Union européenne

Le charbon est l'énergie qui contribue le plus au réchauffement de la planète. Pour respecter l'accord de Paris de 2015 sur le climat, les pays de l'Union européenne devraient l'abandonner avant 2030. Beaucoup s'y sont engagés. Mais après l'invasion à grande échelle de l'Ukraine par la Russie en 2022, et la hausse des prix de l'énergie, certains ont repoussé l'échéance ou revu leur calendrier. La Roumanie en fait partie.

La victoire du Premier ministre sortant Nikol Pachinian aux législatives du 7 juin confirme le virage de l’Arménie vers une diversification de sa politique étrangère, au plus grand dam de son allié historique russe. Mais Moscou conserve d’importants leviers de pression économiques et sécuritaires, prévient Tigrane Yégavian, spécialiste de l’Arménie et directeur de recherche pour la revue Conflits. 

Le président de l’assemblée provinciale du Maniema, le docteur Kibungi Mutanga Junior, a été déchu de ses fonctions ce lundi 8 juin à l’issue d’une séance plénière consacrée à l’examen des pétitions visant certains membres du bureau.

L’Église du Christ au Congo (ECC) a exprimé sa position officielle concernant le débat sur la révision de la Constitution en République démocratique du Congo. À l’issue de sa 66ᵉ session extraordinaire, clôturée le 7 juin 2026 à Kinshasa, l’Église protestante a estimé que toute initiative de réforme de la loi fondamentale doit impérativement faire l’objet d’un large consensus national.

On Wednesday at 9:15, several MEPs will hold a briefing for journalists as the implementation phase of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum begins on 12 June 2026.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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Le gouvernement de la RDC, en collaboration avec les autorités provinciales de la Tshopo, envisage la construction prochaine d’un complexe sportif moderne au cœur de la commune de Makiso, dans la ville de Kisangani, chef-lieu de la province. L’annonce a été faite samedi 6 juin 2026 par le ministre provincial des Sports, Thomas César Mesemo Wa Mesemo, lors d’une conférence de presse.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

Opter pour la proximité, renoncer à tout ou faire des sacrifices au nom des sacro-saintes vacances estivales ? Selon l’institut de sondage Piepoli, 80 % des Italiens se sont posé ces questions avant de penser leurs projets de vacances. La principale cause de leurs doutes sur la possibilité de s’offrir un temps de répit, loin du quotidien, est due à la perte du pouvoir d’achat liée à la guerre au Moyen-Orient. Le conflit fait flamber le coût de l’énergie en particulier en Italie. Sans nucléaire civil, depuis 1987 et avec un gouvernement plutôt hostile aux énergies renouvelables, ce pays est particulièrement dépendant des importations de gaz et de pétrole.

En Arménie, le Premier ministre sortant Nikol Pachinian revendique la victoire aux élections législatives qui se sont déroulées dimanche. Mais l'opposition conteste cette victoire et les résultats se resserrent au fil des heures. La campagne a été fortement marquée par le contexte géopolitique. Car si le pays est petit par la taille et ne compte que trois millions d'habitants, il suscite un grand intérêt des puissances environnantes. 

Franziska Brantner, députée au Bundestag, co-présidente des Verts allemands, est l'invitée de RFI ce 8 juin 2026. Alors que l'Iran et Israël reprennent leurs frappes mutuelles, elle appelle au retour au cessez-le-feu et à une stratégie commune européenne. Franziska Brantner défend l'idée d'une Union européenne de défense, à l'heure où l'Allemagne se réarme massivement.

Les dirigeants français, allemand et britannique ont apporté leur soutien dimanche à la proposition de Volodymyr Zelensky d'un « dialogue direct » entre l'Ukraine et la Russie, « avec la participation active des États-Unis et de l'Europe », à l'issue d'une réunion avec le président ukrainien à Londres.

Le parti du Premier ministre sortant Albin Kurti obtient 43% des suffrages exprimés aux élections législatives de ce dimanche 7 juin. Un résultat en forte baisse par rapport à celui obtenu en décembre 2025. La participation a aussi beaucoup baissé.

Le parti du Premier ministre arménien devance ses opposants selon des résultats des élections législatives de dimanche. Le parti Contrat civil de Nikol Pachinian obtient donc un peu plus de 49% des voix selon ls chiffres de la Commission électorale.

