Behind the Flight: Essential Roles at UAS Test Sites
The FAA’s UAS test site program now includes nine locations across the United States, two of which opened in 2026, to validate critical drone technologies such as detect‑and‑avoid, BVLOS, and UTM. Test sites serve a dual purpose: they provide manufacturers a controlled environment to prove safety and compliance, and they support local research, search‑and‑rescue, and public‑safety missions. Core personnel are organized into safety, piloting, and operations functions, with roles like Safety Director, UAS Pilot, and Operations Manager requiring FAA Part 107 certification and extensive flight experience. As the drone market expands, these sites act as the essential bridge between prototype and commercial airspace integration.
China’s New Maritime Combat Drone Poised for Global Success: Analysts
China unveiled the Wing‑Loong X maritime combat drone at the Singapore Airshow, marking its first regional display. The UAV, designed for surveillance and strike missions, builds on the proven Wing Loong family and targets buyers unable to afford Western systems....
Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu Sign Initial Contract for SPY-7 Radar Power Supply Units for Japan’s ASEV
Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu signed a contract on Feb. 12 to supply the Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit for the SPY‑7 radar’s Subarray Suite on Japan’s Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV). The PS LRU provides regulated power to the radar modules,...
Taiwan Completes Integration Test of Jointly Developed Mighty Hornet IV Drone
Taiwan announced on February 6 that the National Chung‑shan Institute of Science and Technology and Kratos successfully completed a systems integration test of the Mighty Hornet IV drone, a Taiwan‑specific variant of the US‑made Firejet. The test proved the platform can carry a...
Animation Reveals Design of O’Hare International Airport Concourse D
Chicago released a two‑minute animation unveiling the $1.3 billion Concourse D, part of the ORDNext terminal redevelopment. The new concourse, designed by SOM, Ross Barney, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects and Arup, will feature 19 flexible gates, skylit multi‑level spaces, lounges, retail and landscaped views of...
Soft Power and the Race to the Moon: Why Cislunar Norms Are the Next Hill to Hold
The United States is positioning cislunar space as the next geopolitical arena, leveraging NASA’s Artemis program and the Artemis Accords to set soft‑power norms. Cislunar real estate near the lunar south pole is scarce, and early standards for communications, navigation,...
ABM Boosts LHR Accessibility
Heathrow has appointed ABM to run its assistance service for passengers with access needs across Terminals 2‑5, deploying a team of more than 1,600 staff. The contract leverages ABM’s proprietary, Disability Rights UK‑accredited training programmes and a technology‑enhanced service model. ABM will...
Alpha Unmanned & Parallel Flight Partnership Targets Long-Endurance Heavy-Lift UAV Operations Using Heavy Fuel
Alpha Unmanned Systems and Parallel Flight Technologies have teamed up to convert Parallel Flight’s Firefly Group 3 UAV to heavy‑fuel operation. The effort leverages Parallel Flight’s Parallel Hybrid Electric Multirotor (PHEM) architecture, aiming for long‑endurance, heavy‑lift missions in naval and expeditionary...
Air Canada’s Airbus A350 Order Signals Geopolitical Shift Away From Boeing as Trump Policies Reshape Global Aviation
Air Canada announced a firm order for eight Airbus A350‑1000 wide‑body jets, citing the aircraft’s 9,000‑nautical‑mile range and 25% lower fuel burn as key efficiency drivers. The purchase enables new nonstop routes to Southeast Asia, India and Australia. It arrives...
DJI Lands Game-Changing Drone Approval in Brazil
Brazil’s aviation regulator ANAC granted Design Authorization for DJI’s Matrice 3D series and Dock 2, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) operations. The approval validates the system‑level safety architecture, hardware redundancy and software design, allowing enterprises to bypass lengthy certification...
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New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 4 of 5]
The U.S. Air Force 40th Airlift Squadron and the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s No. 40 Squadron flew their C‑130J Hercules aircraft together during a training sortie at the Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course near Fort Huachuca, Arizona, on August 21, 2025. The sortie was part...
