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DefenseNews.com • Stephen Losey

USAF awards Boeing sole‑source contract for additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrators after Iranian strikes

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a sole‑source contract to produce additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker‑buster bombs following recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The guided munitions are designed to penetrate roughly 200 feet of rock or hardened material to destroy underground labs and bunkers.

2026-02-13T12:39:25.053832-08:00

Reuters

UK pledges £400m+ for long‑range precision and hypersonic weapons, expands joint European programmes

2026-02-13T05:24:38.677184-08:00

Air Data News

Italy approves €8.77bn to fund GCAP next‑generation fighter with UK and Japan

2026-02-12T23:40:36.270218-08:00

Bloomberg

France and Germany in talks with ArianeGroup on land‑based ballistic missile to close Europe’s deep‑strike gap

2026-02-12T05:22:24.249847-08:00

News Timeline

DefenseNews.com

USAF awards Boeing sole‑source contract for additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrators after Iranian strikes The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a sole‑source contract to produce additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker‑buster bombs following recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The guided munitions are designed to penetrate roughly 200 feet of rock or hardened material to destroy underground labs and bunkers.

2026-02-13T12:39:25.053832-08:00

USAF awards Boeing sole‑source contract for additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrators after Iranian strikes

Reuters

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UK pledges £400m+ for long‑range precision and hypersonic weapons, expands joint European programmes The UK will spend more than £400 million (~$545 million) in the current financial year on long‑range precision and hypersonic weapons, expanding joint development projects with France, Germany and Italy. Defence Secretary John Healey said the move is driven by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.

2026-02-13T05:24:38.677184-08:00

UK pledges £400m+ for long‑range precision and hypersonic weapons, expands joint European programmes

Air Data News

Italy approves €8.77bn to fund GCAP next‑generation fighter with UK and Japan Italy’s parliament approved €8.77 billion (about $10.7 billion) to finance its contribution to the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the trilateral UK–Japan–Italy next‑generation fighter development effort. The vote secures Italian funding for industrial participation, programme development and procurement planning.

2026-02-12T23:40:36.270218-08:00

Italy approves €8.77bn to fund GCAP next‑generation fighter with UK and Japan

Bloomberg

France and Germany in talks with ArianeGroup on land‑based ballistic missile to close Europe’s deep‑strike gap France and Germany are in preliminary talks with ArianeGroup to develop a conventional land‑based ballistic missile with reported ranges above 1,000 km; some outlets say it could carry hypersonic warheads and reach several thousand kilometres. The proposal is framed as a bid to close Europe’s deep‑strike capability gap.

2026-02-12T05:22:24.249847-08:00

France and Germany in talks with ArianeGroup on land‑based ballistic missile to close Europe’s deep‑strike gap

AeroTime

Australia opens $253M MQ-4C Triton base at RAAF Tindal to boost northern maritime surveillance The $253 million base at RAAF Tindal will host MQ-4C Triton operations, providing persistent high‑altitude maritime surveillance over Australia’s northern approaches. The facility expands RAAF maritime ISR reach and sustainment, tightening integration with regional defense and patrol operations and supports coalition interoperability.

2026-02-12T03:14:07.077015-08:00

Australia opens $253M MQ-4C Triton base at RAAF Tindal to boost northern maritime surveillance

SpaceNews.com

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding Several commercial space firms have thrown their weight behind the Pentagon's Golden Dome missile‑defense initiative, positioning for prototypes and long‑term contracts even as the program's technical scope and funding profile remain unresolved. Companies are making investments and staffing bets ahead of clarified government requirements.

2026-02-11T13:37:21.939345-08:00

Space companies back Golden Dome despite unresolved scope and funding

DefenseNews.com

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Think tank urges USAF to acquire 500 next‑generation fighters and bombers, double B‑21 buys A Mitchell Institute report urges the U.S. Air Force to acquire 500 next‑generation fighters and stealth bombers to deter China, calling for a major ramp‑up in F‑47 buys and doubling the planned B‑21 fleet. It rejects “divest to invest” and warns current plans yield only a limited “raid force.”

2026-02-09T13:29:32.395275-08:00

Think tank urges USAF to acquire 500 next‑generation fighters and bombers, double B‑21 buys

ch-aviation

CSI Aviation secures over $1.2bn in ICE aviation contracts US aviation services provider CSI Aviation has secured more than $1.2 billion in contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, boosting its government services backlog. The awards deepen CSI's role in domestic aircraft maintenance, logistics and support for ICE operations and materially increase near-term revenue visibility.

2026-02-09T10:09:28.047448-08:00

CSI Aviation secures over $1.2bn in ICE aviation contracts

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Defense Budgets & Spending News

USAF awards Boeing sole‑source contract for additional 30,000‑lb Massive Ordnance Penetrators after Iranian strikes

UK pledges £400m+ for long‑range precision and hypersonic weapons, expands joint European programmes

Italy approves €8.77bn to fund GCAP next‑generation fighter with UK and Japan

France and Germany in talks with ArianeGroup on land‑based ballistic missile to close Europe’s deep‑strike gap

News Timeline