompass exercise torpedoes, launch accessories, test equipment, publications, and in-country training to enable sustained ASW operations.

Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, would act as the principal contractor, with multiple US Navy suppliers contributing subsystems and engineering services. No offset agreements have been disclosed at this stage.

Replacing Singapore’s Fokker 50 fleet

The approval aligns with Singapore’s previously stated intent to replace its maritime patrol aircraft fleet, centered on Fokker 50 airframes that have been in service since the early 1990s, with a more capable ASW-focused platform.

In September 2025, Singapore’s defense ministry said it had decided to acquire four P-8As as the first phase of a broader refresh of maritime security capabilities, aimed at improving maritime situation awareness and countering sub-surface threats.

According to local outlet Expreso, the Peruvian government has decided to proceed with the purchase of up to 24 F-16 Block 70 aircraft in a package valued at approximately $7 billion, outpacing rival proposals from Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen E/F and Dassault’s Rafale F4. The final contract signature is expected in the second week of April 2026, after Peru’s general elections.

Sources familiar with the FAP’s internal deliberations quoted by defense publication Pucara echoed this assessment, reporting that the Viper’s AN/APG-83 AESA radar, modern avionics, and integrated Link-16 datalink tipped the balance in its favour over competitors.

The F-16V Block 70 order under consideration includes 10 single-seat F-16C and two two-seat F-16D aircraft, aligned with a $3.42 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) package previously authorised by the U.S. State Department. That acquisition already includes advanced mission systems, electronic warfare gear, targeting pods, missiles, spare engines, logistics support, and pilot training.

Peru’s decision, if formalised, would mark a major modernization in the FAP’s transition away from a mix of ageing MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 fighters.

Beyond platforms, Expreso reported that Washington has offered Lima designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA), a status that could unlock preferred access to US defence financing and advanced systems.

Peru’s ongoing fighter competition has been closely watched in Latin America, where several air forces face the challenge of replacing Cold War-era fleets amid constrained defense budgets.

If the acquisition is confirmed, Peru would become the only Latin American air force to field new-build F-16V Block 70 aircraft. Neighboring Chile flies a mix of F-16s, including new-build Block 50 jets and second-hand A/B airframes upgraded under the MLU standard. Argentina’s incoming fleet consists of used F-16AM/BM aircraft sourced from Denmark, while Venezuela’s F-16s were delivered as Block 15 aircraft in the 1980s.

According to The Sunday Times, the contract and the future of Leonardo’s Yeovil site in southwest England have become the subject of a cabinet-level dispute, with ministers missing their own target dates for a decision and pushing the timetable into early 2026.

The report said ministers missed their own internal target dates for a decision, and that further delay risks undermining the company’s willingness to keep the site open without a new UK order.

Jobs, industrial policy, and a narrowing decision window

At the heart of the dispute is Leonardo’s helicopter factory in Yeovil, Somerset, which employs around 3,000 people, with far more supported across the supply chain. Union pressure has sharpened as the timetable slips.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham told the newspaper that Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey had previously appeared supportive of awarding the contract to Yeovil, but that “something has changed” within government in recent weeks.

The UK Ministry of Defence has so far maintained a holding line, saying the program is ongoing and that no final procurement decision has been made.

For Leonardo, the question is whether the UK intends to anchor long-term work at a plant that has become politically symbolic as the last UK facility associated with building military helicopters at scale.

The aircraft being replaced: Puma HC2 at the end of its runway

The NMH program was launched to replace the RAF’s Puma HC2, a platform whose origins date back to the late 1960s. Although the fleet underwent a life-extension and upgrade program in the 2010s, including new engines, avionics, and structural work, the aircraft remains constrained by payload, range, and growth margins typical of a legacy design.

In practical terms, the Puma continues to perform day-to-day utility tasks, troop transport, and support missions, but sustaining the fleet has become increasingly expensive and operationally limiting. The replacement effort is therefore less about adding new capabilities than about avoiding a looming medium-lift gap as airframes age out.

Treasury skepticism, drones, and the Ukraine lesson

The Sunday Times report pointed to skepticism inside HM Treasury, where some officials are said to be questioning whether crewed helicopters still justify their cost after combat lessons from Ukraine and the rapid growth of drones and air defenses.

That critique reflects a real shift in how many armies are rethinking what helicopters should, and should not, do in a high-threat environment. Where helicopters have come under the most pressure is deep reconnaissance and stand-in strike missions that require pushing into dense, layered air defenses. Several NATO armies are shifting those roles toward drones, loitering munitions, and air-launched effects, arguing that expendable unmanned systems can absorb risks that crewed aircraft cannot.

The US Army has gone furthest. In 2025, it confirmed plans to cut several legacy manned helicopter units and expand drone swarms, attritable sensors, and launched effects as part of a broader aviation overhaul. The cancellation of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft armed scout effort reinforced the trend; reconnaissance deep inside contested airspace is now treated primarily as an unmanned mission set.

That opinion is not equally shared across NATO. In an interview with Le Point, France’s Army Light Aviation argued that Ukraine is changing how it uses helicopters rather than ending their utility. It pointed to the role of tactics and flight profiles in shaping attrition, and emphasized the continued need for medium lift, medevac, and logistics missions behind the line of contact, even as the highest-risk penetration tasks migrate toward unmanned systems.

A competition that collapsed to a single bidder

The NMH procurement is also politically awkward for another reason: it is no longer a real competition. The program began with multiple expected contenders, but by September 2024, it had effectively become a single-bidder process after Airbus and Lockheed Martin, via Sikorsky, withdrew from the tender.

That left Leonardo as the sole remaining offer, pitching the AW149 and final assembly in Yeovil. The AW149 sits at the upper end of the medium-lift category, offering higher payload, range, and growth margins than the Puma, as well as modern mission systems and supportability aligned with current NATO standards. For the UK, the bid is as much about industrial continuity as it is about aircraft performance.

With only one bidder left, the government’s room for maneuver is limited: proceed, redesign and recompete the requirement, or delay. Each option carries costs, and time is the one variable that cannot be replenished once the Puma replacement timeline turns into a capability gap.

The Westland shadow and why Yeovil still matters politically

The Yeovil site carries historical weight in UK industrial politics, dating back to early 20th-century aviation manufacturing and later the postwar shift toward rotorcraft. It is also inseparable from the Westland Affair of 1986, when Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet split over the future of the helicopter manufacturer, triggering the resignation of Defence Secretary Michael Heseltine and, shortly after, Trade and Industry Secretary Leon Brittan.

On January 16, 2026, prototype No. 1 conducted what the French Navy described as an “interaction of opportunity” with the fleet replenishment tanker BRF Jacques Stosskopf, marking the first contact between the Guépard and a French warship. The helicopter flew in an armed configuration close to the ship, but did not land on deck. 

Sensor checks near a large ship 

According to the French Navy, the point of the evolution was not deck handling but rather electromagnetic environment testing. Specifically, it was to assess how the helicopter’s sensors behaved in the magnetic disturbances generated by a ship the size of a fleet tanker, an issue that could prove important for future embarked operations. 

The French Navy also framed the event as part of the Guépard’s ongoing expansion of its flight envelope and broader development campaign, conducted with the DGA and Airbus Helicopters. The service noted that the H160M is a heavily modified derivative of the H160B currently operated by Flottille 32F. 

The H160M Guépard program 

The H160M is Airbus Helicopters’ militarized version of the civil H160, developed under France’s Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) program to provide a common platform for the Army, Navy, and Air and Space Force. France plans to acquire 169 aircraft, with deliveries currently expected to begin in late 2028. 

According to Airbus, the flight test effort will rely on three prototypes, with the first aircraft validating flight performance ahead of live firing campaigns planned for 2026. Another prototype supports environmental trials, including hot and cold weather testing.  

Speaking on SVT’s Agenda, Kristersson argued that as long as “dangerous countries” possess nuclear weapons, democracies must also have access to nuclear deterrence. He added that Sweden, through NATO, now participates in European discussions that “revolve around nuclear weapons,” a notable shift in tone for a country that has traditionally avoided the subject in public. 

The remarks also land as Sweden continues to define its posture as a new NATO member. During the accession process, Stockholm signaled it could consider hosting NATO nuclear weapons only in wartime, not in peacetime. 

Greenland as a strategic shock for Europe 

The renewed Swedish debate is unfolding amid a broader European shock triggered by US pressure over Greenland.  

Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has framed US control of Greenland as a strategic necessity, citing missile warning, Arctic access, and competition with Russia and China. Coupled with tariff threats and diplomatic pressure on Denmark, the episode has unsettled allies by making US security guarantees appear more conditional and transactional. 

For Nordic states, the Greenland dispute has carried outsized political weight. Danish efforts to reinforce Greenland’s security posture have been backed by allied deployments and exercises involving multiple NATO members.

Even if Greenland is geographically distant from Sweden, the crisis has reinforced doubts about predictability at a time when the Arctic and High North are moving to the center of NATO planning. 

Against this backdrop, Sweden’s leadership has appeared increasingly willing to revisit questions that were previously considered politically radioactive, including how European nuclear deterrence might function if US commitments were to weaken or become less predictable. 

France and the UK sharpen nuclear signaling 

In May 2024, Kristersson said Sweden could consider hosting nuclear weapons only “if there is a war against us on our territory,” while stressing that NATO’s nuclear umbrella remained necessary as long as Russia retained nuclear forces. 

Sweden has now gone further in political openness. Reports indicate that Stockholm has begun early-stage discussions with France and the UK. The talks appear exploratory, with no concrete proposals reported and no stated change to Sweden’s position on peacetime basing.  

However, this outreach coincides with clearer political messaging from Europe’s two nuclear powers. 

In May 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron said France was open to discussions about deploying French nuclear weapons in other European countries that request them, under strict political and financial conditions, and with full control remaining with the French president. 

Two months later, Paris and London added a new layer of signaling in the Northwood Declaration. While reaffirming their deterrents remain independent, France and the UK said they can be coordinated, adding that there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both nations.

The declaration was issued alongside a broader reset of the Franco-British defense relationship, including renewed cooperation on long-range strike. 

What this could mean for Sweden 

Even under forward-leaning interpretations, this is not about turning Sweden into a nuclear delivery platform. The Gripen is not certified for France’s ASMP-A air-launched nuclear missile, and integrating a national nuclear weapon onto a non-French aircraft would be unlikely given France’s strict sovereignty over its deterrent. 

A more plausible scenario, if France chose to make its deterrent more visibly “European,” would be forward basing nuclear-capable Rafale B aircraft of the French Strategic Air Forces, along with French crews, French weapons, and French command authority on allied territory. That model is closer to reassurance and signaling than to NATO-style nuclear sharing. Macron has explicitly floated that idea, and variations of it have already appeared in debates involving Germany and Poland. 

The column argues that Ottawa is unlikely to follow through on the full 88-jet F-35 plan announced in 2022 and instead could buy fewer F-35As while adding the Gripen E as a second type. Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty told the outlet that no final decision has been made. 

Ivison links the procurement debate to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent Davos remarks on strategic autonomy and diversification. In his World Economic Forum address on January 20, 2026, Carney argued that allies will “diversify to hedge against uncertainty,” framing the shift as a form of risk management in a less rules-bound world. 

US envoy warns NORAD would be “altered” if Canada pulls back 

The mixed-fleet debate has been amplified by direct public messaging from US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, who has warned that a Canadian pullback from the planned F-35 fleet would force changes to continental air defense arrangements. 

In comments reported by CBC News, Hoekstra said NORAD “would have to be altered” if Canada does not proceed with 88 F-35s, suggesting the United States would compensate by flying more of its own fighters in Canadian airspace. 

Hoekstra has made similar arguments before. In May 2025, he warned that moving away from the F-35 could jeopardize NORAD’s “interchangeability” logic, which assumes both air forces operate the same fighter type to integrate seamlessly into shared procedures, data links, and operational planning. 

Saab’s counterweight is industrial, and jobs 

Saab’s pitch to Ottawa has increasingly centered on industrial return and domestic capacity, not just aircraft performance. 

Saab said in December 2025 that localizing production of both the Gripen fighter and the GlobalEye airborne surveillance aircraft in Canada could support up to 12,600 jobs, with Bombardier positioned as a key partner through the existing GlobalEye relationship. 

The offer is designed to appeal to Ottawa’s industrial priorities as it reviews the fighter program and to reframe the debate from selecting the “best aircraft” to choosing the “best overall package,” once long-term support, sovereignty, and domestic workshare are factored in. 

Canada’s F-35 commitment is under review 

The Liberal government first announced in March 2025 that it would review the purchase, citing heightened trade and diplomatic tensions with the United States, as Canada entered an election campaign. 

Following his re-election, Carney has advocated for greater diversification in Ottawa’s defense and industrial partnerships. That stance was underscored by a new defense and trade cooperation framework signed with the European Union in June 2025. A final decision was initially expected by the end of summer 2025, but Carney’s office has not announced any outcome. 

While the Royal Canadian Air Force remains openly in favor of the F-35, key cabinet figures, including Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, have raised concerns about the contract’s economic balance and the scale of industrial return. 

A long and contentious procurement history 

The current debate is the latest twist in Canada’s long-running fighter replacement saga. It began in 2010, when Stephen Harper’s government moved to buy 65 F-35As for about $6.7 billion, a plan Justin Trudeau pledged to cancel during the 2015 election as an overly expensive sole-source deal. 

Ottawa then launched the Future Fighter Capability Project in 2017 as an open competition, but Dassault withdrew in 2018 over Five Eyes-related constraints. Airbus exited in 2019 arguing the terms favored Lockheed Martin, and Boeing’s Super Hornet was disqualified in 2021, leaving the F-35 and Saab’s Gripen as finalists. 

Canada ultimately selected the F-35 again in 2022, citing NORAD interoperability, NATO commitments, and Arctic defense requirements, and announced a plan to acquire 88 aircraft valued at roughly $14 billion. 

Photos circulating online appear to show multiple F-16 airframes inside a hangar, with large sections of hangar cladding and structural elements displaced or collapsed inward, and at least two jets apparently impacted by fallen debris.  

The Portuguese Air Force has not disclosed how many aircraft were damaged or the extent of the damage. 

Portuguese Air Force confirms “major material damage” at Monte Real 

In a statement released late January 28, 2026, the Portuguese Air Force said the passage of Storm Kristin “significantly affected” the Leiria area, with notable impacts in Monte Real where Air Base No. 5 is located. The service described “major material damage,” but said there were no injuries.  

The Portuguese Air Force said it is acting “immediately” to restore normal activity at the base, prioritizing the safety of military and civilian personnel. It also stressed that, despite the storm’s impact, it “maintains operational” Portugal’s air defense mission.  

Monte Real is Portugal’s main fighter base and home to its F-16 squadrons, making it central to day-to-day air policing and readiness. The Portugese Air Force operates a fleet of 21 F-16 fighters. 

At this stage, the Portuguese Air Force has not indicated whether the damaged aircraft were operational line jets, aircraft in maintenance, or airframes in longer-term work, nor whether any hangar infrastructure will be taken out of service for repairs. 

Record gusts reported at the base during Kristin 

Portuguese outlets reported extreme winds across central and western Portugal as Kristin moved through, with Renascença and other local outlets reporting noting a 178 kilometers (110 miles) per hour gust recorded at Monte Real Air Base.  

Portuguese civil protection reported thousands of incidents nationwide, including tree falls and structural collapses. At least five fatalities were linked to Kristin, with four deaths in the Leiria district and one in Vila Franca de Xira (Lisbon district). Three additional deaths are under investigation for a possible connection to the storm and emergency response conditions. 

More than 855,000 customers were left without electricity at one point, with distributor E-Redes working to restore supply 

The program, known as HYTEV (Hypersonic Test and Experimentation Vehicle), is intended to provide the Bundeswehr with a dedicated hypersonic testbed for defense-related research and scientific and institutional experimentation. In a secondary role, the system could also be adapted as a spaceplane capable of launching small satellites when equipped with an expendable upper stage.

According to Polaris, the vehicle is designed as a horizontal takeoff system with dimensions and takeoff mass comparable to those of a modern fighter aircraft. The company aims to have the system flight-ready by the end of 2027.

A two-stage reusable concept

The HYTEV architecture consists of a reusable main stage and a rocket-powered upper stage. The main stage is expected to be powered by two turbofan engines combined with an aerospike rocket engine, enabling acceleration into the hypersonic regime before stage separation. The upper stage relies solely on rocket propulsion and can be configured either for experimental payloads or, in an alternative configuration, for small satellite launch missions.

Polaris said the concept was developed during preparatory work carried out in 2024 and 2025 under earlier BAAINBw-funded studies, culminating in the current manufacturing and flight-test contract.

A rare European hypersonic testbed program

The company described the award as a significant vote of confidence from the Bundeswehr, arguing that comparable contracts for fully reusable hypersonic research systems are rare in Europe and possibly globally. 

Germany has so far relied largely on international cooperation and subscale demonstrators for hypersonic research. If successful, HYTEV would represent one of the most ambitious reusable hypersonic flight projects led by a European industrial player to date.

Polaris has not disclosed the contract value or the expected flight-test envelope, but earlier statements indicate that the program is intended to support both military capability development and broader aerospace research.

Citing documents seen by the paper, Ukraine’s weapons requirements exceed what the European Union can currently provide within the bloc, with Ukrainian defense officials estimating they will need €24 billion in military equipment from outside the EU in 2026. The figure is said to be driven mainly by demand for US-made Patriot air defense systems and the associated PAC-3 interceptor missiles. 

The article adds that long-range missiles have also been identified as a requirement that European nations may not be able to meet in sufficient numbers. Europe’s options in this category are indeed limited. Germany’s Taurus KEPD 350 is another European air-launched long-range cruise missile, broadly comparable to the Storm Shadow, but Berlin has so far refused to deliver it to Ukraine.  

In that context, European officials involved in the effort are reportedly viewing Britain’s Storm Shadow as one potential option to plug the gap. 

But what exactly is Storm Shadow, and is it truly a uniquely British solution that only the UK can provide? 

What the EU loan scheme actually proposes 

In January 2026, the European Commission proposed a €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan for 2026–27. About €60 billion would fund defense-related spending with two parallel aims: keep Ukraine supplied and strengthen Europe’s defense industrial base. 

The draft regulation sets eligibility rules for defense products financed under the scheme. It says the criteria should steer spending toward “the reconstruction, recovery and modernisation of the Ukrainian Defence Technological and Industrial Base,” with a view to its gradual integration into the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

In simplified terms, it prioritizes manufacturers and key subcontractors established in the EU, EEA-EFTA states, or Ukraine. The UK, as a non-EU and non-EEA country, sits outside the default eligibility perimeter. 

At the same time, it allows derogations where Russia’s war creates an “urgent need” and no equivalent product can be delivered at the required scale, or where a non-compliant option can be delivered significantly faster. 

What the Storm Shadow is 

The Storm Shadow is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile built for precision strikes against high-value, well-defended targets. It flies low to reduce detection, navigates using a mix of inertial navigation, GPS, and terrain-matching, and then uses an imaging infrared seeker in the final phase to lock onto the target scene.

That terminal guidance method is one reason it remains useful in heavily contested electronic warfare environments, as it does not rely solely on GPS to hit accurately. 

Its warhead, called BROACH, is a two-stage penetrator meant for hardened targets. The first charge opens a path; the main charge follows through and detonates inside. In practical terms, it is designed for things like bunkers, command posts, ammunition depots, and protected infrastructure, targets that simpler warheads or smaller drones struggle to reliably defeat. 

Ukraine has integrated the missile onto its Su-24M tactical bombers, and the Mirage 2000-5 fighters donated by France have also been modified to carry out Storm Shadow strikes. 

Where it is produced 

The Storm Shadow missile was developed by MBDA as part of a Franco-British program. In France, it is referred to as the SCALP-EG. Both versions have already been supplied to Ukraine through national donations.  

MBDA’s industrial footprint matters here because it gives Paris a very straightforward counter-argument: if the EU wants to spend EU-backed money inside the EU, there is an EU industrial route for this missile. 

In France, SCALP integration is linked to MBDA’s Selles-Saint-Denis site in Loir-et-Cher, which hosts final integration and pyrotechnics lines. In the UK, Storm Shadow is tied to MBDA’s Stevenage site. Both France and the UK have said they want to restart or ramp up production to rebuild their own stockpiles after donating missiles to Ukraine.

Reporting in Le Monde has suggested the question of restarting was especially relevant on the UK side because Stevenage was not fully operational in the same way as Selles-Saint-Denis. 

So, what is France opposing? 

What France appears to be pushing back on is the idea that EU-backed loans should be structured to make it easy to spend EU money on a UK production line, even when an EU production line exists for the same capability.  

In his New Year address to the Armed Forces on January 15, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered an unusually blunt message to the national defense industry, warning that “there is no guaranteed market, no protected turf,” and telling manufacturers to stop treating the French armed forces as captive customers. Macron added that France may look for “European solutions if they are faster or more effective.”

The only question that really matters to Ukraine is whether missiles can be delivered quickly, in sufficient numbers. If Selles-Saint-Denis can produce enough SCALP missiles fast enough while France is also rebuilding its own stocks, then the EU-first logic looks coherent. If it cannot, then the regulation already contains a mechanism to make exceptions on urgency grounds. 

AeroTime has contacted the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for comment. 

Presidential national security adviser Deividas Matulionis told Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT that talks on a future transport aircraft acquisition are now expected to begin around 2030, while Vice Minister of National Defense Robertas Kaunas said the current fleet will be upgraded as a bridging solution.

Lithuania had previously indicated an intention to acquire Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft, but officials said the purchase would have required additional funding and that near-term priorities are better served by investing in military infrastructure, forming a new army division, and developing integrated air defense.

C-27J fleet age and sustainment challenges

Lithuania operates three C-27J Spartans. The type has been in service in the Lithuanian Air Force since 2006, with the first aircraft delivered that year and the other two arriving in 2008 and 2009.

In recent political and military debates over replacement options, Lithuania’s Spartans were described as aging aircraft facing parts availability issues and rising sustainment burden.

“A significant share of the equipment required for these aircraft is no longer manufactured, while another part is produced and supported only in limited quantities, and will also cease to be produced in the near future,” a previous LRT report pointed out.

Separately, Lithuanian military officials have argued that a straightforward Spartan modernization would be only a short-term fix, citing that some required equipment is no longer produced and other components are only available in limited production, with further discontinuations expected.

Why the C-390 choice drew criticism

Lithuania publicly signaled its intention to acquire three Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft during the Paris Air Show in June 2025, following an earlier State Defence Council meeting, as part of a plan to replace its Spartans.

In August 2025, Embraer also announced eight MoUs with Lithuanian organizations and companies for potential long-term cooperation in areas including MRO, engineering, and supply chain activities, following Lithuania’s selection of the C-390.

The planned Embraer purchase  became politically contentious on cost, process, and strategic logic.

Opposition lawmakers Giedrimas Jeglinskas and Laurynas Kasčiūnas argued that an earlier plan called for modernizing the existing Spartans rather than buying new aircraft, and they asked Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) to assess whether decisions on the Embraer selection complied with procurement rules and whether there were any abuses of office.

One specific line of criticism focused on whether the requirement set favored a single manufacturer. Lawmakers questioned the use of jet engines, arguing most military transports on the market are turboprops, and asked investigators to check whether a “jet” requirement had been introduced as an advanced condition tailored to one supplier. Lithuania’s Armed Forces responded that the operational requirements document did not specify an engine type.

They also pointed to the expected bill, with Lithuanian officials putting the Embraer acquisition estimate at roughly €700 to 800 million.

Matulionis said the STT investigation did not influence the decision to delay the procurement of transport aircraft.

AeroTime has contacted Embraer for comment on the issue and will update this article if it receives a response.

The handover took place on January 22, 2026, at the Santa Barbara barracks in Sabaudia, home to the Army Air Defence Artillery Command (COMACA). 

The induction of both systems is intended to establish a layered air defense posture, combining medium-range and short-range interceptors to counter a wide range of threats, from crewed aircraft and cruise missiles to unmanned aerial systems. 

SAMP/T NG, Aster B1NT and a new radar 

SAMP/T NG is the latest evolution of the SAMP/T family, developed by the EUROSAM joint venture, which brings together MBDA Italy, MBDA France, and Thales under an OCCAR-managed program.  

The new version of the system is based on the Aster 30 B1NT interceptor, credited with an engagement envelope of more than 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) against aerodynamic targets and certain classes of ballistic missiles. 

The Italian system is paired with Leonardo’s Kronos Grand Mobile High Power radar, which Italian and industry sources describe as offering detection and tracking ranges of more than 350 kilometers (about 217 miles). The SAMP/T NG is intended to integrate into national air defense networks as well as NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence architecture. 

France is the program’s other core partner and is progressing in parallel with its own SAMP/T NG fielding. The French version of the SAMP/T NG is equipped with the Thales Ground Fire 300 radar. The system has already undergone long-range firing trials in France, validating the Aster B1NT interceptor ahead of operational deployment by both French and Italian forces. 

Interest in the Franco-Italian system grows across Europe 

In September 2025, Denmark selected SAMP/T over the US-made Patriot for its long-range air defense requirement. Copenhagen also chose to procure two VL MICA air defense systems from MBDA France for short-range protection. 

Several other NATO and EU countries are assessing SAMP/T NG as a long-range air and missile defense option, including Luxembourg, which is examining the system in the context of potential EU SAFE funding, and Belgium, which has reportedly been moving toward acquisition as part of its medium-range air defense modernization.  

GRIFO adds a SHORAD layer built around CAMM-ER 

Complementing the medium-range layer, the GRIFO system is intended to reinforce Italy’s short-range air defense (SHORAD) capability. Built around MBDA’s CAMM-ER missile, GRIFO is designed to counter low-altitude and fast-reaction threats, including drones, helicopters, cruise missiles, and fixed-wing aircraft. Italian Army officials have framed GRIFO as a key component of a modern, mobile air defense network rather than a standalone point-defense solution. 

Where Skynex fits 

Italy is advancing its air defense renewal with the introduction of Rheinmetall’s Skynex, a gun-based short-range air defense system designed for close and very close protection of high-value sites. It was delivered in December 2025. 

Skynex features the 35 mm Revolver Gun Mk3, which fires programmable AHEAD airburst ammunition. This ammunition is engineered to defeat drones, rockets, loitering munitions, and low-flying aircraft at ranges of several kilometers, or a few miles. 

In the Italian Army’s defense strategy, Skynex serves as the innermost layer of protection, positioned beneath missile-based systems such as GRIFO and SAMP/T NG. 

The aircraft arrived on January 23, 2026, and are now stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, on the island of Sumatra. The delivery represents the first tangible milestone in Indonesia’s Rafale program, which was initially agreed in 2022 under an approximately $8 billion deal that has since been expanded. Indonesia has committed to acquiring up to 42 Rafale jets under President Prabowo Subianto. 

First Rafale fighters delivered to Pekanbaru 

The initial batch comprises three Rafale B twin-seat aircraft, photographed in Indonesian markings and identified as tail numbers T-0301, T-0302, and T-0303. According to The Jakarta Post, a formal Indonesian Air Force handover ceremony is expected to take place at a later date. 

As twin-seaters, the jets are likely intended to kickstart the training pipeline for Indonesian Rafale crews and support the early build-up of operational conversion for TNI-AU pilots. Ahead of the first deliveries, Dassault Aviation handed over key infrastructure to support Rafale operations in Indonesia, including a dedicated simulation and training center.  

French and Indonesian officials have consistently framed the fighter program as part of a broader strategic defense partnership, which has also included Indonesia’s order for Airbus A400M airlifters, a Falcon 7X business jet for VIP transport, and discussions on potential submarine cooperation. 

Rafale as the anchor program 

The Rafale program has been positioned by Jakarta as central to its near-term air combat capability, replacing aging F-16 and Su-27/30 fleets while providing a high-end multirole platform already in service across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. In May 2025, Indonesia’s Rafale commitment was reinforced by a letter of intent signed with France to explore additional defense cooperation and potential follow-on orders. 

The Rafale acquisition also follows Indonesia’s decision to cancel earlier plans to procure surplus Mirage 2000 fighters as a stopgap solution, a project that was abandoned amid corruption allegations and concerns over cost and sustainment, further underscoring Jakarta’s shift toward new-build combat aircraft. 

Diversification and parallel fighter pathways 

Indonesia’s fighter roadmap diversified throughout 2025, balancing Western, Asian, and emerging suppliers rather than relying on a single source. Alongside Rafale, Jakarta has confirmed a separate deal for China’s Chengdu J-10 fighter, while continuing to evaluate US-built F-15EX aircraft.  

The decision to acquire the J-10C has been cited by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission as a possible outcome of Chinese pressure and disinformation efforts targeting Rafale sales prospects, especially in the wake of Operation Sindoor. 

For the longer term, Indonesia has also signed a contract for 48 KAAN fighters from Turkey. Indonesia remains involved, albeit in a reduced form, in South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae program. In June 2025, Seoul and Jakarta signed a revised joint development agreement that lowered Indonesia’s financial contribution while preserving its industrial participation. 

Project NYX, as this program is known, aims to develop Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) capable of operating alongside the UK’s Apache attack helicopters.  

These drones will pair up with piloted aircraft, in what is commonly referred to as “loyal wingman function, to conduct a variety of missions, such as reconnaissance and surveillance, target acquisition, conducting electronic warfare and striking enemy targets. 

This concept is one of the new capabilities identified by the UK’s latest Strategic Defence Review and aims to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy as force multipliers for the existing manned platforms of the British Armed Forces.  

The seven companies, which were selected after an initial pre-qualification phase, are Anduril (which has partnered with GKN Aerospace for this project), BAE Systems, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin UK, Syos, Tekever and Thales. This shortlist will be further narrowed down to four in March 2026. 

Those companies that remain in the process will then be invited to develop and produce a concept demonstrator. The ultimate aim of the program is to have an operational system by 2030.

The order was placed through the Meteor Integrated Joint Programme Office (IJPO) on behalf of Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), continuing Germany’s participation as one of the missile’s development partners. MBDA did not disclose the contract value, quantities, or delivery timeline. 

Meteor is a six-nation European program 

MBDA describes Meteor as the product of a collaborative European consortium led by the company, with Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden participating. The program is often cited as a flagship example of multinational cooperation, bringing together industrial workshares and common requirements into a shared air-combat weapon fielded across multiple European fighter fleets. 

In MBDA’s announcement, CEO Eric Béranger framed the latest German order as continued confidence in a program that unites “cutting-edge technologies” from the six partner nations and supports air dominance missions and national airspace sovereignty. 

What Meteor is, and what it is designed to do 

Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), designed for long-range engagements against maneuvering targets. A key differentiator is its ramjet-based propulsion, described by MBDA as a solid-fuel, variable-flow ducted rocket, produced in Germany by MBDA subsidiary Bayern-Chemie. According to MBDA, this propulsion provides thrust all the way to intercept, contributing to a larger ‘no escape zone’ than many other air-to-air missiles, meaning the target has less room to evade once the engagement unfolds. 

Meteor is described as having a range of over 150 kilometers (90 miles) and being capable of reaching Mach 4. 

Platforms and recent program activity 

MBDA notes that multiple combat air platforms around the world are equipped with Meteor, including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Saab Gripen, and South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae. 

The company also highlighted ongoing integration work on the F-35. MBDA said Meteor achieved a first flight on the F-35B in 2025, with ground testing completed ahead of a first flight on the F-35A. Test momentum has also continued among Meteor operators, with the Brazilian Air Force confirming a successful Meteor test firing from its F-39E Gripen E fighters in November 2025. 

MBDA has positioned the One Way Effector as a ‘mass plus range’ option, situated between high-end cruise missiles and less expensive, shorter-range loitering munitions. The primary objective of this new munition is to contribute to modern tactics for Suppressing Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD). 

Neither MBDA nor the DGA have disclosed the contract value, quantities, or delivery timelines. 

One Way Effector in SEAD missions 

When MBDA unveiled the concept at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, the company described the OWE as an attrition-focused weapon launched from the ground in salvoes to maintain constant pressure on hostile air defenses.  

MBDA has described the One Way Effector as a one-way drone design with a jet engine, with an approximate range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and a 40-kilogram (88 pounds) warhead. The manufacturer said that the warhead would be sized to compel air defenses to engage, forcing them to reveal their positions for detection and follow-on strikes by other long-range weapons. 

The concept echoes lessons from Ukraine, where Shahed-type one-way attack drones, including the Russian-produced Geran series, have demonstrated how relatively low-cost systems can be used in volume to complicate air defense planning and force defenders to expend interceptors. 

MBDA also highlighted an industrial approach aimed at volume production, including partnerships outside the traditional defense supply chain. In its 2025 description of the program, MBDA claimed that the approach could enable production of up to 1,000 units per month. 

Fast-track timeline under France’s ‘Drone Pact’ 

According to MBDA, it took less than a year to move from the program’s announcement to a first test firing and then the first contract signature, crediting the DGA’s ‘Defense Aerial Drone Pact’ with enabling a more agile, cooperative approach with industry. 

France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces has framed the Drone Pact as a means of accelerating procurement and build a sovereign industrial base for ‘contact drones and related munitions, using streamlined requirements and faster cycles than traditional acquisition programs. 

The OWE contract is part of France’s broader effort to align military requirements with increased production capacity, including partnerships that leverage manufacturing ecosystems beyond the conventional defense supply chain. 

One example is the Chorus program, in which French automaker Renault is set to manufacture the Chorus long-range loitering munition in collaboration with Turgis Gaillard, an effort also linked to France’s drone pact initiative. 

The aircraft was ordered by the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana, a longtime Hercules operator that has flown earlier C-130 variants for more than five decades. The purchase is framed as part of a broader recapitalization effort to modernize Mexico’s tactical airlift fleet while retaining continuity with existing training, maintenance, and logistics infrastructure. 

Lockheed Martin said Mexico’s order was the first of two international C-130J contract awards finalized toward the end of 2025, with the second new customer not yet disclosed. With the deal, Mexico joins 24 nations operating the C-130J, part of a global fleet exceeding 560 aircraft. 

C-130J-30 stretch variant 

The C-130J-30 is the stretched version of the C-130J, adding 15 feet of cargo space compared with the standard model. Lockheed describes the aircraft as offering increased range, payload capacity, and fuel efficiency over legacy Hercules variants, with the type certified across 20 mission sets. 

For the Mexican Air Force, the aircraft is expected to support a range of missions that have historically fallen to Mexico’s C-130 fleet, including disaster relief and humanitarian response, as well as military transport and other tactical tasks. 

Mexico stays with the Hercules family 

Lockheed said Mexico’s decades of experience operating the Hercules family, and the existing support ecosystem built around it, were key factors behind the selection, enabling a faster transition to the new platform while maintaining interoperability with the wider C-130J operator community. 

Mexico’s decision comes as Latin American air forces continue to weigh multi-role airlift options that can support both military operations and civil protection requirements, particularly disaster response. 

The detachment, drawn from Air Base 118 Mont-de-Marsan, includes around 30 personnel spanning maintenance, logistics, systems, and communications specialties, reflecting a deliberately reduced support footprint aligned with the ACE model of short, agile, and reactive deployments. 

According to the French Air and Space Force, the Uppsala sequence includes experimental flights in cold weather conditions for the Rafale F4.1 standard, as well as a joint flight with the Swedish air forces. 

Uppsala hosts one of Sweden’s military air bases. Sweden’s armed forces describe Uppland Wing (F 16) as responsible for operating Uppsala airport and supporting airspace surveillance and command-and-control functions. 

Testing “MORANE”, France’s ACE approach 

Operationally, the deployment reflects the Air and Space Force’s push to validate rapid dispersal of high-value assets, continued sortie generation, and sustained operations from alternate locations with limited organic infrastructure, an approach it packages under MORANE, its national implementation of NATO’s Agile Combat Employment logic.  

In practical terms, that means deploying with fewer people and less equipment, then leaning on host-nation support and pre-arranged cross-servicing so aircraft can be fueled, armed, and turned around away from their main bases.  

Early vignettes in northern Europe helped build that muscle, including a November 2022 detachment of two Rafale jets to Rovaniemi for Finland’s Täppä 22 exercise, which explicitly paired French Rafale with Finnish F/A-18 operations in Arctic winter conditions. 

A much earlier proof point came in 2014 during Operation Ambre in Poland in response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea, when four Rafale jets deployed to Malbork with an 80-person detachment, including 16 mechanics, forcing crews to work in a notably stripped-down, improvisational setup compared with peacetime standards. 

Why Sweden and Finland are a natural fit for ACE 

Sweden and Finland are not newcomers to dispersed operations.

Sweden’s Cold War Bas 90 approach, now receiving renewed attention as the security environment has tightened, centered on distributing aircraft across multiple sites and complicating targeting by operating from a wider network of locations. 

In that context, Saab’s Gripen is frequently touted as particularly well-suited to dispersed basing, an aircraft shaped by Sweden’s austere operating philosophy, emphasizing small crews, rapid turnaround, and the ability to function away from large, fixed hubs. 

Finland has carried that mindset into the post-Cold War era through recurring dispersed-operations training, including highway-strip operations under its Baana framework, which the Finnish Air Force describes as training units to operate from a highway strip as part of its dispersed operations concept and to cooperate with allies.

NATO has increasingly highlighted these Nordic highway exercises as practical ACE laboratories for allied air forces. 

According to the Finnish Air Force, JF-501 departed Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility in Texas at around 10:30 local time on January 20, 2026. The transfer flight was flown by United States Air Force Major Cole “Laser” Kingsbery. The aircraft was received at Ebbing by Colonel Tuukka Elonheimo, head of Finland’s F-35 Liaison Office. 

“This is a historic day for the Finnish Air Force. The arrival of JF-501 at Ebbing ANGB is a great milestone for our F-35 capability introduction and marks the official delivery of Finland’s F-35 fighters,” Elonheimo said. 

Factory testing and transfer to Finnish ownership 

JF-501 conducted its maiden flight on December 8, 2025, as part of factory test activities, and was publicly presented at a rollout ceremony on December 16, 2025. Following Lockheed Martin’s ground and flight tests, the US Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) conducted its own test flights before the aircraft was formally transferred first to US government ownership and then to Finland on December 23, 2025. 

The aircraft was entered into the Finnish military aircraft register on January 8, 2026. Before Finnish flight operations begin, the Military Aviation Authority will grant type certification for the F-35, and the Finnish Air Force will carry out airworthiness inspections on each F-35 as it is delivered. 

Eight jets to support training at Ebbing ANGB, Arkansas 

During the spring of 2026, the first Finnish F-35s will be introduced into service at Ebbing as part of the practical phase of initial training. The first eight aircraft produced for Finland, JF-501 through JF-508, will be based at Ebbing for this phase. Airframes from JF-509 onward are planned to be delivered directly to Finland starting in late 2026. 

The Finnish Air Force is sending pilots, aircraft maintenance specialists, and personnel involved with F-35 data systems to the United States in detachments. Around 150 Finnish personnel will undergo initial F-35 training in the US, including about 80 maintenance personnel, 20 pilots, and roughly 50 other trainees. Training covers areas such as F-35 information systems, fleet management, logistics, mission support, flight equipment maintenance, and ground equipment. 

Training is split between Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, where Finnish personnel receive F-35 system theory and simulator instruction at the F-35 Academic Training Center, and Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, where they conduct the practical flying phase. Ebbing hosts F-35 training for several partner nations, including Poland, Germany, Switzerland, and Singapore, under the US Foreign Military Sales training enterprise. 

From HX fighter decision to F-35 deliveries 

Finland selected the F-35A as the winner of its HX fighter competition in December 2021 and subsequently signed agreements to acquire 64 aircraft to replace its Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet. Deliveries are scheduled through the second half of the decade, with the Hornets planned to leave service by 2030. 

Initial F-35 training of Finnish personnel in the United States is set to continue until early 2028. Once the training detachment phase is complete, the eight Finnish JF aircraft used at Ebbing will be transferred to Finland to join the rest of the fleet.  

The demonstrations formed part of a wider agreement with a U.S. manufacturer in support of supplying new aircraft for a government contract. Two aircraft were involved in the operation and supported by Chapman Freeborn’s Flight Support team: the M-346, a two-seat platform that served as the primary demonstration aircraft, and the C-27J, which was used to transport demonstration personnel and essential equipment throughout the tour.

Chapman Freeborn’s Flight Support team delivered end-to-end operational and logistical services across all locations, display airfields and alternate airfields. These included: 

• flight planning, weather services and NOTAM support; 
• airport handling coordination and tax management; 
• fuel release for both aircraft; 
• GPU and air start unit support; 
• hangar space, office facilities, and briefing rooms; 
• aircraft security; 
• airport entry pass authorisations. 

During the initial setup phase, the Flight Support team was responsible for arranging all pre-flight operations, including ground handling, hotel accommodation (HOTAC), crew transportation, and daily aircraft displays to U.S. Government stakeholders. This involved ensuring that each location could fully support the clients operational and presentation requirements.

Through proactive and detailed planning, the team ensured that all aspects of ground handling for this highly complex operation were in place. This included the provision of liquid oxygen, now a rarity in modern flight operations, for the C-27J at every demonstration airfield across the United States and last-minute request for a Canada demonstration. In parallel, the team arranged and coordinated, with the assistance of the Chapman Freeborn USA office, dedicated ground transport to accompany the tour throughout the U.S. for oversized support equipment that could not be loaded onto the C-27J.

Managing an operation of this scale and complexity presented significant challenges, requiring the team to rely on clear, consistent communication to ensure effective delivery throughout the tour. The Flight Support team was responsible for coordinating large numbers of personnel with varied operational and welfare requirements, while synchronising crew movements, equipment logistics, and fuel availability across multiple airports and time zones.

The team managed a broad range of stakeholders, including Leonardo and its end clients, ensuring operational consistency and service continuity throughout the September to November demonstration period. This required careful planning, adaptability, and the effective application of the team’s operational expertise, particularly given the considerable scale of personnel logistics involved.

Over the course of the tour, the Flight Support team successfully:

• Coordinated 1,503 hotel room bookings
• Arranged 1,379 crew and staff meals
• Organised 509 ground transport vehicles for Leonardo personnel

These figures reflect the intensity and scope of the logistics effort required to support the programme, as well as the team’s ability to maintain high operational standards across a geographically dispersed and time-critical deployment.

“This project demonstrated the strength of our air show flight support capabilities and our ability to deliver consistent, reliable service across multiple locations over an extended period. The success of the tour is a testament to our team’s expertise, our global support network, and our commitment to meeting client needs in demanding, high-pressure environments,” says Dave Selby, Commercial Manager, Flight Support.  

Two members of the Flight Support team, supported by the wider Flight Support office team, which monitored and coordinated the operation from start to finish, were integral to the successful delivery of this deployment. Alexandra Sharrock, who attended the first phase of the tour, and Vivienne Sinclair, who attended the second phase, acted as Chapman Freeborn’s primary on-site representatives throughout the operation.

Clear and consistent communication, strong industry relationships, and robust back-office support proved essential in managing real-time operational changes and ensuring that all services were delivered as planned. This combined on-site and remote support model enabled the team to respond quickly to evolving requirements while maintaining operational continuity across multiple locations.

Feedback from Leonardo highlights the value and impact of the Flight Support team’s contribution:

“I would like to thank Chapman Freeborn for providing such excellent support during the complex and intense M-346 demo tour. The constant presence of Chapman representatives in both the U.S. and Canada was fundamental. Alexandra Sharrock and Vivienne Sinclair deserve special praise for their professionalism and dedication, which were key to making the project a success. I can sincerely say that your support was highly appreciated by the entire team present on site.” Massimo Sorgato, Leonardo Aircraft

Chapman Freeborn provides flight support and air cargo charter services to major corporations, governments, NGOs, relief agencies, and high net-worth individuals. With over 50 years of experience, the company offers extensive global coverage through its well-established partner network.

On January 21, 2026, the UK’s Ministry of Defense said that a response was needed to prepare for a new era of warfare after the conflict in Ukraine highlighted the growing threat posed by uncrewed devices.

The British Army has invested $336,000 (£250,000) in the Autonomous Systems degree and will deliver the three-year course to train 15 civilian students and up to five soldiers each year as drone technology specialists.

NMITE explained that the new undergraduate degree will also lead to a Masters in Engineering (MEng) in three years, rather than the normal four years and will prepare students to be broadly trained, highly effective engineers with a specialised focus on drone technologies.

“In Ukraine, drones are causing more casualties than artillery – that’s the reality of modern warfare. This degree gives young engineers a fast track to careers at the cutting edge, protecting Britain and powering growth in places like Hereford,” said Al Carns, Minister for the Armed Forces.

He added: “These graduates will strengthen our Armed Forces and help push forward advances in civilian and commercial drone technology, developing homegrown talent, building British capabilities, from battlefield to business.”

The Armed Forces Bill was recently introduced to strengthen the UK’s ability to tackle drone threats and ensure defense personnel can better deter, detect and defeat drone incursions.

Under the UK’s Strategic Defense Review the goal is to ensure that the British Army is “ten times more lethal through AI, drones and autonomous systems”.

“By building a pipeline of homegrown talent with specialist STEM skills, Defense is addressing critical workforce gaps while positioning the UK at the forefront of next-generation military capability,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense.

Students on the course will also learn about the dual-use potential of drone technologies and will be equipped to drive innovation for civilian, commercial, and humanitarian applications as well as defense.

“This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us – to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now, and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defense and a security capability and regional growth,” said James Newby, CEO of NMITE.

Expressions of interest are now open for the course starting in September 2026, and those interested can register for updates here.

The final operational flights took place on January 18, 2026, during a retirement ceremony at Skrydstrup Air Base in southern Jutland. Three aircraft conducted a final formation flight over Danish landmarks before a fourth F-16 landed shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time, closing the aircraft’s service chapter with the Royal Danish Air Force. 

Denmark introduced the F-16 in 1980 as part of the European Participating Air Forces program alongside Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway. The aircraft replaced several Cold War-era fighters, including the F-100 Super Sabre, F-104 Starfighter, and Saab Draken. Copenhagen ultimately acquired 77 F-16A/B aircraft across two main procurement batches, later upgrading 61 of them through the Mid-Life Update program to the F-16AM/BM standard. 

Over its service life, Danish F-16s took part in numerous NATO operations, including Allied Force over the former Yugoslavia in 1999, missions in Afghanistan beginning in 2002, air operations over Libya in 2011, and multiple deployments in the Middle East from 2014 onward. The aircraft also supported Baltic Air Policing, Iceland Air Policing, and sovereignty enforcement missions over Greenland. 

The retirement comes amid heightened political tensions between Copenhagen and Washington related to Greenland’s security, with US officials urging Denmark to strengthen defenses in the Arctic region. In response, Denmark recently dispatched F-35s on long-range training flights to Greenland, demonstrating the aircraft’s ability to operate at extended distances with allied tanker support. 

Denmark selected the F‑35A as the F-16’s replacement, initially ordering 27 aircraft before increasing the total to 43. All are expected to be fully operational by 2027. 

While no longer flying for Denmark, the F-16s will continue operational service elsewhere. Some have been sold to Argentina, which received the first six aircraft in December 2025, while others have been donated to Ukraine. Former Danish F-16s now fly combat missions in Ukrainian service, retaining distinctive self-protection pylons developed by Danish defense firm Terma. 

Denmark now joins Norway and the Netherlands as one of the few countries operating an entirely fifth-generation fighter fleet, closing the book on a platform that defined its air power for nearly half a century. 

In a written answer to a parliamentary question on January 12, 2026, and first reported by the UK Defence Journal, the UK Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns said that access to Irish airspace “is managed through extant diplomatic channels as per international norms with clearance being requested and granted for state aircraft under set conditions.” 

“UK military aircraft do not enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland for operational purposes, without the express prior agreement of the Irish Government,” Carns added, stressing that “questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations are for individual nations to answer, therefore any questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Irish Government.” 

The response, published following a question from Democratic Unionist Party MP Carla Lockhart, effectively confirms that any RAF quick reaction alert activity over Ireland remains subject to case-by-case political consent from Dublin, rather than a standing UK guarantee to defend Irish skies. 

Ireland’s air defense gap 

The clarification comes against the backdrop of Ireland’s persistent vulnerability in air defense. The country has not operated combat jets since 1998, when its Light Strike Squadron, flying Fouga CM170 Magisters, was retired. 

In practice, Ireland relies on the bilateral understanding with the UK for the interception of non-compliant traffic, a dependence that has drawn growing scrutiny as tensions rise on Europe’s periphery and traffic across the North Atlantic continues to increase. 

Former Irish Air Corps head General Ralph James has described Ireland as “probably the most vulnerable” country in Europe, arguing that military neutrality cannot substitute for credible air surveillance and interception capabilities. 

Steps to rebuild airspace sovereignty 

Dublin has begun modest steps to rebuild its air domain capabilities. In October 2025, the Irish Air Corps recently took delivery of its third and final Airbus C295, completing a program worth about €300 million that strengthens both maritime patrol and transport capacity. 

Ireland is also exploring the purchase of its first modern combat aircraft in more than half a century. Current planning assumptions point to a preferred fleet of 12 to 14 jets, with annual costs estimated between €60 million and €100 million over 20 to 25 years, potentially pushing the total investment close to €2.5 billion. 

Ahead of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026, the government has signaled that strengthening air surveillance and counter drone capabilities will be early priorities. Dublin has also indicated it may seek additional European support to help secure Irish airspace during high level meetings, reinforcing how much the country still leans on partners, including the UK, to protect its skies. 

French outlet L’Usine Nouvelle reports that Chorus is a multi-role long-range loitering munition designed for both strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

The project is part of a drone initiative [Pacte drones aériens de défense – ed. note] launched by France in June 2024 to accelerate the domestic drone industrial base and better align armed forces requirements with high-volume industrial capacity.

In his 2026 New Year’s address to the French Armed Forces, President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that France is “late” in the field and needs to move faster in view of rapid innovation and mass production observed in Ukraine. 

Chorus loitering munition 

Chorus is described as a relatively large drone, about 10 meters (33 feet) long with an 8-meter (26-foot) wingspan, capable of speeds around 400 km/h (250 mph) and operating at altitudes up to 5,000 meters (16,000 feet).

The system is conceived as a relatively low-cost, expendable drone, broadly similar in employment concept to Iran’s Shahed family used extensively by Russia in Ukraine. Turgis Gaillard reportedly developed the initial Chorus design before teaming with Renault to prepare the system for mass production.

France is not alone in exploring such concepts. In the US, SpektreWorks’ LUCAS program follows a similar logic, fielding a Shahed-style loitering munition adapted for Western production.

Automotive-style drone production in France 

Renault’s role is to adapt Chorus for series production using automotive methods to simplify the design and reduce costs, including the use of materials and assembly techniques already employed in car manufacturing.

A dedicated line at Renault’s Le Mans plant will assemble the airframe, with between 100 and 200 employees volunteering from a workforce of about 1,800. The line will be activated based on orders placed by the DGA, with output potentially reaching up to 600 drones per month, according to BFMTV. 

The company’s Ampère factory in Cléon will manufacture and modify the internal combustion engines that power the drones. Renault will not be responsible for the military payloads or mission equipment, which will be supplied separately. 

The program is largely publicly funded, with around 10 drones to be delivered to the DGA by summer 2026 for concept validation. If trials are successful, the parties could sign a 10-year agreement valued at roughly €1 billion. 

From concept discussions to concrete industrial pairing 

The move follows earlier public discussion about using automotive capacity to scale drone production, including approaches to Renault highlighted by the French government as part of its support to Ukraine.

In June 2025, Renault confirmed talks with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces about a potential drone production project that could involve cooperation with a French defense company and the forward production of drones in Ukraine.

In September 2023, Turgis Gaillard reached an agreement with the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov Company to produce a localized version of its upcoming MALE drone, the Aarok, tailored to the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Bloomberg reported on January 19, 2026, that a German Defense Ministry presentation and people familiar with the matter indicated that Ukrainian trials identified takeoff issues, missing autonomous features and vulnerability to Russian electronic warfare, prompting a pause in further orders. Germany has financed recent HX-2 deliveries to Ukraine. 

In a statement the same day, Helsing said the article did not reflect the situation in Ukraine. The company said it has received concrete requests from more than six units in the Ukrainian army to order HX-2 drones, and that the regiment involved in frontline testing has asked for more than 1,000 additional systems for combat tasks. 

Helsing said HX-2 has been cleared for frontline use after documented trials in Ukraine, is listed in a central ordering system used by the Ukrainian military, and that it is delivering several hundred drones per month. 

As of January 20, 2026, Ukrainian and German defense authorities had not issued detailed public statements confirming whether additional HX-2 purchases have been paused, modified, or maintained. Bloomberg reported that Germany would not place follow-on orders unless Kyiv indicated renewed interest. 

HX-2 and Helsing’s combat AI push 

The HX-2 is an electrically propelled x-wing loitering munition with a range of up to 100 kilometers. Helsing says the system has been designed for mass production, swarm operation, and resistance to jamming and electronic warfare. The drone uses a human-on-the-loop model in which it can navigate and track autonomously while keeping operators in control of engagement decisions. 

The drone is compatible with multiple payload configurations and can be coordinated in groups through Helsing’s Altra reconnaissance and strike software. According to the company, this networked control architecture allows a single operator to manage multiple HX-2s in a synchronized strike sequence. 

HX-2 was first unveiled in December 2024 as a cost-effective complement to artillery fire. Its development reflects Helsing’s broader expansion into AI-enabled combat systems, which began with the acquisition of Grob Aircraft to strengthen production in Europe. Helsing later collaborated with Saab on AI-controlled flight trials of the Gripen E fighter before revealing the CA-1 Europa autonomous combat jet. 

The trainers were manufactured by the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), a private aviation training company that has previously attracted scrutiny in the United States and Europe for its links to PLA training programs. 

