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Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Embraer renews KC-390 Millennium push in Colombia and Chile as UAE partnership and contract milestones advance

Embraer is again pursuing KC-390 Millennium military transport sales in Colombia and Chile, with Colombia viewed as potentially close to a contract and Chile assessing the aircraft as a future Hercules replacement. In parallel, Embraer is expanding industrial ties in Europe via a Lithuania partnership and deepening its UAE position through a Generation 5 Holding strategic agreement and a UAE Air Force purchase contract signing.

2026-05-12T02:04:24.378715-07:00

FlightGlobal

Team SkyAlyne/ KF Aerospace completes factory acceptance on first CT-157 Siskin II trainer for Canada’s RCAF

2026-05-11T09:50:16.048758-07:00

FlightGlobal

GE XA102 and Pratt & Whitney XA103 clear key adaptive-cycle engine build milestones for the US Air Force’s NGAP

2026-05-11T16:55:52.116279-07:00

Breaking Defense

U.S. Navy creates Portfolio Acquisition Executives for aviation, mission systems and munitions to accelerate fleet capability de

2026-05-11T15:26:55.472090-07:00

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Air Data News

Embraer renews KC-390 Millennium push in Colombia and Chile as UAE partnership and contract milestones advance Embraer is again pursuing KC-390 Millennium military transport sales in Colombia and Chile, with Colombia viewed as potentially close to a contract and Chile assessing the aircraft as a future Hercules replacement. In parallel, Embraer is expanding industrial ties in Europe via a Lithuania partnership and deepening its UAE position through a Generation 5 Holding strategic agreement and a UAE Air Force purchase contract signing.

2026-05-12T02:04:24.378715-07:00

Embraer renews KC-390 Millennium push in Colombia and Chile as UAE partnership and contract milestones advance

FlightGlobal

GE XA102 and Pratt & Whitney XA103 clear key adaptive-cycle engine build milestones for the US Air Force’s NGAP GE Aerospace has cleared an assembly readiness review for its XA102 adaptive-cycle engine as part of the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. Pratt & Whitney (RTX) has completed a fully digital assembly readiness review for its XA103, advancing both designs toward future system demonstration for next-generation combat aircraft.

2026-05-11T16:55:52.116279-07:00

GE XA102 and Pratt & Whitney XA103 clear key adaptive-cycle engine build milestones for the US Air Force’s NGAP

AeroTime

USAF clears Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk for production, approves first 14 aircraft under $219M contract The U.S. Air Force has cleared Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk trainer for production and awarded a $219 million contract covering the first 14 aircraft. The decision moves the program from production readiness into an initial delivery ramp intended to accelerate advanced pilot training capacity.

2026-05-11T16:22:34.575918-07:00

USAF clears Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk for production, approves first 14 aircraft under $219M contract

FlightGlobal

USAF again targets U-2S retirements amid high airframe-age fatigue and sustainment costs, with a 2027 end-state The U.S. Air Force’s civilian leader says the high-altitude reconnaissance U-2S fleet faces “significant costs” driven by airframe aging and fatigue. The service is again planning retirements aimed at a 2027 sundown, underscoring mounting sustainment risk as the platform ages.

2026-05-11T16:19:51.248280-07:00

USAF again targets U-2S retirements amid high airframe-age fatigue and sustainment costs, with a 2027 end-state

Air Data News

Turkey signs first KAAN fifth-generation fighter order as Spain probes KAAN partnership Turkey has formally signed its first domestic production contract for the TAI KAAN, covering the program’s initial jets (with further quantities expected to scale). Separately, Spain is reportedly studying a potential partnership and possible purchase of the Turkish stealth fighter, signaling growing European interest in KAAN’s next-generation combat-aircraft offering.

2026-05-11T15:28:17.474880-07:00

Turkey signs first KAAN fifth-generation fighter order as Spain probes KAAN partnership

Breaking Defense

U.S. Navy creates Portfolio Acquisition Executives for aviation, mission systems and munitions to accelerate fleet capability de The Department of the Navy stood up three Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) offices—Aviation, Mission Systems, and Munitions—establishing enterprise-level acquisition authorities intended to speed prioritization, execution, and delivery of warfighting capability. Interim officials were named to lead procurement and fielding efforts across the three portfolios.

2026-05-11T15:26:55.472090-07:00

U.S. Navy creates Portfolio Acquisition Executives for aviation, mission systems and munitions to accelerate fleet capability de

The War Zone

USAF extends C-5 Galaxy service life to 2050 as readiness drops to 37% The U.S. Air Force says its C-5 Galaxy fleet will remain in service until 2050 despite “costly” upgrades that have not solved persistent airworthiness/availability issues. Readiness is now reported at 37%, underscoring how sustainment risk can drive decades-long lifespan decisions.

2026-05-11T12:32:08.067333-07:00

USAF extends C-5 Galaxy service life to 2050 as readiness drops to 37%

FlightGlobal

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Team SkyAlyne/ KF Aerospace completes factory acceptance on first CT-157 Siskin II trainer for Canada’s RCAF Team SkyAlyne has completed factory acceptance on the first CT-157 Siskin II trainer for the RCAF, marking a key step ahead of delivery start later this year. The aircraft is one of 19 planned CT-157s; production and testing continue to build momentum toward the Ottawa fleet.

2026-05-11T09:50:16.048758-07:00

Team SkyAlyne/ KF Aerospace completes factory acceptance on first CT-157 Siskin II trainer for Canada’s RCAF

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

Embraer renews KC-390 Millennium push in Colombia and Chile as UAE partnership and contract milestones advance

Team SkyAlyne/ KF Aerospace completes factory acceptance on first CT-157 Siskin II trainer for Canada’s RCAF

GE XA102 and Pratt & Whitney XA103 clear key adaptive-cycle engine build milestones for the US Air Force’s NGAP

U.S. Navy creates Portfolio Acquisition Executives for aviation, mission systems and munitions to accelerate fleet capability de

News Timeline