In the Arabian Sea, the US military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that aggressively approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The drone was maneuvering towards the ship 500 miles off the coast of Iran.
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and F-35 fighters have arrived in the Middle East. The US is deploying additional air defense assets to protect allies and American troops.
A Pentagon report revealed that US military bases are defenseless against drones due to legislative confusion. This creates legal paradoxes and makes timely response to threats impossible.
Lockheed Martin delivered a record 191 F-35 fighter jets last year, but almost half of them were supposed to be delivered two years ago. The delays are due to software issues and system modernization.
The United States and Norway have begun deploying troops for the "Cold Response 26" exercise in the High North. Approximately 3,000 U.S. Marines are arriving in January to train in extreme winter conditions before the active phase of the maneuvers in March 2026.
Two Danish F-35 fighter jets and a French MRTT tanker aircraft conducted joint exercises in southeastern Greenland. The mission was to practice aerial refueling and flights in Arctic conditions.
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to accelerate arms production for allies to shorten the multi-year delivery times for aircraft and helicopters. He plans to strictly control defense companies to avoid delays in the supply of military equipment.
Turkish President Erdogan insists on the country's reintegration into the F-35 program, which he discussed with Donald Trump. Ankara seeks to obtain the aircraft for which it has already paid part of the funds, but Israel opposes it due to the use of unique technologies in the aircraft.
The head of the Swiss armed forces, Thomas Süssli, stated that the country is not ready for large-scale military threats and can only counter cyberattacks. Only a third of soldiers would be equipped in an emergency.
The F-35 fighter jets' readiness for flight in 2024 was only 50% due to poor maintenance by Lockheed Martin and a lack of Pentagon oversight. Despite this, the Pentagon paid the company $1.7 billion without penalties, and the US Air Force reduced its F-35 order for 2026 due to rising costs.
Czech Defense Minister Jaromír Zuna confirmed the continuation of the ammunition initiative for Ukraine until 2026. Funding has been secured for the purchase of 760,000 shells, and support for Ukraine is "a matter of course."
Turkey is negotiating with Russia to return the S-400 systems to resolve the conflict with NATO and acquire F-35 fighters. This will allow Ankara to resume military cooperation with the West and strengthen its air force.
The FCAS fifth-generation fighter jet program between France, Germany, and Spain has fallen into a deep crisis due to strategic disagreements. The project's implementation is now "very unlikely," and a decision on it will likely be postponed until 2026.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has canceled a planned visit to the United States to participate in European discussions on the peace process in Ukraine. He will join talks in Berlin, where other European leaders and high-ranking officials will also be present.
Switzerland has decided to purchase fewer F-35 fighter jets from the US than planned to keep costs within the approved limit. The country faced additional costs of up to 1.3 billion Swiss francs due to rising energy and raw material prices.
US B-52 bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, flew over the Sea of Japan alongside Japanese F-35 and F-15 fighters. This was a response to joint China-Russia exercises in the region, as well as increased Chinese military activity around Taiwan.
US Ambassador Tom Barrack said that Turkey must abandon the Russian S-400 air defense system. This is a condition for the country's return to the F-35 program.
The Netherlands scrambled two F-35 fighter jets in response to reports of an unknown drone in its airspace. The drone posed no threat and left the country's airspace; its origin remains unclear.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a multi-billion dollar civilian nuclear energy agreement. This happened during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Washington.
Donald Trump stated that Mohammed bin Salman "knew nothing" about Jamal Khashoggi's murder, contradicting US intelligence findings. The Crown Prince called the murder a "huge mistake," and Khashoggi's widow called on him to apologize.
US President Donald Trump hosted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, seeking to restore his global image after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and deepen ties with Washington. The meeting focused on developing security ties, cooperation in the civilian nuclear sector, and multi-billion dollar business deals.
Donald Trump announced his intention to approve the sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia ahead of a meeting with the Crown Prince. This multi-billion dollar deal could shift the balance of power in the Middle East and face resistance in the US Congress.
A joint flight display of the American F-35 and the Russian Su-57E took place in Dubai. The UAE previously sought to acquire the F-35, and Saudi Arabia is considered a potential buyer of American aircraft.
In August 2025, the US successfully tested the B61-12 tactical thermonuclear aerial bomb without a warhead at a test site in Nevada. The tests were conducted by F-35 fighters and confirmed the reliability of the weapon system.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has approved the sale of air defense systems worth $3. 5 billion to Germany. Berlin requested 173 Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I missiles and 577 Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC missiles, as well as related equipment.
The US may sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the White House on Tuesday. The deals will include a possible F-35 contract and LNG imports, as well as discussions on access to AI chips and nuclear technology.
Tensions between the US and Venezuela are rising due to the redeployment of the aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" to the shores of South America.
Poland and Romania are deploying a new American Merops weapon system to defend against Russian drones, capable of detecting and approaching drones using artificial intelligence. This system, also deployed in Denmark, is designed to strengthen defenses on NATO's eastern flank after a series of drone incursions into the alliance's airspace.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense signed a contract to purchase 18 F-16 aircraft and equipment from the Netherlands for a symbolic price of 1 euro. They will be used for training, including Ukrainian pilots, at the European F-16 Training Center.
Several drones were spotted over the Kleine Brogel military airbase in Belgium, where US nuclear weapons are stored. Police arrived at the scene, but the drones disappeared, although they were captured on video.
