FlightGlobal
• Craig Hoyle
Tekever expects to begin delivering its AR5 tactical uncrewed aerial system to the British Army before year-end under Project Corvus, a contract the company values at up to £400 million over 10 years. The system is intended to replace the Army’s Watchkeeper capability, though fleet size and runway dependence remain concerns.
Military Aircraft Procurement
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Tekever expects to begin delivering its AR5 tactical uncrewed aerial system to the British Army before year-end under Project Corvus, a contract the company values at up to £400 million over 10 years. The system is intended to replace the Army’s Watchkeeper capability, though fleet size and runway dependence remain concerns.
Archer Aviation says its all-electric Midnight completed a piloted roundtrip between Salinas Municipal Airport and Monterey Regional Airport, demonstrating rapid intercity operations ahead of the White House’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. Separately, Archer and Korean Air are examining military transport uses including troop deployment, medical evacuation and rescue missions.
The Department of War is considering alternative engine suppliers for the F-15EX and F-16, a move that could disrupt the long-running engine duopoly supporting two key U.S. Air Force fighter types. The request signals potential competitive and industrial-base implications for both programs.
The Air Force’s B-52 engine modernization could incur higher costs and slip schedules, while separate fighter-engine programs face quality and reliability concerns. Production delays, material shortages and manufacturing weaknesses are prompting the service to consider new suppliers and manufacturers.
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Northrop Grumman has signed two multi-year framework agreements worth more than $3 billion with the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin to supply components for Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The agreements support a broader U.S. effort to replenish missile inventories strained by conflicts in Iran and Ukraine.
NHIndustries and the NATO Helicopter Management Agency have completed the first flight of the NH90 in its Software Release 3 configuration, also known as Block 1. The upgrade introduces Link 22 connectivity, improved sensors and enhanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities for NATO fleets.
Leonardo CEO Lorenzo Mariani says the Global Combat Air Programme could enter service around two years earlier than its current 2035 target, while BAE Systems CEO Charles Woodburn warns that the opportunity for additional partner nations is closing. An accelerated schedule could affect the program’s initial combat capabilities.
The Government Accountability Office warns that the U.S. Air Force’s effort to modernize the B-52 Stratofortress has become a roughly $21 billion program facing cost growth and schedule risks, raising questions about execution of the bomber’s long-term upgrade plan.
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