Steve Trimble
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Distant Early Warning (DEW) for global military aviation news. Defense Editor for @AviationWeek. Formerly @FG_Strim.
Articles by Steve Trimble
York Reveals Expansion Plans Into Terrestrial Autonomous Systems
Steve Trimble November 12, 2026 Credit: York Space Systems Satellite maker York Space Systems on Nov. 12 revealed plans to expand into the terrestrial markets for uncrewed ground and maritime vehicles with a proposed acquisition of Australia-based Outlook Industries. The proposed deal, if completed, would establish York Terrestrial Systems with the Outlook... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
NASA’s X-Plane Reveal Upholds New Secrecy Mandate
Steve Trimble November 12, 2026 NASA released this concept image, generated by artificial intelligence, of the still-secret shape of the X-70 Fractal. With the unveiling of the Fractal on Nov. 4, NASA launched a series of X-planes to seek new breakthroughs in aeronautical research, though they remain cloaked in an unusual layer of secrecy.
Inductions Boost For Super Hornets, Growler Mods Prompts Capacity Push
Steve Trimble November 11, 2026 Credit: Boeing The U.S. Navy is looking for more industrial capacity as it plans to expand the pipeline of service life modification (SLM) inductions of Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers after 2028. Boeing’s site in San Antonio and the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in Southern California now... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Royal Navy Confirms Talon Demonstration Launch From Aircraft Carrier
Steve Trimble November 11, 2026 HMS Prince of Wales with F-35Bs embarked. Credit: UK Ministry of Defense The Royal Navy is set to become the first military branch outside China to demonstrate a takeoff by an operations-capable, autonomous combat aircraft from an aircraft carrier. First Sea Lord Gwyn Jenkins, the Royal Marines general serving as chief of the navy, announced plans on Nov. 10 to sign an...
Merlin Plans Autonomous Casualty Evacuation Flight For U.S. Military
Steve Trimble November 11, 2026 Credit: Merlin Merlin will demonstrate an autonomous casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) flight using a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan next year in Morocco for the U.S. military, the Boston-based company said Nov. 11. The project, which is funded with a $500,000 contract from U.S. Africa Command, will show how the Merlin... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Talon Blue CCA Confirmed For UK Royal Navy Demo In 2027
Steve Trimble November 10, 2026 YFQ-48 Talon Blue Credit: Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman on Nov. 10 confirmed plans by the UK Royal Navy to demonstrate the YFQ-48 Talon Blue Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) at sea next year. A contract signing is expected on Nov. 12 to reportedly demonstrate the U.S.-made CCA on a British aircraft carrier. “We look forward to working... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
B-1B Pilots Start Supplementary Training With HondaJets
Steve Trimble November 10, 2026 Senior Airman Jade Caldwell Credit: U.S. Air Force Some U.S. Air Force bomber pilots will fly about 100 hr. per year in contractor-owned HondaJet HA-420 aircraft to supplement mission-oriented training in combat aircraft. The program—Bomber Supplemental Trainer for Aircrew Readiness (BSTAR)—kicked off on Nov. 2 with the first training flight of a... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Merlin Moves Into System Integration Phase For C-130J Autonomy
Steve Trimble November 10, 2026 Credit: Merlin Merlin will integrate autonomous software into the cockpit of a Lockheed Martin C-130J and prepare for future ground and flight testing under a new contract from U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) The $8.9 million task order follows the completion of a critical design review last March of the C... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Electra.aero Wins New Air Force Award For Light Transport Testing
Steve Trimble November 09, 2026 Credit: Electra.aero A newly awarded U.S. Air Force contract will pay for a new round of ground and flight tests of the Electra.aero EL9 prototype aircraft for military applications. The $4.7 million award for the hybrid-electric-powered light transport comes as Air Force leaders consider options for a potential Last... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Uncrewed Regent Seagliders Ordered For Middle East Ops
Steve Trimble November 06, 2026 Squire Credit: Regent Regent has won a production contract to deliver a small fleet of autonomous Squire seagliders next year to a U.S. government customer deployed in the Middle East, CEO Billy Thalheimer said on Nov. 6. The electrically powered seagliders will perform an “underwater perception” mission, Thalheimer said... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
DOD Taps Machina To Deploy Drone Airframe Factories On U.S. Bases
Steve Trimble November 06, 2026 Iran Shahed-class drone. Credit: U.S. Central Command Public Affairs Machina will deploy two “Edge Factories” for designing and making the metallic airframes of large, one-way attack drones on two U.S. Air Force bases after winning a Pentagon challenge award, the Los Angeles-based company announced Nov. 6. The pilot factories will include a capability to design small...
