Defense

The defense technology sector is riding high heading into 2026, shrugging off concerns of a bubble.

South Korea awarded KAI a KRW 685.9 billion contract to launch testing for the air-to-ground configuration of the KF-21 Boramae fighter on a new timeline.

MBDA says it has doubled production of the Taurus cruise missile.

The U.S. Senate passed the ROTOR Act that would mandate ADS-B In and require ADS-B Out usage for all but the most national security-critical flying in congested airspace.

Schiebel says it has logged the first flight trials for its S-300 helicopter uncrewed aircraft system.

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.