aviation   China   Aircraft Finance & Leasing   Orders   Asia-Pacific (APAC)   Airbus   Airbus A320   Airlines  
ch-aviation • Howard Jarvis

China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines agree with Airbus for 137 A320neo-family jets, amid plans to raise up to $2.2bn

China Southern Airlines says it will raise up to $2.2bn as it expands its Airbus narrowbody footprint. In a Shanghai Stock Exchange filing, China Southern and its subsidiary Xiamen Airlines signed purchase agreements for 102 A320neo and 35 A320neo aircraft (137 total).

Also: CAPA, CAPA and CAPA
2026-04-30T19:47:41.712731-07:00
space   Satellite   Space Force   Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons   Space Defense & Militarization  
SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Space Force taps K2 satellites to test laser communications for missile-defense

By SpaceNews.com: GTON — The U.S. Space Force plans to use satellites built by K2 Space to test a critical but unresolved piece of future missile-defense systems: how to move large volumes of data quickly between spacecraft and down to Earth.

2026-04-30T18:11:55.729130-07:00
defense   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

US Pacific commander supports increasing B-21 acquisition to 200 aircraft

By FlightGlobal: The US Air Force has an existing acquisition target for the Northrop Grumman stealth bomber of 100 aircraft. The top US military officer in the Indo-Pacific region says he would support expanding the acquisition target for the US Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber to double the current level.

2026-04-30T17:21:08.204776-07:00
space   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations   Space Defense & Militarization   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
NASA Spaceflight • Haygen Warren

Russia debuts new rocket with maiden Soyuz-5 launch

By NASA Spaceflight: Russia’s brand new Soyuz-5 rocket made its first flight on Saturday, lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Thursday on a suborbital demonstration mission with a dummy payload that will pave the way for its entry into service.

Also: Space.com, tass.com and tass.com
2026-04-30T15:04:20.219619-07:00
aviation   Routes   PaxEx   North America   Airports   Airline Industry & Market Trends   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Airlines  
AeroTime • Stephen Pope

US passenger flights to Venezuela resume after seven-year suspension

By AeroTime: American Airlines resumed daily Miami-Caracas service after US officials lifted a 2019 ban on direct flights to Venezuela.

Also: Washington Post, ANI News Agency, Daily Sabah, South China Morning Post, NBC News, Business Insider, CNN, Times of India and 4 more
2026-04-30T12:59:29.893523-07:00
space   Satellite   Space Force   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Space Defense & Militarization  
SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Northrop Grumman delivers sensor for missile-warning satellite as Pentagon cancels program

By SpaceNews.com: WASHINGTON — Northrop Grumman said it has taken delivery of a missile-warning sensor for a U.S. Space Force satellite program that the Pentagon is now proposing to cancel, highlighting the tension between legacy space acquisitions and a shift toward newer architectures.

2026-04-30T16:24:46.828695-07:00