100-Plus Aircraft Join US Military Blockade of Iran
The U.S. military’s naval blockade of Iran is relying on a significant amount of airpower to surveil the seas and protect maritime assets.
How ’27 Budget Requests Compare: Air Force, Space Force vs. Army, Navy, DOD
The Air Force is emphasizing operations and maintenance and research and development. The Army and Navy plan buying sprees. The Space Force budget is approaching—and may yet surpass—that of the the Marine Corps. And non-service “Defense-Wide” funding got the biggest bump of all.
Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity
The Space Force is preparing for significant growth to its procurement budget in fiscal 2027, and the head of the service’s largest acquisition organization said April 14 he is asking companies to invest now in facilities and production capacity so they’re ready to execute when called upon.
Air Force Seeks Increase in Operations & Maintenance, Flying Hours in 2027
The Air Force is asking for a 21 percent increase in its Active-Duty operations and maintenance budget in fiscal 2027, which would help fund a big boost in spending on flying hours.
What Are Chinese Media Outlets Saying About the F-47?
Chinese media outlets are attempting to dismiss the U.S. Air Force’s planned sixth-generation fighter jet, the F-47, by criticizing the cost, downplaying the technology, and reporting that the U.S. won’t be able to effectively produce the air dominance platform.
BAE Unveils Highly Maneuverable, Refuelable Satellite, Eyes 2027 Delivery
BAE Systems unveiled a new high-thrust, refuelable satellite designed to support dynamic space operations–a demand company officials say is coming not only from the Space Force, but from commercial and civil customers as well.
Radar Sweep
Trump Says Iran War Is ’Very Close to Being Over’ as Peace Talks Are Expected to Resume
FOX Business
President Donald Trump said the U.S.-Iran war is "very close" to an end as hostilities ease amid a two-week ceasefire agreement. "I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over," Trump told FOX Business anchor Maria Bartiromo in an interview that will air on April 15.
1:5 Kill Ratio: Ukraine Inflicts Heavy Russian Losses Using Drones, Says Finnish President
Breaking Defense
Ukraine currently has a military advantage over Russia, according to Finnish President Alexander Stubb, with Moscow experiencing personnel losses at a rate five times higher than Kyiv’s, largely due to Ukraine’s steadily improving drone kill rates.
Another US Strike on Suspected Drug Boat in the Eastern Pacific Kills 4
The Associated Press
The U.S. military launched a strike on another boat accused of carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean on April 14, killing four people in the fourth such attack announced in the past few days.
Put Nuclear Reactors in Space Within a Few Years, White House Tells Pentagon
Defense One
Launch nuclear reactors to orbit as soon as 2028 and to the Moon as soon as 2030—that’s the White House’s new order to the Pentagon and NASA.
Amid Focus on Strait of Hormuz, Experts Sound Warning on Yemen’s Houthis and Red Sea
Defense News
The world’s attention is fixed on the Strait of Hormuz now that the U.S. Navy is blockading the crucial shipping channel at President Donald Trump’s behest. But some foreign policy experts warn that the strait is not the only potential choke point that Iran and its proxies could leverage.
Angry Kitten Jamming Pod Testing on HC-130J Focuses on Receiving Threat Updates via Satellite
The War Zone
The U.S. Air Force is continuing to expand on the capabilities of the Angry Kitten electronic warfare pod, which just recently made its combat debut on the F-16 fighter in the latest conflict with Iran.
Hegseth Again Skipping Ukraine Meeting, Will Send Top Lieutenant Instead
POLITICO
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will again skip the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting this week, making the U.S. one of the few countries that won’t send a top civilian defense official to the critical gathering of Ukrainian allies.
Europe Is Accelerating a NATO Fallback Plan in Case Trump Pulls Out
The Wall Street Journal
A fallback plan to ensure Europe can defend itself using NATO’s existing military structures if the U.S. departs is gaining traction after getting buy-in from Germany, a long-term opponent of a go-it-alone approach.
Space Force to Finalize Acquisition Portfolio Structure over Next Two Months
Breaking Defense
The Space Force intends to wrap up the reorganization of its acquisition structure within the next two months, establishing the final three of nine new Portfolio Acquisition Executive offices in the “June-ish time frame,” according to the head of Space Systems Command.
Lebanese, Israeli Diplomats Hold Rare Face-to-Face Meeting in Washington
The Washington Post
Senior diplomats from Lebanon and Israel met in Washington on April 14, a rare face-to-face encounter as their host, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sought to make peace between the two states.
House Passes Aviation Safety Bill in Response to Deadly Midair Collision near DC
CBS News
The House on April 14 passed its version of an aviation safety bill, months after it rejected separate legislation that cleared the Senate with unanimous support and angered families of the victims of a deadly midair crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.