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Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

USAF reorganizes acquisition portfolios to implement Hegseth reforms; names executives for advanced aircraft and nuclear C2

The Department of the Air Force has restructured acquisition oversight to implement Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s procurement reforms, creating seven mission-aligned acquisition organizations and naming portfolio executives who will oversee critical programs including advanced aircraft and nuclear command-and-control.

DefenseNews.com • Stephen Losey

Air Force Details Acquisition Reorganization to Implement Hegseth Mandate, Affecting Advanced Aircraft and NC2 Programs

AirForceTimes • Stephen Losey

USAF reorganizes acquisition portfolios, names executives to oversee advanced aircraft and nuclear command-and-control

Also: Defense Scoop, news.defcros.com, news.ssbcrack.com, Military Times, insidedefense.com, Defense Daily, news.defcros.com and news.defcros.com

2026-01-09T11:52:42.938534-08:00

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

SpaceX to launch SDA Tranche 2 missile-tracking layer — 36 satellites (L3Harris, Lockheed) plus 8 Millennium FOO Fighters

By Breaking Defense: SpaceX will launch 36 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellites — 18 built by L3Harris and 18 built by Lockheed Martin — plus eight FOO Fighter birds built by Millennium Space Systems.

2026-01-09T13:28:13.058173-08:00

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

DIU to fund prototypes of 'unjammable' magnetic navigation for airborne maritime surveillance

By Breaking Defense: DIU expects to fund prototypes of multiple airborne platforms for magnetic navigation, including one that scans the ocean surface at 2,000 ft.

Also: Defense Daily

2026-01-09T12:34:31.272965-08:00

Reuters • Andrew Osborn

Russia Reports Firing Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile at Ukrainian Energy and Drone Manufacturing Sites

By Reuters: The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although there was no suggestion that the one used in the overnight attack had been fitted with them.

Reuters

Putin Launches Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile — First Since 2024, Signalling Threat to Ukraine and the West

Wall Street Journal

Russia Strikes Lviv Region with Rare Nuclear‑Capable Oreshnik Hypersonic Missile Near Poland Border

Also: Associated Press, politico.eu, Janes, AeroTime, Sky News, aero-space.eu, Independent.ie, militarywatchmagazine.com, Euronews, realcleardefense.com, Economic Times, globalnews.ca and 24 more

2026-01-08T23:02:31.746901-08:00

FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

US Navy integrates autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft with F-35s in Joint Simulation Environment to develop new fighter tactics

By FlightGlobal: The US Navy has digitally integrated autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft with Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters inside the Joint Simulation Environment, as the service begins a fleet transformation that will see uncrewed fighters operated alongside conventional aircraft.

DefenseNews.com

Navy trains F-35 pilots to control AI 'loyal wingman' drones from touchscreen tablets

The Aviationist

JSE Enables F-35 Pilots to Operate Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Advancing Manned–Unmanned Tactics

Also: news.ssbcrack.com, Navy Times, marinecorpstimes.com, Military Times and news.ssbcrack.com

2026-01-09T05:28:00.902972-08:00

Reuters • Gabriel Rubin

Trump’s ‘bully pulpit’ raises political risk for defense firms — threats to RTX buybacks and major investor deals

By Reuters: President Trump wants to block defense contractors like $250 bln RTX from repurchasing stock and big investors such as Blackstone from buying homes. He can't do so alone, but CEOs will waste resources coping.

Also: Flying Magazine

2026-01-09T06:45:28.523190-08:00

Reuters • Saad Sayeed

Exclusive: Pakistan nears $1.5 billion arms and jet deal for Sudan as civil war intensifies

By Reuters: Pakistan is in the final phases of striking a $1.5-billion deal to supply weapons and jets to Sudan, a former top air force official and three sources said, promising a major boost for Sudan's army, battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Also: Aviacionline

2026-01-09T04:38:00.977346-08:00

Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

Northrop Grumman, Kratos Selected to Integrate XQ-58 Valkyrie for Marine Corps MUX TACAIR Program

By Breaking Defense: Northrop Grumman will serve as the prime contractor and integrate mission systems on Kratos’s XQ-58 Valkyrie for the Marine Corps’s MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.

The War Zone

Northrop Grumman Joins Kratos to Missionize XQ-58 for USMC Under New Contract

Aviation Week

Northrop Grumman to Provide Autonomy Software for USMC’s First 'Loyal Wingman' Uncrewed System

Also: Air Data News, DefenseNews.com, FlightGlobal, Shephard Media, asdnews.com, The Aviationist, Northrop Grumman, Defense Scoop, news.defcros.com, Seapower Magazine, defenceconnect.com.au, tectonicdefense.com and 26 more

2026-01-08T06:09:17.995465-08:00

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