Military Aircraft Procurement   Accident   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
DefenseNews.com • Valerie Insinna

F-35A Loses External Panel During Training Flight 65 Miles East of Okinawa

An F-35A shed an external panel measuring roughly 12 by 24 inches during a routine training mission about 65 miles east of Okinawa. The loss was reported after the sortie; military authorities have not released details on cause, damage to the jet, or any injuries.

2026-03-16T22:40:06.535857-07:00
Israel   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
DefenseNews.com • Barbara Opall-Rome

Israel declares first squadron of nine F-35s operational

By DefenseNews.com: The Israeli Air Force has declared its initial squadron of nine F-35 stealth fighters ready for operational use, less than a year after the first two were delivered here by the U.S.

2026-03-16T22:40:06.486827-07:00
North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Boeing  
DefenseNews.com • Valerie Insinna

Canada to buy used Australian F/A-18s, effectively killing Boeing Super Hornet bid

By DefenseNews.com: Canada’s Liberal government will announce next week plans to proceed with an interim buy of used F/A-18 Hornets from Australia, dashing Boeing’s hopes of a Super Hornet sale, three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

2026-03-16T22:40:06.484913-07:00
Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Japan’s EC-2 electronic warfare aircraft heads to service entry

By FlightGlobal: The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has released images of its developmental Kawasaki EC-2 electronic warfare aircraft, converted from the first C-2 transport delivered, as the service weighs acquisition numbers and its future transport fleet composition.

2026-03-16T22:54:52.363355-07:00