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

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

Pratt & Whitney PW500 tapped for Northrop Grumman YFQ-48A Talon Blue autonomous fighter (CCA) propulsion

Northrop Grumman selected the Pratt & Whitney PW500 turbofan to power its self-funded, single-engine CCA design, the YFQ-48A Talon Blue. Pratt & Whitney says one PW500 is installed on the Talon Blue prototype, while RTX provides the broader propulsion system for the platform.

Aviation Week • Steve Trimble

Pratt & Whitney Breaks Into CCA Race With Blue Talon Win

Also: Defense Daily and defence-industry.eu

2026-04-17T15:16:11.915042-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

DefenseNews.com • Cristina Stassis

Air Force unit executes test of Anduril’s semiautonomous combat drone

By DefenseNews.com: Airmen operated Auduril's YFQ-44A jet-powered combat drone, which could someday fly alongside piloted fighters.

defcrosnews.com

Accelerating the Future: YFQ-44 Fury Fighter Drone Enters Critical Testing Phase

Also: AirForceTimes, c4isrnet.com and Military Times

2026-04-17T12:59:53.196480-07:00

Satellite Europe Space Defense & Militarization Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

Space Intel Report • Peter B de Selding

French military: Iris2 won't be deployed by 2030, we'll use OneWeb until it is; looking at Germany's constellation, too

By Space Intel Report: LA PLATA, Maryland — The French military acknowledged that Europe’s Iris2 multi-orbit secure connectivity constellation will….

2026-04-17T13:22:37.405336-07:00

Helicopter Safran Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors

FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

EDF-backed SHARP project hones cutting-edge helicopter engine technology

By FlightGlobal: A project to develop a next-generation military helicopter engine has been awarded €25 million ($29 million) by the European Defence Fund (EDF) under its 2025 work programme.

2026-04-17T08:36:59.788141-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Bayraktar

Breaking Defense • Agnes Helou

Baykar unveils K2 Kamikaze drone with AI, swarming capabilities

By Breaking Defense: The company, famous for producing mid-range drones that proved effective in the early days of the Ukraine conflict, said the K2 fits within its “cost-effective defense solutions strategy.".

2026-04-17T06:38:16.103923-07:00

Air Cargo & Freight Logistics Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Budgets & Spending Asia-Pacific (APAC) Defense Policy

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Canberra looks to replace C-27Js with ‘commercial’ type

By FlightGlobal: Canberra aims to replace its fleet of Leonardo C-27J tactical transports, although it intends to maintain the airlift capacity to serve Pacific neighbours.

aviationnews.eu

Australia Retires C-27J Spartan Fleet, Signals Shift Toward Larger Airlift Capability

Air Data News

Australia to retire C-27J Spartan fleet and shift to commercial aircraft for regional missions

Also: AeroTime, Scramble and The Aviationist

2026-04-16T23:24:31.483594-07:00

Military Aircraft Procurement Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Air Data News • ADN Staff

Pentagon awards Lockheed Martin $1.9 billion contract for C-130J training and maintenance

By Air Data News: The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin a sole-source, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract worth up to $1.9 billion to continue the C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System (MATS) program.

Also: AviationPros

2026-04-17T05:08:16.417273-07:00

Europe Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Deals

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

US warns European allies of weapons delivery delays

By AeroTime: Washington has told Baltic and Scandinavian countries to expect delays in contracted arms deliveries as the Iran war stretches US munitions supplies.

2026-04-17T05:17:42.158335-07:00

Menu

Pratt & Whitney PW500 tapped for Northrop Grumman YFQ-48A Talon Blue autonomous fighter (CCA) propulsion

Pratt & Whitney Breaks Into CCA Race With Blue Talon Win

Air Force unit executes test of Anduril’s semiautonomous combat drone

Accelerating the Future: YFQ-44 Fury Fighter Drone Enters Critical Testing Phase

French military: Iris2 won't be deployed by 2030, we'll use OneWeb until it is; looking at Germany's constellation, too

EDF-backed SHARP project hones cutting-edge helicopter engine technology

Baykar unveils K2 Kamikaze drone with AI, swarming capabilities

Canberra looks to replace C-27Js with ‘commercial’ type

Australia Retires C-27J Spartan Fleet, Signals Shift Toward Larger Airlift Capability

Australia to retire C-27J Spartan fleet and shift to commercial aircraft for regional missions

Pentagon awards Lockheed Martin $1.9 billion contract for C-130J training and maintenance

US warns European allies of weapons delivery delays

Pratt & Whitney PW500 engine will power Northrop Grumman YFQ-48 autonomous fighter

French military: Iris2 won't be deployed by 2030, we'll use OneWeb until it is; looking at Germany's constellation, too

Air Force unit executes test of Anduril’s semiautonomous combat drone

EDF-backed SHARP project hones cutting-edge helicopter engine technology

Baykar unveils K2 Kamikaze drone with AI, swarming capabilities

US warns European allies of weapons delivery delays

Northrop Grumman poised for critical design review of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s Block II upgrade

US Air Force lets operational crews fly CCA drones in early field exercise

Space Force, NATO Commanders Share Threat Perspectives

Joby and L3Harris to demonstrate autonomous S-4T rotorcraft for US Army

B-21 Raider completes first aerial refueling tests with KC-135 Stratotanker; new overhead photos released

U.S. Army formalizes FLRAA tiltrotor as MV-75 “Cheyenne II,” launching Bell’s next-generation fielding push

Raytheon contract: $3.7B Patriot GEM‑T interceptors for Ukraine, with Germany production at COMLOG

FT alleges Iran used a Chinese-built spy satellite (TEE-01B) to track U.S. bases across the Middle East

Starlink's 2024 Advances: Transforming In-Flight Wi-Fi Connectivity in Aviation

Riyadh Air: Saudi Arabia's New National Carrier Prepares for Launch Amid Regional Competition

More in Defense

Countering missile threats 'left of launch'

Rafale's new anti-Shahed weapon caught on camera at Istres

Combat search and rescue’s uncertain future: As A-10s phase out, US Air Force faces questions of what comes next

Exclusive: Starlink outage hit drone tests, exposing Pentagon’s growing reliance on SpaceX

How the US could clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz

Wolf Pack Modular Mini Cruise Missiles Pitched For Apache, Black Hawk

Army Eyes Drone Tankers To Refuel Its New MV-75 Cheyenne II Tiltrotors

USAF Seeking Advanced IR Countermeasures For HH-60Ws