Defense

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

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.

BAE Systems is the recipient of a major UK defense contract to provide air defense radars capable of mitigating against interference from offshore wind farms.

The U.S. Army has begun auctioning off Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters, potentially to make way for the arrival of Blk. II models.

Polish defense manufacturer PGZ says it is scaling up production of components for CAMM-ER missile components.

Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters’ CEO for eight years, on April 1 hands over the reins of the world’s biggest rotorcraft manufacturer.

The BGM-109 Tomahawk still has a long future in the U.S. Navy’s procurement budget, but it could have company.

Honeywell is mounting a counter-uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) on a long-range hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft.

Commanders at U.S. and allied installations are calling for rapidly fielding more bunkers and increasing air defenses in Iran.

Anti-drone missile developer Frankenburg Technologies has signed an agreement with PGZ on potential production of Frankenburg’s weapons in Poland.

Australian counter-drone specialist DroneShield says it is looking to work with Latvian interceptor-maker Origin Robotics to pursue opportunities to defeat UAS.