Air – Page 35 – The Defense Post

Feb- 2026 -

17 February

A U.S. Air Force 509th Bomb Wing B-2 Spirit approaches a 351st Aerial Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker during the Bomber Task Force training exercise over England, Aug. 29, 2019. The BTF consists of Airmen and support equipment from the 509th BW, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, deployed to The United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa to conduct theater integration and flying training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jordan Castelan)

Boeing to Replenish US Bunker Buster Bombs Used in Iran Strikes

Boeing has secured a contract worth over $100 million to supply Guided Bomb Unit and Massive Ordnance Penetrators for the US Air Force.

17 February

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth tours SpaceX facilities with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk as part of his Arsenal of Freedom Tour, Brownsville, Texas, Jan. 12, 2025. (DoW photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Rojoef Manuel

Elon Musk Firms Enter Secret Pentagon Challenge for Voice-Based Drone Swarming Tech

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its subsidiary xAI are joining a secretive US Department of Defense competition centered on a voice command and control tool that could deploy multiple autonomous systems.

17 February

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 452nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Aerial Port Flight at March Air Reserve Base, California, support loading operations of a next-generation nuclear reactor onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in support of Operation Windlord Feb. 15, 2026. The mission was conducted in coordination with Airmen from the 15th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and the 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The aircraft transported the reactor to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in support of a Department of War and Department of Energy partnership focused on nuclear energy testing and evaluation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Wendy Day)

Rojoef Manuel

Pentagon Airlifts Microreactor to Utah in First C-17 Nuclear Transport

The US Department of Defense has airlifted a compact nuclear reactor from California to Utah, marking the first time a C-17 military transport aircraft has transported a nuclear microreactor.

17 February

Giulia Bernacchi

France Awards Pilot Training Contract to Babcock

Babcock has secured a new contract with Paris to train pilots for the French Air and Space Force and Navy.

17 February

Christine Casimiro

Saudi Arabia Buys C-27J MPA With Weapons Capability From Leonardo

Saudi Arabia has ordered four C-27J Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Leonardo, marking the first time the MPA variant has been procured with a maritime weapon system integration capability.

16 February