Julien Mercier

NOAA budget cuts threaten DoD weather data and Indo-Pacific forecasting capabilities

NOAA budget cuts threaten DoD weather data and Indo-Pacific forecasting capabilities

The Defense Department leans on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for weather data across the force, from ship routing to flight safety. Planned reductions to NOAA’s next-generation satellite portfolio now put that pipeline at risk, with direct knock-on effects to the Space Force and combatant commands that rely on those feeds every day.

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Launch Complex 3 goes operational at Wallops as Rocket Lab stages Neutron hardware and prepares static-fire tests

Launch Complex 3 goes operational at Wallops as Rocket Lab stages Neutron hardware and prepares static-fire tests

Rocket Lab has opened Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and set the stage for Neutron’s debut flight before year-end. The ribbon-cutting took place Aug. 28 with state leaders and company executives on site. The complex sits at Pad 0-D, a new coastal facility built for testing, launch and booster return of the company’s medium-lift reusable rocket. 

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Southern California flight tests prepare Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operational evaluation and squadron generation

Southern California flight tests prepare Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operational evaluation and squadron generation

The Air Force’s two Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototypes have entered the first-flight window. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ YFQ-42A and Anduril Industries’ YFQ-44A completed engine runs and taxi trials over the summer, and are staged at their respective test sites pending weather, range availability and final readiness calls. Defense officials said the service will keep the initial sorties tightly controlled, with limited on-site access and delayed release of imagery.

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Northrop Grumman and USSF Run First Coherent Multi-Antenna DARC Demo to Track Multiple GEO Satellites

Northrop Grumman and USSF Run First Coherent Multi-Antenna DARC Demo to Track Multiple GEO Satellites

Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Space Force achieved a first for the Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability at Site 1 in Western Australia, synchronizing multiple ground antennas to act as one radar and track several satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Program officials described a multi-week integration push that culminated in coherent operation of the array and real satellite tracks from the site near Exmouth.

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

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

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 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 .7B NASAMS Sale for Egypt's Air-Defense Upgrade

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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