Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
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.
US military personnel involved in a mission in Latin America under the Trump administration were forced to sign non-disclosure agreements. This raised suspicions of excessive secrecy and is an unprecedented move.
Japan will receive the first batch of missiles for American-made F-35 fighter jets. This comes amid Toyota's $10 billion investment in US plants.
Turkey and Great Britain signed a $10. 7 billion agreement for the acquisition of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. The delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2030.
In the Bavarian city of Erding, police wounded a Bundeswehr soldier with live ammunition during exercises. Soldiers in balaclavas with weapons opened fire with blank cartridges at police officers who arrived at the call of local residents.
Belgium will continue F-16 deliveries to Ukraine on schedule, after the first three F-35s are put into operation. This will take from a year to a year and a half, after which Belgium will be able to provide F-16s to Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius intends to order 15 F-35A fighter jets for 2. 5 billion euros. This will supplement the 35 aircraft already ordered, which are scheduled to start arriving in 2027.
The UK is investigating a large-scale cyberattack in which a Russian hacker group gained access to confidential data from eight military bases. The attackers penetrated the Ministry of Defense systems through the contractor company Dodd Group, stealing internal documents, personnel lists, and official email addresses.
At the aircraft factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, production has begun on the first prototype of the Su-75 "Checkmate," a light fifth-generation stealth aircraft. This project, first unveiled in 2021, is positioned as a more affordable alternative to the Su-57 and Western counterparts.
The Netherlands has pledged to provide Ukraine with 90 million euros for drones. The Dutch Minister of Defense emphasized the need to develop more effective methods of destroying drones than using F-35 fighters.
In recent months, at least ten European countries have reported drone incursions into their airspace, raising concerns and leading to increased security measures. Romania, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, France, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, and Belgium have witnessed these incidents, some of which are linked to Russia.
Belgium is considering transferring additional F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. This became possible after the arrival of the first fifth-generation F-35 aircraft in the country, which will replace the older machines.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has approved the launch of the F/A-XX new generation fighter development program for the United States Navy. This project will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and ensure air superiority over China.
Norwegian F-35 fighter jets will begin a NATO air defense mission in October, based near Poznań. Pilots will be ready to intercept Russian drones and aircraft if the border is violated; the decision rests with the Alliance command.
The Dutch Supreme Court has ordered the government to reconsider the suspended export license for F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel. The export remains suspended for six weeks until the government completes its review.
The Polish Prime Minister stated that Russia's victory in Ukraine would mean the end for his country and Europe. He recalled incidents involving Russian UAVs and attempts to illegally cross the border with Belarus.
A "Shahed" UAV was drawn on one of the Dutch Air Force planes, although other drones flew over Poland in September.
Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated that the deployment of F-35 fighter jets to Poland is a demonstration of the allies' readiness to counter Russian aggression. The Netherlands also plans to send Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems and anti-drone equipment to Poland.
Russian "Shaheds" of the "Geran-2" and "Geran-3" types have a flight range of up to 2500 km and 1600 km, respectively, which allows them to reach European countries, including Great Britain and France. Expert Kostiantyn Kryvolap notes that European air defense systems are effective against high-altitude targets, but may have problems with low-flying drones.
Chief adviser to the President of Lithuania, Deividas Matulionis, stated that the country must be able to use force against aircraft of hostile countries if they violate its airspace. This is a matter of national competence, but NATO may be involved in the event of a serious threat.
US President Donald Trump will host Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on September 25 at the White House. The parties will discuss trade, including the purchase of Boeing aircraft and an F-16 agreement, as well as continued negotiations on the F-35.