Military Aircraft Procurement News

Air Data News

A400M water-bomber debut in France: first operational retardant drop as Europe weighs Canadair replacement France has mobilized an Airbus A400M for firefighting in Gironde, conducting the first operational retardant drop with a modified cargo-bay system that can release up to 20 tonnes of retardant to slow wildfire spread. The move comes as megafires intensify debate over the Canadair shortfall and which aircraft can replace it.

2026-07-26T05:24:57.965011-07:00

AeroTime

Longshot joins Velocity Alliance as the US Air Force modernizes high-cadence hypersonic test infrastructure; UK MOD awards Lockh Longshot has been selected for the U.S. Air Force’s Velocity Alliance, a consortium aimed at upgrading national test capabilities with an affordable, high-cadence hypersonic test launcher concept. Separately, the UK MOD awarded Lockheed Martin UK £320 million for Project Bowline, delivering a hypersonic target aircraft to support missile defense flight tests from 2027 over the Hebrides.

2026-07-26T02:05:47.667984-07:00

AeroTime

2026-07-26T02:05:47.667984-07:00

UK builds Mach 5 target to tes

Air Data News

Chinese social media footage shows updated J-36 next-generation stealth fighter prototype New videos and images circulating on Chinese social media reportedly depict an updated prototype of China’s unofficially designated J-36 next-generation combat aircraft. The material provides additional visible clues into development of the country’s largest known stealth-fighter program, per the reporting.

2026-07-25T03:50:12.361870-07:00

Air Data News

2026-07-25T03:50:12.361870-07:00

New footage appears to show up

AeroTime

❗️

A400M “water-bomber” deployed to Gironde wildfire: 20 tonnes of retardant dropped as France adapts cargo-bay firefighting kit For the first time, an A400M military transport is being deployed against a wildfire in Gironde, where it has already dropped 20 tonnes of retardant. France is using an added firefighting kit (paletized, MAFFS-like concept) and has previously tested the approach with a tank setup at Nîmes and Istres—prompting the government to later order the armed forces to disengage the aircraft without delay.

2026-07-25T03:49:28.740659-07:00

The War Zone

USAF’s B-21 Raider production ramp-up deal designed to enable a faster path to a larger fielded bomber fleet The USAF’s previously announced B-21 production boost contract was framed around accelerating fielding of the bombers next year, but the underlying deal structure also supports a pathway toward scaling to a larger Raider fleet.

2026-07-24T11:05:49.211093-07:00

AeroTime

❗️

Romanian F-16 first-time drone interception in NATO territory; Ukraine’s F-16 reaches first air-to-air kill Romania reported its first-ever NATO-member case of firing on a drone after a Shahed-type incursion, with an F-16AM cleared to engage from the alliance’s air operations center over Buzău county. Separately, a top US general said a Ukrainian F-16 achieved the country’s first air-to-air kill—an air-defense milestone as the two air forces field more F-16 capability.

2026-07-24T03:19:25.939145-07:00

Menu