News

aviationnews.eu • Rob Vogelaar

Vietnam considers early-2030s Su-57 acquisition to replace aging Soviet-era fighters as it weighs Rafale vs Russian stealth

Vietnam is reportedly evaluating Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 as a potential fifth-generation fighter option, targeting an early-2030s timeline and aiming to replace an aging frontline fleet. Separate reporting says Hanoi is also weighing Dassault Rafale amid intensifying Chinese J-20/J-16 activity in the South China Sea.

2026-04-24T02:34:21.899035-07:00

DefenseNews.com

UAE to Offer Mirage 2000-9 Fighters to Iraq (Up to 10 Aircraft)

2026-04-25T00:50:55.420551-07:00

DefenseNews.com

Slovakia plots up to €300m buy of nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters

2026-04-25T00:50:55.044897-07:00

DefenseNews.com

Germany seeks to revive Euro Hawk after 2013 cancellation over cost and airworthiness concerns

2026-04-25T00:50:54.838021-07:00

News Timeline

DefenseNews.com

UAE to Offer Mirage 2000-9 Fighters to Iraq (Up to 10 Aircraft) The UAE is considering the offloading of up to 10 Mirage 2000-9s to the Iraqi Air Force as early as March, according to a UAE government source. The reported transfer would expand Iraq’s combat-air capability using a largely legacy fleet type rather than new-build fighters.

2026-04-25T00:50:55.420551-07:00

UAE to Offer Mirage 2000-9 Fighters to Iraq (Up to 10 Aircraft)

DefenseNews.com

Slovakia plots up to €300m buy of nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters Slovakia’s defence minister Martin Glváč has unveiled plans to acquire nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in a deal estimated at up to €300 million (about US$348 million), according to local daily Pravda. The announcement frames a near-term rotary-wing capability refresh and potential follow-on sustainment demands.

2026-04-25T00:50:55.044897-07:00

Slovakia plots up to €300m buy of nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters

DefenseNews.com

Germany seeks to revive Euro Hawk after 2013 cancellation over cost and airworthiness concerns Germany plans to restart the Euro Hawk high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle programme it canceled in 2013, citing spiraling costs and airworthiness issues at the time. The move signals renewed interest in procuring long-range, ISR-focused UAS capability despite the project’s prior setbacks.

2026-04-25T00:50:54.838021-07:00

Germany seeks to revive Euro Hawk after 2013 cancellation over cost and airworthiness concerns

DefenseNews.com

Pentagon: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter gun remains on schedule for 2017 operational fielding The Pentagon’s F-35 Program Office said the fighter’s gun is still on track to become operational in 2017. The statement keeps the weapons system timeline intact amid ongoing program activity around F-35 software and mission system upgrade delivery.

2026-04-25T00:50:54.219227-07:00

Pentagon: F-35 Joint Strike Fighter gun remains on schedule for 2017 operational fielding

DefenseNews.com

India’s defence secretary in Paris to accelerate MMRCA Rafale negotiations Indian Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur is in Paris Monday and Tuesday to help speed negotiations on the Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, an Indian Defence Ministry source said. The discussions come amid ongoing Rafale acquisition steps and continued focus on meeting New Delhi’s air-power requirements.

2026-04-25T00:50:53.485684-07:00

India’s defence secretary in Paris to accelerate MMRCA Rafale negotiations

DefenseNews.com

Turkey greenlights F-35 top-up with 4 more jets, plus 5 additional CH-47F Chinooks Turkey’s top procurement panel has approved an order for four more F-35 fighter jets and five more CH-47F Chinook heavy transport helicopters, the government announced Jan. 7. The decision adds both strike/fighter capacity and additional lift platforms to Ankara’s near-term fleet plans.

2026-04-25T00:50:52.176937-07:00

Turkey greenlights F-35 top-up with 4 more jets, plus 5 additional CH-47F Chinooks

Air Data News

USAF extends life of B-1B and B-2 fleets, budgets nearly $1.7B for upgrades as B-21 transition slips The U.S. Air Force is planning nearly $1.7 billion in upgrades to keep the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bombers flying longer than the service previously targeted for an early-2030s retirement. The shift reflects how the B-21 transition schedule has stretched.

2026-04-24T22:57:04.210342-07:00

USAF extends life of B-1B and B-2 fleets, budgets nearly $1.7B for upgrades as B-21 transition slips

FlightGlobal

USAF graduates final class of new A-10 pilots as service winds toward Thunderbolt II retirement The US Air Force has graduated its last class of newly qualified A-10 pilots, marking a final step in the pipeline as the service proceeds—albeit gradually—toward retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II. The move signals near-term sustainment pressures for manned ground-attack force generation.

2026-04-24T18:18:14.422780-07:00

USAF graduates final class of new A-10 pilots as service winds toward Thunderbolt II retirement

Menu

Military Aircraft Procurement News

Vietnam considers early-2030s Su-57 acquisition to replace aging Soviet-era fighters as it weighs Rafale vs Russian stealth

UAE to Offer Mirage 2000-9 Fighters to Iraq (Up to 10 Aircraft)

Slovakia plots up to €300m buy of nine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters

Germany seeks to revive Euro Hawk after 2013 cancellation over cost and airworthiness concerns

News Timeline