Textron Aviation Defence has been awarded a five-year U.S. government contract valued at more than $150 million to provide sustaining engineering and program management support for the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II fleet operated by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army. The contract continues a partnership first established in 2021 and extends comprehensive Sustaining Engineering and Program Management (SEPM) services for an additional five years. The agreement covers the T-6A, T-6B a

The reusable Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle has been in orbit for over 230 days since its most recent launch, continuing a series of government-supported experiments designed to advance future space technologies. Although the Artemis program has overshadowed the project, it remains significant to the future of human space travel. Operating under the oversight of the United States Space Force and the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the programme highlights the growing

The Portuguese Air Force has taken a significant step in modernising its pilot training pipeline with the selection of the Tecnam P-Mentor as the cornerstone of its new Elementary Flight Training (EFT) capability. The programme, awarded by the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence, will see seven aircraft delivered alongside a comprehensive training and support package. The contract has been awarded through Spanish aviation services provider World Aviation S.L. in partnersh

After a prolonged certification process, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has received full regulatory clearance from both the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, allowing the company to resume global deliveries of new-production helicopters. The milestone centres on the turbine-powered Enstrom 480B, which has now achieved full airworthiness certification under the latest safety requirements. The first newly built aircraft to meet thes

The recent US rescue of two downed Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle crew members over Iran will likely be remembered not simply as a successful personnel recovery mission, but as one of the clearest modern demonstrations of how much airpower is required to retrieve a single isolated aircrew in heavily defended airspace. Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle What emerged in the days after the operation was not the story of one helicopter slipping quietly into hostile territory, but of an extraor

Air Tractor Holdings has acquired Thrush Aircraft in a move that marks one of the most significant consolidations in specialist utility aviation in recent years, bringing together two of the best-known names in agricultural flying under a single owner while preserving both brands as standalone operations. The transaction, which closed on 3 April 2026, is notable not only for its commercial implications but for its historical resonance. In effect, it reunites the two principal

Atlanta-based hypersonic aircraft developer Hermeus has completed the maiden flight of its Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 demonstrator, marking another step in its campaign to eventually challenge the legendary speed benchmark set by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The uncrewed aircraft flew from Spaceport America in New Mexico in early March, becoming the company’s second new aircraft type to achieve a first flight in less than a year. The flight itself was not an all-out record attempt.

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation has issued a strong rebuke of Iran over what it says were unlawful violations of sovereign airspace across the Middle East, warning that the actions posed a serious and ongoing threat to civil aviation safety in one of the world’s most heavily used air corridors. Adopted on 31 March 2026 at ICAO’s headquarters in Montréal, the decision marks a rare and pointed intervention by the UN aviation body into a matter that

Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium has successfully completed a demanding cold-weather demonstration campaign in northern Sweden, underlining the Brazilian-built airlifter’s growing credentials for operations in Arctic and high-latitude environments. Conducted at the Vidsel Test Range military facility, the March campaign was designed to assess the aircraft’s ability to perform in extreme winter conditions while also supporting modern dispersed operating concepts such as Agile Comba

Bell Textron used the stage of FIDAE 2026 in Santiago, Chile, to highlight a strong commercial milestone for its light single-engine helicopter portfolio, announcing that the Bell 505 recorded its highest number of orders in Latin America during 2025. The achievement reflects the continued momentum of the Bell 505 across a region where operators increasingly require flexible, lower-operating-cost rotorcraft capable of serving a wide range of missions. From private transport a