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☆ 'No magic wand' in Ukraine war, says UK's Wallace on question of supplying jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Elizabeth Piper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PORTSMOUTH, England, Feb 2 (Reuters) - British defence minister Ben Wallace said there was "no magic wand" that could help Ukraine in its fight against Russia, when asked on Thursday about the possibility of supplying British fighter jets to be used by Ukrainian forces. "There is no magic wand in this horrendous conflict," Wallace told reporters at Portsmouth in southern England, home to a naval base. Earlier on Thursday, Sunak's spokesman said the quickest a pilot could learn to fly a British fighter jet was 35 months. "Even if tomorrow morning we announce that we were going to put them in fast jets, that would take months," Wallace said. On Wednesday, Wallace said Britain had not made a "solid decision" not to send its fighter jets to Ukraine but does not think it is the right approach at the moment.

☆ Germany's defence fund not enough, sending fighter jets 'ruled out': defence minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius puts on ear protection during firing practice, at armoured infantry training area Altengrabow, Germany January 26, 2023. Kay Nietfeld/Pool via REUTERSBERLIN, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Germany's 100 billion euro ($108 billion) special defence fund is no longer enough to cover its needs, the new Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung published on Friday. Asked whether Germany would sent fighter jets to Ukraine, the next request from Kyiv after Germany approved earlier this week the delivery of Leopard 2 tanks, Pistorius said this was "ruled out". "Fighter aircrafts are much more complex systems than main battle tanks and have a completely different range and firepower. ($1 = 0.9223 euros)Writing by Matthias Williams, Victoria Waldersee, editing by Rachel More, William MacleanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'We will get F-16s': Ukraine aims for NATO's fighter jets after winning battle for Western tanks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Kenzo Tribouillard | Afp | Getty ImagesThe dust has barely settled on the decision by the U.S. and Germany to supply battle tanks to Ukraine, but talk has already turned to the possible use of other firepower, namely, fighter jets. Kyiv appears confident that, as with Western tanks, it will eventually be given F-16s too. The U.S. has been tight-lipped about giving Ukraine F-16s, or allowing other countries to re-export their own U.S.-made fighter jets to Ukraine (National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said he had no announcement to make on the issue Wednesday). How helpful fighter jets would be to Ukraine is a matter for debate, and depends on the aircraft, its weaponry and flying conditions, experts note. Germany arrived at its decision to send tanks after months of pressure and deliberation, making any question over fighter jets a very distant prospect, according to Carsten Nickel, deputy director of research at analysis firm Teneo.

WASHINGTON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has told Congress it is preparing the potential $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, sparking an immediate objection from a senior U.S. lawmaker who has long opposed the deal. NATO member Turkey requested in October 2021 to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes. The Biden administration has said it supports the sale and has been in touch for months with Congress on an informal basis to win its approval. "As I have repeatedly made clear, I strongly oppose the Biden administration’s proposed sale of new F-16 aircraft to Turkey," Senator Bob Menendez, Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement. While the sale is still in the informal review process, Congress is also unlikely to approve the sale as long as Turkey refuses to proceed with the ratification of Sweden and Finland's NATO membership.

☆ Ongoing headaches with F-35 fighter jets are rippling through the rest of the US military's combat aircraft fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Air Force maintainers work on an F-35A at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in February 2020. Nial BradshawRussia's air force has been mocked for poor maintenance that has undercut its airpower in the Ukraine war. Particularly troubling was a November 2022 GAO study that analyzed readiness of 49 US military aircraft models between 2011 and 2021. A reassembled F-35A is hoisted during a training course at Hill Air Force Base in September 2022. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps together plan to spend $20.2 billion a year for tactical aircraft development and procurement between now and 2027.

☆ Canada to buy U.S.-built surface-to-air missiles for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Canada will buy a U.S.-made National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine, a statement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office said after a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Mexico City on Tuesday. "This is the first Canadian donation of an air defense system to Ukraine," Defense Minister Anita Anand said on Twitter after the announcement. Air defense systems are Ukraine's top priority, she said her Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, told her in a phone conversation held earlier on Tuesday. The NASAMS is a short- to medium-range ground-based air defense system that protects against drone, missile, and aircraft attack, Anand said. The donation has a value of about C$406 million ($302.6 million), and is in addition to the C$500 million Canada promised to Ukraine in November, according to a defense ministry statement.

[1/3] U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs fly side by side with Republic of Korea Air Force F-35s as part of a bilateral exercise over the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea, July 12, 2022. OTTAWA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Canada finalized a deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) on Monday in a C$19 billion ($14.2 billion) project to replace its aging fleet of fighter aircraft. Anand said it was the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 30 years. The F-35 fighter announcement coincides with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's trip to Mexico on Monday for the North American leaders' summit where he will meet U.S. President Joe Biden. Canada is part of a consortium that helped develop Lockheed Martin's F-35 and Ottawa will pay the same amount for the aircraft as the other participants, including the United States.