Modeled on P-8 Poseidon systems 

Court filings describe the units as containerized mission crew trainers built under an internal TFASA effort known as “Project Elgar.” The systems replicate the interior layout of Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and run US-origin software and technical data. US officials say the equipment was intended to support training in airborne early warning and ASW missions. 

Former Western ASW specialists are alleged to have supported portions of the design, providing expertise that US officials argue could accelerate Chinese naval aviation proficiency. 

US alleges pipeline of NATO know-how 

In its statement, the DoJ accused TFASA of acting as a conduit for Chinese military training, saying the company “masquerades as a civilian flight-training academy” while transferring NATO aviation expertise, operational knowledge, and restricted technology to the PLA. US officials say Project Elgar was aimed at enhancing the PLA’s ability to detect and track US Navy submarines 

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security are leading the investigation. 

TFASA response 

In a statement published on January 15, 2026, TFASA rejected the allegations as “factually incorrect and misleading,” stressing that the seized equipment consisted of non-sensitive “mobile classroom units” intended for procedural instruction rather than tactical ASW simulation. The company said no NATO expertise, US military technology, or restricted defense technical data was transferred, and that relevant export authorities had vetted the units prior to shipment.  

TFASA added that it had commissioned an independent investigation in mid-2025, which concluded that no export-controlled material was present. 

Previous scrutiny 

TFASA was added to the US Entity List in 2023 for providing military pilot training to Chinese customers.  

The academy has also surfaced in European probes. In 2022, a Sky News investigation reported that China had used the Test Flying Academy of South Africa as a front to hire former British pilots, offering annual salaries of up to £240,000 ($306,000) to those willing to train Chinese military pilots.  

In April 2025, a former French Navy fighter pilot was placed under formal investigation for suspected intelligence cooperation with China after training trips allegedly facilitated by a South African aviation company, subsequently identified as TFASA, linking the academy to wider efforts to recruit Western military pilots for PLA training. 

Western defense ministries have since issued public warnings urging former military aviators not to accept training contracts with firms tied to Chinese military programs. 

In a statement on January 19, 2026, NORAD said aircraft at Pituffik will operate alongside assets based in the continental United States and Canada to support “various long-planned NORAD activities,” describing the operations as part of the command’s routine, sustained, and dispersed posture across its three regions: Alaska, Canada, and the continental US. 

The command stressed that the deployment has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark and that all supporting forces are operating with the necessary diplomatic clearances. The Government of Greenland has also been informed of the planned activities, NORAD said. 

Pituffik’s role in North American defense 

The latest deployment builds on US statements that have steadily elevated Greenland’s place in continental defense planning. During a previous deployment in October 2025, US Northern Command described Greenland’s strategic position as “vital” for defending North America and confirmed that, since June 2025, it has assumed responsibility for homeland defense missions involving the island. 

The United States has also reiterated its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Kingdom of Denmark in the region, with Greenland framed as a longstanding contributor to NORAD’s ability to monitor and counter current and emerging threats.  

Pituffik, originally known as Thule Air Base before Denmark approved a renaming in 2023, is the US Department of Defense’s northernmost installation in the Arctic. Located about 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the base supports space-based missions, missile warning systems, and satellite tracking that underpin NORAD and US Northern Command’s early-warning architecture. 

European activity expands in and around Greenland 

The NORAD announcement follows a visible uptick in European military activity linked to Greenland and the wider North Atlantic, as European governments seek to demonstrate Arctic competence and signal that the region is not exclusively a US security domain. 

Earlier in January 2026, Danish C-130J transport aircraft airlifted the first group of European troops into Nuuk for a Greenland mission focused on cold-weather operations. The deployment marked a step up in European training and presence on the island, reinforcing Copenhagen’s message that it can back its political responsibilities in the High North with credible forces. 

At the same time, Sweden has deployed Gripen fighters to Iceland for NATO air policing, another mission that would usually be regarded as routine.

In the current geopolitical context, however, these deployments are being closely watched as part of a broader pattern of governments placing aircraft and troops along the North Atlantic and Arctic approaches. 

Trump pressures for US control and ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense 

Those competing approaches have been complicated further by statements from US President Donald Trump expressing his desire to bring Greenland under US control for security reasons. Trump has argued that the island is essential for the planned ‘Golden Dome’ multi-layer missile defense system intended to shield the United States from long-range threats approaching over the Arctic. He has stated publicly that “anything less than having Greenland in US hands” would be unacceptable for American security. 

Danish officials have rejected any discussion of sovereignty transfer, and Greenland’s political leadership has emphasized that Greenlanders must determine the island’s future status. 

The deployment will see a fighter unit equivalent to a fighter division, along with ground personnel from Skaraborg Air Flotilla (F 7), operate from Keflavik Air Base. In Swedish Air Force terminology, a fighter division typically fields around eight to twelve aircraft.

First Swedish fighter detachment to Iceland under NATO tasking

The Swedish Armed Forces said the operation will be the first time the Swedish Air Force bases in Iceland as part of NATO’s incident preparedness, and the first time Skaraborg Air Flotilla contributes a fighter unit to a NATO operation.

Since late 2025, Sweden has been part of NATO’s Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFC Norfolk) operational area, which stretches from North America to the Finnish and Norwegian borders with Russia and includes the Arctic and the transatlantic link between North America and Europe.

“The Arctic is part of our new area of operations in NATO and a strategically important area. It constitutes an important piece of the puzzle in the defense of the alliance and we know that Russia has ambitions in the Arctic,” said Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, head of the Swedish Armed Forces operations command, in a statement. “The fact that we will now contribute to stability and security in the area shows that Sweden and the Armed Forces take responsibility for NATO’s joint air defense tasks.”

Sweden’s Chief of the Air Force, Major General Jonas Wikman, said the service’s experience operating under NATO leadership in Poland last year demonstrated that it has both the ability and capacity to contribute to incident preparedness and airspace surveillance of allied airspace.

Iceland mission builds on previous Nordic deployments

Though this is the first time that Skaraborg Air Flotilla has participated with a fighter unit in a NATO operation, the flotilla’s special aviation squadron, flying the Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft, was previously based in Iceland in June 2024 to carry out airborne surveillance and combat control under NATO leadership in connection with the NATO summit in Reykjavik.

“The combat aviation unit is well equipped for the task and, just like the other units of the Air Force, we have extensive experience in incident preparedness,” said Lieutenant Colonel Johan Legardt, the contingent commander from Skaraborg Air Flotilla. “We are also used to operating in winter climates and have the conditions to act on the different types of threats that we may face when protecting the territorial integrity of Iceland.”

Since 2008, NATO air forces have periodically rotated fighter detachments through Keflavik to provide air policing for Iceland, which does not operate its own combat aircraft.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Prague on January 19, 2026, Babis said the Czech armed forces required their current fleet. 

“The aircraft are not available, and we do not have any other ones,” the prime minister told reporters. He did not specify the aircraft type, but his comments followed Pavel’s suggestion that Ukraine could acquire Czech-made L-159 subsonic combat jets capable of engaging drones. 

L-159 fleet and drone-defense potential 

On January 16, 2026, in Kyiv, Pavel said Prague could provide “several medium combat planes” effective against drones in a “relatively short time” to Ukraine. Pavel has been a vocal supporter of military aid to Kyiv during Russia’s war in Ukraine. 

Pavel’s comments suggested Ukraine was exploring fixed-wing, manned kinetic options against slow-flying targets, a profile largely absent from NATO inventories and typically covered by attack helicopters or converted turboprop trainers. 

The Czech military operates 24 L-159s, including eight two-seat trainers, alongside 14 Saab JAS 39 Gripens flown under lease and 24 F-35s on order for post-2030 delivery. The L-159 is armed with short-range infrared air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 and can employ gun pods, giving it both missile and cannon options against slow, low-flying drones. 

But the potential aircraft transfer had drawn criticism from Babis’s coalition partners in the far-right, pro-Russian SPD, and Babis said Prague’s position was unchanged from the previous government, which also declined to send L-159s to Kyiv. Since his appointment in early December 2025, Babis has pledged not to provide arms and opted out of the financial component of an EU loan to Ukraine. 

ICEYE said the deal will sustain a high volume of satellite imagery from its SAR constellation, providing the Ukrainian Armed Forces with persistent situational awareness at operational tempo. The company argues that space-based intelligence has shifted from a strategic planning asset to an input for battlefield decisions on compressed timelines, with data required “when minutes matter.” 

SAR constellation and imaging capabilities 

The agreement builds on ICEYE’s support for Ukraine since 2022, when the company first enabled Kyiv to access SAR imagery capable of penetrating cloud cover, smoke, and darkness. SAR collection has become an important complement to optical imagery in Ukraine, where winter conditions and smoke from artillery often degrade traditional sensors. 

ICEYE operates what it describes as the world’s largest SAR constellation, with imagery resolutions reportedly as fine as 16 centimeters depending on collection mode, and wide-area products covering up to 200 by 300 kilometers. The company said its electronic beam-steering technology enables multiple high-resolution scenes to be captured within minutes, supporting rapid retasking and change detection. 

Artificial intelligence push and European strategic autonomy 

The development fits within a wider European effort to strengthen defense-relevant space intelligence and shorten processing timelines between collection and action. In 2025, ICEYE partnered with French group Safran.AI to apply artificial intelligence to SAR and optical data, including for Ukrainian military intelligence. The approach aims to reduce latency between satellite tasking, image capture, and operational decisions, reflecting how space intelligence is being pushed down to the tactical layer in active conflict. 

European governments also increased their own contributions to Ukraine’s intelligence picture, partly to reduce dependence on US support. When US intelligence sharing was briefly frozen in March 2025, then-defense minister Sébastien Lecornu said Paris would step up its use of France’s sovereign space assets and military intelligence channels to prevent disruption in support of Ukraine. 

In his New Year address to the French armed forces on January 15, 2025, President Emmanuel Macron claimed France now provides Kyiv with “two-thirds of its intelligence capabilities,” framing the effort as both support for Ukraine and a demonstration of European strategic autonomy. 

Spears of Victory has been held annually since 2020 as a multinational air and joint-forces exercise hosted by the Royal Saudi Air Force. Each edition is built around complex, scenario-based training in contested environments and has progressively expanded in scale and participation. 

Focus on joint operations and EW training 

The Royal Saudi Air Force is leading the exercise, which runs from January 18 to February 5, 2026, and is designed to strengthen joint operational integration across Saudi armed forces branches, the Ministry of the National Guard, the Presidency of State Security, and the Unified Military Command of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), alongside partner nations. 

Major General Mohammed bin Ali Al-Omari, commander of the Air Warfare Center, said Spears of Victory 2026 aims to raise combat readiness, standardize planning and execution, and sharpen combined tactics against “current and emerging threats,” including through multi-domain joint air operations conducted under “advanced electronic warfare conditions.” 

15 countries involved 

A Pakistan Air Force-related readout listed participating air forces as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, France, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and said Pakistan deployed F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft for the drill. 

The exercise also takes place against the backdrop of deepening US–Saudi defense cooperation. In November 2025, US President Donald Trump said Washington would proceed with the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, in a move that would make the kingdom only the second operator of the type in the Middle East after Israel if the deal is finalized. 

Pavel did not name the aircraft type but said that Prague could provide “several medium combat planes” in a “relatively short time,” describing them as effective against drones. 

According to Pavel, Prague is also considering providing early-warning systems, including passive radar technology, as Ukraine expands its layered defenses against long-range drone attacks. 

L-159 ALCA, the most likely candidate 

Reuters linked Pavel’s remarks to the Czech-made subsonic Aero L-159, which Pavel publicly floated as a potential transfer option in 2023.  

The Czech military operates 24 L-159s alongside 14 Saab JAS 39 Gripens, which Prague flies under a lease arrangement, and has ordered 24 F-35s for delivery after 2030.  

Within the L-159 fleet, the Czech Air Force fields a mix of single-seat L-159A combat aircraft and two-seat L-159T trainers, with eight of the latter used for advanced training. 

Aero has long pitched the L-159 as a low-cost light combat aircraft, capable of covering missions ranging from supporting ground forces to limited air defense against slow-moving targets, aligning with Pavel’s ‘drone-fighting’ framing. 

In Czech service, the jet can be armed with short-range infrared air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder and with gun pods, giving it both missile and cannon options for engaging slow, low-flying drones. 

Recent revival of Czech aviation industry

Aero Vodochody’s newer L-39NG, now marketed as the L-39 Skyfox, is another subsonic Czech jet that can be configured for training and light combat roles. Aero restarted serial production with the first production aircraft’s maiden flight in April 2023. 

However, the Czech Skyfox fleet is currently tied to the LOM Praha flight training center rather than an in-service light-combat unit. Aero said it completed deliveries of four Skyfox aircraft to LOM Praha in August 2025 under a 2022 contract and later announced that it would deliver four additional aircraft under an exercised option. 

Both the L-159 and the L-39NG sit on the same Aero family tree rooted in the Cold War-era L-39 Albatros.

On January 16, 2026, the Royal Navy announced that the demonstrator, built exclusively for its use, had operated from Predannack airfield in Cornwall.

In September 2025, Leonardo’s Managing Director of Helicopters UK, Nigel Colman, told AeroTime at DSEI in London that the Royal Navy wanted to see Proteus fly “this year”.

During its first flight, Proteus undertook a short test routine which saw the aircraft operate its own flying controls independently, while under supervision from test pilots.

The Royal Navy wants the Proteus demonstrator’s main mission to be Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASuW), but it is capable of much more.

Leonardo designed Proteus to conduct a range of missions including anti-submarine warfare, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and search and rescue. In total, Leonardo was tasked with 16 mission sets to explore by the Royal Navy.

Commodore Steve Bolton, Royal Navy Deputy Director Aviation Future Programs, said: “The successful first flight of Proteus is a significant step in delivering the Royal Navy’s maritime aviation transformation vision, and to demonstrating our steadfast commitment to investing in autonomy as part of a hybrid air wing.”

Under the UK’s Strategic Defense Review, there are plans for a ‘New Hybrid Navy’, with autonomous helicopters playing a central role in hybrid air wings and the Atlantic Bastion program to secure the North Atlantic.

The Royal Navy currently operates several drones, including Malloy octocopters and Peregrine, but Proteus eclipses them in size, complexity and, above all, autonomy.

Commodore Bolton added: “This milestone signals our intent to lead technological innovation, to enhance the fighting effectiveness of the Royal Navy in an increasingly complex operating environment, and to maintain operational advantage against evolving maritime threats.”

Proteus relies on sensors and computer systems driven by cutting-edge software to understand and process its environment, make decisions, and act accordingly.

With a payload of over one ton, Proteus can carry a range of equipment to conduct tasks in extremely challenging weather conditions.

Liftoff!

The UK’s first autonomous full-size helicopter, #Proteus, has completed a historic maiden flight at Predannack airfield in Cornwall.

Designed and built by #Leonardo in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters, Proteus is a major step forward in autonomous maritime… pic.twitter.com/nqZ9Qyp23Z

— Leonardo Helicopters (@LDO_Helicopters) January 16, 2026

Leonardo’s Nigel Colman said: “Proteus represents a step-change in how maritime aviation can deliver persistence, adaptability and reach – conducting the dull, dirty and dangerous missions in challenging environments without putting human operators at risk.”

Leonardo showcased the Proteus concept for the first time at DSEI 2023, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense (MOD).

The Royal Navy said that Proteus is “believed to be one of the world’s first full-sized autonomous helicopters”.

According to the IDF, the helicopter, known in the Israeli service as the ‘Yanshuf’ (Owl), had made a precautionary landing earlier in the week in an open area of the Etzion Brigade sector due to difficult weather conditions. 

Damaged helicopter falls to the ground 

During a recovery effort, the damaged aircraft was being airlifted when it became detached and fell to the ground. There were no injuries in the incident, the IDF said. 

Footage published showed the helicopter dropping from a low altitude after the lifting connection failed. The recovery aircraft was reported to be a CH-53 Yasur, Israel’s designation for its CH-53 Sea Stallion heavy-lift fleet. 

Investigation launched by IAF chief 

Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar ordered the establishment of a military investigative committee to examine the circumstances of the accident and the procedures used during the recovery lift. 

Black Hawk helicopters in Israeli service are used for routine transport missions and for inserting and extracting troops during military operations. The Yasur fleet, which has been in service for decades, performs heavy-lift and special operations tasks and is due to be progressively replaced by the new CH-53K-based ‘Pere’ helicopters later in the decade. 

The contract marks the transition of the VSR700 from a demonstrator and test asset into a serial product for the French Navy under the SDAM (Système de drone aérien de la Marine) program. The effort is intended to provide major surface combatants with an organic vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone, to extend surveillance and identification ranges beyond the horizon. 

Airbus Helicopters described the award as the “next phase” of the program, following a framework agreement signed with the DGA in 2023 and unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2025. The manufacturer has set up a dedicated industrial arrangement to support serial production for France and potential export customers. 

ISR payload and Naval Group integration 

The initial VSR700 systems for the French Navy will be configured for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. According to Airbus, the standard fit will include a maritime surveillance radar, an electro-optical sensor, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver to track surface traffic around the host ship. 

Naval Group will be responsible for integrating the VSR700 into shipboard architecture and combat systems via its Steeris mission system, which acts as the interface layer between the air vehicle and the ship’s combat management system. The UAS is intended to operate as an extension of the ship’s own sensor suite, rather than as a standalone asset. 

From Cabri G2 roots to proven sea trials 

The VSR700 is based on the Hélicoptères Guimbal Cabri G2 light helicopter, adapted and modified into an uncrewed platform for maritime and land-based missions. Over recent years, Airbus and the DGA have run an extensive test campaign on land and at sea to de-risk shipborne operations. 

In May 2023, the prototype VSR700 completed its first operational-configuration sea trials off the coast of Brittany, flying from a civilian vessel’s helicopter deck. During this campaign, the drone conducted around 80 fully autonomous takeoffs and landings and logged roughly eight hours of testing across 14 flights. Trials were carried out in winds above 40 knots and in multiple sea states, validating the system’s automated approach, landing, and deck-handling logic in demanding maritime conditions. 

For these tests, the VSR700 was already equipped with a maritime surveillance radar, an AIS receiver, and a maritime-optimized electro-optical pod, giving the DGA and Navy an early look at its intended ISR mission suite at sea. 

Those initial sea trials were followed by tests from a French Navy frigate under the SDAM demonstrator phase, further validating launch and recovery procedures and the interface with naval combat systems.  

Two Danish C-130s landed late on January 14 at Nuuk airport, carrying Danish soldiers and the first European personnel, including five French troops. By the morning of January 15, the multinational group had gathered at the headquarters of Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command (Arktisk Kommando) in Nuuk to assess the conditions for a possible wider allied deployment. 

Normally focused on maritime pollution prevention, fisheries inspection, search and rescue, hydrographic surveys and support to scientific missions, the Nuuk-based command is now coordinating a reconnaissance mission that will map out infrastructure, airlift needs and logistics for sustained operations in Greenland’s polar environment. 

European airlift flows through Denmark 

According to the German Defense Ministry, a 13-strong German reconnaissance team was scheduled to fly to Karup Air Base in Denmark on January 15, 2026. From there, European personnel continued together to Greenland the next day, using Danish and allied airlift. 

European contributions remain small in this initial reconnaissance phase, with Germany sending a 13-person team, France deploying around 15 troops from the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, Norway contributing two soldiers and Finland two liaison officers. Sweden has dispatched several officers, the exact number of which has not been disclosed, while the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are each assigning a single naval or military officer, and Estonia has signaled participation without yet specifying the size of its contingent. The composition reflects a reconnaissance-heavy footprint aimed at surveying infrastructure, logistics and operating conditions in Greenland as allies prepare for a potential larger deployment later in the year. 

During his New Year address to the armed forces on January 15, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the initial French detachment in Nuuk would be backed “by land, air and sea assets,” indicating that Paris is prepared to commit additional aviation and naval support if the mission expands. 

Operation Arctic Endurance 

The current reconnaissance deployment is framed as a precursor to the Danish-led ‘Arctic Endurance’ exercise, planned with NATO allies and positioned as a follow-on to the recent ‘Arctic Light 2025’ drills. For Denmark and its partners, the focus is on proving that allied airlift and support aircraft can operate reliably from Greenlandic airfields and, if necessary, more austere sites. 

Greenland’s rugged terrain, sparse infrastructure and long polar night place a premium on reliable transport aircraft, tactical airlift planning and search and rescue coverage. Any larger deployment would likely require a mix of C-130 and A400M-type aircraft, supported by maritime patrol and surveillance platforms to monitor the surrounding air and sea approaches. 

European cold-weather expertise

The French troops arriving in Nuuk belong to the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, which has built expertise in cold-weather operations over the past decade during deployments and exercises in the High North, including previous activity in Greenland. 

French forces have already increased their Arctic aviation options. On March 9, 2025, the A400M Atlas was certified to operate in Greenland after a campaign of trials at Station Nord, where crews practiced landing on ice runways and validated procedures for extreme cold.  

While French fighters have never operated from Greenland, the French Air and Space Force has previous experience in the region. A Mirage 2000-5 detachment deployed to Iceland in 2008 to launch NATO’s Icelandic Air Policing mission.

Other contributors to the Nuuk mission bring comparable Arctic credentials. Norway and Sweden routinely run cold-weather drills above the Arctic Circle involving fast jets, helicopters, and tactical airlift, while Finland has long adapted its fighter operations and runway maintenance to harsh winter conditions and is folding those requirements into its F-35 transition.

Germany’s transport and mountain units have participated in winter exercises in northern Norway and Iceland, gaining practical experience in logistics and airfield support in sub-zero environments. Denmark itself has long operated in Greenland and the Faroe Islands and hosts specialized units such as the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, which trains year-round in extreme Arctic conditions and represents a unique local reconnaissance capability.

Political urgency over Greenland’s status 

European capitals and Copenhagen have framed this collective expertise not only as preparation for a possible larger deployment but also as a demonstration to international audiences, including the United States, of their capacity to protect the Arctic region and uphold Greenland’s security.

The acceleration of the mission followed a high-level meeting in Washington on January 14, 2026, between senior representatives of the United States, Denmark, and Greenland. Participants reported “fundamental divergences” during the talks. Shortly afterwards, US President Donald Trump again stated his intention to bring Greenland under US control for “security” reasons, specifically to establish the so-called ‘Golden Dome’ multi-layer missile defense system for the United States. Copenhagen and Nuuk have rejected that position.  

Multi-mission role for H175M 

According to Airbus Helicopters, the H175Ms will be employed across transport, search and rescue, emergency medical services, and disaster relief tasks. The ACH175 and ACH160 will be operated for government transport. 

“The commitment from Ghana marks the return of Airbus Helicopters to the country with a defined focus on customer support and partnership,” said Arnaud Montalvo, Head of Africa and Middle East Region for Airbus Helicopters.

The H175M is the militarized derivative of the super-medium H175, first delivered in 2014 and widely used for offshore energy, public service and SAR missions. The ACH160 and ACH175 represent Airbus’ corporate helicopter line, incorporating upgraded interiors and cabin configurations tailored for executive transport.  

Airbus Helicopters did not disclose delivery timelines or contract value. 

Airbus pushes deeper into African market 

Airbus Helicopters reports a growing African footprint, with more than 500 of its rotorcraft in service across the continent in roles ranging from law enforcement and anti-poaching to medevac and offshore support.  

The order adds to a series of recent African helicopter campaigns as governments and companies on the continent recapitalize fleets. Recent deals include Morocco’s order for ten H225M combat search-and-rescue helicopters and Bristow Group’s plan to introduce up to five H160s for offshore energy operations in Nigeria. 

The division’s financial performance has tracked this momentum. In the first nine months of 2025, Airbus Helicopters posted $6.6 billion (€5.7 billion) in revenue, up 16% year-on-year, as deliveries climbed to 218 aircraft compared to 190 a year earlier. EBIT Adjusted also increased to $576 million (€495 million). 

The contract, notified on December 24, 2025, covers the combined fleet of five C-130J-30 transports and five KC-130J tanker-transports flown by the Binational Air Transport Squadron (BATS) “Rhin.” 

A “performance” support model for a binational fleet 

DMAé has framed the CAROLUS contract as a Franco-German cooperation model, with tightened performance expectations across operational availability, supported onboard capabilities, turnaround times for scheduled maintenance, and expanded logistics services. 

According to Sabena Technics, CAROLUS includes maintenance checks performed at its Bordeaux facility, supply chain and repair management, an on-site technical “front office” and logistics footprint at Évreux, 24-hour technical assistance, and continuing airworthiness management (CAMO) support. 

Sabena Technics said the program will be executed in close partnership with Lockheed Martin as the C-130J manufacturer, and will also include cooperation with Rolls-Royce and Dowty for powerplant support. 

“We are proud of the trust placed in Sabena technics by the Directorate of Aviation Maintenance to provide comprehensive operational support for the French and German C-130J fleet,” Sabena technics CEO Hervé Grandjean said in the company’s announcement. 

Sabena Technics already supports France’s C-130H fleet and has been performing periodic C-check work on the Franco-German C-130J aircraft in recent years, positioning the company to scale up as the Évreux-based fleet matures into a steady operational rhythm. 

Sustaining the post-Transall airlift stopgap 

Formalized in September 2021, the C-130J fleet based at Évreux in northeastern France is one of the most integrated examples of day-to-day Franco-German operational cooperation, with mixed teams supporting a shared capability built around the Super Hercules. 

France and Germany built the Évreux unit around the C-130J to close a tactical airlift and refueling gap as both countries moved away from the C-160 Transall era, while also seeking tighter interoperability in day-to-day operations. 

The “Rhin/Rhein” fleet structure comprises two French C-130J-30s and two French KC-130Js, plus three German C-130J-30s and three German KC-130Js, for a total of 10 aircraft. Placed under European Air Transport Command (EATC) operational control, the squadron is expected to deliver up to 6,000 annual flight hours for Franco-German airlift and refueling missions. 

The campaign, conducted at GE Aerospace’s Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, represents the first project completed under a wider technology development agreement between the two companies. 

The tests validated ignition and steady-state operation of the RDRJ under conditions representative of high-speed missile flight. Engineers used direct-connect testing methods, injecting high-velocity air into the inlet and combustor to simulate a range of operating points from supersonic to hypersonic regimes.  

According to the companies, the results exceeded expectations and confirmed that a liquid-fueled RDRJ can function at missile scale with stable detonative combustion. 

Detonation combustion for range and compactness 

The RDRJ concept differs from traditional ramjets by using continuous detonation waves to burn fuel and air.  

Detonation combustion is expected to deliver higher thermodynamic efficiency, higher specific thrust, and a more compact propulsion unit than conventional deflagration-based ramjets.  

In practical terms, GE and Lockheed Martin argued that a missile powered by an RDRJ could sustain hypersonic speeds over longer ranges while carrying more fuel or payload in the same form factor. 

Another point highlighted is the lower takeover speed. Because the RDRJ can ignite at lower Mach numbers than classical ramjets, future missiles may require smaller rocket boosters to reach operating speed. Reducing booster mass would free additional internal volume and potentially lower system cost and logistical complexity. 

For missile designers, the combination of higher efficiency, compactness, and lower takeover speed could translate into more flexible airframe and launcher options. A smaller booster and shorter overall propulsion section leaves more room in the missile for guidance, warhead options, or additional fuel, while keeping within existing launcher envelopes. That mix is particularly attractive for air-launched or shipboard systems where space and weight margins are constrained. 

Part of a wider hypersonic propulsion push 

The latest demonstration follows earlier GE Aerospace hypersonic propulsion work. In late 2023, the company reported a dual-mode ramjet rig test that used rotating detonation combustion in a supersonic flow, and in 2025, it completed a supersonic flight test of a solid-fuel ramjet system on a Starfighters Aerospace F-104 over Florida. 

Lockheed Martin has been pursuing detonation rocket and air-breathing technologies through investments in startups, including Venus Aerospace in 2025, which has developed a flight-proven, high-thrust rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE). 

GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin expect to continue maturing the RDRJ through 2026, focusing on expanding the operating envelope, refining the inlet–combustor interface, and preparing for potential future flight demonstrations. 

In comments to French weekly Le Point, General David Cruzille, who commands the French Army’s helicopter branch, and his deputy General Hubert Doutaud said early predictions in 2022 that helicopters were becoming untenable in modern war have not been confirmed by events.

Tactics mattered more than the platform in early Ukraine fighting 

Rotary-wing aviation has repeatedly absorbed high attrition in past wars. Vietnam alone saw more than 5,600 US helicopters lost, most to accidents and collisions. Yet operators responded by changing tactics rather than retiring helicopters from service.

In the same way that battle tanks or aircraft carriers are periodically declared obsolete, the prediction that helicopters were “over” circulated widely after February and March 2022 as Russian Ka-52 and Mi-8 aircraft took heavy losses during the failed assault on Hostomel airport near Kyiv.

According to Cruzille, Russia’s helicopter losses in early 2022 reflected how they were employed. Aircraft flew higher and during daylight, exposing them to short-range air defense systems (including MANPADS) and fighters.

Once Russian crews shifted to lower-level operations at night, attrition declined, and helicopters played a greater role during Ukraine’s unsuccessful 2023 counteroffensive, serving as fast anti-armor responders along the front.

Ukraine, meanwhile, repurposed its surviving Mi-8 transports and attack helicopters as mobile counter-drone shooters, flying in pairs at night to target slow Shahed-type loitering munitions at low altitude.

Cruzille also pointed to the recent US raid in Venezuela, which relied on attack and transport helicopters to insert commandos, as an illustration of why he believes crews will remain central in many high-end missions.  

Helicopters retained relevance where they could operate at low level, integrate tightly with ground maneuver, and offer precision mobility over terrain that vehicles could not cross at scale.

What can be dronized and what remains crewed 

Where helicopters have come under the most pressure is in deep reconnaissance and stand-in strike missions that require penetrating dense air defenses. Several NATO armies are shifting those roles toward drones, loitering munitions, and air-launched effects, arguing that expendable unmanned systems can absorb risk that crewed aircraft cannot.

The United States has moved furthest in this direction. In 2025, the US Army confirmed plans to cut several legacy manned helicopter units and expand drone swarms, attritable sensors, and launched effects as part of a broader aviation overhaul. The cancellation of the FARA armed scout helicopter reinforced the trend: reconnaissance deep inside contested airspace is now seen primarily as an unmanned mission.

By contrast, medium-lift roles that combine troop transport, medevac, fire support, and command-and-control are expected to remain crewed for the foreseeable future. These missions demand judgment, communication with ground forces, and real-time interpretation of adversary behavior, qualities that France’s helicopter commanders argue remain difficult to automate.

“To deploy twenty commandos into a combat zone, we will always use helicopters with a crew on board,” Doutaud explained. “[…] In Libya, during the initial raids, we made Gaddafi’s soldiers understand we were only after the equipment. When they heard us coming, they regrouped away from the vehicles, knowing we wouldn’t fire on them. I’m not sure drones could have done that.” 

Cruzille is skeptical that large vertical takeoff drones will offer a simple or cheaper substitute for helicopters, arguing that once they require turbine-class power and useful endurance, they converge toward helicopter-like size, complexity, and cost.  

Recent US programs partially cut across that view, where heavy-cargo resupply is seen as an early use case for large rotary drones, since it removes crews from predictable flight patterns near the front.

For example, Sikorsky’s U-Hawk concept removes the cockpit and crew from a UH-60 Black Hawk and turns it into a fully uncrewed cargo aircraft for autonomous resupply. The model does not escape helicopter economics, since the underlying airframe remains a Black Hawk, but it does aim to replace some crewed lift missions with a large drone, freeing up crewed helicopters for other missions. 

Counter-UAS and ‘drone-carrying’ helicopters

Both officers pointed to counter-drone warfare as one of the most consequential new mission sets for rotary aviation. France has begun integrating anti-UAS tasks into the employment of its Tiger attack helicopters, whose cannon and sighting systems are suited to tracking small aerial targets at night. Transport helicopters such as the NH90 Caïman could also contribute with cabin or rear-ramp gunners.

Other Western militaries are exploring similar concepts. The US Army has used Apache attack helicopters to engage small drones during demonstrations, leveraging cannon and guided 70mm rockets as part of a layered counter-UAS approach.  

French planners are also exploring manned-unmanned teaming concepts in which Tigers or Caïmans would release small drones from the aircraft to provide reconnaissance several kilometers ahead of the formation.

US manufacturers are moving in a similar direction, with Sikorsky promoting digital backbones that allow Black Hawk and CH-53K crews to task and recover multiple unmanned assets in flight.

The approach preserves the agility and judgment of crewed aviation while pushing risk and sensing forward onto expendable platforms, echoing the fixed-wing “loyal wingman” concepts now being developed alongside the next generation of fighter jets. 

Modernization and fleet renewal 

France is backing these tactical shifts with modernization spending. A mid-life upgrade for the Tiger, confirmed in 2025, is intended to keep the platform credible into the 2040s.

In parallel, France and Spain have launched new development contracts to enhance the NH90 Caïman special forces variant’s performance in low-visibility environments, including new helmet-mounted sight and distributed vision systems.

With France’s helicopter fleet still spanning roughly a dozen types, the new HIL Guépard light helicopter, derived from Airbus’s H160 civilian platform, will be fielded from 2029 onward to replace five older fleets across the three services. Planned at 169 units to replace five older fleets, the Guépard is expected to become a core light and medium-lift asset. 

Taken together, these investments indicate that France expects crewed helicopters to remain central to its land forces through the 2030s, even as drones absorb a larger share of high-risk or persistent roles.

The test took place at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on January 13, 2026, validating the interceptor’s performance and marking progress in the development of key subsystem components, according to the defense contractor.

The NGSRI program aims to deliver an advanced air defense capability designed to counter unmanned aerial systems, rotary-wing aircraft, and fixed-wing threats. According to Lockheed Martin, the system more than doubles the capability of the legacy Stinger in many scenarios.

.@LockheedMartin's Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor successfully completed its first flight test, demonstrating exceptional performance and positioning the @USArmy for 21st Century Security® success.

— Lockheed Martin News (@LMNews) January 13, 2026

Rapid development timeline

Lockheed Martin has advanced the missile from initial concept to flight testing in just 26 months since receiving the contract award in 2023.

“Our team’s shared mission, innovative approach and agility were essential to achieving this milestone,” said Randy Crites, Vice President of Lockheed Martin Advanced Programs. “Lockheed Martin is driving the future of integrated air and missile defense, advancing technologies that safeguard our warfighters and allies from evolving threats.”

Chris Murphy, Business Development Lead for Lockheed Martin Advanced Programs, emphasized the program’s expedited timeline. 

“The successful completion of this first flight test is a testament to our team’s agility and drive to deliver critical capabilities on an accelerated timeline,” Murphy said. “We completed our controlled flight test series in less than six months, demonstrating the speed and agility the Lockheed Martin team brings to this exciting competition.”

System design and capabilities

The NGSRI is being developed using a modern open systems architecture with system modularity, allowing for continuous evolution and upgrades, according to the company. The interceptor incorporates advanced technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Lockheed Martin stated that the system is designed to meet soldier safety and performance requirements while remaining highly effective against current and emerging aerial threats.

Murphy added that the company is committed to rapid delivery of capable, manufacturable, and affordable systems that address the Army’s current needs. 

“Our team has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions that protect people, infrastructure and nations around the world,” he said.

The successful first flight test positions the NGSRI program for additional testing as the US Army evaluates next-generation short-range air defense capabilities. The program leverages Lockheed Martin’s experience in air and missile defense systems as the company competes to replace the decades-old Stinger platform.

Announced on January 11, 2026, the effort is being run under Project Nightfall and calls for a missile capable of delivering a 200-kilogram conventional high-explosive warhead to ranges beyond 500 kilometers (311 miles), while retaining effectiveness in high-threat environments marked by heavy electromagnetic interference. 

According to the UK MoD, detailed requirements were issued to vetted industry partners on December 19, 2025. The deadline for development proposals is February 9, 2026, with development contracts targeted for award in March 2026. 

The ministry says the missile should be vehicle-launched, able to fire multiple rounds in quick succession, and then relocate within minutes, a concept intended to reduce exposure to Russian counter-battery action. The UK has also set a maximum unit price of £800,000 (about $1.1 million) per missile and a target production rate of 10 missiles per month. 

Three industry teams are expected to receive £9 million (about $12.1 million) development contracts, with each team tasked to design, develop, and deliver its first three missiles within 12 months for test firings. 

A moderated requirement set 

Nightfall follows an earlier 2025 industry engagement in which the UK outlined a more ambitious target set for a tactical ballistic missile. In an August 2025 request for information, the MoD described a requirement for a ballistic effector capable of carrying a roughly 300-kilogram warhead to at least 600 kilometers (373 miles), with basic maneuverability, the ability to navigate in a GNSS-denied environment, and a circular error probable target of around five meters. 

That earlier phase also reflected a more aggressive cost ambition, commonly cited at roughly £500,000 (about $670,000) per missile, before the January 2026 announcement raised the ceiling to £800,000 while reducing both payload and range thresholds. 

European context: ELSA and parallel deep-strike work with Germany 

Nightfall lands amid a broader European push to rebuild long-range land-based strike depth after decades of limited investment. The European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA), launched by France, Germany, Italy, and Poland and later joined by Sweden and the UK, aims to coordinate the development of next-generation precision strike systems for European forces. 

Separately, the UK and Germany announced in May 2025 that they would cooperate on a future “deep precision strike” weapon with a planned range exceeding 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). That effort is positioned as a longer-horizon capability for European armed forces, complementing the much faster-moving Nightfall program. 

Rapid prototyping and electronic warfare resilience 

The UK MoD describes Nightfall as a rapid-prototyping and spiral-development effort with an emphasis on scalable manufacturing, mobility, and resilience against electronic warfare. While the government has stressed Ukraine as the immediate beneficiary, officials have signaled that experience gained under Nightfall may feed into future British long-range strike initiatives. 

The Bundeswehr confirmed the purchase on January 12, 2026. The order includes four ground control stations and will be executed through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). First systems are expected to enter service from 2028. 

The SeaGuardian fleet will be operated by the Marinefliegergeschwader 3 “Graf Zeppelin” at Nordholz, with personnel training and infrastructure upgrades already planned. The aircraft are intended for over-water operations in areas such as the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, supporting sea lane monitoring and protection of critical maritime infrastructure. 

Complement to P-8A Poseidon 

Germany sees the SeaGuardian as a complement to crewed P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. While the P-8A carries a larger sensor and weapons suite and operates at higher speed, the MQ-9B offers persistence of up to 30 hours, enabling continuous surveillance across wide maritime areas. 

The MQ-9B configuration selected by Germany can carry over 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds) of payload including electro-optical/infrared cameras, maritime radars, and wing pods capable of dispensing sonobuoys, allowing the system to contribute to anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tasks. Sensor data will be shared across naval platforms and, when required, with allied units. 

Parallel to Eurodrone 

The Bundestag’s budget committee approved funding for the purchase in December as part of a wider €50 billion defense modernization package. 

The move comes as Germany remains a core partner in the Eurodrone program, under which Berlin is due to receive seven systems.  

After years of delay, Eurodrone now risks entering service as a platform that is not optimized for the high-intensity scenarios European planners are now prioritizing. Its endurance and payload capacity could still make it attractive as a maritime patrol and ISR asset, and Japan has already expressed interest in the program itself with a view to similar applications. 

A newly published New York Times report is now drawing attention not to the target, but to the platform that carried out the attack. Citing officials briefed on the mission, the NYT says the United States used “a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane,” with no external weapons and a tube-launched internal munition. 

This unusual configuration for a modern US strike aircraft has prompted some legal experts to question whether operating a military asset in civilian guise risks edging toward perfidy under the law of armed conflict. 

This article looks at what the NYT account actually says about the aircraft and its weapons, and where the picture remains unclear.

Context: Operation Southern Spear’s first strike

On September 2, 2025, the US government announced that a US naval vessel had struck and destroyed a speedboat in the Caribbean that it alleged was smuggling drugs from Venezuela, with President Donald Trump later saying the attack destroyed a significant quantity of narcotics bound for the United States and killed 11 members of the Tren de Aragua group. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the action by saying that, instead of interdicting the vessel, “on the president’s orders, we blew it up. And it’ll happen again.”

A second strike reportedly targeted survivors who were still clinging to the wreck, raising concerns under the law of armed conflict about the treatment of shipwrecked persons. That information, however, was rejected by the Pentagon. Spokesperson Sean Parnell said “this entire narrative is completely false,” while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed the allegations as “fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory” attempts to discredit US forces.

What the NYT says about the aircraft

Citing officials briefed on the mission, the NYT adds a key detail to the government’s account: the initial strike was carried out by a US military aircraft that, to outside observers, looked like a civilian aircraft.

The key aviation details attributed to officials are:

• The aircraft was a US military platform.
• It was painted to look like a civilian aircraft.
• It had no external weapons visible on the wings.
• Munitions were fired from inside the fuselage, not from underwing pylons.

From the perspective of the boat’s crew, the aircraft would have appeared to be an ordinary aircraft until it fired.

The three technical features highlighted by the NYT, civilian-like appearance, no external pylons, and an internal launch system, are unusual in combination for a modern US military aircraft, particularly for a platform used for precision strike at sea.

How the Boeing P-8 Poseidon compares

The most likely contender is the Boeing P-8A Poseidon, a maritime patrol aircraft derived from the Boeing 737-800. The P-8 incorporates an internal weapons bay and carries stores within the fuselage, which aligns with the NYT’s mention of an internal launch system. Arguably, it also preserves the visual silhouette of a commercial narrowbody, and US Navy aircraft typically wear light grey paint with relatively discreet national markings, which can make them appear less overtly military at a distance

However, based solely on publicly documented information, the P-8’s internal bay is primarily configured for anti-submarine warfare stores, including Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes and related payloads. Known surface-attack weapons associated with the P-8, such as Harpoon anti-ship missiles, are carried externally on underwing pylons rather than launched internally. The NYT’s description of a clean-wing aircraft with a fuselage launch does not correspond to any publicly disclosed P-8 loadout.

What else might fit that description?

Another aircraft now attracting attention in this context is the P-9A “Pale Ale”, a little-publicized US Air Force Dash 8 Q202 variant used by the USAF Air Combat Command for maritime patrol and detection and monitoring in support of US Southern Command’s counter-drug missions. 

Four Dash 8 Q200-series airframes, retaining US civil registrations and mostly white special-mission liveries, were modified by Sierra Nevada Corporation from 2023 onwards, with no visible weapon bays or hardpoints and an officially stated role focused on surveillance rather than strike. 

The New York Times highlighted marketing material for a Dash 8 Common Launch Tube (CLT) door kit from Fulcrum Concepts, which replaces the rear door with a low-visibility module integrating multiple launch tubes to fire “air-launched effects” from inside the fuselage while preserving the aircraft’s civilian-like appearance.

That does not prove that P-9A aircraft carry this kit, or that it was used in the September 2025 strike, but it shows that an armed Dash 8 configured as a clean-wing strike aircraft is an architecture already being marketed for that airframe.

The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) also operates a small fleet of Cessna AC-208 Combat Caravans painted in civilian-style colors.

Modified by MAG Aerospace, these aircraft also integrate a CLT rack that can fire two standoff precision guided munitions from an internal launch system using the MC-208 Guardian’s air-operable roll-up door. However, none are known to have been in the area during the September 2025 strike.

A final possibility is that the “aircraft that looked like a civilian plane” described to the NYT was not the platform that actually released the weapon. Videos of Southern Spear strikes shared by US officials appear to be filmed from a P-8 Poseidon or similar maritime patrol aircraft, with the impact visible but no launch in frame, suggesting a separate “shooter” such as an MQ-9 Reaper or another off-board asset.

According to new Indian media reports, New Delhi is examining a government-to-government framework that would combine a large IAF order with expanded local manufacturing, as the service looks to plug growing gaps in its fighter inventory. 

President Macron is scheduled to travel to India in February 2026 for an AI-focused summit, but French and Indian commentators alike expect defense industrial cooperation, including the Rafale and engine partnership files, to feature prominently in sideline talks. 

Talks tied to 114-jet MRFA requirement 

The discussions are linked to the IAF’s long-standing requirement for 114 modern fighters under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program. While the exact number of Rafale jets to be included in the current proposal is still under debate, sources quoted in Indian reports claim that the projected requirement of 114 combat aircraft remains the planning baseline. 

Over recent months, the IAF has argued for a direct, government-to-government Rafale order for the MRFA, citing the urgency created by squadron drawdowns and the type’s existing logistics and training footprint in India. 

Any major procurement would still need to pass through India’s standard approval chain, starting with India’s Defence Acquisition Council, followed by cost negotiations and final sign-off by the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security, along with dedicated budget allocations. 

Squadron shortfall adds urgency 

The IAF’s case for additional Rafales comes as its fighter strength continues to slide. India retired its last MiG-21s in 2025, a decision that, according to official figures, left the service with around 29 fighter squadrons, well below the authorised level of more than 40. 

Delays in the induction of the Tejas Mk1A have added further pressure, prompting the Indian Air Force to consider near-term options that can be fielded quickly and integrated into existing infrastructure.

In that context, a larger Rafale fleet, backed by a deeper industrial footprint in India, is seen as a pragmatic bridge until indigenous programs such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) mature. 

Local production at the core of the proposal 

Domestic manufacturing is emerging as the central pillar of the prospective deal. In June 2025, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Dassault Aviation signed an agreement to manufacture Rafale fuselage sections at a new facility in Hyderabad, the first such production line outside France. The plant is expected to deliver its first units during the 2028 financial year, ramping up to an output of around 24 fuselages annually for Indian and export orders. 

Indian reports add that a broader industrial package is being discussed, which includes a partnership between HAL and Safran for an engine production plant in Hyderabad and a maintenance, repair and overhaul hub near Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, close to the forthcoming Noida International Airport (DXN). Taken together, officials quoted in those reports suggest that eventually up to 60% of Rafale manufacturing by value could be localized in India. 

Additional steps toward localizing high-end subsystems are also underway. Thales recently announced a partnership with Indian firm SFO Technologies to produce key wired structures for the Rafale’s RBE2 active electronically scanned array radar. 

Rafale’s growing role in Indian air and naval forces 

India already operates 36 Rafales in IAF service, delivered under a 2016 inter-governmental agreement with France. In April 2025, New Delhi signed a separate deal for 26 Rafale M carrier-borne fighters for the Indian Navy, with deliveries to be completed by 2030. 

The first four Rafale M aircraft are expected to arrive in 2029, with subsequent deliveries phased through 2030 and 2031, providing a benchmark on pricing and timelines for any larger IAF package. 

The Rafale is also central to broader Franco-Indian discussions about future combat aviation. France has signaled openness to Rafale F5 upgrades and deeper cooperation on next-generation engines and systems, with Safran’s proposed joint engine program for India’s AMCA cited as a flagship example of this shift from simple acquisition to co-development. 

Announced on January 12, 2026, the agreement aims to develop embedded AI functions for Dassault’s next generation of combat aircraft, explicitly including the Rafale F5 standard with a particular focus on the control of unmanned aerial systems such as the UCAS ‘loyal wingman’. Dassault describes the effort as part of a wider strategy to bring “sovereign, controlled and monitored AI” into its combat systems.

“This partnership with Harmattan AI reflects our commitment to integrating high-value autonomy into the next generation of combat air systems,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. “By joining forces with a fast-moving and innovative company, we reinforce our ability to deliver the advanced capabilities required by our armed forces in the decades ahead.”

“An essential partnership with Dassault Aviation and a significant fundraising round for Harmattan AI grant it the status of France’s new unicorn,” French President Emmanuel Macron commented. “This is excellent news for our strategic autonomy, for the technological superiority of our armed forces in AI-activated defense drones, and for our economy.”

Fast-growing French defense tech startup

Founded in 2024, Paris-based Harmattan AI develops integrated autonomous defense systems, including layered air defense solutions, coordinated ISR and strike drones, electronic warfare capabilities, and command-and-control platforms. The company has secured multiple programs of record with the French and UK ministries of defense and reports deliveries of several thousand autonomous robotic systems, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing players in the sector.

The proceeds of the $200 million round will be used to expand the deployment of AI-enabled missions across new operational theaters, extend Harmattan AI’s product offering into new domains, and scale manufacturing of its ISR, drone interception, and electronic warfare platforms.

Dassault said it will contribute its long experience in complex military systems architecture, mission system integration in high-intensity environments, and international business development, while Harmattan AI will provide its autonomy and mission software expertise.

Part of broader “sovereign AI” push

The Harmattan AI deal follows Dassault’s recent partnership with Thales’ cortAIx AI accelerator, announced in November 2025, which also focuses on controlled and supervised AI for future collaborative air combat systems. Taken together, the two partnerships underline Dassault’s effort to build a French and European industrial ecosystem around sovereign AI for manned and unmanned air platforms.

It also comes amid broader European experimentation with autonomy in tactical aviation. Ine June 2025, Sweden’s Saab announced having conducted flight tests of AI-enabled decision-support functions on the Gripen E using an AI agent named Centaur developed by the German-based defense AI firm Helsing.

On January 10, 2026, Sweden’s Defense Minister Pal Jonson told reporters that the funding will be directed toward acquiring short range air defense systems intended to protect cities, bridges, power plants, and other essential civilian targets.

“The experience from the war in Ukraine clearly shows how crucial a robust and resilient air defense is,” Reuters quoted Jonson.

The decision comes amid a sustained European effort to enhance military readiness following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which exposed significant vulnerabilities in national airspace across the region.

What has Sweden already been procuring?

Sweden’s short range and layered air defense buildup is already underway, with several procurements and contracts announced over the years.

The country has focused on mobile short-range air defense solutions, with Saab securing contracts to supply systems that integrate the RBS 70 NG missile and Giraffe 1X radar on armoured vehicles. These systems are specifically designed to counter low-flying threats such as drones, helicopters, and light aircraft, forming a crucial part of Sweden’s ground-based air defense capabilities.

The country has also invested in the IRIS-T short-range ground-based air defense systems as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI). The IRIS-T SLS units provide 360-degree protection against aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones, featuring highly agile missiles capable of rapid engagement. Sweden has also opted for medium-range IRIS-T SLM systems under ESSI, further expanding its multi-layered air defense architecture and ensuring broader coverage across its territory.

Beyond missile systems, Saab secured contracts valued at approximately 2.1 billion Swedish crowns (about $228 million) for air defense sensors and command-and-control infrastructure in November 2025. These include advanced radars and associated systems capable of detecting and tracking airborne threats at the brigade level, adding critical situational awareness to Sweden’s air defense network.

Sweden’s approach follows current regional trends, combining short-, medium-, and long-range air defense layers instead of relying on a single system.

On January 9, 2026, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the US Coast Guard executed a pre-dawn boarding and seizure of the Olina “in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea,” describing the vessel as a stateless “ghost fleet” tanker attempting to move embargoed oil after departing Venezuela. 

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Department of War, the State Department and the Department of Justice.

Carrier-launched forces and helicopter insertion

US Southern Command said the boarding was conducted by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, with Marines and Sailors launching from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The command added that the interdiction was backed by an Amphibious Ready Group comprising USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale.

A video released by Southern Command shows what appears to be an MH-60R Seahawkhovering over the Olina during the boarding.

Following the operation, the Coast Guard began escorting the Olina toward the United States for disposition.

Earlier interdictions: Skipper, Centuries, Bella 1 and Sophia

The Olina operation follows a series of recent tanker boardings that US authorities are framing as part of an escalating campaign. 

In December 2025, US forces seized the tankers Skipper and Centuries off the Venezuelan coast, both linked to crude shipments from the country. Skipper was taken in early December and Centuries was interdicted later that month as the Trump administration began enforcing its maritime blockade around Venezuela.

On January 7, 2026, the US European Command confirmed the seizure of the Bella 1 in the North Atlantic under a federal court warrant for sanctions violations. The tanker, previously linked to Iranian crude and later reflagged to Russia, was tracked by the Coast Guard cutter USCGC Munro before the seizure.

Around the same period, Southern Command announced the boarding of another tanker, Sophia, in the Caribbean Sea. That vessel was described as a sanctioned “dark fleet” motor tanker operating in international waters and was also taken without incident.

“The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality,” Noem said, adding that the Coast Guard will “seize sanctioned oil tankers” and “eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity.”

Southern Command similarly said there is now “no safe haven for criminals” and highlighted the role of naval forces in “restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”

Moscow claimed the strike was retaliation for a Ukrainian attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai in late December. Kyiv denied carrying out any such strike and said the claim was part of a Russian disinformation effort aimed at framing Ukraine as a spoiler to negotiations and justifying expanded long-range strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Large drone and missile salvo overnight

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 36 missiles and 242 drones during the nighttime attack. Ukrainian air defenses said they shot down or neutralized 244 aerial targets before 9 a.m. local time, although 34 Russian projectiles, including 18 missiles and 16 drones, hit 19 sites across the country. Strikes were recorded in the Kyiv region and in western Ukraine, with damage reported to energy and industrial facilities.

In western Ukraine, the Air Force reported that a ballistic missile struck infrastructure in Lviv region at 11:47 p.m. on January 8. The aerial object was traveling at approximately 13,000 kilometers per hour along a ballistic trajectory, a speed consistent with the Oreshnik system.

Possible targeting of strategic gas storage in Lviv region

Analysts noted that the likely intended target may have been the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske underground gas storage facility near the city of Stryi in the Lviv region. The site is the largest underground gas storage facility in Ukraine and the second largest in Europe.

It plays a critical role in Ukraine’s energy resilience during winter and facilitates gas flows for European customers. Hitting such infrastructure could have both domestic and regional consequences, as parts of Europe rely on Ukrainian transit and storage capacity for heating during cold months.

Kyiv has previously warned that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, gas network, and industrial capacity are aimed at undermining energy security and driving up economic and humanitarian pressures during winter.

