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FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Indonesia inducts Rafale fighters, A400M MRTT airlifter and Falcon 8X in Jakarta

On May 18, Indonesia’s Air Force (TNI-AU) formally accepted and inducted a new batch of aircraft at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, including six Dassault Rafale (four two-seat and two single-seat) plus an Airbus A400M MRTT and four Falcon 8X jets. The handover also showcased integration-ready combat capability with Meteor and AASM Hammer weapons.

2026-05-18T22:24:06.519735-07:00

Yonhap News Agency

US clears potential $3B sale of up to 24 MH-60R Seahawk ASW helicopters for South Korea

2026-05-18T13:32:52.052283-07:00

Reuters

US State Department clears $428M+ FMS support for India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 ultra-light howitzers

2026-05-18T13:24:21.538583-07:00

FlightGlobal

UK greenlights F-35B StormBreaker/SDB-II interim stand-off strike as corrosion, spare-parts gaps cut mission capability

2026-05-15T04:12:16.071143-07:00

News Timeline

FlightGlobal

Indonesia inducts Rafale fighters, A400M MRTT airlifter and Falcon 8X in Jakarta On May 18, Indonesia’s Air Force (TNI-AU) formally accepted and inducted a new batch of aircraft at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, including six Dassault Rafale (four two-seat and two single-seat) plus an Airbus A400M MRTT and four Falcon 8X jets. The handover also showcased integration-ready combat capability with Meteor and AASM Hammer weapons.

2026-05-18T22:24:06.519735-07:00

Indonesia inducts Rafale fighters, A400M MRTT airlifter and Falcon 8X in Jakarta

Yonhap News Agency

US clears potential $3B sale of up to 24 MH-60R Seahawk ASW helicopters for South Korea The US State Department has approved Foreign Military Sales that would deliver up to 24 MH-60R Seahawk naval combat helicopters to the Republic of Korea, alongside associated equipment and support services. The approval package is valued at about $3 billion for the Seahawks, with additional FMS authorizations reported up to $4.2B in total defense transfers.

2026-05-18T13:32:52.052283-07:00

US clears potential $3B sale of up to 24 MH-60R Seahawk ASW helicopters for South Korea

Reuters

US State Department clears $428M+ FMS support for India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 ultra-light howitzers The U.S. State Department approved possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to provide long-term sustainment support services and related equipment for India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 Ultra-Light Howitzer artillery systems. The estimated value is over $428 million, reinforcing US-India defense partnership commitments.

2026-05-18T13:24:21.538583-07:00

US State Department clears $428M+ FMS support for India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 ultra-light howitzers

FlightGlobal

UK greenlights F-35B StormBreaker/SDB-II interim stand-off strike as corrosion, spare-parts gaps cut mission capability The UK MoD approved StormBreaker for the F-35B and is equipping the fleet with Boeing Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB-II) as an interim stand-off capability while SPEAR 3 integration slips into the early 2030s. Officials also detailed corrosion issues and spare-parts shortfalls that are reducing UK F-35 mission rates and carry deployment-support limitations.

2026-05-15T04:12:16.071143-07:00

UK greenlights F-35B StormBreaker/SDB-II interim stand-off strike as corrosion, spare-parts gaps cut mission capability

Air Data News

Thailand’s Gripen E/F: Saab begins assembling the first fighters in Linköping for RTAF F-16 replacement Royal Thai Air Force officials visited Saab in Sweden to review progress on Thailand’s Gripen E/F acquisition. Saab says production has started, with assembly of the first jet beginning at the company’s Linköping facility under the program aimed at replacing RTAF F-16 Block 15 aircraft.

2026-05-14T14:16:27.813591-07:00

Thailand’s Gripen E/F: Saab begins assembling the first fighters in Linköping for RTAF F-16 replacement

AeroTime

South Korea readies KF-21 operational rollout as F-5 retirements target end-2027; Malaysia MRCA race starts toward 2029–30 repla South Korea’s Air Force is preparing for KF-21 deployment while planning to retire its aging F-5 fleet by the end of 2027—though cost overruns could delay timelines. Separately, Malaysia is expected to assess a new MRCA program in 2029 or 2030 to replace its F/A-18D Hornets and Su-30MKM, setting up a competitive field including KF-21, Su-57E, Rafale and Gripen.

2026-05-14T05:47:09.534898-07:00

South Korea readies KF-21 operational rollout as F-5 retirements target end-2027; Malaysia MRCA race starts toward 2029–30 repla

AeroTime

Malaysia condemns Norway’s unilateral revocation of Naval Strike Missile export license for Royal Malaysian Navy Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Norway’s revocation of an export license for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) intended for the Royal Malaysian Navy. The government framed the decision as unilateral and raised concerns about the disruption to planned defense procurement.

2026-05-14T03:55:50.606203-07:00

Malaysia condemns Norway’s unilateral revocation of Naval Strike Missile export license for Royal Malaysian Navy

Air Data News

Embraer KC-390 Millennium push: Colombia and Chile talks, UAE contract signing, and Lithuania industrial partnership Embraer is renewing KC-390 Millennium campaigns in Colombia and Chile, with the company citing near-term procurement discussions for tactical cargo aircraft. Separately, Embraer says it is pursuing a broad industrial partnership with Lithuania to strengthen its European footprint. A separate milestone: the UAE Air Force contract for C-390 Millennium aircraft was signed under the witness of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

2026-05-12T02:04:24.378715-07:00

Embraer KC-390 Millennium push: Colombia and Chile talks, UAE contract signing, and Lithuania industrial partnership

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Defense Deals News

Indonesia inducts Rafale fighters, A400M MRTT airlifter and Falcon 8X in Jakarta

US clears potential $3B sale of up to 24 MH-60R Seahawk ASW helicopters for South Korea

US State Department clears $428M+ FMS support for India’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and M777A2 ultra-light howitzers

UK greenlights F-35B StormBreaker/SDB-II interim stand-off strike as corrosion, spare-parts gaps cut mission capability

News Timeline