1/16/2026 Poland to Transfer Up to 9 MiG-29 Fighter Jets to Ukraine  Poland has decided to transfer up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in exchange for drone technology. Deputy Minister of Defense Pavel Zalewski announced this in an exclusive interview with the TVP World program On the Record. In December, Poland’s military leadership confirmed that talks were ongoing about a potential deal where Poland would receive Ukrainian drone technologies in return for supplying the aircraft. |
1/16/2026 Fighter aircraft training  For almost 25 years, Canada operated the NATO Flying Training Centre at 15 Wing Moose Jaw and 4 Wing Cold Lake, training Canadian and allied pilots to become fighter pilots under its Fighter Lead-In Training (FLIT) program. In March 2024, the FLIT program came to an end when the CT-155 Hawk trainer aircraft were retired from service to begin the required transition to training solutions needed for the RCAF’s future fighter aircraft. |
1/16/2026 Turkish F-16 Fighter Jets Could Soon Patrol Baltic Airspace  NATO member Turkey could soon be the latest alliance nation to deploy combat aircraft to the Baltic countries, to help monitor Russia’s activity in the region, Bloomberg first reported. Since 2004, various member nations have provided continuous air defense for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—the year those three states joined NATO—as none have significant aerial assets to protect the airspace. |
1/15/2026 Saab wants Canada to buy 72 Gripens and 6 GlobalEyes to fulfil promise of 12,600 jobs  The Canadian Armed Forces would need to buy 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye surveillance aircraft for Swedish manufacturer Saab to deliver on its pledge of creating 12,600 jobs in Canada, CBC News has learned. Government and industry sources said Saab's proposals for both aircraft are currently being studied by experts in defence matters and economic benefits in Ottawa. |
1/15/2026 Shield AI begins wind tunnel trials for X-Bat fighter drone  Shield AI announced on Wednesday that it has begun wind tunnel testing of its X-Bat unmanned combat aircraft, marking the first major evaluation phase for the company’s next-generation autonomous strike platform. The company said the tests are intended to accelerate design refinement and reduce developmental risk as the aircraft moves toward flight demonstrations. |
1/15/2026 F-47: The US Air Force’s Next Step In The Strategic Race For Air Superiority – Analysis  In late 2025, Washington made a potentially decisive move in the race for air dominance by commencing construction on the F-47, with a first flight planned for 2028. This is not a routine modernisation; it heralds a faster-than-expected shift in air warfare, one defined by range, technology, and the ability to operate in heavily contested environments. |
1/15/2026 China Reveals New J-20 Fifth-gen Fighter Variant Can Strike Maritime Targets  This new capability will be a feature on the J-20S, the third publicly announced variant of China’s first domestically produced stealth fighter. Unveiled alongside the country’s latest fighters, electronic warfare jets and drones during the 2025 military parade, this twin-seater variant has the potential to bring new capabilities and mission sets into the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). |
1/14/2026 Northrop Grumman to Develop USMC Collaborative Combat Aircraft  Northrop Grumman and defense partner Kratos were selected on January 8, to develop the U.S. Marine Corps’ first collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) drones under the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) initiative. The Other Transaction Agreement award is worth about $231.5 million and funds a rapid two-year effort. |
1/14/2026 Navy demonstrates AI-enabled autonomy for future collaborative combat aircraft  The U.S. Navy recently completed a second successful demonstration advancing multi-platform coordination of autonomous systems, an essential step toward developing future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). |
1/14/2026 Croatian Air Force Dassault Rafales Can Now Patrol Eastern Europe  On January 1, 2026, NATO member Croatia assumed complete air policing duties, concluding a transition period during which aircraft from the Italian and Hungarian air forces had filled the role. Following the modernization of its air force, Croatia now independently monitors the skies over its homeland—yet it continues to operate 24/7 under NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense System (NATINAMDS). |