SÃO PAULO - Eve Air Mobility, Embraer’s advanced air mobility subsidiary, has achieved a major program milestone with the first flight of its full-scale eVTOL prototype.

The uncrewed test flight took place at Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto site in São Paulo and validated key elements of the aircraft’s design, including its fly by wire flight controls and electric propulsion architecture. The successful flight marks the transition from ground and systems testing into a more expansive flight test campaign.

Eve plans to use multiple conforming prototypes to support its certification program and is working closely with Brazil’s civil aviation authority as part of that process. The company continues to target 2027 for certification, initial deliveries, and entry into service, positioning the program as it moves from development into the next phase of validation and regulatory approval.

Source: Embraer
Associated URL: https://www.embraer.com/media-center/en/?mediatype=NEWS&detail=23795-Eve-Air-Mobility-Completes-Successful-First-Flight-of-Full-Scale-eVTOL-Prototype

SANDY HOOK, Conn. - President Trump signed the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law Thursday, finalizing the year-long process for the defense policy bill. The House approved the bill last week in a 312-112 vote, and the Senate passed the NDAA Wednesday by a vote of 77-20. The legislation sets the national security topline at $900.6 billion, an $8 billion increase over the president's request. The Pentagon's portion of the total is $855.7 billion in the bill, which marks a $7.5 billion increase over the administration’s initial request of $848.2 billion.

The NDAA reflects a decisive pivot toward modernization. Lawmakers added a total of $12.7 billion specifically for developing and acquiring new military equipment. Consequently, procurement funding rose to $161.7 billion ($8.9 billion over the request), and research and development climbed to $145.7 billion ($3.7 billion over the request). These plus-ups were partially funded by offsetting cuts: $4.1 billion was removed from the Operation & Maintenance budget, and personnel funding saw a $1.5 billion reduction.

The bill supports ongoing defense acquisition reform efforts. A notable development is the establishment of a new Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) role, which aims to shift the weapons buying process from a program-based model to a portfolio-centric approach. The new model is intended to provide acquisition executives with increased oversight and authority to manage groups of capabilities, rather than isolated projects. The legislation also includes multiple provisions intended to increase the number of commercial solutions adopted by the Pentagon, mirroring a push by the administration to prioritize the use of commercial options over bespoke capabilities that often take longer to develop cost significantly more.

Finalizing the NDAA doesn't complete the Pentagon's FY26 budget cycle. Congressional appropriators must next finalize a defense appropriations bill, which provides the final allocation of funds for the military for the remainder of the fiscal year. Most of the government is currently operating under a continuing resolution through January. With a holiday recess approaching, Congress has only weeks to conclude work on the FY26 spending bills to avoid another shutdown. While the House been focused largely on healthcare matters, the driver of October's initial shutdown, the Senate is drafting a minibus appropriations package that includes the Pentagon's budget. If lawmakers can align on the minibus, the military could avoid the disruptions of a full-year CR or another partial government shutdown.

The House has been largely focused on healthcare matters that led to the initial shutdown in October, but the Senate is working on a minibus appropriations bill that includes the Pentagon's budget. If lawmakers can make progress on the minibus bill, then the military could be spared from further disruptions caused by another CR or partial government shutdown.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://www.forecastinternational.com
Author: s. McDougall, Defense Analyst 

WASHINGTON - Raytheon Co., Largo, Florida, is being awarded a $22 million firm-fixed price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-25-C-5239) to incrementally fund CLINs for design, development, integration, test, and maintenance of system capabilities for the design agent and engineering support efforts to the critical major weapon system, Cooperative Engagement Capabilities (CEC).

Work is expected to be completed by November 2026. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Source: U.S. Navy
Associated URL: http://www.defense.gov