☆ Canada finalizes deal for Lockheed's F-35 fighter jets in C$19 bln project
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs fly side by side with Republic of Korea Air Force F-35s as part of a bilateral exercise over the Yellow Sea, Republic of Korea, July 12, 2022. OTTAWA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Canada has finalized a deal to buy 88 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) in a C$19 billion ($14.2 billion) project to replace its aging fleet of fighter aircraft, the Canadian government said on Monday. The purchase of F-35 stealth fighters would mark the largest investment in the Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years. The F-35 fighter deal announcement coincides with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's trip to Mexico on Monday for the North American leaders' summit where he will meet U.S. President Joe Biden. The C$19 billion project includes cost of infrastructure set-up, weapons and other related expenses in addition to the price of planes.

☆ The new F-15EX took a 'major step' closer to carrying more air-to-air missiles than all other US Air Force fighters in testing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The newest Air Force fighter jet recently conducted a successful missile test. The test was a big step for the F-15EX Eagle II, a new aircraft slated to replace aging F-15s. As Defense News reported, the F-15EX Eagle II will also carry more missiles than the other fighter jets in the Air Force's inventory. The advanced F-15EX Eagle II is a two-seater aircraft capable of carrying up to 30,000 pounds of missiles and munitions. Following the recent test, the Air Force said that after testing wraps up, operational units will receive F-15EX fighters able to carry a full load of 12 missiles.

☆ 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.

☆ Chinese jet came within 20 feet of U.S. military aircraft- U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - A Chinese military plane came within 20 feet (6 metres) of a U.S. air force aircraft and forced it to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision in international airspace over the South China Sea last week, the U.S. military said on Thursday. The close encounter followed what the United States has called a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft. The incident, which involved a Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet and a U.S. air force RC-135 aircraft, took place on Dec. 21, the U.S. military added in a statement. In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in November, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raised the need to improve crisis communications, and also noted what he called dangerous behavior by Chinese military planes. Reporting by Idrees Ali and Doina Chiacu Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chinese jet came within 10 feet of U.S. military aircraft -U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The close encounter followed what the United States has called a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft. A U.S. military spokesperson said the Chinese jet came within 10 feet of the plane's wing, but 20 feet from its nose, which caused the U.S. aircraft to take evasive maneuvers. China claims vast swathes of the South China Sea that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines. In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in November, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raised the need to improve crisis communications, and also noted what he called dangerous behavior by Chinese military planes. Australia's defence department said in June that a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May.

☆ 3 times the US military brought back 'obsolete' weapons to take on new enemies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Miguel Ortiz | We Are The Mighty | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Most military enthusiasts are familiar with the Reagan administration's 600-ship Navy and the reactivation of the battleships USS Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey and Wisconsin. However, USS New Jersey was brought back into active service once before. US ArmyAn evolution of the famed M1 Garand of WWII and Korea, the M14 battle rifle became the standard-issue rifle for the US military in 1959. It served as the basis of the M21 Sniper Weapon System introduced in 1968 and M25 Sniper Weapon System introduced in 1991. Though both weapon systems have been largely replaced by the M24 Sniper Weapon System, the M14 lives on as the Mk14 Enhanced Battle Rifle.

☆ The F-14 Tomcat first flew 52 years ago. Here's why the US destroyed them rather than let anyone else buy them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Blake Stilwell | We Are The Mighty | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US Navy's famed F-14 Tomcat fighter jet first flew on December 21, 1970. There was only one foreign customer for the advanced F-14 Tomcat fighter during its heyday: Iran. Rob Tabor/USAFThe Iranian air force was so skilled in the Iran-Iraq War that a lone Tomcat could clear the skies of enemy aircraft without firing a shot. The idea of selling Iran rare F-14 parts so it didn't have to cannibalize its own F-14 inventory was preposterous. It was this concern that led the Pentagon to shred every leftover F-14 Tomcat.

☆ Russian fighter jets are struggling in Ukraine, but Ukraine can't beat their missiles and radars, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian air force's lackluster performance in Ukraine has been scrutinized throughout the war. Despite its failings over Ukraine, Russia's air force still has advanced jets and missiles. Russian pilots have modified their operations in order to make the most of those advantages. But that doesn't mean that the Russian air force is stupid. Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty ImagesDespite initial fears that they would be smashed by Russian missiles and jets, Ukrainian air defenses have had a major impact.

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy asks European leaders for air defence, tanks, weapons
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"I ask you to increase the possibility of supplying air defence systems to our country, and to help speed up the relevant decisions to be taken by our partners," Zelenskiy said, addressing Sunak. "For our defence operations to be more successful we need armoured vehicles, primarily tanks," said Zelenskiy. "The sooner we restore our border control, the stronger your security will be," Zelenskiy said. "Ukrainian children in their letters to St Nicholas ask for air defence, for weapons, for victory," he said, referring to the name used for Santa Claus in Ukraine. Reporting by Andrius Sytas, editing by Terje Solsvik, Stine Jacobsen and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Since the early days of the invasion, Mr. Putin has conceded, privately, that the war has not gone as planned. “I think he is sincerely willing” to compromise with Russia, Mr. Putin said of Mr. Zelensky in 2019. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. To join in Mr. Putin’s war, he has recruited prisoners, trashed the Russian military and competed with it for weapons. “I think this war is Putin’s grave.” Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, a Russian prisoner of war held by Ukraine, in October.

