RTX Wins up to $230.56m Deal for F135 Lot 20 Long-Lead Materials
RTX has been awarded a non‑competitive contract worth up to $230.56 million to procure long‑lead‑time materials and components for F135 Lot 20 propulsion systems. The deal supports the production of 138 engines destined for the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, as well as foreign military sales customers. It is structured as a fixed‑price‑incentive and cost‑plus‑incentive‑fee contract, with work spread across more than a dozen U.S. facilities and a projected completion date of May 2031. Funding comes from Air Force, Navy, partner DoD and FMS sources, none of which expire this fiscal year.
GE Aerospace, MEPC Sign RSAF F110 Maintenance Contracts
GE Aerospace has signed three agreements with Saudi‑based Middle East Propulsion Company (MEPC) to supply ENSIP kits, and provide repair and overhaul services for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F110‑129 engine fleet. The deals, announced at the World Defense Show...
NASA Chief: Artemis Moon Landing Is Litmus Test for ‘American Exceptionalism’
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman warned that the Artemis III moon landing is a litmus test for American exceptionalism, stressing that a U.S. miss before China’s 2030 landing would raise questions about national competence. The White House pushed the Artemis III...
BAE Systems to Supply Allies with US Missile Warning System
BAE Systems secured $137 million in U.S. Army Foreign Military Sales contracts to supply its AN/AAR‑57 Common Missile Warning System to allied customers. The deal expands CMWS coverage to aircraft fleets in over 20 nations, adding to more than 3,000 units...
IDirect Government Validates Live Over-the-Air (OTA) Point-to-Point Test on DVB-S2X Standard
iDirect Government demonstrated a live over‑the‑air point‑to‑point test that validates the DVB‑S2X standard on its 450 Software‑Defined Modem (SDM). The test used the company’s Virtualized Waveform Core (WCore) to run a 200 Mbps × 200 Mbps Ka‑band link, confirming stability across GEO, MEO, LEO...
Untrusted Satcom: Dangers for Indian Tele-Education
The Observer Research Foundation warned that India’s push to use foreign low‑Earth‑orbit constellations such as Starlink for tele‑education creates strategic and cyber vulnerabilities. Untrusted satellite devices could be denied, jammed, or used to inject false content, especially in remote border...
SITA Unveils Flight Delay Solution
SITA launched an Advance Flight Delay Notification API that leverages live departure data and flight‑duration logic to predict delays and push alerts to destination airports. The service automates early warnings, enabling airlines and ground handlers to adjust turnarounds, crew schedules,...
ELCOME Brings Amazon LEO Satellite Connectivity to Maritime Operations
Maritime technology firm ELCOME has signed an authorized reseller agreement with Amazon’s LEO satellite network, formerly Project Kuiper. The deal adds two Amazon‑Leo terminals – the 400 Mbps Leo Pro and the gigabit‑class Leo Ultra – to ELCOME’s portfolio serving over...
World Defense Show 2026: MARSS Displays New Nation Shield Air Defence C2 System
At the World Defense Show 2026, MARSS introduced Nation Shield, the latest version of its NiDAR command‑and‑control platform. The system extends C2 capabilities to dismounted troops and vehicle units, delivering a unified operating picture from the edge to mission command....
Erdoğan Pitches KAAN Fighter Jet as an Alternative to Western Warplanes
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Egypt emphasized deepening defence cooperation, notably proposing Saudi investment in Turkey’s fifth‑generation KAAN fighter and sealing a $350 million Egyptian deal for air‑defence systems and ammunition production. Both talks highlighted the...
Wyoming Guard Partners with Wyoming Hoist Team for Search and Rescue Training
The Wyoming Army National Guard partnered with the volunteer Wyoming Hoist Team to conduct joint hoist training with the Big Horn County Search and Rescue and Wyoming Life Flight in the Greybull Mountains on Jan. 28, 2026. The exercise taught civilian rescuers...
How Community Airports Are Tackling Noise Complaints
Half Moon Bay Airport and San Carlos Airport in San Mateo County have launched a voluntary "Friendly Approach" noise‑abatement program to address growing resident complaints. The initiative combines publicly posted preferred flight paths, two tracking systems that match complaints to...
