Julien Mercier, Author at DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

President Trump nominates Gen Kenneth Wilsbach for Air Force Chief of Staff

As of October 5, 2025, the nomination of Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach to be the 24th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force is before the Senate with a confirmation hearing set for October 9. Nomination Filed Sept. 30, 2025

October 6, 2025

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Larissa T. Dougherty

Joint Exercises / Special Ops Training

European Navies Test Undersea Drone Technology in REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger Trials off Portugal

SESIMBRA, Portugal — REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger 2025 ran through September off Tróia and Sesimbra. European crews, NATO commands and industry teams paired submarines, frigates and patrol craft with autonomous vehicles and trial software. The Portuguese Navy hosted with NATO organizations in

September 26, 2025

Joint Exercises / Special Ops Training

Ukraine’s Navy Leads Opposing Force at REPMUS 2025 in Portugal, Testing Naval Drones and Countermeasures

Ukrainian Navy personnel ran the opposing force during the REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger 2025 series off Tróia and Sesimbra through September, a first for the alliance-level unmanned maritime trials. The host navy concentrated the event at the Portuguese Navy’s Operational Experimentation Centre,

September 25, 2025

Naval Systems

Germany’s First P-8A Poseidon Enters Service Pipeline to Bolster Anti-Submarine Patrols in the North and Baltic Seas

Germany accepted its first P-8A Poseidon at the manufacturer’s site near Seattle on Oct 1-2. The aircraft is the first of eight on order and carries the German tail number 63+01. Delivery followed U.S. Foreign Military Sales procedures with government quality checks

September 16, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lauren Cobin

Aircraft

US Air Force confirms F-47 now in build at Boeing with 2028 first flight

The U.S. Air Force’s first F-47 is in build at Boeing with first flight planned for 2028, Gen. David Allvin said during the service’s annual gathering at National Harbor. The remarks marked the program’s clearest public schedule since the contract award in

September 15, 2025

Defense Budgets / Policy

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

September 8, 2025

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Hannah Bench

Defense Budgets / Policy

UK to Restore Airborne Nuclear Deterrent with 12 F-35A and RAF Marham Basing

Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth used his first major public address as Chief of the Air Staff to put the return of an airborne nuclear role on the Royal Air Force agenda. He told the DSEI audience in London on 11 September

September 5, 2025

Space Systems

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,

September 3, 2025

Air & Missile Defense Systems

RTX wins $1.7 billion Army order to begin LTAMDS low-rate production as program advances to IOT&E

The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon, an RTX business, a $1.7 billion contract modification to produce the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, the radar chosen to replace the Patriot system's legacy sensor.

September 3, 2025

Aircraft

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

August 27, 2025

Julien Mercier

President Trump nominates Gen Kenneth Wilsbach for Air Force Chief of Staff

European Navies Test Undersea Drone Technology in REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger Trials off Portugal

Ukraine’s Navy Leads Opposing Force at REPMUS 2025 in Portugal, Testing Naval Drones and Countermeasures

Germany’s First P-8A Poseidon Enters Service Pipeline to Bolster Anti-Submarine Patrols in the North and Baltic Seas

US Air Force confirms F-47 now in build at Boeing with 2028 first flight

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

UK to Restore Airborne Nuclear Deterrent with 12 F-35A and RAF Marham Basing

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

RTX wins $1.7 billion Army order to begin LTAMDS low-rate production as program advances to IOT&E

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

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer