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Breaking Defense • Valerie Insinna

Northrop to invest $2.5B and $200M in 2026 to accelerate B-21 Raider production

Northrop Grumman plans a $2.5 billion investment to hasten U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider fielding, with CEO Kathy Warden citing $200 million in spending in 2026 to increase production momentum. The company also disclosed a previously unreported sale of a company-owned B-21 test aircraft to the USAF as part of the acceleration effort.

2026-04-21T09:26:50.430022-07:00

FlightGlobal

Embraer KC-390 Millennium completes 11-nation, 70-day global demo tour with 54 flights and ~140 flight hours

2026-04-21T08:52:08.886632-07:00

The War Zone

Northrop Grumman pushes back on F/A-XX schedule risk, arguing it can deliver a 6th-gen carrier fighter if selected

2026-04-21T09:40:31.841545-07:00

ch-aviation

Uganda Air Force inducts A300B4F for military cargo flights

2026-04-21T07:49:48.531918-07:00

News Timeline

The War Zone

Northrop Grumman pushes back on F/A-XX schedule risk, arguing it can deliver a 6th-gen carrier fighter if selected Amid concerns from the Navy’s top officer that an (unnamed) contractor “really can’t deliver” F/A-XX on the required timeline, Northrop Grumman defended its ability to build the service’s next-generation carrier fighter on schedule—conditional on being selected. The F/A-XX downselect remains geared toward narrowing toward Boeing vs. Northrop.

2026-04-21T09:40:31.841545-07:00

Northrop Grumman pushes back on F/A-XX schedule risk, arguing it can deliver a 6th-gen carrier fighter if selected

Breaking Defense

Northrop to invest $2.5B and $200M in 2026 to accelerate B-21 Raider production Northrop Grumman plans a $2.5 billion investment to hasten U.S. Air Force B-21 Raider fielding, with CEO Kathy Warden citing $200 million in spending in 2026 to increase production momentum. The company also disclosed a previously unreported sale of a company-owned B-21 test aircraft to the USAF as part of the acceleration effort.

2026-04-21T09:26:50.430022-07:00

Northrop to invest $2.5B and $200M in 2026 to accelerate B-21 Raider production

FlightGlobal

Embraer KC-390 Millennium completes 11-nation, 70-day global demo tour with 54 flights and ~140 flight hours Embraer has concluded a 70-day global demonstration campaign for the KC-390 Millennium, visiting 11 countries on a 54-flight, ~47,000nm (86,900km) programme. The aircraft accumulated about 140 flight hours across mission-relevant environments, with temperatures spanning Arctic cold to hot, humid Asian conditions.

2026-04-21T08:52:08.886632-07:00

Embraer KC-390 Millennium completes 11-nation, 70-day global demo tour with 54 flights and ~140 flight hours

ch-aviation

Uganda Air Force inducts A300B4F for military cargo flights The Uganda Air Force has inducted an Airbus A300B4F freighter into service to support cargo flight operations. The move adds widebody lift capacity to Uganda’s military airlift toolkit and signals continued investment in enabling logistics capability at a time of broader scrutiny of the country’s civil aviation leadership (see link).

2026-04-21T07:49:48.531918-07:00

Uganda Air Force inducts A300B4F for military cargo flights

FlightGlobal

RAAF takes delivery of first new jammer pods for Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic-attack aircraft The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has received its first new jammer pods to equip its Boeing EA-18G Growlers, marking the start of a near-term electronic-attack upgrade for the platform. The delivery signals progress toward enhanced electronic warfare capability on Australia’s Growler fleet.

2026-04-21T03:58:36.899866-07:00

RAAF takes delivery of first new jammer pods for Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic-attack aircraft

FlightGlobal

US Army weighs adding aerial refuelling for new MV-75 tiltrotor—probe option vs organic tanker platform The US Army is evaluating whether to expand the service’s aviation inventory around aerial refuelling for its new MV-75 tiltrotor. Options under consideration include equipping the rotorcraft with an air-to-air refuelling probe and/or fielding a dedicated “organic tanker” platform to support the capability.

2026-04-20T17:01:59.732757-07:00

US Army weighs adding aerial refuelling for new MV-75 tiltrotor—probe option vs organic tanker platform

SpaceNews.com

Space Force cancels RTX OCX GPS ground-control contract over delays and cost overruns The U.S. Space Force/Air Force has canceled RTX’s Next-Generation GPS Operational Control Segment (OCX) ground-control network after years of delays and cost overruns, with reporting citing a roughly $6B program. Lockheed Martin was instead awarded a $105M contract for the AEP.

2026-04-20T15:38:16.984894-07:00

Space Force cancels RTX OCX GPS ground-control contract over delays and cost overruns

Air Data News

Germany takes delivery of the final Airbus A400M Atlas (airlifter No. 53), completing the Luftwaffe fleet at 53 aircraft Germany has received its 53rd and final Airbus Defence and Space A400M Atlas transport aircraft into service, closing the country’s current procurement lot under the multinational OCCAR programme. The delivery completes an order first supported after the aircraft entered service in 2014 and signals Airbus’ push for A400M upgrades and new roles amid a shrinking backlog.

2026-04-20T14:01:54.597336-07:00

Germany takes delivery of the final Airbus A400M Atlas (airlifter No. 53), completing the Luftwaffe fleet at 53 aircraft

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

Northrop to invest $2.5B and $200M in 2026 to accelerate B-21 Raider production

Embraer KC-390 Millennium completes 11-nation, 70-day global demo tour with 54 flights and ~140 flight hours

Northrop Grumman pushes back on F/A-XX schedule risk, arguing it can deliver a 6th-gen carrier fighter if selected

Uganda Air Force inducts A300B4F for military cargo flights

News Timeline