Defense News

UAV Development & Drone Programs Supply Chain Military Aircraft Procurement Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

Breaking Defense • Valerie Insinna

Northrop Grumman signs agreements worth more than $3 billion to expand Patriot and THAAD interceptor production

Northrop Grumman says it has signed two multi-year framework agreements with the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin to supply key components for Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The deals support a broader U.S. effort to replenish missile-defense inventories strained by conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.

Wall Street Journal • Katherine Hamilton

Northrop Grumman Enters $3 Billion Contracts to Increase Missile Defense Production

aviationnews.eu • Marcel Van Leeuwen

Northrop Grumman Secures $3 Billion Framework Deals to Surge Missile Interceptor Production

Also: Reuters, Bloomberg, Aerotech News, insidedefense.com, defence-industry.eu, Seeking Alpha, Northrop Grumman and defence-industry.eu

11 Sources

2026-08-03T05:31:14.955872-07:00

Satellite Europe Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization Airbus Thales

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Airbus and Thales win order for SpainSat replacement

By SpaceNews.com: Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space will build a replacement military communications satellite for Spain.

SpaceWatch Africa

SES Space & Defense and Starlab Enter Agreement to Enable Communications for Starlab Commercial Space Station

SpaceWatch Africa

SES Launches Multi-Orbit Satellite Connectivity on LATAM Airbus, Embraer Fleet

Also: Satellite Evolution, Janes and 4 more

9 Sources

2026-08-03T05:33:01.855788-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs Dassault Aviation AI Helicopter Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

French Air Force Seeks Earlier Rafale F4 Deliveries Amid Fleet Overuse

By AeroTime: France’s Air Force chief says Rafale fighters are being overused and wants more F4 fighters quickly instead of waiting until 2033 for the F5 standard.

3 Sources

2026-08-03T04:59:13.461085-07:00

Space Force Space Defense & Militarization

Payload • Victoria Woodburn

True Anomaly Chases an Evading Target

By Payload: True Anomaly said it had become the first company to execute an in-space pursuit of an evading target as part of VICTUS HAZE.

1 Source

2026-08-03T05:59:18.883581-07:00

Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation Boeing

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

USAF ‘Franken-tanker’ KC-135 flies again with donor tail after Iraq collision

By AeroTime: A USAF KC-135 that lost half its tail in a fatal mid-air collision over Iraq has flown again with a fin taken from a retired tanker.

Also: Air Data News

2 Sources

2026-08-03T00:59:22.855255-07:00

North America Military Aircraft Procurement Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation

The War Zone • Tyler Rogoway

F-35B Crashes And Burns At Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (Updated)

By The War Zone: The F-35B crashed near the end of the runway at the sprawling Marine Corps base at around 10AM local time. Add TWZ (opens in a new tab) More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results.

Flying Magazine

F-35 Involved in Serious Accident in San Diego

The Aviationist

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Crashes at MCAS Miramar

Also: Associated Press, Breaking Defense, Simple Flying, Stars and Stripes, The Hill, Aerotech News, Economic Times, ANI News Agency, al.com, defensemirror.com, timesofsandiego.com, San Diego Union-Tribune and 12 more

33 Sources

2026-07-31T12:14:11.177452-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs Europe Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

AeroTime • Gabriele Petrauskaite

AI Hypersonic

Space.com • Mike Wall

Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle surpasses 10-flight milestone

By Space.com: "We are transforming hypersonic testing from a rare event into a routine service, empowering our customers to innovate at unprecedented speed.".

1 Source

2026-08-02T07:02:42.161970-07:00

Northrop Grumman signs agreements worth more than $3 billion to expand Patriot and THAAD interceptor production

Northrop Grumman Enters $3 Billion Contracts to Increase Missile Defense Production

Northrop Grumman Secures $3 Billion Framework Deals to Surge Missile Interceptor Production

Airbus and Thales win order for SpainSat replacement

SES Space & Defense and Starlab Enter Agreement to Enable Communications for Starlab Commercial Space Station

SES Launches Multi-Orbit Satellite Connectivity on LATAM Airbus, Embraer Fleet

French Air Force Seeks Earlier Rafale F4 Deliveries Amid Fleet Overuse

True Anomaly Chases an Evading Target

USAF ‘Franken-tanker’ KC-135 flies again with donor tail after Iraq collision

F-35B Crashes And Burns At Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (Updated)

F-35 Involved in Serious Accident in San Diego

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Crashes at MCAS Miramar

Ukraine Claims Long-Range Drone Strike Damaged Russian Air-Defense and Radar Sites

Massive Ukrainian Drone Strike Severely Damages Major Wildberries Logistics Hub in Russia’s Samara Region

Romania scrambles F-16s as Russian drone crosses Ukraine's Danube River border

Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle surpasses 10-flight milestone

True Anomaly Chases an Evading Target

Airbus and Thales win order for SpainSat replacement

Northrop gets $3B framework deal to increase motor production for PAC-3, THAAD

French Air Force Seeks Earlier Rafale F4 Deliveries Amid Fleet Overuse

USAF ‘Franken-tanker’ KC-135 flies again with donor tail after Iraq collision

Stratolaunch’s Talon-A hypersonic vehicle surpasses 10-flight milestone

U.S. Air Force expands Blue Origin rocket cargo contract

Congressional watchdog warns of risks to $21 billion B-52 modernization

Facing a lack of kit, Space Force creates $981M pool to buy training capabilities

China conducts naval, air patrols around disputed shoal in South China Sea

Marine Corps F-35B crashes near San Diego; pilot ejects with non-life-threatening injuries

GAO flags cost growth and schedule risk in $21 billion B-52 modernization

Space Force creates $981 million pool to address critical simulator shortages

Ukraine’s Long-Range Drone Campaign Hits Russian Logistics, Bomber Base and Air-Defense Sites

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