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☆ As Trump blasts NATO allies for not paying for defense, these front-line countries are readying for war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But as Russia's bloody war in Ukraine enters its third year, and the threat to NATO countries, particularly those on Russia's borders, grows, the Baltic states are investing in their defense more than ever. Shawn CooverThe talk came just on the heels of Trump's most recent attack on NATO members who he deems aren't paying their 'fair share." Last week, the former president said that he would keep the US in NATO should European countries pay and "play fair." He said the US "was paying 90% of NATO," and that without the US, NATO "literally doesn't even exist." "We've reinstated conscription, so we're building up our armed forces," an unpopular move that Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs is pushing other NATO members to do, too.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Margus Tsahkna, Vladimir Putin, Tsahkna, Shawn Coover, Trump, ALAIN JOCARD, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, isn't, Macron, Krišjānis Kariņš, Kariņš, Thomas Wiegold, We've, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Rinkēvičs Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, Hudson Institute, Washington DC, Estonian, US Marine Corps, Staff, Getty, Latvian, Financial Times Locations: Ukraine, Baltic, Washington, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Russian, China, Europe, NATO, Poland, estonian, Rakvere, AFP, Baltics, France, Germany, Russia's, Greece, Belarus, Finland, Romania, Hungary

☆ Explainer-What Turkey Gained in Delaying Sweden's NATO Bid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Turkey ratified Finland's bid in April 2023 but, along with NATO member Hungary, has kept Sweden waiting. While Erdogan sent Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey's parliament for consideration last October, he openly linked the F-16s with its ultimate ratification. WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF SWEDEN'S BID? Though Turkey was seen as the main hurdle, Hungary has also not ratified Sweden's bid. Hungary pledged not to be the last to ratify the bid, but its parliament is in recess until around mid-February.

Persons: Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer ANKARA, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Gunnar Strommer, Jens Stoltenberg, Thomas Goffus, Viktor Orban, Timothy Heritage Organizations: NATO, Ankara, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, European Union, Canada, U.S . Congress, Eurofighter Locations: Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Helsinki, Washington, SWEDEN, FINLAND, Madrid, Kurdistan, Ankara, United States, Netherlands, SWEDEN'S

Defence Minister Yasar Guler said last week that Turkey was in talks with Britain and Spain to buy Eurofighter Typhoon jets, though Germany objected to the idea. Guler was holding talks on the issue with his British counterpart Grant Shapps in Ankara on Thursday, the source said. Turkey wants to buy the most advanced, newly built version of the Eurofighter, he added. NATO member Turkey requested in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighters and 79 modernisation kits for its existing warplanes. The Eurofighter Typhoon jets are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus (AIR.PA), BAE Systems (BAES.L) and Leonardo (LDOF.MI).

Persons: Yasar Guler, Guler, Grant Shapps, Joe Biden's, Leonardo, Tayfun Ozberk, Serhat, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, William Maclean Organizations: Eurofighter, . Defence, Eurofighter Typhoon, British, NATO, Turkey, Lockheed Martin Corp, U.S . Congress, Airbus, BAE Systems, Biden Administration, Eurofighter Typhoons, Kadir Has University, Turkish Air Force, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, United States, Turkish, Britain, Spain, Germany, Ankara, Italy

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. Erdogan will also need Chancellor Olaf Scholz's blessing if he is to buy the 40 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes Turkey said on Thursday it wanted. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Trade, European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Germany, Turkey, Gaza, BERLIN, Moscow, Ukraine, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Israel, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Awkward Allies: Gaza Overshadows Erdogan's Germany Visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since 2020 comes ahead of municipal elections at which he hopes to win back the cities of Ankara and Istanbul. In a sign of the visit's importance, Scholz took pains not to respond directly to Erdogan's loud condemnation of Israel's war against Hamas, in which many thousands of Palestinians have been killed. The response was decidedly mild given the fierce condemnation that far more muted criticisms of Israel typically draw in Germany, traditionally one of Israel's closest allies. Germany has expressed strong solidarity with Israel, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of the war on Gaza's civilians. With some three million people with Turkish roots in Germany such encounters are always fraught, but now the risk was judged too great.

