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Aviation Week • Tony Osborne

RAF moves APKWS guided rockets onto frontline Typhoon jets for Middle East counter-drone missions

The Royal Air Force has deployed the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) on Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighters operating in the Middle East, shifting the guided-rocket capability from testing to operational use in under two months. The low-cost intercept option is designed for one-way attack drone threats, with live-firing trials supporting continued development.

2026-05-16T16:10:48.963293-07:00

Flying Magazine

Merlin rolls out “Condor” autonomy product line for large cargo aircraft, pairing civil rollout with ongoing C-130J military cer

2026-05-14T10:50:57.055655-07:00

Bloomberg

Finland grounds Helsinki-Vantaa traffic for hours after a drone warning; F/A-18s scrambled and multiple diversions reported

2026-05-15T00:10:45.245203-07:00

FlightGlobal

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U

2026-05-15T04:38:12.321145-07:00

News Timeline

Aviation Week

RAF moves APKWS guided rockets onto frontline Typhoon jets for Middle East counter-drone missions The Royal Air Force has deployed the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) on Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighters operating in the Middle East, shifting the guided-rocket capability from testing to operational use in under two months. The low-cost intercept option is designed for one-way attack drone threats, with live-firing trials supporting continued development.

2026-05-16T16:10:48.963293-07:00

RAF moves APKWS guided rockets onto frontline Typhoon jets for Middle East counter-drone missions

Via Satellite

Kymeta to integrate Kestrel u5 multi-orbit SATCOM terminals into Red Cat uncrewed surface vessels Kymeta will work with Red Cat Futures to integrate its satellite communications terminals into Red Cat’s uncrewed surface vessels under a May 14 partnership. The move leverages Kymeta’s multi-orbit terminal (Kestrel u5) to support autonomous, mobile command-and-control and high-speed industrial mobility operations.

2026-05-15T11:10:21.176736-07:00

Kymeta to integrate Kestrel u5 multi-orbit SATCOM terminals into Red Cat uncrewed surface vessels

FlightGlobal

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U The UK Ministry of Defence has advanced Project NYX by selecting four companies—BAE Systems (UK), Anduril UK, Tekever, and Thales—for a concept demonstrator to field autonomous, uncrewed “wingmen” operating alongside AH-64 Apache helicopters. In the next phase, MOD down-selected Anduril UK for development toward operational capability by 2030.

2026-05-15T04:38:12.321145-07:00

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U

FlightGlobal

Vertical Aerospace seeks dismissal of Archer Aviation US patent-infringement suit, calling claims “threadbare allegations” Vertical Aerospace has asked a US court to throw out Archer Aviation’s patent-infringement lawsuit, characterizing Archer’s allegations as “threadbare.” The filing responds to Archer’s claims that Vertical’s Valo eVTOL copies patented elements of Archer’s Midnight, escalating a fast-moving legal fight between the two eVTOL developers.

2026-05-15T03:43:13.554174-07:00

Vertical Aerospace seeks dismissal of Archer Aviation US patent-infringement suit, calling claims “threadbare allegations”

Bloomberg

Finland grounds Helsinki-Vantaa traffic for hours after a drone warning; F/A-18s scrambled and multiple diversions reported Finland issued an emergency drone alert near Helsinki-Vantaa, prompting three-hour airport operations suspensions, scramble of F/A-18 fighters, and early diversions for inbound long-haul flights. President Sauli Niinistö said the incident does not reflect any “direct military threat.”

2026-05-15T00:10:45.245203-07:00

Finland grounds Helsinki-Vantaa traffic for hours after a drone warning; F/A-18s scrambled and multiple diversions reported

FlightGlobal

US Air Force awards $18m contract to Aevex for production of Group 3 one-way attack drones The US Air Force has signed an $18 million contract with Aevex for the production of an undisclosed number and type of Group 3-sized one-way attack drones. The award expands USAF inventory into the rapidly growing one-way attack drone category as procurement shifts further toward expendable UAS.

2026-05-14T13:23:50.008346-07:00

US Air Force awards $18m contract to Aevex for production of Group 3 one-way attack drones

Flying Magazine

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Merlin rolls out “Condor” autonomy product line for large cargo aircraft, pairing civil rollout with ongoing C-130J military cer Merlin says it is extending its aircraft-agnostic, AI-powered autonomy core into commercial cargo with a new “Condor” family, starting with large, multi-crew airframes. The company also continues certification work for military transports, including a development path tied to a Lockheed Martin C-130J.

2026-05-14T10:50:57.055655-07:00

Merlin rolls out “Condor” autonomy product line for large cargo aircraft, pairing civil rollout with ongoing C-130J military cer

AeroTime

Balikatan 2026 showcases Australia–Philippines–Japan–U.S. air surveillance and IAMD training with mobile radar, drones, Black Ha During Exercise Balikatan’s 41st iteration, Australia provided subject-matter expert exchanges for mobile radar systems to bolster Philippine air surveillance, alongside UH-60 Black Hawk crews deploying maritime sensing buoys in the Luzon Strait. The exercise also emphasized multinational integrated air and missile defense training, including drone-enabled tactics.

2026-05-14T04:41:07.466600-07:00

Balikatan 2026 showcases Australia–Philippines–Japan–U.S. air surveillance and IAMD training with mobile radar, drones, Black Ha

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UAV Development & Drone Programs News

RAF moves APKWS guided rockets onto frontline Typhoon jets for Middle East counter-drone missions

Merlin rolls out “Condor” autonomy product line for large cargo aircraft, pairing civil rollout with ongoing C-130J military cer

Finland grounds Helsinki-Vantaa traffic for hours after a drone warning; F/A-18s scrambled and multiple diversions reported

Project NYX: UK selects 4 firms to develop an Apache “loyal wingman” autonomous collaborative platform, down-selecting Anduril U

News Timeline