Oreshnik precedent and hypersonic framing

This strike would not mark the first operational use of Oreshnik against Ukraine. In November 2024, Russia fired the system toward Dnipro without a conventional warhead, releasing six inert reentry vehicles in what analysts described as a signaling strike rather than a battlefield attack. At the time, President Putin hailed the missile as an “uninterceptable” hypersonic weapon.

Ballistic missiles reach hypersonic speeds by definition during midcourse flight, but Moscow has increasingly emphasized the term to underscore novelty, strategic reach, and perceived inevitability in its deterrence messaging.

Deployment to Belarus

On December 30, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense released the first images of Oreshnik systems in Belarus. Belarus amended its constitution in 2022 to allow nuclear weapons on its soil, followed by the transfer of Russian tactical warheads and preparations for the deployment of Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The presence of such systems in Belarus places additional pressure on Ukraine and alters planning considerations for NATO members in Eastern Europe.

According to the manufacturer, annual F-35 production is now running at a pace around five times higher than any other allied fighter currently in production. The global fleet has grown to almost 1,300 aircraft and passed one million cumulative flight hours in 2025, with the company also reporting completion of the latest Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) hardware and software baseline across the program. 

Record output and growing demand 

Lockheed Martin’s 2025 figures mark a sharp step up from previous years, supported by new production and sustainment agreements with the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). 

In September 2025, the JPO and Lockheed Martin finalized contracts for Lots 18 and 19 covering the production and delivery of up to 296 aircraft, with a total value of around $24 billion. A separate Air Vehicle Sustainment Contract was also agreed, intended to support annualized sustainment activities across the F-35 enterprise from 2025 onward. 

The company says 12 nations now operate the F-35, and it expects the global fleet to continue growing as additional orders convert into deliveries. 

Combat operations shape program narrative 

In its January 7, 2026, statement, Lockheed Martin emphasized what it described as the F-35’s “continued” combat performance through 2025, pointing to three recent operational examples. 

The first was Operation Midnight Hammer, a US-led strike against Iranian targets in June 2025, during which F-35s were used to suppress air defenses and support long-range strike assets. 

The second involved a US Marine Corps F-35B deployment that logged nearly 5,000 mishap-free flight hours, which the company highlighted as an example of high-tempo, expeditionary operations. 

The third case cited was the interception and destruction of Russian drones over Poland by NATO F-35s, described by Lockheed Martin as the first time alliance-operated F-35s have engaged airborne threats in NATO airspace. 

European customers reach key milestones 

Several European air forces and governments also recorded notable F-35 milestones in 2025. 

Italy and Denmark increased their programs of record, adding 25 and 16 aircraft, respectively, to their planned fleets. Finland celebrated the rollout of its first F-35A in Fort Worth in December 2025, marking the start of a program to replace its F/A-18 Hornet fleet with 64 jets. 

Belgium took delivery of its first in-country F-35 at Florennes Air Base, while Norway completed deliveries of its F-35 fleet, reaching the total agreed under its original program of record. 

In the Middle East, the F-35’s footprint could expand beyond Israel. In late 2025, the United States signaled its intention to proceed with an F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia, a move that would mark a significant shift in regional force structures if finalized. 

At the same time, Switzerland has decided to reduce its planned F-35A fleet below the original 36 aircraft after US cost increases pushed the program beyond the budget approved in a national referendum. 

Canada has also been re-examining the long-term industrial participation terms and total ownership costs associated with the aircraft as it finalizes its procurement and budget planning. In both cases, the governments remain committed to the F-35, but the details, including quantity, schedule, and offsets, have become politically sensitive variables. 

Sustainment and affordability remain central issues 

While 2025 marked a record delivery year for the F-35, the program’s long-term affordability and sustainment performance remain central concerns for operators and auditors. 

US oversight bodies have repeatedly warned about rising sustainment costs and availability shortfalls for the US fleet, with aircraft readiness rates falling below service targets in recent years. International operators are closely watching efforts by the JPO, Lockheed Martin and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to reduce lifecycle costs and improve spare parts and maintenance support as fleets grow. 

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program head, Chauncey McIntosh, said he was “immensely proud” of the enterprise for “delivering on our production commitments, performing with excellence and growing our global partnerships in 2025,” and pledged to continue integrating new technology into the aircraft. 

In a financial release published on January 7, 2026, Dassault said it delivered 26 Rafale fighters last year, including 15 for export customers and 11 for the French armed forces, compared with guidance for 25 aircraft. The company also handed over 37 Falcon business jets, short of the 40 deliveries it had targeted. 

Less than three Rafale jets a month 

For air forces waiting for new fighters, the performance is relative. Delivering 26 Rafale jets over a full year equates to a production tempo of a little more than two aircraft per month, still below three per month. 

Dassault’s management has acknowledged that its industrial ramp-up ambitions have been held back in recent years by pressure on the supply chain. Around 400 companies contribute to Rafale manufacturing, and some suppliers have struggled to recover after the Covid-19 crisis and cope with higher raw material costs. Those bottlenecks have limited the rate at which final assembly can accelerate, even as demand continues to grow. 

The group nevertheless raised its 2025 revenue guidance to above €7 billion and said it will publish full-year results, including order intake and backlog figures, on March 4, 2026. 

Backlog equals a decade of Rafale production at current rate 

Dassault closed 2025 with a Rafale backlog of 220 aircraft: 45 for France and 175 for export customers. At the current 2025 delivery cadence, that represents roughly 10 years of production, underlining how tight capacity remains for future operators. 

The Rafale’s orderbook has been reshaped over the past few years by a series of export contracts in Egypt, Qatar, India, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Serbia, as well as French domestic orders. At the end of 2024, total Rafale orders since the start of the program stood at 507 aircraft, including 273 for export and 234 for France. 

Despite the heavy backlog, demand shows no sign of weakening. In 2025, Dassault booked 26 new export Rafale orders and 31 Falcon orders, broadly stabilizing the fighter backlog at 220 units and lifting Falcon demand compared with 2024. 

New demand signals from Iraq, India, and Ukraine 

Beyond the firm backlog, several prospective deals point to sustained Rafale demand over the longer term. In the Middle East, Iraq and France are reportedly in late-stage talks on a contract for 14 Rafale F4 fighters, including 10 single-seat and four two-seat aircraft, with a potential signature expected in 2026.

In Asia, the Indian Air Force is pursuing a government-to-government acquisition of up to 114 additional Rafale fighters under its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft program, positioning the type as a frontrunner for New Delhi’s next major fighter purchase. 

In Europe, Ukraine and France signed a letter of intent in November 2025 covering the possible acquisition of up to 100 Rafale F4 fighters over the coming decade, alongside air defense systems, munitions and drones.  

While these projects remain at various stages of negotiation and are not yet firm contracts, together they illustrate a strong pipeline of potential business that could keep the Rafale production line busy well into the 2030s. 

In a January 7, 2026, post on Truth Social, Trump said Raytheon “has been the least responsive to the needs” of the Department of Defense and warned the company it must quickly change course if it wants to continue doing business with the US government. He accused the company of operating as if “this is the Biden Administration” and said that era of “business as usual” was over. 

The comments marked Trump’s most explicit threat yet in a series of public warnings directed at major defense firms. Earlier the same day, Trump called on defense companies to cap executive compensation, halt dividends and stock buybacks, and redirect cash toward expanding plants, equipment, and production capacity. 

While such public pressure is unusual, especially in its tone, the US government is Raytheon’s customer, and the president has broad authority to shape defense procurement priorities. Through contract awards, delivery schedules, funding direction, and emergency authorities, the administration can apply significant leverage over how and where defense companies invest and produce. 

The remarks come amid growing concern within the US government about the health of the domestic defense industrial base. Pentagon officials and lawmakers have repeatedly warned that US weapons production has failed to keep pace with rising global demand, particularly as stockpiles have been drawn down by support for Ukraine, Israel, and other allies. 

Raytheon is one of the US military’s most important missile suppliers. The company produces systems including Stinger surface-to-air missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Coyote interceptors used for counter-drone missions. It is also developing the Long-Range Standoff weapon, a nuclear-armed cruise missile intended for deployment on US Air Force B-52 bombers. 

RTX generated $43.5 billion in defense-related revenue in 2024, making it the world’s second-largest defense contractor behind Lockheed Martin. 
 
In his post, Trump also accused Raytheon of prioritizing shareholder returns over defense production, singling out the company’s use of stock buybacks. He said Raytheon had spent “tens of billions of dollars” repurchasing shares instead of investing in plants, equipment, and higher production capacity, and warned that further government business would be conditioned on a shift in capital allocation. 

Trump said Raytheon would be barred from conducting additional stock buybacks if it wants to continue receiving US government contracts, framing the issue as a choice between reinvesting in domestic manufacturing or losing access to federal defense work. The warning underscores the administration’s willingness to use procurement authority and contract leverage to pressure defense contractors to accelerate output and redirect cash toward industrial capacity tied directly to US military needs. 

The figure comes from a Ukrainian Air Force video interview with an F-16 pilot, who says the aircraft have primarily served in an air-defense role, intercepting cruise missiles and one-way attack drones aimed at Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The F-16s began flying combat missions in August 2024 after Ukraine received aircraft from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. 

According to the pilot, Ukrainian F-16s have focused less on air-to-air combat with Russian fighters and more on plugging gaps in ground-based air defenses strained by sustained missile and drone attacks. Typical targets include Shahed-type long-range drones, jet-powered drones, and cruise missiles. 

That mission profile raises an obvious question: how efficient is it to shoot down cheap drones with expensive fighter jets? 

The answer, based on the pilot’s account and available imagery, is mixed. Ukrainian F-16s have used AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles to intercept aerial targets, but pilots have also relied heavily on the aircraft’s internal 20mm cannon. In at least one reported sortie, a pilot claimed to have engaged six cruise missiles and seven drones, with the drones likely destroyed using gunfire rather than missiles. 

More recently, Ukrainian F-16s have begun flying with targeting pods and laser-guided 70mm rockets, suggesting a deliberate effort to reduce costs when engaging slow, predictable targets. Those rockets offer a cheaper alternative to air-to-air missiles and reflect the improvisation that has defined much of Ukraine’s air campaign. 

So far, Ukrainian officials have not claimed any confirmed F-16 kills against crewed Russian aircraft. Russian fighters such as the Su-35, MiG-31, and Su-57 often remain at high altitude, launching long-range missiles while staying outside the effective reach of Ukrainian jets. That threat, combined with dense ground-based air defenses, has forced Ukrainian F-16s to operate mostly at low altitude. 

Dogfighting, in the traditional sense, does not appear to be part of the mission set. Instead, the F-16s often act as decoys or escorts, drawing Russian missiles away from other strike aircraft. On one mission described by the pilot, a three-ship formation deliberately provoked missile launches from Russian fighters, allowing Ukrainian strike aircraft to hit ground targets before all aircraft returned safely to base. 

The Ukrainian Air Force says its F-16s have also flown more than 1,600 ground-attack sorties, using weapons such as Small Diameter Bombs, while navigating a battlespace saturated with surface-to-air missiles. Nearly every sortie, the pilot says, involves missile launches by Russian forces. 

Ukraine has lost four F-16s since the type entered service. Officials have not disclosed full details of each incident, but the losses underscore the risks of operating fourth-generation fighters in contested airspace dominated by long-range missiles and layered air defenses. 

To reduce vulnerability on the ground, Ukraine regularly disperses its F-16s across multiple airfields and secondary strips, sometimes relocating aircraft shortly after landing. That mobility, the pilot says, makes it harder for Russian forces to track and target the jets. 

Western training played a critical role in bringing the F-16 into Ukrainian service, but the pilot acknowledged that many of the tactics taught abroad did not translate cleanly to the realities of its war. Ukrainian crews adapted quickly, developing their own methods for countering drones, cruise missiles, and threats near the front line. 

The pilot describes the F-16 as potent, particularly in air defense, but argues Ukraine would benefit from more capable variants with improved sensors and survivability. For now, the aircraft’s greatest contribution may be less about air superiority and more about endurance by staying airborne, absorbing risk, and intercepting threats before they reach Ukrainian cities.

Bella 1 seized in the North Atlantic

US European Command (EUCOM) confirmed that the M/V Bella 1 was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court for violations of US sanctions.

According to EUCOM, the operation was conducted by the US Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Department of Defense. The vessel was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Munro before being seized.

“The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commented.

“The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people,” Hegseth added in a later statement. “Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce—as determined by the U.S.—will be permitted.”

The tanker, originally operating as Bella 1, had been under US scrutiny since mid-2024, when it was sanctioned by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for transporting oil for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of Iran’s Armed Forces. The vessel is registered to Turkey-based Louis Marine Shipholding ENT, which is also under US sanctions.

In late 2025, the tanker evaded earlier US Coast Guard boarding efforts off Venezuela and later changed its name to Marinera, adopting the Russian flag as it moved away from the Caribbean and into the North Atlantic. Reporting also indicated the crew painted a Russian flag on the hull, and that Moscow sent a diplomatic note urging Washington to halt its pursuit.

Images later released by Russia Today appeared to show a US MH-6 Little Bird helicopter operating near the vessel, an aircraft typically used by the US Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). AeroTime has not independently verified the images.

The tanker was monitored by US surveillance assets, including P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, as it moved northward. The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia may have deployed naval assets, including a submarine, to escort the ship, claims that have not been independently confirmed.

M/T Sophia detained in the Caribbean

The Bella 1 seizure coincided with a separate operation announced by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), underscoring the geographic breadth of the US enforcement push.

In a pre-dawn action, SOUTHCOM said the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned “dark fleet” motor tanker, identified as M/T Sophia, without incident. The vessel was operating in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and was described as conducting illicit activities.

In a video released with the announcement, an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter is seen inserting personnel onto the tanker.

According to SOUTHCOM, the US Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the United States for “final disposition.” The operation was conducted under Operation Southern Spear, a broader campaign aimed at disrupting illicit maritime networks in the Western Hemisphere.

The campaign, led by the French defense procurement agency, Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), focused on manually releasing inert drone mock-ups from the aircraft.  

With inert mock-ups and manual releases shown in the video, the campaign appears focused on experimental validation of modeling, covering separation dynamics, trajectories, and likely aircraft safety margins. 

Validating simulations and physical parameters 

The tests were carried out jointly by DGA Techniques aérospatiales (DGA TA) and DGA Essais en vol (DGA EV). Representative drone mock-ups, without onboard electronics, were designed and manufactured by DGA TA before being released from an A400M operated by DGA EV. 

In total, the campaign involved 72 inert drone mock-ups released over three flights. Of these, 21 were dropped through the paratroop door, while 51 were released via the rear cargo ramp. The different configurations were intended to cover the main categories of drones that could theoretically be deployed from a tactical transport aircraft. 

French officials involved in the trials emphasized that such testing is essential to refine numerical models. Multiple physical and mechanical parameters must be understood and controlled, including separation dynamics, aerodynamic behavior in the aircraft’s wake, impact forces, and the structural resilience of the drones themselves.  

While the use of manually hand-thrown releases may appear rudimentary, officials stressed that the approach is suited to early-stage experimentation. Initial feedback from the campaign has been described as encouraging. The DGA plans to extend the approach to other platforms, including the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and the CASA CN-235, with progressively refined simulations accompanying future flight test campaigns. 

France and Airbus’ growing interest in transport-launched effectors 

Airbus and the French Air and Space Force are actively repositioning the A400M beyond its original transport role.  

At the Paris Air Show 2025, Airbus Head of Military Air Systems Jean-Brice Dumont said operators increasingly view the Atlas as “a data collector,” pointing to the aircraft’s growing value as a sensor and connectivity node as much as an airlifter. 

That broader shift includes studies to raise payload margin to around 40 tons, potentially enabling the carriage of dozens of small UAVs or fewer, larger drones, and roll-on/roll-off modular packages for ISR and electronic warfare missions that can be installed quickly to collect, relay, or fuse data across the battlespace.

In parallel, MBDA showcased a “Generic Airdropped Munition Pallet” concept beside a French A400M at Paris, depicting standardized palletized loads combining cruise missiles, Mistral surface-to-air missiles, and loitering munitions. A collaboration between French defense group Thales and Swiss startup Destinus was recently signed, with aims to develop palletized, airdroppable kamikaze drones designed for mass deployment. 

Airbus has already used the A400M as a drone launch testbed. After an initial release in February 2022 using a demonstrator derived from the Do-DT25, a more complex Remote Carrier trial followed in December 2022 using a new launch mechanism developed in roughly six months.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said the single-seat F-16, serial number 6700, assigned to the 5th Tactical Fighter Wing, took off from Hualien Air Base at 18:17 local time on January 6, 2026. At 19:29, the aircraft experienced an in-flight anomaly around 10 nautical miles (18 kilometers) east of Fengbin Township, Hualien County, and the Air Force assessed that the pilot, Captain Hsin Po-yi, may have ejected. 

The ROCAF established a response center and launched immediate search efforts. Upon receiving the report, Defense Minister Wellington Koo went to the Air Force Command to assess the situation and ordered the full deployment of available naval, air force, and army aircraft, ships, and personnel, along with support from national search-and-rescue organizations and Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA). 

Search expands in poor sea conditions 

The CGA said it set up an emergency response center under the direction of its director-general and dispatched three ships and six patrol craft to the accident area to support the maritime search and rescue effort. 

According to the CGA, two patrol boats (PP-10095 and PP-10078) deployed surface current buoys (SLDMBs) upon arrival and used the service’s Search and Rescue Optimization Planning System to estimate drift and current direction, helping to position vessels across assigned search sectors. 

The CGA said conditions offshore were “extremely rough” due to a continental cold air mass, with winds at force 6 to 7, gusting to force 9, and waves reaching up to three meters, adding complexity to nighttime operations as temperatures dropped after dark. It said its crews were coordinating closely with aerial support while attempting to widen the search area. 

To expand coverage, the CGA said it contacted the Marshall Islands-registered cargo ship Harmony Ocean, which was approximately 10 nautical miles (18 kilometers) from the scene, to serve as an additional lookout. It also requested that Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency call on nearby fishing vessels to support the search. 

Taiwan’s air force said a total of 13 aircraft and 11 ships are participating in the ongoing operation. 

Ejection not yet confirmed 

While initial official reporting indicated the pilot was suspected to have ejected, the military has not confirmed a successful ejection, citing the lack of a locator signal from an ejection seat beacon. 

According to ROCAF, the F-16’s flight computer recorded an alarm sounding “EJECT, EJECT, EJECT.” However, officials said they have not received any transmission or signal from an ejection seat locator, and they are working from an estimated crash location while continuing to search for the pilot. 

Taiwan’s air force said the aircraft was at an altitude of 1,700 feet when it experienced the issue. Reported flight conditions in the area included around 5 nautical miles (9 kilometers) visibility with light rain. 

Fleet grounded as inspections begin 

ROCAF said it has grounded all F-16 aircraft to conduct a thorough inspection following the crash. Officials also stated that aircraft 6700 had received routine maintenance checks and had not experienced major problems since delivery. 

The Ministry of National Defense said Captain Hsin graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2019 and is currently a fighter pilot. The ministry reported that he has 611 total flight hours, including 371 hours on the F-16. 

The ministry also released technical usage figures for the aircraft, stating the airframe clock was 3,894 hours and total engine usage time was 5,447 hours. 

An investigation into the cause of the crash is expected to proceed alongside ongoing search and rescue efforts. 

F-16 modernization effort

The F-16 is the backbone of Taiwan’s fighter force. Taipei ordered 150 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters in the early 1990s under the Peace Phoenix program, and the fleet has since undergone successive modernization efforts. 

Under the first phase of the Peace Phoenix Rising program initiated in 2016 and completed in 2024, Taiwan has upgraded its legacy F-16A/B aircraft to the F-16V configuration, introducing new mission systems including the AN/APG-83 AESA radar, upgraded avionics, and electronic warfare improvements. In November 2021, Taiwan became the first nation to reach full operational capability with the new standard.

The aircraft involved in the incident was one of the older F-16A airframes that had been brought up to the F-16V standard. 

Taiwan is also awaiting delivery of 66 new-build F-16V Block 70 fighters approved by the US in 2019, a program that has faced schedule pressure as Lockheed Martin works through wider production and supply-chain constraints. 

The effort is driven by the US Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment doctrine, or ACE, a concept that assumes US aircraft will need to operate from many different airfields and move frequently, rather than flying from a few large, permanent bases. Instead of relying on big, established hubs such as Guam, Okinawa, or Hawaii, US airpower would operate from dozens of smaller, far-flung locations. Fighters, tankers, and support aircraft would move frequently, complicating enemy targeting and maintaining the potency of air operations even after enemy missile strikes. 

World War 2 left behind the infrastructure to make that possible. Many of the airfields now being restored once supported island-hopping campaigns across the Pacific. Today, they offer something just as valuable: existing runways, taxiways, and hardstands that can be repaired faster and at far lower cost than building entirely new bases. In a conflict with China, speed and survivability matter more than permanence, US war planners say. 

Return to Tinian

Nowhere is that clearer than Tinian Island in the Northern Mariana Islands. During World War 2, North Field was the largest airfield in the world, home to hundreds of B-29 bombers. Engineers are working around the clock to restore the airfield to operational status, clearing vegetation, repairing runways, and modernizing surfaces to support everything from cargo aircraft to fifth-generation fighters. When complete, North Field will complement existing US bases on Guam while sitting far enough away to complicate Chinese targeting plans. 

On Guam itself, Northwest Field has been rebuilt with long runways, parking areas, and hardened infrastructure to support Marine and Air Force aircraft. Nearby Tinian International Airport is also being expanded to function as a diversionary and refueling airfield if larger bases take damage. Elsewhere, upgrades are underway or planned at airfields in Micronesia, Palau, the Philippines, and other parts of the second island chain. 

The goal is not to create new permanent bases. US officials consistently describe these sites as contingency locations, designed for rotational and expeditionary use. Aircraft would flow through them during crises or conflict, operating for short periods before moving again. 

Strategy shaped by threats

The logic is straightforward. China has spent years building a missile force intended to hit US air bases early in a conflict. Large, centralized bases simplify targeting of runways, fuel farms, aircraft shelters, and command sites. Spreading aircraft across many locations reduces that vulnerability. 

By basing aircraft across many airfields, the US raises the complexity of any opening strike. Even if some bases are hit, others remain usable. Engineering units can repair damaged runways while aircraft shift elsewhere. The result is resilience, not invulnerability, but resilience may be enough to maintain air operations when they matter most. 

The strategy extends beyond the central Pacific. In Alaska, several former World War 2 and Cold War-era airfields are being prepared as part of a northern air corridor. Bases there can support fighters and transport aircraft moving toward Japan and the western Pacific, providing depth and alternate routing if southern bases come under pressure. Farther south, Australia plays a critical role as a rear-area hub, offering space, infrastructure, and political reliability. 

Taken together, the effort reflects a broader shift in how the US thinks about airpower in a peer conflict. The emphasis is no longer on pristine bases and uninterrupted operations. It is on flexibility, repairability, and the ability to keep flying and fighting even under attack. 

China has criticized the airfield restorations as provocative and rooted in Cold War thinking. US officials frame them differently. From their perspective, preparing airfields before a crisis reduces the chance that a conflict ever begins. Effective deterrence, the US argues, depends on whether capabilities are visible and credible. 

Unconfirmed images circulating on social media show a Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5F carrying a MICA missile under the fuselage, alongside short-range Magic 2 missiles on the wing pylons. This is the first publicly observed instance of Ukraine’s French-supplied fighters being equipped with beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapons. 

The Mirage 2000-5F is a multirole fighter operated by the Ukrainian Air Force following deliveries from France in 2025, as part of a broader effort to reinforce Ukraine’s air defense and fighter aviation capabilities. 

Expanding the Mirage’s combat envelope 

The MICA, developed by MBDA, is a dual-variant missile family available with either an active radar seeker (MICA EM) or an infrared seeker (MICA IR). It has a maximum range of 80 kilometers (50 miles) and a top speed of Mach 4.

While the exact variant supplied to Ukraine has not been officially disclosed, the missile represents a substantial leap in capability compared with the legacy Magic 2, particularly in engagement range, target flexibility, and resistance to countermeasures. 

On the Mirage 2000-5F, MICA enables beyond-visual-range engagements against enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain classes of unmanned aerial systems. This gives Ukrainian pilots a wider engagement envelope and greater tactical flexibility during air defense missions. 

Until now, publicly released imagery of Ukrainian Mirage operations largely showed the aircraft configured for short-range interception tasks, relying on Magic 2 missiles and internal radar cueing. 

Ukraine’s Mirage fleet operates alongside Western-supplied F-16 fighters, which already employ AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for medium-range engagements. The addition of MICA brings the Mirage 2000-5F closer in capability to those platforms, at least in the air-to-air domain, and reduces reliance on short-range intercept profiles. 

Part of a broader Franco-Ukrainian airpower effort 

The MICA integration follows France’s broader commitments to strengthen Ukraine’s air and missile defense. Paris has previously pledged additional Mirage airframes and advanced surface-to-air capabilities, while also deepening long-term cooperation with Kyiv on combat aviation. 

French support for the Mirage transfer included pilot training, maintenance assistance, and weapons integration, allowing Ukraine to progressively unlock the aircraft’s full combat potential rather than fielding it in a limited configuration. Originally designed as an air defense platform, the Mirage 2000-5 fighters destined for Ukraine underwent upgrades at Cazaux Air Base to expand their strike capabilities and improve survivability against Russian air defenses and jamming. 

At the same time, Kyiv is signaling that it is thinking well beyond stopgap donations. France and Ukraine have signed a letter of intent that could, eventually, lead to the acquisition of up to 100 Rafale fighters. A similar framework with Sweden, covering the potential sale of more than 100 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E jets, points toward the same direction: Ukraine wants a future fighter force built around Western aircraft, with the training, weapons, and support systems that come with them. 

Described by Pakistani authorities as a new conventional stand-off strike capability, the Taimoor weapon system is intended to engage both land and maritime targets with high precision. The missile is designed to fly at very low altitudes, using terrain-hugging and sea-skimming profiles to reduce exposure to air and missile defense systems. 

Test footage shows Mirage IIIE launch 

Video released on social media shows a Dassault Aviation Mirage IIIE fighter taking off with a test example of the missile mounted on its centerline station, followed by an in-flight release. Subsequent footage shows the missile in cruise and impacting a ground target. 

Neither the Pakistan Air Force nor military public relations officials disclosed the location of the test or the nature of the target. The flight was observed by senior officers of the Pakistan Armed Forces, as well as scientists and engineers involved in the program. 

In its official statement, Pakistan said Taimoor has a range of 600 kilometers (372 miles) and carries a conventional warhead. The missile is described as featuring a modern navigation and guidance system designed to support precision strikes against defended targets. 

Pakistan’s growing air-launched arsenal 

Pakistan’s state-owned defense exporter, Global Industrial & Defence Solutions (GIDS), has previously described Taimoor as a terrain-hugging, sea-skimming, turbojet-powered subsonic cruise missile weighing less than 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). GIDS first publicly showcased the missile at the IDEX defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi in 2023, presenting it as part of Pakistan’s expanding export catalog of indigenous air-launched and stand-off weapons. 