Singapore Airshow 2026: Rafael Highlights Tailored Effector Solutions for Different Operational Needs
At Singapore Airshow 2026, Israeli defence firm Rafael unveiled two new Spike family effectors – the L‑Spike 1X, a section‑level ISR and loitering munition, and the L‑Spike 4X, a battalion‑scale loitering missile. CEO Yoav Turgeman stressed that customers now demand battle‑proven systems...
Russian Stealth Jets Have Arrived in North Africa, as Filmed by Algerian Potato Farmer
Algeria has become the first foreign operator of Russia's fifth‑generation Su‑57 stealth fighter, a claim supported by a TikTok video filmed by a local potato farmer near Oum El Bouaghi Air Base. Leaked Rostec documents and Russian media indicate an...
JetAVIVA Expands Focus on Brazil
jetAVIVA announced an intensified focus on Brazil, appointing Timon Huber as the firm’s point person for the Latin American market. Huber, a native Brazilian with four decades at Embraer, will split his time between Fort Lauderdale and Rio de Janeiro...
Luxaviation Group Expands Asia-Pacific Managed Fleet
Luxaviation Group announced the addition of four aircraft—two Falcon 7X jets in Asia and a Challenger 604 plus another Falcon 7X in Australia—raising its managed fleet in the Asia‑Pacific to 18 planes. The new jets operate under the company’s Air Operator Certificates in...
Air Charter Association Partners with AERO Friedrichshafen
The Air Charter Association (ACA) has partnered with AERO Friedrichshafen for the 2026 show, marking its first exhibition presence at the European business‑aviation event. The four‑day trade show, scheduled for 22‑25 April in Friedrichshafen, Germany, attracts over 32,000 visitors and 756...
Cirrus Introduces Generation 3 Vision Jet
Cirrus Aircraft has launched the Generation 3 Vision Jet, featuring a redesigned cabin that accommodates up to seven occupants—six adults and a child—and a suite of avionics upgrades. The new model adds ATC Datalink, 3D SafeTaxi, and enhanced safety systems including...
Pentagon Needs More Time to Finalize Defense Firms on Naughty List After Initial Review
The Pentagon has finished an initial review of defense contractors deemed non‑compliant with President Trump’s executive order, but will keep the assessment open while negotiating remediation. The order bars share buybacks and dividends unless firms invest in modernizing weapons production,...
Teledyne Advances U.S. National Defense with SDA’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer Program
Teledyne Technologies announced multiple contract awards from the U.S. Space Development Agency to supply infrared focal‑plane modules for the SDA’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. The sensors will augment the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, providing low‑Earth‑orbit coverage against hypersonic glide vehicles and...
Kepler Communications’ Next-Generation Optical Data Relay Constellation Launched
Kepler Communications has launched the first operational tranche of its next‑generation optical data relay constellation, deploying ten 300‑kg satellites into a Sun‑Synchronous orbit via a SpaceX Falcon 9 "Twilight" rideshare. The Aether series carries SDA‑compatible laser terminals, multi‑GPU compute modules and...
IMOD, Elbit Systems Sign Deal for CH-53K Helicopter Upgrades
Israel's Ministry of Defense signed a contract exceeding NIS 400 million ($130 million) with Elbit Systems to outfit 12 new CH‑53K “Pereh” helicopters with indigenous command‑and‑control, avionics, electronic‑warfare and DIRCM anti‑missile suites. The upgrades aim to improve flight operations in adverse environments and...
Ukraine Seeks God Mode with New Control App for Drone War
Ukraine has deployed Mission Control, a digital command‑and‑control system that centralizes planning, execution, and reporting for every drone operation across the country. Integrated into the broader DELTA battlefield management ecosystem, the platform captures launch data, flight routes, and mission outcomes...
CMA CGM Group, Marlink, and Eutelsat Partnership
CMA CGM, Marlink, and Eutelsat have signed a multi‑year partnership to equip over 300 CMA CGM vessels with OneWeb LEO satellite connectivity. The rollout will be completed within nine months, using a hybrid LEO/GEO architecture via Marlink’s XChange NextGen edge...
