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The Air Current • Carter Johnston

Eurosatory 2026 spotlights helicopters as scalable counter-UAS platforms, from Airbus H160M “agnostic” drone integration to H145

Global conflict lessons are driving fresh counter-drone concepts built around lower-cost platforms, with the Pentagon increasingly looking to helicopters as aerial shooters and sensing nodes. At Eurosatory 2026, Airbus Helicopters highlights a “agnostic” H160M Guépard approach targeting first delivery in late 2028, plus plans to broaden the H145M into anti-drone roles and to team rotorcraft with drones for missions including life-saving operations and wildfire response.

2026-06-16T13:24:11.122201-07:00

Flying Magazine

Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet crashes in Washington national forest; pilot ejected safely, wildfire sparked by wreckage

2026-06-15T10:48:39.317467-07:00

Runway Girl

University of Glasgow develops simulation software that accurately models real-time aircraft–wildfire interaction for aerial fir

2026-06-10T06:42:34.062260-07:00

latribune.fr

Kepplair secures first ATR72 prototype for firefighting conversion, targeting first drop tests late 2026 and certification in sp

2026-06-02T02:12:31.267190-07:00

News Timeline

The Air Current

Eurosatory 2026 spotlights helicopters as scalable counter-UAS platforms, from Airbus H160M “agnostic” drone integration to H145 Global conflict lessons are driving fresh counter-drone concepts built around lower-cost platforms, with the Pentagon increasingly looking to helicopters as aerial shooters and sensing nodes. At Eurosatory 2026, Airbus Helicopters highlights a “agnostic” H160M Guépard approach targeting first delivery in late 2028, plus plans to broaden the H145M into anti-drone roles and to team rotorcraft with drones for missions including life-saving operations and wildfire response.

2026-06-16T13:24:11.122201-07:00

Eurosatory 2026 spotlights helicopters as scalable counter-UAS platforms, from Airbus H160M “agnostic” drone integration to H145

Flying Magazine

Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet crashes in Washington national forest; pilot ejected safely, wildfire sparked by wreckage A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet crashed during a routine training flight in Washington state, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The pilot ejected safely before impact; wreckage reportedly sparked a wildfire, prompting response from local fire crews and the U.S. Forest Service.

2026-06-15T10:48:39.317467-07:00

Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet crashes in Washington national forest; pilot ejected safely, wildfire sparked by wreckage

Runway Girl

University of Glasgow develops simulation software that accurately models real-time aircraft–wildfire interaction for aerial fir Researchers at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering have developed simulation software designed to accurately model the real-time interaction between an aircraft and the wildfire it is fighting. The advance aims to reshape how aircrew train for waterbombing and other aircraft-led suppression missions.

2026-06-10T06:42:34.062260-07:00

University of Glasgow develops simulation software that accurately models real-time aircraft–wildfire interaction for aerial fir

AINonline

Helicopter Express chooses TracPlus mission platform to coordinate aerial firefighting data flows Helicopter Express will use TracPlus’s mission platform for firefighting operations, leveraging a system that tracks missions and shares information with all appropriate parties. The platform is positioned to improve operational coordination across the firefighting task chain, from airborne activity to downstream stakeholders.

2026-06-04T14:11:06.697045-07:00

Helicopter Express chooses TracPlus mission platform to coordinate aerial firefighting data flows

latribune.fr

Kepplair secures first ATR72 prototype for firefighting conversion, targeting first drop tests late 2026 and certification in sp French startup Kepplair says it has secured its first ATR72 (ATR72-600-based) prototype for aerial firefighting conversion testing. It plans initial water-dropping trials by year-end and aims for certification in spring 2027, positioning the program as a faster pathway to replace aging Canadair fleets for wildfire seasons.

2026-06-02T02:12:31.267190-07:00

Kepplair secures first ATR72 prototype for firefighting conversion, targeting first drop tests late 2026 and certification in sp

FlightGlobal

US demos and pitches “Ukraine-style” counter-UAS: Tycho.AI’s rotor-drone intercept concept and ParaZero’s DefendAir net launcher Tycho.AI is pitching the Pentagon on small, ultra-agile rotor-driven drone interceptors modeled on Ukraine’s experience countering larger attack platforms. Separately, ParaZero demonstrated in the US its DefendAir net-launcher system, reporting a 100% success rate against fast incoming FPV drones.

2026-06-01T20:20:35.533995-07:00

US demos and pitches “Ukraine-style” counter-UAS: Tycho.AI’s rotor-drone intercept concept and ParaZero’s DefendAir net launcher

ch-aviation

Conair to supply four Q400(AT) firefighting aircraft for Canada’s wildfire response Conair is set to provide four Q400(AT) firefighting aircraft to support Canada’s wildfire response efforts. The deployment underscores continued investment in purpose-built air attack capability for seasonal operations and rapid scaling of aerial firefighting assets.

2026-05-28T12:11:31.136273-07:00

Conair to supply four Q400(AT) firefighting aircraft for Canada’s wildfire response

USNI News

U.S. Navy T-45C Goshawk crash in Mississippi: both aviators eject safely; training flights partially paused A U.S. Navy T-45C Goshawk training jet crashed around 12:30 p.m. Central in rural Mississippi after an incident during a training flight. Both naval aviators ejected safely and were taken for medical evaluation; Chief of Naval Air Training says some training flights were paused. Investigation is underway.

2026-05-26T15:09:19.566249-07:00

U.S. Navy T-45C Goshawk crash in Mississippi: both aviators eject safely; training flights partially paused

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Aerial Firefighting News

Eurosatory 2026 spotlights helicopters as scalable counter-UAS platforms, from Airbus H160M “agnostic” drone integration to H145

Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet crashes in Washington national forest; pilot ejected safely, wildfire sparked by wreckage

University of Glasgow develops simulation software that accurately models real-time aircraft–wildfire interaction for aerial fir

Kepplair secures first ATR72 prototype for firefighting conversion, targeting first drop tests late 2026 and certification in sp

News Timeline