Defense News

Helicopter Sikorsky Military Aircraft Procurement Defense Industry & Major Contractors

Breaking Defense • Jennifer Petersen

Lockheed Martin Offers Rapid Armed-Conversion Kits for UH-60M and S-70i Black Hawks

Lockheed Martin says its Armed Black Hawk kits can convert UH-60M and S-70i helicopters into armed attack platforms in less than three hours, offering operators a rapid path to add offensive capability to existing rotary-wing fleets without replacing the underlying aircraft.

1 Source

2026-09-21T05:21:02.402124-07:00

Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Asia-Pacific (APAC)

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Japan puts Chinook to sea aboard JS Kunisaki off Kalimantan

By AeroTime: Japan is splitting its Chinook firefighting fleet between a landing ship and a port in Indonesia, expanding its first overseas military firefighting mission.

1 Source

2026-09-21T04:51:06.555049-07:00

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

FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

Tekever and UK MoD sign Corvus contract

By FlightGlobal: Developer will supply an initial batch of six AR5 uncrewed aerial vehicles to the British Army under five-year deal.

Also: Urban Air Mobility News

2 Sources

2026-09-21T02:20:03.012140-07:00

Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons Defense Budgets & Spending Space Defense & Militarization Defense Policy

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Pentagon plans phased Golden Dome buildout through 2035

By SpaceNews.com: WASHINGTON — Gen.

1 Source

2026-09-21T00:00:42.899121-07:00

Europe Military Aircraft Procurement Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Defense Industry & Major Contractors

AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Europe weighs modernizing Antonov An-124 or building its own C-17 successor

By AeroTime: An EU-funded study identifies two options to avert Europe's heavy airlift gap: modernizing the Antonov An-124 or developing a new European aircraft.

1 Source

2026-09-20T23:52:33.944426-07:00

China

FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

China’s J-50/XDS may be testing new radar

By FlightGlobal: Fighter prototype underlines China's aggressive push for new capabilities. Recent images from China indicate that flight testing continues with a secretive, tailless fighter developed by AVIC Shenyang.

1 Source

2026-09-20T20:04:56.368702-07:00

Supply Chain Military Aircraft Procurement Aviation Safety & Regulation Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Export Controls & Trade Compliance Defense Policy

Bloomberg • Anthony Capaccio

2026-09-20T18:05:07.249881-07:00

Satellite Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

Payload • Victoria Woodburn

DIU and SSC Announce Joint GHOST-R Mission

By Payload: DIU and SSC announced GHOST-R, a joint effort to bring low-cost reconnaissance to GEO under SSC's RG-XX program.

1 Source

2026-09-20T20:54:47.164541-07:00

Lockheed Martin Offers Rapid Armed-Conversion Kits for UH-60M and S-70i Black Hawks

Japan puts Chinook to sea aboard JS Kunisaki off Kalimantan

Tekever and UK MoD sign Corvus contract

Pentagon plans phased Golden Dome buildout through 2035

Europe weighs modernizing Antonov An-124 or building its own C-17 successor

China’s J-50/XDS may be testing new radar

F-35 Parts Diversion to Hong Kong Under Probe in US Congress

Australian F-35A components appear to go missing in Hong Kong

Australia Defends F-35 Technology Controls After Report of Parts Diverted to Hong Kong

DIU and SSC Announce Joint GHOST-R Mission

Lockheed Martin Offers Rapid Armed-Conversion Kits for UH-60M and S-70i Black Hawks

Japan puts Chinook to sea aboard JS Kunisaki off Kalimantan

Tekever and UK MoD sign Corvus contract

Pentagon plans phased Golden Dome buildout through 2035

Europe weighs modernizing Antonov An-124 or building its own C-17 successor

DIU and SSC Announce Joint GHOST-R Mission

Space Force expands use of commercial satellites to track electronic interference

US Air Force fighter drones to join large-scale combat exercise for first time

A.I. Gone Rogue? Trump Proposes Not New Rules but an ‘A.I. Force.’

Houthis claim attacks on ‘sensitive sites’ in Saudi Arabian capital

Space Force seeks commercial satellites for on-demand orbital inspection and electronic-interference tracking

US Air Force to field Collaborative Combat Aircraft in large-scale exercise for first time

ASELSAN demonstrates ANTIDOT electronic-warfare and FULMAR 200 SAR pods on Bayraktar TB2s

South Korea’s F-35As and French Rafales resume joint aerial exercises after three-year hiatus

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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