F-35A Lightning II – The Defense Post

Apr- 2026 -

29 April

Air

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, lands on the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific Ocean, March 28, 2026. The 11th MEU is currently underway aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations demonstrating the United States’ long-term commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Joseph Helms)

Florida Researchers Model Supersonic Jet Noise for Safer Military Landings

Engineers in Florida have developed a model to explain and reduce the extreme noise produced by military jets during takeoff and landing, a long-standing risk to aircraft and ground crews.

27 April

Americas

Inder Singh Bisht

US Invests in F-35 Test Fleet to Fast-Track Future Upgrades

The US Department of Defense has awarded Lockheed Martin a $177M contract modification to construct three F-35 flight sciences test aircraft.

22 April

Air

Rojoef Manuel

Lockheed Martin, L3Harris to Build F-35 Upkeep Center in Canada

Lockheed Martin and MAS, a Canadian segment of L3Harris, have agreed to deepen cooperation to launch an F-35 depot in Mirabel, Quebec, advancing Ottawa’s push for domestic sustainment of its future fighter fleet.

16 April

Air

A Chilean air force KC-135E Stratotanker and U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fly in Chilean airspace.

Giulia Bernacchi

Chilean KC-135 Stratotanker Refuels US F-35s for First Time

The US Air Force and the Chilean Air Force have conducted an air-to-air refueling involving a Chilean KC-135 and two US F-35A aircraft.

1 April

Air

Rojoef Manuel

Pratt & Whitney to Build More F-35 Engines in $3.8B Pentagon Deal

The US Department of Defense has awarded RTX segment Pratt & Whitney a $3.8-billion contract to produce F135 engines for the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft.

Mar- 2026 -

31 March

Air

Artwork showing an F-22 Raptor with new pods, external fuel tanks, and an unknown air-to-air missile, potentially the AIM-260

Bea Castañeda

AIM-260 JATM: The Next Generation of US Air-to-Air Dominance

This explainer breaks down why the AIM-260 JATM was created, what it replaces, and how it is intended to restore long-range air-to-air dominance.

19 March

Air

Rojoef Manuel

Lockheed Martin Seals Industrial Partnerships for Czech F-35 Program

Lockheed Martin has finalized industrial cooperation agreements as part of an ongoing F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft sale with the Czech Republic.

15 March

Air

Bea Castañeda

Meet the MQ‑25A Stingray: Redefining Carrier Air Power

Navigate our guide on the MQ-25A Stingray, explaining its unmanned design, carrier integration, and refueling capability.

13 March

Air

Bea Castañeda

LRASM: The Missile Built for the Hardest Naval Fights

This guide explains how LRASM delivers long-range, survivable anti-ship strike using autonomous targeting, networked sensors, and stealth to counter advanced naval defenses.

5 March

Air

Bea Castañeda

The F-35 Lightning II: A Guide on the Fifth-Generation Multirole Fighter

Stealth, sensors, and software converge in the F-35 Lightning II. This guide unpacks how the fighter connects pilots, platforms, and domains into a single combat system.

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