North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Canada to join Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) as observer

Canada is set to join the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) as an observer, granting Ottawa access to advanced fighter technology, programme data and potential industrial ties without full commitment. The move comes amid Ottawa’s ongoing review of its F‑35 procurement and mixed‑fleet options.

2026-03-31T10:31:33.785205-07:00
China   Satellite   Space Defense & Militarization   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

MizarVision, a Chinese geospatial‑intelligence firm, publicly tracked US military assets during Iran operations

By FlightGlobal: Shanghai-based MizarVision has been publicly posting satellite imagery of American military movements throughout Operation Epic Fury, including locations of F-22 fighters, command and control aircraft, and aircraft carrier strike groups – with some sites subsequently targeted by Iranian retaliation.

2026-03-31T08:55:34.363651-07:00
Helicopter   Europe   FlightSim   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Workforce & Skills Development  
Vertical Mag

CAE delivers Prodigy image generator for German CH-53GS full‑motion flight simulators (customer acceptance completed)

By Vertical Mag: In late 2025, the German Armed Forces completed customer acceptance and qualification of CAE Prodigy as part of upgrades to their CH-53GS full-motion helicopter simulators.

2026-03-31T08:55:39.899349-07:00
Supply Chain   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

RTX secures $3.8 billion F135 engine contract for F-35 Lots 18 and 19

By Air Data News: RTX has secured a $3.8 billion contract for the production of Pratt & Whitney F135 engines that power the F-35 fighter, under an award issued by the U.S.

Also: insidedefense.com, Defense Daily and defence-industry.eu
2026-03-31T02:21:10.011256-07:00
Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

US reportedly asks Poland to redeploy Patriot battery and PAC‑3 interceptors to the Middle East

By AeroTime: Poland's defense minister has ruled out redeploying Patriot batteries to the Middle East after reports the US informally asked Warsaw to consider the move.

2026-03-31T03:38:34.852025-07:00
Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy   Airbus  
Reuters • Tim Hepher

Airbus Helicopters boss urges Europe to stick together on defence

By Reuters: The outgoing head of Airbus Helicopters called for deeper European collaboration in defence procurement and warned that fragmenting programmes into national projects would drive costs beyond what countries could afford.

2026-03-31T05:46:20.993295-07:00