Dassault Aviation Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy Airbus

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Franco‑German tensions threaten the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme

Since its April 2018 launch, the Franco‑German‑Spanish Future Combat Air System has faced repeated industrial and political frictions. Following the Feb. 5 Franco‑German Council on defence and security, rising bilateral tensions now threaten progress — and potentially the programme’s future — on the collaborative next‑generation fighter.

2026-02-18T00:13:13.259959-08:00

Europe Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors BAE Systems

Reuters

BAE Systems posts 12% FY operating profit rise as order backlog hits record £83.6bn

By Reuters: BAE Systems said a "new era" of defence spending would drive its growth for years to come after the British contractor reported a 12% rise in full-year operating profit on Wednesday and a record 83.6 billion-pound order backlog.

UK Defence Journal

BAE Systems reports record sales and GBP 83.6bn order backlog

Bloomberg

BAE Predicts Slower Growth After Record 2025, Signalling Defence Spending Normalisation

Also: insidermedia.com, The Independent, news.ssbcrack.com and The Independent

2026-02-17T23:35:19.519998-08:00

Supply Chain Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

Wall Street Journal • Alistair MacDonald, Cristina Gallardo, Robbie Gramer

The Phantom Stealth Fighter That Exposes Europe’s Deep Divisions Over Defense

By Wall Street Journal: Duplicated efforts, a fragmented industry and soured collaborations are among the reasons the region isn’t getting more bang for its defense buck.

2026-02-17T22:40:44.118655-08:00

Supply Chain Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Payload

Why Demonstrator Programs Are Now Essential for Aerospace and Defense Development

By Payload: For decades, aerospace and defense programs followed a familiar pattern: define requirements, finalize designs, then validate at the end of the process.

2026-02-17T21:14:45.509319-08:00

Satellite Space Force Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization Defense Policy

DefenseNews.com • Michael Peck

Pentagon seeks low‑cost commercial satellites for on‑orbit surveillance and close inspections

By DefenseNews.com: The Pentagon is looking for cheap commercial satellites that can maintain surveillance on other satellites in orbit, including close-range inspections.

Also: news.ssbcrack.com and news.defcros.com

2026-02-17T20:07:19.481560-08:00

North America Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Policy & Regulation Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

USAF's Sentinel ICBM to clear key milestone this year, expected operational in early 2030s

By Breaking Defense: “We certainly have not lowered the bar, and we certainly have not taken on any risk by doing this,” Air Force Gen. Dale White told Breaking Defense.

DefenseNews.com

USAF delays LGM-35A ‘Sentinel’ ICBM rollout to early 2030s after Milestone B revocation

AirForceTimes

USAF Targets Early‑2030s Fielding of LGM‑35A 'Sentinel' After Nunn‑McCurdy Milestone B Revocation

Also: Air & Space Forces Mag, Bloomberg, Aviation Week, DVIDS / U.S. DoD, Stars and Stripes, defence-blog.com, defensemirror.com, interestingengineering.com, news.defcros.com, Defense One, news.ssbcrack.com, Military Times and 6 more

2026-02-17T08:53:48.149477-08:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs General Atomics Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Defense Policy

Aviation Week • Graham Warwick

DARPA’s Missile-Carrying LongShot Becomes Newest X-Plane

By Aviation Week: An air-launched missile-carrying UAS developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for DARPA’s LongShot project has been designed the X-68A.

FlightGlobal

DARPA designates General Atomics LongShot prototype as X-68A

The War Zone

X‑68A LongShot drone nears integration for F‑15 air‑launch operations

Also: Breaking Defense, defence-industry.eu and defence-blog.com

2026-02-17T06:11:19.361596-08:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs F-16 Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Ukraine denies ‘secret’ international F-16 squadron claim

By AeroTime: Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat has dismissed a report that US and Dutch pilots are flying Ukrainian F-16s over Kyiv, citing lack of evidence.