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FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

USAF, Northrop agree $4.5B acceleration to boost B‑21 Raider output 25%

The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have agreed a $4.5 billion production‑acceleration package to raise B‑21 Raider output by 25% annually, expediting deliveries of the next‑generation stealth bomber. One report cites a planned in‑service date in 2027 as production ramps up.

2026-02-23T22:00:38.274005-08:00

FlightGlobal

GA‑ASI arms MQ‑9B with long‑range standoff munitions and demonstrates F‑22–Avenger manned–unmanned teaming

2026-02-23T22:00:38.780286-08:00

FlightGlobal

BAE and USAF demonstrate modular, scalable airborne electronic-attack pod for manned aircraft and large UAS

2026-02-24T00:34:00.647028-08:00

Reuters

Iranian Army helicopter crashes into Isfahan fruit market, four killed

2026-02-24T00:41:42.175776-08:00

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Reuters

Iranian Army helicopter crashes into Isfahan fruit market, four killed An Iranian Army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in Isfahan on Tuesday, killing the pilot, co-pilot and two merchants and sparking a fire that emergency services extinguished. The incident follows a recent fighter‑jet crash in Hamadan and highlights Iran’s ageing military fleet and spare‑parts shortages.

2026-02-24T00:41:42.175776-08:00

Iranian Army helicopter crashes into Isfahan fruit market, four killed

FlightGlobal

BAE and USAF demonstrate modular, scalable airborne electronic-attack pod for manned aircraft and large UAS BAE Systems and the U.S. Air Force successfully demonstrated a modular, scalable airborne electronic-attack (EA) pod in multiple flight-test events. The prototype, flown on both manned platforms and a large UAS, uses high‑power modular hardware intended to suppress adversary air defenses and disrupt battlespace electromagnetic coordination.

2026-02-24T00:34:00.647028-08:00

BAE and USAF demonstrate modular, scalable airborne electronic-attack pod for manned aircraft and large UAS

FlightGlobal

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GA‑ASI arms MQ‑9B with long‑range standoff munitions and demonstrates F‑22–Avenger manned–unmanned teaming General Atomics is integrating long‑range standoff precision munitions onto its MQ‑9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian to add naval and deep‑strike roles while retaining endurance and ISR flexibility. Separately, GA‑ASI and the USAF demonstrated manned–unmanned teaming with an F‑22 controlling an MQ‑20 Avenger in an autonomy exercise.

2026-02-23T22:00:38.780286-08:00

GA‑ASI arms MQ‑9B with long‑range standoff munitions and demonstrates F‑22–Avenger manned–unmanned teaming

FlightGlobal

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USAF, Northrop agree $4.5B acceleration to boost B‑21 Raider output 25% The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have agreed a $4.5 billion production‑acceleration package to raise B‑21 Raider output by 25% annually, expediting deliveries of the next‑generation stealth bomber. One report cites a planned in‑service date in 2027 as production ramps up.

2026-02-23T22:00:38.274005-08:00

USAF, Northrop agree $4.5B acceleration to boost B‑21 Raider output 25%

FlightGlobal

Embraer’s KC-390 demonstrator crisscrosses the globe on worldwide sales tour Since its September 2024 debut, Embraer’s company-owned KC-390 demonstrator has been on an intensive world tour, visiting potential customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. The travelling demonstrator is aiming to secure new orders for the Brazilian airframer’s multi-role transport.

2026-02-23T22:00:38.109353-08:00

Embraer’s KC-390 demonstrator crisscrosses the globe on worldwide sales tour

FlightGlobal

China’s collaborative combat aircraft push: the software race outpacing airframes Beijing is advancing multiple collaborative combat aircraft airframes, but analysts argue the decisive contest is in autonomy, mission software and networking rather than hardware. China’s emphasis on AI-enabled command-and-control aims to field interoperable ‘drone wingmen’ and integrated sensor networks at scale.

2026-02-23T20:10:22.432473-08:00

China’s collaborative combat aircraft push: the software race outpacing airframes

FlightGlobal

L3Harris expands SkyWarden/OA‑1K roles with gun pod, SIGINT and long‑range weapons; urges bigger U.S. buy L3Harris is broadening the mission set of its SkyWarden/OA‑1K Skyraider II close‑air‑support turboprop with a gun pod, onboard signals‑intelligence sensors and longer‑range missiles, and says international demand could equal the U.S. 75‑aircraft program of record. The company is pressing for a larger U.S. buy to sustain production.

2026-02-23T18:00:18.883319-08:00

L3Harris expands SkyWarden/OA‑1K roles with gun pod, SIGINT and long‑range weapons; urges bigger U.S. buy

DVIDS / U.S. DoD

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USAF moves CCA into captive‑carry weapons integration as Lockheed flights AI Combat ID on F‑35 The USAF has begun captive‑carry weapons‑integration testing for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme after releasing an image of Anduril’s YFQ‑44 Fury carrying an inert AIM‑120 AMRAAM to validate airworthiness and systems performance. Lockheed separately flight‑tested an AI combat‑identification model that produced an independent Combat ID on an F‑35 display.

2026-02-23T16:56:20.295578-08:00

USAF moves CCA into captive‑carry weapons integration as Lockheed flights AI Combat ID on F‑35

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

USAF, Northrop agree $4.5B acceleration to boost B‑21 Raider output 25%

GA‑ASI arms MQ‑9B with long‑range standoff munitions and demonstrates F‑22–Avenger manned–unmanned teaming

BAE and USAF demonstrate modular, scalable airborne electronic-attack pod for manned aircraft and large UAS

Iranian Army helicopter crashes into Isfahan fruit market, four killed

News Timeline