UAV Development & Drone Programs   F-16   Middle East   Military Aircraft Procurement   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
Aviation Week • Steve Trimble

Bahrain’s F-16 Block 70 logs first combat air-to-air kills, downing Iranian drones

The Royal Bahraini Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 (F-16C/D) has achieved its first air-to-air kill in the current Middle East conflict, intercepting and shooting down Iranian drones that penetrated earlier air-defense layers. Reports credit two drone shootdowns as the type’s initial combat success.

2026-04-09T10:22:25.391225-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Helicopter   Europe   Aviation Safety & Regulation  
FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

Certo Aerospace praises Capstone performance in Royal Navy ASW trials

By FlightGlobal: UK uncrewed air system (UAS) developer Certo Aerospace has hailed the performance of its Capstone rotary-wing platform in trials for the Royal Navy (RN) which saw it successfully conduct a simulated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission.

2026-04-10T09:33:09.522870-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

French navy orders additional S-100 Camcopter ISR drones for use from frigates

By FlightGlobal: The French navy will equip some of its FREMM-class frigates with Schiebel S-100 Camcopter uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), under a new order placed via prime contractor Naval Group.

Also: aviation-defence-universe.com and defence-blog.com
2026-04-10T07:48:23.956107-07:00
Military Aircraft Procurement   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Export Controls & Trade Compliance   Defense Deals   Defense Policy   Boeing  
Defense Daily • Rich Abott

U.S. Army Awards Lockheed Martin $4.76B Contract for PAC-3 MSE Production

By Defense Daily: A day after the Army on April 9 awarded Lockheed Martin a $4.76 billion contract to produce an unspecified number of Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3.

Also: Reuters, Aviation Week, DVIDS / U.S. DoD, Lockheed Martin and 9 more
2026-04-09T14:39:16.098317-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Supply Chain   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

USAF awards nearly $30M to Beehive Industries to advance low-cost Frenzy turbojets (Frenzy 8 & 6)

By FlightGlobal: The deal will support flight testing of the 200lb-thrust Frenzy 8 and prototype fabrication on the 100lb-thust Frenzy 6. US propulsion start-up Beehive Industries has secured a nearly $30 million contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to advance testing and development of a new family of low-cost turbojets.

Also: Business Wire and 5 more
2026-04-09T14:01:12.762414-07:00