Raytheon Completes Ballistic Test of Army’s Next-Gen Short-Range Interceptor
Raytheon announced on 2 February that it successfully completed a ballistic test of the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Short‑Range Interceptor (NGSRI) at its Tucson facility. The trial showed the missile could track a small drone and launch from a man‑portable launcher,...
U.S. Army Taps RSGS for IFPC Inc 2 Air Defense Interceptor Program
Rafael Systems Global Sustainment has been awarded Phase 1 of the U.S. Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) Second Interceptor program, positioning its Iron Dome‑derived technology as a core element of the Army’s layered air‑defense strategy. The program will integrate the...
The Uncrewed Revolution: MQ-9B and Gambit Series Forge a Path to Regional Air Dominance
Uncrewed aerial systems are reshaping Middle Eastern warfare, highlighted by the 2024 Israel‑Iran conflict. General Atomics’ MQ‑9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian offers long‑endurance ISR and maritime surveillance, while its Gambit Series delivers modular, semi‑autonomous strike and combat capabilities. Together they provide a scalable...
How a Tiny Plasma Device Could Reduce Drag and Make Future Aircraft Faster and Cleaner
University of Notre Dame researchers demonstrated that a thin plasma‑actuator strip can slash skin‑friction drag on aircraft surfaces. Laboratory tests showed up to an 80% reduction in turbulent drag on flat plates and a 44% cut on a half‑meter airfoil,...
Berlin Ready to Choose GCAP over Franco-German Project SCAF?
Berlin is weighing a switch from the Franco‑German Future Combat Air System (SCAF) to join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a move that would signal a major shift in European defence collaboration. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly raised the...
Germany’s Grounded Recovery: Europe’s Aviation Paradox
Germany’s aviation market remains the only major European hub lagging behind post‑COVID recovery, operating more than 11 % below its 2019 traffic levels in 2025. The shortfall stems from a mix of high taxes, rising airport charges, labour shortages and aggressive...
Global Hubs Expand Again, but Demand Will Decide the Winners
Global airport seat capacity remains a key forward‑looking indicator for the aviation sector, with OAG’s 2025 review confirming that a handful of mega hubs still command the top‑ten slots. However, capacity alone masks divergent strategies, as domestic‑focused airports, hub‑and‑spoke intensity,...
Singapore Airshow 2026 – Indo-Pacific Strategic Realignments
The Singapore Airshow 2026 confirmed that drone‑centric forces are now the operational baseline across the Indo‑Pacific, highlighted by the RSAF’s rollout of Orbiter 4 and Hermes 900 UAVs. Indonesia abandoned the US F‑15EX program, opting for a mixed fleet anchored by 42...
AIR PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN EUROPE KEEPS GROWING
European airports handled a record 2.6 billion passengers in 2025, a 4.4% rise over 2024 and roughly 5.6% above pre‑pandemic levels. International traffic drove most of the growth, expanding 5.6%, while domestic flights were essentially flat. The continent’s five busiest hubs—Heathrow,...
Defense Watch: MQ-25 Taxiing, Harpoon Testing, Machina Raise, TNT Awards
The Defense Watch roundup spotlights several pivotal milestones: HII’s Newport News division completed builder’s sea trials of the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN‑79) with delivery now targeted for March 2027; Boeing’s MQ‑25A Stingray unmanned tanker performed its first low‑speed taxi; the Navy concluded...
US Marine Designs Corps’ First NDAA-Compliant 3D-Printed Drone
The U.S. Marine Corps unveiled HANX, its first 3D‑printed first‑person view drone that meets National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) security requirements. Developed by Sgt. Henry David Volpe at the II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus, the drone is approved by...
Josh Ogden Thinks Canada’s Drone Industry Can Gain some Altitude
Josh Ogden, CEO of AVSS, warns that Canada’s drone sector has dwindled to fewer than 20 manufacturers that merely assemble foreign components rather than develop core technology. He points to historic successes like Aeryon Labs, many of which were acquired...
DRMC Airmen Support Certification of Instrument Landing Systems
Air Forces Central’s Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (DRMC) Airmen finalized the commissioning and FAA flight inspection of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s instrument landing system (ILS) glide slope in the U.S. Central Command area on Jan. 29, 2026. The effort involved adjusting...