Persons: Thomas Escritt BERLIN, Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, Israel's, Israel, Aydin Yasar, It's, Thomas Escritt, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: European Union, Eurofighter Typhoon, Airbus, Hamas, German, SWP, NATO Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Germany, Berlin, Ankara, Istanbul, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, Europe

☆ Turkey in talks with Britain, Spain to buy 40 Eurofighter typhoon jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ANKARA, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Defence Minister Yasar Gular said on Thursday the Turkey was in talks with Britain and Spain to buy 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, though Germany objected to the idea. "Now the UK and Spain are making efforts to convince Germany, (though) we are not in talks with Germany... If possible, we plan to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets." NATO member Turkey has also asked to buy U.S. F-16 fighter jets though that purchase order has been delayed. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Germany on Friday for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Persons: Yasar Gular, Tayyip Erdogan, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Defence, Eurofighter, NATO, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, Turkey, Britain, Spain, Germany, Ankara

☆ I tested the game-changing F-35 stealth fighter, an incredible jet that demands more than just great flying skills from its pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Billie Flynn spent years as a pilot in the testing program for the F-35 stealth fighter jet. I was involved with the F-35 program for essentially 20 years after coming over to Lockheed Martin from the Eurofighter Typhoon program. AdvertisementAdvertisementA Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet performs its flight display at Le Bourget on June 20, 2017 during the International Paris Air Show. So there really are pilots who are better than others, but as a test pilot, that flying skill is what keeps us alive. And I think that's thanks to incredible engineers, incredible designers and incredible military fighter pilots who were instrumental in developing the airplane.

Persons: Billie Flynn, —, Lockheed Martin, It's, CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT, Yuriko Nakao Organizations: Service, Royal Canadian Air Force, Lockheed, Eurofighter, International Paris Air, Getty, Le, Paris Air Locations: Le Bourget, AFP, Paris, France

☆ Airbus to combine fighter businesses in defence shake-up -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Airbus A321 XLR aircraft performs a flying display at the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 20, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) plans to merge two separate fighter businesses as part of a reorganisation of its Defence & Space division, union sources said. Asked about the new combination, which is part of a deeper Defence & Space restructuring codenamed ATOM, an Airbus spokesperson said: "We are currently discussing the details and ideas with our social partners". In July, Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said a reorganisation in Defence & Space was designed to make the business more agile. Despite a broad increase in overall demand for weapons since the Ukraine conflict began, Airbus Defence & Space is the company's second-biggest activity in terms of revenues but the least profitable, lagging behind jetliners and helicopters.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Jean, Brice Dumont, Bruno Fichefeux, Guillaume Faury, Faury, Tim Hepher, David Holmes Organizations: Airbus, Paris, REUTERS, Rights, Defence, Space, Military Air Systems, Franco, France's Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defence, Thomson Locations: Le Bourget, Paris, France, Spanish, Ukraine

[1/2] Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighters (front) and Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighters patrol over the Baltics during a NATO air policing mission from Zokniai air base near Siauliai, Lithuania, May 20, 2015. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOSLO, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Norway will donate U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft to Ukraine, the Norwegian prime minister announced during a visit to Kyiv on Thursday, joining an effort led by the Netherlands and Denmark. F-16s have been on Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. "We are planning to donate Norwegian F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, and will provide further details about the donation, numbers and time frame for delivery, in due course," Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said in a statement. "The donation of these F-16 jets will significantly strengthen Ukraine's military capabilities," Norway's Defence Minister Bjoern Arild Gram said in the statement.

Persons: Ints, Jonas Gahr Stoere, Stoere, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Bjoern Arild Gram, Terje Solsvik, Nora Buli, Mark Heinrich, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Norwegian Air Force, Italian Air Force Eurofighter, NATO, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Norway's, Romania, U.S . Air Force, Thomson Locations: Siauliai, Lithuania, Rights OSLO, Norway, Ukraine, Norwegian, Kyiv, Netherlands, Denmark

☆ A potential first-of-its-kind fighter jet purchase could be a sign Saudi Arabia isn't happy with what it's getting from the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering a large number of French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets. In July, Germany announced it would not allow additional Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to be delivered Saudi Arabia. The Saudi air force's 72 Eurofighters are its second most numerous fighter type behind its US-made F-15s. Bandar Algaloud/ReutersIn the near-term, Saudi Arabia may find Rafales more burdensome than beneficial, given its extensive investment in US and British aircraft. A Saudi Air Force F-15 taxis for takeoff at King Faisal Air Base in February 2021.

