Aerospace News and Headlines
Aerospace News and Headlines
Aerospace Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
SALAAM.earth announced the launch of its first advanced air mobility (AAM) test site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with operations slated for Q1 2026. The sandbox will serve as a controlled environment to validate aircraft, vertiports, digital air‑traffic‑management and secure communications. FlyNow Arabia will field the eCopter, an electric unmanned air‑taxi capable of 50 km range, 130 km/h speed, and two‑passenger or 200 kg cargo capacity. The initiative supports Saudi Vision 2030 by fostering AAM ecosystems for passenger transport, logistics and emergency response.
Ontario International Airport (ONT) received the 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Customer Experience Award for Best Airport at Departures in North America (5‑15 million passengers), a distinction granted by Airports Council International. The honor is derived entirely from passenger survey...
Orlando International Airport (MCO) welcomed ZIPAIR’s inaugural nonstop charter flight from Tokyo’s Narita, marking the first direct passenger service between Florida and the Asia‑Pacific region. The flight landed with 280 passengers, a water salute, and Disney‑themed festivities, underscoring the airport’s...
Spirit Airlines announced a deal with creditors that will allow it to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy by late spring or early summer 2026. The restructuring will shrink the carrier’s balance sheet, cutting debt from $7.4 billion to about $2.1 billion, and will trim...
Gen. Ken Wilsbach, the new Air Force Chief of Staff, outlined a three‑pillar strategy—readiness, modernization, and caring for Airmen—to counter a "complex and ambiguous" threat environment. He called for faster, "fight‑tonight" acquisition and long‑term program agility, citing the on‑track F‑47...
Tecnam unveiled the MOSAIK59 product family to meet the FAA’s new MOSAIC rule, which bases Light Sport Aircraft eligibility on a 59‑knot clean stall speed rather than weight limits. Existing models such as the P92 Echo MKII, P2008 and Astore...
Global defense spending surges, prompting nations to seek sovereign, AI‑enabled space capabilities. BlackSky reported more than $60 million in new contracts, highlighted by an eight‑figure deal for a Gen‑3 ISR satellite that delivers 35 cm imagery and onboard AI analytics. Redwire entered...
France has moved from a dual‑sided arms policy to a robust, though now waning, military backstop for Ukraine, supplying ammunition, missiles, CAESAR howitzers, SAMP/T air‑defence and Mirage 2000 fighters since 2022. Operational challenges—limited Ukrainian use of French tanks, pilot shortages, and...
The UK Civil Aviation Authority reports a record‑breaking 302 million passenger journeys in 2025, a 2 % rise over 2024 and the highest level since the sector began tracking data. Passenger traffic has tripled since 1989, and a third of travelers plan...
NASA has convened the Routine Autonomous Multi‑Aircraft Operations (RAM‑AO) Working Group to tackle technical and regulatory obstacles preventing large‑scale autonomous drone fleets from sharing U.S. airspace. Led by Aptima under a NASA contract, the group will meet March 3‑5 at...
Denmark’s Royal Danish Air Force activated 729 Squadron on 16 February to operate four General Atomics MQ‑9B SeaGuardian UAVs. Ordered in 2025 with deliveries beginning in 2028, the drones will be based at Aalborg Air Base and tasked with high‑endurance surveillance...
The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) released a new white paper titled “Perfecting Public‑Private Partnerships: The Future of Government Space Contracts.” Authored by Rational Futures, the report offers a playbook for government buyers to maximize outcomes on space PPPs, stressing that...
Riyadh Air announced daily service between Riyadh and Cairo, launching soon on its new Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliner. The route taps a high‑traffic corridor that carried 2.7 million passengers last year and joins the airline’s forthcoming London and Dubai flights. The addition...
Delta Air Lines announced its largest seasonal Hawaii schedule for winter 2026‑27, adding a new nonstop Minneapolis‑St. Paul to Maui route and reinstating Boston to Honolulu service, the longest domestic flight in the U.S. The new MSP‑Maui flight operates daily...
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth used a Colorado stop at True Anomaly and Sierra Space to denounce the Pentagon’s acquisition bureaucracy as a "giant swamp" that favors entrenched prime contractors. He framed commercially driven space firms as essential antidotes that...
