March 23 (UPI) — A Colombian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed Monday in the southern department of Putumayo while transporting military personnel, with the number of casualties still unknown, authorities said.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed the accident and said the cause remains under investigation. Initial reports indicate the aircraft was carrying about 100 people, including members of Colombia’s armed forces and National Police.
“Military units are already at the scene; however, the number of victims and the causes of the accident have not yet been precisely determined,” Sánchez said on X.
Con profundo dolor informo que un avión Hércules de nuestra @FuerzaAereaCol sufrió un trágico accidente mientras despegaba de Puerto Leguízamo (Putumayo), cuando transportaba tropas de nuestra Fuerza Pública.
Unidades militares ya se encuentran en el lugar de los hechos; sin…— Pedro Arnulfo Sanchez S. Orgullosamente Colombiano (@PedroSanchezCol) March 23, 2026
Gen. Carlos Silva, commander of the Colombian Aerospace Force, said the aircraft was carrying “114 passengers on board and 11 crew members.” He also said that “48 injured people have already been rescued,” though he cautioned that the figure is preliminary, France24 reported.
A witness at the crash site told local radio station La FM that several injured people had been evacuated.
“We are in a rural area where the plane went down and we are collecting the injured. About 10 to 15 people have been taken out. We are transporting them in police vehicles and local residents are helping move people on motorcycles,” the witness said.
Pobladores de la zona aseguraron que hay, al menos, una decena de heridos, que están siendo evacuados con ayuda del Ejército, la FAC y la Policía. pic.twitter.com/PONeOtZLgg— La FM (@lafm) March 23, 2026
Early reports indicate the aircraft may have experienced difficulties during takeoff and failed to gain proper altitude, according to Noticias Caracol.
The aircraft, identified as FAC 1016, was carrying troops from the Army’s 27th Jungle Brigade. The personnel were traveling from Puerto Leguízamo to Puerto Asís as part of a troop rotation, and the plane was expected to return to Bogotá.
President Gustavo Petro addressed the incident on X, expressing concern over possible casualties.
“I hope we do not have deaths in this horrific accident that should not have happened,” Petro said.
He added that his administration has sought to modernize the military’s equipment but has faced bureaucratic obstacles.
“If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to this challenge, they must be removed,” he said.
Petro also said his government has worked to modernize the country’s strategic air fleet and has requested the immediate purchase of helicopters and transport aircraft to expand troop mobility, particularly in regions affected by the grounding of Russian-made helicopters.
He said, contrary to some media reports, the military has been losing operational capacity for more than 15 years and that his administration is committed to fully modernizing its equipment.
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The latest addition to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is, without question, one of the ugliest military aircraft to grace an apron today. With its enormous, bulged nose and other awkward protuberances, the Kawasaki EC-2 is, nevertheless, an important addition to the JASDF at a time when it faces increasing challenges from various sophisticated threats. The aircraft, which has generated much interest, took to the air for the first time today at Gifu Air Base, in the prefecture of the same name.
Derived from Japan’s indigenous C-2 twin-jet transport, the EC-2 is a standoff electronic warfare aircraft, the development of which began in 2021. Its primary role is to interfere with an opponent’s operations on the electromagnetic spectrum, from outside the range of air defense threats.
Specifically, the EC-2 is based on serial 68-1203, which was the third C-2 transport completed, before being modified for its specialist role.
As for the C-2, this military airlifter sits somewhere between a C-17 and a C-130 in terms of size and capabilities. In fact, it is probably closest in most regards to the four-turboprop Airbus A400M, but is powered by a pair of General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofans — similar to those on many 747s and 767s, for instance.
A standard Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-2 transport aircraft. Australian Department of Defense SGT Pete Gammie
Returning to the EC-2, this aircraft is the successor to the JASDF’s one-off and now-retired Kawasaki EC-1, which was converted from an existing C-1 transport airframe and was for many years operated by the Electronic Warfare Operations Group (Denshi Sakusengun) at Iruma Air Base, in Japan’s Saitama prefecture.
A series of photos shows the now-retired Kawasaki EC-1:
Gifu is home to the JASDF’s Aviation Development and Testing Group, which will put the EC-2 through its paces before it is approved for operational service.
Before its first flight, the EC-2 became a peculiar object of interest for spotters and locals alike, with photographers taking numerous shots of the aircraft as it underwent taxi trials at Gifu.
