UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

Aviation Week • Steve Trimble

USAF awards Aevex $18.5M for one-way autonomous attack drones and engineering support

The U.S. Air Force has awarded California-based Aevex an $18.5 million contract for autonomous one-way attack drones and associated engineering/support services. Aevex says it will supply a batch of systems following prior experience delivering thousands of similar uncrewed platforms for Ukraine.

Also: AeroTime, Aviation Week and UASweekly

2026-05-13T11:36:11.175536-07:00

Defense Industry & Major Contractors Asia-Pacific (APAC)

CNBC • Lim Hui Jie

Japan's global defense business may be on the cusp of a big breakout

By CNBC: Can Japan be a major player in the international defense sector, like its neighbor South Korea?.

2026-05-13T17:55:26.352438-07:00

Hypersonic Supply Chain Military Aircraft Procurement Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy

DefenseNews.com • Phil Stewart

Pentagon reaches agreements with defense firms on containerized missiles

By DefenseNews.com: The Pentagon is announcing framework agreements with Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos and Zone 5 to acquire over 10,000 containerized missiles.

Aviation Week

Pentagon Strikes Missile Deals With Anduril, CoAspire, Leidos, Zone 5

The War Zone

Pentagon Lays Out Plan to Procure 10,000 Low-Cost Cruise Missiles

Also: Breaking Defense, Air & Space Forces Mag, c4isrnet.com, Sandboxx, Defense Daily, Seeking Alpha, insidedefense.com and Military Times

2026-05-13T09:09:38.870409-07:00

Space Force LEO Space Defense & Militarization Space Debris & Traffic Management

Ars Technica • Stephen Clark

A new US military wargame series began by simulating a nuclear weapon in orbit

By Ars Technica: US officials have said a nuclear detonation would render portions of low-Earth orbit useless for up to a year.

2026-05-13T12:13:16.645141-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs L3Harris Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Breaking Defense • Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.

L3Harris turns handheld radios into counter-drone jammers

By Breaking Defense: The forthcoming Wraith Shield software update uses the existing antenna to scan for drone control signals, identify enemy ones, and jam them, L3Harris executives told reporters.

Also: Defense Daily

2026-05-13T12:55:41.545022-07:00

Supply Chain Military Aircraft Procurement Orders Embraer

Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Embraer sees KC-390 production reaching 10 aircraft per year by 2030, eyes assembly lines in U.S. and India

By Air Data News: Embraer expects to gradually increase production of the KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft to 10 units annually by the end of the decade, while also studying the possibility of establishing assembly lines in the United States and India if ongoing campaigns advance into major contracts.

Also: aviationnews.eu and Aviation Week

2026-05-13T11:03:21.286759-07:00

Aircraft Carrier Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Policy

Breaking Defense • Diana Stancy

After Middle East ops, Navy to start feeling funding crunch this summer: CNO

By Breaking Defense: The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is expected to face increased maintenance due to its extended deployment.

Also: Military Times and Navy Times

2026-05-13T10:36:14.942145-07:00

AI Supply Chain Leadership M&A Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

Financial Times • George Hammond, Sylvia Pfeifer

Defence tech start-up Anduril doubles valuation to over $60bn

By Financial Times: Peter Thiel-backed company raises $5bn as the US administration turns to smaller players for latest military kit.

CNBC

Anduril doubles valuation to over $60 billion as defense tech funding boom continues

anduril.com

Anduril Announces $5B Series H Raise

Also: GeekWire, CNA, Defense Daily and 4 more

2026-05-13T01:23:12.090665-07:00

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