Operationally, Pakistan already fields the Ra’ad family of air-launched cruise missiles, integrated on both legacy fighter aircraft and more modern platforms in the Pakistan Air Force inventory.  

Beyond cruise missiles, GIDS has also been promoting air-to-air capabilities, including the FAAZ family of air-to-air missiles, as part of a broader push to offer a more complete domestically developed air combat portfolio. 

Citing Iraqi sources, French aviation outlet Avions Légendaires reported on December 16, 2025, that Baghdad and Paris are in late-stage discussions over the potential purchase of 14 new-build Rafale F4 fighters. 

Reported deal centers on 14 Rafale F4 aircraft 

According to the report, the package under discussion would include 10 single-seat Rafale C aircraft and four two-seat Rafale B variants, all delivered to the Rafale F4 standard. 

The F4 standard includes updates to communications and tactical data exchange, as well as evolutions of the RBE2 AESA radar and the SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, the introduction of the SCORPION helmet-mounted display (HMD), and the TALIOS targeting pod, which incorporates embedded mapping and expanded detection and tracking capabilities

The reported discussions also include a weapons package of MICA NG and Meteor air-to-air missiles, alongside Safran’s AASM Hammer guided weapons.

Neither Iraqi authorities nor Dassault Aviation has publicly confirmed the scope, value, or timeline of the reported deal. 

Training visit to France adds a visible signal 

As pointed out by the French publication, the Rafale reporting coincides with a recent visit to France by two senior Iraqi officers responsible for air force training, Major General Ali Majeed Muhammed and Colonel Ayad Rokan Ahmed. 

According to French Air and Space Force communications, discussions in Nancy focused on fighter conversion training for Mirage 2000 and Rafale aircrews, including syllabi and the use of simulators. Additional meetings in Cognac addressed basic and advanced flight training, including the PC-21-based training system and the Mentor 2 framework. 

While such engagements do not confirm an aircraft purchase, they are consistent with preparatory work typically associated with the induction of high-end combat aircraft. 

A long-running Iraqi interest 

Iraq’s interest in the Rafale is not new, with earlier reports suggesting that the country would pay a potential contract with oil rather than cash.

Over the past several years, Baghdad has explored multiple options to diversify and rebuild its combat aviation capacity, amid operational and sustainment challenges affecting its US-supplied F-16IQ fleet. Other avenues have included reported interest in the Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder. 

In 2013, Iraq finalized an agreement with South Korea for 24 T-50 jets, commonly described as serving both advanced pilot training and close air support roles. The contract, including training and support, was initially valued at $1.1 billion, with long-term support potentially taking the total toward $2 billion. Deliveries of the first aircraft began in 2017. 

Iraq is also expected to begin strengthening its ground-based air defenses, after years of limited capability. Baghdad is set to receive the first of South Korea’s KM-SAM (Cheongung-II) medium-range surface-to-air missile systems in early 2026 as part of a $2.8 billion contract signed with LIG Nex1 for eight batteries in September 2024. 

Built on German Navy trials

The move follows a development and trial campaign that Rheinmetall and MBDA say has brought their German naval laser concept close to “market readiness.” In late 2025, the partners reported that a containerized laser demonstrator completed a one-year trial phase aboard the German Navy frigate Sachsen, logging more than 100 firing tests under operational conditions.  

After the sea phase, the demonstrator was transferred to the Bundeswehr’s Laser Competence Centre at WTD 91 in Meppen for further testing and evaluation. 

Rheinmetall has pointed to 2029 as a plausible in-service horizon for a fully operational system, depending on continued development and qualification. The companies frame the capability as an additional layer in ship self-defense, complementing guns and missiles rather than replacing them, with a particular emphasis on countering drones and other close-range threats. 

Under the planned division of labor, MBDA contributes target detection, tracking, and interfaces to command-and-control and combat management systems, while Rheinmetall provides key elements, including the laser source, aiming, and mechanical and electrical integration. The joint venture is intended to shorten the path from demonstrator to producible system by consolidating development and industrialization under one roof. 

Europe’s directed energy push is accelerating 

The Rheinmetall-MBDA joint venture fits into a broader European shift toward laser and directed-energy solutions across both naval and airborne domains.  

In the United Kingdom, the Royal Navy is moving toward operational deployment of the DragonFire high-energy laser system from 2027, following recent trials that demonstrated its ability to engage fast-moving drones at very low per-shot cost compared with missile interceptors. 

Laser-based self-protection is also gaining traction in the air domain. The UK has conducted trials of laser systems designed to defeat infrared-guided missiles, with plans to integrate such capabilities on Royal Air Force aircraft.  

Germany, meanwhile, is upgrading its Luftwaffe A400M transport fleet with directed infrared countermeasure systems to improve survivability against shoulder-fired threats (MANPADS). 

Listed as the “Future Multirole Light Aircraft” (FMLA), the initiative carries an indicative €15 million budget for studies and design work. Multiple projects may be funded. At this stage, the effort remains exploratory, aimed at aligning requirements and industrial options rather than launching a full development program. 

Small, aging niche 

EU planners point out that most light multirole aircraft still operated by member states are now 30 to 40 years old. In practice, the EU in-service segment is thin and fragmented, largely overlapping with turboprop trainers that can be armed. 

Portugal is the clearest outlier, having selected the Embraer A-29N Super Tucano for training and close air support. Croatia and Slovenia operate Pilatus PC-9M aircraft, marketed as suitable for reconnaissance and CAS in addition to training. Poland’s PZL-130 Orlik and Austria’s PC-7 retain provisions for external stores but remain primarily trainers, while Belgium and Italy continue to operate SF-260 variants mainly for basic training. 

The most modern example is the Pilatus PC-21, operated by France and Spain. Although acquired as an advanced trainer, the PC-21 has already been employed operationally by France for homeland air security, including airborne visual surveillance during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Survivability and counter-drone relevance 

The FMLA is envisioned as a low-cost, survivable platform for direct air support, armed ISR, and air strike coordination, particularly in operations below the threshold of open conflict. The call also stresses adaptability for dual-use missions, including border surveillance, search and rescue, and disaster relief, reflecting EU interest in platforms that can move between military and internal security roles without relying on high-end combat aircraft.

What sets the EU concept apart is its focus on survivability, and, unusually for this aircraft class, an explicit interest in reduced observability. While light attack aircraft traditionally rely on tactics, altitude, and permissive environments for protection, the FMLA call asks proposals to explore radar- and sensor-signature reduction through materials and coatings, alongside protection of onboard electronics against electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic pulse effects. 

The call text explicitly lists “drone interception” among the expected combat roles for a future light aircraft, reflecting a wider operational shift. In recent conflicts, low-cost manned aircraft have been pressed into this role out of necessity.

In Ukraine, both Ukrainian and Russian forces have experimented with adapted light aircraft to hunt slow, low-flying drones, including the use of Yak-52 trainers and even Zlin Z-137 Agro Turbo crop-dusting aircraft against reconnaissance and one-way attack UAVs.  

At the industrial level, manufacturers are already responding to this demand: Embraer, for example, has publicly positioned the A-29 Super Tucano as a candidate for counter-drone missions, combining persistence, onboard sensors, and relatively cheap weapons to engage targets that would be uneconomical to intercept with fast jets or surface-to-air missiles. 

Studies and design only 

The 2026 call excludes prototyping, testing, qualification, and certification. Mandatory work focuses on aircraft architecture, feasibility of one or two configurations, life-cycle cost validation, survivability studies, and a preliminary requirements review approved by participating states. 

The notional aircraft would be a small turboprop, certifiable under EMAR 21, with a MTOW of up to 7,500 kilograms (16,000 pounds), STOL capability, and a reconfigurable cargo compartment. Compliance with established military and civil standards for safety, software, cybersecurity, and electromagnetic compatibility is expected. Affordability across acquisition and life-cycle costs is central, alongside open architecture, SME participation, and export potential. 

According to official statements, the operation struck a subterranean complex in the mountainous terrain north of ancient Palmyra, in Homs province, identified by allied intelligence as likely used to stock weapons and explosive devices by ISIS remnants.

RAF Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets employed precision-guided Paveway IV munitions in the strike, supported by a Voyager aerial refueling aircraft.

Video footage released by the French Joint Staff showed French Air and Space Force Rafale fighter jets employing AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions. All aircraft returned safely to base.

“Preventing the resurgence of ISIS is a major challenge for the region’s security,” the French Joint Staff commented. “The fight against terrorism remains a priority for France and its Coalition partner countries.”

While ISIS’s territorial “caliphate” was defeated in Syria in 2019, sleeper cells and insurgent activity persist across the region. As part of Operation Inherent Resolve, Western militaries have continued periodic strikes against identified ISIS positions to disrupt plots and degrade remaining operational capability.

There were no immediate reports of civilian harm, and detailed assessments of damage and intelligence gains from the strike are ongoing.

The mission, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve, involved a broad coalition of U.S. military assets, including more than 150 aircraft spanning intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike platforms, in support of elite Army Delta Force commandos tasked with seizing Maduro deep inside Caracas.

Rare Sentinel deployment

Footage circulating on social media shows a flying-wing drone consistent with the RQ-170 Sentinel returning to the Roosevelt Roads airfield in Puerto Rico, suggesting the platform operated from the facility during the operation.

The RQ-170, developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, is associated with high-end intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions requiring persistence and discretion in contested environments. Its design and sensor suite are widely linked to tracking high-value targets and supporting special operations forces with real-time situational awareness.

While the US Department of Defense has not officially confirmed the Sentinel’s involvement, the reported activity aligns with the aircraft’s tightly controlled operational profile, with public sightings remaining exceptionally rare.

Months of intelligence preparation

Speaking at a press conference in Florida alongside President Donald Trump, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the operation was the culmination of “months of work” by US intelligence services aimed at understanding Maduro’s movements, habits, residences, and security arrangements. According to Caine, this intelligence picture was finalized in early December 2025.

The decision to launch the mission on January 3 was driven primarily by weather conditions. Caine said improved conditions on the evening of January 2 allowed US aircrews to operate through “mountains, ocean, and low clouds,” preserving surprise during the approach.

At 10:46 p.m. Washington time, Trump gave the order to execute the mission. Aircraft subsequently launched from 20 land and sea bases across the Western Hemisphere.

Air campaign and helicopter raid

More than 150 aircraft were involved, including bombers, fighters, intelligence platforms, surveillance drones, and helicopters, including aircraft from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. As the force approached the Venezuelan coast, aircraft flew at very low altitude, in some cases below 50 meters above the water.

According to Caine, US forces began dismantling and disabling Venezuelan air defense systems as the package neared the shoreline, conducting the first known US airstrikes on Venezuelan territory to ensure safe passage for the helicopters.

The helicopter-borne intervention force reached Maduro’s compound at 1:01 a.m. Washington time. Ground forces moved rapidly to isolate the site and secure the objective. The helicopters came under fire during the insertion and returned fire in what Caine described as self-defense engagements. One helicopter sustained damage but was able to return safely.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, surrendered and were taken into custody. Trump later said Maduro attempted to reach a secure bunker within the compound but failed to do so. No US personnel were killed during the operation.

Extraction and exfiltration

During the withdrawal phase, fighter aircraft and drones provided air cover and protective fire as US forces departed Venezuelan airspace. Caine said additional self-defense engagements occurred during the exfiltration, but all personnel were able to return to their launch platforms.

Maduro and Flores were transported by helicopter to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, boarding the vessel at 3:29 a.m. Washington time. They were eventually airlifted to Stewart International Airport in New York via Cuba.

According to South Korean media, the first serial-production aircraft are expected to be handed over in 2026 following the completion of acceptance testing. The deliveries will mark the first induction of an indigenous fighter mainly developed by the South Korean industry, led by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

From development program to operational aircraft

The KF-21 program, also known as KF-X, has been one of South Korea’s most ambitious defense projects, aimed at replacing aging F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Tiger II fleets while reducing reliance on foreign combat aircraft.

After the maiden flight of the first prototype in 2022, the test campaign progressed through multiple flying prototypes, validating flight performance, avionics, and mission systems. Serial production formally began in 2024, with final assembly of the first operational aircraft taking place in 2025.

The initial deliveries will consist of Block I aircraft, optimized primarily for air-to-air missions. These jets are expected to achieve an initial operational capability before being followed by more capable Block II variants later in the decade.

Indigenous systems at the core of the program

A central objective of the KF-21 effort has been the development of domestic aerospace technologies. The aircraft integrates a locally developed active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, mission computer, electronic warfare suite, and flight control systems.

The KF-21 configuration emphasizes reduced radar signature, advanced sensor fusion, and networked operations, positioning it as a so-called 4.5-generation multirole fighter tailored to South Korea’s operational requirements.

The aircraft is also expected to gain progressively expanded strike capabilities, including integration of air-to-ground weapons and stand-off munitions, as the program moves into its Block II phase.

The program is also closely watched internationally. South Korea has positioned the KF-21 as a potential export platform, particularly for air forces seeking a modern fighter without the political, financial, or production constraints often associated with other aircraft.

In an update published on January 2, 2026, the ministry noted the scaling-up of aviation training was driven by both operational wartime needs and longer-term plans to integrate Western aircraft, standards and procedures into Ukraine’s air force structure. 

Alongside pilot training, the ministry reported that 437 state certificates had been issued to aviation personnel following qualification exams in 2025. These certifications covered a broad range of aviation professions and were described as confirmation of compliance with national professional standards. 

Training extends beyond the cockpit

Ukraine’s 2025 aviation training effort extended well beyond the cockpit. According to the ministry, programs included not only pilots but also engineering and technical personnel, airfield support and logistics specialists, and operators of monitoring and reconnaissance systems. 

Unmanned aviation remained a major focus area. The ministry claimed that more than 5,000 unmanned aerial system (UAS) operators were trained during the year, reflecting the central role of drones in Ukraine’s air and ground operations. 

A key development in 2025 was the expansion of a certified domestic training network inside Ukraine. The ministry linked this to a Cabinet of Ministers’ resolution adopted on October 1, 2024, which launched an experimental certification framework for training institutions. Eight leading organizations received certified status during the year, bringing the total number of authorized training institutions to 34, including 19 centers focused specifically on UAS operators. 

Backed by the Air Force Capability Coalition 

The reported training figures reflect a multi-year effort coordinated with international partners through the so-called Air Force Capability Coalition, which supports Ukraine’s transition toward Western combat aviation. 

The United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands have all played leading roles in training pilots and ground crews for F-16 operations, alongside infrastructure, sustainment and interoperability work.  

Other European partners have contributed complementary training pipelines. France, for example, has trained Ukrainian pilots on the Alpha Jet and expanded its support to aircraft-specific preparation and technical personnel, in parallel with its decision to supply Mirage 2000-5 fighters.  

On November 17, 2025, Ukraine and France signed a letter of intent covering a potential purchase of up to 100 Rafale fighters as part of long-term force structure planning, less than a month after a similar deal was signed with Sweden covering the potential sale of more than 100 Saab JAS 39 Gripen E fighters. 

Together, these national efforts form a distributed training ecosystem rather than a single-track program, aimed at generating not only pilots but also the broader aviation workforce Ukraine needs to sustain combat operations and modernize its air force under wartime pressure. 

Adding passive sensing to the F-16 fleet 

Legion is an external podded sensor system built around Lockheed Martin’s IRST21. Unlike radar, IRST detects targets by their heat signature rather than emitting energy, allowing fighters to build situational awareness while limiting their electromagnetic footprint. This can be particularly relevant in environments characterized by dense electronic warfare and advanced air defenses. 

Lockheed Martin presents Legion as a sensor designed for collaborative targeting, enabling multiple aircraft to share passive tracks and improve target localization without relying on active radar emissions. In US Air Force testing, aircraft equipped with Legion pods have demonstrated the ability to exchange infrared data and passively triangulate targets, supporting operations in radar-denied or emission-controlled scenarios. 

Part of a broader modernization effort 

The Legion pod order fits into a wider US-backed effort to sustain and modernize Taiwan’s F-16 fleet. In late 2024, Washington approved a $320 million package focused on F-16 sustainment and AESA radar support, aimed at maintaining readiness and supporting advanced sensor capabilities already fielded on Taiwan’s aircraft. 

Taiwan completed the upgrade of its legacy F-16A/B fighters to the F-16V standard in 2023, introducing new avionics, electronic warfare improvements, and the AN/APG-83 AESA radar. The island is also awaiting the delivery of 66 new-build F-16V Block 70 fighters approved in 2019, a program that has faced schedule pressure amid broader US production bottlenecks. 

Operational context 

By adding IRST to its F-16 fleet, Taiwan is expanding the range of tools available to its fighters for air surveillance and targeting. In particular, it is a move against opponents equipped with advanced electronic warfare capabilities or aircraft designed to reduce radar detectability.

The emphasis on sensors, sustainment, and incremental upgrades reflects Taipei’s focus on maximizing the effectiveness and survivability of its existing combat aircraft within an increasingly contested regional environment.

The firm fixed-price contract, valued at $2,728,234,918, was awarded by the US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Boeing was the sole bidder for the contract, which was solicited online. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2030.

The announcement follows a separate $4.7 billion contract being awarded to Boeing in November 2025 for new-build Apache AH-64E attack helicopters, Longbow crew trainers, and related accessories for Poland.

The AH-64 Apache serves as the backbone of the US Army’s attack helicopter fleet and has accumulated over 5.3 million flight hours, including more than 1.3 million in combat operations. With more than 1,300 aircraft operating globally, the Apache has been selected as the attack helicopter of choice by 19 countries.

The US Army recently demonstrated the Apache’s expanding capabilities during live-fire exercises in South Carolina in August 2025. Working with the South Carolina Army National Guard, the service tested the AH-64E’s ability to detect, track and destroy unmanned aircraft systems using 30mm proximity-fused ammunition.

With Apache production scheduled to continue into the 2030s, the helicopter is expected to serve the US Army and partner nations as the world’s primary attack helicopter into the 2060s. 

Boeing and the US Army are continuing to invest in new technologies, including an Open Systems Approach to integrate capabilities such as Launched Effects and enhanced teaming with autonomous systems for improved interoperability.

The delivery was disclosed by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov during a year-end meeting of the Defense Ministry board on December 17, 2025. According to Belousov, the Aerospace Forces had been “resupplied with two Tu-160M strategic missile carrier bombers,” though he did not provide tail numbers, handover dates, or details of the unit that will operate the aircraft. 

Tu-160M, modernization and restarted production 

The Tu-160 ‘Blackjack’ heavy bomber made its maiden flight in 1981 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1987. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the type remained one of the pillars of Russia’s airborne leg of nuclear deterrence.  

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia’s long-range aviation has also been used as a conventional strike tool, with bombers launching cruise missiles from Russian airspace toward targets across Ukraine. 

The Tu-160M is the modernized variant of the Blackjack, incorporating updated systems intended to extend the aircraft’s service life and maintain its relevance. Reported upgrades include new avionics, a digital cockpit and updated engines, rather than a fundamental redesign of the airframe. 

Russia has been pursuing two parallel efforts around the Tu-160: the modernization of existing aircraft and the restart of production at the Kazan Aircraft Production Association. The first newly assembled Tu-160M conducted its maiden flight from Kazan in January 2022. 

Belousov’s statement did not clarify whether the two delivered aircraft are newly built airframes or upgraded legacy Tu-160s returning to service after modernization. That distinction is relevant, as Russia has at times drawn a line between refurbished aircraft and new production examples. However, no further details were released alongside the announcement. 

Long-range aviation under pressure 

The announcement comes as the war in Ukraine has put Russia’s long-range aviation under operational pressure. While Russia’s bomber force typically operates at standoff range, Ukraine has increasingly sought to hold it at risk on the ground, including through long-range drone attacks on air bases. 

Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb targeted multiple Russian airfields deep inside the country and hit strategic bomber assets, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 aircraft, using pre-positioned short-range drones.  

Against that backdrop, any new Tu-160M deliveries would help Moscow to replenish, at least incrementally, a high-value fleet that underpins its ability to launch cruise missiles at Ukraine from well outside the reach of most Ukrainian air defenses. 

On December 29, 2025, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the State Department had “made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale” to Denmark.

The $1.8 billion price tag would include multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft with indirect fire protection capability and related equipment.

According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Denmark requested the purchase of up to three P‑8A Poseidon aircraft plus a wide range of military systems.

In a statement, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency claimed that the sale would “support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe”.

The agency added: “The proposed sale will enhance Denmark’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that is capable of deterring adversaries and participating in NATO operations. The proposed sale will support its goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as interoperability with US and NATO forces.”

The implementation of the sale would require as many as 14 government and contractor representatives to travel to Denmark for a duration of up to two years.

There, they would support aircraft fielding and maintenance, mission systems, training, and logistics and engineering technical assistance.

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon is a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with a naval search radar for search and tracking capability.

It can also be fitted, both internally and externally, with an array of armaments dedicated to submarine and anti-ship warfare, such as torpedoes, mines, depth charges and anti-ship missiles.

On December 31, 2025, Saab confirmed that the French General Directorate of Armament (DGA) had placed a $1.3 billion (SEK 12.3 billion) order for the surveillance aircraft, along with ground equipment, training and support.

The contract also includes an option for France to purchase two additional aircraft. Deliveries of the initial aircraft are to take place between 2029 and 2032.

“Today’s order underscores the robust partnership between Saab and France,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab. “By selecting GlobalEye, France is investing in a highly modern and capable Airborne Early Warning & Control solution. This choice reinforces France’s commitment to sovereignty and strengthens Europe’s overall protection, with both Sweden and France operating GlobalEye.”

While there was no official comment from a French government representative, Sweden’s Minister of Defense, Pål Jonson, wrote on social media: “Warm welcome to the Global Eye family France! Advanced early warning and situational awareness are crucial in today’s threat environment. The Swedish defense industry is now strengthening Europe’s defense capability and security.”

He added: “France’s decision to procure 2 Global Eye aircraft will contribute to further deepening the defense cooperation between our countries and also the strategic defense materiel cooperation. It will also promote closer collaboration between the countries’ defense companies.”

According to Sweden’s Defense Minister, France hereby joins the United Arab Emirates, which operates five GlobalEye aircraft, and Sweden, which decided to acquire three units in 2022.

The GlobalEye, based on the Bombardier Global Express 6000 business jet, features the Erieye active electronically scanned array radar.

This radar can detect and track targets over a range of more than 550 kilometers (341 miles) and can perform early warning and control operations across air, sea and land domains.

The new aircraft will replace France’s aging fleet of E-3F Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, in service with the French Air Force since 1991 and stationed at Avord Air Base 702.

The E-3F Sentry, an essential asset for detection, control, deterrence, protection, intervention, and command, has a detection range of 400 kilometers and can remain airborne for up to 12 hours.

On December 29, 2025, the Secretary of Turkish Defense Industries, Haluk Görgün described the agreement as a “historic export success” for the country’s defense sector.

“The fact that a jet training aircraft designed and produced with national capabilities will enter the inventory of a European and NATO member country clearly demonstrates the level our defense industry has reached in the fields of design, production, system integration, certification, and sustainability,” said Görgün.

He added: “This step is a concrete indicator that Turkey has reached the position of a trusted, preferred, and leading exporter country in the defense industry.”

According to Görgün deliveries are planned to begin in 2028 with maintenance-support infrastructure and long-term operational support also included in the package.

CEO of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Mehmet Demiroğlu also joined in the celebrations describing the Hürjet advanced jet trainer as the company’s “crown jewel”.

“Under the leadership and determined vision of our President, His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the fact that our HÜRJET, produced with national resources and continuously developed, will enter the inventory of a country that is a member of the European Union and NATO, serves as proof of the tremendous progress our defense industry has made,” said Demiroğlu.

On September 24, 2025, the Spanish government announced that it is allocating €3.68 billion to purchase new fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for its armed forces.

SAVUNMA SANAYİİMİZDE TARİHİ BİR İHRACAT BAŞARISINA DAHA İMZA ATILDI! – 2,6 MİLYAR AVRO DEĞERİNDE HÜRJET İHRACATI…

Türkiye’nin ilk millî jet eğitim uçağı HÜRJET, 30 adetlik ihracat paketiyle İspanya Hava ve Uzay Kuvvetleri tarafından resmen tercih edilerek savunma… pic.twitter.com/DLq35cML2v

— Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün (@halukgorgun) December 29, 2025

So far this has included purchasing 18 Airbus C295 transport aircraft, 100 Airbus helicopters and four Patriot air and missile defense system fire units.

Airbus to create combat training system

On December 30, 2025, Airbus announced Spain had selected the firm to lead the development and implementation of the Spanish Air and Space Force’s new combat Integrated Training System (ITS-C).

The contract, led jointly by Airbus, as national coordinator for Spain, and Turkish Aerospace has as its primary objective the replacement of the current F-5 aircraft fleet and the coverage of the entire advanced training process for Spanish combat pilots.

“This encompasses the acquisition of the 30 Hürjet trainers from Turkish Aerospace, the conversion of the fleet with Spanish content according to the customer’s requirements, the creation of an Aircraft Conversion Centre in Spain, the refurbishment of the Training Centre at the Fighter and Attack School at Talavera la Real Air Base, Extremadura, and the provision of an integrated set of operation and maintenance services at this base,” said an Airbus spokesperson.

Following delivery of the 30 aircraft, Airbus will focus on the conversion work with delivery then scheduled for the second half of 2031 through 2035.

The conversion of the first two aircraft will be carried out at the Airbus facilities in Getafe, while the other 28 aircraft will be converted at the program’s Conversion Centre to be established in Spain.

“This ambitious programme seeks to create a state-of-the-art combat training system in Spain that addresses the immediate needs of the Air and Space Force. It will also boost national industry participation, return on investment and capability development, ensuring Spanish sovereignty throughout the entire process,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defense and Space.

Conversion work will focus on mission and training systems, remote interface units, audio management systems, avionics computers, mission recording or armament simulators.

The contract, announced by the US Department of War on December 29, 2025, followed talks between US President Donald Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

“This contract provides for the design, integration, instrumentation, test, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft for the Israeli Air Force with an option for an additional 25 F-15IA aircraft,” the Pentagon said.

The agreement forms part of the F-15 Israel Program which will see production of F-15IA jets take place at Boeing’s facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Completion of the contract is expected on December 31, 2035.

The agreement mirrors an order by the Israeli Ministry of Defense in November 2024, valued at $5.2 billion and funded through US military aid.

At the time, Israel purchased 25 F-15IA fighters, with an option to acquire an additional 25 jets. The first F-15IA is expected to be delivered in 203.

The F-15IA is the Israeli designation for the F-15EX Eagle II. Powered by new F110-GE-129 engines, it features a digital cockpit, upgraded radar and electronic warfare systems, and improved communication with F-35 jets. It will also be capable of carrying up to 24 air-to-air missiles.

With the latest contract and the previous one from 2024, the total number of F-15IA jets in the Israeli Air Force will be 50. This is in addition to 66 F-15 variants that Israel already operates.