Prior to that, the EC-2’s appearance had only been publicly known thanks to a rendering released by the Japan Ministry of Defense.
Schematic rendering of the EC-2. Japan Ministry of Defense
Back in 2022, a spokesperson from the Japan Ministry of Defense’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) told Janes that the C-2 was selected as the platform due to its ability to carry a significant amount of equipment to enable it to conduct “effective jamming” from outside of the opponent’s threat envelope.
“[The] C-2 transport aircraft has been selected as the base platform after considering such factors as its flight performance, maximum payload, and cost,” the ATLA spokesperson said at the time.
“By choosing the C-2 as the base platform, we make use of the existing infrastructure of the C-2 and thus effectively and efficiently operate the new C-2-based standoff EW aircraft,” the spokesperson added.
Compared to the C-1, the C-2 has a significantly higher payload capacity. The new transport can carry a payload of nearly 80,000 pounds for a maximum takeoff weight of 310,000 pounds, as opposed to a payload of around 26,000 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 100,000 pounds for the older C-1. You can look at a very direct visual comparison of the C-1 and the C-2 here.
A Japan Air Self-Defense Force C-1 transport aircraft in 2017. The last examples of these aircraft were retired in March 2025. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images AFP Contributor
Reportedly, however, at least some of the equipment previously used in the EC-1 — including the J/ALQ-5 electronic countermeasures system — has been ported over to the new EC-2.
Like its predecessor, the EC-2 has a huge bulbous nose, but it also adds two large, bulged fairings in tandem on the top of the fuselage. Meanwhile, there are two other prominent fairings mounted on either side of the rear fuselage.
Very few details of other specific equipment have been released, but imagery of the aircraft confirms that missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) are installed around the fuselage as part of its self-defense suite.
In an operational context, the EC-2 would use its powerful jamming systems to disrupt enemy sensors — especially those belonging to air defense systems and communications — on the ground and in the air, from a long distance.
The details that have been released relating to the EC-2 refer to program costs. Namely, the FY2025 Budget Request notes that around $260 million was allocated to the development of the aircraft. This is part of a total of around $3.2 billion that is being spent to upgrade intelligence collection and analysis capabilities.
Reflecting the increased emphasis on electromagnetic spectrum operations, Japan plans to buy four EC-2s, compared to having just one EC-1 in the past.
The EC-2 is the second specialized variant of the C-2, after the RC-2 signals intelligence (SIGINT) platform, first flown in 2018 and now active with the Electronic Warfare Operations Group. This aircraft was converted from the second C-2, serial 18-1202, and was officially handed over to the JASDF in 2020.
The RC-2 also has fairings on top and on the sides of the fuselage, and atop the tail. The nose radome is enlarged, and there is an extensive under-fuselage antenna ‘farm.’
According to statements from the Japan Ministry of Defense, it seems the EC-2 and RC-2 will likely work in concert. Specifically, the RC-2 is part of a wider effort to “improve capabilities to gather electromagnetic information necessary for electronic jamming and electronic protection.” This suggests that the RC-2 will conduct regular peacetime missions to gather data on locations and types of threat emitters, as part of generating an electronic order of battle, with this information then being used to ensure the EC-2 is able to target specific emitters.
As part of its fiscal 2023 budget, the Japan Ministry of Defense received a little over $25 million to explore the missile-toting C-2 concept, with a plan to continue technical research until fiscal 2024. If judged successful, full-scale development would then follow. The current status of that effort is unclear.
One factor that has stood in the way of additional procurement is the very high cost of the C-2, with around $2.3 billion plowed into the development effort and each airframe priced at approximately $176 million, as of 2017. This means Japan has been buying these aircraft at a slow rate, with the aim of fielding a frontline fleet of 16. The high cost has also contributed to a failure to win any export orders, which, if secured, would have helped to bring down the price.
The EC-2 seen on its first flight earlier today, accompanied by a Mitsubishi F-2B chase plane:
However, there is clearly a need for the EC-2, and it seems likely that the program will yield further examples of the standoff jammer.
In the past, Japanese defense officials have described the regional environment as “severe” and increasingly complex.
