UAV Development & Drone Programs   General Atomics   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
Aviation Week • Graham Warwick

DARPA designates General Atomics' LongShot missile‑carrying UAS as X-68A, targets flight tests by end‑2026

DARPA has designated General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' air‑launched, missile‑carrying uncrewed aircraft under the LongShot program as the X‑68A and moved the system toward a flight‑test campaign expected by the end of 2026. The programme's initial first‑flight target slipped from an earlier plan for December 2023.

Also: Breaking Defense and defence-blog.com
2026-02-17T06:11:19.361596-08:00
Supply Chain   North America   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
NEW
Bloomberg • Anthony Capaccio

Pentagon: RTX Improves but Still Falls Short on Critical Navy Missile Deliveries

By Bloomberg: RTX Corp. has improved its capability to deliver a key missile for the US Navy but the company’s performance remains below expectations, according to a Pentagon assessment that comes after President Donald Trump singled out the defense contractor in a broader assault on the sector.

2026-02-17T13:06:08.858074-08:00
North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy   Boeing   Boeing 757  
CBS News • Eleanor Watson, James LaPorta, Jennifer Jacobs

U.S. Air Force VIP fleet to replace Kennedy-era blue with navy, red and gold, sources say

By CBS News: The Kennedy-era robin's egg blue that's currently on the planes is being updated to navy, red and gold.

Also: AeroTime
2026-02-17T11:21:10.672083-08:00
Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Policy & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

USAF's Sentinel ICBM to clear key milestone this year, expected operational in early 2030s

By Breaking Defense: “We certainly have not lowered the bar, and we certainly have not taken on any risk by doing this,” Air Force Gen. Dale White told Breaking Defense.

Also: Bloomberg, Aviation Week, DVIDS / U.S. DoD, defence-blog.com, news.ssbcrack.com, Military Times, afmc.af.mil, insidedefense.com, defence-industry.eu, af.mil and miragenews.com
2026-02-17T08:53:48.149477-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   F-16   Military Aircraft Procurement   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Ukraine denies ‘secret’ international F-16 squadron claim

By AeroTime: Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat has dismissed a report that US and Dutch pilots are flying Ukrainian F-16s over Kyiv, citing lack of evidence.

Also: pravda.com.ua, defensemirror.com, defence-industry.eu, prm.ua, Defence24 and 3 more
2026-02-17T07:50:02.809275-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Supply Chain   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
AeroTime • Stephen Pope

Venom autonomous strike aircraft completes first flight after 71-day design-to-flight build

By AeroTime: Divergent Technologies and Mach Industries say they designed, built, and flew the Venom autonomous strike aircraft in 71 days, continuing a shift toward rapid defense manufacturing.

2026-02-17T08:54:12.058579-08:00
Dassault Aviation   Military Aircraft Procurement   Orders   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

India requests 31 additional carrier-capable Rafale Marine fighters as 114‑jet MRFA deal advances

By AeroTime: A French report indicates that India has asked France for 31 additional carrier-capable Rafale jets, as New Delhi clears a key step for a 114-jet MRFA buy.

2026-02-17T05:05:01.374836-08:00