The contract includes radars, launchers, command and control systems, and training equipment and support. 

In its press release, Raytheon did not clarify whether this order is part of one previously authorized by the United States State Department in 2023, for the sale of four PAC-3+ fire units to Spain. That order, valued at US$2.8 billion, also included the delivery of 51 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 missiles and related systems, spares and support.  

However, what the US defense manufacturer did confirm was that Spanish companies will participate in the program. In particular, aerospace and engineering group Sener will make the electro-mechanical control system of the GEM-T missile while another Spanish company, Grupo Oesía, will produce the wiring and wire harnesses for the PAC-3 missiles (Patriot Advanced Capability 3), which are in turn manufactured by Lockheed Martin. 

In January 2024, Spain joined Germany, the Netherlands and Romania in placing a joint order for 1,000 units of the previous generation GEM-T PAC-2 missile, which is used by the Patriot batteries currently operated by these three countries. 

Spain first acquired Patriot air defense systems second hand from Germany in 2004. At present, Spain operates three batteries with six launchers each. One of the Spanish Patriot batteries has been deployed near Adana, in southeastern Turkey, since 2015. This deployment followed Turkey’s request for NATO assistance in the midst of the Syrian conflict next to its borders. 

This is not the only major defense acquisition Spain has closed before the end of the year. One day earlier, on December 22, 2025, the United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency also authorized the sale to Spain of 200 F-404 engine fans for its F/A-18 fighter jet fleet. 

This adds to a previous order, valued at $98.80 million, for 50 F-404 engine fans, bringing the total to 250 units for a total cost of US$200 million. 

Spain, which was recently scolded by President Trump for having one of the lowest defense expenditures among NATO members (1.2% of GDP in 2023), has been on a defense shopping spree in Q4 2025, allocating some €3.7 billion to purchase new helicopters and trainer and transport aircraft for its armed forces. 

On December 23, 2025, Airbus said that with the new order means that the Spanish Air and Space Force will operate a total fleet of 46 C295s in transport, maritime patrol and surveillance configuration.

Details surrounding the order were made public in September 2025, when the Spanish government announced it is allocating $4.3 billion (€3.68 billion) to purchase new fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for its armed forces.

The package included Hürjet advanced jet trainers, C295 transport aircraft and NH-90, H135 and H175 helicopters to fulfill a range of different roles.

On December 18, 2025, it was also announced that Spain has placed orders for 100 Airbus helicopters through the Directorate General for Armament and Material (DGAM).

New milestone achieved!
The first C295 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) for Spain has rolled-out from our Final Assembly Line in Seville and has entered the development and certification testing phase towards its first flight, scheduled before the end of the year.

This… pic.twitter.com/Fc0EmVOJFZ

— Airbus Defence (@AirbusDefence) July 30, 2025

“This order reaffirms Spain’s commitment to the C295, reinforcing national strategic autonomy and sovereignty while boosting the development of the Spanish aeronautical industry and the entire industrial ecosystem,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “With this contract, the Spanish Air and Space Force will operate a fleet of 46 C295s in transport, maritime patrol and surveillance configurations.”

The 18 C295s will be split into two batches, with the first dedicated to training and the transport of passengers, paratroopers, and cargo at the Military Air Transport School at Matacán Air Base in Salamanca.

The second group of C295s will be used for manual and automatic paratrooper drops, as well as cargo drops. The C295s in transport configuration have the capacity to carry 70 troops or 50 paratroopers.

The first group of C295s are scheduled to be delivered between 2026 and 2028 while the second batch should arrive between 2030 and 2032.

The agreement includes the supply of an advanced ground training system encompassing several flight simulators, computer-aided teaching systems, and training management software for the Military Transport School and the Military Paratrooper School in Murcia.

The contract also includes comprehensive support for the C295 fleet at the Military Transport School, which will cover aircraft maintenance, the management of all necessary material for the aircraft, and the management of the training center until December 2032.

Russia’s state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec said on December 22, 2025, that a Sukhoi Su-57 flew for the first time powered by the new “Product 177” engine, which it describes as a fifth-generation powerplant developed specifically for advanced combat aircraft. The flight was conducted by test pilot Roman Kondratyev and proceeded normally, according to the company. 

The start of flight testing is significant because engine development has long been one of the biggest technical hurdles facing the Su-57 program. Early production aircraft entered service with interim engines while Russia continued work on more advanced designs intended to deliver higher thrust, improved fuel efficiency, and longer service life. 

According to Rostec, the Product 177 engine produces up to 16,000 kilograms-force of thrust (roughly 35,000 pounds of thrust) in afterburner and offers reduced fuel consumption, along with improved durability. The engine was developed by the United Engine Corporation, a Rostec subsidiary, for use in fifth-generation aircraft systems. 

Russian officials said the new engine is expected to further improve the Su-57’s flight performance and provide a foundation for future upgrades. The aircraft is designed as a multirole fighter capable of engaging air, ground, and maritime targets, with internal weapons bays, low-observable shaping, and a high degree of onboard automation intended to reduce pilot workload. 

The Su-57 first flew in 2010 and was envisioned as Russia’s answer to US fifth-generation fighters such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35, as well as China’s Chengdu J-20. However, development delays, funding constraints, and production challenges have limited the pace of deliveries. Public estimates suggest only a few dozen aircraft have been built to date, a fraction of the fleets fielded by the United States or China. 

Russia has said the Su-57 has seen limited operational use, including missions related to the war in Ukraine, though independent assessments of its combat performance remain scarce. Analysts have noted that Russia has often used the aircraft cautiously, likely reflecting its small fleet size and ongoing development work. 

Alongside the engine test announcement, Rostec said United Aircraft Corporation is expanding production capacity to increase deliveries of the Su-57 to Russian forces and to support export efforts. Moscow has been actively marketing an export version, designated the Su-57E, and has previously announced its first foreign sales contract, although details about customers and delivery timelines remain limited. 

Reports and leaks in recent years have pointed to interest from countries including Algeria, India, and others seeking an interim stealth fighter option, particularly as Russia looks to maintain defense exports under international sanctions. 

In the broader fifth-generation fighter landscape, the Su-57 remains produced in far smaller numbers than Western and Chinese peers. The US-led F-35 program has delivered hundreds of aircraft across multiple air forces, while China has steadily expanded its J-20 fleet. Russia, by contrast, continues to develop the Su-57 as a long-term program, introducing upgrades to engines, avionics, and weapons as the aircraft evolves.

President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on December 21, 2025, that construction of the successor to the Charles de Gaulle has been approved. The announcement was made during his visit to French forces deployed in Abu Dhabi. 

The decision marks a significant political milestone for a project that has been under preparation for several years, with its first public details unveiled in 2023. The carrier is now firmly embedded in France’s long-term force planning, with entry into service scheduled for 2038, setting a 15-year timeline from initial disclosure to operational deployment. 

“We must be strong in order to be feared”

Addressing troops stationed in the United Arab Emirates, Macron said the decision to launch the program had been taken “this week,” in line with France’s latest military programming laws. He framed the future carrier as both a military and industrial statement. 

“At a time of predators, we must be strong in order to be feared, and in particular, strong at sea,” Macron said. 

The political green light comes amid heightened security concerns, with senior French military leaders warning that the country must be prepared for high-intensity conflict in the coming years.  

In this context, the future aircraft carrier is positioned as a long-term pillar of France’s power projection and maritime autonomy, reflecting not only European security imperatives but also the need to safeguard France’s vast overseas interests, including an exclusive economic zone that spans the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. 

A larger, nuclear-powered successor 

Designated the Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération (PANG), the future vessel will be significantly larger than the Charles de Gaulle. Current specifications point to a displacement of close to 80,000 tons and a length of around 310 meters, compared with 42,000 tons and 261 meters for the existing carrier.  

It is expected to embark an air wing of around 30 combat aircraft, alongside helicopters and drones, with a crew of approximately 2,000 sailors. The future air wing is also expected to include the Next Generation Fighter (NGF), the manned combat aircraft component of the strained Future Combat Air System (FCAS). 

Like its predecessor, the new carrier will be nuclear-powered, preserving France’s unique position as the only navy outside the United States to operate a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Unlike the Charles de Gaulle, however, the PANG will be equipped with US-developed electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS), replacing steam catapults and enabling the operation of heavier and more diverse aircraft, including future combat aircraft and unmanned platforms. 

Macron also emphasized the industrial dimension of the program, stating that around 800 suppliers, most of them small and medium-sized enterprises, will be involved. The project is expected to sustain France’s naval, nuclear, and high-technology industrial base, and the president said he plans to visit the construction site in early 2026. 

Addressing continuity and the single-carrier constraint 

Construction is expected to begin in the second half of the 2020s, a timeline designed to avoid a capability gap as the Charles de Gaulle approaches the end of its planned service life. 

Continuity risks weigh as heavily as ambition in shaping the program. France operates a single aircraft carrier, and the Charles de Gaulle is available only around two-thirds of the time due to maintenance cycles. Any significant delay to the new carrier could leave the French Navy without a fixed-wing carrier capability. 

An assessment planned later in the decade will determine whether the Charles de Gaulle can be safely extended beyond its current retirement horizon, depending on the condition of its nuclear reactors and hull structure. The timing of the PANG program is therefore critical to ensuring uninterrupted carrier availability. 

On December 18, 2025, Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA and Sweden’s Saab, signed an agreement with Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). According to MBDA, the contract is intended to prepare the serial production of the Taurus Neo missile, with large-scale manufacturing planned at a production site in Germany. 

Preparing the move from sustainment to serial production 

While neither the German authorities nor MBDA disclosed the contract’s financial value or the number of missiles involved, the agreement marks a shift from sustaining the existing Taurus KEPD 350 inventory toward fielding a new, enhanced variant. 

MBDA said work on new technologies for Taurus Neo had already begun under a maintenance and modernization contract awarded in December 2024. The latest agreement is designed to accelerate the availability of the Neo standard while expanding industrial capacity for future production. 

Germany’s current Taurus KEPD 350 missiles are operationally integrated with the Luftwaffe’s Tornado strike aircraft. However, with the Tornado fleet scheduled to be retired by 2030, Taurus Neo is planned to be integrated on the Eurofighter Typhoon, ensuring continuity of Germany’s air-launched deep-strike capability. 

What is known about Taurus Neo 

MBDA describes Taurus Neo as a stand-off precision-guided missile designed to allow aircraft to strike heavily defended targets while remaining outside hostile air defense envelopes. The company reiterated a range of more than 500 kilometers (311 miles). 

Detailed technical specifications for the Neo variant have not been released. However, the existing Taurus KEPD 350 is known for its low-level terrain-following flight profile, multi-mode navigation designed to operate in contested electromagnetic environments, and a warhead optimized for hardened and buried targets. These characteristics are expected to be carried over and further developed in the Neo configuration. 

Scale of ambition and broader context 

German media have previously pointed to a large-scale procurement ambition. Earlier reporting has indicated that Berlin is considering the acquisition of up to around 600 Taurus Neo missiles in the longer term, with serial production expected to begin toward the end of the decade. 

The Taurus program has also drawn political attention in recent years due to Ukraine’s repeated requests for the missile, which Germany has declined, citing escalation concerns. This position has stood in contrast to France and the UK, which have supplied Ukraine with SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles for long-range strike missions, including on Russian territory. 

The fleet, operated by No. 37 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales, has been brought up to the latest Block 8.1 configuration under Project AIR 5440. 

According to the RAAF, the upgrades encompass critical improvements to aircraft systems, safety-critical software and hardware, enhancing overall capability, reliability and mission readiness.

Beyond the core systems upgrade, the aircraft received substantial enhancements to their communications and navigation suites. The new capabilities include datalink systems, integrated satellite voice communications, upgraded high-frequency radios, and improved instrument approach systems.

Lockheed Martin performed the first aircraft upgrade in the United States, with support from the US Air Force.

The remaining 11 aircraft were modified locally in Australia at RAAF Base Richmond by Airbus Australia Pacific, the C-130J sustainment partner for the region. CAE Australia completed corresponding upgrades to the C-130J full flight simulator.

The C-130J Hercules has served the Australian Defense Force since 1999, providing medium air mobility between the smaller C-27J Spartan and larger C-17A Globemaster III. The aircraft can transport approximately 120 passengers or up to 20 tons of cargo.

The Block 8.1 upgrades are designed to keep the current fleet at peak capability until Australia begins to receive deliveries of its expanded replacement fleet of 20 new C-130J Hercules aircraft later this decade.

The contract was awarded by TELEDIFE, the Directorate of Telecommunications, IT and Advanced Technologies of the Italian Ministry of Defence, and covers the development and delivery of two Ground Based Radars (GBR) and two Mobile Long Range Radars (MLRR). 

According to Leonardo, the systems are designed to detect, track and identify ballistic threats at ranges of up to 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles). The radars will form part of Italy’s future long-range air and missile defense architecture and represent the country’s first national capability dedicated to long-range ballistic missile detection. 

AESA GaN radars, fixed and mobile 

The GBR and MLRR are both fully digital active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, using gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Leonardo say that the use of GaN is intended to improve power efficiency, detection range and reliability compared with earlier radar generations. 

Leonardo stated that the radars will provide early warning and tracking data and will be able to cue fire-control radars and interceptors within an open-architecture command and control environment. The systems are designed to operate in a multi-domain setting, integrating with other sensors and effectors across air and missile defense networks. 

Linked to Michelangelo Dome and SAMP/T NG 

The radar contract is positioned by Leonardo as a key element of its Michelangelo Dome concept, an integrated air and missile defense architecture unveiled by the company in November 2025. The company has described Michelangelo Dome as a multi-layered approach intended to protect national territory and critical infrastructure against a range of aerial threats, including ballistic missiles. 

Leonardo linked the radar award to recent progress on the SAMP/T Next Generation program, which is being developed by the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium, bringing together MBDA and Thales. Earlier in December 2025, MBDA confirmed successful qualification firings of the SAMP/T NG system for both the Italian and French variants. 

No delivery timeline or contract value has been disclosed as yet. 

Grainy video and still images circulating on Chinese social media on December 18, 2025, appear to show the aircraft, unofficially referred to as the Y-30, flying from an airfield in Xi’an, in central China. 

The Y-30 is believed to be a product of Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation, which also produces the Y-8 and Y-9 transport families. While Chinese authorities have not formally acknowledged the program, the aircraft’s appearance in flight marks the first time the long-discussed design has been observed as a flying prototype. 

Imagery shows a high-wing transport with four turboprop engines, a T-tail configuration, and winglets, indicating a focus on fuel efficiency and short-field performance. The aircraft also features a rear loading ramp and robust landing gear, consistent with operations from austere or semi-prepared airstrips. 

China first displayed a model of the Y-30 at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2014, after which the program remained out of public view for more than a decade. Its emergence in flight testing aligns with the PLAAF’s broader effort to modernize its airlift capabilities and reduce reliance on aging Soviet-derived platforms. 

On the internet, several users posted an apparently AI-enhanced look at the Y-30 that seems to be based on still shots taken from the grainy first-flight video. Based on the model of the Y-30 displayed at Zhuhai, the rendering appears to be strikingly similar, and therefore probably at least somewhat accurate.

The design places the Y-30 between China’s existing Y-9 medium transport and the larger Y-20 strategic airlifter. Analysts estimate a payload capacity of around 30 metric tonnes, compared with approximately 25 tonnes for the Y-9 and more than 60 tonnes for the Y-20. This positions the Y-30 closer to the Lockheed Martin C-130J in terms of its overall role, though with a wider fuselage and greater internal volume. 

Propulsion is believed to come from WJ-10 or WJ-16 turboprop engines, each producing between 5,100 and 6,800 horsepower. These engines drive six-bladed propellers, unlike the eight-bladed scimitar props used on the Airbus A400M, a larger transport often cited as a visual comparison. 

The aircraft observed in flight carries a nose-mounted air-data boom, a feature typical of early flight-test aircraft used to collect aerodynamic and performance data. No aerial refueling probe was visible, though such equipment could be added on later variants.

If the Y-30 enters service, it is expected to gradually replace older Y-8 aircraft and supplement the Y-9 fleet, providing the PLAAF with a more flexible platform for regional transport, humanitarian missions and rapid deployment operations. 

The deal represents the largest helicopter procurement ever carried out by DGAM and covers four different Airbus models intended for all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces, marking a major step in Spain’s rotary-wing modernization effort. 

Four helicopter types for the armed forces 

Under the agreements, Spain will acquire 13 H135 light twin-engine helicopters, including 12 for the Spanish Air and Space Force and one for the Navy. These aircraft will be used for advanced pilot training, light utility, and observation missions. 

The Spanish Army’s Army Airmobile Force (FAMET) will receive 50 H145M helicopters. According to Airbus, their missions will include military pilot training, light attack tasks using the HForce weapon system, light utility roles, and disaster relief. The H145M fleet is expected to complement the Spanish Army’s Tiger attack helicopters rather than replace them. 

Spain’s Air and Space Force will also receive six H175M super-medium helicopters for governmental missions, including the transport of authorities. These aircraft will replace older AS 332 Super Puma and AS 532 Cougar helicopters operated by Wing 48. 

The fourth component of the order covers 31 NH90 helicopters, allocated to the Army (13), the Air and Space Force (12), and the Navy (6). Airbus said the aircraft, 24 of which are already in service in Spain, will be used for tactical transport, maneuver, and special operations, while completing the Navy’s amphibious warfare helicopter fleet. 

Strategic autonomy and industrial impact 

“By formalising these contracts, the Ministry of Defence fulfils its commitment to provide our Armed Forces with the latest generation of helicopters that are essential for their operations,” said María Amparo Valcarce García, Spain’s Secretary of State for Defence. She described the investment as strategic and aimed at strengthening national security while supporting Spain’s strategic autonomy in a key European defense sector. 

Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even said the contracts represent the concrete implementation of the National Helicopter Plan and a “qualitative shift” in Spain’s military capabilities. He added that the programs would consolidate and expand Airbus Helicopters’ industrial footprint in Spain. 

Airbus estimates the plan will generate more than 300 direct jobs over the next three years following the order. The company said its Albacete site will grow with the addition of a new military helicopter customization center and an international training center for H145M pilots and technicians. These facilities will complement ongoing infrastructure investments linked to Spain’s Tiger mid-life upgrade program.  

Airbus also plans to reinforce support engineering, software development, connectivity, and maintenance capabilities for Spain’s military helicopter fleet. 

According to reporting by The Globe and Mail, Saab has presented Canadian officials with an industrial proposal that would see both aircraft assembled in Canada, potentially in partnership with Bombardier. The company argues that the plan would significantly expand Canada’s aerospace workforce and strengthen domestic production capacity. 

The proposal comes as the Canadian government reassesses its planned purchase of 88 F-35A Lightning II fighters from Lockheed Martin, a review launched earlier this year by Prime Minister Mark Carney amid cost pressures, trade tensions with the United States, and questions over industrial return. 

Joly highlights industrial and security alignment 

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed that Ottawa is examining Saab’s proposal and framed it within the broader Canada–Sweden aerospace and defense partnership announced earlier in 2025. 

Speaking to The Globe and Mail, Joly said the Swedish offer aligned with Canada’s objective of strengthening domestic industrial capacity while working with trusted partners. She pointed to Saab’s existing cooperation with Bombardier on the GlobalEye program as a concrete example of how such partnerships could be expanded. 

GlobalEye is based on Bombardier’s Global 6000 and Global 6500 business jet platforms, with Saab integrating the Erieye extended-range radar and mission systems in Sweden. Saab has suggested that additional assembly and integration work could be shifted to Canada under its proposal. 

Gripen still part of Saab’s pitch 

Alongside GlobalEye, Saab continues to promote the Gripen E as a candidate for Canada’s future fighter fleet, emphasizing lower operating costs, rapid maintenance, and the potential for domestic assembly and long-term industrial participation. 

The renewed pitch comes despite recently disclosed Radio-Canada data showing that the F-35 significantly outscored the Gripen in Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project evaluation, particularly in mission performance and growth potential. 

Saab has not commented publicly on the evaluation scores but maintains that industrial sovereignty, supply-chain resilience, and job creation should remain central to Ottawa’s decision-making. 

Balancing jobs and capability 

Canada has already committed to purchasing 16 F-35s, with options for up to 72 additional aircraft, but the government has left open the possibility of adjusting the final fleet composition as part of its ongoing review. 

Canada is not alone in reassessing its F-35 plans. Switzerland has recently moved to scale back its F-35 procurement after projected costs exceeded the spending envelope approved by voters in a national referendum. 

The service said the aircraft will be used to establish a training, test, and sustainment program for the VC-25B fleet, the designation for the next-generation Air Force One aircraft based on the Boeing 747-8. The purchase was announced by the Air Force on December 16, 2025, and comes as the program remains several years behind its original schedule. 

The Air Force currently operates two VC-25A aircraft, modified Boeing 747-200s that have been in service since the early 1990s. The replacement program, launched in 2018, originally called for delivery of two modified 747-8 aircraft beginning in 2024. However, the program has been repeatedly delayed due to supply chain disruptions, workforce constraints, and challenges completing specialized wiring and interior modifications. 

In December 2025, the Air Force acknowledged that delivery of the first VC-25B aircraft had slipped to mid-2028, with the second aircraft expected to follow later. Senior Air Force officials have previously warned that delivery could move further into the future if issues persist. 

The newly acquired aircraft are intended to provide non-operational airframes that can be used to train aircrew and maintenance personnel, validate sustainment procedures, and reduce reliance on the operational presidential aircraft once the VC-25B enters service. The Air Force said the aircraft will not be used to transport the president. 

The decision follows several interim measures taken to manage the aging presidential fleet. Earlier in 2025, the US Department of Defense accepted a Boeing 747-8 previously operated by the Qatari government for conversion into an executive transport aircraft, a move intended to provide additional flexibility while the VC-25B program remains delayed. That aircraft is being modified by L3Harris Technologies, though details of its final configuration have not been publicly disclosed. 

The Air Force has emphasized that the presidential airlift mission requires aircraft capable of serving as a secure airborne command center, with communications and defensive systems comparable to those of the White House itself. Officials have said those requirements contribute to the complexity and duration of the modification process. 

Boeing has previously disclosed that the fixed-price nature of the VC-25B contract has resulted in significant financial losses for the company, further complicating program execution. 

Some news outlets have suggested the Air Force will buy these latest 747-8s from Lufthansa, but neither the airline nor the Pentagon have confirmed the reports. The Air Force did not disclose when the two additional 747-8 aircraft will be delivered or how they will be modified, but said the acquisition is intended to strengthen readiness and ensure continuity of presidential airlift operations as the transition to the VC-25B fleet continues. 

On December 16, 2025, Archer unveiled plans for a new engineering hub in South West England under its newly established subsidiary, Archer Aviation UK Limited.

With the UK division in place, Archer aims to build and grow a UK-based team in the country to support its work in the region.

Joining Archer is Limhi Somerville, the current director of engineering at UK based eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace. He will join Archer in early 2026.

Somerville has worked at Vertical for six years and previously held positions as the developer’s head of battery and head of powertrain before becoming a director in 2024.

“The UK has the talent and industrial base to be a major player in driving the next era of advanced aerospace and defense. Archer’s plans to open a UK engineering hub underscores our commitment to being an integral part of the next-generation of aerospace and defense in the country,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer’s founder and CEO.

He added: “Bringing a leader of Limhi’s caliber onto the team is critical as we look to continue to accelerate the development of our hybrid-propulsion, dual-use aircraft.”

Somerville said the opportunity to join Archer and support the development of its aircraft was “compelling”.

“Archer is pairing realistic innovation with the capital, manufacturing capabilities, and strategic partnerships required to actually deliver next-generation aerospace and defense technologies at scale,” he said.

Anduril, GKN Aerospace and Archer

Last week, Archer teamed up with Anduril and GKN Aerospace to initially focus on the British Army’s Project NYX and the Ministry of Defense’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform program.

On December 9, 2025, GKN Aerospace and Anduril signed an agreement to collaborate on next-generation uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) solutions for UK defense programs.

According to a press release, Archer will offer “novel solutions for key UK Army UAV and rotorcraft contracts”.

“Our continued work in the United Kingdom reflects the strength of our partnership with Anduril and the speed at which our domestic supply base is coming together. With Archer’s eVTOL and rotorcraft technologies, Anduril’s autonomy, and GKN Aerospace’s industrial capability working as one, we have a team that can deliver the next generation of advanced aviation for the UK,” commented Goldstein.

The package, unveiled by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, is valued at approximately NOK 3.2 billion ($290 million) and is being delivered under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine. While Norway has been a key backer of Ukraine’s transition to Western airpower, the inclusion of S-300 missiles stands out as an unusual contribution from a NATO country with no legacy use of the system. 

S-300 missiles, an unexpected contribution 

According to the Norwegian government, more than NOK 500 million ($45 million) of the package is earmarked for long-range air defense missiles intended for Ukraine’s existing S-300 systems. 

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine was assessed to be operating one of the largest S-300 air defense fleets outside Russia, with several dozen batteries and well over a hundred launchers forming the backbone of its long-range air defense network.  

Despite attrition and severe missile shortages, the Soviet-designed S-300 remains in active use. Depending on the missile variant, the system can engage aircraft and cruise missiles at ranges of roughly 75 kilometers (47 miles) to more than 150 kilometers (93 miles) and at altitudes of up to 27 kilometers (17 miles), using phased-array radars to track and engage multiple targets simultaneously, making it particularly suited for area defense of major cities and critical infrastructure. 

Norway did not specify the origin of the S-300 missiles, but Western governments have previously relied on indirect procurement, third-party transfers, or financial mechanisms to source Soviet-standard munitions from countries still operating or stockpiling them. 

F-16 ammunition via US procurement channel 

In parallel, Norway will allocate more than NOK 1 billion ($90 million) to finance ammunition for Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets, including laser-guided missiles. The funding will be channeled through the US-led JUMPSTART mechanism, which allows partner countries to procure weapons and equipment for Ukraine via the US Foreign Military Sales framework. 

Norway has been closely involved in Ukraine’s F-16 effort, contributing to training, sustainment, and logistics alongside other European donors. While deliveries of Western fighters have expanded Ukraine’s air force capabilities, sustaining operational tempo has increasingly shifted attention toward ammunition availability rather than aircraft numbers. 

Air defense remains the priority 

Støre described air defense as one of Ukraine’s most urgent military needs, as Russia continues long-range strikes against energy infrastructure and civilian targets. 

“Ukraine’s freedom and independence depend on continued military support from its partners,” the prime minister said, framing the package as part of Norway’s long-term commitment rather than a one-off donation. 

Norway has previously supplied NASAMS air defense systems and interceptor missiles to Ukraine. The decision to now also fund S-300 interceptors shows a continued relevance of Soviet-era systems alongside newer Western equipment. 

The aircraft, serial JF-501, is the first of 64 F-35As ordered by Finland under the HX Fighter Program, which will replace the Finnish Air Force’s F/A-18 Hornet fleet. Finland selected the F-35A in December 2021 following a competitive evaluation that also included the Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen E, and F/A-18 Super Hornet, concluding that the aircraft best met its operational requirements and security-of-supply criteria. 

