Space Force   Leadership   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Policy & Regulation   Defense Policy  
Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

USAF creates Portfolio Acquisition Executives, consolidating oversight of advanced aircraft and NC2 under Hegseth reforms

The Department of the Air Force has created seven acquisition portfolios and named Portfolio Acquisition Executives to oversee programs including advanced aircraft and nuclear command-and-control as part of Secretary Pete Hegseth’s procurement overhaul. The change aims to streamline weapons buying and cut bureaucracy; the executives’ authorities are still being defined.

Also: Defense Scoop, Military Times, insidedefense.com, Defense Daily and news.defcros.com
2026-01-09T11:52:42.938534-08:00
Satellite   Space Force   L3Harris   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Defense & Militarization  
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Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

SpaceX to launch SDA Tranche 2 missile-tracking layer — 36 satellites (L3Harris, Lockheed) plus 8 Millennium FOO Fighters

By Breaking Defense: SpaceX will launch 36 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellites — 18 built by L3Harris and 18 built by Lockheed Martin — plus eight FOO Fighter birds built by Millennium Space Systems.

2026-01-09T13:28:13.058173-08:00
Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Policy & Regulation   Defense Policy  
Reuters • Gabriel Rubin

Trump’s ‘bully pulpit’ raises political risk for defense firms — threats to RTX buybacks and major investor deals

By Reuters: President Trump wants to block defense contractors like $250 bln RTX from repurchasing stock and big investors such as Blackstone from buying homes. He can't do so alone, but CEOs will waste resources coping.

Also: Flying Magazine
2026-01-09T06:45:28.523190-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

US Navy integrates autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft with F-35s in Joint Simulation Environment to develop new fighter tactics

By FlightGlobal: The US Navy has digitally integrated autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft with Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters inside the Joint Simulation Environment, as the service begins a fleet transformation that will see uncrewed fighters operated alongside conventional aircraft.

Also: news.ssbcrack.com, Navy Times, marinecorpstimes.com and Military Times
2026-01-09T05:28:00.902972-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Hypersonic   Europe   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Reuters • Andrew Osborn

Russia Reports Firing Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile at Ukrainian Energy and Drone Manufacturing Sites

By Reuters: The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although there was no suggestion that the one used in the overnight attack had been fitted with them.

Also: Associated Press, politico.eu, Janes, AeroTime, realcleardefense.com, Sky News, Economic Times, globalnews.ca, Euronews, The Independent, NBC News, defence-blog.com and 17 more
2026-01-08T23:02:31.746901-08:00