Ukraine and Sweden Sign a 16-Jet Gripen E Deal — With Eyes on 100+
Kyiv and Stockholm finalized a 16-aircraft new-build Gripen E agreement on June 30, 2026, the first tranche of a fleet that could grow past 100.
The U.S. Air Force Picks Its First Unmanned Fighters — YFQ-42 and YFQ-44 ‘Fury’
The Air Force cleared both the General Atomics YFQ-42A and Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury into production — its first fighter-designated aircraft with no cockpit, ~150 by 2030.
NASA’s X-59 Breaks the Sound Barrier — Quietly — and Hits Mach 1.4
NASA’s X-59 quiet-supersonic demonstrator exceeded Mach 1 for the first time on June 5, 2026, then reached its target Mach 1.4 at 55,000 ft on June 12 — clearing the way for the community overflights meant to replace the sonic boom with a soft thump.
Ukraine’s Russia Day Raid: Deep-Strike Drones Hit Refineries 1,100 km Inside Russia
On June 12, 2026, Ukrainian long-range drones struck the TANEKO and TAIF-NK refineries in Tatarstan and a synthetic-rubber plant in Samara — more than 1,100 km from the border. Russia claimed it downed 231 drones across more than 15 regions.
GAO Report: The F-35 Mission-Capable Rate Has Fallen to Just 44%
A June 11, 2026 GAO report found the F-35 fleet’s mission-capable rate has dropped from 67% in FY21 to 44% in FY25, with full-mission-capable down to 25%. The watchdog blamed spare-parts shortages, software delays and contractor reliance.
Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Debuts a Bigger Wing at ILA Berlin
At ILA Berlin on June 10, 2026, Boeing revealed an enlarged MQ-28 Ghost Bat with a 25% larger wing, lifting max takeoff weight to 12,000 lb and adding an internal bay for two AMRAAMs — days after the drone’s first operations outside Australia.
France and Germany Kill the FCAS Sixth-Generation Fighter
At ILA Berlin on June 9, 2026, Germany confirmed the trilateral FCAS program’s crewed Next Generation Fighter was terminated after nine years and roughly €4 billion, sunk by a workshare dispute. Europe’s next-gen fighter map is now being redrawn around GCAP.
Still the Fastest Thing Ever Built: Parker Solar Probe Makes Its 28th Dive Past the Sun
On June 8, 2026, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe completed its 28th close pass of the Sun, once again diving through
Rolls-Royce and Safran Square Off to Power India’s AMCA Stealth Fighter
On June 4, 2026, Rolls-Royce offered to co-develop a clean-sheet ~110 kN fighter engine in India with full IP transfer for the AMCA Mk2, going head-to-head with France’s Safran. The winner powers the heavier variant of India’s first stealth fighter.
The U.S. Marine Corps Retires the AV-8B Harrier II
At a Sundown ceremony at MCAS Cherry Point on June 3, 2026, the last Marine Harrier squadron sent a five-ship formation aloft to retire the AV-8B after 54 years of U.S. jump-jet service. The F-35B now carries the vertical-landing mission.