Aerospace & Defense

Orlando, Fla. – September 17, 2026 -- Mach Industries doubled its valuation to $3.7 billion in three months, up from $470 million a year earlier, as defense startup funding heads for a record 2026 even while exits remain scarce, according to Backswing Ventures.

Crunchbase data shows 2026 funding at record levels with few exits in sight

Crunchbase News reported this month that 2026 is on pace to be the largest year on record for defense startup funding. Backswing Ventures founder Kyle Asman said that surge is not matched by liquidity, since government sales cycles and dual-use commercial traction can take years to materialize into a sale or IPO.

"Raising money has never been faster in this sector," Asman said. "Turning that money into an exit is a separate problem, and a much slower one."

Plano, Texas – September 17, 2026 -- Boeing and American Airlines have completed the first landing gear exchange for a 737 MAX aircraft, extending a decades-old spare-parts program to Boeing's newest single-aisle platform.

Boeing validates end-to-end gear swap process for the 737 MAX fleet

The exchange delivered a fully overhauled, Boeing-certified main and nose landing gear assembly with installation kits, excluding wheels, tires and brakes. The transaction tested the complete cycle -- technical overhaul, certification paperwork and delivery -- confirming the process can be applied consistently across the MAX fleet.

Charlotte, N.C. – – September 17, 2026 -- TAT Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: TATT) has agreed to supply its Universal Cooling System (UCS) to Beyond Aero, a French aerospace startup building what it calls the world's first hydrogen-electric business aircraft.

Beyond Aero targets 800 nautical miles on hydrogen-electric propulsion

Beyond Aero's clean-sheet aircraft, named ONE, is designed to carry six passengers up to 800 nautical miles (1,500 km) — roughly five times the range of comparable battery-powered aircraft. The Toulouse-based company, founded in 2020, employs more than 80 aerospace engineers across operations in Toulouse, Paris and Los Angeles.

National Harbor, Md. – September 16, 2026 -- Aitech has introduced the C165 Rugged 6U VME Single Board Computer, a pin-compatible successor to its C164 and C163 SBCs designed to let defense programs modernize fielded VME systems without full platform redesigns. The company unveiled the board at the Air & Space Forces Association Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, running Sept. 14-16 at booth MB400.

New board delivers 2x power efficiency and 2.5x graphics gains over prior Aitech VME platforms

The C165 is built on the 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185GRE Tiger Lake UP3 processor paired with Intel Iris Xe graphics featuring 96 execution units. Aitech states the board achieves a 2x improvement in CPU performance-per-watt and more than 2.5x higher graphics performance compared with previous-generation VME solutions from the company.

Washington – – September 16, 2026 -- Elveo Mobile and Apex have agreed to establish a dedicated spacecraft factory in the United States to scale production of Elveo's direct-to-device (D2D) satellite constellation, using Apex's Factory X manufacturing model to compress timelines for the company's first satellite production facility.

Apex's Factory X model gives Elveo a vertically integrated production blueprint

Apex, known as The Spacecraft Platform Company, will supply proven spacecraft platforms and high-rate manufacturing expertise to help Elveo stand up and operate its own U.S. facility. Elveo plans to replicate this blueprint with regional partners to expand manufacturing into Europe and Asia, building what the company describes as a global supply chain for its low-Earth orbit (LEO) network.

Pasadena – September 16, 2026 -- Sophia Space has entered a $300 million financing framework with aerospace leasing specialist SLI to fund a 10-satellite edge computing constellation, applying asset-leasing models long used in aviation and energy to orbital infrastructure for the first time.

SLI will purchase and lease 10 satellites under a fixed-payment structure

Under the non-binding letter of support, SLI will buy the satellites from Sophia and lease them to end-users on fixed monthly or quarterly payments, aligning the financing timeline with Sophia's build and deployment schedule. The arrangement supports purchase and deployment of 10 Sophia TILE spacecraft through a long-term operating lease spanning the satellites' expected useful lives, with mission launches planned as early as 2028.

New Century, Kansas – September 16, 2026 -- Butler National Corporation (OTCQX: BUKS) reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $30.8 million, up 53% from the prior-year period, driven by a surge in aircraft modification work and a record aerospace backlog.

Net income climbs 43% to $5.3 million as operating margin expands to 24%

Operating income rose 59% to $7.4 million, while net income increased 43% to $5.3 million for the quarter ended July 31, 2026. Earnings per share rose to $0.08 from $0.06 a year earlier, reflecting margin expansion from 23% to 24%.

Stockholm – September 16, 2026 -- GomSpace North America, LLC has secured an order worth 2.4 million USD (22.6 MSEK) from an undisclosed US defense customer for its fast-deployment satellite platform kits.

Order marks new customer relationship for GomSpace's US unit

The agreement covers modular satellite bus systems that will support an end-to-end solution for a US government mission. The engagement is the start of a new customer relationship, though it builds on prior technical connections between GomSpace and the customer's engineering team.

Platform kits target rapid procurement in 6U to 16U configurations

GomSpace's platform kits are pre-engineered, modular small satellite bus systems spanning 6U to 16U CubeSat and microsatellite-class configurations. The design allows customers to integrate payloads quickly, cutting technical risk and shortening the timeline from concept to launch.

Houston – September 16, 2026 -- Venus Aerospace has officially opened a new propulsion test stand at the Houston Spaceport, expanding its capacity to test rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) technology at higher thrust levels and for longer durations.

Texas Space Commission funding backs new test infrastructure

The facility was funded through the Texas Space Commission's Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund, a state program supporting aerospace and space economy growth. Venus Aerospace completed the stand on time and on budget.

Providence, R.I. – September 16, 2026 -- Havoc, a U.S. collaborative autonomy company, and CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, the island's largest shipbuilder, have signed a partnership to pursue licensed co-production of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) for Taiwan's maritime security.

Partnership pairs U.S. autonomy software with Taiwan-built hulls

Under the agreement, Havoc's collaborative autonomy software will be integrated onto ASV platforms built by CSBC in Taiwan, with production and lifecycle sustainment handled locally. The deal targets Taiwan's domestic shipbuilding capacity, headquartered in Kaohsiung with shipyards in Kaohsiung and Keelung, founded in 1973.