Aircraft & Propulsion

The government organization running the tri-national Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) has awarded a long-awaited contract to push forward with the development of the future fighter.

Sweden has awarded Saab an SEK2.6 billion ($270 million) contract to act as lead systems integrator for a new counter-uncrewed aircraft system initiative.

Finland’s Patria Group says it has begun making forward fuselages for Lockheed Martin F-35s as part of an agreement by Helsinki to order the single-engine fighter.

The Kazakh Air Assault Forces, and soon the rest of the army, will be equipped with hundreds of uncrewed systems in groups 1, 2 and 3 to give the troops on the ground enhanced surveillance and strike capabilities.

The U.S. Army has begun auctioning off Boeing CH-47F Chinook transport helicopters, potentially to make way for the arrival of Blk. II models.

Honeywell is mounting a counter-uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) on a long-range hybrid-electric uncrewed aircraft.

Australian counter-drone specialist DroneShield says it is looking to work with Latvian interceptor-maker Origin Robotics to pursue opportunities to defeat UAS.

Chinese arms developer Norinco has conducted the first flight of its Chang Ying-8 large uncrewed cargo aircraft, also known as Luca.

Boeing and Rheinmetall have partnered to jointly market the MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft for Germany’s requirement by 2029.

Flight training operations started for the Argentine air force’s newly acquired Lockheed Martin F-16Bs on March 30.

The U.S. Navy on Feb. 27 conducted the first flight test of a new precision landing mode for the military’s Sikorsky H-60 variants.

Airbus has used its modified Airbus Do-DT25 uncrewed aircraft system for the first time to intercept a drone target.

Pilatus is poised to add to its PC-21 trainer customer base after signing an agreement with Indonesia in parallel with Jakarta’s purchase of PC-24 business jets.

China ran the first ground test of a hydrogen-fueled variant of the AEP100 turboprop, the country’s first megawatt-class hydrogen-powered aerospace engine.

The UK Defense Ministry is hunting for technology to defeat fiber-optically controlled drones in the latest in a flurry of counter-UAS initiatives.

The KC-390 Millennium in action on ice!

Norway has pledged to increase defense spending and accelerate the introduction of new warships and associated helicopters.

The Indian Air Force can proceed with plans to buy a host of defense equipment.

NASA aeronautics, hit by cuts and losses, is being revitalized under Administrator Jared Isaacman with a focus on experimental X-planes.

Four bidders remain in the Flight School Next program as the U.S. Army weighs a shift to single-engine aircraft and contractor-led training.

The character of Iranian drone and missile barrages on Middle East countries since Feb. 28 may reflect lessons from Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Army’s FARA cancellation freed $4.4B, but GAO reports $2.3B shifted to non-aviation projects like barracks upgrades and OSD priorities.

Saudi Arabia will establish a national aerial firefighting service using Thrush agricultural aircraft.

UK and Turkey seal £8B Typhoon deal including pilot training and defense industry support, with first jets due by 2030.

Korea Aerospace Industries rolled out the first KF-21 Blk. 1 production aircraft at its Sacheon facility, in a ceremony attended by President Lee Jae-myung.