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.
Aviation Insights
Read aviation news, flight-science explainers and evidence-led analysis of aircraft, engines, sensors, defense programs and aerospace technology.
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.
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.
KF-21 Boramae Update: South Koreas Fighter Program Hits Its Stride
South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae is quietly becoming one of the most interesting fighter programs in the world. Born from a