✈️ Navy Requests $1.4B for F/A-XX Next-Generation Fighter in Annual Wishlist to Congress

📬 In Today’s Defense Brief

✈️ Navy Requests $1.4B for F/A-XX Next-Generation Fighter in Annual Wishlist to Congress LINK

🚀 Army Seeks to Quadruple Patriot Missile Procurement Amid Global Demand LINK

💰 House Committee’s NDAA Authorizes Increased Ukraine Aid, Blocks European Troop Cuts LINK

📡 BlackSky Signs Gen-3 Satellite Early Access Agreement with Intelligence Customer LINK

🤖 U.S. Army Plans to Field 10,000 UAVs Per Year at Under $2,000 Each LINK

🎱 Plus 9 other news stories you may like

📰 Full Breakdown

✈️ Navy Requests $1.4B for F/A-XX Next-Generation Fighter in Annual Wishlist to Congress LINK

• The U.S. Navy included $1.4 billion for the F/A-XX next-generation fighter jet program in its annual unfunded priorities list to lawmakers, seeking accelerated development to replace aging aircraft.

• The advanced fighter aims to enhance naval aviation capabilities, featuring stealth, longer range, and improved sensors, vital for maintaining air superiority against peer competitors.

• Congressional approval could significantly advance timelines for the F/A-XX, bolstering the Navy's strategic position amid growing global threats.

🚀 Army Seeks to Quadruple Patriot Missile Procurement Amid Global Demand LINK

• In response to surging global demand and recent combat experiences, the U.S. Army is aiming to significantly increase procurement of Patriot air-defense missiles, seeking to quadruple current production rates.

• Increased Patriot missile production aligns with broader DoD strategies for bolstering air-defense capabilities, particularly against ballistic missile threats from adversaries such as Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

• The ramp-up aims to replenish depleted stocks and support growing international requests for missile defense systems.

💰 House Committee’s NDAA Authorizes Increased Ukraine Aid, Blocks European Troop Cuts LINK

• The House Armed Services Committee approved the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, increasing military aid for Ukraine and blocking proposed U.S. troop reductions in Europe.

• The bill authorizes continued military assistance to Ukraine, ensuring sustained support against Russian aggression, while maintaining robust U.S. forces in Europe to reinforce NATO's eastern flank.

• Lawmakers highlighted the necessity of reinforcing deterrence capabilities in Europe amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

📡 BlackSky Signs Gen-3 Satellite Early Access Agreement with Intelligence Customer LINK

• Satellite imaging firm BlackSky signed an early access agreement with a U.S. government intelligence customer for its next-generation Gen-3 satellites, promising significant advancements in imagery and analytics capabilities.

• Gen-3 satellites deliver improved resolution, revisit rates, and real-time data integration, substantially enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.

• This agreement underscores BlackSky’s growing role in meeting U.S. government and defense agency demands for advanced commercial satellite intelligence solutions.

🤖 U.S. Army Plans to Field 10,000 UAVs Per Year at Under $2,000 Each LINK

• The U.S. Army unveiled plans to field approximately 10,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) annually, each costing under $2,000, to rapidly enhance tactical capabilities at low cost.

• These low-cost UAVs are intended to provide widespread surveillance, reconnaissance, and communication support across frontline units, significantly improving battlefield situational awareness.

• The effort reflects the Army’s increasing focus on integrating inexpensive, expendable drones to complement existing high-end systems for distributed operations.

🌏 Other Important News

• New USDA Program Ties Food Security to National Defense LINK

• National Guard Requests Additional F-15EX and F-35 Fighters in $2.4B Wishlist LINK

• Army Chief Requests $4.3 Billion in Additional Funding for Drones and Ammunition LINK

• Military Sends Congress Over $20B Worth of Unfunded Priorities from Fighter Jets to Space Systems LINK

• DoD Reverses Decision, Releases Withheld Weapons to Ukraine LINK

• AI-Generated Imposter Pretends to Be Senator Marco Rubio LINK

• DoD ManTech Program Grows U.S. Military Industrial Base LINK

• Concerns Grow Over Stockpile of Patriot Missiles; Pentagon Claims Adequate Supplies LINK

• FN America Secures Contract to Supply M240L Lightweight Machine Guns to Army LINK

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