Researchers at North Carolina State University have engineered a self‑healing fibre‑reinforced polymer (FRP) composite that could extend component lifespans from decades to centuries. The approach 3D‑prints a thermoplastic healing agent between fibre layers and embeds carbon‑based heater films that melt...
Global Invacom Group has introduced a rapid‑deploy XY antenna family spanning four sizes—from 0.98 m to 2.4 m—to provide fast, multi‑orbit, multi‑band connectivity for government, defence, and commercial users. The modular terminals require no tools and can be calibrated and operational in...
London Southend Airport announced that passengers can now carry up to two litres of liquid in cabin baggage, thanks to the installation of C3 screening technology. The same system also permits laptops, iPads and tablets to remain inside bags during...
European aviation groups CANSO, ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe have urged EU ministers to maintain co‑funding of the SESAR programme beyond 2027. They argue that continued financing through the Connecting Europe Facility and the European Competitiveness Fund is essential...
Archer Aviation’s shares swung from a near‑$9 rally in January to about $6.93 by late February, a 20% drop driven by short‑seller allegations of certification delays. The decline was cushioned by BlackRock’s increased passive stake to 8.1% and a strategic...
LambdaVision announced it has pre‑booked manufacturing time and space on Starlab’s yet‑to‑launch commercial space station, positioning the biotech firm for post‑ISS production. The company, which raised a $7 million seed round and completed nine ISS missions, uses microgravity to fabricate higher‑performance...
IAG Cargo has been appointed the ground handling agent for Qatar Airways Cargo at Dublin International Airport. The deal covers all cargo processed through IAG’s Dublin facility and supports 17 weekly belly‑hold flights between Dublin and Doha. It is part...
EmptyLegFinder.aero, a digital marketplace for discounted empty‑leg private jet flights, has launched across the United States and Canada. At launch the platform lists more than 1,400 empty‑leg opportunities, with over 200 new flights added each day from verified charter operators....
Cathay Cargo reported a 5% year‑on‑year increase in total cargo for January 2026, alongside a 3% rise in available freight tonne‑kilometres (AFTKs). Growth was driven by strong demand for fresh produce from Oceania, increased pharmaceutical shipments from Europe and Central...
Seaplane Asia Group and Singapore‑based NexAvian signed a memorandum of understanding at the 2026 Singapore Airshow to accelerate advanced air mobility across Southeast Asia. The deal merges Seaplane Asia’s amphibious aviation operations with NexAvian’s emerging technology and regulatory expertise, targeting...
Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Space Force will test a new digital atomic clock aboard the tenth GPS III satellite, slated for launch in early 2026. The digital clock is intended to replace legacy rubidium timepieces, offering higher precision while consuming...
DHL Express and LODD Autonomous have signed an MoU to explore integrating LODD’s Hili unmanned aircraft into DHL’s express network. The Hili UAV can lift up to 250 kg, carry two Euro pallets, and fly 700 km with VTOL capability. Both parties...
Leonardo UK announced optimism about securing additional funding for its Proteus autonomous‑system demonstrator ahead of the UK Defence Investment Plan. The programme, backed by a £60 million MoD contract awarded in 2022, completed its maiden flight in January 2026, proving key...
Etihad Airways reported a near‑50 percent profit surge to $698 million in 2025, driven by a 21 percent rise in passenger numbers to 22.4 million and a fleet expansion to 127 aircraft. Load factors averaged 88 percent, with the airline targeting multiple days above 90 percent...
At the GeoBuiz Summit 2026, a panel of industry leaders highlighted the escalating threat of GPS disruptions, spoofing, and jamming worldwide. They discussed emerging resilient PNT solutions such as low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations, quantum timing technologies, and secure multi‑layered architectures. Real‑world...
Smarter Airports, the joint venture of Copenhagen Airports and Netcompany, announced that Heathrow Airport has selected the AIRHART platform as its new digital backbone. The multi‑year agreement will replace Heathrow’s legacy Airport Operational Database and embed collaborative decision‑making and predictive...
Delta Air Lines reintroduced the Boeing 747 after an 18‑year gap, driven primarily by its 2008 merger with Northwest Airlines. The acquisition added a sizable 747 fleet that supported Delta’s expanded trans‑Atlantic and Pacific long‑haul network. The aircraft served as a...
Prometheus Energetics, a joint venture between Kratos Defense and RAFAEL, broke ground on a 600‑acre solid rocket motor campus in Bloomfield, Indiana. The facility will house four production lines capable of delivering up to 800 tons of domestic energetics annually, with...
