Priya Shah, Author at DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

More Than 100 Stratospheric Balloons Scheduled for 2026 Indo-Pacific Exercise to Validate Autonomous Swarming

The US Army has drawn up a 2026 field event that sends well over one hundred high-altitude balloons across open water in the Indo-Pacific to test massed stratospheric operations.

September 8, 2025

Aircraft

Israel orders two KC-46A tankers and commits NIS 5 billion to speed Merkava Barak, Namer and Eitan production

Israel's Defense Ministry moved this week to strengthen two core elements at once. Aerial refueling for long-range missions, and the armored force used in urban combat. It instructed its U.S. mission to finalize a Foreign Military Sales case for two additional KC-46A

September 2, 2025

Joint Exercises / Special Ops Training

USAF Selects Red 6 to Field Helmet-Mounted ATARS on Two F-16s for In-Flight AR Training

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Red 6 a contract to integrate its Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) on the F-16. The move takes cockpit-grade augmented reality out of trainers and places it in an operational fighter. Company and defense officials

September 1, 2025

Contracts & Deals

Pratt & Whitney wins $2.9B Navy order to supply F-35 F135 propulsion through 2028

The Navy awarded Pratt & Whitney a not-to-exceed $2.88 billion modification to produce 141 F135 propulsion systems for F-35 Lot 18. The award covers engines for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, along with partner nations and foreign military sales customers.

August 25, 2025

Contracts & Deals

Thailand Buys Three Gripen E and One Gripen F from Saab in SEK 5.3bn Defense Agreement

Sweden and Thailand have signed a government-to-government contract for four Saab Gripen E/F fighters worth about SEK 5.3 billion (roughly $550-560 millions). The package covers three single-seat Gripen E and one twin seat Gripen F, with equipment, support, and training included. Deliveries

August 22, 2025

Naval Systems

Australia Awards A$10 Billion Mogami-Class Frigate Contract to Japan’s MHI

Canberra has selected an upgraded Mogami-class frigate for the Navy's general-purpose program after a full competition. Ministers described it as a practical choice-one that closes the gap between need and delivery without starting from scratch. Defense officials reported that cabinet signed off

August 8, 2025

Contracts & Deals

Poland Signs $6.7 Billion Deal for K2 Tanks, Engineering Vehicles, and U.S. Breacher Platforms

Poland has secured a new armored-vehicle deal worth roughly $6.7 billion, anchored by a second contract with Hyundai Rotem for 180 K2 tanks. The agreement, signed in Gliwice with Polish and South Korean officials in attendance, is valued at about $6.5 billion.

August 8, 2025

Defense Budgets / Policy

Air Force Orders 100% Inspections of M18 Weapons Following Service Member’s Death

The U.S. Air Force has ordered a service-wide, 100% inspection of all M18 sidearms after a 21-year-old Security Forces airman died on July 20 at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. The move expands a previously announced pause inside Air Force Global

August 4, 2025

Industrial Partnerships

Pentagon Expands JWCC Next to Include Nontraditional Cloud and AI Vendors

Defense Department CIO Katie Arrington said on July 24 that the follow-on to the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability - JWCC Next - will bring in smaller cloud providers offering AI tools, satellite relays, and rugged edge services not typically available from major

July 29, 2025

Defense Budgets / Policy

US Army Awards Anduril $100M Contract to Build Next-Gen C2 System

The U.S. Army has chosen Anduril Industries to head up a tech team that's building the next-gen command-and-control system. Officials confirmed the Army awarded a $99.6 million Other Transaction Authority agreement on July 18. The effort is centered on the 4th Infantry

July 22, 2025

Priya Shah

More Than 100 Stratospheric Balloons Scheduled for 2026 Indo-Pacific Exercise to Validate Autonomous Swarming

Israel orders two KC-46A tankers and commits NIS 5 billion to speed Merkava Barak, Namer and Eitan production

USAF Selects Red 6 to Field Helmet-Mounted ATARS on Two F-16s for In-Flight AR Training

Pratt & Whitney wins $2.9B Navy order to supply F-35 F135 propulsion through 2028

Thailand Buys Three Gripen E and One Gripen F from Saab in SEK 5.3bn Defense Agreement

Australia Awards A$10 Billion Mogami-Class Frigate Contract to Japan’s MHI

Poland Signs $6.7 Billion Deal for K2 Tanks, Engineering Vehicles, and U.S. Breacher Platforms

Air Force Orders 100% Inspections of M18 Weapons Following Service Member’s Death

Pentagon Expands JWCC Next to Include Nontraditional Cloud and AI Vendors

US Army Awards Anduril $100M Contract to Build Next-Gen C2 System

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer