3/4/2026 Downing of U.S. F-15s and the Role of Joint All-Domain Command and Control  For years, U.S. and allied nation military planners have been seeking to improve planning, technology development and deployment of advanced systems for command, control and communications across all domains of a potential conflict space. This has been an acutely imperative concern for disparate nations conducting operations within each other’s airspace. Recent events in the start of U.S./Israeli military strikes on Iran, have profoundly illustrated the importance of this effort. |
3/4/2026 British Royal Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jets just scored their first-ever combat kill  British F-35s shot down drones over Jordan within the past 24 hours, the UK government said. It marks the first time a Royal Air Force F-35 has destroyed a hostile target during operations. The Middle East has been locked in an air defense frenzy as Iran fires waves of missiles and drones. |
3/4/2026 What Is Known About the Military Forces of Arab States in the Persian Gulf Amid Iranian Strikes  If Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, currently targeted by Iranian strikes, were to take direct military action, it could significantly accelerate the process, effectively doubling the forces already deployed by the U.S. and Israel |
3/4/2026 Malaysia Scraps Kuwaiti Hornet Purchase Plans  The government of Malaysia has officially abandoned its plans to acquire F/A-18 Hornets from Kuwait, due to continued uncertainty on when the aircraft would be available and their long-term logistical support. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari told lawmakers on February 26, that the cabinet had decided to cancel the planned purchase during a February 6 meeting, following a technical assessment by a Royal Malaysian Air Force delegation that inspected the Kuwaiti aircraft in November 2025. |
3/4/2026 Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion system matters for Korea -U.S. pact  In recent talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby recently praised South Korea as a "model ally" for committing to increase defense spending to 3.5% of gross domestic produce. And Seoul is truly stepping up. Defense spending increased 7.5% to $44.8 billion in fiscal 2026, the KF-21 Boramae fighter begins deliveries this year and the F-15K fleet is receiving major upgrades to ensure interoperability with U.S. forces. |
3/4/2026 France deploys fighter jets over UAE to protect its military bases  France has deployed Rafale jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its bases after a drone hit a French facility, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said. The announcement comes as regional tensions continue to escalate following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. |
3/4/2026 Friendly-Fire Incidents Are Nothing New In Modern Air Warfare  The loss of three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles to apparent friendly fire over Kuwait earlier today underscores an enduring reality of conflict: despite advances in technology, high levels of training, and the most carefully prepared plans, casualties inflicted by the same side are always a hazard. Indeed, these are not the first blue-on-blue incidents involving U.S. and allied combat aircraft in the various campaigns since the end of the Cold War. |
3/4/2026 Blasted out at 20 times the force of gravity: what ejection from a fighter jet does to the body  Three US F-15E fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait in the early hours of Monday (March 2) in an apparent friendly fire incident during Operation Epic Fury, the joint US-Israel campaign against Iran. All six crew members ejected safely and are in a stable condition – but “safely” is a relative term when you’re being blasted out of a stricken aircraft travelling at combat speed. |
3/4/2026 America’s F-35 Lightning II Fighter Jet Now Comes with AI Integration  As part of “Project Overwatch,” Lockheed Martin has tested AI model integration into the F-35 mission system. This is the first instance of AI suggesting combat targeting in-flight, marking a significant milestone for human-AI collaboration in the cockpit. Of course, the AI involvement remains limited; there are no autonomous weapons, and the AI has no authority to pull the trigger. |
3/3/2026 Rolls-Royce boss ‘open’ to Germany joining UK’s fighter jet project  The boss of Rolls-Royce has said he would welcome Germany helping to build Britain’s next-generation fighter jet, arguing it would bring in more business for the project. The aircraft, designed to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon, is a joint effort between the UK, Italy and Japan. Rolls-Royce is building the engine for the jet, which has attracted fresh attention as plans for a rival Franco-German warplane edge towards collapse. |