UAV Development & Drone Programs Military Aircraft Procurement Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors Textron

Breaking Defense • Carley Welch

Army selects AV LASSO prototyping contender with Switchblade 400 offer, joining Textron and Uvision in loitering-munition race

The U.S. Army will receive AV’s Switchblade 400 portable anti-armor loitering munition for the AV LASSO prototyping competition, the company said. Switchblade 400 is described as a medium-range system, placing AV alongside Textron and Uvision in the early-stage contest to demonstrate concepts and hardware.

2026-05-04T06:50:37.781519-07:00

Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization Defense Policy

NEW

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

DARPA chief says agency must harness commercial space boom

By SpaceNews.com: Foundation DENVER — About a year into the job, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency director Stephen Winchell is looking to reshape the agency’s space portfolio, arguing it must function less as a collection of high-risk experiments and more as a conduit to a fast-moving commercial market.

2026-05-04T08:03:41.320765-07:00

Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Budgets & Spending

NEW

DefenseNews.com

Global defense spending hits a new record… again | Defense Dollars

By DefenseNews.com: A tally of international defense spending shows continued budget increases around the globe. Plus, the Air Forces orders up more advanced fighters.

Also: Military Times

2026-05-04T08:07:16.056236-07:00

Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors Industry Leader Profiles & Interviews

Flying Magazine • Jack Daleo

CycloKinetics Is Quietly Helping U.S. Military Craft Fly Farther, Faster

By Flying Magazine: Founder and CEO Mukund Karanjikar tells FLYING how CycloKinetics is flipping the script in aerospace design.

2026-05-04T07:15:01.944671-07:00

Satellite Europe Space Defense & Militarization Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Policy

politico.eu • Ferdinand Knapp

Austria expels 3 Russian diplomats over alleged espionage

By politico.eu: The officials are suspected of using satellite equipment installed on the rooftops of Russian diplomatic buildings to spy on targets in Vienna.

2026-05-04T04:48:50.230299-07:00

Satellite Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Debra Werner

Vantor wins $70 million award to enhance NGA data-delivery platform

By SpaceNews.com: SAN FRANCISCO – Vantor will operate and enhance the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery (GEGD) platform, an unclassified web-based system, under a $70 million award announced May 4.

2026-05-04T04:49:06.069702-07:00

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

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

Tejas veteran steps into top job at HAL

By FlightGlobal: aims to boost innovation at state airframer. A veteran of the Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) Tejas Light Combat Aircraft programme has been tapped as the company’s new leader.

Also: India Defense News, aviationindia.net and english.mathrubhumi.com

2026-05-04T03:22:00.549777-07:00

Middle East Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Industry & Major Contractors Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Defense Deals

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

US invokes emergency powers for $2.1 billion APKWS sale to Middle East trio

By FlightGlobal: Emergency Foreign Military Sales notifications clear guided rocket deliveries to three Gulf-region allies, with Patriot and Integrated Battle Command System sales also approved for Qatar and Kuwait.

2026-05-04T01:37:06.046937-07:00