First flights and first builds.
A release log of industrial launches — rockets leaving the pad, new factories opening their doors, products hitting general availability, and defense contracts going live.
Starship Flight 14 reaches orbit and deploys 26 Starlink V3 satellites
SpaceX's Starship entered Earth orbit for the first time on Flight 14, deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, completed a deorbit burn, and splashed down at its intended Pacific target after an abbreviated orbital phase.
Additional Early Entry Fluid Distribution Systems award
The Army awarded DRS Sustainment Systems a $28.6 million modification for additional Early Entry Fluid Distribution Systems and related support equipment.
B-2 fire-control systems contract
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Intellisense Systems a $9.2 million sole-source contract for B-2 fire-control systems supporting the Air Force.
AIM-9X qualified manufacturing-source expansion award
The Navy awarded Raytheon a not-to-exceed $30.2 million modification to qualify additional manufacturing sources for AIM-9X missile components.
Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System proximity-fuze award
The Navy awarded L3Harris a $52.3 million production modification for proximity fuzes that upgrade the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System.
Marine Corps Wideband Satellite-Expeditionary systems contract
The Marine Corps awarded L3Harris a $96.9 million contract for MCWS-X systems, spares, and associated services, with work in Rochester, New York.
Navy awards GPS range-instrumentation systems contract
The Navy awarded Collins Aerospace a $249.7 million contract for GPS-based range instrumentation, associated equipment, engineering support, sustainment, and modernization for aircraft, weapons, and range testing.
USSF-385 national security launch and booster recovery
SpaceX completed the USSF-385 mission on a Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E in California, with the first stage returning to a droneship.
Ground Based Strategic Deterrent early-production modification
The Department of War awarded Northrop Grumman a $111.366 million modification for Ground Based Strategic Deterrent engineering, manufacturing development, and early production and deployment.
Medusa counter-UAS engineering and integration contract
The Department of War awarded Leidos a ceiling $9.934 million contract to engineer and integrate the Medusa Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System of Systems.
MagLev Aero receives concurrent DARPA propulsion awards
Boston-based MagLev Aero received concurrent DARPA awards to advance its drone-propulsion platform toward a flight-relevant TRL-6 demonstration and build a U.S. manufacturing base.
First GTF Advantage-powered aircraft delivery
Pratt & Whitney and United Airlines marked delivery of the first aircraft powered by the GTF Advantage engine, an Airbus A321XLR for United.
Virginia-class submarine hovering and depth-control valve contract
The U.S. Navy awarded VACCO Industries a $16.8 million contract for 42 hovering and depth-control valves for Virginia-class submarines.
Specification-grade hypergolic propellant supply contract
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Gaylord Chemical an estimated $46.6 million contract to manufacture and supply specification-grade hypergolic propellants.
DT-574 hydrophone production contract
The U.S. Navy awarded Massa Products a $61.8 million five-year contract to design, manufacture, test, package and deliver DT-574 hydrophones in Hingham, Massachusetts.
HMMWV engine accessory generator supply contract
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded C.E. Niehoff an estimated $95.0 million five-year contract to supply engine accessory generators for Army HMMWVs.
Next Generation Jammer Low Band development and test-article award
The U.S. Navy awarded L3Harris an $876.4 million contract modification for continued Next Generation Jammer Low Band development, tooling, equipment and demonstration test-article pods.
500th Cessna Citation Latitude rollout
Textron Aviation rolled out the 500th Cessna Citation Latitude business jet from its Wichita, Kansas, manufacturing facility.
Original CitationJet all-Garmin avionics retrofit availability
Textron Aviation made an OEM-supported all-Garmin avionics retrofit available for original Cessna CitationJet aircraft after receiving an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate.
AX6 collaborative robot commercial launch
Epson Robots released the AX6, its first collaborative 6-axis robot, and made it commercially available through its distributor network for U.S. factory-automation applications.
4,000-unit Kiwi Drone Dominance prototype order
Swarm Defense Technologies received a Department of War Drone Dominance Program prototype delivery order for 4,000 Kiwi one-way attack drones, with a minimum value of $25 million including munitions.
Electrolux Midea Anderson manufacturing joint venture goes live
Electrolux Group and Midea Group formally launched Electrolux Midea Appliance Manufacturing at the Anderson, South Carolina, factory as the site transitions to premium top-load laundry production.
