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Magazine Issue

Aviation Week & Space Technology, March 31, 2025

VOL. 187 NO. 13 March 31, 2025

Cover of March 31, 2025, Aviation Week — The certainty bestowed by Boeing’s contract award marked an abrupt about-face from the doubts that have swirled over the last nine months around the future of the Next-Generation Air Dominance program.

Credit: U.S. Air Force Concept

DEFENSE

Revealing F-47 Contract Announcement Rewards Boeing, Upends Lockheed

Mar 28, 2025

The U.S. Air Force’s next fighter is finally in development, with Boeing in the driver’s seat for a program with aggressive schedule and cost targets.

Podcast: NGAD Win Puts Boeing Back In The Game With The F-47

Mar 21, 2025

What does Boeing’s contract win for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation combat aircraft, the F-47, mean for the struggling aerospace company?

U.S. Air Force Overhauls Pilot Training Again To Increase Pace

Mar 26, 2025

The service is sending students to pilot-training schools before they fly on Air Force trainers in a bid to address the lingering pilot shortage.

U.S. Navy Trainer Faces Uncertain Schedule As Air Force Accelerates

Mar 28, 2025

The Navy now has no target date for its T-45 replacement award as it continues studies for carrier landing practice.

Royal Australian Air Force Fleet Modernization Unfolds

Mar 28, 2025

From new missiles to intelligence aircraft, the Royal Australian Air Force is getting a makeover in 2025.

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Airbus Insists Its Sustainability Efforts Continue Unchanged

Mar 27, 2025

Airbus has given some early insights into the basics of its future narrowbody. An open-rotor engine clearly remains its favorite option.

Korean Air Rebranding Reflects Post-Merger Ambitions

Mar 24, 2025

The brand and livery update underline the carrier’s global expansion plans following its absorption of Asiana Airlines.

SUSTAINABILITY

Industry’s Credibility Is At Stake In Clean Aviation Project’s Goals

Mar 25, 2025

Airbus is focusing on a “realpolitik” approach to accelerating innovation into products in the nearer term.

Rotterdam Ramp-Up: Neste’s SAF Plant Is Growing

Mar 26, 2025

Renewable fuel producer Neste is growing sustainable aviation fuel capacity even if obstacles remain for wider uptake across industry.

SPACE

Asteroid 2024 YR4’s Close Pass Spurs Planetary Defense Wake-Up Call

Mar 28, 2025

Although no longer designated a threat, Asteroid 2024 YR4’s projected path has renewed calls for enhanced planetary defense and near-Earth-object missions.

NASA Tests AI’s Ability To Engineer A Spaceship

Mar 27, 2025

Teams of artificial intelligence agents could reduce engineering time from months to minutes.

Space-Based Laser Links Are Taking Center Stage

Mar 25, 2025

Optical cross-link technology is maturing at a critical juncture, with government and commercial customers pouring billions into proliferated constellations.