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The War Zone • Howard Altman

How USAF Special Tactics Would Turn a Remote Iranian Strip into a Temporary Airbase in Hours

A former U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Squadron member explains how a remote airstrip in Iran could be converted into a temporary forward airbase within hours, covering rapid runway preparation, emplacement of force‑protection and airfield‑defence measures, and tactical employment of special‑operations assets to sustain short‑term flights.

2026-04-06T12:01:50.426973-07:00

interestingengineering.com

China flies 7.5‑ton (16,535 lb) unmanned cargo aircraft powered by megawatt‑class hydrogen turboprop

2026-04-06T01:58:43.664140-07:00

FlightGlobal

RMAF conducts first test flight of TAI Anka‑S MALE UAV

2026-04-05T22:01:11.491000-07:00

AeroTime

France to ramp drone production 400% and boost guided-weapons output, POLITICO reports

2026-04-05T23:06:37.437930-07:00

News Timeline

The War Zone

How USAF Special Tactics Would Turn a Remote Iranian Strip into a Temporary Airbase in Hours A former U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Squadron member explains how a remote airstrip in Iran could be converted into a temporary forward airbase within hours, covering rapid runway preparation, emplacement of force‑protection and airfield‑defence measures, and tactical employment of special‑operations assets to sustain short‑term flights.

2026-04-06T12:01:50.426973-07:00

How USAF Special Tactics Would Turn a Remote Iranian Strip into a Temporary Airbase in Hours

interestingengineering.com

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China flies 7.5‑ton (16,535 lb) unmanned cargo aircraft powered by megawatt‑class hydrogen turboprop China completed the maiden flight of a 7.5‑metric‑ton (16,535 lb) unmanned cargo aircraft in Zhuzhou, Hunan, powered by a megawatt‑class (≈1 MW) hydrogen turboprop developed by AECC. The sortie demonstrates hydrogen propulsion viability for light cargo UAS and is described as a world‑first.

2026-04-06T01:58:43.664140-07:00

China flies 7.5‑ton (16,535 lb) unmanned cargo aircraft powered by megawatt‑class hydrogen turboprop

AeroTime

France to ramp drone production 400% and boost guided-weapons output, POLITICO reports France plans to increase drone production by 400%, guided-bomb output by 240%, and Aster and MICA missile production by 30%, POLITICO reports. The measures aim to rapidly replenish munitions stocks and expand offensive and air‑defence capacity amid ongoing European security pressures.

2026-04-05T23:06:37.437930-07:00

France to ramp drone production 400% and boost guided-weapons output, POLITICO reports

FlightGlobal

RMAF conducts first test flight of TAI Anka‑S MALE UAV The Royal Malaysian Air Force flew its first Turkish Aerospace Industries Anka‑S medium‑altitude, long‑endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle on 3 April — a three‑hour maiden sortie from Labuan air base. Malaysia says the system will bolster long‑endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ahead of service entry.

2026-04-05T22:01:11.491000-07:00

RMAF conducts first test flight of TAI Anka‑S MALE UAV

AeroTime

Pentagon weighs anti‑drone laser deployments at US sites The Pentagon is considering broader deployment of laser‑based counter‑drone systems at select U.S. locations after a series of drone incursions near military bases and other sensitive sites. The deliberation signals an effort to accelerate fielding of directed‑energy tools to detect and defeat small UAS on domestic soil.

2026-04-02T13:25:58.058091-07:00

Pentagon weighs anti‑drone laser deployments at US sites

Aviation Today

Army Accepts First Optionally‑Piloted Black Hawk; Will Test Autonomy to Inform Fleet Scaling The U.S. Army has formally accepted its first optionally‑piloted Black Hawk helicopter and will subject the aircraft to a rigorous test campaign. Data from the evaluations will be used to inform decisions on scaling autonomous and optionally‑piloted capabilities across the UH‑60 fleet.

2026-04-02T09:38:59.528988-07:00

Army Accepts First Optionally‑Piloted Black Hawk; Will Test Autonomy to Inform Fleet Scaling

Aviation Today

Army scales SkyFoundry, brings in commercial partners to hit one‑million drones by 2028 The U.S. Army's SkyFoundry drone initiative has "evolved" to bring in commercial partners and scale U.S. production toward a goal of one million low‑cost systems by 2028. The shift signals a move from experimental buys to monthly mass manufacture and expanded counter‑drone capability.

2026-04-02T09:38:58.208150-07:00

Army scales SkyFoundry, brings in commercial partners to hit one‑million drones by 2028

Aviation Today

Scaled Composites' Talon IQ Model 437 flies Prism and Shield AI Hivemind mission-autonomy test ahead of CCA Increment 2 Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites flew a Talon IQ Model 437 on a mission-autonomy test that integrated Northrop’s Prism autonomy software with Shield AI’s Hivemind. The sortie demonstrates multi-vendor autonomy interoperability on the Talon IQ platform as work ramps toward the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Increment 2 effort.

2026-04-02T09:38:57.955217-07:00

Scaled Composites' Talon IQ Model 437 flies Prism and Shield AI Hivemind mission-autonomy test ahead of CCA Increment 2

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UAV Development & Drone Programs News

How USAF Special Tactics Would Turn a Remote Iranian Strip into a Temporary Airbase in Hours

China flies 7.5‑ton (16,535 lb) unmanned cargo aircraft powered by megawatt‑class hydrogen turboprop

RMAF conducts first test flight of TAI Anka‑S MALE UAV

France to ramp drone production 400% and boost guided-weapons output, POLITICO reports

News Timeline