In this week’s roundup, the U.S. Navy awards the first of two MQ-25 Stingray contracts; Europe takes another step toward a combat UAV; UK Defense Ministry backs space-based manufacturing; and Draken International helps the Japanese test a surface-to-air missile.

Air Combat Command’s EQ-4B and E-11A Battlefield Communications Node fleet have served as high-flying combat comms relays for eight years and counting.

The contract between France and India is welcomed by French officials as a diplomatic coup, but it also looms large as part of the arms race between India and some of its neighbors—namely Pakistan and China.

Bell’s V-247 unmanned tiltrotor; NASA seeks electric ideas; quieter approaches with DLR’s LNAS; JP Aerospace flies Ascender airship.

Japan's defense ministry says it will “acquire high-autonomy technology to realize an unmanned wingman for the F-3 in 15 to 20 years.”