U.S. Special Operators Order New Guided Shoulder-fired Missile
Steve Trimble November 06, 2026 Credit: Aeon Aeon Industrial will launch low-rate initial production of the shoulder-fired Zeus missile for U.S. Special Operations Command under a $13.8 million contract, the Austin, Texas-based company announced Nov. 4. The one-year contract covers upgrades, testing and delivery of the first operational Zeus... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Blue Origin Announces New Glenn Third Stage, Northstar Booster
Steve Trimble November 06, 2026 Credit: Blue Origin Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced on Nov. 5 a third stage for the New Glenn rocket for space access beyond geostationary orbit (GEO) and a second, more powerful booster engine called Northstar. The dual updates came during a stage appearance by Limp during the UP.Summit at Kennedy Space Center in... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Ukraine Seeks New Tech Answers To Jet-Powered Russian Drones
Steve Trimble November 05, 2026 F-16 Credit: Lockheed Martin Ukraine government officials will invest 175 million hryvnias ($3.9 million) in grants to help domestic companies develop radars and air-to-air missiles that can counter Russia’s jet-powered combat drones. The investment, through the Ukrainian state-supported defense technology cluster Brave1, also... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
NASA Announces X-70 Program, Promises More Coming
Click below to continue reading this story, discover more Military Technology stories from over 25 years of RealClear archives, or follow this topic to stay in the know. Steve Trimble • Aviation Week The X-70 Fractal should reach first flight within two years as a subsonic testbed for advanced flight controls and maneuvering... 32mins ago Read it on Aviation Week Kenneth Smith • RealClearDefense A Veteran’s Perspective on Hype, Risk, and the Discipline Needed to Modernize Safely...
NASA Announces X-70 Program, Promises More Coming
Steve Trimble November 05, 2026 First rendering of X-70 Fractal. Credit: NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida—NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a new subsonic X-plane program on Nov. 4, promising more will follow to recapture the agency’s legacy of breakthrough flight research. The X-70 Fractal should reach first flight within two years as a subsonic testbed for... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Air Force Seeks Low-Cost 500-lb. Glide Bomb
Steve Trimble November 04, 2026 Airmen load a 500-lb. Mk-82 gravity bomb onto an aircraft. Credit: U.S. Air Force A U.S. Air Force program that acquired low-cost cruise missiles earlier this year is now searching for an unpowered glide munition in the same size class. The Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) Glide effort seeks a 500-lb.-class glide bomb with a 105-lb. warhead, a glide ratio of 10-15:1, and...
U.S. Air Force Seeks Low-Cost 500-lb. Glide Bomb
Steve Trimble November 04, 2026 Airmen load a 500-lb. Mk-82 gravity bomb onto an aircraft. Credit: U.S. Air Force A U.S. Air Force program that acquired low-cost cruise missiles earlier this year is now searching for an unpowered glide munition in the same size class. The Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) Glide effort seeks a 500-lb.-class glide bomb with a 105-lb. warhead, a glide ratio of 10-15:1, and...
Lockheed Martin Clinches Revived Future Interceptor Deal
Steve Trimble November 04, 2026 The Future Interceptor inserts sensors, attitude control and rocket motor upgrades to the PAC-3 MSE. Credit: Lockheed Martin concept In an era defined by rushed development and urgent production ramp-ups, the U.S. Army’s Oct. 29 selection of Lockheed Martin to develop the Future Interceptor stands apart as a model of a patient, step-by-step approach to fielding a new weapon within a wider technology portfolio. The Army’s original...
