Free Republic

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) is calling for a federal investigation into radical organizer Aisha Nizar, after Nizar openly encouraged Palestinian activists to intervene in the U.S. F-35 fighter jet supply chain. The so-called “People’s Conference for Palestine,” held August 29 in Detroit, brought together thousands of anti-Israel agitators, leftist groups, and pro-Hamas sympathizers under one roof. Far from a “peace” summit, the event quickly devolved into calls for sabotage, economic warfare, and even direct intervention against the United States military supply chain. According to recently released reports, radical organizers are furious that shipments of U.S.-made F-35 components are being...

The fact is, said a retired Dassault executive, that “those questioning the Rafale’s combat capability forget just how long the aircraft has been around, how Dassault was one of the first aircraft design companies to seriously mitigate the aircraft’s signature by treating the inlets with radar absorbing materials, how it was one of the first aircraft to have an electronically-scanning array radar, and so on.” “These and other features of Rafale make it more than a match for these US aircraft within the visual range part of the engagement envelope,” he continued.

Ever since the Europeans signed on to the F-35 program, it has been clouded by one persistent fear: that in some future geopolitical crisis, Washington might seek to exercise leverage by denying software updates or spare parts, thereby rendering the European fleet inoperable. But where does this geopolitical anxiety come from? Is it grounded in historical fact (i.e., have there been precedents in which the United States weaponized its control over advanced weapon systems against its allies)?

China’s stealth air force has exploded from a small, elite capability into a massive and rapidly growing fleet designed to challenge American air power. With hundreds of J-20s in service, the new J-35 entering production, and three different sixth-generation prototypes already flying, Beijing’s ambition is clear. This formidable force, supported by a growing fleet of new tankers and AWACS aircraft, is specifically tailored to counter the U.S. in the Pacific by hunting key support assets and penetrating defenses.

The wild upgrades to the F-35 pitched by the designer of the YF-23

Vladimir Putin appeared rattled by Donald Trump's military jet flyover after the two leaders shook hands for the first time in six years today during a historic moment in Alaska. A B2 bomber and four F-35 figher jets flew above Putin and Trump as they walked to the US president's motorcade - a symbolic ride together into one of the most high-stakes diplomatic showdowns in decades. The Russian leader appeared shocked as the jets took off, pausing his walk to look up overhead.

While the U.S. F-35 and F-22 may be qualitatively superior, China’s ability to mass-produce its J-20 stealth fighter presents a grave quantitative threat. China’s “offset strategy with Chinese characteristics” focuses on overwhelming the limited number of American fifth-generation jets with a massive fleet of J-20s.

Spain has formally ruled out buying US-made F-35 fighter jets, opting instead to expand its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons and invest in the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The move reflects both strategic and political divergence from Washington, especially amid renewed pressure from Donald Trump over NATO spending. .. Why the F-35 lost out Spain’s pivot is part of a wider rethink in Europe. The F-35 programme, long plagued by soaring costs, software delays, and mechanical issues, is losing ground. Recent operational mishaps, including a British F-35B grounded in India and a US Navy crash in California, haven’t helped....

Air superiority is no longer just a matter of the capabilities of individual aircraft. It’s a question of posture, doctrine, and overall warfighting infrastructure. And in that domain, the contest is no longer so lopsided. The West can no longer take comfort in its F-35 fleet. The J-20 has evolved into its operational equal—if not its superior.

As India retires its last legendary MiG-21 fighters, its air force is shrinking to a historic low of just 29 squadrons, falling dangerously behind a rapidly expanding China. To counter this, New Delhi faces a critical and long-delayed decision for its next 5th-generation fighter. The choice is a high-stakes geopolitical dilemma: the combat-proven but expensive American F-35, or Russia’s Su-57, which offers local production but is seen as a “huge bet” on a “dying” and unreliable defense industry.

In a historic pivot, the Pentagon is reportedly halving its planned purchase of F-35 stealth fighters, signaling a significant shift in U.S. airpower strategy. The move is a long-overdue break from a history of bad procurement choices, like rejecting the superior YF-23. Many would argue the F-35 is a vulnerable “procurement Frankenstein,” unsuited for a future war with China or Russia.