Robotics Metaplant Application Center begins operations
Boston Dynamics opened the Robotics Metaplant Application Center inside Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America near Savannah, Georgia, giving Atlas humanoid robots an operational U.S. training and test center for automotive-manufacturing tasks.
Kikkoman Jefferson Plant Grand Opening
Kikkoman opened its third U.S. production plant in Jefferson, Wisconsin, adding a 240,000-square-foot domestic facility for soy sauce and related seasonings.
Germany's First F-35A Rollout
Lockheed Martin rolled out Germany's first F-35A Lightning II at its Fort Worth, Texas, production facility, marking a new export-production milestone for the U.S. F-35 industrial base.
IonQ Forte Enterprise Quantum Computer Launch
EPB launched an IonQ Forte Enterprise quantum computer at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, Quantum Center, creating what the company describes as the first U.S. commercial hub to offer quantum computing and quantum networking in one facility.
F-35 Site Activation Support Equipment Capacity Modification
The Navy added $871.2 million in ceiling capacity to Lockheed Martin's F-35 site-activation and sustainment contract for operational locations in the United States and allied nations.
WSN-7 Ring Laser Gyro Components Contract
The Navy awarded Honeywell a $53.9 million five-year contract for up to 1,125 U.S.-made components used in WSN-7 submarine and surface-ship navigation systems.
First Fully Autonomous Flight Across the United States
A Cessna Caravan equipped with Joby's autonomy system completed a 3,199-mile transcontinental flight with no control inputs from the onboard safety pilot.
16-aircraft UH-60M Black Hawk production modification
The Army awarded Sikorsky a $234.46 million fixed-price-incentive modification to procure 16 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
Antares U.S.-origin HALEU supply contract
Centrus Energy and Antares Nuclear signed a definitive multi-year contract for U.S.-origin high-assay low-enriched uranium, with Antares prepayments supporting expanded domestic enrichment capacity.
Burlington silicon-germanium capacity expansion agreement
GlobalFoundries and Marvell announced an expanded multi-year agreement to increase silicon-germanium manufacturing capacity at GlobalFoundries' Burlington, Vermont, facility for next-generation optical connectivity.
Long-range strike weapon production modification
The Air Force awarded Castelion a $16.37 million modification for low-cost, highly manufacturable long-range strike weapon production in Torrance, California.
Virginia-class submarine hovering-control pump and motor contract
The Navy awarded Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corp. a $9.87 million firm-fixed-price contract for seven hovering-control and recycle pump-and-motor units used on Virginia-class submarines.
Kinston military aircraft MRO complex ribbon-cutting
North Carolina officials and the U.S. Navy cut the ribbon on Fleet Readiness Center East's military aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul complex at the N.C. Global TransPark in Kinston.
Hammerhead anti-submarine mine follow-on production modification
General Dynamics Mission Systems announced a $230 million follow-on contract modification to deliver Hammerhead Encapsulated Effector anti-submarine mine systems to the U.S. Navy.
LCAC 43 and 57 extended service-life modification
The Navy awarded Walashek Industrial & Marine a $26.62 million modification for extended service-life work on Landing Craft Air Cushion vessels LCAC 43 and LCAC 57.
Multi-Mode Radar production option
The Navy awarded Saab, Inc. a $51.45 million modification exercising an option for Multi-Mode Radar production, engineering support, and spares.
Air Force Survivability Test Stand design and installation contract
The Air Force awarded Amentum Technology a $150 million ceiling IDIQ contract to design, procure, and install a new Survivability Test Stand for the 704th Test Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
RH45 radiation-hardened semiconductor qualification funding
BAE Systems announced $16 million in Defense Production Act Title III funding to demonstrate and qualify its RH45 radiation-hardened semiconductor technology using GlobalFoundries manufacturing in Malta, New York.
J-85 Fuel-System Component Production Awards
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Collins Engine Nozzles two Air Force production contracts with a combined potential value of about $148.3 million for J-85 fuel injection nozzles and engine main spray bars.
V-22 Aircraft Tank Assembly Spare Parts Order
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Robertson Fuel Systems an $18.64 million Navy delivery order for V-22 aircraft tank assembly spare parts.
Army Green Service Uniform Dress Shirt Contract
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded Elegant Stitches a five-year contract worth up to $35.74 million to manufacture Army Green Service Uniform dress shirts in Puerto Rico.