Shield AI’s X-Bat Moves Toward First Flight
Tony Osborne Steve Trimble November 03, 2026 Credit: Shield AI MUNICH–Shield AI has shown off the first prototype of its X-Bat tail-sitting, vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) autonomous combat aircraft and plans a first flight before year’s end. The company showed video of X-Bat serial number 001, bearing civil registration N228XB, at the International... Tony Osborne Based in London, Tony covers European defense programs.
Fa’az Missile Flies In Pakistani First
Steve Trimble November 03, 2026 Credit: Pakistan air force A Pakistan air force fighter launched a locally developed air-to-air missile for the first time, the Pakistani military announced on Nov. 3. A released video shows an inflight launch of a Fa-az air-to-air missile by a single-seat JF-17 fighter with tail number 09-109. The fighter carried the missile... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Podcast: Belenko's Betrayal And The Saga Of The Foxbat
Joe Anselmo Steve Trimble Graham Warwick November 03, 2026 Check 6 revisits how a misconception of the MiG-25 transformed U.S. air power, until a Soviet pilot’s defection revealed the truth. Check 6 Revisits delves into Aviation Week's more than 100-year archive. Aviation Week & Space Technology subscribers can explore our archive here and read key Aviation Week articles related to this episode here: New Interceptors Can Exceed Mach 2.5 (July 17, 1967) MiG Case May Spur Japan Arms Buy (Sept.
U.S. Marines Plan Heavy, Autonomous Resupply Drone Fly-Off
Steve Trimble November 02, 2026 A two-week fly-off will be staged early next year for companies competing to meet a newly tweaked set of requirements for the U.S. Marine Corps' next tactical-sized uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for resupply missions. The Tactical Resupply UAS (TRUAS) Increment II fly-off is scheduled for Jan. 25... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
U.S. Army Reveals LRPM Demo Plan, Acquisition Details
Steve Trimble October 30, 2026 LRPM Credit: U.S. Army The U.S. Army plans to test prototypes of a new Long Range Precision Munition (LRPM) in March next year, solicitation documents show. Newly released details of the powered LRPM system also reveal a unique approach to the design and acquisition process. The approach moves away from relying on a... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
U.S. Navy Proposes Flight Control Upgrade For F-5 Fleet
Steve Trimble October 29, 2026 Credit: U.S. Navy Northrop F-5 fighters have flown without an autopilot for 67 years, but the U.S. Navy wants to fix that. An Oct. 29 solicitation from Naval Air Systems Command opens a search for companies interested in installing a digital stability augmentation system and automatic flight control system on the... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Debrief: Not Everything Is Solid In the Solid Rocket Motor Boom
Robert Wall Steve Trimble October 29, 2026 Credit: L3Harris It is now a given that solid rocket motor (SRM) demand remains far ahead of supply. What is not certain is that companies can deliver on their bulging orderbooks and what the financial returns will be long term. One of the places this uncertainty is playing out is at L3 Harris, where then-CEO Chris... Robert Wall Robert Wall is Executive Editor for Defense and Space.
Lockheed Martin Wins U.S. Army’s Future Interceptor Contract
Brian Everstine Steve Trimble October 29, 2026 Credit: Lockheed Martin The U.S. Army has picked Lockheed Martin to build a new interceptor for future air and missile defense threats, targeting a $1 billion development program with the cost shared by both the government and the company. The service announced Oct. 29 that it is awarding an other transaction agreement for...
Lockheed Adapts Tactical Rocket To Hit Moving Targets
Steve Trimble October 28, 2026 Credit: Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin has adapted the U.S. Army’s tactical rocket to strike moving targets on land or at sea, leveraging technology fielded on Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 interceptors, the company said on Oct. 28. A recent test redirected a rocket from the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Bombardier, BAE Agree To Partner On Next-Gen Combat Air
Steve Trimble October 28, 2026 In terms of next-generation combat air programs, BAE is a key partner in the Global Combat Air Program and is also developing Brotanax, an autonomous CCA. Credit: Edgewing Bombardier and BAE Systems will explore ways to develop complementary roles in future combat air programs as the Canadian government continues a lengthy review of fighter procurement plans. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the flagship aerospace companies of Canada and the UK...