Persons: France's, Toni Anne Barson, Sebastien Roblin, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Roblin, Salman, FAYEZ NURELDINE, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Rafales, Jamal Khashoggi, Bohl, Justin Bronk, Katherine Walters, Paul Iddon Organizations: Dassault Rafale, Saudi, Service, Privacy Policy, France's La Tribune, Eurofighter Typhoon, United Arab, La Tribune, French Dassault Rafale, Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon, Getty, East, NATO, Bandar Algaloud, Reuters, British, Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Saudi Air Force, King Faisal Air Base, US Air Force, Staff, Rafale, Washington Locations: Saudi Arabia, British, Riyadh, Wall, Silicon, Privacy Policy Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, French, Provence, Washington, Yemen, Iran, China, France, AFP, London, Russia, North Africa, NATO, United States, Bandar, Croatia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Greece

☆ Air forces are ditching runways to prepare their jets to keep operating when enemies aim for their bases
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It is meant to be a test of the British air force's ability to operate away from its main bases. Some air forces moved away from that capability after the Cold War and now have to train for it again. US Air Force/Senior Airman Jonathan Valdes MontijoThe US military has also been planning distributed air operations from unconventional airfields and runways. When done correctly, ACE "complicates the enemy's targeting process, creates political and operational dilemmas for the enemy, and creates flexibility for friendly forces," according to the Air Force's ACE doctrine. Gen. James Hecker, the head of US Air Forces in Europe, said last year that his command was sending airmen to study the Swedish approach.

Persons: Jon Hobley, Air Marshal Harvey Smyth, Smyth, Janis Laizans, Sweden's JAS, Jonathan Valdes Montijo, Phil Speck, James Hecker, " Hecker, Janes, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, Royal Air Force Eurofighter, FGR4, Coningsby, Getty, NATO, Britain's Royal Air Force, Air, Aviation, RAF, REUTERS, US Air Force, Marine Corps, Agile, US Air National Guard, Air Force, Aircraft, US Air Forces, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, London, Finland, Finnish, Russia, Sweden, Guam, Estonia, Wyoming, Europe, Swedish, Johns

☆ German coalition at odds over fighter jet sale to Saudi Arabia, Welt am Sonntag reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, July 1(Reuters) - Germany's coalition government is at odds over whether to bow to British pressure and approve the production of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for Saudi Arabia, the newspaper Welt Am Sonntag reported on Saturday, citing anonymous sources. A third of the components for the jets come from Germany, industry sources told Reuters at the time. Since the rapprochement of Saudi Arabia and Iran, which could end their proxy war in Yemen, the British have argued that Germany cannot block the export of Eurofighter jets to third parties. A spokesperson for the Chancellery declined to comment to Welt am Sonntag. Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Christian Lindner, Jamal Khashoggi, Angela Merkel, Sabine Siebold, Victoria Waldersee, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Eurofighter Typhoon, BAE Systems, Reuters, Social Democrats, Finance, Greens, SPD, Eurofighter, Welt, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Yemen, Saudi, Germany, United States, France, Britain, Iran

☆ China is looking all over the world for help building and flying its fighter jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet at RAF Coningsby in May. Daniel Duggan, a former US Marine Corps pilot, has been accused of violating the Arms Export Control Act by training Chinese military pilots. "Currently, Chinese jet engines can at best achieve one-fourth the life span of Western engines," the report says. To manufacture engines, China still needs to import complex machine tools, including equipment made in Germany, Japan, Italy, and South Korea. A J-20 stealth fighter jet at Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai in November.

Persons: —, Der Spiegel, Christopher Furlong, Daniel Duggan, Duggan, Chen Jimin, Deng Hua, John Paul Jones, walling, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Privacy, China, NATO, Taiwan, British Royal Air Force Eurofighter, Coningsby, US, Chinese headhunters, US Marine Corps, Western, China News Service, Getty, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CSIS, Nations, Soviets, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: China, May, Australian, Zhuhai, US, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Xinhua, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire, Hungarian, Russia, Russian, Nazi, Forbes

The world's largest air show, which alternates with Farnborough in Britain, is at Le Bourget for the first time in four years after the 2021 edition fell victim to the pandemic. On the civilian side, planemakers arrived with growing demand expectations as airlines rush for capacity to meet demand and help reach industry goals of net zero emissions by 2050. REUTERS/Benoit TessierIndiGo's deal highlights the growing importance of India, the world's fastest-growing aviation market, serving the largest population, to planemakers. In another key market, Airbus said Saudi budget airline flynas had firmed up an order for 30 of its A320neo-family narrowbody aircraft, confirming a Bloomberg report. France's Thales (TCFP.PA) also announced a contract from Indonesia for 13 long-range air surveillance radars.

