Budget, Policy & Operations

Talks on Turkey’s potential reentry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program could “yield a breakthrough in the coming months,” the U.S. ambassador to Turkey has suggested.

GKN Aerospace and Anduril have teamed up to work together on autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP) for use by the UK military.

Bidders looking to vie for the UK Defense Ministry’s Project Nightfall ballistic missile development have until Dec. 18 to raise their hands.

In the two years since our last analysis of the Swedish Air Force, Sweden has achieved several objectives aimed at modernizing its air capabilities.

Europe expects to declare the Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) operational in 2026, missing a goal for the signal to be declared ready before the end of this year.

Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force have conducted the first air-to-air live-fire test of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, with the CCA firing an AIM-120 Amraam.

Lawmakers in the compromise fiscal 2026 defense policy bill are authorizing an increase to the Pentagon’s budget beyond the White House’s request.

Canada’s Defense Investment Agency will manage acquisitions of AEW aircraft, ground-based surveillance radars and air transport fleet upgrades.

South Korea has approved a KRW65.8 trillion ($45 billion) defense budget for 2026, a 7.5% year-on-year increase.

Gen. Michael Guetlein, Golden Dome program director, said the first batch of contracts for space-based interceptor technology were awarded in November.

The Office of Management and Budget director said the administration views reconciliation as a strategy to fund key defense needs outside of an appropriations process that requires 60 votes in the Senate.

The Pentagon says there is a commitment to deliver a new U.S. Navy fighter even as the F/A-XX source selection process remains stalled and industrial base capacity is uncertain.

The Royal Thai Air Force has awarded Israel Aerospace Industries a contract for its Integrated Air Defense System program, according to a Thai government document seen by Aviation Week.

South Korea has kicked off development of its indigenous Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile-II (SRAAM-II).

Australia will begin in-country production of Lockheed Martin’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles as a new production line opens.

The author of the 1997 U.S. defense acquisition reform plan critiques Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new strategy.

Austria has finally signed a deal with Leonardo for a new fleet of 12 M-346 jet trainers and equipment worth $1.5 billion to replace its Saab 105 trainers.

Losses of Boeing F/A-18s from the USS Harry S. Truman were caused or exacerbated by a lack of training and communication, the U.S. Navy found.

The Royal Navy's Asia-Pacific potential concept of carrier operations has been turned on its head with a more Europe-focused approach.

Denmark’s Defense Ministry will develop its Karup base as a future forward operating location for NATO’s multinational tanker unit.

A sense of urgency led member states to fuel ESA with record funding.

The U.S. is looking at options to increase its supply of tungsten, a mineral crucial to the defense industry, more so after Chinese export restrictions.

The Pentagon's Drone Dominance Program has set a goal of acquiring 340,000 weaponized small drones by 2028, positing major price drops as production ramps up.

U.S. Central Command plans to use one-way attack drones based on a copy of the Iranian Shahed-136, and has set up a new task force to deploy them.

Germany has taken delivery of its first Arrow 3 ballistic missile defense system as the government also disclosed additional Kongsberg JSM procurement plans.