The International Airport Review eReport outlines how airports are modernising asset management to cope with rising operational, regulatory and sustainability pressures. It highlights a shift from traditional CAPEX/OPEX splits toward a whole‑life TOTEX model that integrates planning, delivery, operation and...
Arceon, a Delft‑based advanced composite maker, received new capital from SecFund and Tenzing Alpha to commercialise its carbon‑based material Carbeon. The single‑step silicon infiltration process makes Carbeon lighter, stronger and faster to produce, targeting rockets, satellites and hypersonic platforms. The...
Elbit Systems will equip the Israeli Air Force’s UH‑60 Black Hawk fleet with its Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS), delivering synthetic vision, head‑tracking, and multi‑sensor integration. The helmet provides three‑dimensional terrain and obstacle symbology directly in the pilot’s line...
LAT Aerospace, the aviation startup backed by former Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, announced the acquisition of early‑stage defence tech firm Sharang Shakti. The move enables LAT to integrate Sharang’s anti‑drone radar and hard‑kill interceptor technology into both defence and civil...
The U.S. Air Force unveiled the first image of Anduril’s YFQ‑44 Fury drone carrying an inert AIM‑120 AMRAAM, marking the start of captive‑carry weapons integration testing under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The tests focus on airworthiness, structural performance,...
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a $96 million contract to New York‑based Exyte to ready Israel’s Tel Nof air base for a fleet of 12 CH‑53K heavy‑lift helicopters, designated “Pereh.” The new fleet will replace Israel’s aging CH‑53D “Yas’ur” helicopters, with...
DARPA has unveiled new illustrations of its X‑68A LongShot program, an air‑launched unmanned aircraft designed to carry air‑to‑air missiles. Built by General Atomics, the drone can be released from a variety of host platforms and operate ahead of crewed formations....
Boeing has begun fuselage integration on the Royal Canadian Air Force’s first CP‑8A Poseidon, the Canadian variant of the P‑8A maritime patrol aircraft. The aircraft, serial number 9627, marks the start of production for Canada’s effort to modernize long‑range surveillance...
Boeing confirmed the U.S. Air Force is fielding the F‑15EX Eagle II, the latest evolution of the F‑15 family first introduced in 1974. The new variant features modern avionics, open‑architecture systems, and expanded payload capacity, giving it longer range and the...
Delta Air Lines announced a new Airbus A321neo configuration that includes an unusually large premium cabin. The aircraft will carry 44 first‑class seats with a 38‑inch pitch across the front two‑thirds of the jet. Behind it, a 54‑seat Delta Comfort+...
The Space Launch System (SLS) is NASA’s primary heavy‑lift vehicle for the Artemis program, using a modular block architecture that evolves from Block 1 to Block 2. It integrates heritage RS‑25 engines, five‑segment solid rocket boosters, and advanced upper stages to lift...
Secretary Troy E. Meink announced the creation of 27 Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) – 18 for the Air Force and nine for the Space Force – to give a single leader end‑to‑end authority over requirements, development, and sustainment. The new...
Boeing Space Mission Systems engineers have proven that a large language model can run on commercial off‑the‑shelf hardware and interpret satellite telemetry in natural language. The lab‑based test showed the model can generate human‑readable health reports, reducing latency compared with...
A power bank ignited on Horizon Air flight AS2117, causing a thermal‑runaway fire aboard an Embraer E175. The crew extinguished the blaze and the pilot returned to Wichita for an emergency landing, where a passenger received minor burns. The aircraft underwent...
The U.S. Air Force has moved the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program into the next developmental testing stage, conducting disciplined weapons‑integration and captive‑carry trials with inert munitions. These tests validate airworthiness, structural integrity, aerodynamic performance, and safe separation before any...
The U.S. Space Force unveiled the prototype of its 15‑year force structure roadmap, detailing expected systems, support and personnel through 2040. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman highlighted three core mission areas—navigation warfare, space domain awareness, and satellite communications—and...
The U.S. Air Force has equipped its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) prototypes – General Atomics' YFQ-42A and Anduril's YFQ-44A – with inert AIM‑120 missiles, marking the first weapons‑carriage milestone for the uncrewed fighter program. Live‑fire testing is scheduled for later...