F100-PW-229 Engine Production License
Pratt & Whitney licensed Hermeus to manufacture F100-PW-229 fighter engines, creating a new qualified U.S. production source for the engine used by F-15 and F-16 aircraft.
Twinwood Power Electronics Manufacturing Facility
TMEIC opened its 280,000-square-foot Twinwood manufacturing facility in Waller County, Texas, adding U.S. capacity for industrial UPS units, medium-voltage drives, and other advanced power electronics.
Fairmont Aluminum Manufacturing Facility Grand Opening
Kibar Americas held the grand-opening ribbon-cutting for its aluminum manufacturing facility in Fairmont, West Virginia.
Second Tulsa Manufacturing Facility
Crusoe opened its second manufacturing facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, adding 400,000 square feet for production of electrical infrastructure used in AI data centers.
Blackbeard Hypersonic Weapon Production Delivery Order
Castelion received a U.S. Navy production delivery order worth up to $200 million to manufacture, assemble, test, and deliver an initial lot of Blackbeard hypersonic weapons to the fleet.
Falcon 9 launches final three O3b mPOWER satellites
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches the final three Boeing-built O3b mPOWER spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, completing the 13-satellite constellation's launch campaign.
SIV Ambulances launches Responder Type II ambulance line
Pennsylvania-based SIV Ambulances enters new-ambulance manufacturing with two Ford Transit Type II models already in production.
Army awards $788 million small-caliber ammunition contract
The Army awards Olin Winchester a $788.36 million contract vehicle for 5.56mm, 7.62mm and .50-caliber ammunition.
Venus Aerospace opens Houston propulsion test stand
Venus Aerospace opens a state-supported propulsion test stand at Houston Spaceport and demonstrates it with a live engine hot fire.
Navy awards NGEAU full-rate production contract
The Navy awards General Dynamics Mission Systems a $184.25 million vehicle for full-rate production of Next Generation Electronics Attack Units.
SRM Concrete opens second Lafayette batch plant
SRM Concrete opens a second ready-mix batch plant at its Lafayette, Indiana site, doubling site capacity.
Northrop Grumman opens East Gate 3 for B-21 production
Northrop Grumman opens East Gate 3 in Layton, Utah, adding manufacturing capacity for the B-21 Raider program.
ARRAY opens expanded Albuquerque solar manufacturing plant
ARRAY Technologies opens a $50 million-plus Albuquerque factory that brings additional solar tracker components in-house.
Cyclic Materials opens Mesa rare-earth recovery plant
Cyclic Materials begins commercial operations at a Mesa, Arizona plant built to recover rare-earth magnets and other metals from end-of-life products.
SRM Concrete opens Greeley ready-mix plant
SRM Concrete opens a new ready-mix concrete plant in Greeley, Colorado, expanding its production network along the Front Range.
Initial O3b mPOWER satellite build completed
Boeing completed manufacturing and delivery of the final three spacecraft in SES's initial 13-satellite O3b mPOWER constellation from its El Segundo, California, satellite operation.
Fort Monmouth frozen-dessert capacity expansion completed
MGT Foods completed a 38,000-square-foot manufacturing expansion in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, after retailer demand for its U.S.-made Biti Bites frozen desserts outpaced capacity.
Winchester hydrogen-UAS factory opens
Heven AeroTech opened a 56,000-square-foot UAS production facility in Winchester, Virginia, establishing its first East Coast factory and a second U.S. manufacturing region.
Army awards first high-energy laser production agreement
The U.S. Army awarded AeroVironment an other-transaction agreement to move the Enduring-High Energy Laser counter-drone system from prototype development into production.
FORGE depot modernization program launches
The U.S. Army launched a five-year modernization effort at Anniston Army Depot backed by a $986.97 million facilities award to Brasfield & Gorrie and an initial $658.17 million obligation.
Batavia dry pet food factory opens
Purina opened a $550 million, 1.3 million-square-foot dry pet food factory in Batavia, Ohio, its first ground-up new factory since 1975 and its 24th U.S. factory.
Forest, Mississippi defense-electronics expansion completed
Raytheon completed a $50 million, 17,000-square-foot expansion in Forest, Mississippi, adding production, test, and integration capacity for electronic-warfare and radar systems.
