Bloomberg
• Josh Wingrove
President Donald Trump said the Boeing 747-8 Qatar is gifting to serve as a stopgap Air Force One will be retrofitted with additional security capabilities later this year. The announcement links the near-term interim aircraft plan to an upcoming upgrade program focused on protecting the aircraft’s mission role.
Bloomberg
• Gerry Doyle
By Bloomberg: Boeing Co. lifted production of PAC-3 seekers by 30% last year and plans a similar increase this year as the US tries to replenish its stockpile of the crucial air-defense interceptors.
Breaking Defense
• Valerie Insinna
By Breaking Defense: “I do expect to see some cost growth there as we come through [final assembly] and we finish off the wiring and the structures, as well as finishing off with certification,” Steve Parker told reporters ahead of Farnborough Airshow this week.
Breaking Defense
• Michael Marrow
By Breaking Defense: Gen. Ken Wilsbach, the Air Force chief of staff, sits down with Breaking Defense to talk lessons from Iran and the F-35's future.
New York Times
• Raja Abdulrahim
By New York Times: Jordan’s role in U.S. operations against Iran has grown as other allies in the region have restricted Washington’s ability to use their bases and airspace.
Reuters
• Cassell Bryan-Low, Joanna Plucinska, Tim Hepher
By Reuters: Spiralling security risks are expected to push defence to the forefront of Britain's Farnborough Airshow, as aerospace and arms makers struggle to keep pace with demand for weapons while cementing a fragile recovery in civil jet and engine production.
Wall Street Journal
• Jared Malsin, Robbie Gramer, Summer Said
By Wall Street Journal: ISTANBUL—Turkey is in talks to transfer a sophisticated Russian air-defense system to the United Arab Emirates in hopes of clearing American objections to its purchase of advanced F-35 warplanes, U.S.
The War Zone
• Joseph Trevithick
By The War Zone: Issues tied to Zumwalt's hugely powerful hybrid-electric power plant and other factors have set back its return to the fleet.
AINonline
• Charlotte Bailey