While the F-35 is a capable 5th-generation fighter, it is a transitional “stopgap” that is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the evolving threats from China and Russia. To maintain air dominance, the U.S. must rapidly develop the 6th-generation F-47. The F-47 is envisioned not just as a faster, stealthier fighter, but as a “quarterback” for the entire battlespace, orchestrating drones, cyber operations, and other assets.

Key Points and Summary on Canada and F-35 – After a quarter-century of debate, Canada is in the final, critical phase of deciding the future of its F-35 fighter jet program. A comprehensive government review, expected by the end of summer 2025, will determine whether the nation proceeds with the full purchase of 88 stealth fighters.

Canada’s planned purchase of 88 F-35 stealth fighters is in jeopardy following a damning report from Auditor General Karen Hogan that revealed the program’s cost has ballooned by nearly 50% to C$27.7 billion.

Beginning June 13, 2025, Operation Rising Lion has centered around the capabilities of Israel’s largely U.S.-made air forces. F-16s, F-35s and the venerable F-15s have opened up the skies over Iran. That enabled a complex campaign targeting Iran’s air defenses, nuclear sites, ballistic missile and drone production, and some of Iran’s mobile missile launchers. Israel has used precision weapons ranging from the satellite-guided JDAM to the newer Small Diameter Bomb.

Summary and Key Points: The nearly $9 billion cost increase for Canada’s F-35 acquisition, bringing the total to $27.7 billion, is not the real scandal; it is a symptom of a deeper “strategy shock.” According to a recent Auditor-General’s report, this “sticker shock” is less concerning than the fact that Canada lacks a coherent plan to support the jets. Key basing infrastructure for the F-35s will not be ready until 2029, years after the first jets arrive in 2026, and the Royal Canadian Air Force already faces a severe pilot shortage, raising serious questions about the nation’s ability to operate...

Over the years, Israel has requested the chance to become the F-22 Raptor’s sole foreign operator. While the F-35 Lightning II fighter is often considered to be the best of its kind in service today, another American-made fifth-generation jet, the F-22 Raptor, may have surpassed it. The older F-22 Raptor features all the latest and greatest features. The platform’s unmatched stealth, impressive speed, and sophisticated avionics and sensors makes the F-22 arguably the most coveted fighter series across the globe. Israel is perhaps the Raptor’s biggest fan. Surrounded by hostile adversaries and currently embroiled in a multi-front war against Iran,...

WASHINGTON — In keeping with his penchant for shocking the defense industry, President Donald Trump today seemingly revealed plans to develop a twin-engine version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter known as the F-55, as well as an upgraded “F-22 Super.”But former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he was “mystified by Trump’s comments,” and analysts said that what the president described would be a highly challenging engineering endeavor on par with creating a clean-sheet aircraft. They also questioned the wisdom of spending scarce budget dollars on a twin-engine advanced F-35 when the newly announced F-47 is already planned to...

The Royal Navy's flagship HMS Prince of Wales has departed on one of its biggest deployments yet. The £3bn aircraft carrier set off from Portsmouth and will take part in exercises demonstrating the UK's ability to operate fast jets at sea, and carry out large scale military operations on the other side of the world. Up to 24 of the latest F-35B stealth jets will join the carrier as it leads a multi-national fleet of warships to 40 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia. The 65,000-tonne warship, which can hold up to 1,600 military personnel,...

A dark mass of clouds hung low over North Charleston as Marine Col. Charles "Tre" Del Pizzo began his descent. It was a Sunday afternoon, late September 2023. Del Pizzo's hands were on the control stick and throttle of an F-35B Lightning II, the U.S. military’s most advanced stealth fighter, a $136 million supercomputer with wings. The F-35B can hover like a helicopter, and Del Pizzo planned to use that technology to land. Del Pizzo had just finished a training sortie over the Atlantic with a second F-35B pilot, practicing tactics at upwards of 500 mph at seven times the...