![New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 5 of 5]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/2602/9518681/250w_q95.jpg)
New Zealand and Dyess Fly Together in Arizona [Image 5 of 5]
On August 21, 2025, a U.S. Air Force C‑130J Hercules of the 40th Airlift Squadron and a Royal New Zealand Air Force C‑130J of No. 40 Squadron landed together at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, after completing the Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course. The course, run...
ESA Will Engage Global Leaders at the Munich Security Conference 2026
The European Space Agency will attend the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) from 13‑15 February 2026, with Director General Josef Aschbacher joining heads of state, industry CEOs and security experts. ESA aims to showcase how space systems underpin Europe’s competitiveness,...
Watch Vulcan Centaur Rocket Launch 'Neighborhood Watch' Satellites for the US Military Early on Feb. 12
ULA’s Vulcan Centaur will launch early on Feb 12 from Cape Canaveral on the USSF‑87 mission, carrying two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites for the U.S. Space Force. The payloads will monitor the crowded geostationary orbit, providing “neighborhood watch” data...
Galaxia Selects Impulso.Space to Support Launch for Its MissionOne Program
Galaxia Mission Systems announced a multi‑launch agreement with Italy’s Impulso.Space to support its MissionOne turnkey satellite program. The partnership, formalized at Space Tech Expo Europe and revealed on Feb. 5, gives Galaxia access to Impulso’s end‑to‑end launch services from a U.S....
Raytheon Tests New Version of Coyote Counter-Drone System
Raytheon announced a successful test of the Coyote Block 3NK, a non‑kinetic counter‑drone system that can loiter, engage and be recalled for multiple missions. The variant is designed to neutralize drone swarms while minimizing collateral damage, making it suitable for urban...
Rotors Over Le Mans: Europe’s Auto Giant Pivots to Military Production
Renault Group announced it will produce up to 600 unmanned aerial vehicles for the French armed forces, repurposing its Le Mans automotive plant rather than building a new facility. The move marks the French automaker’s first foray into defense hardware and...
Canadian Space Institute Targets Continental Workforce with US Expansion
The North American Space Institute (NASI), a Canadian‑origin space technician school, has announced partnerships with U.S. firms Learning Exchange Inc. (LEXX) and Alliance Cyber to launch a continent‑wide training standard. Its flagship Space Systems Technician (SST) program, the first certified...
ARFF Station 92 Opens at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport unveiled a new 21,000‑square‑foot Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) facility, Station 92, on February 6. The modern station replaces the older unit and joins two existing fire stations, providing round‑the‑clock coverage for the airport. Featuring six...
What the 2026 Singapore Airshow Tells Us About Asia’s Defense Industry Landscape
The 10th Singapore Airshow in February 2026 highlighted a shifting Asian defense market where cost‑effective, system‑of‑systems solutions are overtaking pure platform performance. China’s presence was muted, with fewer exhibitors and a conservative J‑10C demo aimed at budget‑constrained buyers, while its...
CSG and Aselsan Form EU-Based Joint Ventures to Unveil the Korkut Air Defense System
Czech defence group CSG and Turkey’s Aselsan signed a joint venture on 4 February 2026 to produce the Korkut short‑range air‑defence system in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The partnership relocates manufacturing and integration to EU facilities, ensuring compliance with NATO...
Latvian Deep Space Energy Raises €930K Pre-Seed to Develop Radioisotope Power for Moon and Satellites
Latvian deep‑tech startup Deep Space Energy has closed a €930 k pre‑seed round, led by Outlast Fund and supplemented by ESA, NATO DIANA and Latvian government grants. The capital will accelerate development of a radioisotope power generator that uses Americium‑241, delivering...
Boeing Shows Off JDAM LR Anti-Ship, Mining Bomber Payloads
Boeing demonstrated its Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM LR) equipped with anti‑ship and Quickstrike mining payloads on legacy B‑52H and B‑1B bombers. The kit converts a standard Mk‑82 bomb into a 300‑nautical‑mile cruise missile, with a decoy version...
US Marine Corps Advances Plans for Drone Wingman
The Marine Corps’ 2026 Aviation Plan places the MUX TACAIR drone wingman at the forefront of its combat aviation strategy, pairing low‑cost unmanned jets with the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter. General Atomics’ YFQ‑42A has been selected as a candidate platform,...
