Fourth-generation jet fighter

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed on Saturday the US State Department's decision to approve the sale of up to 40 advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece.

Mitsotakis described the approval as "an important day for our national defense and for Greek diplomacy." He also received a letter from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in relation to the decision.

The green light given by the United States to Greece's acquisition of the F-35 multi-role fighter and to the sale of F-16 fighters and upgrade kits to Turkey highlights the fact that the two nominal NATO allies are actually facing each other, vying for supremacy in the air, land and sea.

Defense Minister Todor Tagarev announced from the parliamentary rostrum today that almost all of the first eight F-16s ordered by the US are already in production:

The prolonged dispute over the delivery of F-16 fighter jets has been straining relations between Ankara and Washington for months, concurrently impeding Sweden's NATO accession. The Turkish government's evident frustration underscores Ankara's urgent need for modern weapons technology to update its outdated air force.

Embarking on a visit to the United States, Defense Minister Todor Tagarev, accompanied by Defense Chief Admiral Emil Eftimov, directed their attention to the Lockheed Martin plants in Greenville, South Carolina. Their mission: to engage with company executives, observe the aircraft production process, and monitor the advancement of the F-16 Block 70 destined for the Bulgarian Air Force.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened his latest Mideast tour with two stops in Greece and Turkey, with a double mission in mind: Confirming the two NATO allies' commitment to US priorities in the region - a task that is easier for Athens and trickier for Ankara - and making sure that the improvement in relations between the two neighbors and traditional foes seen in recent months continu

After the Americans, it is Turkey that has the most F-16s

Turkey has requested permission from the US to co-produce GE Aerospace engines used in F-16 jets, with an aim to deploy them in the TAI Kaan, its own domestically produced fighter plane, Bloomberg has reported.

Ukraine's military said it has shot down three Russian fighter-bombers in the south of the country.

Air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said the Su-34 jets were downed around noon on Friday.

In his nightly address on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the soldiers who shot down the Russian fighters in the Kherson region.

The conflict in Ukraine escalates as reports emerge of a significant victory for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, claiming the destruction of three Russian Su-34 fighter jets. The Ukrainian defense reported the incident, sparking waves of discussion across multiple Telegram channels.