The ceremony was attended by Finland’s Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen, Finnish Air Force Commander Major General Timo Herranen, senior Lockheed Martin executives, and representatives from government and industry. 

Aircraft has completed first flight 

Final assembly of JF-501 has been completed, and the aircraft conducted its first flight on December 8, 2025, as part of Lockheed Martin’s production and acceptance testing process. The rollout follows earlier production milestones, including a forward fuselage signing ceremony in October 2024 and the installation of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine in 2025. 

The aircraft will now undergo additional ground and flight tests before being inspected and accepted by the US Defense Contract Management Agency. Formal handover to Finland is expected after the completion of these checks. 

Training to begin in Arkansas 

Following acceptance, the aircraft will be transferred to Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas. The base will host the initial training of Finnish pilots and maintenance personnel ahead of the aircraft’s deployment to Finland. 

According to the Finnish Air Force, the first F-35As are expected to arrive in Finland in 2026, with deliveries continuing into the early 2030s. The Hornet fleet is scheduled to be phased out by 2030. 

“This aircraft allows us to begin the transition to F-35 operations,” Herranen said during the ceremony. 

Finland plans to operate 64 F-35As, making it one of the larger F-35 fleets in Europe. The program includes industrial participation agreements involving Finnish companies in aircraft production, engine assembly, and sustainment activities, aimed at supporting domestic defense-industrial capabilities alongside the introduction of the new fighter. 

NATO context and regional air defense 

Finland’s transition to the F-35 is taking place against the backdrop of its accession to NATO in April 2023. The Finnish Air Force plays a central role in national air defense and contributes to NATO’s posture in Northern Europe, where air surveillance, quick reaction alert duties, and interoperability with allied forces are increasingly emphasized. 

The Finnish Air Force has highlighted that the F-35’s ability to operate within NATO command-and-control frameworks and share sensor data with allied assets aligns with the alliance’s air defense and air policing requirements in the Baltic and High North regions. 

The handover took place on December 16, 2025, at Airbus Helicopters’ Marignane site in southern France, with the aircraft delivered to the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior, Airbus said in a statement. 

The H160 is the largest helicopter ever operated by the Gendarmerie Nationale and is part of an order for 10 aircraft placed in December 2021. This order was initially announced in June 2020 as part of a larger package totaling €600 million from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, aimed at preserving jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The type is intended to progressively enhance the force’s ability to conduct a wide range of security, surveillance, and public service missions across France. 

A new flagship for the Gendarmerie’s helicopter fleet 

The H160 delivered to the Gendarmerie is equipped for demanding domestic security operations, including law enforcement, emergency response, surveillance, and support to civil authorities. Airbus says the aircraft benefits from advanced avionics, reduced acoustic footprint, and improved operational efficiency compared with legacy helicopters. 

The new H160 will operate alongside the Gendarmerie’s H145 helicopters, which entered service in November 2025 and will replace its aging AS350 helicopters. Both platforms share Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics suite and common systems, a configuration intended to simplify pilot training, maintenance, and fleet management. 

According to Airbus, the Gendarmerie’s acceptance and operational entry process will extend into 2026, with crews undergoing qualification and the aircraft completing its final checks before full operational deployment. 

Linked to the H160M Guépard military program 

In parallel, Airbus is making progress with the military version of its helicopter platform, the H160M Guépard. This model was selected by France under the Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) program to replace several outdated rotorcraft used by the French armed forces. 

The French Ministry of Armed Forces plans to acquire a total of 169 H160Ms to replace five aging helicopter models currently in service: the Gazelle, Alouette III, Dauphin, Panther, and Fennec. 

The H160M Guépard successfully completed its maiden flight in June 2025, marking the entry of the program into flight testing. The Guépard is a militarized version of the H160, equipped with mission-specific systems. 

Airbus has positioned the H160 family as a versatile helicopter platform, suitable for various applications that include civil transport, offshore operations, public service, and military missions. 

Chinese state media reported on December 15, 2025, that the jet-powered, flying-wing UAV completed its first flight from an airfield in northwest China. Imagery and video released through official channels show the aircraft taxiing, taking off, flying, and landing, providing the clearest evidence to date that the long-running CH-7 program has entered flight testing. 

The CH-7, also known as the Caihong-7 (Rainbow-7), is being developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, part of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). A full-scale mockup of the aircraft was first displayed publicly at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2018, but until now there had been no confirmed images of the aircraft in flight. 

Is it really stealth? 

The CH-7’s tailless flying-wing configuration strongly suggests a design optimized for reduced radar signature. The aircraft features a blended wing-body shape, serrated panel edges, and a shielded engine exhaust intended to reduce both radar and infrared signatures. Early flight images show the aircraft without external stores, a requirement for maintaining low observability. 

However, “stealth” exists on a spectrum. While the CH-7 incorporates many low-observable design features, its actual radar cross-section, sensor integration, and survivability against modern air defenses remain unknown. Test aircraft appear to be fitted with air-data probes and external antennas that would likely be removed or modified on operational versions. 

What is it designed to do? 

Chinese officials describe the CH-7 as a high-altitude, long-endurance platform intended for reconnaissance, surveillance, and information support missions under complex battlefield conditions. Independent analysts broadly assess the aircraft as optimized for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) rather than as a primary strike platform. 

While some imagery suggests the possibility of small internal payload bays, there is limited evidence so far of a substantial weapons carriage capability. This has led many observers to conclude that the CH-7’s primary role is likely to be deep-penetration ISR, gathering targeting data and feeding information into Chinese long-range strike networks rather than delivering weapons itself. 

Such a role would align with China’s evolving “kill chain” concepts, in which sensors, command systems, and shooters are tightly networked. A stealthy, high-altitude drone could extend China’s ability to locate and track ships or other high-value targets far from its coastline, particularly in the western Pacific and South China Sea. 

Background and next steps 

Published specifications for the CH-7 list a length of about 10 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of around 10,000 kilograms, and an endurance of up to 15 hours, though these figures remain provisional given ongoing design changes. State media indicated that additional testing will follow, including flight-envelope expansion and payload validation. 

The CH-7 joins a growing family of Chinese stealth UAV programs, alongside the carrier-capable GJ-11 “Sharp Sword” and several other flying-wing designs observed in recent years. Together, they reflect a sustained investment in uncrewed systems intended to operate in environments where traditional drones would be vulnerable. 

The handover took place during a delivery ceremony at Nordholz naval air base, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement. The Sea Tiger is being delivered through NHIndustries, the multinational consortium regrouping Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters Division, and Fokker Technologies and responsible for the NH90 program. 

Germany has ordered a total of 31 NH90 Sea Tiger helicopters, with deliveries scheduled to run through 2030. The aircraft will be used primarily for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions. 

Replacing the Sea Lynx 

The Sea Tiger will replace the German Navy’s Mk88A Sea Lynx helicopters, which have been in service since the early 1980s. The transition is part of a broader effort to renew Germany’s rotary-wing capabilities, following a recent order for 20 additional Airbus H145M helicopters for the Bundeswehr. 

The NH90 is a twin-engine military transport helicopter developed in partnership between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The NH90 Sea Tiger is the latest evolution of the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) variant and has been tailored to German Navy requirements.  

It is equipped with a new electro-optical system, upgraded electronic support measures, a dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and a range of weapons, including torpedoes and missiles. Qualification and testing campaigns were conducted in the Mediterranean and the North Sea. 

Broader European NH90 momentum 

Germany already operates 18 NH90 Sea Lion helicopters in a naval transport and search-and-rescue role. Those aircraft were delivered between 2019 and 2023 and are routinely deployed on maritime SAR missions and aboard replenishment vessels. 

The delivery coincides with several European navies expanding or modernizing their NH90 fleets, reflecting sustained demand for this type across NATO navies. On December 10, 2025, the Netherlands confirmed an order for three more NH90 maritime helicopters. 

NHIndustries said more than 135 naval NH90 helicopters have been delivered to six countries to date, with the global NH90 fleet accumulating close to 500,000 flight hours across military, humanitarian, and search-and-rescue operations. 

The demonstration took place during the Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) Demo Days 2025 at the Lohtaja training area in western Finland from November 25 to 27, 2025. Organized by the Inspector of Air Defence, Colonel Mano-Mikael Nokelainen, the event allowed armed forces and industry to evaluate new air defense technologies under realistic operational conditions.

Skyspotter tested against various drone threats

Rheinmetall focused its demonstration on Skyspotter, a drone detection and reconnaissance system designed to protect critical infrastructure and wide areas against small unmanned threats.

According to the company, the system detected, classified, and tracked a range of aerial targets, including fast-flying drones and small quadcopters. Skyspotter combines S-band and X-band radars, with detection ranges of approximately 5 km and 7.5 km respectively, supported by an electro-optical verification system integrating daylight and thermal imaging cameras alongside a laser rangefinder. Automatic acquisition, tracking, and identification are supported by AI-assisted processing, including in cluttered environments.

A mobile configuration mounted on a Rheinmetall HX truck was also presented, emphasizing deployability and support for maneuver forces. Sensors and counter-UAS jammers are integrated into a 10-foot container and designed for rapid deployment, including the use of a scissor-lift platform. Sensors and command elements were distributed, allowing operators to manage detection and response from a protected distance.

Focus on integration, survivability, and networked defense

The setup included remotely deployed passive emitter locator sensors and a mobile command-and-control shelter, reflecting an emphasis on survivability in contested environments.

Rheinmetall said Skyspotter’s command-and-control software supports sensor data fusion, automated threat evaluation, and weapon assignment, generating a local air picture and enabling connectivity to higher-echelon air defense networks through standard military interfaces. The system is also designed to integrate into Rheinmetall’s wider Skynex architecture, positioning it as part of a layered short-range air defense ecosystem rather than a standalone counter-drone solution.

Skyspotter can be connected to a range of counter-UAS measures, including electronic warfare systems, interceptor drones, and kinetic solutions. These include Rheinmetall’s Skyranger short-range air defense system, which combines radar and electro-optical sensors with a 30mm cannon to engage low, slow, and small aerial targets. The company also referenced future hard-kill options, including cannon-based solutions using programmable kinetic-energy time-fuze ammunition.

Counter-UAS moves to the center of air defense planning

The Finnish trials come amid heightened concern over drone spillovers linked to the war in Ukraine, particularly in frontline NATO states. Poland and the Baltic countries have reported repeated incidents involving unidentified drones, navigation interference, and airspace violations, reinforcing fears that low-cost unmanned systems could be used for reconnaissance, disruption, or provocation beyond the immediate conflict zone.

These concerns have accelerated investment in counter-UAS capabilities across Northern and Eastern Europe, where protecting critical infrastructure, military bases, and border regions has become a pressing operational requirement rather than a theoretical risk.

They also highlight a broader shortage of affordable short-range air defense capabilities following decades of divestment across Western militaries. Legacy platforms such as Germany’s Gepard have proven effective against drones in Ukraine but are no longer in production, pushing armed forces to seek modern alternatives.

In this context, systems such as Rheinmetall’s Skyranger reflect a renewed focus on gun-based SHORAD, pairing rapid-firing cannons with modern sensors and networked command systems. These are increasingly complemented by electronic warfare tools and interceptor drones, which offer a lower-cost layer for countering saturation attacks by loitering munitions and small UAVs.

Testing of the AE 1107F turboshaft engine is underway at Rolls-Royce’s Indianapolis facility, the company’s main US manufacturing and test site. The engine will equip Bell’s MV-75 tiltrotor, selected in 2022 to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk under the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift program. 

“We continue working closely with the US Army and our industry partners to deliver an ultra-modern propulsion solution with proven, low-risk AE 1107F engines and a fully integrated system design,” Candice Bineyard, Director, US Business Development & Future Programs
for Rolls-Royce Defense, said. “Engine testing represents the next critical milestone in bringing this revolutionary capability to our service members.”

FLRAA engine testing gets underway 

Each MV-75 will be powered by two AE 1107F engines, a derivative of Rolls-Royce’s AE engine family. The AE 1107 traces its lineage to the Rolls-Royce T406, the engine that powers the US Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. That propulsion system has accumulated millions of flight hours in operational service, providing a mature baseline for FLRAA. 

For the MV-75, Rolls-Royce is adapting the core design to meet higher power demands, improved reliability targets, and the sustained high-speed flight profile required by the US Army. 

The start of engine testing comes as the US Army continues to push for rapid progress on FLRAA, which is intended to deliver significantly greater speed and range than legacy helicopters while retaining vertical takeoff and landing capability. 

The MV-75 is planned to enter service with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which the US Army has identified as the first operational unit to field the aircraft. 

What FLRAA is set to replace 

The FLRAA program is intended to replace more than 2,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters over the coming decades, with the first production aircraft expected to be delivered around 2030. The overall program value could exceed $70 billion. 

Bell’s V-280 Valor, now designated MV-75, was selected over the Boeing-Sikorsky SB-1 Defiant compound helicopter. The MV-75 tiltrotor is designed to carry up to 14 troops and four crew members and reach speeds of around 300 knots, with a range of roughly 2,100 nautical miles, significantly extending the US Army’s air assault reach compared with legacy platforms. 

In a statement released on December 15, 2025, the ministry said the air track was detected and placed under surveillance as part of routine monitoring procedures. As a precaution, F-16 aircraft operating under both NATO and national air defense control were assigned an alarm reaction mission.

According to the ministry, the air track was later identified as a UAV that appeared to be out of control. To prevent any risk to the population, the aircraft was struck and downed in what authorities described as a safe area away from residential zones. No injuries or ground damage were reported.

No details on origin or type

Turkish authorities did not disclose the UAV’s type, origin, or operator, nor did they specify whether the drone entered Turkish airspace before being engaged. The statement also did not provide further details on the exact location of the shootdown beyond the reference to the Black Sea.

While Turkish authorities did not comment on the UAV’s origin, the incident comes amid persistent drone and missile activity linked to the ongoing air war in Ukraine. Several neighboring states have previously reported stray UAVs and air objects crossing or approaching their airspace, raising concerns about spillover risks from the conflict.

The jets were built at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility, home to the world’s only active F-16 production line. The deliveries move Bulgaria and Slovakia from planning to fielding their first modern 4.5-generation fighters at a time when both nations are upgrading aging air fleets and deepening participation in NATO air policing and collective defense operations. 

Slovakia is the first country in Europe to field the Block 70 version of the F-16. The new jets replace its retired MiG-29s and give the air force a modern fighter that works seamlessly with NATO partners. Bulgaria is making a similar shift away from older Soviet-era aircraft, gaining fighters that plug directly into the same systems and procedures used across the alliance. 

Lockheed Martin’s Mike Shoemaker, Vice President and General Manager of the Integrated Fighter Group, said the program reflects years of coordination between US government teams, industry, and the two partner nations. “With full F-16 Block 70 fleets now produced, both nations move from planning for next-generation airpower to demonstrating it in daily operations,” he said. 

The Block 70 standard incorporates the APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar, which shares significant software and hardware commonality with the radar used on the F-35. The configuration includes conformal fuel tanks, a redesigned digital cockpit, a 12,000-hour service-life airframe, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, which has been credited with saving multiple aircraft and crews since its introduction to the broader F-16 fleet. 

By moving to the F-16, Bulgaria and Slovakia gain access to a large community of operators. More than 700 F-16s are already flying in Europe, supported by established training programs, maintenance networks, and logistics systems. Joining that network means both countries can train and operate to the same standards as other allies, making it easier to work together on joint missions. 

The shift also strengthens existing industrial ties between the United States and Europe. The F-16 is built with parts from more than 530 suppliers in 12 countries, including companies in Slovakia and Bulgaria. Lockheed Martin says production in Greenville supports over 1,500 jobs in the United States and contributes to a shared supply chain that many NATO members rely on as they update their fighter fleets. 

According to industry and diplomatic sources cited by the French publication La Lettre, Luxembourg is among the countries currently engaged in discussions with the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium, which brings together MBDA and Thales. While no procurement decision has been announced, the country’s interest reflects a broader reassessment of air defense needs among smaller European states amid a rapidly deteriorating security environment.

Luxembourg explores long-range air defense

Luxembourg has historically relied on allied protection for airspace defense but has increasingly sought to strengthen its own contributions to NATO’s integrated air and missile defense architecture. The country is already pursuing cooperation with Belgium on medium-range air defense, notably through the acquisition of the Norwegian NASAMS system, but has yet to commit to a solution for the long-range segment.

Long-range systems capable of countering aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats remain a significant capability gap for several European nations, particularly smaller states that favor multinational procurement or shared operational frameworks. In that context, Luxembourg’s evaluation is understood to include both European and US options.

SAMP/T NG gains visibility after Denmark decision

The SAMP/T NG, created by Eurosam, is the latest version of Europe’s only indigenous long-range surface-to-air missile system. It uses MBDA’s ASTER 30 Block 1NT interceptor missile and is designed to address a broad range of aerial threats, including tactical ballistic missiles.

The system’s profile has risen both politically and operationally in recent years. France and Italy have deployed SAMP/T batteries to Ukraine as part of military assistance efforts, giving the system operational exposure in a high-intensity conflict environment.

That visibility was reinforced in 2025 when Denmark selected SAMP/T over the US-made Patriot for its long-range air defense requirement. This decision was widely interpreted as a signal of growing European interest in non-US solutions, especially since Copenhagen also chose to procure two VL MICA air defense systems from MBDA France for short-range protection.

Since then, MBDA and Thales have stepped up outreach across Europe, targeting countries reassessing their air defense posture in light of operational lessons drawn from Ukraine, growing concerns over missile and drone threats, and a broader reexamination of dependence on US defense systems amid increasingly strained transatlantic political relations. In October 2024, reports also emerged that Belgium was preparing to adopt the SAMP/T NG missile defense system.

European financing seen as a lever

Eurosam’s campaign is closely linked to European defense financing mechanisms, notably the EU’s SAFE initiative, which aims to facilitate joint procurement and offer favorable financing conditions for European equipment. For smaller countries such as Luxembourg, access to these instruments could weigh heavily in favor of a European system over US alternatives.

The debate over European long-range air defense is also unfolding alongside broader multinational efforts to build integrated continental capabilities. The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a German-led framework, seeks to establish a coordinated air and missile defense architecture through joint acquisitions of multiple systems. While ESSI has attracted wide participation, it has drawn criticism from France and others over its reliance on non-European equipment and the exclusion of platforms such as SAMP/T, highlighting persistent divisions over strategic autonomy and industrial priorities within Europe.

The findings come from a US Navy-led V-22 Comprehensive Review conducted by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and a separate report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), both of which highlight long-standing technical, procedural, and organizational weaknesses across the Marine Corps MV-22, Air Force CV-22, and Navy CMV-22 fleets. 

Navy review highlights “accumulating” safety risk 

NAVAIR’s V-22 Comprehensive Review concluded that the tiltrotor aircraft remains airworthy under existing controls but warned that its overall risk posture has continued to deteriorate over time. 

According to the Navy, safety risks have accumulated due to slow implementation of corrective actions, inconsistent compliance with operational procedures, and shortcomings in applying airworthiness standards to formally mitigate risk. The review also pointed to the difficulty of enforcing uniform safety changes across a joint program with different mission profiles and risk tolerances. 

The report links these systemic issues to recent fatal mishaps. Over the past four years, the V-22 fleet has suffered 12 Class A flight mishaps, resulting in the loss of four aircraft and the deaths of 20 service members. 

The US Navy review again highlighted persistent concerns tied to the V-22’s drivetrain, including hard clutch engagement events and material defects linked to X-53 steel inclusions in the proprotor gearbox. 

While procedural changes and inspections have reduced the likelihood of specific failure modes, some permanent hardware fixes remain years away, with elements extending into the 2030s. In the interim, the fleet continues to operate under restrictions and enhanced maintenance controls. 

GAO faults joint oversight 

Released the same day, the GAO report criticized how the Department of Defense manages safety across the joint V-22 enterprise. 

As of mid-2025, Navy data identified 28 unresolved risks categorized as “catastrophic,” with an average age of roughly nine years, longer than for most other Navy aircraft programs.  

GAO also pointed to uneven information sharing between services and operating units, limiting commanders’ ability to assess fleet-wide risk trends. 

Groundings, restrictions, and congressional scrutiny 

The new reports follow months of heightened congressional scrutiny after multiple fatal crashes. A congressional report published in September 2025 noted that at least 65 people have died in V-22 mishaps since the aircraft entered service, including the four fatal crashes since 2022 that killed 20 service members. 

The Osprey fleet has repeatedly cycled through groundings and operational pauses, including a fleet-wide pause in December 2024 after a CV-22 made a precautionary landing in New Mexico. Although the formal grounding was lifted in March 2024, all variants continue to operate under restrictions that limit missions to within 30 minutes of a safe landing zone. 

Footage of the helicopter pilot appealing to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the UN for help was first reported by local media in Somalia on December 14, 2025.

According to Garowe Online, a hostage appeal by the helicopter pilot, Oleynik Aleksandr, was published by Al-Shabaab’s media wing.

In the unverified video, Captain Aleksandr describes himself as a “Prisoner of War” who is being held “thousands of miles away from my beloved homeland of Ukraine”.

Captain Aleksandr explains that he was working to support the Somali government as part of a United Nations mission to perform medical evacuation flights.

In January 2024, Captain Aleksandr says he performed an emergency landing in the “middle regions of Somalia” over Al-Shabaab territory.

“My crew and I were captured and now face an uncertain fate at the hands of our captors,” said Captain Aleksandr.

He appealed to President Zelenskyy to not to “forget about us” and to “use your influence to negotiate our release”.

“Let the world know that we exist and need help. To my fellow Ukrainians I urge you to raise your voices for us. We are still captive in a foreign country and fighting for our survival,” he pleaded.

A visibly unwell and weak Captain Aleksandr also appealed to the United Nations, “whose emblem and flag flew proudly on our mission”.

Al-Shabaab releases video showing the Ukrainian captain of a UN helicopter that made an emergency landing in territory controlled by the group in Jan. 2024.

The pilot, who has been held captive along with his crew since then, appeals to Ukraine & the UN to negotiate his release. pic.twitter.com/lHiNx4HJUW

— Somali Guardian (@SomaliGuardian) December 14, 2025

Addressing the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, Captain Aleksandr said that “we find ourselves in dire need of protection and assistance”.

“The UN has a duty to secure the release of its contractors taken captive during peacemaking operations. I beg of you Secretary-General Guterres don’t turn a blind eye to our plight. Please help us return safely,” said Captain Aleksandr.

Events on January 10, 2024

In January 2024, AeroTime reported that a UN helicopter had been captured by terror group Al-Shabaab after it was forced to make an emergency landing in the central Galguduud area in Somalia on January 10, 2023.

According to Aviation Safety Network, the helicopter was a Ukrainian Mil Mi-8MTV-1, registered UR-UHC, that had departed Mogadishu.

It was reported that the helicopter suffered a technical glitch and landed in the Galgaduud region, an area controlled by the Sunni Islamist militant group.

A UN memo said there were nine passengers on the plane including military personnel and a third-party contractor. At least six of the passengers were reportedly seized by Al-Shabab.

The UN is concerned about the safety of persons aboard one of its helicopters that was captured in #Somalia on Wednesday. This story and more in our World News in Brief bulletin.https://t.co/8xmDyvcAqp

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) January 10, 2024

“Two Somali men and several foreigners were onboard. It was also carrying medical supplies and it was supposed to transport injured soldiers from the Galgaduud region,” Major Hassan Ali told Reuters.

In January 2024, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said: “Response efforts are underway, but I think you will all understand for the sake of the safety of all those involved we are not going to say anymore at this point our primary concern is for their safety so we will leave it at that for now.”

AeroTime has contacted the United Nations and Ukrainian government to comment on the authenticity of the hostage video and for their response to Captain Aleksandr’s appeal.

According to Reuters, On December 12, 2025, the US Air Force said that delivery of the first of two Air Force One Boeing 747s had been rescheduled to mid-2028 rather than 2027.

Delivery of two new Boeing 747-8 aircraft were originally scheduled to begin in 2024, but the 2018 order has been beset by delays.

On February 18, 2025, a Trump official admitted that the project could be delayed until 2029, or even later, however on May 7, 2025, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Darlene Costello said that Boeing is aiming to deliver the new version of the aircraft in 2027.

Costello and Lieutenant General David Tabor said in a joint statement in May 2025 that the US Air Force is “committed” to replacing the 35-year-old VC-25A with “reliable air transport equipped with communications capability and security equal to that of the White House.”

“We are working through VC-25B modification delays attributed to interiors supplier transition, manpower limitations, and wiring design completion,” the statement read.

In September 2025, the US Air Force quietly started converting a Boeing 747-8, donated earlier this year by the government of Qatar, into a specialized aircraft for executive transport.

The Wall Street Journal reported that L3Harris Technologies is leading the project, though the company has not commented.

Air Force One is the official air traffic control-designated call sign for a US Air Force aircraft carrying the president.

On December 12, 2025, Bombardier confirmed that the new aircraft will join the Canadian Air Force to perform worldwide utility flights and support missions such as aeromedical evacuations, disaster relief, humanitarian aid and national security operations.

This order is valued for Bombardier at approximately $400 million based on the current list price for the Global 6500 aircraft and the cost of military modifications.

The six Global 6500s will be assembled in the Greater Toronto Area which supports more than 2,000 workers and completed in Greater Montreal.

“The Global 6500 aircraft is a world-class, made-in-Canada product with the versatility to perform multiple missions, making it the go-to solution for governments around the world. Today, the more than 12,000 Canadians who work at Bombardier can take great pride in knowing that this aircraft will now serve their country,” said Éric Martel, President and CEO of Bombardier at a signing ceremony on December 12, 2025.

We are proud that Canada is investing in Canadian #aerospace capabilities with six #Global6500 multi-role aircraft that will join @RCAF_ARC to support national security operations, including aeromedical evacuations and disaster relief. #BombardierDefense@FuhrMP… pic.twitter.com/XeUphTEgmH

— Bombardier (@Bombardier) December 13, 2025

Other missions for the new aircraft could include Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)

“The award of this contract to purchase the Global 6500 under the Defence Investment Agency is a turning point in how Canada equips its military. By streamlining processes and cutting red tape, the Defence Investment Agency is accelerating the delivery of the versatile capabilities the Royal Canadian Air Force needs,” said Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement.

He added: “Canada has a world-class aerospace industry, and this investment will harness that strength to create good-paying jobs, drive innovation, and bolster our security.”

On December 8, 2025, Bombardier announced that the first owner of the Global 8000 has received their aircraft signaling the entry into service of the fastest civil aircraft since Concorde.

Canadian entrepreneur and longtime Bombardier customer Patrick Dovigi took ownership of his brand-new private jet at special event at the Aircraft Assembly Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.

Additionally, the company confirmed the first aircraft destined for Germany’s PEGASUS airborne signals intelligence program had arrived in Hamburg, marking the start of system integration and certification work ahead of entry into service.