Leadership   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Budgets & Spending  
Aviacionline • Gastón Dubois

Argentina Air Force definitively retires A-4AR Fightinghawk, aligning fleet transition with F-16 Fighting Falcon

Argentina’s Air Force confirmed the definitive retirement of its A-4AR Fightinghawk fleet, ending nearly three decades of service. The decision was tied to sustainability and logistics-cost criteria and is explicitly linked to the transition toward the incoming F-16 Fighting Falcon force, communicated by the service chief to personnel at Villa Reynolds Air Base.

2026-05-14T09:32:03.466000-07:00
Military Aircraft Procurement   Orders   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Peru signs contract for fifth C-27J, as Leonardo logs order for its 100th Spartan transport

By FlightGlobal: Latin American operator will add fifth Spartan to its airlifter fleet. Peru has placed an order to take a fifth C-27J Spartan tactical transport, with its contract with Leonardo also marking the airframer’s 100th sold example of the twin-turboprop type.

2026-05-14T09:53:28.796088-07:00
Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Boeing  
Aviation Today • Frank Wolfe

Less Than $400 Million Needed to Modify VC-25B Bridge Aircraft, USAF Estimates

By Aviation Today: The nearly decade-long program to develop and field two VC-25B Air Force One planes by Boeing has a price tag thus far of more than $4.2 billion, but the service estimates that the cost to modify the 747-8i formerly used by Qatar’s emir to be used as a VC-25B bridge aircraft is less than $400 million.

2026-05-14T09:30:10.040896-07:00
Israel   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Israel funds external fuel tank modification for F-35I Adir stealth fighters

By FlightGlobal: Range performance of "Adir" stealth fighters will be increased via new contract. Israel is funding a modification for its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35I “Adir” fighters, with the stealthy jets to be equipped with new extended-range fuel tanks.

Also: FlightGlobal, Aviation Week, Janes, defence-blog.com, Seeking Alpha and 3 more
2026-05-14T02:37:13.070339-07:00
Event   UAV Development & Drone Programs   Helicopter   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Asia-Pacific (APAC)   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Jean Carmela Lim

Australia helps boost Philippine air surveillance capability

By AeroTime: The Australian Defence Force supported Philippine air surveillance efforts during the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan (April 20-May 8, 2026) through subject-matter expert exchanges focused on mobile radar systems.

2026-05-14T04:41:07.466600-07:00