Defense

Airbus has secured a blockbuster helicopter order from the Spanish Defense Ministry that has committed to taking 100 rotorcraft of different types.

Rheinmetall says it has received the order to provide synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to the German Armed Forces a day after funding was approved.

The French Defense Innovation Agency (AID) says startups ThrustMe and ION-X will provide the on-orbit propulsion systems for its Toutatis demo due in 2027.

Washington has green-lit the potential sale of $11.1 billion in military equipment to Taiwan.

Anduril and Boeing are coming together to jointly offer a new interceptor for the U.S. Army.

Air Forces in Focus analyzes the results so far of the Army Transformation Initiative unveiled in May.

Portugal’s defense minister declared interest in local assembly for Embraer A-29 light combat and trainer aircraft on Dec. 17.

The Senate on Dec. 17 passed the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill.

A key piece of the future nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) enterprise will kick off next month with a classified briefing to industry.

Polish aircraft startup Draco Aircraft is making a play for the low-cost combat aircraft market.

The German parliament has given the green light to a mammoth €50 billion ($59 billion) package of arms deals covering missiles, satellites and more.

Spanish defense company Indra says it has agreed to acquire uncrewed air system provider Wake Engineering as part of a push to grab market share in Spain.

The European Union plans to contribute €1 billion to the 2026 European Defense Fund program, with hypersonic defenses gaining a large share of the allocation.

Kongsberg says it has secured a more than €100 million ($117 million) contract from Denmark to provide coastal defense equipment.

Finland says it plans to make its synthetic aperture radar satellite constellation available to others, with Poland and the Netherlands as its first partners.

BAE Systems has raised $52.2 million from the sale of most of its stake in Air Astana.

Thirty years ago, in Aviation Week, the cover featured the U.S. Air Force’s venerable B-52 bomber, accompanying a cover story by Bill Scott on the upgrades that would ensure it would remain an effective dual-role, long-range bomber “for another decade or more.”

The USAF is buying two Boeing 747-8is from Lufthansa for training and spares as part of the delayed program to replace the current VC-25A “Air Force One” fleet.

Momentum has slowed for the U.S. Air Force EA-37B Compass Call.

China appears to have flown a new tactical airlifter, more than a decade after the concept was first unveiled in 2014.

NHIndustries is looking to regain momentum in securing new orders for its NH90 helicopter in the new year after securing several top-up deals.

Germany's military has a sense of urgency to bring into service and enhance its new NH90 Sea Tiger anti-surface warfare and sub-hunting helicopters.

Gas turbines still dominate Pratt & Whitney’s future road map, but emerging new cycles and alternative fuels will also play a major role.

Service leaders say the U.S. is at a critical moment to keep ahead of adversaries in space tech development.

The Pentagon and Department of Commerce will partner with Korea Zinc to develop a $7.4 billion smelter in Tennessee that will mass-produce critical minerals.