Bloomberg
• Leen Al-Rashdan
Archer Aviation will acquire Boeing subsidiaries Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid, bringing the former eVTOL rivals together and expanding Archer beyond urban air mobility. Boeing will receive a nearly 20% stake in Archer while retaining access to Wisk’s core autonomy technology.
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Former Army chief James McConville says hybrid-electric rotorcraft could improve range and sortie generation, as the Army advances platoon-level short-range reconnaissance UAS through a competitive fly-off. Separately, Boeing and Rheinmetall are pursuing accelerated sixth-generation air-combat capabilities, while Robinson Unmanned highlights sovereign drone manufacturing under a U.S. initiative.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ X-62A test aircraft conducted 27 intercepts against a live target, demonstrating the U.S. Air Force’s use of artificial intelligence to control a fighter aircraft during operationally relevant engagements.
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The U.S. Air Force is pursuing an AI tool to reduce the labor required to manage Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile sustainment. The system would help personnel sift through data from roughly 60 sources, targeting a more efficient approach to maintaining the strategic weapons system.
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Archer Aviation will acquire Boeing subsidiaries Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid, bringing the former eVTOL rivals together and expanding Archer beyond urban air mobility. Boeing will receive a nearly 20% stake in Archer while retaining access to Wisk’s core autonomy technology.
High activity
Archer Aviation will acquire Boeing subsidiaries Wisk Aero, drone maker Insitu and air traffic-management firm SkyGrid in an all-stock transaction pending regulatory approval. The deal would give Boeing nearly 20% of Archer, make it the largest outside shareholder and add a board seat, with closing expected by year-end.
Rheinmetall will establish a systems-integration facility in Germany for Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft, adding national technology as the partners seek to position the platform for a Luftwaffe requirement targeted for 2029.
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France’s CNES has secured multi-year access to Altair, a 10-satellite Earth-observation constellation being developed and manufactured by UAE-based Orbitworks. The agreement gives the French space agency access to an AI-enabled commercial constellation while expanding Orbitworks’ institutional customer base.
The first production YFQ-44A and the start of FQ-42A manufacturing show how rapidly the U.S. Air Force is moving collaborative combat aircraft from concept toward fielding. The effort reflects a wartime-priority approach to deploying new unmanned combat-aircraft capabilities.
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