After all, Japan faces an increasingly challenging security environment, with the key threats provided by Chinese, North Korean, and Russian military activity. China has intensified its air and naval operations in the East China Sea and the wider Western Pacific, including deploying aircraft carriers and conducting frequent patrols near Japan’s southwestern islands. North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles capable of reaching Japan, while Russian aviation activity around Japanese airspace has also increased, including joint patrols with the Chinese military.
Outside of Japan, this type of platform is of growing interest, with a number of significant active procurement programs. In the past, we have looked in detail at the U.S. Air Force’s EA-37B Compass Call, as well as its derivative for Australia, the MC-55A Peregrine.
The second MC-55A Peregrine for the Royal Australian Air Force arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, last week. Dsperandio dean sperandio
While its bizarre appearance might be the most obvious feature of Japan’s new EC-2, this ungainly machine will play an important role in the modernization of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, as it increasingly looks at how to dominate the electromagnetic domain.
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A perfect storm involving three U.S. Navy aircraft carriers highlights the strain on the fleet amid an ongoing war in the Middle East and tensions in Asia. One of the carriers was damaged by a fire, another just saw its service life extended for the second time, while a third had its delivery pushed back until 2027. Though a Navy official told The War Zone there is no connection between the fire and service life extension, taken in concert these events show how difficult it is to build, operate and maintain the huge and expensive nuclear warships, especially when their deployments or service lives are pushed past anticipated timelines.
On March 12, a fire broke out in the laundry area of the USS Gerald R. Ford while underway in the Middle East, injuring two sailors. Though officials initially said the damage was minor, the vessel is now heading to Souda Bay in Crete for repairs, according to USNI, taking it out of war against Iran. On Monday, The New York Times reported that the fire took more than 30 hours to extinguish and left more than 600 sailors “bunking down on floors and tables.”
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford was damaged by a fire in its laundry area. (Seaman Apprentice Nathan Sears photo) (Seaman Apprentice Nathan Sears photo)
It is unclear how long the Ford’s repairs will take, but it leaves only one carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, on station as the war drags into its 18th day with no immediate end in sight.
The fire was the latest of the Ford’s woes during what has become a 10-month-long deployment that has twice been extended and would set a post-Vietnam War record by mid-April unless it is sent out of theater. The previous record, at 294 days, was set by the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020. However, a military official told the Times that the Pentagon recognizes that the Ford is reaching the limits of its deployment length. He added that the USS George H.W. Bush is preparing to deploy to the Middle East and will probably relieve the Ford. CENTCOM declined to comment when we asked for additional details.
The Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) transits the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 15, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mitchell Mason) Petty Officer 2nd Class Mitchell Mason
As we previously reported, the Ford experienced sewage issues prior to deploying to the Middle East from the Caribbean, the latter of which is where it played a big role in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. Even before that, Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Chief of Naval Operations, was so concerned in January about the condition of the ship and its crew and the scheduled repairs it would miss that he said he would “push back” on any order to extend its deployment.
Typical carrier deployments last about six to eight months, a period designed to ensure the ships can maintain readiness and the crews do not get worn out. When that doesn’t happen, it creates a cascading series of problems that affect not just the ships and crews, but the facilities that have scheduled repairs and lined up workers to make them happen.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the last carrier to make an extended deployment, has seen its planned maintenance extended for a half year and counting as a result of the additional strain of being away from its home port for so long. The Navy’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget shows that work on the ship was supposed to have been completed last July, but it is still unfinished. The lack of availability reverberates across the rest of the fleet. That in turn limits the options commanders have when planning or preparing for contingencies and puts the overall carrier availability plan out of whack.
The Ford already was going to require an extended refurbishment before the fire, now that could be extended much longer. You can read much more about the problems created by deferred carrier maintenance via extended deployments in our deep dive into the issue here.
Meanwhile, the aircraft USS Nimitz, the Navy’s oldest operational carrier, has seen its service life extended for the second time.
“USS Nimitz‘ (CVN 68) service life has since been extended to March 2027,” the Navy said in a statement. “Accordingly, the U.S. Navy plans to inactivate the ship in 2027.”
On March 13, the Navy signed a $95.7 million contract with Huntington Ingalls Inc. “for advance planning and long-lead-time material procurement to prepare and make ready for the accomplishment of the inactivation and defueling of USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2027.”
The news of the extension broke after the carrier departed Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington on March 7 to head to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia as part of a scheduled homeport shift prior to decommissioning, according to Breaking Defense, the first to report the change in the Nimitz’s plans. The Nimitz was initially scheduled to be taken out of service in April of 2025, but that was extended to May of 2026.
The Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits Puget Sound during the ship’s final departure from Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Washington, March 7, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kimberli Ibarra Ruiz) Seaman Kimberli Ibarra Ruiz
It is unclear if the Nimitz will deploy before it will be finally inactivated, but it is no longer assigned an air wing.
However, the decision to keep the ship in service until 2027 coincides with the delivery of the future USS John F. Kennedy, the second Ford class carrier, being pushed back until then.
The Kennedy’s “delivery date shifted from July 2025 to March 2027 (preliminary acceptance TBD) to support completion of Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) certification and continued Advanced Weapons,” a Navy official told us in December.
Federal law requires the Navy to keep at least 11 carriers in the fleet. We’ve asked the Navy if there is a connection between the Nimitz extension and the Kennedy’s delivery delay and will update this story wtih any pertinent information provided.
The Navy announced that the Kennedy completed Builder’s Sea Trials (BST) at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of HII, in Newport News, Virginia, Feb. 4. BSTs provide an opportunity to test ship systems and components at sea for the first time, and make required adjustments prior to additional underway testing.
The future USS John F. Kennedy undergoing Builder’s Sea Trials. (Photo By: Ricky Thompson/HII) ASHLEY COWAN
The current status of the Ford, Nimitz and Kennedy shows the jenga-like nature of trying to meet the needs of commanders while maintaining the condition of ships and crews and adhering to federal law. All of this, of course, is in flux. Given that America is in a new war with an uncertain future, there could be further shockwaves to the Navy’s plans for its carrier fleet.
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The latest addition to the legendary X-plane family is Bell Textron’s demonstrator for the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) program. The chosen X-76 designation (for the year 1776) is intended to reflect the 250th anniversary of the United States.
“Bell is honored to receive the X-76 designation and continue the spirit of American innovation, honoring the founding of the United States in 1776,” said Jason Hurst, Bell SVP, Engineering, in a company media release. “This is an important milestone as the Bell and DARPA team advances to a historic first in aviation history and fulfills our mission of developing next-generation vertical-lift aircraft.”
A DARPA artist’s concept for the X-76. The latest DARPA renderings likely incorporate a degree of artist’s license but make an interesting comparison with Bell renderings. DARPA
SPRINT, which we have discussed in the past, is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) effort that is being run in conjunction with the U.S. Special Operations Command. Last year, DARPA selected Bell in favor of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences to move to the next phase of SPRINT — an experimental flying demonstrator. It should also be noted that SPRINT is paired with the High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) program, something that Bell has discussed with TWZ in depth in the past.
The core goal of SPRINT is to demonstrate a concept for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that can cruise at speeds between 400 and 450 knots. In the words of DARPA, the aim is to “[eliminate] one of the battlefield’s most difficult choices — between the high speed of an aircraft that needs a runway and the go-anywhere flexibility of a slower helicopter.”
Bell’s X-76 design centers on wingtip proprotors with blades that fold away after the transition from hover to level flight, as you can read more about here. The company calls this the Stop/Fold rotor system.
At its most basic, the Stop/Fold concept is intended to offer vertical takeoff and landing capability, as well as the ability to hover, but with a tilting rotor system that can be stowed in a lower-drag configuration to allow for higher-speed level flight. A separate traditional jet propulsion system provides forward thrust in the latter mode.
A wind tunnel model of one of Bell’s fold-away rotor design concepts. Bell
DARPA announced today that the X-76 had successfully completed its critical design review (CDR) and has now entered production. CDR followed Bell’s selection in May 2025, after which SPRINT entered Phase 2 of the program.
Once built, the X-76 demonstrator is planned to mature technologies necessary for the following capabilities:
Achieve cruise at speeds exceeding 400 knots
Hover in austere environments
Operate in and out of unprepared surfaces
“For too long, the runway has been both an enabler and a tether, granting speed but creating a critical vulnerability,” said Cmdr. Ian Higgins, U.S. Navy, program manager for DARPA SPRINT. “With SPRINT, we’re not just building an X-plane; we’re building options. We’re working to deliver the option of surprise, the option of rapid reinforcement, and the option of life-saving speed, anywhere on the globe, without needing any runway.”
Eventually, Phase 2 will be followed by a flight-test program, known as Phase 3, which is planned for early 2028.
