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Magazine Issue

Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, March 16, 2026

VOL. 295 NO. 50 March 16, 2026
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Programs

Valkyrie
article

Airbus Eyes Europeanized Kratos Valkyrie CCA Flights This Year

Mar 13, 2026
European efforts to demonstrate CCA efforts are gaining pace, with Airbus saying it is looking to fly two modified Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie systems before year end.
f16
article

EW System For Pre-Block F-16s Enter Early Production

Mar 13, 2026
An electronic warfare upgrade for the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 30/32 has entered low-rate initial production.
ilc dover spacesuit in lab
article

Texas Grant Advances ILC Dover Spacesuit Development

Mar 13, 2026
ILC Dover reports embarking on the development of a new generation of modular life support systems for human space flight.
satellite workers
article

Europe Readies Low Earth Orbit PNT Demonstration

Mar 13, 2026
ESA is prepping to launch two low-Earth-orbit PNT demonstration satellites to lay the groundwork for an operational constellation to be lofted this decade.
Vortex
article

Dassault Starts Vortex Spaceplane Parts Production

Mar 11, 2026
Dassault Aviation has started building parts for its Vortex spaceplane demonstrator with the aim of building momentum for a project it wants to see flying as early as 2028.
mcdermott aviation bell 214st
article

Safran’s Aneto To Power New-Build Bell 214STs

Mar 12, 2026
Safran’s Aneto engine has been selected to power new-build and refurbished Bell 214ST Super Transporter helicopters.

Daily Briefs

In Brief

Business

missiles firing
article

Avio Eyes Rocket Motor Capacity As Missile Demand Tops Projections

Mar 13, 2026
Avio is considering how to speed up U.S. missile motor production, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East pointing to demand greatly surpassing projections.
Mantis Space
article

Orbital Solar Power Provider Startup Mantis Space Announces Funds

Mar 12, 2026
Mantis Space, a startup working on a proposed constellation of satellites that beam solar power around in orbit, said March 12 it raised a $10 million seed round of venture capital.
Credit: Voyager Technologies
article

Voyager Opens Long Beach Facilities Focused On Defense, AI Work

Mar 12, 2026
Voyager Technologies has opened a new 140,000-ft.² facility in Long Beach, California, becoming the latest space-centric company to set up shop in “Space Beach.”
Rheinmetall
article

Rheinmetall Says Iran War Fueling Air Defense Gun Demand

Mar 11, 2026
Rheinmetall expects a flurry of orders from the Middle East and elsewhere for air defense gun systems after Iran fired drones against Gulf states.
Lester Austin - Verticon
article

Airbus, Bell, Leonardo Record 26 Orders At Verticon

Mar 12, 2026
Airbus, Bell and Leonardo have recorded orders for 26 helicopters during this year’s Verticon rotorcraft exhibition in Atlanta.
Swarm Aero
article

Swarm Aero Adds Financing For Large UAS Development

Mar 11, 2026
Swarm Aero added $35 million in Series A financing to continue developing a large uncrewed aircraft system.

Operations

Thales
article

Spacecraft Failure Reveals Russia’s Sat Communications Vulnerability

Mar 12, 2026
Russian users from Kaliningrad to Siberia lost signals of their satellite television on March 4 after the Ekspress-AT1 broadcasting satellite went offline.

The Debrief

chinese ucav overlaid with chart
article

Budget Brief: Chinese Defense Spending Outpaces Economic Growth

Mar 13, 2026
The relationship between the defense budget and GDP is a particularly close one in China, and that link is both strategic and financial.

Fleet Snapshot

Calendar