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# defense-aerospace

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## Posts
- [U.S. Navy Confirms the First FF(X) Frigates Will Launch Without a Vertical Launch System](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/u-s-navy-confirms-the-first-ffx-frigates-will-launch-without-a-vertical-launch-system/): The U.S. Navy says the first production group of its new FF(X) frigates will deploy without a built-in Vertical Launch System. The service confirmed that point on Dec. 22, 2025, after releasing early renderings that showed no obvious VLS on the bow. The decision sets the first “flight” of the program on a lighter, faster-to-build armament baseline than the guided-missile frigate effort the Navy just cut short.
- [Ukrainian Operative Sets Russian Su-30 Jets on Fire in Daring Lipetsk Air Base Sabotage](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ukrainian-operative-sets-russian-su-30-jets-on-fire-in-daring-lipetsk-air-base-sabotage/): Ukrainian military intelligence said a resistance operative set fire to two Russian fighter aircraft inside a hangar at Lipetsk Air Base in western Russia, roughly 340 kilometers, or about 210 miles, from the Ukrainian border. Defense officials confirm the public case rests on a short video released by Ukraine and on Ukrainian statements issued the same day. Russian authorities had not publicly confirmed aircraft losses in the reporting reviewed by publication time.
- [USAF Assigns YFQ-48A Designation to Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon Drone](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/usaf-assigns-yfq-48a-designation-to-northrop-grummans-project-talon-drone/): The U.S. Air Force on Dec. 22, 2025 assigned the YFQ-48A Mission Design Series to Northrop Grumman’s Project Talon, a semi-autonomous prototype aircraft. The service described Talon as a “strong contender” for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort, as Increment 2 concept work expands across a wider group of firms.
- [USAF F-35A Stealth Fighters Deploy to Puerto Rico for Operation Southern Spear](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/usaf-f-35a-stealth-fighters-deploy-to-puerto-rico-for-operation-southern-spear/): USAF F-35A fighters from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing arrived in Puerto Rico on Dec. 20, 2025 for Operation Southern Spear. The jets flew into Roosevelt Roads Naval Station near Ceiba, which now serves as a staging point for the growing U.S. force package in the region. Officials have not released the detachment size or its timeline.
- [Inside the F-117 Nighthawk’s First Strike in Panama and Its Surprising Modern Legacy](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/inside-the-f-117-nighthawks-first-strike-in-panama-and-its-surprising-modern-legacy/): Dec. 20, 2025 marks 36 years since the F-117 Nighthawk’s first combat use during Operation Just Cause in Panama. The sortie stayed quiet at the time, yet it set a pattern that followed the jet into later wars. Central America also sits back in U.S. planners’ field of view this month, with U.S. Southern Command focused on maritime counterdrug strikes and a larger regional posture.
- [U.S. Navy Announces New Cutter-Based FF(X) Frigate to Replace the Constellation-Class](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/u-s-navy-announces-new-cutter-based-ffx-frigate-to-replace-the-constellation-class/): The U.S. Navy confirmed it will pursue a new frigate class, FF(X), built around the Coast Guard’s Legend-class National Security Cutter hull. Navy leaders say the first ship will launch in 2028, with Ingalls Shipbuilding set as the lead builder. The move follows last month’s decision to end most of the Constellation-class frigate effort after years of redesign and schedule delay.
- [Ukraine Targets Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker Qendil With Drone Attack Far From Black Sea](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ukraine-targets-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-qendil-with-drone-attack-far-from-black-sea/): Ukrainian security officials said aerial drones struck the crude oil tanker Qendil in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel is tied to Russia’s sanction-evasion oil exports, according to Western tracking and sanction records. Ukraine described the strike as its first confirmed attack on a Russia-linked tanker outside the Black Sea. Russian officials have not confirmed damage to the ship, and independent verification remains limited to the imagery released so far.
- [E-3 Sentry Radar Jet Appears as U.S. Military Flights Increase Near Venezuela](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/e-3-sentry-radar-jet-appears-as-u-s-military-flights-increase-near-venezuela/): On Dec. 18, 2025, public flight data placed a U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry off Venezuela’s northern coast after several days in which that aircraft type had not shown with any regularity in the southern Caribbean. The track appeared inside a wider run of visible U.S. military activity near Venezuelan airspace. Navy fighters, electronic attack jets, and a carrier-based radar aircraft had already shown up on open feeds in the same zone. According to industry sources, the E-3’s return to public view added a different level of command-and-control presence to an air picture that was already busier than usual.
