Defense

U.S. forces in a large-scale and complex rescue operation retrieved a downed and injured U.S. Air Force airman after more than two days deep inside Iran.

The Trump administration wants to fund the U.S. Space Force’s request for a larger budget in fiscal 2027, and then some.

U.S. Air Force combat search and rescue crews on April 3 were conducting a daring daylight mission to recover aircrew from a downed F-15E over Iran.

One of the biggest unanswered questions about the F-47 combat aircraft remains the identity of the engine supplier and the specific propulsion system.

Embraer delivered 44 aircraft during the first quarter of 2026, a 47% increase from 30 jets a year ago, the company reports.

The White House is seeking a $1.15 trillion discretionary budget for the Pentagon in fiscal 2027, bolstered by another $350 billion in mandatory spending through the reconciliation process.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The U.S. is winning the cost-exchange ratio with Iran—but the victory might end up being pyrrhic.

Continuing an annual tradition dating back to 1957, Aviation Week Network editors honored a wide variety of industry accomplishments.

Aviation Week’s latest forecast estimates $6.1 trillion in spending for 2022-30, a 45% increase from its pre-2022 projection.

The role of commercial satellites and Russia’s links to Iran are being scrutinized as the war enters its second month.

As a new class of low-cost cruise missiles nears the development stage, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is proposing to push the technology further by adding swarming behaviors.

DARPA has revealed interest in developing a new class of air-to-air missiles in which the top design requirement is mass production rather than maximizing performance.

The U.S. Air Force has taken another step toward a major production extension for its KC-46A tanker, notifying Boeing on April 1 of an upcoming contract for 75 of the aircraft.

A Ukrainian pilot program that has opened the country's air defense to the private sector has resulted in the first successful engagements of Russian drones.

The U.S. Air Force’s new electronic attack aircraft has joined operations against Iran before it is formally declared operational.

Eighteen years after securing the contract to provide the UK Royal Air Force’s aerial refueling capability, Airtanker has launched efforts to secure a follow-on deal into the 2030s.

The government organization running the tri-national Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) has awarded a long-awaited contract to push forward with the development of the future fighter.

Sweden has awarded Saab an SEK2.6 billion ($270 million) contract to act as lead systems integrator for a new counter-uncrewed aircraft system initiative.

Finland’s Patria Group says it has begun making forward fuselages for Lockheed Martin F-35s as part of an agreement by Helsinki to order the single-engine fighter.

The U.S. State Department has approved Singapore to acquire alternative warhead guided munitions for its Lockheed Martin M142 Himars launchers.

The Kazakh Air Assault Forces, and soon the rest of the army, will be equipped with hundreds of uncrewed systems in groups 1, 2 and 3 to give the troops on the ground enhanced surveillance and strike capabilities.

The UK and France are to launch studies on the development of a successor to the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.

Switzerland says it will continue to withhold foreign military sales (FMS) payments related to the Patriot missile systems ordered by Bern.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pushed back against President Trump's calls for defense spending increases and canceled a contract with Israel, choosing a different path for the Iberian nation.