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Bloomberg • Tony Capaccio

Boeing wins $298M contract to supply up to 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel

Boeing has secured a $298 million contract to deliver as many as 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel, according to three people familiar with the transaction. The award specifies both the contract value and the potential munitions quantity in a single procurement.

2026-03-18T06:13:17.445200-07:00

AeroTime

France's Rafale Dispersal Plan Tests Air Force Readiness to Deliver Forward Nuclear Deterrence

2026-03-18T07:01:05.586621-07:00

DefenseNews.com

Elbit to field airborne laser systems on fighter jets and helicopters

2026-03-18T04:29:49.498482-07:00

FlightGlobal

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power upgrades on AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom; aircraft enter flight testing

2026-03-17T22:39:06.474822-07:00

News Timeline

AeroTime

France's Rafale Dispersal Plan Tests Air Force Readiness to Deliver Forward Nuclear Deterrence President Macron's doctrine for forward nuclear deterrence depends on rapidly dispersing Rafale fighters across European allies. For years the French Air Force has quietly prepared infrastructure, logistics and dispersal concepts — but questions remain about operational readiness, force generation and alliance coordination to execute such plans.

2026-03-18T07:01:05.586621-07:00

France's Rafale Dispersal Plan Tests Air Force Readiness to Deliver Forward Nuclear Deterrence

Bloomberg

Boeing wins $298M contract to supply up to 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel Boeing has secured a $298 million contract to deliver as many as 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel, according to three people familiar with the transaction. The award specifies both the contract value and the potential munitions quantity in a single procurement.

2026-03-18T06:13:17.445200-07:00

Boeing wins $298M contract to supply up to 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel

ch-aviation

French Navy receives first Pilatus PC-24, assigns jet to squadron 57S at Landivisiau The French Navy has received its first Pilatus PC-24 light transport/utility jet; the twin‑jet arrived at Landivisiau and will be assigned to squadron 57S. The delivery begins a planned renewal of the navy’s liaison and training fleet, introducing the PC‑24 into maritime support roles.

2026-03-18T05:00:28.525192-07:00

French Navy receives first Pilatus PC-24, assigns jet to squadron 57S at Landivisiau

DefenseNews.com

Elbit to field airborne laser systems on fighter jets and helicopters Elbit Systems disclosed plans to integrate directed-energy laser systems onto fighter jets and helicopters, the company said during its presentation of its 2025 financial results. The announcement signals a move to develop airborne laser capability for Israeli military aviation platforms.

2026-03-18T04:29:49.498482-07:00

Elbit to field airborne laser systems on fighter jets and helicopters

FlightGlobal

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power upgrades on AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom; aircraft enter flight testing Bell has finished the first Structural and Power Improvements for NextGen Effects (SPINE) upgrades on the US Marine Corps' AH‑1Z Viper and UH‑1Y Venom, completing structural and power‑delivery modifications. The two H‑1 aircraft have moved into flight testing as the program advances toward USMC evaluation.

2026-03-17T22:39:06.474822-07:00

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power upgrades on AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom; aircraft enter flight testing

FlightGlobal

China boosts fighter production to 300–400 jets annually after major factory expansion Commercial satellite imagery shows China's state-owned aviation conglomerate has dramatically expanded facilities producing military combat aircraft — including the fifth-generation J‑20 — raising reported fighter production capacity toward roughly 300–400 airframes per year, according to recent imagery analysis, a sizable increase in PLA-AF industrial output.

2026-03-17T14:53:54.217969-07:00

China boosts fighter production to 300–400 jets annually after major factory expansion

FlightGlobal

Japan's EC-2 EW conversion nears service entry as JASDF weighs numbers and transport trade‑offs The Japan Air Self-Defense Force released images of its developmental Kawasaki EC-2 electronic‑warfare aircraft — a conversion of the first C-2 transport — as the type approaches service entry. Tokyo is weighing how many EC-2s to acquire and the implications for its future transport fleet mix.

2026-03-17T00:24:37.853339-07:00

Japan's EC-2 EW conversion nears service entry as JASDF weighs numbers and transport trade‑offs

FlightGlobal

Japan's EC-2 electronic warfare aircraft heads to service entry The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has released images of the developmental Kawasaki EC-2 electronic-warfare aircraft — a conversion of the first Kawasaki C-2 transport — as decision-makers weigh how many EW conversions to buy and the impact on the JASDF's future transport fleet composition.

2026-03-16T22:54:52.363355-07:00

Japan's EC-2 electronic warfare aircraft heads to service entry

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

Boeing wins $298M contract to supply up to 5,000 air‑launched smart bombs to Israel

France's Rafale Dispersal Plan Tests Air Force Readiness to Deliver Forward Nuclear Deterrence

Elbit to field airborne laser systems on fighter jets and helicopters

Bell completes first SPINE structural and power upgrades on AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom; aircraft enter flight testing

News Timeline