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Aviation Week • Steve Trimble

GE Aerospace wins U.S. Air Force PDR funding for GE426 medium-thrust engine to support Autonomous Collaborative Platform

GE Aerospace has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to complete the preliminary design review for its GE426 medium-thrust engine, aimed at the Air Force’s Autonomous Collaborative Platform effort. GE also separately unveiled a small turbofan design optimized for the cost profile of the emerging collaborative combat aircraft market.

2026-05-19T05:11:14.081754-07:00

FlightGlobal

Canada to retire Snowbirds’ CT-114 Tutor jets after the 2026 airshow season; selects PC-21-based CT-157 Siskin II turboprops for

2026-05-19T12:10:05.021670-07:00

defence-blog.com

Russia begins flight testing Su-57D twin-seat stealth fighter prototype after first airborne sortie

2026-05-19T11:25:23.543577-07:00

FlightGlobal

AFSOC expands OA-1K Skyraider II close air support with rapid disassembly, transport and reassembly

2026-05-19T09:54:37.145977-07:00

News Timeline

FlightGlobal

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Canada to retire Snowbirds’ CT-114 Tutor jets after the 2026 airshow season; selects PC-21-based CT-157 Siskin II turboprops for Canada will stand down the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds after the 2026 airshow season and replace its 60+ year-old CT-114 Tutor jets (CL-41) with the CT-157 Siskin II turboprop, based on the Pilatus PC-21. Deliveries are expected in the early 2030s, driving the team’s hiatus.

2026-05-19T12:10:05.021670-07:00

Canada to retire Snowbirds’ CT-114 Tutor jets after the 2026 airshow season; selects PC-21-based CT-157 Siskin II turboprops for

defence-blog.com

Russia begins flight testing Su-57D twin-seat stealth fighter prototype after first airborne sortie Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation has flown a rebuilt Su-57 prototype for the first time in a two-seat configuration and then started flight-testing the Su-57D, a twin-seat variant of the S u-57. Footage released by TV Zvezda on May 19, 2026 marks the transition from reported taxi trials to airborne testing, with reported potential for drone-coordination missions.

2026-05-19T11:25:23.543577-07:00

Russia begins flight testing Su-57D twin-seat stealth fighter prototype after first airborne sortie

Air Data News

Czech Air Force KC-390 Millennium completes first flight in Brazil ahead of near-term delivery Embraer says the first of two KC-390 Millennium aircraft ordered by the Czech Air Force has completed its maiden flight at Gavião Peixoto, where the programme is supported by Embraer’s industrial and test facilities. Prague’s aircraft are configured for transport, refuelling and aerial missions, with the first delivery expected shortly.

2026-05-19T10:40:19.832520-07:00

Czech Air Force KC-390 Millennium completes first flight in Brazil ahead of near-term delivery

FlightGlobal

AFSOC expands OA-1K Skyraider II close air support with rapid disassembly, transport and reassembly U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command has widened the scope of its OA-1K Skyraider II close air support aircraft to add rapid disassembly, loading into transport aircraft, reassembly and redeployment. The militarized AT-802 concept is designed to give small, isolated special ops teams overhead ISR and on-call firepower.

2026-05-19T09:54:37.145977-07:00

AFSOC expands OA-1K Skyraider II close air support with rapid disassembly, transport and reassembly

Breaking Defense

Italy signs for six Airbus A330 MRTT tankers to replace KC-767; deal priced around €1.4B Italy is set to acquire six Airbus A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft, with tender documents and procurement updates placing the contract at roughly €1.4B–€1.39B ($1.6B). The buy replaces Rome’s current KC-767 fleet of four and follows Italy’s 2022 decision to pursue KC-46 tankers.

2026-05-19T09:10:26.446797-07:00

Italy signs for six Airbus A330 MRTT tankers to replace KC-767; deal priced around €1.4B

Aviation Week

GE Aerospace wins U.S. Air Force PDR funding for GE426 medium-thrust engine to support Autonomous Collaborative Platform GE Aerospace has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to complete the preliminary design review for its GE426 medium-thrust engine, aimed at the Air Force’s Autonomous Collaborative Platform effort. GE also separately unveiled a small turbofan design optimized for the cost profile of the emerging collaborative combat aircraft market.

2026-05-19T05:11:14.081754-07:00

GE Aerospace wins U.S. Air Force PDR funding for GE426 medium-thrust engine to support Autonomous Collaborative Platform

AeroTime

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Romanian NATO F-16s shoot down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia—Baltic Air Policing’s first documented engagement Romanian F-16s operating under NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission downed a suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia after it entered Estonian airspace from Russia. Estonian officials said the trajectory drove the decision to take it down, marking the first-ever engagement for the 22-year-old operation.

2026-05-19T04:09:20.248562-07:00

Romanian NATO F-16s shoot down suspected Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia—Baltic Air Policing’s first documented engagement

Air Data News

Lithuania prosecutors shut pre-trial probe into proposed Embraer C-390 Millennium acquisition Lithuanian prosecutors have closed a pre-trial investigation into the proposed purchase of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium military transport, local media report. Investigators found no evidence of abuse, procurement violations, or improper influence during the acquisition process.

2026-05-19T03:44:56.021990-07:00

Lithuania prosecutors shut pre-trial probe into proposed Embraer C-390 Millennium acquisition

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

GE Aerospace wins U.S. Air Force PDR funding for GE426 medium-thrust engine to support Autonomous Collaborative Platform

Canada to retire Snowbirds’ CT-114 Tutor jets after the 2026 airshow season; selects PC-21-based CT-157 Siskin II turboprops for

Russia begins flight testing Su-57D twin-seat stealth fighter prototype after first airborne sortie

AFSOC expands OA-1K Skyraider II close air support with rapid disassembly, transport and reassembly

News Timeline