Aerospace & Defense
The latest coverage of the Defense Department, State Department and aerospace industry.
Melania Trump says she secured a ceasefire in Ukrainian city
The White House says Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the city of Oleshky to allow humanitarian aid and create a safe passage for civilians to evacuate.
Pentagon locks multiyear contract for controversial F-35
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it finalized a 10-year agreement with defense company Lockheed Martin for F-35 fighter jets, including production and future maintenance of the stealth fighter, according to a release.
Rubio praises mediation efforts in Iran but maintains hard line on nuclear issue
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the U.S. will reject any deal that would allow Iran to build nuclear weapons.
Trump announces release of American Stephen Hubbard from Russia after more than 4 years in prison
President Trump on Wednesday said he secured the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American detained in Russia four years ago.
Pentagon official says future military bases will be designed for mission
The Pentagon’s concept of “the next great American base” is significantly different from how military installations were once built, a senior defense official said Tuesday.
Hegseth makes surprise trip to Middle East
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made a surprise visit to troops in the Middle East.
Japanese, U.S. troops initiate largest-ever military drills around strategic southwestern islands
Japanese, U.S. and other militaries from as far afield as Europe kicked off “Exercise Keen Sword 27” Monday in the waters around some of Japan’s most strategic maritime terrain.
Pakistani army chief meets with Iranian officials amid war tensions
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, met with top Iranian diplomats and military officials in Tehran Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations and the status of talks with Washington.
Space war was 85 feet away before Russia’s retreat
Space analysts and national security insiders say the Russian satellite Cosmos 2612 likely intended to attack a key U.S. radar satellite in what would have been the first instance of warfare in orbit, but that the Kremlin may have called off the operation at the eleventh hour.
Putin floats meeting with U.S. and China on ending war in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin floated a trilateral meeting with himself, President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed at ending the war in Ukraine during a phone call with the U.S. leader this month, according to reports.
Trump open to Putin, Xi summit on ending Ukraine war without Zelenskyy
President Trump said Monday he was open to a meeting on ending the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
U.S. Space Force establishes special operations command unit
The U.S. Space Force last week announced the activation of U.S. Space Forces Special Operations Command.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket hauling small satellites set for Tuesday launch
SpaceX plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday morning as part of the company’s “rideshare” program.
Ukraine launches more than 1,000 drones at Russian oil terminals, data centers in massive attack
Ukraine launched one of its largest-ever aerial assaults against Russia on Sunday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly warned President Trump that siding with Moscow would be a “historic mistake.”
Russian satellite stokes fears of space warfare, comes within 100 feet of key U.S. radar satellite
A mysterious Russian satellite came within less than 100 feet of a key U.S.-Finnish radar satellite Sunday, according to publicly available tracking data, stoking fears that Moscow may be preparing to launch attacks in orbit and kick off an era of kinetic space warfare.
Conservative Japanese governor OKs controversial U.S. aircraft on Okinawa
In a “thumbs-up” signal to American forces in Okinawa, the newly minted prefectural governor approved the deployment of U.S. aircraft long opposed on the Japanese island less than 500 miles from China.
New ICBM warhead carrier tested
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center recently carried out a test launch of a new warhead carrier for the forthcoming Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, the service said in a statement.
Trump, after bipartisan backlash, cancels livestream execution of Fort Hood shooter
President Trump on Thursday canceled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream to the world the firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan amid a growing chorus of opposition from religious figures, political leaders and a wide swath of the American public.
Security of U.S. bases in Greenland threatened by Chinese undersea cable terminals
Until last summer, key equipment linking Greenland’s undersea cables to North America and Europe was supplied and managed by a company linked to China’s Huawei, raising security concerns as the U.S. moves to expand its military presence on the island under a new defense pact.
‘Generational’ overhaul: Hegseth warns of Chinese tech advances, slams Biden’s defense failures
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual convention Wednesday that America faces an era of broadening global conflict in which adversaries such as China threaten to outpace the U.S. military in artificial intelligence and other advanced defense technologies, especially if the Pentagon does not move more quickly to modernize.
Army’s chief tech officer underscores U.S. dominance on modern battlefields
Vital U.S. Army weapons and communications tools are undergirded by lightning software, crucial in keeping the nation’s largest military service’s systems from becoming obsolete on modern battlefields, according to the Army’s chief technology officer.
Sikorsky says venerable Black Hawk helicopter still has important role for Army
The Bell Textron MV-75 Cheyenne II will replace the UH-60 Black Hawk, which entered Army service in June 1979 in the coming years. But at this year’s Association of the U.S. Army conference in Washington, Sikorsky Aircraft officials said the Black Hawk will still have an important role to play in Army aviation for years to come.
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BOOM! U.S. military turns ISIS targets to rubble
Gallery: 14 Photos
U.S. airstrikes have devastated Islamic State targets.