eVTOL UAV Development & Drone Programs Supply Chain M&A Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Reuters

AeroVironment to acquire Empirical Systems Aerospace for ~$200M to boost UAS, loitering‑munitions and AAM production

AeroVironment will acquire Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) in a cash‑and‑stock deal valued at about $200 million, adding ESAero’s design and manufacturing capabilities across unmanned aircraft systems, loitering munitions and advanced air mobility platforms. The company says the transaction will expand production capacity and lift EBITDA.

Seeking Alpha • Harsh Shukla

AeroVironment to Buy ESAero for ~$200M to Expand Loitering‑Munitions Capacity and Boost EBITDA

avinc.com

AV Acquires Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc.

Also: Defense Daily and insidedefense.com

2026-03-16T13:25:02.896733-07:00

Satellite Europe Defense Industry & Major Contractors Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

Business Wire

Redwire to Build Belgium’s First National Security Satellite with Aerospacelab

By Business Wire: Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a global leader in space and defence technology solutions, today announced it has been awarded a prime contract by Belgian D...

Via Satellite

Belgium Selects Redwire and Aerospacelab to Build Nation's First National Security Satellite

defence-industry.eu

Redwire selected to build Belgium’s first national security satellite MATTEO in partnership with Aerospacelab

Also: Seeking Alpha

2026-03-16T05:33:21.292646-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Bayraktar

Aviacionline • Gastón Dubois

Baykar K2: Heavy 200 kg Kamikaze Drone Unveiled with Swarm and GNSS‑Independent Navigation

By Aviacionline: Baykar unveils the K2, a new heavy kamikaze drone with swarm capabilities—and a 200 kg punch The K2 combines artificial intelligence, GNSS-independent navigation, and swarm operations to conduct deep-strike missions against high-value targets.

DefenseNews.com

Turkey’s Baykar tests swarm behavior of its K2 one-way attack drone

aviationnews.eu

Baykar Tests K2 Kamikaze UAV Swarm With AI-Driven Autonomous Formation Flights

Also: airforce-technology.com, news.ssbcrack.com, interestingengineering.com, quwa.org, Defence24 and c4isrnet.com

2026-03-15T14:58:42.129779-07:00

F-16 Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Deals

Reuters

Greece approves €3bn air-and-drone defence system and €4bn package including upgrade of 38 F-16s

By Reuters: A Greek parliamentary committee approved on Monday the purchase of a three-billion euro multi-layer air and drone defence system and the upgrade of 38 F-16 fighter jets, with the total cost estimated at about 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion), two sources told Reuters.

Seeking Alpha

Greece approves €4–4.6B air-defence package including Achilles Shield, F‑16 Viper upgrades and frigate refits

defence-industry.eu

Greek parliamentary committee backs €4.7 billion defence modernisation plan including air defence shield and F-16 upgrades

2026-03-16T09:00:47.534622-07:00

Satellite Europe Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

defence-industry.eu

EDA awards €15.65m VLEO-DEF contract to design Europe’s first military Very Low Earth Orbit satellite concept

By defence-industry.eu: The European Defence Agency (EDA) has signed a €15.65 million research contract with a European industry consortium to explore military satellite operations in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).

European Spaceflight

European Defence Agency Awards Contract for First VLEO Military Satellite Concept

Via Satellite

EDA Commits to New VLEO Military Research Project

2026-03-16T05:14:05.472987-07:00

Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Top Aces to train Argentine Air Force instructor pilots ahead of F-16 fleet introduction

By AeroTime: Top Aces has won a contract to train Argentine Air Force instructor pilots as the country prepares to introduce its newly acquired F-16 fighters.

FlightGlobal

Argentina awards $33M contract to Top Aces for basic and advanced F-16 pilot training

Skies Magazine

Top Aces wins F‑16 instructor pilot training contract for Argentine Air Force

Also: Aviacionline and cbj.ca

2026-03-16T06:54:32.457138-07:00

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

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

FCAS dispute: Airbus warns Dassault 'there is no plan B' amid programme development difficulties

By AeroTime: In order to understand the difficulties encountered in the development of the Future Combat Air System, the “system of systems” built around a sixth-generation fighter jet developed by Airbus and Dassault Aviation, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Armed Forces of the French Senate heard two executives from Airbus on March 17, 2021.

Also: euractiv.com

2026-03-16T05:12:25.541351-07:00

Aircraft Carrier Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

‘Epic Fury’ shows airpower’s limits as Iran leverages the Strait of Hormuz

By FlightGlobal: Despite striking 6,000 targets and destroying over 90 Iranian vessels, the US-Israeli air campaign against Iran has devolved into strategic stalemate as Tehran leverages control of the Strait of Hormuz and asymmetric tactics to counter overwhelming aerial superiority.