DefenceTalkA senior US general told Congress Tuesday that the United States will sell Egypt advanced F-15 fighter jets, despite concerns in Washington over Cairo’s human rights record. “In the case of Egypt, I think we have good news, in that we are going to provide them with F-15s, which was a long, hard slog,” Central […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-to-sell-f-15-fighter-jets-to-egypt-78433/

DefenceTalkNorthrop Grumman Corporation has ferried the first of Japan’s three RQ-4B Global Hawks via a non-stop transpacific flight. The aircraft departed on Thursday, March 10, from Palmdale, California landing 18.7 hours later on March 12 at Misawa Air Base, Misawa, Japan. “The arrival of the first Japan Global Hawk is an important milestone in the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/northrop-completes-ferry-flight-of-japans-rq-4b-global-hawk-uav-78436/

DefenceTalkGermany plans to buy up to 35 US-made F-35 fighter jets and 15 Eurofighter jets, a parliamentary source said Monday, as part of a major push to modernise the armed forces in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin would help replace Germany’s decades-old Tornado fleet, according to media […]https://www.defencetalk.com/germany-to-buy-f-35-fighter-jets-in-military-spending-spree-78395/

DefenceTalkNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday said the alliance would not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine after calls from Kyiv to help stop Russia’s bombardments. “The only way to implement a no-fly zone is to send NATO fighter planes into Ukraine’s airspace, and then impose that no fly zone by shooting down Russian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-rejects-calls-for-no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-78291/

DefenceTalkFive soldiers died after their helicopter crashed on Wednesday in eastern Romania near the Black Sea while searching for a missing fighter jet and its pilot, the army said. “Unfortunately, all five members of the IAR 330 crew lost their lives. Search and rescue operations for the pilot of the MiG 21 LanceR are still […]https://www.defencetalk.com/five-dead-as-romania-chopper-crashes-fighter-jet-missing-78235/

DefenceTalkThe Swedish Armed Forces said Wednesday that four Russian fighter jets had entered Sweden’s air space to the east of the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. While Russian incursions of the Nordic nation’s airspace happen fairly regularly, Wednesday’s event was treated with increased scrutiny given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Against the background of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/four-russian-fighter-jets-violate-swedish-airspace-military-78231/

DefenceTalkWRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio: In one of the largest modernization efforts in U.S. Air Force history, 608 F-16s – comprised of Blocks 40 and 50 – will undergo up to 22 modifications designed to improve lethality and ensure the fourth-generation fighter remains effective in meeting current and future threats. The Air Force Life Cycle […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-f-16-fleet-undergoing-largest-modification-work-in-history-78217/

DefenceTalkRussia’s air force still does not enjoy total superiority in the skies above Ukraine despite its overwhelming numerical advantage, part of the reason for the army’s slow progress on the ground, experts say. According to strategic intelligence research service Janes, Russia’s air force comprises 132 bombers versus none for Ukraine, 832 fighter jets against 86 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/low-profile-russian-air-force-puzzles-western-experts-78196/

DefenceTalkSPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany: Six U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron currently operating out of Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, forward deployed, Feb. 24, to the Baltic Sea and Black Sea regions in support of NATO’s collective defense. The fifth generation aircraft, originally from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/u-s-f-35s-forward-deploy-to-natos-eastern-flank-78105/

DefenceTalkGermany, France, Italy and Spain signed Thursday a 7.1-billion-euro contract to build and operate a fleet of surveillance drones, said Airbus, leader of the consortium of defence firms tapped for the project. Baptised Eurodrone, the twin-motor aircraft with a 30-metre wingspan similar to some commercial planes, will be able to carry out intelligence-gathering, surveillance as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/european-nations-sign-7-bn-euro-drone-contract-78097/