- [USS Santa Barbara Littoral Combat Ship Launches LUCAS Kamikaze Drone in First Shipborne Test](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/uss-santa-barbara-littoral-combat-ship-launches-lucas-kamikaze-drone-in-first-shipborne-test/): U.S. Navy officials confirmed a first at-sea launch of a LUCAS one-way attack drone from the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara in the Arabian Gulf. The test used a rocket-assisted launch from the ship’s flight deck. The flight took place on Dec. 16.
- [How Canada Plans to Integrate F-35 Fighters Into NORAD and Arctic Air Defense Operations](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/how-canada-plans-to-integrate-f-35-fighters-into-norad-and-arctic-air-defense-operations/): Defense officials confirm Canada’s senior operational air commander for NORAD integration continues detailed planning for the arrival of F-35A fighters, even as Ottawa reviews the broader fighter buy. Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna said the first tranche of aircraft is already paid for. He also said the larger infrastructure and personnel plan cannot pause, since basing work, training pipelines, and sustainment capacity take years.
- [Ukrainian Drone Strike Targets MiG-31 Foxhound and Air Defense Systems at Belbek Air Base in Crimea](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ukrainian-drone-strike-targets-mig-31-foxhound-and-air-defense-systems-at-belbek-air-base-in-crimea/): Ukrainian security officials reported that long-range drones reached Belbek Air Base near Sevastopol in Crimea. The Security Service of Ukraine said the strike hit a MiG-31 and several air-defense assets. Russian-installed officials in Sevastopol said defenses repelled the raid and reported no damage.
- [U.S. Army Plans First Sentinel A4 Radar Deployment to Defend Washington’s National Capital Region](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/u-s-army-plans-first-sentinel-a4-radar-deployment-to-defend-washingtons-national-capital-region/): Defense officials confirm the Army will field its first full Sentinel A4 deployment around Washington, D.C. The radar is the AN/MPQ-64A4 variant. It targets low-altitude threats, with emphasis on cruise missiles and drones. The plan surfaced during a Redstone Arsenal event near Huntsville, Alabama, during Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit. An Army officer described the production schedule, then tied the first fielding to the National Capital Region.
- [Austria Orders 12 Leonardo M-346F Block 20 Light Fighters to Strengthen Air Policing and Pilot Training](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/austria-orders-12-leonardo-m-346f-block-20-light-fighters-to-strengthen-air-policing-and-pilot-training/): Austria signed the deal for 12 Leonardo M-346F Block 20 aircraft on Dec. 17, 2025, according to official statements. Leonardo said the jets will arrive in a light fighter configuration. The package includes simulators, spares, and six years of support after the first delivery. Vienna values the program near €1.5 billion. Deliveries are set to start in 2028.
- [First Images Of China’s Y-30 Turboprop Transport Reveal A New PLA Tactical Airlift Platform](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/first-images-of-chinas-y-30-turboprop-transport-reveal-a-new-tactical-airlift-platform/): Footage circulating on Dec. 16, 2025 shows a new Chinese four turboprop transport aircraft in flight testing. The designation stays unofficial, with Y-30 and Y-15 both in use among watchers. The airlifter appears sized between the Y-9 and the larger Y-20, with features aimed at tactical lift and rough field work.
- [USAF Acquires Lufthansa 747-8 Aircraft To Support VC-25B Air Force One Training Fleet](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/usaf-acquires-lufthansa-747-8-aircraft-to-support-vc-25b-air-force-one-training-fleet/): The U.S. Air Force has confirmed it is buying two Boeing 747-8 passenger jets from Lufthansa. The service says the aircraft will backstop training and spare parts for the incoming 747-8 presidential fleet. The purchase runs alongside a revised VC-25B delivery target that now points to mid-2028.
- [Additional KC-135 Tankers Arrive In The Caribbean As U.S. Air Operations Intensify Around Venezuela](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/additional-kc-135-tankers-arrive-in-the-caribbean-as-u-s-air-operations-intensify-around-venezuela/): Photographs and flight-tracking posts over the past two days point to a larger U.S. Air Force KC-135 presence at Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The tanker staging coincided with steady C-17 traffic into Puerto Rico and an additional cargo run into Ecuador tied to the same regional operation. A federal aviation security notice now warns crews to use caution across Venezuelan airspace. Washington also pushed economic pressure this week after U.S. forces seized a sanctioned crude tanker off Venezuela’s coast, while senior officials briefed lawmakers on a separate boat-strike controversy.