World Defense Show 2026: Turkish and European Industries Will Cooperate, Says Aselsan Boss
At the World Defense Show 2026, Aselsan announced plans to cooperate with European defence firms, marking a strategic shift for Turkey’s defense sector. The company, which designs the Steel Dome air‑defence system, also supplies the Akkor active‑protection system and the...
The Feds Closed Air Space Around El Paso on Wednesday to Address "Cartel" Drones
The FAA abruptly shut down airspace around El Paso International Airport, imposing a 10‑day restriction and warning that violators could be shot down. Within ten hours the ban was lifted without explanation, and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy later said the...
Charleroi Airport Completes Major Lighting Upgrade to Enhance Runway Safety
Brussels South Charleroi Airport has completed a multi‑year airfield lighting overhaul, replacing roughly 200 km of underground cabling and installing 2,650 LED fixtures. About 95% of the runway lighting is now LED, slashing power demand from roughly 152 kW to 25 kW –...
U.S. Army Seeks Counter-Drone Systems for Red Sands Trials
The U.S. Army issued a Request for Information to support the 2026 Red Sands Hard Kill Challenge, targeting hard‑kill counter‑drone systems against Group 1‑3 small unmanned aerial systems. Led by USARCENT and the Army Armaments Center, the effort will field‑test technologies...
U.S. Air Force Buys Chimera FPV Drones for Special Unit
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a sole‑source, firm‑fixed‑price contract to Oak Grove Technologies for its Chimera small unmanned aerial systems, fulfilling an urgent requirement of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field. The procurement includes Chimera FPV drones...
Al-Ula Marks Middle East ATC First
Al‑Ula International Airport in Saudi Arabia has become the Middle East’s first fully remote air traffic control facility, with controllers operating from a centre in Jeddah 550 km away. The digital tower uses high‑definition cameras, sensors and a 4K 360° videowall...
David’s Sling Air Defense System Validates Combat Lessons in a Recent Test Campaign
Israel’s David’s Sling medium‑to‑long‑range interceptor completed a rigorous test campaign that incorporated real‑time combat lessons from Operation Rising Lion. The trials, run by the Israeli Missile Defense Organization with U.S. MDA support, validated a suite of upgrades that improve interception of missiles, rockets,...
Chinese J-35 Face Engine Restrictions on Fujian Carrier
China’s carrier‑based J‑35 stealth fighters on the new Type 003 carrier Fujian are reported to suffer severe engine performance limits, restricting them to roughly seven minutes of flight at a 900 km radius. Analysts say the aircraft still rely on the older...
D2D’s Hype Hangover: The Physics Finally Bite Back
The SmallSat Symposium highlighted that direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite connectivity, once touted as a breakthrough, is now confronting hard limits of physics, spectrum allocation, and regulatory hurdles. Panelists warned that consumer phones lack the antenna gain and power to reliably link...
F-16 Pilot Becomes First Air Guardsman to Win Prestigious Shine Award
Lt. Col. Eric R. Emerson, an Air National Guard F‑16 pilot, became the first Guard member to receive the Anthony C. Shine Award, which honors fighter pilots who embody character, professionalism, and tactical skill. In 2024 he commanded a 24/7...
The New Space Playbook Faces a Physics Cliff at the Moon
The SmallSat Symposium highlighted a looming “physics cliff” as commercial space shifts from LEO to lunar operations. Engineers warned that the fail‑operational models and automotive‑grade components that powered mega‑constellations cannot survive the intense radiation of deep space, especially during Solar...
Bristow Group: Strong Long-Term Setup, Near-Term Execution Still Key
Bristow Group (VTOL) is positioned for medium‑term growth, capitalising on robust offshore energy demand in Brazil, Africa and the Caribbean. Recent debt refinancing and stronger free‑cash flow have shored up its balance sheet, enabling planned share buybacks and a 2026...
Netherlands Aviation: New Coalition’s Proposals on Air Travel Are Broadly Welcomed
The Dutch coalition agreement acknowledges Amsterdam Schiphol Airport’s economic significance while imposing a 478,000‑movement annual flight cap and night‑time closures to curb noise. It calls for harmonising aviation taxes across the European Union and green‑lights the conversion of Lelystad Airport...
SpaceX's Next-Gen Super Heavy Booster Aces Four Days of "Cryoproof" Testing
SpaceX announced that its upgraded Super Heavy V3 booster successfully completed a four‑day cryogenic proof‑test campaign at Texas’ Massey Test Site. The test involved multiple liquid‑nitrogen fills and pressure cycles that mimic the ultra‑cold methane and liquid‑oxygen loads planned for...
Why The Airbus A340 Won’t Be Anytime Retired Soon
The Airbus A340, once a flagship long‑haul four‑engine wide‑body, is no longer a staple of major airlines but continues to fly in niche roles. Advances in twin‑engine reliability and ETOPS regulations eroded its competitive edge, prompting airlines to retire the...
Impressive: NBC Sportscaster Flies 10-Hours In Private Jet From The Super Bowl To The Olympics
Mike Tirico flew from the Super Bowl in California to the Milan‑Cortona 2026 Winter Olympics in a single night, covering roughly 6,000 miles in just over ten hours on a private jet. NBC used the long‑range aircraft to ensure the...
Satellite Manufacturers See Emerging Market for ‘Mini-Constellations’
Small‑sat manufacturers are reporting a surge in interest for “mini‑constellations” ranging from a handful to a few hundred satellites, aimed at governments and enterprises that want tailored services without relying on megaconstellations like Starlink. Executives at the SmallSat Symposium highlighted...
Here’s How Airbus’ Latest Cabin Philosophy Has Transformed Its New Aircraft
Airbus has rolled out its Airspace cabin philosophy across the A220, A320neo, A330neo and A350 families, turning the cabin into a human‑centric experience rather than merely a seat‑count exercise. The modular design lets airlines swap economy for premium‑economy modules without...
The Golden Dome Grinds Into Gear: SDA Acting Chief Sovereign over the Supply Chain
At the SmallSat Symposium, Space Development Agency Acting Director Dr. GP Sandhoo admitted that commercial satellite buses are not the commoditized components the agency had assumed, causing delays in Tranche 0 and pushing stricter validation for Tranche 1. He outlined a $3.5 billion...
Laser-Linked Satellite Networks Moving From Concept to Capability
Laser‑linked satellite constellations are transitioning from theory to operational capability, highlighted by Kepler Communications' recent deployment of ten optical‑relay satellites. The network pairs high‑capacity laser terminals with on‑orbit computing, allowing hosted payloads—such as OroraTech's wildfire‑monitoring sensors—to stream thermal data in...
L3Harris Pitches Cruise Missiles for SOCOM’s Air Tractor
U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Force are testing L3Harris’s Red Wolf missile on the OA-1K Skyraider II, a modified Air Tractor crop-duster. Red Wolf can loiter or fly up to 200 nautical miles as a precision cruise missile...
DISA Unveils New Cloud Environment to Speed Delivery of Services to Forces
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) announced a new DISA Cloud Environment aimed at accelerating the delivery of cloud services to warfighters. The initiative replaces legacy hosting models with a flexible suite of umbrella services accessed via three on‑ramps: classic,...
Qanot Sharq Takes Delivery of Its First Airbus A321XLR Aircraft
Qanot Sharq, a leading private carrier in Uzbekistan, received its first Airbus A321XLR under a long‑term lease from Air Lease, marking the first delivery of this model in Central Asia and the CIS. The airline plans to operate the 190‑seat,...
European Maritime Safety Agency Selects Airbus Flexrotor Drone for Maritime Surveillance Missions
Airbus secured a €30 million framework contract from the European Maritime Safety Agency to provide Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems for maritime surveillance. The VTOL drone delivers up to 12‑hour endurance and can carry EO/IR and radar payloads, streaming live data to...
Airbus Delivers First H160 for the Gendarmerie Nationale
Airbus Helicopters handed over the first H160 to the French Gendarmerie Nationale, marking the start of a ten‑aircraft order placed in December 2021. The delivery, made to the Defence Procurement Agency, complements the Gendarmerie's earlier H145 acquisition and shares the...