CNBC
• Chloe Taylor
Romanian F-16s destroyed a suspected Russian naval drone near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, while Romanian and U.S. forces trained with Gepard air defenses in Poland. Ukraine has also added its first domestically developed jet-powered drone interceptor to its counter-UAS arsenal.
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Romanian F-16s destroyed a suspected Russian naval drone near the Neptun Deep offshore gas project in the Black Sea, while Romanian and U.S. forces trained with Gepard air defenses in Poland. Ukraine has also added its first domestically developed jet-powered drone interceptor to its counter-UAS arsenal.
Peru has selected L3Harris Technologies’ Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for its planned F-16C/D Block 70 fighters. The decision adds a key survivability system to the modernization program, which will replace the country’s decades-long reliance on Soviet-designed combat aircraft.
Romania used an F-16 to destroy a drifting marine drone near the Neptun Deep gas project after a NATO-level command handover, while Latvia attributed a separate airspace incursion to Ukraine. The incidents highlight how Russia’s war is creating cross-border risks for critical infrastructure and airspace security.
The first new-build F-16 Block 70 fighters ordered for Taiwan have been seen departing Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, production facility and traveling toward Asia. Two aircraft were previously spotted landing at the facility, marking visible progress in Taiwan’s long-awaited fighter acquisition.
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A Spanish F-18 operating under NATO command shot down a drone after Romanian surveillance systems detected it entering the country’s airspace from Moldova near the Ukrainian border. The incident marks Romania’s fourth reported drone shootdown of 2026, following years of repeated Russian drone incursions.
A Turkish Air Force F-16 crashed Wednesday during a routine training flight in Yalova province, northwest of Istanbul, according to Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence. The pilot ejected and survived, while an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
NORAD intercepted two general-aviation aircraft that entered temporary flight-restricted airspace over Bedminster, N.J., while President Donald Trump attended a LIV Golf championship at his nearby club. F-16s escorted both aircraft out of the restricted area, according to reports.
The U.S. Air Force is searching for ways to address supply-chain bottlenecks in the engines supporting Boeing’s F-15EX and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter programs. The effort underscores manufacturing constraints affecting two key tactical-aircraft platforms and the service’s ability to sustain production.
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