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Trump Says US Will Bomb Iran’s Power Plants, Bridges if Tehran Strikes Ships

The Wall Street Journal

President Trump threatened to destroy Iranian infrastructure if Iran attacks vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, in the latest sign he is planning to escalate the conflict.

Ukrainian F-16 Scored First Air-To-Air Kill Against a Russian Fighter: Top US General

The War Zone

A Ukrainian F-16 has shot down a Russian fighter jet for the first time, according to the highest-ranking U.S. military officer. This engagement would represent a significant development in the air war over Ukraine and a notable addition to the air-to-air tally for the Ukrainian F-16s, which already includes “more than a thousand” drones and cruise missile ‘kills.’

BAE Systems Unveils Sixth-Gen CCA Fighter Jet

National Defense Magazine

BAE Systems debuted the Brontanax sixth-generation uncrewed fighter jet as an offering for the U.K.’s Storm Fighter collaborative combat air program at the Farnborough International Airshow July 22.

An Australian CCA Flew in a Pacific Exercise. Boeing Exec Says It’s an Important ‘First Step’

Defense One

The first robot wingman to fly with U.S. aircraft in a major multi-national exercise wasn’t among the ones that the Air Force picked for initial-production contracts last month. Instead, it was the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, which is being developed by Boeing for the Australian Royal Air Force—and a company exec hinted that its CCA could have more exercises in its future.

Trump Claims Fallen Soldiers Said 'We Cannot Let Iran Have a Nuclear Weapon'

ABC News

President Donald Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on July 22 to attend a dignified transfer of U.S. service members killed in the war in Iran.

Hazing Could Soon Become a Specific Charge Under Military Law

Task & Purpose

Hazing could become a specific charge under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, under a provision in the upcoming fiscal year’s defense spending bill.

Backed by France, Macron Sees Germany as Nuclear-Deterrence ‘Vanguard’ in Europe

Defense News

Nuclear cooperation between France and Germany has moved from words to first actions, with French nuclear-capable bombers visiting a German airfield this month and joint exercises on the calendar.

The New Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Forged His Reputation Fighting Russia in 2014

The Associated Press

The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military forged his reputation as a daring and determined fighter in the early days of the country’s battle against Russia, then spent a decade in combat assignments while steadily rising through the ranks.

Military Air Traffic Controller Shortages Hinder Homeland Defense, IG Says

Stars and Stripes

Lower pay and outdated standards are making it hard to fill military air traffic controller positions, causing shortages that could undermine the defense of American airspace, a government watchdog agency found.

ShieldAI Progresses on X‑BAT Build, Tests Amid Europe Push

Aviation Week

Shield AI is progressing on building its initial X-BAT autonomous fighters after it announced on the eve of the Farnborough Airshow that it had fired its thrust-vectoring engine for the first time.

One More Thing

The BRRRRT Act Would Keep More Warthogs Flying and Force the Air Force to Reverse Course

Military Times

Introduced July 20 as H.R. 9780 by Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., the BRRRRT Act (Bolstering Recognition, Resurgence, Retention, and Remembrance of the Thunderbolt) gets its name from the bone-rattling “BRRRRT!” sound the jet’s 30mm Gatling gun makes when fired.

An Early Look at the Air Force’s New Counter-Drone Units

House Passes 2027 NDAA, Reconciliation Package, but Future in Senate Unclear

Space Force Launch Program Sees Demand Surge from 60 Missions to 170

Experts: What Canada Joining Sixth-Gen Fighter Program Signals for US Industry

Radar Sweep