Bookmark this story
Military Aircraft Procurement   Boeing  
The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

Operational USAF F-15EXs begin flying with conformal fuel tanks as mission demands evolve

The U.S. Air Force did not originally plan for the air-to-air combat-focused F-15EX to carry conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), but operational aircraft have now begun flying with them. The change reflects evolving mission demands, though the reports provide no further detail on the tanks’ operational role or fleetwide plans.

2026-11-06T13:50:39.334026-08:00
Space Force   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Defense & Militarization  
Bookmark this story
Spaceflight Now • Steven Young

Falcon 9 to launch from California on classified mission for U.S. Space Force

By Spaceflight Now: Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 4:48 p.m. PST (7:48 p.m. EST / 0048 UTC). The mission is thought to be carrying satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield platform.

2026-11-06T14:04:42.534290-08:00
Aircraft Carrier   UAV Development & Drone Programs   BAE Systems  
Bookmark this story
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Uncrewed Nyan, AR5 trials advance UK Royal Navy’s hybrid carrier air wing development

By FlightGlobal: Service details recent work conducted using one-way effector and uncrewed logistics platform. The UK Royal Navy (RN) has demonstrated an expansion to its operational Carrier Strike capability, with first trials conducted aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth using Nyan one-way effectors.

Also: Business Insider, defenceconnect.com.au and suasnews.com
2026-11-06T10:55:58.836886-08:00
Viasat   Satellite   Space Force   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Space Defense & Militarization  
Bookmark this story
Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

Key Space Force satellites can't talk to each other, likely requiring $1B solution: Sources

By Breaking Defense: To translate between the SpaceX-built SDN Backbone and other Pentagon communications and missile tracking satellites, sources said the Space Force is eyeing 12 or 13 Space Exchange Point birds.

Also: Via Satellite, Breaking Defense, Aviation Week, newspaceeconomy.ca, satelit.web.id, insidedefense.com, Defense Daily and 8 more
2026-11-06T06:28:44.525483-08:00
Satellite   Space Force   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Commercial Space   Space Defense & Militarization  
Bookmark this story
SpaceWatch Global • Joshua Faleti

AST SpaceMobile Joins U.S. Space Force Program to Advance Space-Based Sensing

By SpaceWatch Global: AST SpaceMobile will support STR under a USSF program to advance space-based sensing using commercially developed satellite technology.

Also: Via Satellite, Reuters, Ars Technica, SpaceNews.com, Payload, fireflyspace.com, Seeking Alpha, quiltyspace.com and 7 more
2026-11-06T01:34:55.539636-08:00