Julien Mercier, Author at defense-aerospace

RAF Expands Loyal Wingman Program with New UK ACP Tranche 2 Requirements

The UK has officially moved its Loyal Wingman program from talk to action. A new notice for Autonomous Collaborative Platforms, Tranche 2, spells out what the Ministry of Defence wants, how much it’s planning to spend, and when contracts are expected. It lists key categories, rough budget numbers and a timeline. Major defense companies have taken note, but they’re keeping their plans to themselves. Behind the scenes, teams are working through payload options, export routes and pricing.

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Defense Ministers Agree to Resolve FCAS Work‑Share Dispute by December

Boris Pistorius and Sébastien Lecornu closed their latest meeting in Osnabrück with a single-line instruction for staff: settle the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) work-share fight by the end of December. Pistorius called the deadline “non-negotiable”. Lecornu warned that further delays would disrupt air force planning. Their comments followed weeks of tension between governments and industry that had raised doubts about Europe’s most ambitious combat-air programme.

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Lockheed Pledges Swift Typhon Strike Launcher Build Pending FMS Approval

Lockheed Martin concluded two days of discussions in Cologne with a plan that would see Germany’s first Typhon launchers at the Meppen range by December 2026. Lockheed Martin program manager Edward Dobeck told visiting lawmakers the company’s facility in Moorestown, New Jersey, is currently producing one launcher every five weeks for the U.S. Army. Moving to a second shift would reduce that to four weeks without affecting quality checks. Lockheed is ready to shift upcoming production slots to Germany as soon as a deal is signed.

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US State Department Approves $4.7B NASAMS Sale for Egypt’s Air-Defense Upgrade

The U.S. State Department approved a $4.67 billion NASAMS sale to Egypt on July 24, 2025. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency sent the notice to Congress that day. The package cover radars, missiles, launchers, support gear, training, and sustainment. It stands among the largest air-defense requests Egypt has made to the U.S.

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Belgium to Order 11 Additional F-35 Jets and Boost Air Defense in Major NATO Catch-Up

Belgium signed off on a new defense strategy Friday that ramps up it’s fighter jet numbers, rebuilds ground-based air defenses, and adds a third anti-submarine frigate – moves meant to plug serious gaps after years of lagging behind on NATO spending.

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House passes 2 billion defense budget for FY 2026, sending it to the Senate amid a close 221-209 vote

House passes $832 billion defense budget for FY 2026, sending it to the Senate amid a close 221-209 vote

The House wrapped up final paperwork Sunday night on its $832 billion defense-spending bill and sent the text to the Senate, beating the gavel-out by a few minutes and keeping the measure on track before the August recess. Leaders now have ten working weeks to finish negotiations if they want the money in place when fiscal 2026 starts on 1 October.

House passes $832 billion defense budget for FY 2026, sending it to the Senate amid a close 221-209 vote Read More »

HASC Votes to Fund Two Virginia‑Class Submarines and Boost Ukraine Aid in FY 26 Bill

The House Armed Services Committee ended a fourteen-hour markup late Tuesday by approving its Fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, 55-2. The bill injects an extra $1 billion into the Virginia-class submarine program, raises Ukraine military aid to $400 million, blocks any A-10 retirements this year and endorses a 3.8 percent pay raise for service members.

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DARPA Cancels Liberty Lifter WIG Seaplane Project Over Cost and Certification Hurdles

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has shut down its three-year effort to build the Liberty Lifter, a heavy-lift seaplane that would skim above waves on a cushion of air. According to industry sources, the agency notified performers on July 12 that work had officially ended after internal reviews found no clear path to an affordable prototype within the 2028 schedule.

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Pentagon Resumes 155 mm Shell and GMLRS Rocket Deliveries to Ukraine

The Pentagon has restarted selected arms deliveries to Ukraine only days after a sudden halt triggered a frantic check of U.S. stockpiles. Defense officials confirm that 155 mm artillery rounds and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles (GMLRS) crossed NATO borders late on July 9 and reached transfer hubs in Poland by midday July 10. According to industry sources, the loads moved by mixed rail-road convoys under routine security and without ceremony. The flow signals a cautious return to what had been weekly shipments before last week’s freeze.

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