Defense

China is rapidly advancing its uncrewed cargo aircraft capabilities—ostensibly for commercial use but with potential military applications.

Both top positions in the U.S. Air Force remain unfilled amid modernization challenges and growing threats from China and beyond.

With its first Tranche 1 launch complete, the Space Development Agency has begun deploying a regional mesh network to enhance data relay from low Earth orbit.

The B-21 Raider program completed the first flight of a second airborne test aircraft in Palmdale, California, on Sept. 11, clearing a key milestone a month before the 10-year anniversary of the U.S. Air Force contract award to Northrop Grumman.

German light aircraft manufacturer Grob delivered the first two of 23 G 120TP trainers ordered by the Royal Canadian Air Force on Sept. 11.

Leonardo Helicopters engineers are putting the finishing touches to the company’s Proteus uncrewed autonomous helicopter demonstrator ahead of first flight.

U.S.-India relations have taken a turn for the worse, raising questions about the endurance of defense cooperation between Washington and New Delhi.

The U.S.' recent proposed rulemaking to advance beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) civilian drone operations was hailed by industry as a major breakthrough.

The UK Royal Navy hopes to fly a jet-powered uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) demonstrator from the deck of a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier as soon as next year.

Ukraine is looking to expand the number of weapons it carries on a newly set up defense marketplace.

House appropriators have joined their Senate counterparts in approving a budget measure that opposes the deep cut to NASA proposed by the White House.

AeroVironment says the company's Switchblade 600 loitering munition system completed the first launch from a General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper uncrewed air system.

Electro Optic Systems is looking to demonstrate a new high-power laser system capable of burning through satellites or using it to help deorbit them.

A recent series of demonstration flights shows that the Boeing MQ-28 now leads an international pack of Collaborative Combat Aircraft projects.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European leaders Sept. 10 that Europe and Ukraine need a ”joint air defense system and [to] create an effective air shield."

Space startups and tech companies are banding together to demonstrate their products with national security missions in mind.

Finnish satellite manufacturer ReOrbit has raised €45 million in a Series A funding round, one of the largest European space deals of the year thus far.

South Korea is preparing to launch two new military jet engine development programs next year.

Leonardo is looking to replicate its success selling the BriteCloud active decoy to the Pentagon with its BriteStorm jammer system.

The U.S. Air Force search for a new military leader broadened to more retirees and lieutenant generals after a leading contender faced new criticism on social media, sources say.

Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s shot down Russian drones as part of a NATO mission to help protect Polish air space, the Dutch defense minister confirmed.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force is testing mini-UAS as part of an effort to establish a multi-tiered UAS network for swarm, ISR and counter-drone missions.

Singapore says it will acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidons as its next-generation maritime patrol aircraft, replacing its Air Force’s Fokker 50 Enforcers.

The cover of Aviation Week & Space Technology’s Sept. 7, 1970, issue featured the Anglo-French Jaguar M-05 prototype being readied for catapult launch from the French navy's Clemenceau carrier during trials near Lorient, Brittany.

The parade in Beijing was the most significant in nearly a decade, and the breadth of equipment unveiled was striking.