Defense News

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Defense Industry & Major Contractors

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

Former SpaceX engineer leads Shield AI’s vertical-landing X-Bat fighter effort

Shield AI is developing the X-Bat, a vertical-landing combat aircraft, under the leadership of a former SpaceX engineer. The project places the company among efforts to shape next-generation combat aviation, where autonomous operations and unconventional aircraft configurations are emerging features of future fighter concepts.

1 Source

2026-11-02T15:04:47.789571-08:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Defense Industry & Major Contractors

The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

Counter-Drone Laser Weapon Now Guarding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Alongside SAMs

By The War Zone: Mar-a-Lago is the latest real-world deployment for the U.S. military's growing arsenal of LOCUST counter-drone lasers.

Also: defence-blog.com and laserwars.net

3 Sources

2026-11-02T14:04:58.968521-08:00

aviation Event NASA

The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

New X-Plane To Be Announced At Max Power Airshow: NASA Administrator Isaacman

By The War Zone: NASA's boss insists it is "not the one you're thinking about" and has deflected a new question about a 'missing' SR-71.

1 Source

2026-11-02T10:28:50.438077-08:00

aviation Europe Airports Accident Aviation Safety & Regulation Airbus A320 Airlines

Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Wizz Air A321neo escorted by Gripen after bomb threat

By Air Data News: Flight W64302 from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest after NATO issued an Air Airbus A321neo was escorted by a Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen to Budapest on Monday after a bomb threat interrupted a flight from London to Sofia.

Aviation24

Wizz Air flight diverted to Budapest after bomb threat, escorted by Hungarian Gripen fighters

Simple Flying

Wizz Air Flight From London Diverts Due To Bomb Threat

Also: Aviation A2Z, theaviationhub.co.uk, The Independent and 3 more

16 Sources

2026-11-02T07:54:49.452649-08:00

Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Orders Defense Deals Embraer

Aviation Week • Robert Wall

Greece Finalizes KC-390 Purchase

By Aviation Week: Greece has signed a purchase agreement to cover the previously disclosed plan to buy three Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft.

aviationnews.eu

Greece Orders Three Embraer KC-390 Millennium Aircraft, With Options for Three More

AeroTime

Embraer confirms Greek defense acquisition includes up to six KC-390 Millenniums

Also: APAC Defence Reporter, aviation-defence-universe.com, Air Data News, Breaking Defense, FlightGlobal, The Aviationist, defensemirror.com, aeromorning.com and 6 more

33 Sources

2026-11-02T04:34:28.857020-08:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs Europe Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

DefenseNews.com • Katie Livingstone

Russia is giving its drones bigger antennas to beat Ukrainian jamming

By DefenseNews.com: Kyiv now needs roughly twice as many jammers to stop each upgraded Shahed, intel officials and experts said.

Kyiv Independent

Russia adapts decoy drone for one-way attacks at ranges of up to 1,200 kilometers, HUR says

militarnyi.com

SSU’s Alpha Group Eliminates Over 2,000 Russian Soldiers With Drones in One Week

Also: Forbes and 3 more

9 Sources

2026-11-02T10:04:33.049775-08:00

Supply Chain Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

The War Zone • Hope Hodge Seck

These Are The U.S. Weapons Most At Risk In The Looming Rare Earths Supply Crisis

By The War Zone: Rare earths are critical in thousands of weapon systems, many of which are essential to national security, and China is the source for most of them.

1 Source

2026-11-02T08:55:04.006107-08:00

Satellite AI Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Spy satellite designs could change as AI takes on more intelligence analysis

By SpaceNews.com: To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site.

1 Source

2026-11-02T10:05:54.895353-08:00

Former SpaceX engineer leads Shield AI’s vertical-landing X-Bat fighter effort

Counter-Drone Laser Weapon Now Guarding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Alongside SAMs

New X-Plane To Be Announced At Max Power Airshow: NASA Administrator Isaacman

Wizz Air A321neo escorted by Gripen after bomb threat

Wizz Air flight diverted to Budapest after bomb threat, escorted by Hungarian Gripen fighters

Wizz Air Flight From London Diverts Due To Bomb Threat

Greece Finalizes KC-390 Purchase

Greece Orders Three Embraer KC-390 Millennium Aircraft, With Options for Three More

Embraer confirms Greek defense acquisition includes up to six KC-390 Millenniums

Russia is giving its drones bigger antennas to beat Ukrainian jamming

Russia adapts decoy drone for one-way attacks at ranges of up to 1,200 kilometers, HUR says

SSU’s Alpha Group Eliminates Over 2,000 Russian Soldiers With Drones in One Week

These Are The U.S. Weapons Most At Risk In The Looming Rare Earths Supply Crisis

Spy satellite designs could change as AI takes on more intelligence analysis

From Falcon 9 to fighter jets: the former SpaceX engineer behind Shield AI’s vertical landing X-Bat

Counter-Drone Laser Weapon Now Guarding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Alongside SAMs

Spy satellite designs could change as AI takes on more intelligence analysis

New X-Plane To Be Announced At Max Power Airshow: NASA Administrator Isaacman

Russia is giving its drones bigger antennas to beat Ukrainian jamming

These Are The U.S. Weapons Most At Risk In The Looming Rare Earths Supply Crisis

Tiny Ukrainian receiver intercepts Russian drone feeds in real time

Oshkosh steps into large UAS space with new Grid Aero partnership

Vantor cuts satellite imagery delivery time to seven minutes in Ukraine test

Space Force's commercial satellite push draws criticism over slow pace

Iran’s strikes on more than two dozen U.S. bases targeted early-warning systems before aircraft and buildings, AP analysis finds

Avenger air-defense systems and counter-drone kits deployed to protect Mar-a-Lago

Vector Defense expands as US seeks to build low-cost military drone capacity from near zero

UK policy raises stakes for foreign bidders in military space market

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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