AeroTime
• Jean Carmela Lim
The U.S. Army awarded Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, a contract worth up to $472 million for engineering services supporting CH-47 Chinook avionics modernization, upgrades and sustainment. Separately, Boeing received $876 million for Block II Chinooks, bringing the Army’s modernization commitments above $1 billion.
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The U.S. Army awarded Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, a contract worth up to $472 million for engineering services supporting CH-47 Chinook avionics modernization, upgrades and sustainment. Separately, Boeing received $876 million for Block II Chinooks, bringing the Army’s modernization commitments above $1 billion.
A U.S. military helicopter fired at the rudder of a Panama-flagged vessel after its crew ignored warnings from personnel enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a U.S. official. The incident marks a direct use of force in enforcing the maritime restriction.
Former Army chief James McConville says hybrid-electric rotorcraft could improve range and sortie generation, as the Army advances platoon-level short-range reconnaissance UAS through a competitive fly-off. Separately, Boeing and Rheinmetall are pursuing accelerated sixth-generation air-combat capabilities, while Robinson Unmanned highlights sovereign drone manufacturing under a U.S. initiative.
Spain’s Airworks has received a restricted-category UH-60L for wildfire response after an 18-month collaboration with Timberline Helicopters, while Pegasus Aero Group signed a long-term, multi-aircraft lease agreement with SkyConnect Leasing. The developments point to growing European operating and support capacity for the heavy helicopter type.
A heavy-lift helicopter crashed while supporting firefighting operations near Richfield, Utah, but dangerous wildfire conditions prevented emergency responders from safely reaching the remote site. The incident came as rapidly spreading flames in Oregon killed a bulldozer operator, underscoring the hazards facing wildfire crews on multiple fronts.
A firefighting helicopter crashed near the Widemouth 2 wildfire in Utah, killing two people aboard. The aircraft was responding to a blaze that has burned more than 100,000 acres since it started last month, underscoring the operational risks facing aerial firefighting crews.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has completed initial tests of a lightweight radar antenna for the planned SkyFall mission, which would deploy three small helicopters on Mars. The ground-penetrating system is designed to search for subsurface frozen water while enabling airborne exploration of the Red Planet.
Belgium has blocked the proposed acquisition of NHV Group by China-linked GD Helicopter Finance. The helicopter operator supports offshore energy and defense operations, making the decision a notable intervention in foreign investment involving strategically relevant aviation assets.
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