The War Zone
• Howard Altman
NORAD scrambled F-16s out of California twice on Sunday to intercept unidentified targets over Nevada and California. After both intercepts, the aircraft reported the objects were balloons rather than unknown aircraft, with officials treating the missions as routine responses to airspace alerts.
Bloomberg
• Katrina Manson
By Bloomberg: Elon Musk’s SpaceX and wholly owned subsidiary xAI are competing in a secretive new Pentagon contest to produce voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, according to people familiar with the matter.
DefenseNews.com
• Jaroslaw Adamowski
By DefenseNews.com: The additional jets would enable the country to shoulder its own air-policing missions, according to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
FlightGlobal
• Dominic Perry
By FlightGlobal: Saudi Arabia has ordered four Leonardo C-27J Spartan tactical transports in a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) configuration. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2029, the Italian airframer says.
AINonline
• Charlotte Bailey
By AINonline: Mission systems integration underway on first two Bombardier Globals.
SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
By SpaceNews.com: Portions of the Pentagon’s LEO constellation on hold as acquisition reviews proceed Portions of the Pentagon’s LEO constellation on hold as acquisition reviews proceed.
AeroTime
• Ian Molyneaux
By AeroTime: The UK will deploy its Carrier Strike Group led by HMS Prince of Wales to the North Atlantic and High North to deter increasing levels of Russian aggression.
By war.gov: At March Air Reserve Base, Calif., a next-generation nuclear reactor was loaded aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for transport to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, ensuring greater energy security for.