DRMC Airmen Support Certification of Instrument Landing Systems
U.S. Air Forces Central’s Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (DRMC) Airmen completed the commissioning and flight‑inspection of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s instrument landing systems (ILS). The teams verified glide‑slope antenna heights and overall system performance, confirming compliance with safety standards...
Tampa International Airport Unveils Final Design for Landmark Airside D “Delivering Very Best Amenities”
Tampa International Airport revealed the final design for Airside D, a $1.5 billion, 16‑gate terminal slated to open in 2029. The 600,000‑square‑foot facility will raise the airport’s capacity to roughly 35 million passengers annually by 2037. Innovative amenities include glass boarding bridges,...
VINCI Airports’ Nantes Atlantique Commissions New Infrastructure to Decarbonise Ground Operations
VINCI Airports’ Nantes Atlantique Airport has completed a €15 million electrification programme for its airside operations. The upgrade adds twelve powered aircraft stands and one hundred electric charging points for ground support equipment, aiming to cut fuel‑burn emissions by up to...
Qantas Expands New Economy Plus Cabin Product to A330 Fleet for Enhanced Passenger Comfort
Qantas has introduced Economy Plus, a new cabin tier offering up to 40% more legroom, priority boarding, and dedicated overhead bin space. The product is now live on the airline’s Boeing 737, Airbus A321XLR and A220 fleets, with a rollout...
Airbus, DSTA Demonstrate HTeaming with Flexrotor and H225M
Airbus and Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) completed the first flight demonstration of HTeaming, integrating the Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system with an H225M Super Puma helicopter. The trial, conducted in January at a Singapore airbase, showcased real‑time data...
Shield AI, ST Engineering Join Forces on Fine-Tuning Drone Swarms
Shield AI and Singapore’s ST Engineering have signed a memorandum of understanding to embed Shield’s Hivemind AI autonomy software into ST’s manned‑unmanned‑teaming operating system (MUMTOS). The integration will allow a wide range of unmanned platforms—micro‑drones, surface vessels and ground robots—to...
Around the Commercial Drone Industry: Air Taxi Demos, Police Drone Programs, and Weather Forecasting
SkyDrive Inc. will showcase its SD-05 eVTOL passenger drone in Tokyo this February, a public demonstration that precedes a planned 2028 market launch and supports Japan’s 2030 commercial vertiport roadmap. In Ohio, six police agencies have adopted Skydio drones, fielding...
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The FAA’s Reorganization: What Changes, What Stays, and Why It Matters to the UAV Industry
On January 26 the FAA announced a sweeping reorganization aimed at consolidating all uncrewed aviation functions under a single, strategically positioned domain. The change seeks to replace the historic patchwork of waivers and scattered directorates with a unified structure that...
Singapore Is in Line to Get Its First F-35 Fighters Later This Year
Singapore will join the elite F-35 operator club when its first Lockheed Martin F-35B fighters enter service later this year. The RSAF has ordered a total of 20 F-35s – four B models arriving now, eight more B’s in 2028,...
Slow Launch Tempo Clouds Long-Term Role of Space Launch System
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) has now been in development for 15 years, accumulating more than $30 billion in taxpayer spending. The program’s launch cadence remains painfully slow, with fewer than one flight per year, undermining its intended role in deep‑space...
‘No Strangers to Drones’: Singapore Eyes Unmanned Surge with Israeli Tech
Singapore’s Air Force is expanding its unmanned fleet by operationalising Israeli‑made Orbiter 4 and Hermes 900 UAVs, while introducing new doctrines to counter low‑cost drone swarms. A dedicated DROID unit and UAS Warfare and Tactics Centre will experiment with micro‑drones and integrate...
New DARPA Challenge Zeroes in on Drone Payloads
DARPA has launched the Lift Challenge, a competition that aims to develop vertical‑lift drones capable of carrying at least four times their own weight. The contest offers up to $6.5 million in prize money, with a live flight test scheduled for...
ST Engineering Unveils New Loitering Munition, Assault Rifle Family
ST Engineering showcased its first loitering munition, the EagleStrike, at the Singapore Airshow 2026, announcing readiness for production in early 2027 after reaching Technology Readiness Level 7. The weapon can loiter for 30 minutes, travel up to 67 mph, and strike...