The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded Saab a contract for 22 additional CB90 fast assault boats, placing a fresh £70 million order that lifts Sweden’s amphibious capacity at a moment when Baltic security demands rapid response craft.
Swedish FMV Awards Saab £70m Order for 22 Next-Gen CB90 Combat Boats Read More »
The U.S. Space Force has selected Boeing to build the first two satellites of the Evolved Strategic SATCOM program, issuing a $2.8 billion fixed-price-incentive contract that includes options for two more spacecraft. The decision, announced late July 3, positions the company to deliver the future backbone of nuclear command-and-control communications well into the 2030s.
U.S. Space Force Selects Boeing for $2.8B Secure Strategic Communications Program Read More »
The Royal Australian Navy has added a new hull to its order of battle. On 28 June the service commissioned HMAS Arafura, first of the Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels, during a ceremony at Fleet Base West near Fremantle. Defense officials confirm the ship is now on the active list under pennant 203 and ready to start work while post-commissioning trials continue.
Royal Australian Navy Welcomes HMAS Arafura as New Arafura-Class OPV Read More »
The U.S. Air Force has decided to halt the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early-warning and control program, ending a three-year effort to replace the aging E-3 Sentry fleet with a more modern, radar-equipped 737 derivative. Defense officials disclosed the move during the FY-26 budget rollout, noting that expected unit cost had climbed from about $588 million to roughly $724 million and that the aircraft lacked the resilience needed in a highly contested battlespace.
E-7 Wedgetail Scrapped by Air Force Over Cost Overruns and Vulnerability Risks Read More »
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) acting for the customer.
The Space Force wants $277 million next year to launch the Military Internet (MILNET) constellation and has frozen money for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 3 Transport Layer. Defense officials confirm the shift appears in the service’s fiscal 2026 budget books, released on June 26.
FY 2026 Request: Space Force Seeks $277M for MILNET and Pauses Tranche 3 Transport Layer Read More »
The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation has sent fresh shockwaves through the F-35 community. His memo to senior leaders says the Joint Strike Fighter remains far from its promised combat edge even though the U.S. Air Force just marked the jet “ready for war.” Engineers still chase hundreds of software defects, the 25 mm gun refuses to shoot straight, and the off-boresight missile link misbehaves whenever pilots swivel their helmets too far off center.
Weapons Tester Cites Further F-35 Challenges (excerpt) Read More »
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program has drawn thousands of reader remarks on Aviation Week since the aircraft reached initial service. The most pointed thread this week grew out of a comment by retired Marine officer Don Bacon. He noted that “150 to 160 modifications” sit between many early-build jets and the Block 3F standard that the U.S. services need for combat. His remark sparked fresh debate about concurrency, spiraling costs, and schedule risk.
Aviation Week Reader Comments Above Story Read More »
Bell Textron has handed the first MV-75 virtual prototype to the U.S. Army, marking a concrete step in the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. Defense officials confirm the hand-off took place at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, on 24 June, only eighteen months after the contract’s Milestone B decision. The digital twin now sits with the Army’s aviation project office, where engineers will run mission rehearsals and early software tests.
Bell Textron Delivers First MV-75 FLRAA Virtual Prototype to U.S. Army for Early Testing Read More »
