Military Aircraft Procurement News

Wall Street Journal • Dov Lieber

U.S. approves downgraded F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia to preserve Israel's qualitative edge

President Trump approved a U.S. plan to sell F‑35 fighters to Saudi Arabia, but U.S. officials say the jets will be downgraded relative to Israel’s fleet to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge. The decision has drawn Israeli objections and Pentagon warnings about potential Chinese targeting of F‑35 technology.

2025-11-19T04:27:52.935405-08:00

Politico

Trump, Saudi crown prince unveil Strategic Defense Agreement including proposed F‑35 sales and nearly 300 US tanks

2025-11-17T13:37:40.947509-08:00

Aviation Week

Morocco orders 10 Airbus H225M Caracals for combat search‑and‑rescue, replacing Puma

2025-11-18T00:40:31.902157-08:00

DefenseNews.com

France and Ukraine sign LOI for up to 100 Rafales, SAMP/T air‑defence and drone cooperation

2025-11-17T05:05:05.310866-08:00

Military Aircraft Procurement News Timeline

Breaking Defense

L3Harris F-16 electronic‑warfare suite cleared for low‑rate production; bids to unseat Northrop Grumman for USAF EW kits L3Harris’s F‑16 electronic‑warfare system has been cleared for low‑rate initial production, and the company is actively bidding to displace Northrop Grumman as the U.S. Air Force supplier of F‑16 EW kits. The award would shift a significant sustainment and systems‑integration role on a long‑served fighter.

2025-11-20T05:05:46.850753-08:00

L3Harris F-16 electronic‑warfare suite cleared for low‑rate production; bids to unseat Northrop Grumman for USAF EW kits

DVIDS / U.S. DoD

USAF selects McGhee Tyson ANGB near Knoxville as preferred host for KC-46A Main Operating Base 7 The U.S. Air Force announced McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base near Knoxville, Tennessee as the preferred location to host KC-46A Pegasus Main Operating Base 7, a key element of the Department of the Air Force’s aircraft recapitalization plan to redistribute and modernize the tanker force basing.

2025-11-19T17:11:40.511749-08:00

USAF selects McGhee Tyson ANGB near Knoxville as preferred host for KC-46A Main Operating Base 7

Aviation Week

Global Surge in Fighter Orders Spurs Multi‑Decade Backlogs — From Colombia and Ukraine to Saudi Arabia Global fighter backlogs have surged to multi‑decade highs as countries from Colombia and Ukraine to Saudi Arabia and Gulf states accelerate restocking and modernization. The spike in export orders is straining production lines, elevating delivery timelines and forcing OEMs and suppliers to scale output and hiring.

2025-11-19T15:13:06.924707-08:00

Global Surge in Fighter Orders Spurs Multi‑Decade Backlogs — From Colombia and Ukraine to Saudi Arabia

Air & Space Forces Mag

USAF awards ~$50M for small drones to turn MQ-9 Reapers into drone‑launching motherships The U.S. Air Force has awarded a roughly $50 million contract to buy small unmanned aerial systems designed to be launched from MQ-9 Reaper aircraft, converting the remotely piloted MQ-9 into a drone‑launching mothership. The award formalizes efforts to integrate subordinate UAS capabilities onto existing MQ-9 platforms.

2025-11-19T13:49:32.205354-08:00

USAF awards ~$50M for small drones to turn MQ-9 Reapers into drone‑launching motherships

Aviation Week

U.S. Coast Guard Orders Gulfstreams to Double VIP and Command-and-Control Fleet The U.S. Coast Guard has placed orders with Gulfstream to double its fleet of VIP transport and airborne command-and-control aircraft, expanding executive transport and C2 capacity for the service as it modernizes its aviation mission set and sustains long-range airborne command platforms.

2025-11-19T13:34:57.467034-08:00

U.S. Coast Guard Orders Gulfstreams to Double VIP and Command-and-Control Fleet

insidedefense.com

Trump nominates Lt. Gen. Dale White for fourth star to lead B-21, F-47, Air Force One and Sentinel ICBM portfolio President Trump has nominated Lt. Gen. Dale White for promotion to four-star and to become the U.S. Air Force's first Direct-Reporting Portfolio Manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems. The portfolio will consolidate oversight of the B-21 Raider, F-47, the next Air Force One and Sentinel ICBM modernization programs.

2025-11-19T13:23:19.829499-08:00

Trump nominates Lt. Gen. Dale White for fourth star to lead B-21, F-47, Air Force One and Sentinel ICBM portfolio

Breaking Defense

Russia offers Su-57E with full tech transfer and licensed production as it mounts export push at Dubai Airshow 2025 At Dubai Airshow 2025 Russia flew the Su‑57E and publicly offered unrestricted, full‑spectrum technology transfer, licensed production, weapons and integration of Indian‑origin missiles. The delegation also showcased a light‑fighter Yak‑130M variant and the Pantsir‑SMD‑E counter‑UAS system.

2025-11-19T11:07:21.055288-08:00

Russia offers Su-57E with full tech transfer and licensed production as it mounts export push at Dubai Airshow 2025

Breaking Defense

Lockheed to keep F-35 production rate steady to support suppliers, exec says Lockheed Martin will hold F-35 production steady to support supplier stability, executive Steve Sheehy said. "It's not just a single issue," he added, saying the decision aims to keep suppliers operating at a steady rate and avoid disruptive rate changes amid modernization and supply‑chain pressures.

2025-11-19T07:20:13.321050-08:00

Lockheed to keep F-35 production rate steady to support suppliers, exec says

Create a free account to see more recent Military Aircraft Procurement stories.