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Military Aviation News

Ukraine’s Gripen jets likely to come with long-reach Meteor missiles

02/05/2026

Ukraine and Sweden are discussing the prospect of arming Kyiv with Europe’s top air-to-air missile, the Meteor, which a Saab official said would be a “natural content” of a weapon package for Gripen users. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced last week that the country was discussing the potential transfer of JAS 39 Gripen jets and Meteor missiles to the war-torn country.

South Korea’s F-15K “Slam Eagle” Fighter Jets Are Getting a Massive Upgrade

Aerospace giant Boeing has been awarded a $2.8 billion contract to modernize South Korea’s fleet of F-15K Slam Eagle jet fighters. The existing aircraft will be upgraded to the United States Air Force’s F-15EX Eagle II standard—following a similar effort undertaken by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), which modernized its F-15Js to the F-15JSI (Japan Super Interceptor) standard.

Canada’s Fighter Debate Reopens Door for Gripen

Commenting on the speculation that Canada might revise its plans to acquire a fleet consisting entirely of F-35s, Mikael Franzén, Saab chief marketing officer for the Gripen multirole fighter, said his company is “responding to questions.” Advocating for the combined strength of a potential mixed fleet, Franzén said, “Gripen is strong on availability and adaptability and would give combat mass to Canada.”

New Report: Air Force Needs 200 B-21s, 300 F-47s to Deny Enemy ‘Sanctuaries’

In order to deny China “sanctuaries” from which it can launch air and missile salvos during a potential invasion of Taiwan, the U.S. Air Force needs to buy far more B-21 bombers and F-47 fighters than currently planned, according to a new report from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

US State Department Examines Possible Sanctions on Algeria for Su-57 Purchase

The US administration is considering the imposition of sanctions on Algeria in response to the country’s acquisition of Russian fighter jets. The announcerment was made by Robert Palladino, the head of the US State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs on February 3 during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, according to Russia state-run news agency TASS.

HAL excluded from India’s AMCA stealth fighter jet as private consortia take the lead

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s absence from India’s flagship fifth-generation fighter programme has sent ripples through the country’s defence industrial ecosystem, but officials and analysts alike say the development reflects a deliberate restructuring of execution rather than a retreat from ambition.

Rafale Rising: Production Ramp-Up and the Road to the F5 Standard

The Dassault Rafale program is entering a period of sustained high-rate production, with export customers increasingly interested in acquiring the aircraft despite strong competition provided by the Lockheed Martin F-35, Saab Gripen, and Eurofighter Typhoon. The French fighter is thriving at the moment. Dassault closed out 2025 with a firm order backlog for 220 aircraft, including 45 for France and 175 for export customers.

Keeping top combat aircraft flying is expected to only get more expensive

The cost for the US and other militaries to keep newer combat aircraft ready to fly is going to soar in the coming years, a new report on sustainment trends argues. A new report from the American consulting firm Oliver Wyman projects global military aircraft spending over the next decade, including an annual sustainment cost growth of 1.1% through 2036. That's a pace roughly 11 times faster than the previous decade.

Turkish F-16 Vipers Seen Operating Out Of Mogadishu’s International Airport

Turkish Air Force F-16 Vipers can be seen flying over the skies of Somalia in new videos that have emerged online. The deployment of these jets comes as Turkey is seeking to increase its presence in the troubled nation where the al-Shabab extremist group is wreaking havoc. One video shows a Turkish F-16 taking off, afterburner ignited, from an airport in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

US fighter jet shoots down Iranian drone approaching US aircraft carrier

Canadian military goes to U.S. for F-35 ceremony despite renewed trade tensions

Ukraine may get more than Gripen jets — Europe's top air-to-air missile is also on the table

China Adds Muscle to Military Aviation Capabilities

Peru moves toward F-16V Block 70 selection for fighter replacement

How Internal Weapons Bays Replaced Hardpoints on Modern Aircraft

US Contact Sabena to Maintain F-16 Jets of One of Most Dangerous Countries in the World

Lockheed Martin tests Sniper Networking Targeting Pod in first multi-aircraft F-16 flight demonstration

Belarus Receives First Batch of Su-30SM2 Fighter Jets in 2026

The KF-21 fighter’s new AESA radar for the South Korean Air Force enters its final phase of testing and evaluation

Exercise Red Flag 2026 - Explained