Reuters
The U.S. Army selected M1 Support Services for its Flight School Next program, centered on Robinson R66 helicopters replacing the UH-72 Lakota, while the Pentagon signed seven-year agreements with Boeing and RTX to expand production of SM-3 Block IIA and IB components as missile defense priorities shift.
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The U.S. Army has temporarily suspended AH-64 Apache training flights after two soldiers were killed during a maintenance test flight near Fort Hood, Texas. The fleet will remain grounded pending an investigation into the crash and determination of its cause.
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Rolls-Royce and Reliance Industries intend to partner on the design, development, manufacture and delivery of an indigenous combat engine for India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. The companies also plan to establish a dedicated aerospace gas-turbine complex in India, combining Rolls-Royce’s propulsion expertise with Reliance’s manufacturing capabilities.
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The U.S. Army selected M1 Support Services for its Flight School Next program, centered on Robinson R66 helicopters replacing the UH-72 Lakota, while the Pentagon signed seven-year agreements with Boeing and RTX to expand production of SM-3 Block IIA and IB components as missile defense priorities shift.
Two U.S. Army soldiers died after an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter crashed in central Texas. Officials had not immediately identified the cause, leaving the circumstances of the accident under investigation.
GE Aerospace’s T901 Improved Turbine Engine has achieved a preliminary flight rating as it advances through the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program. Designed to replace the T700 turboshaft, the engine will power UH-60M Black Hawk and AH-64E Apache helicopters, supporting greater reach and payload with lower fuel consumption.
Cockpit video from the July 12 crash of a K-Max firefighting helicopter in Colorado is supporting the NTSB’s investigation, whose preliminary findings indicate that pilot control inputs will be considered as a possible factor. The incident highlights the operational and safety risks of aerial firefighting missions.
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The FAA is preparing to move air-traffic control antennas and revise operating procedures after a safety incident involving Marine One near a busy Washington, D.C., airport. The changes are intended to improve communications and reduce the risk of another conflict between helicopter operations and airport traffic.
The U.S. Army awarded Collins Aerospace an engineering-services contract worth up to $472 million to support CH-47 Chinook avionics modernization, upgrades and sustainment. The award follows a separate $876 million Boeing contract for Block II Chinooks, taking Army investment in fleet modernization above $1 billion.
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