The U.S. Air Force is reviving its Standoff Attack Weapon (SoAW) program, seeking an affordable air-launched cruise missile ready for fielding by 2033, backed by a record $11.36 billion missile procurement budget request for fiscal 2027.
Aerospace
The U.S. F-47 secures $8.5B in funding, GCAP lands a $908M contract, while Franco-German FCAS stalls over industrial disputes in 2026.
A prototype Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems crashed shortly after takeoff on April 6, 2026.
A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that barely flew is being dismantled in New Mexico, with its parts valued at over $50 million, revealing how supply chain pressures are reshaping aircraft economics.
India’s Rafale deal faces challenges as 30–40% of fighter value lies in software, yet source code access remains restricted.
Canada is evaluating participation in the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) as an observer, signaling a potential shift from its contested F‑35 fighter acquisition.
India has approved a landmark $25 billion military modernization package covering S-400 air defense systems, remotely piloted strike aircraft, and transport planes, marking a major escalation in its air power strategy amid rising regional threats.
The Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget requests only 38 F-35As for the U.S. Air Force out of 85 total F-35s, prompting analysts to warn the number is insufficient to reverse the service’s deepening fighter inventory shortfall amid competing modernization priorities.
The United States Air Force (USAF) confirmed that an A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz on April 3, 2026, amid escalating military operations in the Middle East.
Boeing advanced its certification efforts as the Boeing 777-9 completed a maximum brake energy test under extreme simulated conditions.