Defense News

UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Airbus

Reuters • Sabine Siebold

Airbus and Kratos fly Valkyrie CCA in Europe, targeting German combat readiness by 2029

The partners completed the first European flight of the U740 Valkyrie, a Kratos-built uncrewed combat aircraft. Airbus plans to integrate a European autonomous mission system and is pursuing a combat-ready offering for the German air force by 2029, with the aircraft intended to operate alongside fighters such as the Eurofighter.

FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Airbus, Kratos complete first European test flight with Valkyrie CCA

aviationnews.eu • Rob Vogelaar

Airbus U740 Valkyrie Completes First European Flight, Targeting Combat Readiness by 2029

Also: Air Data News, aviation-defence-universe.com, Aeronews, defence-blog.com, AeroTime, Aviation Week, The Aviationist, aeromorning.com, UK Defence Journal, Economic Times, Seeking Alpha and 8 more

37 Sources

2026-10-12T03:04:31.654848-07:00

aviation Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Asia-Pacific (APAC) Defense Policy

DefenseNews.com

Airport training site in Laos extends China’s clout in Southeast Asia

By DefenseNews.com: China’s design to use a Laotian airport for joint military training has put much of Southeast Asia on guard about how far the PLA will extend its reach.

Also: Military Times

2 Sources

2026-10-12T08:06:19.708965-07:00

UAV Development & Drone Programs

NEW

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

US firm demonstrates coordinated flight of jet-powered attack drones

By AeroTime: Cummings Aerospace has demonstrated sequential launches of Hellhound S3 jet-powered attack drones, with a single operator supervising both flights.

1 Source

2026-10-12T08:19:22.840662-07:00

aviation Europe Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

Reuters

UK PM Burnham says Iran's IRGC likely behind RAF Fairford incident

By Reuters: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday that a suspected plot targeting the RAF Fairford air base ‌in Britain was "highly likely" to have been coordinated in Iran, and almost certainly directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

2 Sources

2026-10-12T08:04:37.204671-07:00

Helicopter Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors Airbus

Vertical Mag • Oliver Johnson

Airbus open to Leonardo partnership for NATO NGRC

By Vertical Mag: The CEO of Airbus Helicopters says he would be open to partnering with Leonardo on NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability program.

1 Source

2026-10-12T06:05:22.047429-07:00

Europe Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Deals

Reuters

Patriot interceptor deliveries to Poland will be delayed, top general says

By Reuters: Deliveries of some US weapons systems to Poland are set to be delayed, ‌including interceptors for the Patriot air defence system, Polish army operational commander General Ireneusz Nowak said on Monday.

Also: DefenseNews.com and Military Times

3 Sources

2026-10-12T05:04:29.287111-07:00

Helicopter

DefenseNews.com • Natalie Oliverio

US Army helicopter pilots test new in-flight ‘relief’ system

By DefenseNews.com: The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade recently completed the Army’s first-ever helicopter test flights using the Advanced Inflight Relief Universal System.

Also: Army Times and Military Times

3 Sources

2026-10-12T04:40:38.725248-07:00

Space Force Defense Budgets & Spending Workforce & Skills Development

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Space Force has money to grow. Building guardians is harder.

By SpaceNews.com: Space Force is about to test whether a military service can grow its people nearly as fast as its budget.

1 Source

2026-10-12T05:04:42.082138-07:00

Airbus and Kratos fly Valkyrie CCA in Europe, targeting German combat readiness by 2029

Airbus, Kratos complete first European test flight with Valkyrie CCA

Airbus U740 Valkyrie Completes First European Flight, Targeting Combat Readiness by 2029

Airport training site in Laos extends China’s clout in Southeast Asia

US firm demonstrates coordinated flight of jet-powered attack drones

UK PM Burnham says Iran's IRGC likely behind RAF Fairford incident

Airbus open to Leonardo partnership for NATO NGRC

Patriot interceptor deliveries to Poland will be delayed, top general says

US Army helicopter pilots test new in-flight ‘relief’ system

Space Force has money to grow. Building guardians is harder.

Airport training site in Laos extends China’s clout in Southeast Asia

US firm demonstrates coordinated flight of jet-powered attack drones

UK PM Burnham says Iran's IRGC likely behind RAF Fairford incident

Airbus open to Leonardo partnership for NATO NGRC

Space Force has money to grow. Building guardians is harder.

Patriot interceptor deliveries to Poland will be delayed, top general says

German Space Command's Major General Traut Warns of Russian Threat to Commercial Satellite Networks

Saab Gripen E, the First Brazilian-Built Supersonic Fighter, Flies

Stratolaunch Roc returns to flight with two sorties on the same day

#SpaceWatchGL GRAY SPACE – The Nightingale Song: the UK Echoes the U.S. Space Power Narrative. But Europe Is Not Quite There Yet.

Lockheed Martin unveils PAC-3 Edge interceptor with new seeker, flight controls and multi-pulse motor

SpaceX launches 21 data-transport satellites for the US military after five-day delay

Licerion Strike battery aims to extend drone flight time and payload capacity

Reports revisit whether the Soviet Union fired a cannon from a secretive space station

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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