In its announcement today, DARPA also released a rendering showing the X-76, apparently uncrewed. It was presented together with a rendering showing a potential production aircraft (seen below) based on the X-76/SPRINT, this time optionally crewed.
A DARPA artist’s concept for a future operational aircraft based on the X-76. This operational platform is described as optionally piloted. DARPA
These renderings are broadly similar to those (crewed and uncrewed) that Bell released in 2024 and which we discussed at the time.
Crewed and uncrewed design concepts utilizing fold-away proprotor technology that Bell unveiled in 2024 as part of its work on DARPA’s SPRINT program. Bell
While it’s not immediately clear how the crewed and uncrewed aircraft in the latest renderings differ in size, it’s worth noting that Bell previously showed two different sizes of crewed Stop/Fold rotor concepts, plus one uncrewed.
An earlier (2021) Bell rendering showing three related design concepts with fold-away rotor blades. Bell
Beyond the aspiration to demonstrate cruising speeds in excess of 400 knots, DARPA’s press release does not include any other details about expected flight performance or other capabilities. Previously, Bell has said the technology is scalable, so it could apply to designs with gross weights ranging from 4,000 to 100,000 pounds. In contrast, Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) CV-22B version of the Osprey tiltrotor has a maximum gross weight of 60,500 pounds and a top speed of 280 knots.
A CV-22B Osprey receives fuel off the coast of Greenland from an MC-130H Combat Talon II. U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Laura Yahemiak
Other missions could include combat search and rescue (CSAR), intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), air-to-air combat, and air-to-surface strike.
Of these, CSAR is currently of particular relevance, with growing questions about how this highly demanding mission will be conducted going forward, especially when it comes to high-end conflicts against adversaries with more capable air defense networks. An X-76-derived platform could be a suitable basis for a future CSAR aircraft.
More generally, the U.S. military is looking at ways to advance its runway-independent capabilities. Runway-independent aircraft, as well as platforms with more limited runway requirements, both crewed and/or uncrewed, are increasingly seen as critical to being able to take on China in a future high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific region. In Europe and the Middle East, too, where traditional runways can also be targeted by a growing range of threats, the kinds of technologies that the X-76 will explore could also be highly relevant.
A computer-generated image of a Bell future tiltrotor carrying out a personnel recovery mission over the sea. This was schemed under the HSVTOL project, which is closely related to SPRINT. Bell
Regardless of theater or mission, VTOL is a central part of the X-76 and SPRINT. The ability to operate from a greater number of locations, including austere ones close to the battle, would help reduce vulnerability and increase overall flexibility, as well.
As well as freedom from conventional runways and infrastructure, the high speed of the X-76 would bring considerable benefits in terms of being able to rapidly deploy over longer distances, improved response time, and enhanced survivability, which is always a major factor for conventional rotorcraft.
While Bell is confident in the potential of its Stop/Fold rotor system, and DARPA has identified it as a concept worth exploring with a demonstrator aircraft, it is not the only option on the table when it comes to meeting growing demands for new VTOL-capable special operations airlift and other runway-independent capabilities.
Beyond the technical hurdles that lie ahead of the X-76 in particular, and new-generation VTOL concepts in general, it should also be recalled that, despite decades of interest and multiple research efforts, the U.S. military has, as far as we know, so far only fielded one tiltrotor platform. While multiple efforts to develop a truly high-speed VTOL platform in this class have so far failed to yield an operational aircraft, the X-76 should, at the very least, demonstrate whether the Stop/Fold rotor system could be one answer to this requirement.
United States President Donald Trump has posted on social media that he does not need the United Kingdom to deploy aircraft carriers to the Middle East, amid the ongoing war with Iran.
Saturday’s post on Truth Social follows a statement from the UK’s Ministry of Defence that one of its two flagship aircraft carriers, the HMS Prince of Wales, has been placed on “high readiness”.
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“The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
The post, with its reference to the UK as a “once great ally”, signals a deepening rift between the two countries that has emerged since Trump returned to office last year.
The divide appears to have deepened over the past week, as the US and Israel continue to hammer Iran as part of a war they launched on February 28.
The conflict has sparked fears across the Middle East, as retaliatory strikes from Tehran target US allies across the region.
