AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau
Lithuania’s RSI Europe has finished delivering 9,500 Shpak FPV systems to an undisclosed NATO state, with most aircraft transferred on to Ukraine. The transfer underscores the scale-up of counter- and strike-UAS supply chains feeding ongoing drone operations across the NATO flank.
Reuters
By Reuters: Private equity-backed government contractor Applied Aerospace & Defense is targeting a valuation of up to $3.59 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, as defense firms tap into strong investor appetite for the sector driven by heightened geopolitical tensions.
Reuters
• David Jeans
By Reuters: As U.S. kamikaze drones guided by Elon Musk’s Starlink network began to make visible gains in the war against Iran, senior SpaceX officials reached a conclusion: The Pentagon should be paying more for access to their satellite Wi-Fi network.
Payload
• Douglas Gorman
By Payload: The contract marks the company’s first large agreement since it made that strategic shift to persistent-monitoring capabilities.
FlightGlobal
• Craig Hoyle
By FlightGlobal: Contractor will deliver new surveillance service from January 2028. Canberra has picked Metrea Australia to deliver a new aerial surveillance service from later this decade, with the contractor to make available “a fleet of 11 fully crewed, technologically advanced aircraft”.
AeroTime
• Clement Charpentreau
By AeroTime: Thales carried out the first firings of its X-Fire ground-based long-range strike launcher on May 20, 2026, advancing France's FLP-T program.
Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
By Air Data News: Phase-out of first-generation Hornets aligns with transition to all-F-35 force; AV-8B Harrier II set for final operational flight U.S.
FlightGlobal
• Greg Waldron
By FlightGlobal: The Marine Attack Helicopter will provide firepower to South Korean marines, including an air-to-air capability. The Korea Aerospace Industries Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH) is entering its final development phase following an extensive test campaign.
Associated Press
• Efrem Lukatsky, EVGENIY MALOLETKA
