The Senate on Dec. 15 approved the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 89-10, signaling broad bipartisan support for increasing the Pentagon’s budget and adding dozens of aircraft to military service fleets.

Nickolas Guertin will be the U.S. Defense Department’s next director of operational test and evaluation, filling a role that has been served in a temporary capacity since the beginning of the Biden administration after his appointment was approved by the Senate.

The military’s budget is in the midst of an unprecedented period of decline and continues to fall as a proportion of overall spending, as Saudi Arabia focuses on economic diversification and bolstering depleted reserve funds.

Spain’s Council of Ministers has given the green light for the €2.3 billion ($2.6 billion) purchase of 20 new-build Eurofighter aircraft for the Spanish Air Force.

A new report by the Pentagon’s watchdog office has concluded the Defense Department could ask TransDigm Group for payback of almost $21 million in alleged excess profit, although the company indicated it was less inclined to do so than the last time the issue arose.

Defense industry representatives are pressing for more clear guidance on COVID-19 vaccine requirements, as the Pentagon has paused enforcement of the White House’s requirement for industry workers to get the jab after a Georgia court issued a nationwide injunction.

Romania wants to acquire up to 32 of the Norwegian Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BMs that Oslo has up for sale as it introduces the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The airspace of NATO’s newest member, North Macedonia, has been formally added to NATO’s Air Policing system.