Defense Industry & Major Contractors News

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

Northrop Grumman Backs Firefly’s Eclipse Medium-Lift Rocket with $50 Million Injection

Northrop Grumman has invested $50 million in Firefly Aerospace to accelerate Eclipse™, a medium-lift launcher co-developed with Antares and Alpha heritage that delivers up to 16 metric tons to orbit. Built in Texas and Arizona using scaled-up Alpha propulsion and composite structures, Eclipse aims to boost payload capacity and production cadence.

2025-05-29T09:42:41.849432-07:00

The War Zone

Trump Offers F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter to Japan Over GCAP Delay Fears

2025-05-30T10:29:07.985432-07:00

Aviation Week

Hermeus completes maiden flight of remotely piloted Quarterhorse Mk 1 hypersonic demonstrator

2025-05-27T05:03:57.310218-07:00

Aviation Week

Northrop Grumman Foresees Reduced NASA Work Under Trump Budget Cuts

2025-05-28T15:26:45.327445-07:00

Defense Industry & Major Contractors News Timeline

Janes

Türkiye Weighs KC-46A Pegasus versus A330 MRTT to Replace KC-135R Tankers Türkiye’s air force is evaluating bids from Boeing and Airbus to replace its aging KC-135R Stratotanker fleet, pitting the KC-46A Pegasus against the A330 MRTT. The long-delayed competition will determine Ankara’s next-generation tanker and shape its aerial refueling capabilities.

2025-06-01T23:06:12.682492-07:00

Türkiye Weighs KC-46A Pegasus versus A330 MRTT to Replace KC-135R Tankers

rnz.co.nz

Rocket Lab Joins Golden Dome Missile Defense Race as New Zealand Minister Backs Trump Shield New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins has endorsed President Trump’s satellite-based Golden Dome missile defence initiative. Rocket Lab, the New Zealand–founded launch provider, has formally joined the roster of contractors vying to supply sensors and interceptors, underscoring widening international support for the program.

2025-05-31T20:45:28.736856-07:00

Rocket Lab Joins Golden Dome Missile Defense Race as New Zealand Minister Backs Trump Shield

Reuters

Japan Doubts 2035 Rollout of Anglo-Italian Next-Gen Fighter, Weighs F-35 Stopgaps Japan is increasingly skeptical that its joint next-generation fighter with the UK and Italy will deploy by its 2035 target, sources say. As delays loom, Tokyo is evaluating imports of additional U.S. F-35s or upgrades to legacy jets to fill emerging air-defence gaps.

2025-05-31T09:14:24.591978-07:00

Japan Doubts 2035 Rollout of Anglo-Italian Next-Gen Fighter, Weighs F-35 Stopgaps

USNI News

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding furloughs 471 salaried employees in efficiency push Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division furloughed 471 managerial and non-managerial salaried employees, the company said, as it seeks to boost accountability and efficiency. The yard, which employs roughly 26,000 and is the only US facility assembling aircraft carriers, aims to improve on-time delivery for the US Navy.

2025-05-30T16:15:16.536603-07:00

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding furloughs 471 salaried employees in efficiency push

Aviation Week

US Navy Seeks Airborne Electronic Decoys to Mislead Anti-Ship Missiles U.S. Navy researchers have issued an RFI seeking industry proposals for airborne decoy vehicles fitted with RF emitters that reproduce ship radar signatures to mislead anti-ship missile seekers. The initiative aims to field low-cost aerial targets that can extend fleet defenses against emerging maritime missile threats.

2025-05-30T11:14:41.803421-07:00

US Navy Seeks Airborne Electronic Decoys to Mislead Anti-Ship Missiles

The War Zone

Trump Offers F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter to Japan Over GCAP Delay Fears President Trump has proposed Boeing’s new F-47 sixth-generation fighter to Japan as concerns mount over possible delays in the Global Combat Air Program. Tokyo is also considering additional F-35 acquisitions as a contingency to safeguard its air superiority timeline and regional deterrence posture.

2025-05-30T10:29:07.985432-07:00

Trump Offers F-47 Sixth-Gen Fighter to Japan Over GCAP Delay Fears

thehindu.com

GE to Double F404 Engine Output for Tejas Mk1A as HAL Ramps Up Production GE Aerospace has assured Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) it will boost F404-IN20 engine deliveries to 24 units annually from 2027 for the indigenous Tejas Mk1A. HAL has taken delivery of the first centre fuselage assembly, broken ground on a new Hyderabad line and plans 2026 upgrades including AESA radar and EW suites.

2025-05-30T10:03:49.416066-07:00

GE to Double F404 Engine Output for Tejas Mk1A as HAL Ramps Up Production

Daily Sabah

Spain and Türkiye Ink Landmark Hürjet Trainer Deal at FEINDEF 2025 In Madrid at FEINDEF 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Defence signed a landmark agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries and an Airbus-led consortium to integrate the Hürjet advanced jet trainer into the Spanish Air and Space Force’s training system, paving the way for co-production, interoperability and NATO expansion.

2025-05-30T08:11:09.448799-07:00

Spain and Türkiye Ink Landmark Hürjet Trainer Deal at FEINDEF 2025

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