Defense

Belgium approved for JSM purchase as Germany places follow-on order, boosting F-35 capabilities.

NATO combat aircraft supporting the Baltic Air Policing mission have shot down a drone that entered Estonian airspace, in the first-ever engagement for the 22-year-old alliance operation.

Mach Industries expands defense tech portfolio with Exquadrum acquisition to boost propulsion capabilities.

Ukraine’s multidomain trench warfare stalemate demands new tech breakthroughs to regain maneuverability.

Japan boosts defense startups with new funding as lenders ease restrictions.

South Korea approves Apache upgrades with MUMT-X tech and MH-60R Seahawk purchases.

Grace Gratton, a junior studying space physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, shares her groundbreaking research and advice on dedication as a 2026 20 Twenties winner.

GE Aerospace on May 19 revealed a new small turbofan design optimized for the cost profile of the emerging collaborative combat aircraft market.

Aviation Week editors discuss the state of X-planes, how they have historically performed and what challenge the next X-plane program should take on.

MINUTEMAN III test scheduled... ELBIT, TKMS naval tie-up... LOCKHEED gets $990m F-35 mod kit award...

Blakcro unveils stealthy P1 powered paraglider for special forces at SOF Week.

Business jets used to fly military VIPs. Now they are being pressed into front-line duty.

The FAA’s latest air traffic controller workforce plan says the agency needs fewer controllers than it thought.

The Week Ahead in Aerospace & Defense

EDA advances automated refueling tests to include unmanned aircraft and tankers.

Norway's missile export ban forces Malaysia to reassess defense procurement strategies amid regional tensions.

Hill Helicopters said it is closing in on the long-awaited first run of its in-house-developed turboshaft engine.

Ukraine converts Soviet-era bombs into precision glide weapons to counter Russian stand-off attacks.

Destinus advances missile testing for European deep-strike needs.

Aeralis, a British startup attempting to develop a modular jet trainer, collapsed into administration after what it called “sustained pressure” on its cashflow.

Contenders for a possible U.S. Army contract to build interceptor missiles at a cost of less than $1 million each need to be able to demonstrate the full system by the end of the fiscal year, the Army said on May 15.

UK Eurofighters deploy APKWS rockets in the Middle East to counter one-way attack drones, marking a rapid integration of guided rocket technology.

One theme united the first-quarter analyst calls by the publicly traded electric air taxi startups: the defense market.

Dyzne Technologies has unveiled a new expendable drone, the Blitz, and a shipping container-based launch system to deploy “high-volume” swarms of UAVs.

A missile resembling the AIM-260 is spotted on a Navy F/A-18F, advancing U.S. air-to-air capabilities.