- [New Satellite Images Reveal Damage At Novorossiysk After Ukrainian Underwater Drone Attack](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/new-satellite-images-reveal-damage-at-novorossiysk-after-ukrainian-underwater-drone-attack/): Commercial satellite images taken on Dec. 16, 2025 show blast damage to a pier inside Russia’s Novorossiysk naval port, close to a moored Project 636.3 submarine. Ukraine’s Security Service says an uncrewed underwater vehicle carried out the strike a day earlier. Russia’s defense ministry denies damage to any ship or crew.
- [Luxury Boeing 737-8 BBJ With DHS Seal Appears In Washington Before Overseas Flight](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/luxury-boeing-737-8-bbj-with-dhs-seal-appears-in-washington-before-overseas-flight/): Photos taken in Washington over the weekend show a Boeing 737-8 Boeing Business Jet with “United States of America” on the fuselage and a Department of Homeland Security seal visible inside the cabin. The aircraft, registered N471US, left the Washington area soon after and moved through the eastern Mediterranean into the Middle East on public flight tracking. The appearance comes days after DHS confirmed a contract to acquire six Boeing 737s for Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal flights.
- [India Turns to Oman’s Retired Jaguars to Keep Its Aging Strike Fleet Flying](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/india-turns-to-omans-retired-jaguars-to-keep-its-aging-strike-fleet-flying/): India is moving to pull retired Jaguar airframes out of Oman for parts. The Indian Air Force wants to keep six Jaguar squadrons viable while new fighter buys keep slipping right. The plan extends a fleet that still fills strike and maritime roles.
- [Ukrainian Underwater Drone Allegedly Damages Russian Kilo Class Submarine In Black Sea Port](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ukrainian-underwater-drone-allegedly-damages-russian-kilo-class-submarine-in-black-sea-port/): Ukraine’s security service reported that it disabled a Russian Kilo-class submarine in Novorossiysk. The claim centers on a new uncrewed underwater vehicle called Sub Sea Baby. Russia’s defense ministry rejected the account and said ships and crews remained unaffected.
- [Patriot Modernization Ties New Interceptor Program to CAML Launchers for Rear-Arc Engagements](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/patriot-modernization-ties-new-interceptor-program-to-caml-launchers-for-rear-arc-engagements/): The U.S. Army is tying a new Patriot interceptor effort to a launcher shift toward a more vertical firing profile. The stated goal is an “over-the-shoulder” shot, where a battery can engage a threat that already crossed overhead. Senior leaders heard the update during a visit at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, set against a wider push for air and missile defense capacity and faster acquisition cycles.
- [China Releases First Official Flight Footage Of The CH-7 Stealth Flying-Wing Drone](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/china-releases-first-official-flight-footage-of-the-ch-7-stealth-flying-wing-drone/): China’s CH-7 stealth flying-wing unmanned aircraft has completed a first known flight, according to state media footage released today. The material shows ground checks, takeoff, in-flight shots, and a recovery to the same airfield, placing the long-running program into open flight testing.
- [Army Dark Eagle Boost-Glide Weapon Gets New Public Specs Following Hegseth’s Redstone Arsenal Visit](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/army-dark-eagle-boost-glide-weapon-gets-new-public-specs-following-hegseths-redstone-arsenal-visit/): Video from Redstone Arsenal shows an Army hypersonics director telling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the Dark Eagle weapon can reach about 3,500 kilometers. Another officer, filmed near the launcher, described its warhead as “under 30 pounds” and said the payload is meant to push “projectiles out” over a target area.
- [Cargo Ship Strike Signals New Phase in Russia–Ukraine Black Sea Shipping War](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/cargo-ship-strike-signals-new-phase-in-russia-ukraine-black-sea-shipping-war/): A Russian long-range drone hit the Turkish-owned roll-on, roll-off cargo ship CENK-T at the port of Chornomorsk on Friday and set the vessel’s bow area on fire. Ukrainian officials said at least one person was hurt. Video from the port showed the ship burning at the pier after the strike.
- [Navy Drops Constellation and Pushes for a Faster New Frigate](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/navy-drops-constellation-and-pushes-for-a-faster-new-frigate/): Navy leadership says the service will move ahead with a new frigate program built on an existing U.S. design and try to get the first ship in the water by 2028. Huntington Ingalls Industries will serve as the lead for the design effort, with follow-on construction planned as a competitive process across multiple shipyards. Navy Secretary John C. Phelan described the plan as “built on a proven American design, in American shipyards, with an American supply chain.”
