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FlightGlobal • Dominic Perry

Leonardo wins UK New Medium Helicopter contest — 23 AW149s to be built at Yeovil in £1bn deal

Leonardo Helicopters has been declared winner of the UK Ministry of Defence's £1 billion New Medium Helicopter competition. The award commits to a reported 23 AW149s to be built at Leonardo's Yeovil facility, moving the NMH programme into production and anchoring UK rotorcraft industrial work.

2026-03-01T05:34:42.656693-08:00

Reuters

Bolivian Air Force C-130H carrying newly printed banknotes crashes on landing at El Alto; at least 15 dead

2026-02-27T17:01:24.686448-08:00

The War Zone

Israeli F-15 ‘Baz’ fighters escorted a B-52 while carrying older-era air-to-air missiles

2026-02-28T03:12:23.980960-08:00

The War Zone

High operational demand and small nuclear‑qualified B‑52 pool squeeze engine and AESA retrofit schedules

2026-02-27T09:56:47.367424-08:00

News Timeline

FlightGlobal

Leonardo wins UK New Medium Helicopter contest — 23 AW149s to be built at Yeovil in £1bn deal Leonardo Helicopters has been declared winner of the UK Ministry of Defence's £1 billion New Medium Helicopter competition. The award commits to a reported 23 AW149s to be built at Leonardo's Yeovil facility, moving the NMH programme into production and anchoring UK rotorcraft industrial work.

2026-03-01T05:34:42.656693-08:00

Leonardo wins UK New Medium Helicopter contest — 23 AW149s to be built at Yeovil in £1bn deal

The War Zone

Israeli F-15 ‘Baz’ fighters escorted a B-52 while carrying older-era air-to-air missiles Photos show Israel's modified F-15 'Baz' fighters escorting a US B-52 while carrying an eclectic mix of air-to-air missiles, including older-era rounds. The images underscore the Baz fleet's bespoke loadouts and its role patrolling Israeli airspace during allied bomber transits.

2026-02-28T03:12:23.980960-08:00

Israeli F-15 ‘Baz’ fighters escorted a B-52 while carrying older-era air-to-air missiles

Reuters

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Bolivian Air Force C-130H carrying newly printed banknotes crashes on landing at El Alto; at least 15 dead A Bolivian Air Force C-130H transport carrying newly printed banknotes veered off the runway while landing at El Alto International Airport and came to rest in a nearby field and urban road; at least 15 people were killed and dozens injured. Authorities have opened an investigation amid reports of attempted looting.

2026-02-27T17:01:24.686448-08:00

Bolivian Air Force C-130H carrying newly printed banknotes crashes on landing at El Alto; at least 15 dead

Space.com

US Air Force officially designates missile-shaped experimental aircraft as X-68A The U.S. Air Force has formally designated its missile‑shaped experimental X‑plane as the X‑68A, giving the developmental aircraft an official X‑series identity. The designation documents the program within USAF experimental test channels and establishes a formal reference for forthcoming flight test and reporting.

2026-02-27T12:13:23.211373-08:00

US Air Force officially designates missile-shaped experimental aircraft as X-68A

The War Zone

High operational demand and small nuclear‑qualified B‑52 pool squeeze engine and AESA retrofit schedules The USAF’s effort to re‑engine B‑52s and install AESA radar upgrades is facing a scheduling crunch: only a small subset are nuclear‑qualified and the whole fleet is heavily tasked globally, leaving few airframes available for the lengthy depot work the programs require.

2026-02-27T09:56:47.367424-08:00

High operational demand and small nuclear‑qualified B‑52 pool squeeze engine and AESA retrofit schedules

FlightGlobal

Singapore buys three G550-based maritime surveillance aircraft to bolster early warning and complement P-8A fleet Singapore will acquire three Gulfstream G550-based maritime surveillance aircraft fitted with Oron-style radars, the Ministry of Defence announced. The G550-MSAs will replace veteran Fokker 50s and provide an interim early-warning and maritime-domain awareness layer ahead of RSAF P-8A Poseidon arrivals.

2026-02-27T06:45:41.214872-08:00

Singapore buys three G550-based maritime surveillance aircraft to bolster early warning and complement P-8A fleet

FlightGlobal

First Pilatus PC-21 'Siskin II' for the RCAF completes maiden flight in Switzerland Pilatus has completed the first flight of a PC-21 trainer produced for the Royal Canadian Air Force, conducting initial flight-testing of the RCAF-designated Siskin II in Switzerland. The company plans to begin deliveries to Canada in the second half of this year to support RCAF pilot training.

2026-02-27T04:05:47.196561-08:00

First Pilatus PC-21 'Siskin II' for the RCAF completes maiden flight in Switzerland

FlightGlobal

Elbit to equip Israeli Air Force UH-60 Black Hawks with Helmet Display and Tracking Systems Elbit Systems will supply its Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS) for the Israeli Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk fleet, giving aircrews helmet‑mounted symbology and tracking to improve situational awareness in degraded‑visual environments, including brownouts, and support safer low‑level operations.

2026-02-26T21:10:45.559107-08:00

Elbit to equip Israeli Air Force UH-60 Black Hawks with Helmet Display and Tracking Systems

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

Leonardo wins UK New Medium Helicopter contest — 23 AW149s to be built at Yeovil in £1bn deal

Bolivian Air Force C-130H carrying newly printed banknotes crashes on landing at El Alto; at least 15 dead

Israeli F-15 ‘Baz’ fighters escorted a B-52 while carrying older-era air-to-air missiles

High operational demand and small nuclear‑qualified B‑52 pool squeeze engine and AESA retrofit schedules

News Timeline