Aerospace Daily & Defense Report

The Pentagon on March 25 rolled out another series of agreements with major contractors to increase production of key munitions as the department looks to increase industrial capacity by outlining a clear demand signal for weapons.

Saudi Arabia will establish a national aerial firefighting service using Thrush agricultural aircraft.

UK and Turkey seal £8B Typhoon deal including pilot training and defense industry support, with first jets due by 2030.

The EU has earmarked $133 million in funding to speed efforts to move defense technology initiatives into the field more quickly.

More aircraft are needed in Europe for aerial firefighting after wildfires caused more devastation in 2025 than in any previous year, according to an Avincis report.

Korea Aerospace Industries rolled out the first KF-21 Blk. 1 production aircraft at its Sacheon facility, in a ceremony attended by President Lee Jae-myung.

News in brief.

METASENSING, ENDUROSAT partner on SAR constellation... SFL MISSIONS tapped for HelioSwarm... BRINC expands Seattle drone production...

The UK Ministry of Defense has signed the £1 billion ($1.3 billion) contract to acquire Leonardo’s AW149 battlefield utility helicopter.

Shield AI has demonstrated the rapid integration of its Hivemind autonomy software by installing it into the Hornet uncrewed aircraft system.

AeroVironment has unveiled the Locust X3 system as a 20-35-kW higher energy laser.

Each of Ecuador’s armed services operates a similarly sized aviation component, while pursuing slightly different modernization priorities.

NASA’s repositioning of the Artemis program and efforts to build a Moon base should be a boon to the rocket industry.

The U.S. Air Force will soon launch the next “giant leap” in testing for a cruise missile program.

The U.S. Navy is expanding the installation of low-cost counter drone systems on its destroyers.

Arianespace is considering raising its launch capacity given strong demand, with CEO David Cavaillolès projecting a rocket scarcity for years to come.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is starting to focus on a returning its H3 heavy launch vehicle to the pad.

The U.S. Army is refining its approach for the next increment of its short-range air defense system.

NASA has selected Houston-based Intuitive Machines for a fifth mission to fly payloads to the surface of the Moon.

NASA is proposing an alternative approach for a station in low Earth orbit to follow the International Space Station.

Spire Global says it has demonstrated single-satellite radio-frequency geolocation.

NASA has unveiled sweeping changes to its Artemis exploration initiative.

GKN Aerospace has delivered the first of a new upgraded version of the RM12 engine to power the Swedish Air Force’s Saab Gripen C/D fighters.

Russia started deployment of its first national low-orbit satellite internet constellation similar to Starlink or Oneweb.

After years of challenges, Boeing has emerged as the leader among aerospace manufacturers in 2025 when measured by turnover.