China

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has confirmed that the Hongdu GJ-21 uncrewed combat aerial system (UCAS) has conducted takeoff-and-landing tests aboard CNS Sichuan.

Air Astana and China Southern Airlines have signed a joint venture agreement covering flights between Kazakhstan and China.

Taiwanese carriers China Airlines and EVA Air rerouted over Russia after Pakistan briefly restricted their airspace access.

A small airport founded by the CIA in Laos during the Vietnam War is the new home for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, the air arm’s first outside China—and probably not the last.

The role of providing the first public disclosure of new and notable on-orbit activities has fallen to the growing pool of commercial space situational awareness companies.

Atlas Air Worldwide has added 20 purchase rights to its Airbus A350F freighter order, potentially expanding it to 60 aircraft.

Mammoth Freighters has announced that the first Boeing 777-200LR for conversion by Chinese MRO provider Staeco has been inducted.

China has opened a path for global used serviceable material via a new CAAC-AFRA registry, creating new opportunities for teardown shops.

NASA's Moon Base plan, announced by Administrator Jared Isaacman in March, kicked off discussion at the two-day Lunar Surface Consortium Oct. 14 in Atlanta

China's Sinopec and Shougang LanzaTech plan a 50,000-ton ethanol-to-SAF plant in Ningxia as the nation's biofuel sector expands.

Chinese startup Xuanwu Space has completed preliminary design work on the Luduan 9, a reusable rocket concept using liquid oxygen/methane and sea-platform vertical recovery.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

A three-year effort concludes with new Chinese regulations that ease sales of qualified used airframe and engine parts into the growing market.

China plans space station expansion and advances crewed lunar mission testing ahead of its 2030 Moon landing goal.

U.S. drone makers face higher costs rebuilding domestic supply chains amid new restrictions on foreign components.

Parts specialists are seeking enhanced traceability and new certifications.

JAL’s inbound demand remains strong outside mainland China; outbound improves, though below prepandemic levels.

EHang is working around an indefinite regulatory stall at home, exporting its sandbox playbook to Vietnam.

The CAAC has recognized AFRA Disassembly Accreditation, enabling Chinese airlines and MRO providers to access used serviceable material from aircraft disassembled overseas.

The speed and scale of China’s expansion signals its determination to be self-sustaining in CF production for commercial, defense and space applications.

XPeng’s flying car affiliate Aridge has secured a place in a United Arab Emirates regulatory sandbox, its first national-level testing framework outside of China.

Chinese air exercises test PLAAF composite-force operations, overseas command structures and tactical decision-making across diverse environments.

Airbus has rolled out the first Airbus A320neo from its second A320 final assembly line in Tianjin, China.

Space manufacturer Rocket Lab has introduced to the market a new solar cell product free of germanium substrates.

U.S. airlines seek extensions for China and Cuba route waivers, citing lagging demand and regulatory flexibility through winter 2026-27 without dormancy penalties.