Shield AI Taps RTX For X-Bat Radar, Electronic Warfare Systems
Steve Trimble October 27, 2026 X-Bat Credit: Shield AI Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will supply the radar and electronic warfare systems for the Shield AI X-Bat, an autonomous, vertical takeoff and landing combat aircraft, Shield AI said on Oct. 27. “We’re working with Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team on the radio frequency sensing and... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Debrief: How A Former CIA Base Reveals Chinese Air Force Transformation
Steve Trimble October 27, 2026 Opening ceremony for the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center. Credit: Laotian government A small airport founded by the CIA in Laos during the Vietnam War is the new home for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the air arm’s first outside China—and probably not the last. Laotian and Chinese dignitaries formally commissioned the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at...
Saab Names Local Final Assembly Partner For Canadian Gripen Bid
Steve Trimble October 27, 2026 Credit: Saab Saab has selected Nova Scotia-based IMP Aerospace & Defense to establish a final assembly line in Canada if the Swedish manufacturer’s Gripen fighter wins an order from the Canadian government, Saab announced on Oct. 27. The company selected IMP, which specializes in aircraft sustainment, to be the... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
U.S. Air Force Relaunches ARRW Production With $694M Contract
Steve Trimble October 27, 2026 Credit: Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio/U.S. Air Force A newly announced contract will relaunch production of the Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) for the U.S. Air Force, after a three-year hiatus for the hypersonic missile program. The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $694 million contract for production and... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Think Tank Study Urges USAF To Buy Blended Wing Body Tanker Fleet
Steve Trimble October 27, 2026 KC-46 Credit: Alamy A new Hudson Institute study argues that an aerial refueling aircraft based on a medium-sized blended wing body design is a better option for the U.S. Air Force than the Boeing KC-46A or Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Due to its flattened delta shape, a blended wing body offers... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Royal Canadian Air Force Receives First Two CF-35As
Steve Trimble October 26, 2026 Credit: Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) received its first two Lockheed Martin CF-35As at Luke AFB, Arizona, on Oct. 22 for pre-delivery training to begin amid an ongoing review of the Canadian government’s fighter procurement plans. The RCAF announced the move with a post on its social media channels... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Pentagon, Lockheed Agree 10-Year Ordering Commitment For F-35s
Steve Trimble October 22, 2026 Credit: Lockheed Martin The Pentagon has committed to buying 850 more Lockheed Martin F-35s over a 10-year period and maintain annual production at 156 aircraft, including international orders, over that timeframe. The 10-year framework agreement with Lockheed, covering production Lot 21-30, comes with financial penalties... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
U.S. Air Force Opens Search For Low-Cost Hypersonic Strike Missile
Steve Trimble October 21, 2026 The U.S. Air Force program emerges after the Navy started testing the hypersonic Castelion Blackbeard missile on a Boeing F/A-18F. Credit: U.S. Navy The U.S. Air Force is pursuing a new class of low-cost, mass-producible and air-launched hypersonic weapons. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) released an open call this month for the Tactical Air-Launched Weapon Demonstrating Industrialization (Tawodi) initiative. The Oct. 9 solicitation...
Long-Term Bets Near Payoff For Acquisitive Kratos
Steve Trimble October 21, 2026 The 32.5-in.-dia. Zeus solid rocket motor is propelling Kratos to higher revenues. Credit: Kratos When Kratos Defense & Security Solutions began investing in low-cost, jet-powered uncrewed aircraft and hypersonic technology more than 14 years ago, the market for combat drones and high-speed vehicles looked very different from the one taking shape today The Pentagon had yet to embrace the idea of...
