Defense News

UAV Development & Drone Programs Supply Chain Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Aviation Today • Calvin Biesecker

PDW Seeks Pentagon-Backed Financing to Scale Drone Production Capacity

PDW is seeking a loan from the Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital to expand beyond its 90,000-square-foot Drone Factory 01 in Huntsville, Ala. The financing would support additional capacity for manufacturing drones and key components as the company targets production supporting U.S. output of one million drones annually.

1 Source

2026-08-19T21:21:50.727483-07:00

Hypersonic Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Hypersonic missile startup Castelion raises $1 billion

By SpaceNews.com: WASHINGTON — Castelion, a defense-tech startup seeking to mass produce lower-cost hypersonic weapons, has raised more than $1 billion in new financing as it moves to expand missile production and develop a broader portfolio of offensive and defensive weapons.

1 Source

2026-08-19T16:45:37.474603-07:00

Helicopter North America Military Aircraft Procurement Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation

Associated Press • Associated Press

Army resumes Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2

By Associated Press: The U.S. Army says it will resume Apache helicopter training missions following a brief pause after two soldiers were killed in a crash last week in Texas.

Simple Flying

Cessna 150 Pilot Killed, 2 Troopers Hurt In Midair Crash With State Police Helicopter

aeroxplorer.com

Army Resumes Apache Training After Fatal Texas Helicopter Crash Kills Two Soldiers

Also: NBC News, CNN and 4 more

10 Sources

2026-08-19T16:20:10.640985-07:00

Helicopter Sikorsky North America

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

New White House helipad under construction to address VH-92A exhaust issue

By FlightGlobal: The new landing structure on the South Lawn will prevent the Sikorsky "Marine One" presidential transport from scorching the verge at the executive manor.

1 Source

2026-08-19T19:05:12.079169-07:00

Leadership L3Harris Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Wall Street Journal • Cara Lombardo, Drew Fitzgerald, Marcus Weisgerber

Women at L3Harris Shared Concerns About CEO’s Behavior Years Before Ouster

By Wall Street Journal: Chris Kubasik was ousted after investigation into conduct with subordinate; years earlier another employee had made a harassment complaint.

1 Source

2026-08-19T13:29:35.451497-07:00

eVTOL UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Military Aircraft Procurement

AINonline • Hanneke Weitering

Elroy Air Wins $46 Million Army Contract for Chaparral Cargo Drone

By AINonline: Contract covers jam-resistant navigation and hardened communications links.

2 Sources

2026-08-19T15:50:28.172144-07:00

Helicopter Sikorsky Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors

AINonline

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider Points to a New Level of Performance For Future Helicopters

By AINonline: Originally developed for the U.S. Military, X2 technology is in search of a new customer.

1 Source

2026-08-19T11:35:48.040984-07:00

Aviation Safety & Regulation Space Debris & Traffic Management

Space.com • Brett Tingley

Possible space-debris hazard prompts U.S. Air Force aircraft to turn back over the South Pacific

By Space.com: A mysterious incident over the South Pacific forced a U.S. Air Force aircraft to turn around on Aug. 18, due to a possible space debris hazard.

Also: Aviation A2Z

2 Sources

2026-08-19T09:05:15.239368-07:00

PDW Seeks Pentagon-Backed Financing to Scale Drone Production Capacity

Hypersonic missile startup Castelion raises $1 billion

Army resumes Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2

Cessna 150 Pilot Killed, 2 Troopers Hurt In Midair Crash With State Police Helicopter

Army Resumes Apache Training After Fatal Texas Helicopter Crash Kills Two Soldiers

New White House helipad under construction to address VH-92A exhaust issue

Women at L3Harris Shared Concerns About CEO’s Behavior Years Before Ouster

Elroy Air Wins $46 Million Army Contract for Chaparral Cargo Drone

Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider Points to a New Level of Performance For Future Helicopters

Possible space-debris hazard prompts U.S. Air Force aircraft to turn back over the South Pacific

PDW Eyes Supplying Parts To Support U.S. Production Of One Million Drones Annually

New White House helipad under construction to address VH-92A exhaust issue

Hypersonic missile startup Castelion raises $1 billion

Army resumes Apache helicopter training missions after Texas crash that killed 2

Elroy Air Wins $46 Million Army Contract for Chaparral Cargo Drone

Women at L3Harris Shared Concerns About CEO’s Behavior Years Before Ouster

Taiwan’s first F-16 Block 70 fighters seen departing Lockheed factory

Israel strikes Syrian airbase days after restored Su-22s return to the air

Vantor names new head of U.S. government business

Chinese national jailed for filming B-2 base under 1950 Truman order

L3Harris ousts CEO Christopher Kubasik after conduct investigation, names space chief Sam Mehta successor

U.S.-linked infrastructure push spans Indo-Pacific space surveillance and FAA air traffic control overhaul

U.S. seeks Israel-Turkey-Syria deconfliction channel after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase

Space Force’s FY27 Budget Request Reaches Record $71.3B

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

More in Defense

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U.S. Space Force FY27 Budget Request Reaches Record $71.3 Billion

L3Harris ousts CEO Kubasik over conduct breach, names insider Mehta as replacement

Israel strikes an air base in northwest Syria to prevent Turkish troops from deploying

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U.S. Army Selects Hanwha Defense USA to Supply Mobile Artillery Prototypes

Air Force Wants Family Of Expendable Target Drones That Can Mimic Everything From Stealth Fighters To UAV Swarms