Breaking Defense is reporting that Northrop Grumman is advancing its Project Talon portfolio, including the Talon Blue CCA and Talon IQ testbed ecosystem on the M437 aircraft, to deliver flexible mission autonomy and future combat airpower. The outlet said the Army has selected five vendors to proceed with nuclear microreactor prototypes, with up to $2.2 billion potentially allocated among them. Breaking Defense also reported that the Pentagon is working to secure LaNeve's nomination for the next Army Chief of Staff despite lawmaker hesitation and the possible departure of the service's secretary.
In major defense contracts, Boeing secured a $131 billion deal for F-15 fighter jets, covering over a decade of work for both U.S. and international forces. The Air Force awarded $766 million for B-52 radar modernization, with RTX subsidiary Raytheon receiving $603 million and prime contractor Boeing receiving approximately $163 million.
Breaking Defense noted that the Army's long-range electronic warfare system is slated for production in 2027, a development that Mark Saxon, deputy project manager for Electromagnetic Warfare & Collection, said reflects a "shifted whole mentality" due to battlefield changes. Separately, Spain approved a $6.3 billion budget for a joint Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft purchase with Poland, which will acquire four of at least seven aircraft by 2030.