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FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

USAF awards $29.7M to Beehive to advance Frenzy low‑cost turbojets for swarm drones

On 9 April the U.S. Air Force awarded Beehive Industries a $29.7 million contract to advance its low‑cost Frenzy turbojet family, funding flight testing of the 200‑lb‑thrust Frenzy 8 and prototype fabrication of the 100‑lb‑thrust Frenzy 6 to support operational, scalable production for swarm‑class drones.

2026-04-09T14:01:12.762414-07:00

The Aviationist

U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton declares in‑flight emergency, disappears from tracking after rapid descent over Persian Gulf

2026-04-09T05:07:28.650856-07:00

The War Zone

Inside the USAF’s ‘Ghost’ Tanker Unit — Aboard the KC-135R Testbed

2026-04-09T10:38:52.069307-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Space Force awards $1.84B Andromeda IDIQ to 14 firms for maneuverable GEO space-domain awareness satellites

2026-04-09T04:38:15.725714-07:00

News Timeline

FlightGlobal

USAF awards $29.7M to Beehive to advance Frenzy low‑cost turbojets for swarm drones On 9 April the U.S. Air Force awarded Beehive Industries a $29.7 million contract to advance its low‑cost Frenzy turbojet family, funding flight testing of the 200‑lb‑thrust Frenzy 8 and prototype fabrication of the 100‑lb‑thrust Frenzy 6 to support operational, scalable production for swarm‑class drones.

2026-04-09T14:01:12.762414-07:00

USAF awards $29.7M to Beehive to advance Frenzy low‑cost turbojets for swarm drones

The War Zone

Inside the USAF’s ‘Ghost’ Tanker Unit — Aboard the KC-135R Testbed We flew aboard a unique KC-135R that serves as the centerpiece of the U.S. Air Force’s aerial-refuelling test force. The elite 'ghost' tanker unit conducts in-flight testing of refuelling hardware, procedures and tactics to validate capability and support operational interoperability.

2026-04-09T10:38:52.069307-07:00

Inside the USAF’s ‘Ghost’ Tanker Unit — Aboard the KC-135R Testbed

SpaceNews.com

Commercial Satellites as the New Arsenal: Defense and Industry Implications Commercial satellites are evolving from civilian infrastructure into instruments of national power, supplying communications, sensing and targeting capabilities that militaries and adversaries can access rapidly. That shift forces armed forces, regulators and space companies to rethink procurement, resilience, and legal frameworks for warfighting in orbit.

2026-04-09T07:11:17.822866-07:00

Commercial Satellites as the New Arsenal: Defense and Industry Implications

The Aviationist

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U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton declares in‑flight emergency, disappears from tracking after rapid descent over Persian Gulf A U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton on patrol over the Persian Gulf declared an in‑flight emergency after its transponder signaled a communications‑link failure, then rapidly descended from about 52,000 ft and subsequently disappeared from public tracking data. Details on cause and aircraft status remain unclear.

2026-04-09T05:07:28.650856-07:00

U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton declares in‑flight emergency, disappears from tracking after rapid descent over Persian Gulf

Runway Girl

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ST Engineering iDirect: LEO disruption creates risks — and new ground-segment opportunities for satcom users Vertically integrated LEO operators are reshaping satcom business models, compressing margins and altering service delivery. ST Engineering iDirect calls the shift “a glass-half-full moment,” saying the disruption presents both risks and commercial openings for aviation, defense and enterprise customers reliant on satellite connectivity.

2026-04-09T05:06:53.295641-07:00

ST Engineering iDirect: LEO disruption creates risks — and new ground-segment opportunities for satcom users

SpaceNews.com

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Space Force awards $1.84B Andromeda IDIQ to 14 firms for maneuverable GEO space-domain awareness satellites The U.S. Space Force awarded a $1.843 billion ceiling, multiple-award, firm‑fixed‑price IDIQ to 14 companies under the Andromeda program to develop maneuverable geostationary space‑domain awareness satellites. Contracts cover prototype, production and on‑orbit surveillance capabilities to improve tracking and proximity operations in GEO.

2026-04-09T04:38:15.725714-07:00

Space Force awards $1.84B Andromeda IDIQ to 14 firms for maneuverable GEO space-domain awareness satellites

AeroTime

Knight Aerospace clears CDR for Royal Netherlands Air Force C-390 medevac kit, greenlights production Knight Aerospace has completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s C-390 aeromedical evacuation system, clearing the programme to move into production. The milestone validates the kit’s design and allows manufacturing and aircraft integration planning to begin.

2026-04-09T03:46:25.891133-07:00

Knight Aerospace clears CDR for Royal Netherlands Air Force C-390 medevac kit, greenlights production

SpaceNews.com

Lockheed wins $105M GPS ground control contract as OCX winds down Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $105 million contract to deliver a GPS ground control system as the Next-Generation Operational Control Segment (OCX) program winds down, continuing the company's role in sustaining and modernizing U.S. GPS ground infrastructure for military and civil users.

2026-04-09T03:27:22.860540-07:00

Lockheed wins $105M GPS ground control contract as OCX winds down

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Defense Industry & Major Contractors News

USAF awards $29.7M to Beehive to advance Frenzy low‑cost turbojets for swarm drones

U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton declares in‑flight emergency, disappears from tracking after rapid descent over Persian Gulf

Inside the USAF’s ‘Ghost’ Tanker Unit — Aboard the KC-135R Testbed

Space Force awards $1.84B Andromeda IDIQ to 14 firms for maneuverable GEO space-domain awareness satellites

News Timeline