DefenseNews.com
• Riley Ceder
U.S. Air Force officials say the F-35 delivered in Middle East combat operations, even as GAO found three in four aircraft unable to fly a full mission and estimated a $13.7 billion sustainment requirement. Europe received more than three dozen jets, while Switzerland reported shortcomings in its procurement’s fixed-price protections.
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U.S. Air Force officials say the F-35 delivered in Middle East combat operations, even as GAO found three in four aircraft unable to fly a full mission and estimated a $13.7 billion sustainment requirement. Europe received more than three dozen jets, while Switzerland reported shortcomings in its procurement’s fixed-price protections.
United Airlines canceled a planned Denver flyover commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks after concerns emerged about the public reaction to a Boeing 777 flying alongside four F-16 fighter jets. The formation was scheduled to coincide with the moment of United Flight 175’s impact.
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Egypt’s El Alamein International Airshow is set for Sept. 8–10, 2026, with U.S. defense companies and four Chinese military aircraft among the participants. In contrast, Bahrain has postponed its Nov. 18–20, 2026 airshow to November 2028 amid regional conflict concerns.
Ukraine’s air force is tracking incoming missile shipments closely as it manages a shortage affecting its F-16 fleet. The limited supply has made deliveries time-critical, with commanders uncertain whether replenishment will arrive before Russia’s next aerial barrage.
NATO aircraft were scrambled after drones approached or entered Estonian and Latvian airspace, triggering air-threat warnings and an alert involving Turkish F-16s based in Estonia. Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned airlines and insurers that Ukrainian drone activity had effectively closed Russian airspace.
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The sole-source agreement covers F-15 production, modernization and sustainment for U.S. and foreign customers, extending Boeing’s fighter work through 2037. The defense-industrial activity also includes Raytheon’s $50 million Mississippi expansion and Lockheed Martin’s proposed $1.8 billion industrial package tied to Peru’s F-16 purchase.
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Saab’s two-seat Gripen F completed its maiden flight from Linköping on Aug. 28, flying for approximately 40 minutes. The milestone advances the Brazil–Sweden fighter program as Saab renews its Canadian sales effort and positions the aircraft for future operations alongside drones and rapid software upgrades.
Lockheed Martin has presented Peru with a $1.8 billion industrial and social package linked to its proposed acquisition of 12 F-16C/D Block 70 fighters. The plan includes local aerospace participation, technology transfer, MRO expansion, maintenance training, drone assembly and workforce-development initiatives, with first deliveries expected in 2030.
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