DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis

Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

October 7, 2025

The Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin closed a $24.3 billion agreement for 296 F-35s covering production Lots 18 and 19. The package locks in 148 aircraft per lot and ends a two-year negotiation cycle that started after an undefinitized

Defense Budgets / Policy

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

October 6, 2025

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.

Army to lead Joint Interagency Task Force 401, consolidating Replicator 2 and DoD counter-drone programs

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Army to establish a new joint interagency task

First Flight for General Atomics Collaborative Combat Aircraft Starts Edwards and Nellis Test Campaigns

General Atomics' YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft completed its first flight on August 27, 2025, with

Defense Industry

Contracts & Deals

Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

October 7, 2025

The Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin closed a $24.3 billion agreement for 296 F-35s covering

Industrial Partnerships

France Seeks Year-End Phase 2 Accord on FCAS as Dassault and Airbus Clash Over Fighter Workshare

September 22, 2025

Paris officials want Phase 2 of the Future Combat Air System agreed with Berlin and Madrid

How a .2 Billion Army Award to a Small Contractor Created a Fort Bliss Detention Controversy

Contracts & Deals

How a $1.2 Billion Army Award to a Small Contractor Created a Fort Bliss Detention Controversy

September 21, 2025

The U.S. Army awarded a contract worth up to $1.2 billion to Acquisition Logistics LLC to

Defense Infrastructure & Manufacturing

USAF moves to hundreds of new Sentinel ICBM silos as B-21 second test aircraft approaches maiden flight

September 6, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is preparing to break ground on hundreds of new silos for its

Pratt & Whitney wins .9B Navy order to supply F-35 F135 propulsion through 2028

Contracts & Deals

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

August 25, 2025

The Navy awarded Pratt & Whitney a not-to-exceed $2.88 billion modification to produce 141 F135 propulsion

Platforms & Systems

Naval Systems

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

September 16, 2025

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 underway before the ferry to Germany. Delivery Details and Acceptance in Seattle Acceptance occurred at the Puget Sound

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

September 15, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s first F-47 is in build at Boeing with

Aircraft

First Flight for General Atomics Collaborative Combat Aircraft Starts Edwards and Nellis Test Campaigns

September 12, 2025

General Atomics' YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft completed its first flight on August

Aircraft

USAF confirms near-term second B-21 flight while Sentinel program pivots to new silo construction

September 12, 2025

The Air Force expects a second B-21 Raider test aircraft to take

Aircraft

Lockheed and WZL-2 to Oversee In-Country F-16V Upgrades with L3Harris, RTX and Elbit Systems

September 6, 2025

Poland has locked in the electronics lineup for its F-16 Viper upgrade,

Regions & Conflicts

Asia-Pacific

Chinese and Russian Submarines Operate Together in the Pacific Amid Rising Military Coordination

September 23, 2025

Two diesel-electric submarines operated together for the first time in a publicly acknowledged China-Russia submarine patrol.

Russia-Ukraine War

Pentagon Limits U.S. Ground Role in Ukraine Security Guarantees, Europe to Lead

August 20, 2025

The Pentagon has told European counterparts that any U.S. role in a future security guarantee for

US State Department Approves .7B NASAMS Sale for Egypt's Air-Defense Upgrade

Middle East

US State Department Approves $4.7B NASAMS Sale for Egypt’s Air-Defense Upgrade

July 25, 2025

The U.S. State Department approved a $4.67 billion NASAMS sale to Egypt on July 24, 2025.

Asia-Pacific

Australia Questions AUKUS Commitments as US Pushes Higher Defence Spending and Taiwan Clause

July 21, 2025

Australia's plan to get nuclear-powered submarines with help from the U.S. and U.K. is on pause

Russia-Ukraine War

Pentagon Resumes 155 mm Shell and GMLRS Rocket Deliveries to Ukraine

July 10, 2025

The Pentagon has restarted selected arms deliveries to Ukraine only days after a sudden halt triggered

Latest

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Blake Wiles

AI & Autonomy

Northrop’s Model 437 Vanguard Advances to Flight Testing with Partner Software for Collaborative Autonomy and Mission Learning

October 10, 2025

Northrop Grumman’s Model 437 Vanguard flew again on September 20 after months of modification for the Beacon autonomy program. Company engineers installed the Prism autonomy stack, integrated new interfaces and prepared the aircraft for envelope expansion sorties at Mojave before partner software

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeffery Stevens

Air & Missile Defense Systems

NATO Moves to Field Counter-Drone Systems Within Months to Oppose Russian Airspace Incursions

October 9, 2025

Gen. Ingo Gerhartz urged deployment timelines counted in months for counter-drone units across allied territory, using public remarks at the Warsaw Security Forum on Sept 29-30 to press the point. He now commands NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum and paired the schedule

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Violette Hosack

Defense Budgets / Policy

Meink Assures No Leadership Gap as Gen. Allvin Prepares to Retire and Wilsbach Moves Toward Confirmation

October 8, 2025

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. The Air Force will not face a leadership gap when Gen. David W. Allvin retires in early November. Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink told reporters on Sept. 22 that “we’re not gonna not have a chief,”

Contracts & Deals

Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

October 7, 2025

The Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin closed a $24.3 billion agreement for 296 F-35s covering production Lots 18 and 19. The package locks in 148 aircraft per lot and ends a two-year negotiation cycle that started after an undefinitized award used

Defense Budgets / Policy

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

October 6, 2025

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

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Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

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

Army to lead Joint Interagency Task Force 401, consolidating Replicator 2 and DoD counter-drone programs

First Flight for General Atomics Collaborative Combat Aircraft Starts Edwards and Nellis Test Campaigns

Defense Industry

Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

France Seeks Year-End Phase 2 Accord on FCAS as Dassault and Airbus Clash Over Fighter Workshare

How a $1.2 Billion Army Award to a Small Contractor Created a Fort Bliss Detention Controversy

USAF moves to hundreds of new Sentinel ICBM silos as B-21 second test aircraft approaches maiden flight

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

Platforms & Systems

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

First Flight for General Atomics Collaborative Combat Aircraft Starts Edwards and Nellis Test Campaigns

USAF confirms near-term second B-21 flight while Sentinel program pivots to new silo construction

Lockheed and WZL-2 to Oversee In-Country F-16V Upgrades with L3Harris, RTX and Elbit Systems

Regions & Conflicts

Chinese and Russian Submarines Operate Together in the Pacific Amid Rising Military Coordination

Pentagon Limits U.S. Ground Role in Ukraine Security Guarantees, Europe to Lead

US State Department Approves $4.7B NASAMS Sale for Egypt’s Air-Defense Upgrade

Australia Questions AUKUS Commitments as US Pushes Higher Defence Spending and Taiwan Clause

Pentagon Resumes 155 mm Shell and GMLRS Rocket Deliveries to Ukraine

Latest

Northrop’s Model 437 Vanguard Advances to Flight Testing with Partner Software for Collaborative Autonomy and Mission Learning

NATO Moves to Field Counter-Drone Systems Within Months to Oppose Russian Airspace Incursions

Meink Assures No Leadership Gap as Gen. Allvin Prepares to Retire and Wilsbach Moves Toward Confirmation

Lockheed and Pentagon Finalize $24.3 Billion Agreement for 296 F-35s in Lots 18 and 19

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

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer