The Tate Modern will next year stage the first major UK exhibition devoted to Roy Lichtenstein in 20 years, its most comprehensive retrospective of the celebrated pop artist. The exhibition, which opens next spring, will bring together 125 of the artist's definitive paintings and sculptures.

RAF Typhoon jets arrived at an air base in London today in preparation for the Olympic Games as military chiefs said they were ready to react to a "9/11-type attack".

Missile batteries will be placed on the top of residential flats in east London over the coming days as Britain's armed forces prepare to conduct a major trial of their Olympic defence systems.

Defence giant BAE Systems should receive a boost of around £500m this year, as it enters final negotiations with Saudi Arabia over changes to a huge aircraft contract.

Twenty "lost" Spitfires that were buried in Burma during the Second World War could return to the skies, it has been revealed.

Emergency workers were searching for the occupants of six homes last night after a US Navy jet crashed into a group of apartment buildings.

A US navy jet crashed in Virginia today with the two pilots aboard believed to have ejected before the impact, according to reports.

The pilot of a small Cessna aircraft was doubtless hoping to remain under the radar, figuratively if not literally, as he puttered gently from central California to the Pacific coast on Thursday morning because of what he had on board – 22lb of marijuana.

The Ministry of Defence is close to eliminating the £38 billion “black hole” found in its books following the 2010 election and achieving a “sustainable and balanced budget”, it was revealed today.

The pressure on BAE Systems was highlighted today after the defence giant reported a 14 per cent fall in sales as military spending in the US and UK is cut.

David Cameron expressed “disappointment” today that a French firm had beaten BAE Systems to become preferred bidder for a major fighter plane contract with India.

The Indian government said yesterday that it was entering into exclusive talks with French company Dassault Aviation to provide 126 jets, delivering a devastating blow to the Eurofighter consortium that was hoping to secure the $12 billion (£7.6bn) deal.

The Indian government said yesterday it was entering into exclusive talks with the French company Dassault Aviation to provide 126 jets, delivering a devastating blow to the Eurofighter consortium that was hoping to secure the $12bn deal.