☆ Japan, Britain and Italy to build jet fighter together
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Japan, Britain and Italy are merging their next-generation jet fighter projects in a ground-breaking partnership spanning Europe and Asia that is Japan’s first major industrial defense collaboration beyond the United States since World War II. Amid what it sees as deteriorating regional security, Japan this month will announce a military build up plan that is expected to double defense spending to about 2% of gross domestic product over five years. “It’s also good for our international reputation”The proposed jet fighter aircraft Tempest, shown during the Farnborough Airshow, in southern England in July. Britain also wants Japan to improve how it provides security clearances to contractors who will work on the aircraft, sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. “The United States supports Japan’s security and defense cooperation with likeminded allies and partners, including with the United Kingdom and Italy,” the U.S. Department of Defense said in a joint statement with Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

☆ GCAP: Japan, Britain and Italy team up to build sixth-generation fighter jet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It will showcase technologies from each of the three partners, the British statement said. All three countries are part of the US fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter program, under which all three fly the F-35 and versions of the warplane are assembled in Italy and Japan. The US also has a sixth-generation fighter jet – known as the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program – in the works. It is designed to be the successor to its F-22, which along with the F-35, is considered the world’s top fighter jet. “The Air Force intends for NGAD to replace the F-22 fighter jet beginning in 2030, possibly including a combination of crewed and uncrewed aircraft,” a US Congressional Research document says.

☆ An often overlooked Swedish fighter may be the jet Ukraine needs to take on Russia now, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet has earned high marks for its capabilities and affordability. But buyers have often passed on the Gripen in favor of other jets, including the US-made F-35. A Saab JAS 39C Gripen jet during an air show in June 2011. US Air Force F-16s with Swedish air force JAS 39 Gripens over the Baltic Sea during an exercise in June 2018. A new Brazilian Air Force F-39E Gripen at an air base in Brasilia in October 2020.

☆ U.S., China defence ministers meet for second time this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In June, a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May, Australia's defence department said. Tuesday's meeting of the defence ministers took place on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Siem Reap, Cambodia. read moreAfter Pelosi's visit, China announced it was halting dialogue with the United States in a number of areas, including between theater-level military commanders. Pelosi's Taiwan trip infuriated China, which saw it as a U.S. attempt to interfere in its internal affairs. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

☆ Pentagon chief raises concern about Beijing's 'dangerous' behavior with Chinese counterpart
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/PoolPHNOM PENH, Nov 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday emphasized the need to improve crisis communications during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart while raising concern about "increasingly dangerous" behavior by Chinese military aircraft. In June, a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May, Australia's defence department said. Tuesday's meeting of the defence ministers took place on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Siem Reap, Cambodia. read moreAfter Pelosi's visit, China announced it was halting dialogue with the United States in a number of areas, including between theater-level military commanders. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

It’s become routine since Russia invaded Ukraine: President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak by phone whenever the U.S. announces a new package of military assistance for Kyiv. Biden had barely finished telling Zelenskyy he’d just greenlighted another $1 billion in U.S. military assistance for Ukraine when Zelenskyy started listing all the additional help he needed and wasn’t getting. Biden lost his temper, the people familiar with the call said. Biden now faces resistance from some Republicans and Democrats that wasn’t present when Congress approved previous Ukraine funds. “I had an important conversation with U.S. President Biden today,” he said in videotaped remarks.

It's become routine since Russia invaded Ukraine: President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak by phone whenever the U.S. announces a new package of military assistance for Kyiv. Biden had barely finished telling Zelenskyy he'd just greenlighted another $1 billion in U.S. military assistance for Ukraine when Zelenskyy started listing all the additional help he needed and wasn't getting. Biden lost his temper, the people familiar with the call said. Administration officials said Biden and Zelenskyy's relationship has only improved since the June phone call, after which Zelenskyy made a statement praising the U.S. for its generous assistance. "I had an important conversation with U.S. President Biden today," he said in videotaped remarks.

☆ Russian fighter jet 'released a missile' near unarmed British surveillance plane, U.K. defense secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Henry Austin | Henry Austin Is A London-Based Editor For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON — A Russian fighter jet “released a missile” in the vicinity of an unarmed British surveillance plane, the U.K.’s defense minister said Thursday. He added that Russia’s Ministry of Defense had replied “that they had conducted an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and stated it was a technical malfunction of the SU-27 fighter.”NBC News has reached out the Russian defense ministry for comment. Wallace also urged Iran to “desist” from supplying Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles dubbed “kamikaze” drones, which Moscow has been using to attack Ukraine. Iran has denied supplying Russia with drones. Both Washington and Kyiv have accused Tehran of supplying the drones to Moscow to be used in Ukraine, accusations Iran has denied.

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