- [Swiss Government Orders a Revised F-35A Buy Plan After Rising Program Costs](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/swiss-government-orders-a-revised-f-35a-buy-plan-after-rising-program-costs/): Switzerland has told its defense ministry to stay inside the six billion Swiss franc cap for its new fighter purchase, even if that means buying fewer than the planned 36 F-35A Lightning II jets. The Federal Council said it wants the highest possible number of aircraft within the previously approved budget.
- [HH-60W and HC-130J Combat Rescue Aircraft Arrive in Puerto Rico as U.S. Tankers Spread Across the Caribbean](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/hh-60w-and-hc-130j-combat-rescue-aircraft-arrive-in-puerto-rico-as-u-s-tankers-spread-across-the-caribbean/): HH-60W Jolly Green II rescue helicopters and an HC-130J Combat King II arrived in Puerto Rico. Operation Southern Spear continues to add airlift and recovery support.
- [Air Force Starts Testing the AN/APQ-188 AESA on a B-52 at Edwards After the First Radar-Modified Jet Completes Ferry Flight](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/air-force-starts-testing-the-an-apq-188-aesa-on-a-b-52-at-edwards-after-the-first-radar-modified-jet-completes-ferry-flight/): The first B-52 fitted with an AESA radar reached Edwards Air Force Base this week after a ferry flight from San Antonio. The aircraft completed the Dec. 8 move under the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, and the test team at Edwards now holds the jet for ground work and flight trials through 2026.
- [Vermont Air National Guard F-35A Fighters Set for Caribbean Deployment Under Operation Southern Spear](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/vermont-air-national-guard-f-35a-fighters-set-for-caribbean-deployment-under-operation-southern-spear/): According to industry sources, the former Roosevelt Roads Navy base in Puerto Rico remains the leading candidate for the initial stop. The airfield has hosted U.S. aviation detachments linked to the operation since September.
- [China Pushes a Swarm-Carrying Mothership UAV Concept](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/china-pushes-a-swarm-carrying-mothership-uav-concept/): China’s state aircraft group says its large jet-powered Jiutian uncrewed aircraft completed its first flight Thursday at Pucheng in Shaanxi province. AVIC described the drone as having “a large payload, high operational ceiling, wide speed range, and short takeoff and landing capabilities.”
- [Congress Wants Navy Drone Ships Built With No Crew Option for MASC Block 0](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/congress-wants-navy-drone-ships-built-with-no-crew-option-for-masc-block-0/): Draft language released this week for the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill would block the Navy from starting early contracting work for its first Modular Attack Surface Craft batch unless the service commits to vessels built from the start for unmanned operations. The clause targets “crew optional” designs that keep human support features, even if the plan calls for remote control most of the time.
- [Marines Test LUCAS Shahed-136-Style One-Way Attack Drones at Yuma](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/marines-test-lucas-shahed-136-style-one-way-attack-drones-at-yuma/): The U.S. Marine Corps has backed live evaluations of the Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System, known as LUCAS, at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. The Army described LUCAS as a one-way attack aircraft and said the work supports the Marines’ push for longer-range expendable strike drones.
- [Zelensky Claims First Combat Use of Ukraine’s Sapsan Ballistic Missile](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/zelensky-claims-first-combat-use-of-ukraines-sapsan-ballistic-missile/): President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine has begun using the Sapsan ballistic missile in combat. He spoke to journalists on Dec. 9 and declined to discuss targets or the number of shots fired. “Ukraine is already using the Neptune, the long-range Neptune, the Palyanytsya, the Flamingo. And also, the Sapsan, I’ll be honest — we’ve begun using it,” Zelensky said. “Because for now we don’t want the enemy to know all the precedents and all the details,” he added.
- [Six EA-18G Growlers Deploy to Puerto Rico as US Caribbean Military Posture Expands](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/six-ea-18g-growlers-deploy-to-puerto-rico-as-us-caribbean-military-posture-expands/): Six US Navy EA-18G Growler jets sat on the ramp today. They parked at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The detachment arrived during a wider US force push across the Caribbean. Senior defense leaders tie it to counter-narcotics work and sanctions enforcement. Tail markings and open-source imagery point to Electronic Attack Squadron 132, VAQ-132, from NAS Whidbey Island. Some jets carry the AN/ALQ-249(V)1 Next Generation Jammer Mid Band pods. Others fly with older AN/ALQ-99 pods.
