Defense Industry & Major Contractors News

Aviation Week • Brian Everstine

USAF Accelerates Next‑Gen Tanker to 2036, Seeks KC‑46 Production Extension

The U.S. Air Force is pushing to field a next‑generation aerial refueling system by 2036 and is using that timeline to justify extending Boeing KC‑46 production. A recent USAF document outlines the evolving tanker strategy and specifies what the service says is needed to continue the KC‑46 run.

2025-10-03T12:23:43.041046-07:00

Defense Daily

Space Force awards $1.14B in NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches to SpaceX and ULA for FY2026

2025-10-03T12:59:23.514365-07:00

FlightGlobal

Australia receives first two Boeing AH-64E Apaches, kicking off 29-aircraft acquisition

2025-10-02T21:05:09.550875-07:00

Reuters

Army memo flags 'very high risk' vulnerabilities in Anduril–Palantir battlefield communications

2025-10-03T03:36:28.836642-07:00

Defense Industry & Major Contractors News Timeline

heliopsmag.com

US Air Force Retires HH-60G Pave Hawk After Decades of Search-and-Rescue Service The U.S. Air Force has formally retired the HH-60G Pave Hawk after decades of conducting combat search-and-rescue and personnel-recovery missions, removing a long-serving dedicated rotorcraft from USAF inventory and marking the end of its operational role over its service life.

2025-10-04T11:38:38.623681-07:00

US Air Force Retires HH-60G Pave Hawk After Decades of Search-and-Rescue Service

ktla.com

U.S. military pulls out of Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach as federal shutdown grounds participation The U.S. military will be unable to participate in this weekend's 2025 Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach because of the federal government shutdown, forcing organizers to revise the lineup and cancel planned military flight demonstrations and static aircraft displays, organizers said.

2025-10-03T22:56:01.228861-07:00

U.S. military pulls out of Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach as federal shutdown grounds participation

FlightGlobal

Embraer weighs US KC-390 assembly to contest USAF Next‑Gen tanker competition Embraer is developing plans to establish US-based assembly for its KC-390 Millennium tanker-transport as part of a bid for the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Refuelling System programme. The proposal is framed to address U.S. industrial and procurement expectations in the tanker competition.

2025-10-03T20:08:19.541657-07:00

Embraer weighs US KC-390 assembly to contest USAF Next‑Gen tanker competition

nationalsecurityjournal.org

How the U.S. Navy’s 1970s CVV Decision Became a Strategic Mistake In the 1970s the U.S. Navy studied a 50–60,000‑ton CVV "medium" carrier meant to deliver faster, cheaper conventional carriers for ASW, ISR and flank protection during Vietnam and the Cold War. The program’s rejection is now viewed as a strategic mistake that helped shape subsequent carrier force posture.

2025-10-03T17:45:14.363421-07:00

How the U.S. Navy’s 1970s CVV Decision Became a Strategic Mistake

Economic Times

IAF: Rafale front‑runner for 114‑aircraft MRFA; seeks Make‑in‑India technology transfer The Indian Air Force has named the Dassault Rafale a front‑runner in its 114‑aircraft Multi‑Role Fighter Aircraft competition while also evaluating Lockheed's F‑21, Boeing's F/A‑18 and the Eurofighter Typhoon. The service is prioritising Technology Transfer and 'Make in India' proposals to secure local production and skills transfer.

2025-10-03T13:09:57.890505-07:00

IAF: Rafale front‑runner for 114‑aircraft MRFA; seeks Make‑in‑India technology transfer

Defense Daily

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Space Force awards $1.14B in NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches to SpaceX and ULA for FY2026 Under the Space Force's NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 procurements for FY2026, SpaceX was assigned the majority of missions—reported as five to seven launches—while United Launch Alliance received two. The awards total roughly $1.14 billion, split about $714M to SpaceX and $428M to ULA.

2025-10-03T12:59:23.514365-07:00

Space Force awards $1.14B in NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches to SpaceX and ULA for FY2026

Aviation Week

USAF Accelerates Next‑Gen Tanker to 2036, Seeks KC‑46 Production Extension The U.S. Air Force is pushing to field a next‑generation aerial refueling system by 2036 and is using that timeline to justify extending Boeing KC‑46 production. A recent USAF document outlines the evolving tanker strategy and specifies what the service says is needed to continue the KC‑46 run.

2025-10-03T12:23:43.041046-07:00

USAF Accelerates Next‑Gen Tanker to 2036, Seeks KC‑46 Production Extension

The War Zone

Venezuela says its air defenses intercepted five US F-35B jets inside Maiquetía FIR, calls move a 'military provocation' Venezuelan defense officials reported their air defenses intercepted at least five U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighters operating inside the Maiquetía flight information region near the country's Caribbean coast, denouncing the action as an illegal incursion and a "military provocation."

2025-10-03T12:13:27.624472-07:00

Venezuela says its air defenses intercepted five US F-35B jets inside Maiquetía FIR, calls move a 'military provocation'

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