UAV Development & Drone Programs   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

UK Defence Investment Plan: up to 24 uncrewed surveillance drones to replace Watchkeeper by late decade

The UK’s newly published Defence Investment Plan says up to 24 uncrewed “surveillance drones” will replace the British Army’s Watchkeeper remotely piloted aircraft by late this decade. The transition targets retirement of an obsolete type and refreshes the Army’s ISR capability with a new unmanned platform.

2026-07-02T04:59:27.747617-07:00
Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Policy  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

UK defence plan targets Storm Shadow, Meteor successor investments

By FlightGlobal: New weapons investment outlined in spending plan. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) will not invest in further upgrades to two of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) long-range air-launched weapons, instead favouring the development of next-generation systems.

2026-07-02T00:46:56.114080-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   ATC   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
CNBC • Lim Hui Jie

Russia launches massive strike on Ukraine as Poland scrambles jets, Finland restricts airspace

By CNBC: The Russian defence ministry said that it launched a "massive strike using long-range precision air, land, and sea-based weapons and attack drones.".

Also: The Independent, mynorthwest.com and tass.com
2026-07-01T21:59:06.271313-07:00
Event   Middle East   Helicopter   Sikorsky   Accident   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
The Hill • Filip Timotija

Navy helicopter makes emergency landing in Arabian Sea, one crew missing

By The Hill: A Navy helicopter assigned to a U.S. aircraft carrier made an “emergency water landing” in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday morning and one of the four aircrewmen is missing, according to the U.S.

Also: Vertical Mag, Aviation Safety Network, Stars and Stripes, ANI News Agency, USNI News, CBS News, Task & Purpose, CNN and 6 more
2026-07-01T11:31:59.539423-07:00