US Department of Defense News

Reuters • Jasper Ward

US Clears $310M F-16 Training and Sustainment Package as Zelenskiy Anticipates More Jets

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $310 million Foreign Military Sale for F-16 training, sustainment and related equipment for Ukraine. President Zelenskiy says additional F-16s are expected soon and calls for systemic solutions to integrate and operate the fleet effectively.

2025-05-02T14:11:56.594988-07:00

Associated Press

Hegseth Extends Middle East Deployment of Two Carriers to Counter Houthi Threat

2025-05-02T08:53:37.322459-07:00

Reuters

US Lawmaker Warns Ryanair Against Chinese COMAC Jet Plans

2025-04-30T13:04:59.912583-07:00

Wall Street Journal

US Taps L3Harris to Retrofit Former Qatari Boeing 747 as Interim Air Force One by Year-End

2025-05-01T02:27:20.180823-07:00

US Department of Defense News Timeline

Reuters

US Clears $310M F-16 Training and Sustainment Package as Zelenskiy Anticipates More Jets The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $310 million Foreign Military Sale for F-16 training, sustainment and related equipment for Ukraine. President Zelenskiy says additional F-16s are expected soon and calls for systemic solutions to integrate and operate the fleet effectively.

2025-05-02T14:11:56.594988-07:00

US Clears $310M F-16 Training and Sustainment Package as Zelenskiy Anticipates More Jets

Air & Space Forces Mag

US Defense Budget to Top $1 Trillion in FY2026 Under Trump Proposal President Donald Trump has unveiled a fiscal 2026 defense budget request of $1 trillion, marking a 13% increase over the previous year. The historic proposal would be the first ever to hit the trillion-dollar mark and boosts funding for next-generation fighter development, space capabilities and missile defense programs.

2025-05-02T09:15:37.357483-07:00

US Defense Budget to Top $1 Trillion in FY2026 Under Trump Proposal

Associated Press

Hegseth Extends Middle East Deployment of Two Carriers to Counter Houthi Threat Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the USS Harry S. Truman and a second carrier to remain in the Middle East for another week, reinforcing a dual-carrier presence aimed at deterring missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants on critical shipping routes.

2025-05-02T08:53:37.322459-07:00

Hegseth Extends Middle East Deployment of Two Carriers to Counter Houthi Threat

Vertical Mag

U.S. Army Clears ICARUS System for CH-47F Chinook Airworthiness The U.S. Army has granted an airworthiness release for the Instrument Conditions Awareness Recognition and Understanding System (ICARUS) on the CH-47F Chinook, enabling instructor pilots to simulate degraded visual environments in flight. The system’s sensor suite and software replicate dust, fog and obscurants, enhancing readiness for low-visibility operations.

2025-05-02T05:38:55.971051-07:00

U.S. Army Clears ICARUS System for CH-47F Chinook Airworthiness

Stars and Stripes

Maj. Zachary Sessa Named Marine Aviator of the Year After Leading F-35C Yemen Combat Sorties Maj. Zachary Sessa led the F-35C Lightning II’s first combat missions targeting Houthi weapons storage in Yemen, earning him the Marine Corps’ Alfred A. Cunningham Award and the title of Marine Aviator of the Year. His leadership underscored the F-35C’s carrier-based strike capability in high-threat environments.

2025-05-01T18:43:10.009021-07:00

Maj. Zachary Sessa Named Marine Aviator of the Year After Leading F-35C Yemen Combat Sorties

FlightGlobal

USAF Starts Ground Trials of YFQ-44A and YFQ-42A Fighter Drone Prototypes The US Air Force has begun ground tests of Anduril’s YFQ-44A and GA-ASI’s YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft prototypes ahead of planned first flights this year. These uncrewed ‘loyal wingman’ drones are intended to augment manned fighters with strike, reconnaissance and decoy missions.

2025-05-01T09:07:07.985190-07:00

USAF Starts Ground Trials of YFQ-44A and YFQ-42A Fighter Drone Prototypes

Reuters

Huntington Ingalls Q1 earnings hit by carrier yard slowdown U.S. military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls posted a first-quarter revenue and profit decline as labor retention issues and production delays at its Ingalls Shipbuilding yard weighed on aircraft carrier and assault ship volumes despite strong demand for naval platforms amid rising geopolitical tensions.

2025-05-01T07:15:15.898746-07:00

Huntington Ingalls Q1 earnings hit by carrier yard slowdown

Wall Street Journal

US Taps L3Harris to Retrofit Former Qatari Boeing 747 as Interim Air Force One by Year-End The U.S. Air Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies a contract to convert a Boeing 747-8i formerly operated by the Qatari government into an interim Air Force One, with entry into service targeted by year-end as persistent VC-25B delays force a stopgap solution.

2025-05-01T02:27:20.180823-07:00

US Taps L3Harris to Retrofit Former Qatari Boeing 747 as Interim Air Force One by Year-End

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Our coverage of the U.S. Department of Defense delivers critical analysis of the policies, military procurements, and defense strategies shaping national security. With a focus on informed reporting, we track the DoD's initiatives and developments as they unfold, providing a valuable resource for understanding the defense landscape in the United States and its global implications.