Trump greenlights F-16Vs for Taiwan; China threatens ‘countermeasures’

Trump greenlights F-16Vs for Taiwan; China threatens ‘countermeasures’

FPI / August 23, 2019 By Richard Fisher, Geostrategy-Direct.com On Aug. 15, the Trump administration informally told the U.S. Congress that it had approved the $8 billion sale of Lockheed-Martin F-16V fighters to Taiwan, that now requires Congressional approval to proceed. Taiwan has been seeking upgraded and more capable F-16s since 1997, in the wake […]

U.S. ousts Turkey from F-35 program

U.S. ousts Turkey from F-35 program

by WorldTribune Staff, July 19, 2019 The Trump administration ended its partnership with Turkey in the F-35 stealth fighter program after Turkey proceeded with its plan to procure a Russian-made missile defense system, the White House said. Ankara’s continued participation in the F-35 fighter jet program is now “impossible” because of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s […]

F-16 sale to Taiwan would be Trump administration’s latest blow to China

F-16 sale to Taiwan would be Trump administration’s latest blow to China

by WorldTribune Staff, April 1, 2019 The Trump administration has hinted it may soon sell 60 F-16s to Taiwan in what observers say would be a “huge shock” to China. Selling the F-16s to Taiwan, which has sought the jets for more than a decade, would add to several other moves the U.S. has made […]

Belgium snubs Typhoon, chooses F-35s over Eurofighters

Belgium snubs Typhoon, chooses F-35s over Eurofighters

by WorldTribune Staff, October 29, 2018 The Belgian government has chosen to replace its aging fleet of F-16s with the U.S. F-35. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Oct. 25 that he’d chosen the F-35 over the Eurofighter Typhoon (developed by Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain) because it was cheaper. Costs for the F-35 […]

Senate, critics of Turkey’s Erdogan press U.S. to stop sale of 100 F-35s

Senate, critics of Turkey’s Erdogan press U.S. to stop sale of 100 F-35s

by WorldTribune Staff, July 10, 2018 U.S. senators, Israeli officials and other critics of Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are calling on the U.S. to halt the sale of up to 100 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey. Lockheed Martin on June 21 announced the roll-out of Turkey’s first two F-35s in an official ceremony […]

Second installment of F-35s delivered to Israel

Second installment of F-35s delivered to Israel

by WorldTribune Staff, April 24, 2017 Israel took delivery of three more F-35 “Adir” stealth fighter jets on April 23. The three F-35s, the second installment of a total of 50 that Israel will receive by 2020, landed at Nevatime Air Base in southern Israel. Two F-35s were delivered to Israel in December. Senior Israeli […]

Analyst: Why Trump was right on ‘out of control’ F-35 costs

Analyst: Why Trump was right on ‘out of control’ F-35 costs

by WorldTribune Staff, December 23, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump “can recognize when he is being scammed” and the Pentagon was doing just that by telling him the U.S. could get F-35s “for two to four times what they originally advertised,” security analyst Winslow T. Wheeler said on Dec. 22. Trump had tweeted on Dec. 12 […]

Report: Obama moving entire F-16 production line to India

Report: Obama moving entire F-16 production line to India

by WorldTribune Staff, December 7, 2016 The Obama administration is moving to have the F-16 produced “exclusively” in India. While the F-16 has been produced in other countries through joint ventures before, President Barack Obama’s move could mark the first time that an entire assembly line has been moved abroad. The U.S. is phasing out […]

Israel expects to retain air dominance with arrival of F-35s

Israel expects to retain air dominance with arrival of F-35s

by WorldTribune Staff, November 30, 2016 Israel expects to have total air dominance in the Middle East for the next four decades with the arrival on Dec. 12 of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. “The future is here,” Israeli Air Force (IAF) Chief of Staff Brig.-Gen. Tal Kalman said, adding that “the F-35 will allow […]

Pentagon weighs deploying F-35s against ISIL

Pentagon weighs deploying F-35s against ISIL

by WorldTribune Staff, July 10, 2016 The United States may deploy the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), a U.S. Air Force general said. “There’s no reason to suppose that the F-35 stealth fighter will be sent to fight in Syria within the next few years. […]