AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau
Sweden’s air force is expanding its Gripen doctrine beyond defending national airspace, preparing to strike military targets deep inside Russia if Sweden comes under attack. The shift signals a broader concept of air warfare focused on taking the fight beyond Swedish territory.
F-16
Latest source-backed stories
Sweden’s air force is expanding its Gripen doctrine beyond defending national airspace, preparing to strike military targets deep inside Russia if Sweden comes under attack. The shift signals a broader concept of air warfare focused on taking the fight beyond Swedish territory.
High activity
The two-seat F-16D completed its maiden flight at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility, marking the first new-build Block 72 to fly. The flight advances Morocco’s $3.787 billion order for 25 fighters as the production line gains momentum with orders from six countries.
Lockheed Martin says the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s first F-16 Block 72 has completed its maiden test flight. The milestone brings Morocco closer to taking delivery of the aircraft, although the reports provide no delivery schedule or details on the remaining test program.
Taiwan has received the first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighters ordered to strengthen its air force, with the aircraft arriving at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on Oct. 2, 2026. The delivery advances a major U.S.-backed modernization effort as pressure from China increases.
More than half of Ukraine’s aging F-16 fleet is reportedly grounded as the war continues, while Western stocks of air-to-air missiles are also running low. The combination is constraining aircraft availability and the weapons supply supporting Ukraine’s fighter operations.
Argentina has taken delivery of six additional F-16A/B Fighting Falcons from Denmark, bringing its received total to 12 of 24 aircraft. The second batch flew from Skrydstrup via Spain and Brazil to Río Cuarto, as officials consider moving up delivery of the remaining 12 fighters to 2027.
BAE Systems’ AN/APX-127(V)1 Combined Interrogator Transponder has received AIMS certification from the U.S. Department of War, clearing the identification-friend-or-foe system for U.S. Air Force F-16s. BAE expects deliveries from an initial 90-unit production lot to begin this year, with the system designed for future combat aircraft.
Belgium plans to transfer three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, with timelines reported as either by the end of 2026 or later this year. Ukraine’s air force says F-16 crews have already downed more than 600 missiles and 2,500 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Create a free account to see more recent F-16 stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
