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US Army Corps of Engineers pushes doctrine and software to enable helicopter landings on Arctic ice

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ research and development effort is working to overturn “old assumptions” about the hazards of landing on frozen lakes, with a focus on expanding options for helicopter operations—specifically supporting Black Hawk landing concepts through new enabling tools.

2026-04-20T11:07:37.696901-07:00

DefenseNews.com

DARPA updates synthetic, shelf-stable “blood” program aimed at battlefield medical care

2026-04-20T08:42:42.434370-07:00

Aviation Week

CNO says one F/A-XX bidder can’t meet Navy delivery schedule as Congress positions August selection

2026-04-20T08:20:47.941579-07:00

FlightGlobal

RAAF to retire 10 Leonardo C-27J Spartans; Canberra to replace them with “commercial” aircraft for Pacific personnel and logisti

2026-04-16T23:24:31.483594-07:00

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DefenseNews.com

US Army Corps of Engineers pushes doctrine and software to enable helicopter landings on Arctic ice The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ research and development effort is working to overturn “old assumptions” about the hazards of landing on frozen lakes, with a focus on expanding options for helicopter operations—specifically supporting Black Hawk landing concepts through new enabling tools.

2026-04-20T11:07:37.696901-07:00

US Army Corps of Engineers pushes doctrine and software to enable helicopter landings on Arctic ice

DefenseNews.com

DARPA updates synthetic, shelf-stable “blood” program aimed at battlefield medical care DARPA is overseeing development of synthetic, shelf-stable blood for battlefield medicine. Coverage from a DARPA lab tour outlines how the material is created and explains the underlying science, with the goal of moving toward a kit-level capability for troops and casualty response.

2026-04-20T08:42:42.434370-07:00

DARPA updates synthetic, shelf-stable “blood” program aimed at battlefield medical care

Aviation Week

CNO says one F/A-XX bidder can’t meet Navy delivery schedule as Congress positions August selection U.S. Navy CNO Adm. Daryl Caudle said one of the two companies competing for the F/A-XX carrier stealth fighter lacks capacity to deliver the aircraft on the required schedule. The Navy is aiming to complete the next step in the program by August, after Congress rescued it from budget delays.

2026-04-20T08:20:47.941579-07:00

CNO says one F/A-XX bidder can’t meet Navy delivery schedule as Congress positions August selection

Breaking Defense

US Air Force seeks multi-year procurement authority spanning satellites, aircraft and munitions Pentagon officials are asking lawmakers for authorization to buy weapons systems through multi-year deals that cover not only munitions, but also the production of aircraft and spacecraft, per Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. The proposal targets a broader, more stable funding and industrial approach for space- and air-delivered capability.

2026-04-17T15:37:14.693819-07:00

US Air Force seeks multi-year procurement authority spanning satellites, aircraft and munitions

FlightGlobal

RAAF to retire 10 Leonardo C-27J Spartans; Canberra to replace them with “commercial” aircraft for Pacific personnel and logisti Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy confirms the withdrawal of the Royal Australian Air Force’s 10 Leonardo C-27J Spartan tactical transports, with no defined retirement date. The capability will be maintained for Pacific logistics, but the aircraft will be replaced by a “commercial aircraft fleet” focused on personnel and logistics transport.

2026-04-16T23:24:31.483594-07:00

RAAF to retire 10 Leonardo C-27J Spartans; Canberra to replace them with “commercial” aircraft for Pacific personnel and logisti

SpaceNews.com

“Left of launch” approaches to counter missile threats: shifting defense toward disruption, detection and pre-launch defeat The cluster focuses on countering missile threats “left of launch,” emphasizing measures before a missile is fired—aimed at improving detection, disrupting launch preparations, and reducing the window for effective interception. The theme links early-warning and operational disruption to downstream missile defense effectiveness.

2026-04-16T16:33:19.696437-07:00

“Left of launch” approaches to counter missile threats: shifting defense toward disruption, detection and pre-launch defeat

DefenseNews.com

USAF moves toward A-10 retirement, raising CSAR questions as ‘Sandy’ missions lose their legacy rescue platform The U.S. Air Force is proceeding with plans to phase out the A-10 Thunderbolt II, long regarded as an ideal combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) asset. With the “Sandy” CSAR callsign tied to generations of operations, USAF faces decisions on what replaces the A-10’s cost-and-capability role as drone-swarm threats intensify.

2026-04-16T13:40:12.737867-07:00

USAF moves toward A-10 retirement, raising CSAR questions as ‘Sandy’ missions lose their legacy rescue platform

Breaking Defense

U.S. Army ATI overhaul: nearly 60% of Apache D models divested as aviation modernization accelerates Army aviation’s ATI overhaul is well underway, with leadership saying the service has divested nearly 60% of its AH-64 Apache D models in the past year. Col. Tim Jaeger, director of Army aviation at G3/5/7, framed the divestment as “significant headway” toward fleet transformation.

2026-04-16T09:28:16.015696-07:00

U.S. Army ATI overhaul: nearly 60% of Apache D models divested as aviation modernization accelerates

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Defense Policy News

US Army Corps of Engineers pushes doctrine and software to enable helicopter landings on Arctic ice

DARPA updates synthetic, shelf-stable “blood” program aimed at battlefield medical care

CNO says one F/A-XX bidder can’t meet Navy delivery schedule as Congress positions August selection

RAAF to retire 10 Leonardo C-27J Spartans; Canberra to replace them with “commercial” aircraft for Pacific personnel and logisti

News Timeline