Feature Stories
F-35 Engine Unit Costs Continue to Grow Even As Production Increases
Early F-135 advocates promised a smooth learning curve. They said each production lot would cost less than the one before. Fresh data show…
The F-35: Even the Engine Is Compromised (excerpt)
The F-35 promised reach without rival, yet its heart – Pratt & Whitney’s F135 – burns fuel like an older design. Thrust-specific fuel…
Finland Pulls Its Special Forces Together Under One Flag
Finlands defence chiefs took a bold step in early 2022. They shifted every special-operations unit into one, single chain of command. Many officers…
Singapore Wraps Up Island-Wide Air Defence Shield
Singapore Air Force chiefs say the Island Air Defence, or IAD, now works end-to-end over every shipping lane and flight path. Crews pushed…
Press releases
Contract Award for the Next Phase of the NGWS/FCAS Project
MADRID – France, Germany, and Spain signed a trilateral contract on December 15 that launches Phase 1B of the New-Generation Weapon System/Future Combat…
Tenix Signs Phase 2 EW Contract
Tenix Defence Systems has signed the follow-on contract that moves its Radio-Frequency Photonic Link research into full pre-production. The award covers “Phase 2…
R-168: The Russian Military Radio That’s Not So Russian
Moscow sells the R-168 as proof its army can talk under fire without outside help. Documents and captured sets prove many key chips…
Aviation Week Reader Comments Above Story
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program has drawn thousands of reader remarks on Aviation Week since the aircraft reached initial service. The most pointed thread…
Editor’s choice
General Dynamics Electric Boat Secures $1.85 B Navy Contract for Virginia-Class Block VI Submarine Prep
According to industry sources, the U.S. Navy has added up to $1.85 billion to its multiyear Virginia-class attack-submarine contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat. The money covers early construction work and the purchase of long-lead components for the forthcoming Block VI boats. Defense officials confirm…
Thales Signs £700 Million Watchkeeper Contract with MoD
The Ministry of Defence has signed a £700 million agreement with Thales UK to develop, manufacture, and support the Watchkeeper unmanned system. The single signature secures every major phase of work, from completing design through initial sustainment, under one integrated schedule.
China’s Expanding Drone Arsenal Reveals Strength of Civil-Military Integration
The first taxi runs of Jiutian’s SS-UAV “drone mothership” at a private airfield in Sichuan on 16 June reflect how far China’s unmanned programs have moved in a single decade. According to industry sources, technicians completed telemetry checks in less than six weeks, after the…
Latest articles
U.S. Space Force Selects Boeing for $2.8B Secure Strategic Communications Program
The U.S. Space Force has selected Boeing to build the first two satellites of the…
European Defence Agency Pushes Drone-UGV Supply Missions Adopted from Ukraine
European armies just wrapped up three weeks of hands-on trials that pushed small drones and…
Pentagon Awards $5B Shipbuilding Contract to Modernize Navy Supply Chain
The Defense Department moved on 3 July toward faster U.S. warship deliveries. It awarded the…
Chancellor Merz Appeals to Trump for Quick Delivery of Patriots to Ukraine
BERLIN – Friedrich Merz picked up the phone on Thursday and asked U.S. President Donald…
Arquus and Daimler Truck Launch Joint Bid to Modernize French Military Truck Fleet
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – French armored-vehicle specialist Arquus and German commercial-vehicle giant Daimler Truck have…
How the $150 Billion Defense Reconciliation Bill Rebuilds U.S. Military Capability
The Senate’s narrow vote on July 1 sent a 940-page reconciliation measure – nicknamed the…
$25 Million Set Aside as Army Plans 2026 Tests of Blackbeard Hypersonic Round on Autonomous Launchers
The Army is moving fast to fold a new hypersonic strike option into its tactical…
US Navy’s Large Scale Exercise 2025 Welcomes Canadian, Japanese and NATO Liaison Teams
The U.S. Navy will run its third Large Scale Exercise (LSE 25) from late July…