UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   North America   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
insidedefense.com • Vanessa Montalbano;

USAF designates Northrop Grumman's autonomous Talon as YFQ‑48A for Collaborative Combat Aircraft program

The U.S. Air Force has identified Northrop Grumman's revamped autonomous "Talon" loyal‑wingman as a leading candidate for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) effort, assigning the prototype designation YFQ‑48A. Service leaders emphasise CCAs will be multirole platforms rather than single‑mission drones.

Also: Military Times
2026-01-02T10:15:25.612683-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Supply Chain   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Unmanned Airspace • Philip Butterworth-Hayes

Ukraine’s 'Army of Drones' incentive drives production of 500–800 C‑UAS interceptors a day

By Unmanned Airspace: According to a report in The Kyiv Post, Ukraine is producing between 500 and 800 C-UAS intercept drones a day as a key element in the country’s new layered counter drone defence networks, supported by a new procurement strategy.

2026-01-02T10:03:02.172296-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Europe   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Workforce & Skills Development   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

Ukraine trained nearly 100 cadet pilots in 2025, expanding aviation and drone training with Western partners

By AeroTime: Ukraine trained nearly 100 cadet pilots in 2025 while expanding aviation and drone training pipelines with Western partners, the defense ministry said.

2026-01-02T08:10:30.716295-08:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Europe   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

Tekever ramps up AR3 Evo UAS testing at West Wales after 50,000+ operational hours in Ukraine

By FlightGlobal: With more than 50,000h of operational experience having been accumulated by its uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) over the battleground in Ukraine, Tekever is certainly no stranger to its equipment being flown in challenging conditions.

2026-01-02T07:27:17.209636-08:00