Persons: Le Bourget, Emmanuel Macron, planemakers, Sash Tusa, Benoit Tessier IndiGo's, there's, Pieter Elbers, flynas, Avolon, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Aditi Shah, Julia Payne, Nandan Mandayam, Mark Potter, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Airbus, Defence, Indian, Paris, Reuters, Air India's, Boeing, Farnborough, French Rafale, Industry, Partners, Air, REUTERS, Saudi, Bloomberg, Kyiv, Rafale, Eurofighter, Thales, Mexico's Viva, Thomson Locations: Paris, PARIS, Britain, UKRAINE, European, France, Germany, Spain, Le Bourget, India, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Belgium, Franco, Spanish, Indonesia, Air India

[1/2] A model of a Future Combat Air System (SCAF), a European aircraft developed by France, Germany and Spain is displayed during the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 19, 2023. On the civilian side, planemakers arrived with growing demand expectations as airlines rush for capacity to meet demand and help reach industry goals of net zero emissions by 2050. In another key market, Airbus said Saudi budget airline flynas had firmed up an order for 30 of its A320neo-family narrowbody aircraft, confirming a Bloomberg report. France's Thales (TCFP.PA) also announced a contract from Indonesia for 13 long-range air surveillance radars. The planemaker is also close to a potentially large order for narrow-body jets from Mexican low-cost carrier Viva Aerobus, industry sources said on Sunday.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Le Bourget, Emmanuel Macron, planemakers, there's, Pieter Elbers, flynas, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Mark Potter Organizations: Air, Paris, REUTERS, Airbus, Defence, Indian, Reuters, Air India's, Boeing, Farnborough, French Rafale, Industry, Saudi, Bloomberg, Rafale, Eurofighter, Thales, Qantas, Viva Aerobus, Thomson Locations: European, France, Germany, Spain, Le Bourget, Paris, PARIS, Britain, India, Ukraine, Belgium, Franco, Spanish, Indonesia

[1/2] A model of a Future Combat Air System (SCAF), a European aircraft developed by France, Germany and Spain is displayed during the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - The Paris Airshow opened on Monday with last-minute jet order negotiations and supply chain headaches competing for attention with rows of missiles, drones and futuristic transport. France's Thales (TCFP.PA) announced a contract from Indonesia for 13 long-range air surveillance radars. On the commercial side, planemakers arrived with growing demand expectations as airlines rush for capacity to meet demand and help reach industry goals of net zero emissions by 2050. Airbus is also close to a potentially large order for narrow-body jets from Mexican low-cost carrier Viva Aerobus, industry sources said on Sunday.

Persons: Benoit Tessier PARIS, Le Bourget, Emmanuel Macron, France's, planemakers, Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska, Allison Lampert, Valerie Insinna, Mark Potter Organizations: Air, Paris, REUTERS, Farnborough, French Rafale, U.S, Rafale, Eurofighter, France's Thales, Airbus, . Industry, Qantas, Viva Aerobus, Boeing, Thomson Locations: European, France, Germany, Spain, Le Bourget, Paris, Britain, Belgium, Franco, Spanish, Ukraine, Indonesia

☆ Factbox: Why Ukraine is bidding for F-16 jets and will it succeed?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WHAT KIND OF FIGHTER JETS COULD UKRAINE GET? Ukraine wants F-16s, which it says are "four or five times" more effective than Soviet-era jets it currently has. However, Polish President Andrzej Duda reiterated on Tuesday that Poland has too few F-16 jets to be able to give any to Ukraine. Britain will not send jets to Ukraine, a spokesperson for Sunak has said, since Britain does not have the F-16s that Ukraine wants. Denmark said in February it was "open" to the idea of sending fighter jets to Ukraine.

US Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base are now testing a new type of flight helmet. "It is common knowledge fighter pilots have long term neck and back issues," said Maj. Brett Gedman, from the 301st Fighter Squadron. The Air Force's Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet at Eglin Air Force Base. An F-22A Raptor pilot adjusts the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet before a mission at Eglin Air Force Base on March 24. An F-22A pilot adjusts the Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet before a mission at Eglin Air Force Base on March 24.

