Defense News

North America Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Deals

Reuters

U.S. Army Selects Hanwha Defense USA for Mobile Tactical Cannon Prototypes

The U.S. Army has selected Hanwha Defense USA, a unit of South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, to supply prototypes for its new Mobile Tactical Cannon. The decision gives South Korea’s largest defense company a significant entry point into the U.S. weapons market.

Also: Yonhap News Agency and defensehere.com

3 Sources

2026-08-18T16:50:25.306132-07:00

Space Force Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Space Defense & Militarization

Wall Street Journal • Shelby Holliday

How U.S. Satellites Detect Iranian Missile Launches

By Wall Street Journal: Space Force's Gen. Chance Saltzman says more missiles ‘have been launched in the last three years than all years before combined.’ WSJ’s Shelby Holliday sat down with Saltzman to learn how the U.S.

1 Source

2026-08-18T15:35:46.312449-07:00

Space Force Defense Budgets & Spending Space Defense & Militarization Defense Policy

Payload • Victoria Woodburn

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

By Payload: The Space Force's FY27 budget request made headlines earlier this year at a record-breaking $71.3B.

Also: Via Satellite

2 Sources

2026-08-18T10:50:03.401438-07:00

North America Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation

DefenseNews.com

F/A-18 pilot injured after crashing during low-level training flight in Washington state

By DefenseNews.com: Video from the Yakima County Sheriff's Office showed a bloodied F/A-18 Hornet pilot after he hit trees on a low-level training operation and had to eject.

AirForceTimes

F/A-18 Pilot Injured After Crashing Into Trees During Low-Level Training Flight

marinecorpstimes.com

‘As close as it gets’: Bodycam footage shows Marine pilot walking away from crashed F/A-18 Hornet

Also: Military Times and Military Times

5 Sources

2026-08-18T11:50:11.789265-07:00

Viasat Satellite Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

Via Satellite • Rachel Jewett

Viasat Taps Rocket Lab to Build Small GEO for PTS-G Program

By Via Satellite: Viasat has selected Rocket Lab to build a Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite for its contract on the Protected Tactical Satcom-Global (PTS-G) program.

2 Sources

2026-08-18T12:53:25.280246-07:00

Airports Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

Japanese F-15 suffers landing gear collapse during touchdown in Okinawa

By FlightGlobal: The incident temporarily closed one of the two runways servicing commercial traffic at the island's Naha airport. A Boeing F-15J fighter jet operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) experienced a landing gear collapse while landing on the island prefecture of Okinawa.

Also: The Aviationist and defence-blog.com

3 Sources

2026-08-18T14:05:08.101740-07:00

Israel Helicopter Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

The War Zone • Thomas Newdick

Israel Moves AH-64 Apaches Closer To Critical Northern Front

By The War Zone: An AH-64 squadron is moving from Ramon to Ramat David as Israel shifts more attack helicopter capacity toward the northern front. An AH-64 squadron is moving from Ramon to Ramat David as Israel shifts more attack helicopter capacity toward the northern front.

1 Source

2026-08-18T12:36:16.900249-07:00

eVTOL UAV Development & Drone Programs AI

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

Regent demonstrates Squire autonomous seaglider at US Navy drone event

By FlightGlobal: The ground-effect vehicle can reach speeds of 70kt with a range exceeding 100nm and a 22kg payload, start-up says. American start-up Regent Craft demonstrated an uncrewed military variant of the company's seaglider vehicle in recent Pentagon drone exercises.

Also: Aviation Week

2 Sources

2026-08-18T12:36:20.281425-07:00

U.S. Army Selects Hanwha Defense USA for Mobile Tactical Cannon Prototypes

How U.S. Satellites Detect Iranian Missile Launches

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

F/A-18 pilot injured after crashing during low-level training flight in Washington state

F/A-18 Pilot Injured After Crashing Into Trees During Low-Level Training Flight

‘As close as it gets’: Bodycam footage shows Marine pilot walking away from crashed F/A-18 Hornet

Viasat Taps Rocket Lab to Build Small GEO for PTS-G Program

Japanese F-15 suffers landing gear collapse during touchdown in Okinawa

Israel Moves AH-64 Apaches Closer To Critical Northern Front

Regent demonstrates Squire autonomous seaglider at US Navy drone event

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

How U.S. Satellites Detect Iranian Missile Launches

Japanese F-15 suffers landing gear collapse during touchdown in Okinawa

Viasat Taps Rocket Lab to Build Small GEO for PTS-G Program

Israel Moves AH-64 Apaches Closer To Critical Northern Front

Regent demonstrates Squire autonomous seaglider at US Navy drone event

Israeli media says country is seeking information on Boeing F-47

Robinson R66 Chosen as New U.S. Army Flight School Next Trainer

Families Raise Concerns Over USS Lincoln’s 270-Day Middle East Deployment

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

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

France keeps EMALS for future carrier as Trump orders U.S. Navy back to steam catapults

Reliance and Rolls-Royce join India’s bid for an indigenous AMCA fighter engine

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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