Taiwan tracks 10 Chinese military aircraft and 12 ships
The Ministry of National Defense tracked 10 Chinese military craft, 11 naval ships, and one official ship between 6 a.m. on Tuesday and the same time Wednesday. The defense ministry reported nine of the sorties entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern, and eastern air defense identification zones, or ADIZ. In response, Taiwan deployed aircraft, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems to monitor Chinese activity.
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NATO looking at Canadian aircraft for its new airborne warning fleet
Canada’s aerospace industry could be in for windfall with news that NATO has selected a new fleet of airborne warning planes based on Canadian aircraft outfitted with Swedish technology. The French defence publication La Lettre and the German press agency DPA are reporting NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency selected Sweden’s Saab and Canada’s Bombardier to replace the alliance’s current fleet of U.S.-built airborne warning and control aircraft.
Chinese fighter jet sales rise after their use in India-Pakistan conflict: report
Chinese firms that manufacture fighter jets saw their sales rise after gaining prominence during last year’s India-Pakistan's conflict, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The Chengdu-based company, China’s AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Co., said its revenue climbed to 75.4 billion yuan ($11 billion) in 2025, marking a 15.8 percent increase from the previous year, while profits rose 6.5 percent to 3.4 billion yuan, both the highest in its history.
Checkered Flag exercise returns to Tyndall, bringing joint airpower integration
The 325th Fighter Wing is set to host Checkered Flag 26-2, one of the U.S. military’s largest aerial exercises at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, April 28 – May 14, 2026. This large-scale air-to-air exercise brings together 14 units across the U.S. Air Force and Navy as they integrate fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft in a dynamic training environment aimed to enhance aviators’ and maintainers’ mobility, deployment and employment capabilities.
First USMC MQ-58 Valkyrie CCA Drones To Arrive In 2029
The U.S. Marine Corps wants to field its first conventional takeoff and landing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones in 2029, and is also looking at the possibility of fielding similar drones with short takeoff and landing capabilities. The news comes soon after the service outlined its plans for Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie, and potentially other CCAs, to be paired with its F-35s as a “bridge” to an entire family of next-generation air combat capabilities, which could include a sixth-generation crewed fighter. You can read more about the implications of that in our previous coverage.
BRAZIL DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS NEW KC-390 EXPORT DEALS COULD BE SIGNED IN JUNE
Brazil’s Defense Minister José Múcio Monteiro said on Monday he expects to travel abroad in June to finalize new export contracts for the Embraer C-390 Millennium , although he did not disclose which countries are close to placing orders. Speaking to reporters during a Brazilian Navy event, Múcio said additional sales announcements could come soon. “In June, I should make a trip to close more contracts,” he said. “When someone buys a KC-390, they buy two and tell their neighbor it is great.”
NETHERLANDS JOINS U.S. AIR FORCE COLLABORATIVE COMBAT DRONE PROGRAM
The United States Air Force (USAF) and the Dutch Ministry of Defence have formalized a partnership to develop prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) , expanding international participation in one of the Pentagon’s fastest-moving combat aviation programs. The agreement will allow the Netherlands to join the U.S. effort to develop autonomous aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed fighters, providing what the Air Force describes as lower-cost combat mass in future conflicts. Under the deal, Dutch personnel will participate in testing and concept development at the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis Air Force Base, where the Air Force is refining operational concepts for autonomous aircraft and human-machine teaming.
Indian Air Force’s Push to Manufacture Aero Engines and Fighter Aircraft
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed purchase orders for only 40 Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) since the Indian fighter’s inaugural flight in 2001. Now the defense aircraft establishment in Bengaluru is scurrying to design and manufacture many more indigenous fighter variants to replace the Russian-origin MiG-21s that have been the IAF’s backbone for decades.
NATO’s Air Power
In the event of a crisis, how would NATO’s air forces defend its territory? The answer: a complex ballet of radars, both ground-based and airborne, flying petrol stations carrying more than 100,000 litres of jet fuel, supersonic strike fighters and a group of pilots called “Wild Weasels”, who are tasked with taking down enemy air defences. Success depends not on one element alone, but on the combined power of all these elements working together. Allied air forces constantly train to be ready to defend themselves and their NATO Allies, and after years of hard work, they’ve largely developed a set of common tactics and procedures.
Airbus leads national industry launch of Spain's new combat training system
An Airbus-led group of Spanish companies presented today the industrial programme of the Spanish Air and Space Force's new Integrated Combat Training System (ITS-C). The programme, for which a contract was awarded in December 2025, will replace the current fleet of F-5 aircraft and will include a 60% participation of national industry.
