Budget, Policy & Operations

Space sovereignty has become a major talking point for governments and industry as they adjust to a new geopolitical landscape.

The UK Defense Ministry is hunting for technology to defeat fiber-optically controlled drones in the latest in a flurry of counter-UAS initiatives.

New efforts to field drones rapidly include Drone Dominance scrimmages and an easy-to-use portal on which to order UAS.

NATO’s Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) has declared full operational capability, fewer than six years since the first aircraft was delivered.

In 2024 U.S., Foreign Military Sales reached a new record of $97 billion, more than double the levels seen between 2018 and 2021.

Washington has given the green light to a potential sale to Japan of a test support package for its Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) program.

Taiwan is targeting a 2027 introduction for an upgraded version of its Tien Chien II beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, following several years of testing.

Four bidders remain in the Flight School Next program as the U.S. Army weighs a shift to single-engine aircraft and contractor-led training.

Israel accelerates domestic weapons development and $3B procurement to ensure munitions independence and battlefield readiness amid ongoing conflict with Iran.

The character of Iranian drone and missile barrages on Middle East countries since Feb. 28 may reflect lessons from Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Brazil celebrates first locally assembled F-39E Gripen—Latin America's debut supersonic fighter—amid delays and potential regional export opportunities with Colombia and Peru.

The Pentagon on March 25 rolled out another series of agreements with major contractors to increase production of key munitions as the department looks to increase industrial capacity by outlining a clear demand signal for weapons.

The EU has earmarked $133 million in funding to speed efforts to move defense technology initiatives into the field more quickly.

Korea Aerospace Industries rolled out the first KF-21 Blk. 1 production aircraft at its Sacheon facility, in a ceremony attended by President Lee Jae-myung.

Each of Ecuador’s armed services operates a similarly sized aviation component, while pursuing slightly different modernization priorities.

The U.S. Navy is expanding the installation of low-cost counter drone systems on its destroyers.

SES is formally kicking off a new medium-Earth-orbit communications satellite constellation pursuit with an agreement to launch 28 K2 Space satellites.

At least 66 military personnel have been killed in the crash of a Colombian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

China is looking to use directed energy to target multiple satellites simultaneously.

Space42 is looking to get the go-ahead for a new generation of Earth-observation systems, while finalizing with Viasat an expansion of Equatys.

Aviation Week editors discuss the increase in projected Golden Dome costs and what the fiscal 2027 Pentagon budget request may tell us about the umbrella program.

Singapore's DSTA has signed a contract with AST SpaceMobile to provide government agencies with space-based cellular broadband connectivity.

At a White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the two countries agreed to strengthen defense ties.

The record-high defense top line is intended to grow aircraft fleets, increase munition buys and bolster missile defenses.

The phones are ringing at defense companies from governments urgently seeking more weapons. Often, they are being put on hold.