Thursday, October 15, 2026
Is An SR-71 Blackbird Returning to Flight 27 Years Later?
Aviation

Is An SR-71 Blackbird Returning to Flight 27 Years Later?

NASA quietly removed the SR-71 #844 from static display at the Armstrong Flight Research Center, where it sat since the type’s last flight in 1999, just as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is promising a new generation of high-speed X-planes. An SR-71 Blackbird has disappeared from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base,…

Marine MV-22B Osprey Conducts First Sonobuoy Lot Acceptance Test
Aviation

Marine MV-22B Osprey Conducts First Sonobuoy Lot Acceptance Test

The test validated the MV-22B’s as an alternative platform to the P-3C Orion for the Navy’s Sonobuoy Quality Assurance Program, while laying the groundwork for expanded tactical employment of the Osprey. Building upon an ongoing effort to repurpose the MV-22B Osprey for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) by rapidly distributing sonobuoys over water, the U.S. Navy has…

Single-pilot operations with larger Citation jets banned over safety and compliance concerns

US FAA rescinds long-standing exemption for Part 25 aircraft after reviewing accident rate and oversight weakness. US regulators are to rescind exemptions allowing single pilots to operate transport-category Cessna Citation business jets, after analysing accident rates and poor compliance with rules. Several Citation models – among them the 500, 550 and 560 – are certified…

[Updated] ‘Major Incident’ Near RAF Fairford After Arrests Made Under Explosives Act
Aviation

[Updated] ‘Major Incident’ Near RAF Fairford After Arrests Made Under Explosives Act

After U.S. forces at RAF Fairford rapidly stepped up security precautions yesterday, police have now confirmed that arrests have been made and residents evacuated in the adjacent village of Whelford as explosive ordnance disposal teams investigate a number of vehicles.  Following widespread reports on Sep. 26, 2026 regarding security levels at RAF Fairford – with…

To Secure Arctic, NORTHCOM Builds Closer Ties to Pacific, European Commands
Aviation

To Secure Arctic, NORTHCOM Builds Closer Ties to Pacific, European Commands

U.S. Northern Command plans to sign an agreement with its European and Pacific counterparts to enhance coordination and close security seams in the Arctic, a strategically vital region where all three commands converge, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine. NORTHCOM’s Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, U.S. European Command’s Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, and U.S.…

Air Force, Pentagon Work to Boost Military Spouse Employment
Aviation

Air Force, Pentagon Work to Boost Military Spouse Employment

New Air Force, Pentagon, and White House initiatives are taking a new swing at an issue that has long frustrated military families: barriers to spouse employment. Unemployment and underemployment have plagued military spouses for years, with the unemployment rate among military spouses holding steady at around 20 percent—despite initiatives to promote spouse preferences for hiring…

Air Force Injects $87M into IVEWS F-16 Electronic Warfare Upgrades
Aviation

Air Force Injects $87M into IVEWS F-16 Electronic Warfare Upgrades

The Air Force has invested $87.4 million to upgrade the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s electronic warfare capabilities, bolstering the fighter’s self-protection against increasingly advanced threats. Bringing the total program value to $1.92 billion, the move is expected to jump-start fielding by funding low-rate initial production of the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite, or IVEWS, which…