Aviation Week
• Tony Osborne
Ethiopia has taken delivery of the first two of 12 planned Russian Su-35 fighters, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed saying the aircraft arrived a year ahead of schedule. The deal also includes plans for four S-400 air-defense batteries. The reports do not provide a delivery timeline or value for the remaining equipment.
Military Aircraft Procurement
Latest source-backed stories
Airbus is working closely with the German and Spanish governments on a next-generation fighter jet for Europe, the company’s chief executive said Wednesday. The statement signals continued cooperation between the manufacturer and the two governments on a future combat-aircraft effort; the report provides no further details on program scope or timing.
An independent assessment says the U.S. Air Force must take new action to keep critical aerial refueling aircraft from being neutralized on the ground before they can fly. It identifies hardened shelters as central to improving the tanker fleet’s survivability, though the summary provides no cost, timeline or implementation details.
Boeing says its growing defense portfolio, including the F-47 and F/A-XX fighter programs, is structured to reduce the financial risks that weighed on earlier military programs. The company’s approach puts contract structure at the center of its effort to avoid repeating costly mistakes.
Ethiopia has taken delivery of the first two of 12 planned Russian Su-35 fighters, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed saying the aircraft arrived a year ahead of schedule. The deal also includes plans for four S-400 air-defense batteries. The reports do not provide a delivery timeline or value for the remaining equipment.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to deepen strategic cooperation in areas including AI and critical minerals during a meeting in Tokyo. Merz expressed interest in joining the three-country fighter development program, while Takaichi raised concerns over Japanese EVs being excluded from preferential treatment in Europe.
Italian-made components are ready to form underwing carriers for Starfighters Aerospace’s F-104 testbed, dubbed the “Wind Tunnel in the Sky.” The update points to preparations for using the Mach 2-capable aircraft as an airborne platform for testing; the article summary does not specify a schedule or the systems to be carried.
France has temporarily relocated a maritime patrol aircraft to Romania to help identify navigation hazards and strengthen protection of critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea, Romania’s defense ministry said. The deployment follows attacks on cargo ships in the region.
An ex-military KC-10A owned by Omega Aerial Refueling Services is starting a new life after leaving the boneyard. Omega provides contracted air-to-air refueling services, placing the retired tanker in a private-sector fleet; the available report does not specify its operational role or schedule.
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