Pakistan Unveils J-35 Stealth Fighter Deal With China, Triggering New South Asia Airpower Crisis Against India
Pakistan’s announcement that it is pursuing four major Chinese combat aviation procurements has intensified strategic concern across South Asia because the initiative directly links stealth airpower, long-range strike capability, and network-centric warfare into a unified modernization architecture following the May 2025 India-Pakistan aerial clashes.
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Marines to phase out F/A-18 Hornet, maintenance jobs tied to the plane by 2030
The Marine Corps will complete a switch from the F/A-18 Hornet to the new fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II by 2030, the service said this week. An internal administrative message issued Tuesday said the Hornet will be retired from Marine service, and maintenance jobs tied to the F/A-18 Hornet fighter attack plane will be eliminated.
Belgium Plans to Transfer All 53 F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine by the End of 2029
The Belgian Ministry of Defense plans to transfer all of the promised F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of 2029. This was reported by Le Soir, citing information published in the newspaper Le Vif. The majority of the aircraft are scheduled to be delivered during the final year of the current legislative term. Overall, the transfer of the aircraft will be carried out in conjunction with the delivery of new F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin to the country.
Spain Can Ditch Most Advanced Fighter Jet in the World
Spain has opened preliminary negotiations with Türkiye over a possible purchase of the Kaan stealth fighter, marking a major shift in Madrid’s (MAD) combat aviation strategy away from dependence on United States-controlled defense ecosystems. Turkish Aerospace Industries confirmed the discussions during the SAHA 2026 exhibition, as reported by Infodefensa on May 7, 2026.
Türkiye Inks Deal for 20 KAAN Jet Fighters
The contract covers 20 KAAN aircraft in the Block-10 configuration, with the first delivery planned for 2028 and the full batch scheduled for completion by the close of 2030, according to reporting by Ulus Savunma. The Block-10 designation indicates an initial production standard - a configuration baseline that typically precedes more capable Block variants incorporating additional systems, weapons integrations, and software upgrades that mature as the program develops.
Boeing Won A $20,000,000,000 Contract For The F-47 NGAD — 185 Aircraft Designed To Replace The F-22 And Outclass China’s J-20
In March 2025, President Donald Trump and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced that Boeing had won a $20 billion contract to build the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter — the first U.S. sixth-generation crewed combat aircraft and the eventual replacement for the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
US Air Force to purchase 150 Collaborative Combat Aircraft by 2031 to support F-35 and F-47 operations
The U.S. Air Force plans to acquire more than 150 Collaborative Combat Aircraft before FY2031, according to budget testimony delivered to Congress on April 29, 2026, marking a major shift from experimental drone development toward operational combat integration alongside the F-35 and future F-47. The expansion reflects growing concern inside the Pentagon over missile capacity, pilot shortages, and the ability to sustain air combat losses during a prolonged conflict against a peer adversary such as China.
Malaysia’s King Inspects Russia’s Su-57E Stealth Fighter in Moscow Amid Intensifying Global Fifth-Generation Airpower Rivalry
His Majesty the King of Malaysia (the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) Sultan Ibrahim today graciously attended a demonstration of the fifth-generation multirole fighter jet, the Sukhoi Su-57E, at Zhukovsky International Airport, Moscow. The fighter jet was piloted by Sergei Bogdan, the renowned 64-year-old Russian test pilot and recipient of the “Hero of Russia” title.
UKRAINE AND SWEDEN EXPECT GRIPEN FIGHTER JET DEAL 'WITHIN MONTHS'
Ukraine and Sweden could finalize a deal for Saab Gripen E/F fighter jets within months, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said during a visit to Stockholm, according to Reuters . The two countries signed a letter of intent last year covering a potential order of up to 150 aircraft . Fedorov said Kyiv has now defined how it intends to fund the purchase.
NATO F-16s Scramble Over Baltic Sea to Intercept Russian Su-35 Fighter and An-12 Aircraft
Portuguese F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets intercepted Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea as part of NATO’s Air Policing mission, NATO Allied Air Command reported on May 6. According to NATO, the Portuguese fighters intercepted a Russian Antonov An-12 transport aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet operating near alliance airspace.
