Bloomberg
• Sara Gharaibeh
Saudi Arabia said an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in Najran province because of a technical malfunction, killing both crew members. The Houthis later released footage they said showed the aircraft being hit by a loitering munition; amid repeated attacks, Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre ordered office tenants to work remotely.
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Saudi Arabia said an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in Najran province because of a technical malfunction, killing both crew members. The Houthis later released footage they said showed the aircraft being hit by a loitering munition; amid repeated attacks, Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre ordered office tenants to work remotely.
Blade is operating helicopter shuttles between the NBAA-BACE convention center and the event’s static display in Las Vegas. The service offers attendees an aerial alternative to ground transfers between the two venues.
Airbus Helicopters’ forthcoming campaign for its Racer compound-rotorcraft demonstrator will test engine “eco-mode,” low-noise approach procedures and longer-range flight capability. The trials are intended to show the aircraft can deliver more than high-speed performance, examining operational characteristics that could shape the case for compound rotorcraft.
Bell has completed key assembly milestones on the first MV-75 Cheyenne II for the U.S. Army, whose tiltrotor is in low-rate production and is intended to add speed, range and a digital, modular architecture. Separate reporting describes a demonstration of the MQ-72C cargo helicopter drone for the Army, alongside Marine Corps interest.
Israel’s Defense Ministry and the U.S. Pentagon have signed an agreement for 12 Boeing-manufactured AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, following Israeli government approval. Deliveries are expected to begin in the 2030s, making the purchase a long-lead addition to the Israel Defense Forces’ attack-helicopter fleet.
Bell and PhotonFirst have signed an agreement to advance fiber-optic sensing technology for rotorcraft applications. The effort focuses on aircraft structural health monitoring, bringing the two companies together to develop sensing capabilities for tracking the condition of aircraft structures.
Aero Friedrichshafen says it will expand its helicopter presence at the 2027 event, spanning executive and general aviation. The announcement signals a broader role for rotorcraft at the show, though the available report provides no details on participating companies, aircraft or the scale of the expansion.
NASA’s SkyFall helicopters are expected to extend exploration beyond areas accessible to ground vehicles, covering distance quickly and reaching terrain that may otherwise be difficult or impossible to examine. Scientists say the aircraft could give researchers views of parts of Mars not previously seen.
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