The War Zone
• Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick
Sierra Nevada Corp. has withdrawn its Freedom Jet from the U.S. Navy’s competition to replace its T-45C Goshawk trainers. With Lockheed Martin and Boeing also having left the contest, the Textron Aviation Defense-Leonardo team and its M-346N are now the only known remaining offer; the Navy has not announced an award.
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Sierra Nevada Corp. has withdrawn its Freedom Jet from the U.S. Navy’s competition to replace its T-45C Goshawk trainers. With Lockheed Martin and Boeing also having left the contest, the Textron Aviation Defense-Leonardo team and its M-346N are now the only known remaining offer; the Navy has not announced an award.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has again criticized the limited competition between Airbus and Boeing and the long wait for new aircraft. His concern is shared by airline executives globally, underscoring the industry’s reliance on the two major airframers for new commercial jets.
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Avolon has signed its previously announced order for 140 737 MAX aircraft, with every jet specified as the MAX 10—the largest 737 variant and the biggest MAX order by a lessor. Separately, Qantas sold 44 737NGs to AerFin as it retires the aircraft, expanding the aftermarket specialist’s Asia-Pacific presence.
Rolls-Royce has placed two large billboards in Seattle, including one visible from Alaska Air Group’s headquarters, promoting its Trent 1000 XE engine as an option for the airline’s future Boeing 787-10s. The campaign signals a push to challenge GE for a share of the potential widebody fleet.
The FAA has ordered inspections of fuel-tank sealant on 60 Boeing 787s registered in the United States, citing a potential explosion risk if lightning strikes ignite fuel vapors. The directive puts attention on a specific aircraft-system vulnerability and the inspection work required to address it.
Boeing’s 2026 Commercial Market Outlook projects Middle East passenger traffic will increase 4.3% annually over the next 20 years, despite industry headwinds, and forecasts the region’s commercial fleet will double by 2045. The outlook links that growth to demand supporting trade, tourism and commerce.
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