Monday, October 12, 2026

New Delhi leases two MQ-9Bs

Pair of UAVs will support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities. New Delhi has entered an agreement with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to lease a pair of MQ-9B SeaGuardian uncrewed air vehicles (UAVs). The two UAVs will serve with the Indian navy for a period of 30 months with the deal valued at INR19.4 billion ($214…

UK launches first airspace-scale contrail avoidance trials

Operation Blue Skies consortium to carry out testing in Shanwick oceanic airspace from later this year. Operational evalutions are set to begin later this year of an airspace-scale contrail avoidance trial through a 30-month project part-funded by the UK government. To take place in Shanwick oceanic airspace, the eastern half of the North Atlantic corridor,…

Australia’s Alliance Aviation picks ex-Flyadeal chief as new leader

Steven Greenway joins the carrier ahead of planned restructuring to “right-size operations”. Former Flyadeal chief executive Steven Greenway has been appointed to lead Australia’s Alliance Aviation, as the operator prepares to reorganise its operations. He will assume his new role on 1 October, replacing chief executive Stewart Tully, who steps down after 11 years with…

Vietnam 787-9 apparently damaged after laboured take-off from Munich

Hanoi-bound aircraft returned to German hub after holding for 2h. Investigators are probing an apparent laboured take-off by a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 at Munich, which appears to have resulted in substantial damage to the twinjet. While verified information remains scarce, the aircraft had been departing runway 26L while operating flight VN34 to Hanoi on…

American 737-800s involved in Phoenix conflict had identical callsigns

Controller acted to separate converging outbound and inbound services on Chicago O’Hare route. Air-ground radio communications have revealed that a controller at Phoenix had to resolve an extraordinary conflict between outbound and inbound American Airlines Boeing 737-800s that were using identical callsigns. The aircraft were both operating the AA2482 service, whose flight number applies to…

US Army to use Robinson R66 as next rotary-wing trainer under $10bn contract with M1
Aviation

US Army to use Robinson R66 as next rotary-wing trainer under $10bn contract with M1

Military training services provider M1 won the hotly contested Flight School Next contract with a bid centred on the R66 light-single. The US Army has selected a winner in the hotly contested competition for a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of the service’s rotary-wing flight instruction programme. Military training provider M1 Support Services was announced as the army’s…

Shield AI scores $50m X-Bat investment from US Navy
Aviation

Shield AI scores $50m X-Bat investment from US Navy

The funds come from the Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike initiative. Autonomy start-up Shield AI has secured a $50 million investment from the US Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to support development of the X-Bat combat drone. The funding was announced on 13 August as part of the Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike…

SAA names new acting chief as predecessor put on immediate special leave

Reasons for the decision, just four months after Matshela Seshibe’s appointment, remain undisclosed. South African Airways has placed acting group chief Matshela Seshibe on special leave, pending the results of an internal investigation. The operator has not disclosed the reason for the decision, but states that it reflects an “unwavering commitment to the highest standards…