Defense

Japan is planning to disband its tactical reconnaissance unit and retire the 13 RF-4E Phantoms that equip it.

A proposal for New Zealand to host a long-term training program for Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing F-15s squadrons has been scrapped due to excessive costs.

The Royal Canadian Air Force has finalized a deal to acquire 25 used Boeing F/A-18s from Australia.

Launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, originally targeted for its debut flight test on Jan. 17, should take place in early February.

A future sat constellation aimed at tracking zigzagging hypersonic glide vehicles will soon enter the prototyping stage, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency says.

The European Space Agency plans to enhance its Hera planetary defense mission contribution.

A failed gyroscope has shut down operations of Maxar Technologies’ Earth-imaging WorldView-4 satellite after two years in orbit.

The launch of India’s much-touted second lunar mission—Chandrayaan-2—has been postponed from this month to February.

Qatar has taken delivery of a pair of Viking Air DHC-6 Series 400 (DHC-6-400) Twin Otter aircraft, writes Jon Lake.

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General Atomics accelerates MQ-9B flight-test progress as UK issues airworthiness requirements for Protector RG1 variant.

As the U.S. Navy prepares to open a competition for a new training helicopter later this month, service officials have released a new production plan that adds flexibility to the final two years of deliveries.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan will be in his role for an “indefinite period at the discretion of the president” a Trump administration official says.

Boeing has been contracted to upgrade Spain’s 17 CH-47D Chinook transport helicopters to the F-model standard.

The U.S. Army is planning to demo advanced teaming tech that would enable manned and unmanned aircraft to operate as part of a combined-arms team in contested environments.

Capitalizing on growing interest in defending against unmanned aircraft, Digital Global Systems said it recently raised an additional $7.5 million.

India has approved the building of an upgraded militarized version of LCA Tejas.

The Avangard test highlights the looming threat facing NATO from Russian hypersonic weaponry.

The manufacturer is preparing to begin series production in 2019. A separate requirement for attack helicopters has been deferred.

From reshaping the supply chain to big wins in defense, his actions have reverberated across the industry.

The search is on by NASA’s New Horizons mission science team for small moons somewhere in the vicinity of Ultima Thule.

China’s Chang’e 4 probe reached its destination Jan. 3, becoming the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the Moon.

The Croatian government has threatened to cancel an agreement with Israel to purchase secondhand F-16 fighters.

Iridium has set Jan. 8 as the date for the eighth and final launch of its second-generation Iridium Next satellites.

Raytheon has signed a $313.5 million contract with the UK defense ministry to support the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Beechcraft Shadow ISR aircraft.