Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Sean Carnes/U.S. Air ForceWASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force repelled a Chinese invasion of Taiwan during a massive war game last fall by relying on drones acting as a sensing grid, an advanced sixth-generation fighter jet able to penetrate the most contested environments, cargo planes dropping pallets of guided munitions and other novel technologies yet unseen on the modern battlefield.But the service’s success was ultimately pyrrhic. After much loss of life and equipment, the U.S. military was able to prevent a total takeover of Taiwan by confining Chinese forces to...…Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Sean Carnes/U.S. Air ForceWASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force repelled a Chinese invasion of Taiwan during a massive war game last fall by relying on drones acting as a sensing grid, an advanced sixth-generation fighter jet able to penetrate the most contested environments, cargo planes dropping pallets of guided munitions and other novel technologies yet unseen on the modern battlefield.But the service’s success was ultimately pyrrhic. After much loss of life and equipment, the U.S. military was able to prevent a total takeover of Taiwan by confining Chinese forces to...WW…

(Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan/U.S. Air Force)WASHINGTON — As part of a broader move to boost the 5G industry in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 8 began auctioning a portion of C-band electromagnetic spectrum, a move the committee’s chairman, Ajit Pai, as “a big day for American consumers and U.S. leadership in 5G.”But, in the weeks leading up to the auction, more than a dozen commercial aviation groups warned the sale could, as one study put it, lead to with the potential for “multiple fatalities.”At the core of the concerns are radar altimeters, a critical...…(Staff Sgt. Ryan Callaghan/U.S. Air Force)WASHINGTON — As part of a broader move to boost the 5G industry in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 8 began auctioning a portion of C-band electromagnetic spectrum, a move the committee’s chairman, Ajit Pai, as “a big day for American consumers and U.S. leadership in 5G.”But, in the weeks leading up to the auction, more than a dozen commercial aviation groups warned the sale could, as one study put it, lead to with the potential for “multiple fatalities.”At the core of the concerns are radar altimeters, a critical...WW…

Finland's HX competition was set up to replace the country's F-18 Hornets. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department on Oct. 9 approved the sale of the F/A-18EF Super Hornet and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Finland, paving the way for the nation to purchase American jets should either Boeing or Lockheed Martin win its .The two U.S. offerings are facing off in a that also includes France’s Dassault Rafale, the British-made Eurofighter Typhoon and the Swedish Saab Gripen E/F.The F-35 package, worth $12.5 billion, includes 64 F-35A...…Finland's HX competition was set up to replace the country's F-18 Hornets. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department on Oct. 9 approved the sale of the F/A-18EF Super Hornet and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Finland, paving the way for the nation to purchase American jets should either Boeing or Lockheed Martin win its .The two U.S. offerings are facing off in a that also includes France’s Dassault Rafale, the British-made Eurofighter Typhoon and the Swedish Saab Gripen E/F.The F-35 package, worth $12.5 billion, includes 64 F-35A...WW…

(MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — Four key members of Congress, either individually or collectively, have quietly frozen all major U.S. arms sales to Turkey for nearly two years in a move to pressure Ankara to abandon its air defense system, Defense News has learned.The legislative action, which has not been previously reported, is another sign of the deeply fractured relationship between the two NATO allies, a disruption that has already led to from the F-35 joint strike fighter program.While it is unclear exactly how many potential sales have been held back, at least two...…(MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)WASHINGTON — Four key members of Congress, either individually or collectively, have quietly frozen all major U.S. arms sales to Turkey for nearly two years in a move to pressure Ankara to abandon its air defense system, Defense News has learned.The legislative action, which has not been previously reported, is another sign of the deeply fractured relationship between the two NATO allies, a disruption that has already led to from the F-35 joint strike fighter program.While it is unclear exactly how many potential sales have been held back, at least two...WW…

The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. (DoD)WASHINGTON — Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics and Kratos will move forward in the Air Force program known as .Each company Thursday was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $400 million, but no seed money was immediately allocated as the firms will have to compete against each other for future orders.Through the Skyborg program, the Air Force wants to field a family of unmanned...…The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. (DoD)WASHINGTON — Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics and Kratos will move forward in the Air Force program known as .Each company Thursday was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $400 million, but no seed money was immediately allocated as the firms will have to compete against each other for future orders.Through the Skyborg program, the Air Force wants to field a family of unmanned...WW…

F-35 fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force take part in a military review at the Ground Self-Defence Force's Asaka training ground in Asaka, Saitama prefecture on October 14, 2018. (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday approved a planned purchase by Japan , moving the country one step closer to becoming of the Lockheed Martin-produced jet.The approved package includes 63 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft and 42 F-35 short takeoff and landing variants, essentially green-lighting the procurement plans spelled out by Japan in...…F-35 fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force take part in a military review at the Ground Self-Defence Force's Asaka training ground in Asaka, Saitama prefecture on October 14, 2018. (KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday approved a planned purchase by Japan , moving the country one step closer to becoming of the Lockheed Martin-produced jet.The approved package includes 63 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft and 42 F-35 short takeoff and landing variants, essentially green-lighting the procurement plans spelled out by Japan in...WW…

Saab delivered the first Gripen E to the Brazilian Air Force in 2019. (Per Kustvik/Saab)WASHINGTON — has officially begun manufacturing fighter jets with the start of production at a new facility that makes sections of the Saab Gripen, Swedish aerospace company Saab announced Tuesday.Saab Aeronáutica Montagens, a new manufacturing plant located near Sao Paulo, has begun producing aerostructures, including the tail cone and front fuselage for the single-seat Gripen E version of the jet. It will eventually also make the brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater “F”...…Saab delivered the first Gripen E to the Brazilian Air Force in 2019. (Per Kustvik/Saab)WASHINGTON — has officially begun manufacturing fighter jets with the start of production at a new facility that makes sections of the Saab Gripen, Swedish aerospace company Saab announced Tuesday.Saab Aeronáutica Montagens, a new manufacturing plant located near Sao Paulo, has begun producing aerostructures, including the tail cone and front fuselage for the single-seat Gripen E version of the jet. It will eventually also make the brakes, rear fuselage, wing box and front fuselage for the two-seater “F”...WW…