UAV Development & Drone Programs   General Atomics   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

GA-ASI YFQ-42A Dark Merlin returns to flight testing after 7 April crash and software fix

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) resumed test flights after a roughly six-week pause triggered by a drone crash. The USAF-linked prototype underwent safety reviews and software enhancements before returning to the flight-test program.

Aviation Week • Brian Everstine

General Atomics YFQ-42A Returns To Flight

Also: ga-asi.com, Defense One, Defense Daily, Seeking Alpha, insidedefense.com and ga.com
2026-05-21T21:10:33.287494-07:00
Satellite   Space Defense & Militarization   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Cybersecurity (Cyber Threats & Protection)  
Bloomberg • Anthony Capaccio

Ukraine Retook Territory After Hobbling Starlink, Pentagon Says

By Bloomberg: A Ukrainian offensive against Russia earlier this year retook about 400 square kilometers after thousands of portable Starlink internet terminals operated by Russian forces were deactivated, according to the US Defense Intelligence Agency.

2026-05-21T15:54:27.493477-07:00
North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Reuters • Phil Stewart

Canada falling short on defense spending, F-35 review, Pentagon official says

By Reuters: The U.S. decision to suspend planned biannual defense ​talks with Canada follows deepening concern that Ottawa is failing to take steps to become a "credible" security partner, including by hiking ‌military spending and completing a review of an F-35 fighter jet acquisition, a Pentagon official said on Thursday.

Also: CBC
2026-05-21T15:39:06.812496-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   SAAB   General Atomics   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

General Atomics flies MQ-9B for first time carrying Saab LoyalEye AEW radars

By FlightGlobal: Combination is described as the 'world's first unmanned AEW solution'. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has flown a company-owned MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft for the first time carrying pod-housed airborne early warning (AEW) radar arrays produced by Saab.

Also: warsight.com, The Aviationist, Air Data News, Aviation Week, UK Defence Journal, ga-asi.com and 4 more
2026-05-21T09:38:36.247976-07:00
Supply Chain   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Workforce & Skills Development  
Reuters • Mike Stone

Lockheed Martin breaks ground on Alabama missile plant

By Reuters: Lockheed Martin broke ground on Thursday on an 87,000-square-foot Munitions Production Center at its Troy, Alabama campus, as part of a ​U.S. push to expand missile output and strengthen the defense ‌industrial base.

2026-05-21T14:24:14.316151-07:00
Hypersonic   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Defense Policy   Boeing   Boeing 747  
AeroTime • Stephen Pope

US Missile Defense Agency conducts hypersonic flight test with Stratolaunch

By AeroTime: The US Missile Defense Agency conducted a hypersonic flight test using Stratolaunch’s Talon-A3 vehicle and a modified Boeing 747-400.

Also: Defense Daily and aerospaceglobalnews.com
2026-05-21T12:39:25.249024-07:00