Already, an estimated 1,332 people have been killed in Iran, and the US has confirmed the deaths of six of its service members. More deaths have been reported in countries like Lebanon, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
The UK government has increased its involvement in the war on Iran, widely considered illegal under international law.
The UK Defence Ministry, for instance, said on Saturday that the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer had allowed the US to use its military bases for what it termed “limited defensive purposes”.
The bases include RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the Diego Garcia site in the Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean. Initially, there had been reports that Starmer had blocked the US use of the bases.
In the immediate aftermath of the initial US-Israeli strike, Starmer appeared to blanche at the prospect of joining the war.
He and the leaders of France and Germany issued a joint statement, underscoring that any actions they might take would be defensive in nature.
“We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” the joint statement said.
“We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this matter.”
But Starmer has had to push back on domestic criticism both for and against joining the war.
On Monday, he told the UK Parliament, “We are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes”, citing the need to protect “Britain’s national interest” and “British lives”.
The war in Iran remains largely unpopular in the UK. The polling firm Survation conducted a survey over the last week of 1,045 British adults, in which 43 percent of respondents called the war not justifiable.
When asked if they supported Starmer’s initial decision not to allow the US to use UK bases, 56 percent of respondents approved. Only 27 percent said it was the wrong choice.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in London on Saturday to call for an end to the ballooning conflict.
The US president, meanwhile, has upped his criticism of Starmer over the past week, further fraying relations with the UK government.
On March 3, for instance, Trump held an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in which he said repeatedly he was “not happy with the UK”.
Of Starmer, Trump said, “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
Trump has long admired Churchill, and last year installed a bust of the late UK wartime leader in the Oval Office, just as he had during his first term.
By contrast, Trump has issued a flood of criticism against Starmer, particularly for his 2024 decision to transfer control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The transfer came after the International Court of Justice found the UK acted unlawfully in 1965 by separating the islands from Mauritius to create a separate colony.
The deal with Mauritius allows the US and the UK to maintain a military base on Diego Garcia, part of the archipelago.
However, Trump has repeatedly slammed the transfer, writing on social media that “giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY”.
Tensions between the US and UK also rose in January after Trump told Fox News that NATO allies had “stayed a little off the front lines” during the US war in Afghanistan.
Starmer had responded that he found Trump’s comments “to be insulting and frankly appalling”.
The Trump administration has signalled it is pivoting away from its traditional European allies in favour of more politically aligned countries.
At a summit on Saturday with right-wing Latin American leaders, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to praise the attendees while casting shade on other allies.
“At a time when we have learned that, oftentimes, an ally, when you need them, maybe may not be there for you, these are countries that have been there for us,” Rubio told the summit.
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For the first time, an F-35 has shot down a crewed aircraft in combat. According to the Israeli military, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-35I Adir brought down an Iranian Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer over Tehran. This would also be the first IAF air-to-air kill against a crewed combat aircraft since November 1985, when an F-15 claimed a pair of Syrian MiG-23 Floggers over Lebanon.
An Israeli Air Force F-35I. Amit Agronov/IAF
The announcement was made earlier today by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) via their social media channels. There are no further details at this point, but the IDF says the engagement occurred “a short time ago.”
מטוס אדיר (F35I) של חיל האוויר הישראלי הפיל לפני זמן קצר מטוס קרב איראני (YAK-130) מעל שמי טהרן.
זו הפלה הראשונה בעולם של מטוס קרב מאויש על ידי F-35
Air Force Commander Tomer Bar congratulates F-35I “Adir” pilot who carried out the first-ever shoot-down of an Iranian fighter jet over Tehran pic.twitter.com/hBTisPSo0s
There is at least one unverified video that purports to show the stricken Yak-130 coming down, accompanied by two possible ejections, in a mountainous area north of Tehran.
Footage shows the moment two pilots ejected from a fighter jet, shot down north of Tehran.
Previously, unverified videos had been posted to social media purporting to show at least one Yak-130 operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) flying over Tehran, while armed with air-to-air missiles.
The shoot-down of Iranian manned tactical jets follows two others that occurred at the hands of the Qatari Air Force, which swatted a pair of Su-24 Fencers out of the sky.
🇶🇦🇮🇷 Qatar claims its forces shot down two Sukhoi Su-24 tactical bombers operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. pic.twitter.com/vfqmWPZlB1
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 2, 2026
While the Russian-made Yak-130 was developed primarily as an advanced trainer, the jet has a significant combat capability, with the option to carry gun pods, bombs, and rockets as well as R-73 series (AA-11 Archer) infrared-guided air-to-air missiles.
An Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Yak-130 armed with an R-73 air-to-air missile. via X
The Yak-130 is among the newest combat aircraft in the Iranian inventory.
As you can read about here, evidence of Yak-130 deliveries to Iran emerged in late 2023, when imagery published by the Tasnim News Agency showed one of the jets in a hangar displaying a high-visibility IRIAF paint scheme. Another video showed a Yak-130 with the same paint job reportedly taxiing at Iran’s Isfahan Air Base.
Undated image and video leak of Yak-130 in Isfahan, Iran. Yesterday there were rumours that 2 Yak-130s had been transferred to Iran, and today these images have been shared through unofficial sources.
The delivery of Yak-130s to Iran was one of the signs of Tehran securing new Russian equipment in exchange for supplying Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. This burgeoning military relationship has also seen Russia acquire Iranian drones starting in 2022, after which Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones (and their Russian-made derivatives) have been a staple of Russia’s raids against Ukraine.
In exchange for drones and other supplies, it was expected that Russia would provide more advanced weapons systems to Iran, among them a batch of Su-35 Flanker multirole fighters. The claimed Su-35 deal has yet to materialize.
Although not in any way comparable to the Su-35, the Yak-130 is arguably the most advanced fast jet in service with Iran overall. However, its combat capabilities are mainly limited to the light attack role, or drone-hunting. According to unconfirmed reports, the Yak-130 that fell victim to an F-35 today was flying a counter-drone mission over the Iranian capital at the time.
At the very least, the fact that one or more Yak-130s have been operating over Tehran in any capacity indicates the IRIAF’s continued ability to put some aircraft in the sky despite the significant blows delivered on the ground by U.S. and Israeli strikes, which have also targeted Iranian airbases. The video below shows Iranian Su-22 Fitter swing-wing attack jets being destroyed on the tarmac by U.S. strikes.
However, the Yak-130 is clearly no match for the F-35.
The IAF has been at the forefront of introducing the Joint Strike Fighter to combat.
In May 2018, Israel announced that it had become the first operator to use the F-35 on offensive operations, and, since then, it has also recorded success in aerial combat against Iranian drones.
Making History:
Last year, Israeli “Adir” (F-35I) fighter jets successfully intercepted two Iranian UAVs launched towards Israeli territory. pic.twitter.com/FQsEjKzxct
This time last year, Israel confirmed that its F-35s had flown airstrikes using external ordnance. The F-35’s so-called ‘beast mode,’ featuring heavier loads on underwing pylons, is familiar, but as far as is known, it had not previously been called upon operationally by any other countries.
The IAF F-35 fleet has seen extensive combat action since October 2023. It has been involved in raids on targets in Gaza and Lebanon and has also taken part in long-range strikes against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and against Iran.
These long-endurance missions have been aided by Israel’s reported development of a means of extending the range of its F-35s, allegedly providing them with enough reach to hit targets in Iran without needing aerial refueling.
The Adir has also been used in an air defense capacity against other uncrewed targets, including against Houthi cruise missiles, as you can read about here.
As it stands, the latest milestone in the Israel Air Force’s Adir story is the first instance of an air-to-air kill of a crewed aircraft — as far as we know — by any F-35 operator.
Update, 11:10 a.m. EST
On its website, the IAF has provided more details of the engagement. These suggest that the kill may have been achieved at beyond visual range.
From the article: “Various types of Israeli aircraft were deployed against the hostile aircraft, and the one chosen to deal with the threat was the F-35I, which was endowed with several features that gave it an advantage in the scenario.”
The article quotes Brigadier General D., commander of Nevatim Base, from where the F-35 was launched:
“It has particularly advanced sensors, which were able to lock onto the target quickly and accurately, and is armed with long-range missiles, which the pilots are particularly trained in, and are suitable for this type of mission.”
Brigadier General D. continues:
“We detected it, got on it — and launched at it. There was no overly complicated air battle here, no dogfight or aerial scuffle. There was a rapid response here — which ended in making history in the skies of Iran.”
