Defense News

MRO Asia-Pacific (APAC)

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

GMF AeroAsia completes second Indonesian C-130H overhaul, including structural and avionics upgrades

Indonesia’s GMF AeroAsia has handed over A-1319, a C-130H tactical transport, to the Indonesian air force after completing a major structural overhaul and avionics modernization. GMF says the aircraft is the first C-130 prototype to receive this work outside Lockheed Martin’s facilities, underscoring Indonesia’s expanding in-country sustainment capability.

2 Sources

2026-08-19T00:35:06.730510-07:00

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

Reuters

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

By Reuters: The U.S. Army said on Tuesday it had selected Hanwha Defense USA, a ‌unit of South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace , to supply its new Mobile Tactical Cannon, marking a breakthrough for South Korea's biggest defence company in the U.S.

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

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

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

GMF AeroAsia completes second Indonesian C-130H overhaul, including structural and avionics upgrades

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

Israel Moves AH-64 Apaches Closer To Critical Northern Front

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

GMF AeroAsia hands over upgraded C-130H to Indonesian air force

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

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

Regent demonstrates Squire autonomous seaglider at US Navy drone event

Robinson R66 Chosen as New U.S. Army Trainer

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

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.

More in Defense

Israel strikes an air base in northwest Syria to prevent Turkish troops from deploying

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

REGENT’s Squire seaglider completes wing-in-ground exercise with US military

New report takes closer look at the Space Force spending surge

Airbus puts synthetic aircraft into live German Air Force exercise

Trump’s Aircraft Carrier Design Demands Could Delay U.S. Navy Procurement

New image adds to claims of Uzbek J-10CE order, but questions remain

L3Harris ousts CEO Kubasik over conduct breach, names insider Mehta as replacement