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The War Zone • Howard Altman

NORAD Canada commander warns of rising drone threat, urges new satellites and airborne radar jets

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna, commander of NORAD Canada, warned that proliferating drones pose a rising threat to North American airspace and urged urgent investment in new surveillance satellites and airborne radar‑equipped jets to close detection gaps and strengthen response and attribution.

2026-01-08T12:08:16.431172-08:00

DefenseNews.com

Italy designates Trapani‑Birgi as first F‑35 training school outside the U.S., due operational by 2029

2026-01-08T08:35:06.980476-08:00

Breaking Defense

Northrop Grumman to missionize Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie for USMC under MUX/TACAIR CCA award

2026-01-08T06:09:17.995465-08:00

Air Data News

AVIC releases video of J-35 prototype in green primer after Shenyang test flight, suggesting start of production

2026-01-08T02:31:52.616967-08:00

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The War Zone

NORAD Canada commander warns of rising drone threat, urges new satellites and airborne radar jets Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna, commander of NORAD Canada, warned that proliferating drones pose a rising threat to North American airspace and urged urgent investment in new surveillance satellites and airborne radar‑equipped jets to close detection gaps and strengthen response and attribution.

2026-01-08T12:08:16.431172-08:00

NORAD Canada commander warns of rising drone threat, urges new satellites and airborne radar jets

DefenseNews.com

Italy designates Trapani‑Birgi as first F‑35 training school outside the U.S., due operational by 2029 Italy will establish the first F‑35 training school outside the United States at Trapani‑Birgi in Sicily, operational by 2029. The F‑35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin will ready the facility; Trapani will become Italy’s third operational F‑35 hub and a multinational NATO training centre.

2026-01-08T08:35:06.980476-08:00

Italy designates Trapani‑Birgi as first F‑35 training school outside the U.S., due operational by 2029

Breaking Defense

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Northrop Grumman to missionize Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie for USMC under MUX/TACAIR CCA award Northrop Grumman has been competitively awarded the U.S. Marine Corps' MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft contract to develop a missionized Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie. The work will integrate Northrop’s Prism autonomy software and a bespoke sensor/technology package to create an autonomous loyal‑wingman.

2026-01-08T06:09:17.995465-08:00

Northrop Grumman to missionize Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie for USMC under MUX/TACAIR CCA award

FlightGlobal

Southeast Asia accelerates fighter procurement amid heightened geopolitics Southeast Asian air forces are rapidly recapitalising combat fleets as rising regional tensions push governments to prioritise defence spending. Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are leading procurement drives — ordering multirole fighters and light‑attack aircraft — despite tight budgets and fragmented acquisition strategies that complicate sustainment and industrial planning.

2026-01-08T04:08:10.223761-08:00

Southeast Asia accelerates fighter procurement amid heightened geopolitics

Air Data News

AVIC releases video of J-35 prototype in green primer after Shenyang test flight, suggesting start of production AVIC released images and video of a J-35 stealth fighter prototype in green primer completing a test flight at its Shenyang facility. The footage — showing production-style finishing rather than early gray prototypes — signals the type may be transitioning from flight-test to initial production.

2026-01-08T02:31:52.616967-08:00

AVIC releases video of J-35 prototype in green primer after Shenyang test flight, suggesting start of production

ch-aviation

Sweden takes delivery of two Global 6500s Sweden has taken delivery of two Global 6500 business jets for the Swedish Air Force, adding long-range transport and liaison capability to its fleet. The handover provides immediate availability for governmental and operational travel as Stockholm advances wider defence modernisation programmes.

2026-01-08T02:31:31.903125-08:00

Sweden takes delivery of two Global 6500s

defence.in

India's AMCA to use F‑35‑style telescopic boarding ladder to boost sortie rates India's forthcoming fifth‑generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) will incorporate a built‑in telescopic boarding ladder — modelled on the F‑35's system — to speed pilot egress and reduce reliance on ground support equipment, a design change intended to improve sortie rates.

2026-01-07T23:29:53.495488-08:00

India's AMCA to use F‑35‑style telescopic boarding ladder to boost sortie rates

FlightGlobal

Taiwan Grounds F-16 Fleet, Urges U.S. to Fast‑Track Auto‑GCAS Retrofits after F‑16V Loss Taiwan has grounded its F‑16 fleet and halted training after an F‑16V vanished during a night sortie on Jan. 6; the pilot reported avionics faults before transmissions ceased. Taipei is pressing the U.S. to accelerate installation of automatic ground‑collision avoidance (Auto‑GCAS) across its F‑16V fleet.

2026-01-07T22:04:51.597809-08:00

Taiwan Grounds F-16 Fleet, Urges U.S. to Fast‑Track Auto‑GCAS Retrofits after F‑16V Loss

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

NORAD Canada commander warns of rising drone threat, urges new satellites and airborne radar jets

Italy designates Trapani‑Birgi as first F‑35 training school outside the U.S., due operational by 2029

Northrop Grumman to missionize Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie for USMC under MUX/TACAIR CCA award

AVIC releases video of J-35 prototype in green primer after Shenyang test flight, suggesting start of production

News Timeline