Update, March 5:
The IAF has now released footage showing the engagement of the Yak-130 shootdown:
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Four days into Operation Epic Fury, the joint American-Israeli attack on Iran, the U.S. is moving more tactical jets to the Middle East. On Tuesday, additional F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters and F-15E Strike Eagle multirole fighters took off from Lakenheath Air Base in the U.K, according to flight trackers and spotters. The jets are joining the large number of fighters already engaged in the war effort. The aircraft will be a welcome sight for CENTCOM, which just lost three F-15E Strike Eagles to friendly fire.
You can catch up with our latest coverage of Epic Fury here.
These movements come in the wake of statements made by Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that the U.S. is plussing up its Middle East aviation force.
In his opening remarks during a Monday morning press conference at the Pentagon, Caine said that the commander of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, “will receive additional forces.”
“Even today, this rapid buildup of forces demonstrated the joint forces’ ability to adapt and project power at the time and place of our nation’s choosing,” Caine said, declining to provide many additional details.
“I don’t want to talk specifics, because that would tip the enemy off,” Caine explained. “We have more tactical aviation flowing into theater just based on the time it took to get it out there. I think we’re just about where we want to be in terms of total combat capacity and total combat power.”
That could change depending on what happens in the fight against Iran.
“For Admiral Cooper…he’ll consistently assess the trajectory of the campaign is the ON or OFF trajectory, and then make an ask of the joint force, which will then develop options for consideration by the secretary and the president to either increase or, in some cases, decrease the amount of combat capabilities that we have over there.”
The open-source intelligence (OSINT) @DefenceGeek X account tracked a dozen F-35As, originally from Hill Air Force Base in Utah, heading to the Middle East.
Hill AFB F-35As on the move from Lakenheath #FreeIran — Operation EPIC FURY —
The F-35As from Hill AFB that arrived at RAF Lakenheath (EGUL) the other week are now heading forward! Aircraft on the move are:
Aviation photographer Eugenia Golding, who lives under the RAF Lakenheath’s airbase flight path, shared some photos with us of F-35As after taking off from Lakenheath.
(Eugenia Golding)
She also provided photos of the F-35As accompanied by a KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jet.
Golding also shared a photo of three F-15Es heading out of Lakenheath accompanied by a KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jet.
(Eugenia Golding)
The fighters leaving Lakenheath today join a wide array of fighters, electronic warfare aircraft, surveillance aircraft, communications planes, maritime patrol jets and tankers deployed to the region.
In addition, CENTCOM confirms that in addition to B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers have also taken part in Epic Fury, flying from the U.S. to strike targets in Iran. There have also been scores of transport jets hauling air defense systems and other war materiel transiting to the region on a daily basis.
In the first three days of the operation, CENTCOM has hit more than 1,700 targets, including command and control centers, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities, air defense systems, ballistic and anti-ship missile sites and naval bases. In addition to attacks from manned aircraft, these strikes have come from drones, ground base rocket artillery systems as well as from the sea with Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise missiles launched from Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers.
The war, as we noted earlier in this story, has already taken a toll on U.S. fighters. As we previously reported, three Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses on March 1. All six crew members survived, but the incident showed that the battlespace is extremely complex. Given how many missiles and drones Iran is firing and all the tactical aircraft coming and going, the threat of friendly fire incidents like this is very real.
The U.S. is not alone in providing airpower. Israel has the largest and most advanced Air Force in the Middle East and has been hitting hundreds of targets, including a major new wave of Israeli strikes going after leadership targets in Tehran today.
🎯STRUCK: The Iranian Regime’s Leadership Compound — the central headquarters have been dismantled
This command headquarters was one of the most heavily secured assets in Iran. The compound that housed the regime’s most senior forum was struck by the IAF overnight using precise… pic.twitter.com/4iW2xd71bC
Meanwhile, aircraft from the U.K. and France have been deployed to the Middle East as well, while Greek fighters have been sent to Cyprus to protect facilities on the island.
France deployed Rafale fighters to the United Arab Emirates for protection of “its naval and air bases against Iranian attacks, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Tuesday,” according to Le Monde. “France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the United Arab Emirates. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at the Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi.”
It remains unknown how long Epic Fury will last. U.S. President Donald Trump has offered various timelines, the most recent being an operation that could last “four to five weeks.”
As we have reported in the past, though a large number of aircraft have been pushed to the Middle East, that still might not be enough for a sustained campaign lasting more than a month. As the war drags on, we will very likely see more allied aviation assets pouring into the region, something we will continue to monitor.