Karman Signs Seven-Year Deal For THAAD Component Ramp-Up
Steve Trimble October 20, 2026 Credit: Karman Karman Space & Defense has tentatively agreed to boost production for the shrouds of the Lockheed Martin Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor, the company announced ct. 20. The undefinitized agreement worth up to $218 million was signed in September. It came three months after the... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Podcast: Army Aviation Takes Center Stage—Budgets, Balloons & The Bible
Joe Anselmo Steve Trimble Brian Everstine Vivienne Machi October 20, 2026 As developments in Ukraine highlight new issues for army aviation, editors share what they heard from leaders at AUSA 2026 and discuss how the service is looking to evolve. Thank you to our sponsor, GE Aerospace. GE Aerospace is uniquely positioned to support its defense customers, providing reliable, high performance military engines and systems for air and sea.
Debrief: What Does A U.S. Debut Mean For Sky Sonic Program?
The public history of Rafael’s newest and most advanced missile interceptor is short and incomplete, but the concept is starting to come into clearer focus.
Israel Signs Agreement To Acquire 12 Disputed AH-64Es
Steve Trimble October 14, 2026 The Israeli government signed an agreement with the Pentagon to buy 12 Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters on Oct. 14, resolving a reported budget impasse in Tel Aviv. The agreement calls for Boeing to deliver the twin-engine, helicopter gunships in the early 2030s, according to the Israeli government... Steve Trimble Steve covers military aviation, missiles and space for the Aviation Week Network, based in Washington, DC.
Rafael CEO Voices Concerns About Ending U.S. Military Aid
Steve Trimble October 14, 2026 Rafael CEO Yoav Tourgeman raised new concerns in an exclusive interview about the impact of a potential phaseout of U.S. military aid to Israel after 2028. Speaking on the sidelines of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting on Oct. 14, the top executive of the state-owned armaments company said he will support any agreement on military aid between the U.S. and Israeli government.
AUSA: Rafael CEO Voices Concerns About Ending U.S. Military Aid
Steve Trimble October 14, 2026 Rafael CEO Yoav Tourgeman raised new concerns in an exclusive interview about the impact of a potential phaseout of U.S. military aid to Israel after 2028. Speaking on the sidelines of the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual meeting on Oct. 14, the top executive of the state-owned armaments company said he will support any agreement on military aid between the U.S. and Israeli government.
U.S. Army Defines Goals For E-HEL Upgrade Plan
The U.S. Army will seek to insert a broad range of system improvements into the AeroVironment Enduring High Energy Laser (E-HEL)
U.S. Army Defines Goals For E-HEL Upgrade Plan
This article is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through Oct 31, 2026. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click here.
Four Options Emerge For U.S. Army UH-72A Trainer Future
Steve Trimble October 13, 2026 UH-72 helicopters hover at Fort Rucker, Alabama, during training. Credit: Leslie Herlick/U.S. Army Airbus and U.S. Army officials are discussing four options for reassigning the 215 UH-72A Lakota trainers being replaced by Robinson R66 helicopters, an Airbus executive says. The options include transferring most of the UH-72As as is to Army National Guard (ANG) units; modifying a subset of them to...
Podcast: 'We Happy Band Of Robots'—The Pentagon's New Command
Robert Wall Brian Everstine Steve Trimble October 13, 2026 Will Project Agincourt spur the new U.S. Autonomy Command to great things? Editors discuss the implications of the Pentagon's military autonomy efforts and the broader context of uncrewed systems in modern warfare. Subscribe Now Don't miss a single episode of the award-winning Check 6. Follow us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you prefer to watch, most of our episodes are now released on our YouTube channel.
Anduril Unveils Steelfin Affordable Missile Interceptor
Anduril revealed the Steelfin family of missile interceptors on Oct. 12, saying one version of the long-range, affordable weapon meets requirements for the U.S. Army’s Future Interceptor program Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments
New Suppliers Will Be Sought For U.S. Army Laser Weapon
This article is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through Oct 19, 2026. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click here.
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