Italian Navy chief raises Baykar TB3 option for ITS Cavour
Italian Navy chief tells Senate TB3 could operate from carrier Cavour via Baykar–Leonardo cooperation, echoing TurDef’s 2025 report on potential integration.
F-35b News
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Analysis
Air
Logistics
Pentagon audit questions sustainability of F-35 programme
Pentagon’s audit found weak oversight, low readiness rates and continued payments within the F-35 programme, raising questions systemic risk for the US.
Air
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
Bilateral Relations
US Deploys 10 F-35s to the Republic of Korea, Pyongyang Furious
The US has stationed ten F-35 stealth fighters at Kunsan Air Base for joint drills with the Republic of Korea, drawing sharp condemnation from North Korea.
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Spain Drops F-35B along with Carrier-Based Fighter Plans
Madrid will phase out its AV-8B+ Harrier jets without F-35B replacement, leaving Spain without carrier-based fixed-wing aviation for at least a decade.
Navy / Maritime
Engine and Transmission
Italian Navy Plans Nuclear Aircraft Carrier for 2040
Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Enrico Credendino, stated that there are plans for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and various UAVs in 2040.
Navy / Maritime
Weapon / Missile
The UK Delays SPEAR 3 integration into F-35Bs until the 2030s
The UK has formally pushed back the integration of the SPEAR 3 missile into its F-35B II fleet, creating drawbacks to the country’s amphibious capabilities.
Navy / Maritime
Air
US Marine Corps Deploys First F-35B Squadron in Japan
The US Marine Corps has deployed the first F-35B Lightning II fighters in Japan by sending the historical VMFA-214 “Black Sheep” unit to MCAS Iwakuni.
Navy / Maritime
Air
Weapon / Missile
F-35B Carries AGM-158C LRASM Anti-Ship Missiles Under Wings
A US Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B STOVL fighter jet performed its maiden flight with two AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) with under-wing carriage.
Air
MBDA’s Meteor BVRAAM Takes Flight Onboard USMC F-35B
The Royal Air Force announced the flight test with the Meteor BVRAAM in inert configuration onboard an F-35B STOVL fighter jet of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Royal Navy Plans Vixen UAV as AEW&C Helicopter Replacement
The Royal Navy plans to replace its AW101 Crowsnest helicopters, which are configured for AEW&C missions, with the Vixen UAV for aircraft carriers in the 2030s.
Weapon / Missile
TÜBİTAK SAGE Unveils GÖKHAN Ramjet-Powered BVRAAM’s Design
GÖKHAN ramjet-powered beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, first announced in 2021, has been put on TÜBİTAK SAGE’s updated website alongside the design.
Navy / Maritime
Air
Pentagon Orders 145 F-35 Jets Worth $11.76 Billion
Department of Defence has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $11.76 billion to manufacture 145 F-35 fighter jets in various configurations.
Navy / Maritime
Italy's New LHD Trieste Enters Service
The Italian Navy has commissioned its newest LHD ITS Trieste (L-9890) with the capability to operate helicopters and F-35B STOVL fighters.
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Mojave STOL UCAV Takes off From ROKS Dokdo LPH
Following the take-off/landing test from HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, Mojave took off from ROKN's Dokdo LPH (LPH-6111).
Analysis
Navy / Maritime
Weapon / Missile
Engine and Transmission
Air
Unmanned Systems
Expo and Air Show
Can Turkiye Build an Aircraft Carrier?
The Turkish Aircraft Carrier MUGEM is currently being designed in the Project Design Office.
Navy / Maritime
Air
Italy Declares IOC for F-35B STOVL Fighters
Italian Navy Chief Admiral Enrico Credendino has stated that the F-35Bs of the carrier ITS Cavour (C550) have reached IOC.
Global Defence Trend Brief
- 15:00 US Air Force expands development of autonomous electronic warfare systems - The US Air Force is increasing investment in autonomous electronic warfare technologies designed to...
- 15:00 European governments accelerate military infrastructure hardening - European countries are investing in hardened shelters, protected command facilities and resilient lo...
- 15:00 China advances integration of satellite and drone reconnaissance - China is strengthening integration between satellite networks and unmanned reconnaissance systems to...
- 15:00 Japan expands dispersed munitions storage network - Japan is building additional dispersed ammunition storage sites to improve resilience and reduce vul...
- 15:00 Autonomous maritime surveillance becomes naval priority - Navies are increasingly deploying autonomous maritime surveillance platforms to maintain persistent...
- 15:00 Counter-drone programmes focus on defeating saturation attacks - Military planners are prioritising layered counter-UAS systems capable of engaging large numbers of...
- 15:00 Hypersonic missile tracking drives sensor network expansion - Defence agencies are accelerating development of integrated radar and space-based sensor architectur...
- 15:00 Military logistics automation gains momentum worldwide - Armed forces are expanding the use of autonomous logistics vehicles and AI-assisted planning systems...
- 15:00 Collaborative combat aircraft concepts broaden operational roles - Future autonomous wingman platforms are increasingly being designed for electronic warfare, reconnai...
- 15:00 Industrial production resilience becomes strategic advantage - Defence suppliers with scalable manufacturing capacity and secure supply chains are gaining a compet...
