3/18/2026 Russian fighters with 'hypersonic' missiles fly over Sea of Japan  Russia's defense ministry says some of its fighter jets carrying Kinzhal missiles flew over international waters in the Sea of Japan. Moscow says the Kinzhal is a hypersonic weapon. The ministry announced on Tuesday that MiG-31 aircraft armed with the missiles conducted a planned flight and also practiced air-to-air refueling. It is unusual for Russia to make such an announcement. |
3/18/2026 Large-scale air activities near Taiwan restart  The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. |
3/18/2026 Indian Air Force plans Jaguar retirement and Mirage-2000 life extension to 2039  The Indian Air Force is beginning the gradual retirement of its ageing Jaguar strike aircraft. To maintain squadron strength during the transition, the dependable Mirage 2000 is now expected to remain in frontline service for several more years while the IAF searches worldwide for Jaguar spare parts, according to a Defence Ministry official. |
3/18/2026 EUCOM commander says U.S. European bases key to Operation Epic Fury campaign against Iran .jpg) U.S. military forces and infrastructure in Europe are playing a critical role in supporting operations against Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury, the head of U.S. European Command told lawmakers. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich said American bases across the continent provide key logistical and operational advantages for projecting power into multiple regions. |
3/18/2026 Ukraine strikes two major Russian aviation facilities  Ukrainian long-range one-way attack drones struck two major aviation facilities in Russia in recent days, targeting the Aviastar aircraft plant in Ulyanovsk and the 123rd Aircraft Repair Plant in Staraya Russa. The attacks come as Ukraine continues efforts to disrupt Russia’s military aviation production and maintenance capacity, focusing on facilities linked to transport aircraft and support systems used by Russian Aerospace Forces. |
3/18/2026 F-35 Software Upgrades ‘Stagnated,’ Warns New Report  F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin has failed to deliver regular upgrades for the aircraft—and its most recent upgrade package was implemented disastrously, according to an internal Pentagon report. The F-35 Lightning II has long been cited by some critics of the Pentagon as a horror story of government bloat and defense contractor ineptitude. Altogether, the program has cost $2 trillion over its lifetime, with a per-unit cost of new F-35s of up to $109 million. |
3/18/2026 Airbus to Fly Uncrewed Combat Drones Alongside Eurofighter in 2026  Before the end of 2026, Airbus will look to demonstrate the ability of uncrewed combat aircraft to serve as “loyal wingmen” for crewed fighter jets. The manufacturer on Friday said it plans to conduct the first flight of its uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) system—which combines Kratos’ experimental XQ-58A Valkyrie and its own mission software—alongside a Eurofighter Typhoon this year. It aims to deliver the UCCA system to the German Air Force by 2029. |
3/17/2026 Russian aircraft intercepted over Baltic Sea by Polish fighter jets  “A pair of on-duty Polish MiG-29 fighter jets successfully intercepted and visually identified a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea, escorting it away from Poland’s area of responsibility,” the Operational Command said in a post on the X platform. According to the statement, the Russian Il-20 aircraft was conducting its ninth reconnaissance mission of the year in international airspace. |
3/17/2026 What Went Wrong With the Tejas Jet? IAF Investigation Reveals Critical Software Glitch  The Indian Air Force has traced the February 7 Tejas jet incident to a software glitch in the aircraft’s onboard computer. A new upgraded software developed with HAL is now being tested before a fleet-wide rollout to ensure operational safety. |
3/17/2026 Rafale interceptions of Iranian drones drive rapid consumption of MICA missiles, report says  France has reportedly grown concerned about the rapid consumption of air-to-air missiles by its fighter aircraft during operations against Iranian drones in the Middle East. According to the French newspaper La Tribune, the high tempo of interceptions has significantly reduced available stocks of MICA missiles used by Rafale fighters. |