- [Poland Negotiates Final MiG-29 Donation to Ukraine While Seeking Selected Drone and Missile Technologies in Return](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/poland-negotiates-final-mig-29-donation-to-ukraine-while-seeking-selected-drone-and-missile-technologies-in-return/): Poland’s General Staff confirmed talks with Ukraine on handing over MiG-29 fighters. The message went public on Dec. 9 through an official statement posted online. It said the aircraft have reached the end of planned use, and upgrades no longer make sense.
- [M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 Tests Tank Launched Switchblade 300 and 600 Drones With GDLS PERCH Launcher](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/m1a2-abrams-sepv3-tests-tank-launched-switchblade-300-and-600-drones-with-gdls-perch-launcher/): General Dynamics Land Systems and AeroVironment have tested a turret-mounted launcher that lets an M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 fire Switchblade loitering munitions during a U.S. Army demonstration in Texas. The companies said the kit, called Precision Effects and Reconnaissance Canister-Housed, launched a Switchblade 300 and a Switchblade 600 during a breaching scenario at the Army’s MARS event, held Oct. 26–30.
- [Japan and South Korea Launch Fighters After China-Russia Bomber Patrol Off Shikoku](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/japan-and-south-korea-launch-fighters-after-china-russia-bomber-patrol-off-shikoku/): Japan and South Korea launched fighter jets Tuesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft flew a coordinated patrol over international waters. Japan’s defense authorities tracked Russian Tu-95 bombers moving from the Sea of Japan into the East China Sea. The aircraft linked up with Chinese H-6 bombers and continued into the Pacific off Shikoku. South Korea’s military reported entries into its Air Defense Identification Zone, or KADIZ, and said it sent fighters up as a precaution.
- [Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets Tracked Flying Deep Inside the Gulf of Venezuela During 40 Minute Orbits](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/navy-f-a-18-super-hornets-tracked-flying-deep-inside-the-gulf-of-venezuela-during-40-minute-orbits/): Online flight tracking data showed two U.S. Navy F A 18 Super Hornets fly into the center of the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday. They held tight orbits over the water for about 40 minutes. The callsigns shown on the public feed were Rhino 11 and Rhino 12.
- [Russia’s An-22 Heavy Transport Crashes Near Ivanovo During Test Flight](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/russias-an-22-heavy-transport-crashes-near-ivanovo-during-test-flight/): A Russian Air Force Antonov An-22 heavy transport crashed in the Ivanovo region on December 9, 2025. Russian investigators said everyone on board died. The loss likely removes the last flying An-22 from Russian service. The type already flew rarely and recent reports pointed to retirement.
- [MQ-28A Ghost Bat Completes First Live AIM-120 AMRAAM Air-to-Air Shot at Woomera](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/mq-28a-ghost-bat-completes-first-live-aim-120-amraam-air-to-air-shot-at-woomera/): The MQ-28A Ghost Bat has carried out its first live air-to-air missile shot. During a Dec. 8 test event at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia, it fired an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. Officials say the missile successfully engaged and destroyed an Australian-made Phoenix Jet uncrewed aerial target.
- [Crashed USS Nimitz Super Hornet and Seahawk Recovered From South China Sea](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/crashed-uss-nimitz-super-hornet-and-seahawk-recovered-from-south-china-sea/): The U.S. Navy recovered an MH-60R Seahawk and an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the South China Sea on Dec. 5. The aircraft came from USS Nimitz. Both crashed on Oct. 26, about 30 minutes apart. The Navy said recovery teams lifted them from about 400 feet.
- [Congress Advances NDAA Language to Block E-7 Wedgetail Cancellation and Limit E-3 AWACS Retirements](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/congress-advances-ndaa-language-to-block-e-7-wedgetail-cancellation-and-limit-e-3-awacs-retirements/): Draft language in the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act would block the Department of Defense from ending the Air Force’s E-7A Wedgetail effort during fiscal 2026. The same draft would also stop the Air Force from retiring any E-3 Sentry aircraft if the inventory drops below 16. Lawmakers paired those provisions with a higher authorization level for E-7 development and procurement. Final passage still requires votes in both chambers and a presidential signature.