Sorti le 20 mai en Belgique, le documentaire Métisses – Cinq femmes contre un crime d'État de Quentin Noirfalisse et Jean-Charles Mbotti Malolorelate le combat judiciaire de cinq femmes métisses contre l'État belge. Nées dans les années 1940 ou 1950 sous administration coloniale dans ce qu'on appelait alors le Congo belge, leur père était Blanc, leur mère était Noire et, pour cette raison, on les a enlevées à leur mère.

Plus de 1,2 million de fidèles ont envahi les rues du centre de Madrid dimanche pour une messe célébrée par Léon XIV, au cours de laquelle le pape a appelé à un renouveau de la foi catholique en Espagne. Cet office est le temps fort du deuxième jour de la visite de sept jours du pape Léon en Espagne, bastion catholique traditionnel où la pratique religieuse a fortement décliné ces dernières années, comme dans une grande partie de l'Europe occidentale. 

Alors qu’il est attendu à Londres ce dimanche 7 juin avec son homologue français pour rencontrer le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky et réunir des fonds pour le pays en guerre contre la Russie, Friedrich Merz fait face à une grave crise de confiance nationale. Le chancelier allemand atteint un record d’impopularité pour un dirigeant au pouvoir, alors que l'extrême droite, elle, fait une montée spectaculaire dans les sondages, notamment en vue de deux scrutins régionaux en septembre.

Des frappes russes nocturnes et dans la matinée ont fait cinq morts et touché un site de stockage de déchets nucléaires, selon les autorités ukrainiennes dimanche, alors que le président Zelensky doit rencontrer à Londres les dirigeants français, britannique et allemand.

The Fleet Readiness Center East completed the conversion of its first F-35Bs from the TR-2 to the TR-3 configuration, which will support the future Block 4 upgrades. 

A major milestone was reached for the F-35B Lightning II as the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, completed the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) upgrade on its first aircraft. The TR-3 lays the foundation for the future upcoming Block 4 hardware upgrades. 

Airframes BF-105 and BF-88 were delivered on May 14 and May 21, while “BF-81 is projected to complete its conversion in July,” the Jun. 2, 2026, press release from the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) said. The image of BF-105 capturing FRCE members standing before it after the TR-3 upgrades show that the airframe is assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-231 (VMFA-231) “Ace of Spades,” part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s (2nd MAW) constituent unit Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG 14).

The U.S. Marine Corps is the only U.S. service using the F-35B and, along with the carrier-launched F-35C, operates a total of 122 F-35s. Other foreign users of the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 include the U.K., Italy and Japan. The release also mentioned FCRE as among four other global depots for F-35 maintenance repair and modifications, which include Hill AFB and Ogden in Utah, Cameri in Italy and Williamstown in Australia.

Leveling up the Lightning!

The JPO has hit a major milestone by beginning the first-ever retrofits of operational F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the TR-2 to the advanced TR-3 configuration.

This massive hardware and software upgrade equips the jets with a substantial boost… pic.twitter.com/8rTN1GpD0b

— F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (@theF35JPO) June 3, 2026

The development comes close on the heels of a delay in the TR-3 program for all the three F-35 variants, seeing a stopgap simpler version being rolled out until the technical issues are fixed.

TR-3 work at FRCE

The Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) is the “backbone” supporting the future Block 4 upgraded hardware covering 75 major systems. The major and leading upgrade is a powerful AN/APG-85 radar replacing the APG-81 as the primary sensor, while others include a new electronic warfare suite, an improved Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), a new cockpit display, navigation and communication systems, and a next-generation Distributed Aperture System (DAS).

A new integrated core processor chip would provide the computing and fuse the data from these sensors. An Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) to the Pratt & Whitney F135 fifth generation supercruise engine in turn would produce the massive power required for the Northrop Grumman APG-85 radar and the other electronics.

An F-35B Lightning II begins a functional check flight inspection at the Fleet Readiness Center East, at Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

Materiel leader for F-35 mods/retrofits within the F-35 JPO, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matthew Hawkins, talked about the massive retrofit accelerating from the “700 aircraft already fielded […] year after year […] across the fleet,” with the initial conversions helping refine the full-rate processes.

