Satellite   Space Force   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Commercial Space   Space Defense & Militarization  
Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

SDA awards $3.5B to Lockheed, Northrop, L3Harris and Rocket Lab to build 72 Tranche‑3 Tracking Layer satellites

The Space Development Agency awarded four contracts worth about $3.5 billion to Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab USA, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris to build 72 Tranche 3 Tracking Layer satellites. Each contractor will deliver and operate 18 missile‑warning/missile‑tracking space vehicles for SDA's Tranche 3 constellation.

Also: Air & Space Forces Mag, Defense Daily, investors.lockheedmartin.com, Lockheed Martin, insidedefense.com and edrmagazine.eu
2025-12-19T09:09:49.185349-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

US Air Force to Fit X-62 VISTA with Raytheon PhantomStrike AESA to Test AI-Enabled Combat for Uncrewed Fighters

By FlightGlobal: The US Air Force will install Raytheon's PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array radar on its X-62 VISTA test aircraft, advancing autonomous combat capabilities as the service develops artificial intelligence systems for future uncrewed fighters.

Also: AirForceTimes, The Aviationist, Aviation Week and news.ssbcrack.com
2025-12-19T07:58:18.769640-08:00
Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Export Controls & Trade Compliance   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Boeing selects Hanwha Systems to supply Eagle large-area cockpit displays for F‑15K and F‑15EX

By FlightGlobal: Boeing has selected South Korea's Hanwha Systems to provide the Eagle Large Area Display for Seoul's F-15K fleet and the US Air Force's F-15EX, marking the Korean manufacturer's first export of digital avionics equipment.

Also: Stars and Stripes
2025-12-19T09:30:38.216558-08:00
Supply Chain   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Germany signs deal to launch production of Taurus Neo cruise missiles for Luftwaffe

By FlightGlobal: Europe's Taurus Systems joint venture has been awarded a contract by the German BAAINBw defence procurement body to produce Taurus air-launched cruise missiles in an enhanced Neo-version standard.

Also: Janes
2025-12-19T03:39:18.940060-08:00
AI   Supply Chain   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Policy & Regulation   Export Controls & Trade Compliance  
FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

European Defence Fund backs studies for new small turbofan to power 'loyal wingman' drones amid export restrictions

By FlightGlobal: A lack of suitable European-built small turbofan engines for 'loyal wingman' applications that are also free of export restrictions has pushed the EU to consider funding the development of a new powerplant.

2025-12-19T04:48:33.409796-08:00