Budget, Policy & Operations

The Global Combat Air Program continues to make quiet progress despite appearing to be in contract limbo.

Planet Labs is trying to get a new satellite production facility in Germany operational before year-end, though timing is somewhat linked to securing approvals.

Following a banner year of satellite launches and two reusable launch attempts, China appears poised to demonstrate more cutting-edge tech on orbit in 2026.

The day that China will outspend the rest of Asia on defense has slipped into the 2030s. Here’s why.

The U.S. military is opening a second acquisition track for affordable and mass-producible missiles.

Denmark is increasing its military activity in Greenland and may send combat aircraft there amid the U.S. government’s interest in acquiring the island.

Divergent regional trends in global defense spending are a further reminder that this defense market boom is different from those seen in recent decades.

NH90 crews from France and Spain will be the first to benefit from an upgraded helmet-mounted sight that will also unlock planned upgrades for the rotorcraft.

Open Cosmos received Ka-band spectrum rights through Liechtenstein as the European space tech company prepares to deploy an LEO broadband satellite system.

Startup sees space-based radar as cheaper than aircraft-based AWACs.

The need to refresh and bolster air forces in Southeast Asia outpaces the urgency for action.

President Donald Trump’s new attack on defense industry shareholder awards and executive pay will be problematic for the entire sector.

Israel’s Defense Ministry says it signed $6.91 billion in orders for U.S. equipment in 2025.

NATO has contracted Turkish defense electronics firm Havelsan to deliver software that will manage part of the alliance's command-and-control and communications architecture.

The U.S. military plans to spend $1 billion to take an ownership stake in a future L3Harris Technologies spin-off focused on solid rocket motor production for tactical missiles.

Analyst Byron Callan joins Aviation Week editors to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s attack on contractor profits and his plan to boost defense spending by 50%.

Australia agreed with Luxembourg-based satellite communications provider SES to extend the life of the IS-22 satellite’s UHF satcom services for military use.

South Korea’s Finance Ministry instructed DAPA to revise the mass-production schedule and budget allocation for the KF-21.

Wars in Iran and Ukraine have convinced Singapore that airpower is no longer business as usual.

UK defense ministers will not say when a decision might be made on whether to contract for a £1 billion new fleet of medium helicopters.

The UK’s chief of defense staff says he is unable provide a date for the publication of the Defense Investment Plan.

Israel has rarely shied away from defense industrial challenges, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to wean the country off U.S. military financing support sets the bar at a new level.

Sweden is planning to invest a further $1.6 billion in air defense capability focused on protecting cities and civilian infrastructure.

Sweden is joining the list of European countries buying Iceye synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites.

The UK says its effort to rapidly develop a conventional ballistic missile under the recently launched Project Nightfall is aimed at arming Ukraine.