☆ Even with F-16s, Ukraine's pilots still wouldn't be 'out of the woods' against Russia's air force, US officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Polish and Slovakian MiG-29s would add to Ukraine's fleet and be familiar to Ukrainian pilots but won't bring much more capability than Ukraine's current MiG-29s. 'The hard work'A pilot exits a Polish Air Force F-16 at an airbase in Poznan in November 2006. If the US or another NATO country elected to supply Ukraine with F-16s, Kelly said his first question would be "what sustainment depot are they going to use? "Again, that's just for the short-term of being able to launch or recover aircraft," Baum said. Ukraine's new jets would also be flying against Russian air-defense weapons that have claimed dozens of Ukrainian aircraft and continue to contest the airspace around the front lines.

MADRID/PARIS, March 13 (Reuters) - Doubts are growing over the future of Madrid's remaining orders for the Airbus (AIR.PA) A400M troop plane, European defence sources said on Monday, as corporate leaders and dignitaries marked the centenary of Spain's military planemaking activities. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Defence Minister Margarita Robles and King Felipe also attended Monday's event. Spain and Airbus are in discussions over how to soften any impact from a partial A400M order cancellation, sources said. Defence publication Janes reported last year that Airbus was waiting for Madrid to back the SIRTAP tactical drone project, co-developed by Airbus Spain and Colombia. Spain also last year ordered an extra 20 Eurofighter combat jets, a four-nation fighter programmre for which Airbus is the industrial partner in Spain and Germany.

☆ Factbox: Will Ukraine get Western fighter jets and what are the challenges?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday several Western countries were ready to provide Kyiv with aircraft to defeat Russia's invasion. Ukraine has been asking allies to provide modern fighter jets - dubbed "wings for freedom" in Zelenskiy's speech to British lawmakers this week - to replace its ageing fleet of Soviet MiG and Sukhoi planes. WILL UKRAINE GET THE FIGHTER JETS? Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson did not rule out sending fighter jets but played down expectations, saying the issue was not on Stockholm's agenda at the moment. The Kremlin has said that Western countries would be moving towards direct conflict with Russia if they send jets.

☆ U.S., UK and Australia carry out China-focused air drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sandra Stojanovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A F-35B aircraft from the U.S. Air Force refuels during the annual Red Flag military exercise between the United States, Britain and Australia, in Nevada, U.S., February 8, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos BarriaNELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The United States, Britain and Australia carried out joint air drills on Wednesday over the Nevada desert and beyond as part of an effort to simulate high-end combat operations against Chinese fighter aircraft and air defenses. U.S. Air Force Colonel Jared J. Hutchinson, commander of the 414th Combat Training Squadron that runs Red Flag, said the annual drills were not tied to any recent events. Air Commodore John Lyle, commander of the RAF's Air Mobility Force, told Reuters the mission during the Red Flag drills would simulate bringing the air forces into "an area where there has been an invasion by a hostile country." Australia contributed EA-18G Growler aircraft, according to data provided by Red Flag organizers.

☆ Only 3 countries have managed to build 5th-generation fighters, but nearly a dozen are already working on 6th-gen jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

(The recently unveiled B-21 bomber is billed as the world's first sixth-gen aircraft, but little is known about its capabilities.) Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Boeing are believed to be competing to build the jets, and all have released illustrations of sixth-gen aircraft. FCAS/SCAFA full-scale model of the Future Combat Air System at the Paris Air Show in June 2019. An illustration of Japan's next-generation fighter aircraft concept. While China is making heavy investment in military aviation, Russia's ability to develop next-generation jets may be shrinking.

☆ These are 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Miguel Ortiz | We Are The Mighty | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Using data from Cirium, FlightGlobal published their 2023 World Air Forces directory detailing military aircraft fleets around the world, including the most popular fighter planes. These are the 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world:Northrop F-5An F-5 Tiger II takes off at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada. Despite its age, the J-7 remains extremely popular with 444 in active service. 522 Typhoons are in active service, including with all of the original collaborating countries except France. 545 F-35s are in active service, with more on the way as existing orders are filled and additional orders are placed.

TOKYO/LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Japan, Britain and Italy are merging their next-generation jet fighter projects in a bridge between Europe and Asia that marks Japan's first major industrial defence collaboration beyond the United States since World War Two. Britain also wants Japan to improve how it provides security clearances to contractors, sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. The two new platforms would compete head-on with each other and the United States in the global fighter market. "There is going to be a Battle Royal in the next 10-15 years in positioning the various players," said UK defence analyst Francis Tusa. The United States, which has pledged to defend all three countries through NATO and a separate security pact with Japan, welcomed the new Europe-Japan agreement.

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