Myriad ways that drones, satellites, and common controls reshape ISR
Connecting platforms and data across domains is key to keeping ISR effective under attack.
First German F-35 rolls off the line
German defense minister Boris Pistorius called the F-35 “a promise that Germany will step up to defend itself and defend its allies.”
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Physics AI is different and changes the way defense systems are designed
Models that replicate real-world physics streamline design, testing and iteration processes.
‘Totally new’: Nammo pursues rocket motor engine for latest IRIS-T air defense
The push comes as German defense firm Diehl targets a first Safety Integrity Level (SIL) firing test of the surface-launched IRIS-T SLX in 2027.
US clears $24B F-35 sale for Saudi Arabia
The approval comes a year after President Donald Trump announced Riyadh would be permitted to buy the highly advanced stealth fighters, though lawmakers could still block the sale.
Lockheed reaches deal to boost production of secretive JATM missile
The announcement did not include information about the scale or timeline for the production ramp up, nor the dollar amount associated with the agreement.
Air Force seeks 737 MAX for VIP airlift
The aircraft would be known as the C-40 when modified for military missions, and would appear to be the first time the 737 MAX would be militarized for a government customer.
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Nammo CEO warns European rupture with US risks 10-year capability gap
"This industrial base among our allies is already very interconnected, so we cannot break it up," said Morten Brandtzæg.
Chairman Caine talks cislunar ops, plus a window into next-gen airlift
We discuss top news from the final day of AFA 2026.
Space Force’s GMTI program gets a name, with Northrop as prime: General
Separately, the Space Force plans to issue the first operational contracts for space domain awareness to commercial firms “very soon,” according to Space Force Col. Timothy Tremailo.
Rocket engines, helmet displays and ground robots: Last looks from AFA Day 3
Here are some parting sights from across the show floor at this year's conference.
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Three exercises that pushed counter–UAS from prototype to proven
Architecture that linked sensors, C2, RF effects, and lasers into a distributed c-UAS kill chain.
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One of the world’s most versatile attack planes is taking on the counter-UAS mission
An airborne layer pushes drone engagements farther from defended assets and changes the cost-per-kill equation.
Spain’s Indra unveils Squall, a new low-cost cruise missile for ‘mass attacks’
It's the latest small cruise missile to head to market, as militaries around the globe look to replenish their stocks.
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How the industrial base is responding to Air Force, Space Force needs
Demand signals from leadership are shaping investments in design, engineering and manufacturing.
A surprise engine team up, plus a budget warning from space
We recap top news from the second day of AFA 2026.