- [Congress Demands Answers on the Future of the Airborne Command Post and a Possible C-130 Option](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/congress-demands-answers-on-the-future-of-the-airborne-command-post-and-a-possible-c-130-option/): New language attached to the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act orders the U.S. Air Force to explain how it will keep the Airborne Command Post mission, often called Looking Glass, after the Navy begins retiring the E-6B Mercury fleet. The provision names a C-130J-30 Super Hercules production option and asks how the mission will connect to the Air Force's Secondary Launch Platform Airborne effort.
- [How the 2026 NDAA Scales Back U.S. Funding for Ukraine and Shifts the Burden to Europe](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/how-the-2026-ndaa-scales-back-u-s-funding-for-ukraine-and-shifts-the-burden-to-europe/): Congress has released a 2026 defense policy bill that keeps a Ukraine line, but at a much lower level than in earlier years. The new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets a $900 billion Pentagon budget. It includes $400 million per year for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027 through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. That is a fraction of what Washington provided earlier in the war. The bill still needs separate passage in the House and Senate. A White House official said the administration supports the measure and “has been working diligently to formulate a plan that will bring a durable, enforceable peace to the war in Ukraine.”
- [Inside the Fight Over F/A-XX Funding and the Future of the Navy’s Next Carrier Fighter](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/inside-the-fight-over-f-a-xx-funding-and-the-future-of-the-navys-next-carrier-fighter/): A defense policy law signed on Dec. 18, 2025 kept the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX carrier fighter alive on paper, yet it left the program close to the Pentagon’s earlier plan to slow it down. The same law also ordered a deep Air Force report on the F-47 sixth-generation fighter, a sign Congress wants tighter control of both schedules and budgets.
- [How Thai F-16 Airstrikes Escalated Tensions Along the Cambodia–Thailand Border](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/how-thai-f-16-airstrikes-escalated-tensions-along-the-cambodia-thailand-border/): Following overnight clashes that resulted in the death of a Thai soldier and the injuries of others, Royal Thai Air Force F-16 fighters attacked what Bangkok described as Cambodian military targets along multiple points of the disputed frontier early on Monday. Thai and Cambodian officials each accused the other side of breaking a ceasefire reached about six weeks ago under U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement.
- [Drone Incursion Over France’s Nuclear Submarine Base Triggers Military Response at Île Longue](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/drone-incursion-over-frances-nuclear-submarine-base-triggers-military-response-at-ile-longue/): At least five drones were reported over Île Longue on December 4, with some reporting placing the sighting around 7:30 p.m. local time. French officials said the overflight violated a prohibited zone. The site sits on the Crozon Peninsula in western France and supports the nation’s sea-based nuclear deterrent.
- [Why New Photos Suggest Ukrainian F-16s Are Now Armed With Laser-Guided 70mm Rockets](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/why-new-photos-suggest-ukrainian-f-16s-are-now-armed-with-laser-guided-rockets/): A photo that began circulating online in early December shows a Ukrainian F-16AM carrying two seven-shot 70mm rocket pods that match the LAU-131 family, mounted under the wings. A targeting pod appears on the intake station on the right side. The weapons fit a load often used for air-defense patrols, with short-range air-to-air missiles visible alongside the pods. The photo does not show the rocket type at the front of each tube clearly enough to settle the question alone, but the combination of pods and a modern laser designator points toward a guided-rocket setup rather than unguided Hydra rounds.
- [How USS Gettysburg Misidentified Friendly F/A-18 Super Hornets and Opened Fire in the Red Sea](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/how-uss-gettysburg-misidentified-friendly-f-a-18-super-hornets-and-opened-fire-in-the-red-sea/): A Navy investigation package released in early December 2025 remains the latest public record on how USS Gettysburg fired Standard Missile-2 rounds at friendly aircraft during USS Harry S. Truman flight operations in the Red Sea on Dec. 22, 2024. The summary states one F/A-18F Super Hornet was destroyed, a second was narrowly missed, and no personnel casualties or major injuries were reported.
- [Why France Is Betting on Thundart to Replace MLRS and Expand Long-Range Strike](https://www.defense-aerospace.com/why-france-is-betting-on-thundart-to-replace-mlrs/): MBDA published the first photograph of its Thundart 227mm guided artillery rocket — a test round displayed on St. Barbara's Day, the feast day recognized in France as the patron saint of artillery operators. The image arrived as European missile house MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense accelerate development of a domestically produced surface-to-surface weapon designed to more than double the strike reach of the French Army's current rocket artillery.

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