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The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

Pentagon weighs restoring E-7 Wedgetail radar priority after E-3 AWACS loss in Iranian attack

The Pentagon is reconsidering the Air Force’s radar/AEW&C posture following the loss of an E-3 Sentry to an Iranian attack, with E-7s viewed as the needed replacement for the dwindling, aging E-3 fleet. The reassessment underscores how combat attrition is driving near-term radar capacity decisions.

2026-05-12T15:57:14.830076-07:00

Breaking Defense

Hegseth says Pentagon is revisiting Army aviation cuts as Army Transformation Initiative shifts away from legacy helicopters

2026-05-12T14:48:31.863570-07:00

Breaking Defense

Trump-class battleship to use Ford-class nuclear reactor design

2026-05-12T15:23:31.565999-07:00

The War Zone

USAF to begin work on new bomber-launched ARRW hypersonic variant targeting moving ships

2026-05-12T10:51:46.939041-07:00

News Timeline

The War Zone

Pentagon weighs restoring E-7 Wedgetail radar priority after E-3 AWACS loss in Iranian attack The Pentagon is reconsidering the Air Force’s radar/AEW&C posture following the loss of an E-3 Sentry to an Iranian attack, with E-7s viewed as the needed replacement for the dwindling, aging E-3 fleet. The reassessment underscores how combat attrition is driving near-term radar capacity decisions.

2026-05-12T15:57:14.830076-07:00

Pentagon weighs restoring E-7 Wedgetail radar priority after E-3 AWACS loss in Iranian attack

Breaking Defense

Trump-class battleship to use Ford-class nuclear reactor design Adm. Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, confirmed the Trump-class battleship will share several design features with the USS Ford and, critically, use the same nuclear reactor as the Ford-class aircraft carrier. The move signals continuity in propulsion architecture as the Navy shapes future surface combatant plans.

2026-05-12T15:23:31.565999-07:00

Trump-class battleship to use Ford-class nuclear reactor design

Breaking Defense

Hegseth says Pentagon is revisiting Army aviation cuts as Army Transformation Initiative shifts away from legacy helicopters Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers he is “taking another look” at the Army Transformation Initiative after concerns that proposed budget actions could create gaps in aviation capability during the transition away from the service’s legacy helicopter fleet. The review follows a year of reform implementation and fresh congressional scrutiny of aviation priorities.

2026-05-12T14:48:31.863570-07:00

Hegseth says Pentagon is revisiting Army aviation cuts as Army Transformation Initiative shifts away from legacy helicopters

The War Zone

USAF to begin work on new bomber-launched ARRW hypersonic variant targeting moving ships The U.S. Air Force is moving forward to start work on a new ARRW missile variant designed to engage moving targets, with an emphasis on future Pacific combat scenarios. The effort signals continued adaptation of existing hypersonic basing and mission profiles to improve effectiveness against maritime threats.

2026-05-12T10:51:46.939041-07:00

USAF to begin work on new bomber-launched ARRW hypersonic variant targeting moving ships

Breaking Defense

Pentagon reverses E-7A Wedgetail funding cut, commits money in FY2027 request US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the E-7 Wedgetail “has a future,” reversing a prior Pentagon decision to zero out funding. The Pentagon now plans to commit to funding the E-7A in its 2027 budget request, following lawmakers’ pressure and a stated shift in approach.

2026-05-12T10:27:11.266050-07:00

Pentagon reverses E-7A Wedgetail funding cut, commits money in FY2027 request

Air Data News

Embraer KC-390 Millennium push: Colombia and Chile talks, UAE contract signing, and Lithuania industrial partnership Embraer is renewing KC-390 Millennium campaigns in Colombia and Chile, with the company citing near-term procurement discussions for tactical cargo aircraft. Separately, Embraer says it is pursuing a broad industrial partnership with Lithuania to strengthen its European footprint. A separate milestone: the UAE Air Force contract for C-390 Millennium aircraft was signed under the witness of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

2026-05-12T02:04:24.378715-07:00

Embraer KC-390 Millennium push: Colombia and Chile talks, UAE contract signing, and Lithuania industrial partnership

FlightGlobal

GE Aerospace clears NGAP XA102 adaptive-cycle prototype build readiness; Pratt & Whitney completes digital XA103 assembly readin GE Aerospace cleared an Assembly Readiness Review for its XA102 adaptive-cycle engine, advancing the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program toward full system demonstration. Pratt & Whitney completed a fully digital Assembly Readiness Review for the XA103, as the Air Force funds adaptive-cycle turbofan development for the sixth-generation fighter competition.

2026-05-11T16:55:52.116279-07:00

GE Aerospace clears NGAP XA102 adaptive-cycle prototype build readiness; Pratt & Whitney completes digital XA103 assembly readin

AeroTime

USAF clears Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk for production, approves first 14 aircraft under $219M contract The U.S. Air Force has cleared Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk trainer for production and awarded a $219 million contract covering the first 14 aircraft. The decision moves the program from production readiness into an initial delivery ramp intended to accelerate advanced pilot training capacity.

2026-05-11T16:22:34.575918-07:00

USAF clears Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk for production, approves first 14 aircraft under $219M contract

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

Pentagon weighs restoring E-7 Wedgetail radar priority after E-3 AWACS loss in Iranian attack

Hegseth says Pentagon is revisiting Army aviation cuts as Army Transformation Initiative shifts away from legacy helicopters

Trump-class battleship to use Ford-class nuclear reactor design

USAF to begin work on new bomber-launched ARRW hypersonic variant targeting moving ships

News Timeline