Julien Mercier, Author at DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

How Revolver MP Stacks a Dozen Mark 58 CRAW Torpedoes in a Single Tube

Project Revolver has moved from lab study to fleet priority in less than three years. Senior officers at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) now describe the program as "an essential magazine-depth booster for fast-attack boats operating west of Guam." Defense officials

July 8, 2025

Industrial Partnerships

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 formed a new partnership that aims to replace thousands of aging logistics trucks in French service. The deal, announced this morning, brings together two firms that already

July 3, 2025

Defense Budgets / Policy

Pentagon’s $1.01 Trillion 2026 Plan Funds 19 Navy Vessels to Counter China and Middle East Risks

The Pentagon has filed its fiscal 2026 request with Congress. Defense officials confirm the document sets aside $47.3 billion for 19 new battle-force ships, more than tripling last year's ship total.

July 2, 2025

Missiles / Drones / Directed Energy

U.S. Navy’s SM-6 Missile Line at Risk Without Reconciliation Bill Funding

The U.S. Navy built its Fiscal Year 2026 weapons plan around one assumption. Congress will pass a one-time reconciliation bill that adds billions to the base defense budget. Inside that bill sits most of the money for 139 Standard Missile-6 interceptors. The

July 2, 2025

Aircraft Propulsion

Italian Air Force Orders 54 EJ200 Powerplants from EUROJET for Upcoming Eurofighter Batch

EUROJET Turbo GmbH has agreed to deliver up to fifty-four new EJ200 engines for the Italian Air Force's forthcoming batch of twenty-four Eurofighter Typhoons. Defense officials confirm the deal was signed in Rome with the NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Agency (NETMA)

June 30, 2025

AI & Autonomy

How the Air Force Is Using Sentinel Funds to Convert a Qatari 747-8 into Interim Air Force One

The Air Force just pulled part of its Sentinel missile budget and pointed it at a different job: turning a Qatari Boeing 747-8 into a stop-gap Air Force One. The switch appeared in a Senate hearing on June 26. Secretary of the

June 28, 2025

Helicopters

Poland Receives First AH-64D Apaches to Prepare for Guardian Fleet

Three AH-64D Apache attack helicopters landed this morning at the 56th Air Base in Latkowo, near Inowrocław. They taxied to the ramp in quick succession, rotors still spinning while ground crews signaled them into place. Defense officials confirm these aircraft now belong

June 17, 2025

Missiles / Drones / Directed Energy

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

June 17, 2025

12 additional FA-50PH light combat aircraft

Asia-Pacific

Philippines Secures 12 Advanced FA-50PH Jets in $700 Million South Korea Deal

The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has approved a fresh contract for 12 additional FA-50PH light combat aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The agreement, signed in the first week of June and publicly confirmed on 10 June 2025, is valued

June 12, 2025

Aircraft

AE 1107C Hits 500-Hour Mark Inside V-22 Fleet

The T406 engine reached a solid 500-hour record on one Osprey in mid-August last year. It happened during normal line ops, not a test flight. The count feels modest next to jetliner totals, yet inside tiltrotor work it signals tough stamina. Dust

December 27, 2024

Julien Mercier

How Revolver MP Stacks a Dozen Mark 58 CRAW Torpedoes in a Single Tube

Arquus and Daimler Truck Launch Joint Bid to Modernize French Military Truck Fleet

Pentagon’s $1.01 Trillion 2026 Plan Funds 19 Navy Vessels to Counter China and Middle East Risks

U.S. Navy’s SM-6 Missile Line at Risk Without Reconciliation Bill Funding

Italian Air Force Orders 54 EJ200 Powerplants from EUROJET for Upcoming Eurofighter Batch

How the Air Force Is Using Sentinel Funds to Convert a Qatari 747-8 into Interim Air Force One

Poland Receives First AH-64D Apaches to Prepare for Guardian Fleet

China’s Expanding Drone Arsenal Reveals Strength of Civil-Military Integration

Philippines Secures 12 Advanced FA-50PH Jets in $700 Million South Korea Deal

AE 1107C Hits 500-Hour Mark Inside V-22 Fleet

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer