Dassault Aviation   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy   Airbus  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Merz questions manned sixth‑generation fighter and signals possible German exit from FCAS

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly questioned the need for a manned sixth‑generation fighter and warned Berlin could withdraw from the Franco‑Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The trilateral programme — intended to replace Rafale and Eurofighter fleets by about 2040 — faces growing political and industrial tensions.

Also: lemonde.fr
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 ($113.50 billion) order backlog.

Also: Bloomberg, spacewar.com, business-live.co.uk, The Independent, insidermedia.com, Seeking Alpha and 3 more
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
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
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.

Also: Breaking Defense, Army Recognition, defence-industry.eu and defence-blog.com
2026-02-17T06:11:19.361596-08:00
MRO   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy   Boeing   Boeing 747   Boeing 757  
CBS News • Eleanor Watson, James LaPorta, Jennifer Jacobs

U.S. Air Force VIP fleet to replace Kennedy-era blue with navy, red and gold, sources say

By CBS News: The Kennedy-era robin's egg blue that's currently on the planes is being updated to navy, red and gold.

Also: aviationnews.eu, CNN, Flying Magazine, Reuters, AeroTime, Air Data News, The Hill, The Independent and 6 more
2026-02-17T11:21:10.672083-08:00
Supply Chain   North America   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
Bloomberg • Anthony Capaccio

Pentagon: RTX Improves but Still Falls Short on Critical Navy Missile Deliveries

By Bloomberg: RTX Corp. has improved its capability to deliver a key missile for the US Navy but the company’s performance remains below expectations, according to a Pentagon assessment that comes after President Donald Trump singled out the defense contractor in a broader assault on the sector.

2026-02-17T13:06:08.858074-08:00