HF-1 steel manufacturing assets commissioned in Canton
Metallus and the U.S. Army commissioned three production investments in Canton, Ohio, sized to supply HF-1 steel for more than 120,000 155mm metal parts per month at full capacity.
Future USS George M. Neal (DDG 131) christened
HII christened George M. Neal, the fourth Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
737 North Line opens in Everett
Boeing opened a fourth 737 production line in Everett, Washington, beginning the first 737 builds outside Renton in more than 50 years.
Small-UAS brushless motor assembly line opens
Tobyhanna Army Depot opened a scalable domestic assembly line for brushless DC motors used in small uncrewed aircraft, with capacity of up to 500,000 motors annually.
1-alpha DRAM manufacturing starts in Manassas
Micron began manufacturing 1-alpha DRAM in Manassas, Virginia, introducing the most advanced memory technology yet produced in the United States.
Surface-Launched Barracuda-500M production agreement
Anduril and the U.S. Department of War signed a three-year framework to deliver at least 3,000 Surface-Launched Barracuda-500M cruise-missile systems to the Army.
First operational U.S. Navy MQ-25A Stingray flight
Boeing and the U.S. Navy completed the first flight of an operational MQ-25A Stingray, autonomously taxiing, flying, and landing the carrier-based refueling aircraft.
Alpha Flight 7 reaches orbit
Firefly's Alpha Flight 7 reached orbit from Vandenberg, delivered a Lockheed Martin demonstrator payload, and validated upgrades ahead of the Block II configuration.
USNS Robert Ballard (T-AGS 67) christened
Bollinger Shipyards christened the Navy's next Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship, USNS Robert Ballard, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
EO/IR satellite payload production line opens in El Segundo
Boeing opened a 9,000-square-foot EO/IR payload line in El Segundo to scale sensor production for U.S. Space Force missile-warning satellites.
Haven Demo reaches orbit and begins independent operations
Vast's Haven Demo separated into independent orbit and brought all systems online, beginning a three-month flight campaign for commercial-space-station technology.
Terran R pad rollout and dress rehearsal
Relativity rolls the first flight-article Terran R to LC-16 at Cape Canaveral for wet dress rehearsal.
Castelion first hypersonic test vehicle flight
Castelion completes first test flight of its long-range strike vehicle, validating propulsion and guidance at hypersonic speeds.
Hopper 2 vertical takeoff and landing test at Moses Lake
Stoke Space successfully flies Hopper 2, its second-stage testbed, at Moses Lake.
First lot of 1,000 Archer FPV drones delivered to Army
Neros delivers its first 1,000-unit Archer FPV drone lot to the US Army, hitting a Ukraine-grade production cadence stateside.
TSMC Arizona ships first production N4 wafers
TSMC Arizona ships its first production N4 wafers to Apple and AMD, clearing the US leading-edge logic milestone.
Corsair autonomous surface vessel christening
Saronic christens Corsair, its 24-foot autonomous surface vessel, ahead of Navy operational deliveries.
Hivemind V5 goes GA with multi-ship autonomy
Shield AI releases Hivemind V5, extending autonomy from single aircraft to coordinated multi-ship teams.
Form Energy Weirton iron-air battery plant opens
Form Energy opens its Weirton, WV iron-air battery factory on a former steel mill site.
Hadrian Factory 2 opens in Torrance
Hadrian opens its second autonomous machining factory in Torrance, CA, tripling capacity for aerospace/defense customers.
Pulsar family of electronic warfare systems goes GA
Anduril takes the Pulsar modular EW family to general availability across ground, vehicle, and airborne configurations.
Apex Factory One opens in Los Angeles
Apex opens Factory One in LA, aiming for 50+ satellite buses per year.
Leonidas Block II selected for Army IFPC-HPM
Epirus' Leonidas Block II high-power-microwave system wins the Army's IFPC-HPM contract for counter-swarm defense.
Army expands Maven Smart System ceiling to $480M
Army expands Palantir's Maven Smart System ceiling, scaling AI targeting software across combatant commands.
Aries SN2 spacecraft bus on orbit and operational
Apex's second Aries-class bus reaches orbit on Transporter-10 and checks out nominally.
W-1 capsule successful recovery at Utah Test & Training Range
Varda's first in-space pharma manufacturing mission returns ritonavir crystals intact at UTTR.