Defense News

UAV Development & Drone Programs Defense Industry & Major Contractors Asia-Pacific (APAC)

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Kawasaki Heavy sees uncrewed aircraft and small turbofans driving defense growth

Kawasaki Heavy Industries expects defense aerospace to support higher defense revenue and profit margins, identifying uncrewed aircraft and small turbofans as growth priorities. The outlook puts these programs at the center of the Japanese conglomerate’s expansion plans, though the company’s reported summary provides no targets or timing.

1 Source

2026-10-09T00:05:30.674173-07:00

Europe Defense Budgets & Spending Space Defense & Militarization Defense Policy

Payload • Douglas Gorman

Europe’s Space Defenses Fall Just Shy of Weaponization

By Payload: While officials decry the militarization of space, they’re also funding their own programs to boost their in-space defense postures.

1 Source

2026-10-08T22:35:21.550435-07:00

Bloomberg • James Stavridis

B-1 Bomber Withdrawal Raises Questions About the Vulnerability of U.S. Bases Overseas

By Bloomberg: The Pentagon’s abrupt withdrawal of a dozen long-range B-1 bombers from a British airbase this week raises a host of troubling questions. Vice President J.D.

1 Source

2026-10-08T22:05:17.679062-07:00

aviation Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy

Wall Street Journal • Drew Fitzgerald, Lara Seligman, Marcus Weisgerber

The Wall Street Veteran Trying to Solve the Pentagon’s Missile Problem

By Wall Street Journal: Soon after a July cabinet meeting ended at Camp David, the rustic presidential retreat in Maryland, President Trump turned to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with an order: “Get Feinberg on the phone.”.

1 Source

2026-10-08T16:19:58.192077-07:00

MRO Africa Military Aircraft Procurement Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)

The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

Retired KC-10 Extender Tankers Could Get A Second Life With North African Mystery Operator

By The War Zone: The USAF wants to know what it would take to regenerate a quartet of KC-10s for an undisclosed operator, and there are a couple of likely suspects.

2 Sources

2026-10-08T17:05:17.313402-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Europe Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Workforce & Skills Development

Navy Times • Daniel Terrill

Pentagon recruits drone pilots from across services for upcoming competition

By Navy Times: The Defense Innovation Unit is looking to recruit about 100 drone pilots and create a standing registry of operators across the military services.

Breaking Defense

Pentagon, Raytheon ink up to $6.3 billion multi-year contract for SM-3 IB missiles

Reuters

RTX's Raytheon wins up to $6.3 billion US missile contract

Also: DefenseNews.com, Janes, The War Zone, SpaceNews.com, Air & Space Forces Mag, navaltoday.com, defcrosnews.com, ex2.com.au, insidedefense.com, Naval News, al.com, rtx.com and 14 more

35 Sources

2026-10-08T07:15:38.407925-07:00

aviation ATC Helicopter North America Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation

Washington Post • Alex Horton, Dan Lamothe, Tara Copp

2026-10-08T08:04:50.084913-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Aviation Week • Steve Trimble

2026-10-08T08:06:37.386236-07:00

Kawasaki Heavy sees uncrewed aircraft and small turbofans driving defense growth

Europe’s Space Defenses Fall Just Shy of Weaponization

B-1 Bomber Withdrawal Raises Questions About the Vulnerability of U.S. Bases Overseas

The Wall Street Veteran Trying to Solve the Pentagon’s Missile Problem

Retired KC-10 Extender Tankers Could Get A Second Life With North African Mystery Operator

Pentagon recruits drone pilots from across services for upcoming competition

Pentagon, Raytheon ink up to $6.3 billion multi-year contract for SM-3 IB missiles

RTX's Raytheon wins up to $6.3 billion US missile contract

Army report cites systemic flaws that led to fatal DCA midair collision

US Army report cites systematic failures in 2025 helicopter and jet collision that killed 67

Army probe results in sweeping recommendations after Washington air disaster

X-Bat Funding Rises To $400 Million After Latest U.S. Navy Award

Navy, Shield AI pour big bucks into X-BAT drone development

US Navy commits additional $150m to fund X-Bat development

Kawasaki expects strong growth in uncrewed aircraft, small engines

Europe’s Space Defenses Fall Just Shy of Weaponization

B-1 Bomber Withdrawal Raises Questions About the Vulnerability of U.S. Bases Overseas

Retired KC-10 Extender Tankers Could Get A Second Life With North African Mystery Operator

The Wall Street Veteran Trying to Solve the Pentagon’s Missile Problem

Lessons for CENTCOM from counter-drone experiments in the Arizona desert

US Air Force, Army eye industry access on test ranges

Lessons for CENTCOM from counter-drone experiments in the Arizona desert

Greece agrees up to $4 billion US arms deal, sources say

Supreme Court validates Mexico's military airline framework

British Airways to remove 52 seats in major A380 cabin overhaul, expanding premium economy and business class

Romania signs €757 million deal for 12 Airbus H225M helicopters

At IAC 2026, Türkiye pitches space partnerships, independent access and homegrown satellite capability

U.S. awards Boeing $14.7B Patriot seeker contract as DoD funds Kymeta terminal upgrades and Rheinmetall-Iceye starts German SAR

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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