Hawkins touched upon the mammoth fast-paced work ahead that supports the F-35’s tactical orientation. “The faster we can upgrade jets, the more capable the warfighter will be. This isn’t just an engineering milestone. It’s an operational one. TR-3 is what allows the F-35 to remain the quarterback of the battlespace in the next decade,” he said.

Engineered for dominance.

An F-35B Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, prepares to take off from the flight deck of the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7). pic.twitter.com/faPMYgLAqk

— F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (@theF35JPO) June 5, 2026

TR-3 Block 4 delays

Technical issues with the TR-3 considerably delayed the F-35 program. This triggered a halt in deliveries from July 2023 to July 2024, seeing up to 100-120 airframes piling up at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. With the Pentagon, JPO and Lockheed Martin agreeing on a “truncated” version of the software, deliveries resumed in 2024 and the company reported clearing the backlog by May 2025.

The scaled-down variant, a mix of TR-3 and TR-2 features that do not affect the aircraft’s safety or airworthiness, however limited the fullest extent of the aircraft’s high-end capabilities. However, the recent Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report said none of the 158 TR-3 F-35s delivered to the U.S. services delivered until September 2025 were combat capable jets, putting a question mark on the delivery backlog cleared in May 2025. 

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II with VMFA 122, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, during deck landing qualifications on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 7, 2025. | Source: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicole Stuart)

By the end of 2025, a total of 191 F-35s had been delivered, with the report putting the overall number of Lightning IIs delivered to the U.S. services at 812 aircraft (any configuration). Of these, a total of 541 are F-35As.

Technical developmental issues with the APG-85 radar had also reportedly led some F-35s entering service without a radar installed. The Air Force’s FY 2027 budget requests $1.7 billion to retrofit 181 aircraft from the Lot 17 and prior with the APG-85.

F-35B engine works at FRCE

The FRCE has also reported other milestones involving the repair, overhaul and assembly of the F-35B’s distinct F135 engine with the lift fan and its intricately engineered parts over the years. In September 2023, the FRCE announced the first successful assembly of the F-35B’s lift-fan clutch, becoming the first within the Department of Defense (DoD) to perform this task outside of the original manufacturer’s facility.

Steven Murray, left, and Dakota Martin, aircraft engine mechanics at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE, begin disassembly of a lift fan clutch for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

Made by Rolls-Royce for the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, the lift fan gives the F-35B its unique STOVL capability. FRCE personnel revealed exhaustive theoretical and practical training involving going over tens of thousands of engineering drawings and blueprints, and studying the manufacturing and assembly process at Rolls-Royce LiftWorks facility in Indiana.

The FRCE then announced in August 2025 the completion of the first repair and overhaul of the F-35B’s three-bearing swivel module (3BSM). The 3BSM is a swiveling jet pipe that allows F-35B pilots to redirect engine thrust downward to create the rear vertical lift needed for the STOVL operations.

From left, Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) F-35 lift systems artisans Dale Veasey and John Doyle, and lead F-35 lift systems mechanic Tyler Scott, install an original equipment manufacturer-specific lifting adapter to a three-bearing swivel module in order to facilitate the final installation of the component’s No. 2 actuator. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

The completed 3BSM marks the first time the depot has returned this component to the F-35 global supply chain that supports U.S. forces and international partners.  

The Chinese tiltrotor that broke cover last year was recently captured in images during what appears to be more expansive test flights.

China’s first manned tiltrotor aircraft has now appeared in clearer images while in flight, nearly a year after it was captured off a screen while hovering at the beginning of testing. Visuals from Chinese social media shared by leading Chinese military aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht and other users on X showed the helicopter in various angles from its port (left) side.

We noted in our previous report in August 2025 that the first picture appeared to show the tiltrotor in what appeared to be an engine start-up, lift off and hover test. No visuals existed at the time showing it in full flight.

Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF:

„Said to be different shots of the tiltrotor technological demonstrator platform from Harbin AC, likely taken during its recent test flight. Posted by @数性体 on Weibo.“ pic.twitter.com/tAOwUfrHY4

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) June 1, 2026

What the new image shows

Both the panel and the rotor hub, previously missing, can now be seen in the latest images, in what could be a test flight in more expansive envelopes. It is not clear when the latest flight captured in the new images took place, and it may have happened anytime after the first images emerged in August 2025 – or possibly even recently – before leaking on the internet.

A notable feature we observed back then was the tiltrotor’s moving prop-rotor configuration, similar to that of the MV-75 Cheyenne II, marking a full departure from the V-22 Osprey and Leonardo AW609 in which the entire engine nacelle pivots. The system is notably simpler in operation with less complex engineering and consequently simpler maintenance and improved safety.

Seems as if finally an image and video (see link) of Harbin’s / HAIG’s) tiltrotor technology demonstrator in flight has been leaked. https://t.co/JI4bKLPOqs pic.twitter.com/JzzWvFHyVZ

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) May 31, 2026

Both the images also did not show a flight data probe (pitot) tube on the nose, or registration markings anywhere on the fuselage or the tail. This leaves open the question on how many prototypes have been produced by Hafei Aviation Industry, a subsidiary of Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG).

There is no official information on the aircraft on any of the state media like Global Times, Xinhua or China Daily. The only tilt-rotor reported in the Chinese press was by GT in July 2025, featuring a smaller tiltrotor, an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off Landing) called AE200 by Chinese company Aerofugia, on the sidelines of the inaugural International Advanced Air Mobility Expo at Shanghai.

Janes also reported in February 2024 about the unmanned UR/R6000 tiltrotor, which appeared in a clearer image inside its developer United Aircraft’s factory a few months later in October. Both the AE200 and the R6000 also have pivoting prop-rotor hubs, suggesting how China has closely watched and incorporated the American experience with the type.

We are far from knowing whether the three aircraft have a military future, until images emerge of the aircraft in PLA military colors, markings or at one its bases.

联合飞机(united aircraft)の世界初となる6t級ティルトローターUAV”镧影R6000″1号機が芜湖航空产业园にて生産された。
R6000は旅客の場合10人の乗客を乗せ、最大離陸重量6t、最大巡航速度550km、最大巡航高度7620m、航続距離4000kmを発揮する。
同機は今年の珠海航展にて展示されると言われている。 https://t.co/c89ETG1Ihf pic.twitter.com/Fl3ft0cqgI

— お砂糖wsnbn (@sugar_wsnbn) October 14, 2024

The tilt-rotor in question particularly has two access doors and, with the six windows, suggests a seating capacity of anywhere between six to 12 persons. It is also admittedly small in size for military use, necessitating larger engines and a bigger airframe.

If adopted by the PLA, like the Ekranoplan, it can rapidly move men and material to China’s outposts in the South China Sea (SCS). However, the need for such a capability is not acute, given China’s current naval aviation, surface fleet and merchant marine fleet.

Other helicopters and future

From a commercial standpoint, the developers wouldn’t have invested in the tiltrotors until they had a market within China, to feed its growing urban mobility, air taxi, emergency services and connecting remote mountainous regions. As we noted in our previous report, the tilt-rotor could be marketed internationally for civilian use by corporations, as a cheaper alternative to Western systems, with a target being the offshore oil and gas sector.

Apparently we’ve got the clearest image of the Z-21, China’s new heavy attack helicopter so far.
However, besides some details that are now finally clearly recognisable, such as sensors, cockpit, rotor, & the engine nacelles including exhausts, some details also appear strange… pic.twitter.com/CG5FoTDr2d

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) March 20, 2026

Politically, fielding such an aircraft also displays China’s technological prowess in developing the full range of fighter aircraft, space technology, warships, missiles and aircraft carriers to rival the West.

IMO one of the best Images of the Z-21 so far. pic.twitter.com/kKyILXHevM

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) November 30, 2025

Lastly, China’s heavy-class attack helicopter, the Z-21, has also made some appearance since late last year, with the latest image shared by Rupprecht on Mar. 20 showing it in sharpest and clearest detail yet. The aircraft is bearing a PLA roundel marking on its tail boom, and also appears to be carrying quad-launchers for air-to-surface missiles.

As it seems, for the first time a Z-21 in white primer was seen.

(Via yuxiaochen/SDF) pic.twitter.com/RfhGoIofAd

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 23, 2025

One such image emerged in November 2025 with a dome-like sensor on the main rotor hub and a black paint scheme. A December 2025 picture shows it with the tail number 6232, the dome missing and the aircraft bearing a white paint scheme, suggesting that more than one example is flying.

Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP