Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

Air Force creates mission-aligned acquisition portfolios, names executives to oversee advanced aircraft and NC2

The Department of the Air Force has begun implementing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s procurement reforms by creating mission-aligned acquisition portfolios and appointing inaugural portfolio acquisition executives. The new structure—spanning seven acquisition organizations and five initial appointees—consolidates oversight of 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 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

The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

US Marine Corps XQ-58 Valkyries to Add Landing Gear, Enabling Both Rocket and Runway Launches

By The War Zone: Rocket-launched USMC XQ-58s will still need to touch down on runways after their missions, presenting opportunities and a few tradeoffs.

2026-01-09T11:30:52.404895-08:00

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 and Military Times

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

FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

Qatar’s Barzan Holdings deepens Aeralis stake through loan-to-equity conversion

By FlightGlobal: Qatar's state-owned investment company Barzan Holdings has increased its stake in UK modular trainer aircraft developer Aeralis by converting part of a previous £5 million ($6.7 million) loan into shares.

2026-01-09T09:25:21.877516-08:00

SpaceNews.com • Claire Leon

U.S. Space Force to Accelerate Acquisition and Systems Integration in 2026

By SpaceNews.com: The Space Force will acquire and integrate systems faster in 2026.

2026-01-09T06:06:08.426077-08:00

Menu

Air Force creates mission-aligned acquisition portfolios, names executives to oversee advanced aircraft and NC2

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

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

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

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

US Marine Corps XQ-58 Valkyries to Add Landing Gear, Enabling Both Rocket and Runway Launches

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

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

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

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

Qatar’s Barzan Holdings deepens Aeralis stake through loan-to-equity conversion

U.S. Space Force to Accelerate Acquisition and Systems Integration in 2026

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

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

US Air Force creates 'Portfolio Acquisition Executives' to streamline weapons procurement and cut bureaucracy

US Marine Corps XQ-58 Valkyries to Add Landing Gear, Enabling Both Rocket and Runway Launches

Qatar’s Barzan Holdings deepens Aeralis stake through loan-to-equity conversion

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

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