Defense

The Air Force expects to have a Boeing 747 gifted from Qatar ready to serve as an interim Air Force One presidential transport plane by this summer. In a statement to Defense News, an Air Force spokesperson said the service “remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the presidential airlift mission,” and the plane is on track to be delivered no later…

The House and Senate’s conferenced version of a fiscal 2026 defense budget would restore funding for the Navy’s next-generation F/A-XX fighter and up the Pentagon’s spending request on the Air Force’s F-47. In materials released Monday, the House Appropriations Committee said the compromise $839 billion spending bill would provide $3.9 billion for the military’s sixth-generation…

PARIS — French carmaker Renault will start manufacturing long-range strike drones under a contract with the country’s Directorate General for Armament, and in partnership with local defense contractor Turgis Gaillard. Renault confirmed the plans after French trade publication L’Usine Nouvelle reported the carmaker will produce the drones at its factories in Le Mans and Cléon, west of Paris…

The White House insists all options remain “on the table” regarding Iran, with the Islamic Republic convulsed by nationwide protests. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene if Tehran’s leadership unleashes greater brutality on demonstrators. Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have launched a diplomatic push since Tuesday to de-escalate tensions. The regional allies cautioned…