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FlightGlobal • Ryan Finnerty

USAF pulls KC-135 from boneyard for possible reactivation after tanker losses in Iran campaign

The U.S. Air Force has transferred a retired KC-135 Stratotanker out of long-term storage, a move that signals possible reactivation after several tanker losses tied to the ongoing U.S.–Israeli air campaign against Iran. Open-source flight tracking shows the aircraft leaving the boneyard, suggesting expedited sustainment steps.

2026-04-03T12:15:34.553320-07:00

Wall Street Journal

US F-15E Downed Over Iran in Operation Epic Fury; Combat SAR Underway; Iran Claims F-35 Loss

2026-04-03T10:51:19.454508-07:00

AINonline

Brazil unveils first domestically assembled Saab Gripen F-39E; 14 more to follow

2026-04-03T10:12:34.789859-07:00

FlightGlobal

Canada awards C$1.5B sustainment contracts to Airbus and L3Harris for A330 tanker fleet

2026-04-02T14:00:49.630765-07:00

News Timeline

FlightGlobal

USAF pulls KC-135 from boneyard for possible reactivation after tanker losses in Iran campaign The U.S. Air Force has transferred a retired KC-135 Stratotanker out of long-term storage, a move that signals possible reactivation after several tanker losses tied to the ongoing U.S.–Israeli air campaign against Iran. Open-source flight tracking shows the aircraft leaving the boneyard, suggesting expedited sustainment steps.

2026-04-03T12:15:34.553320-07:00

USAF pulls KC-135 from boneyard for possible reactivation after tanker losses in Iran campaign

Wall Street Journal

US F-15E Downed Over Iran in Operation Epic Fury; Combat SAR Underway; Iran Claims F-35 Loss A U.S. Air Force F-15E was downed over Iran during Operation Epic Fury after more than 13,000 combat sorties; two crew reportedly ejected and a combat search-and-rescue is underway. Iranian media separately claimed a second U.S. F-35 was struck, with the pilot unlikely to have ejected.

2026-04-03T10:51:19.454508-07:00

US F-15E Downed Over Iran in Operation Epic Fury; Combat SAR Underway; Iran Claims F-35 Loss

AINonline

Brazil unveils first domestically assembled Saab Gripen F-39E; 14 more to follow Brazil unveiled its first domestically assembled Saab Gripen F-39E, the lead of a 15‑aircraft production batch for the Brazilian Air Force. Officials said 14 additional F‑39Es will be completed locally, marking a significant milestone in Brazil's fighter acquisition and domestic aerospace industrialisation.

2026-04-03T10:12:34.789859-07:00

Brazil unveils first domestically assembled Saab Gripen F-39E; 14 more to follow

FlightGlobal

Canada awards C$1.5B sustainment contracts to Airbus and L3Harris for A330 tanker fleet The Canadian government has signed C$1.5 billion in sustainment contracts with Airbus and L3Harris to support its planned fleet of nine A330-based aerial refuelling aircraft, which begin entering service in 2027. L3Harris's MAS unit received an initial C$1.1 billion portion for MRO and sustainment.

2026-04-02T14:00:49.630765-07:00

Canada awards C$1.5B sustainment contracts to Airbus and L3Harris for A330 tanker fleet

AeroTime

USAF uses EA-37B Compass Call in operations against Iran before formal IOC The U.S. Air Force has deployed the EA-37B Compass Call electronic-attack jet in operations against Iran in the Middle East, marking the platform's first known combat employment. The sorties took place before the aircraft was formally declared operational, demonstrating early operational use of the new EW asset.

2026-04-02T11:22:02.543836-07:00

USAF uses EA-37B Compass Call in operations against Iran before formal IOC

Aviation Today

Army Accepts First Optionally‑Piloted Black Hawk; Will Test Autonomy to Inform Fleet Scaling The U.S. Army has formally accepted its first optionally‑piloted Black Hawk helicopter and will subject the aircraft to a rigorous test campaign. Data from the evaluations will be used to inform decisions on scaling autonomous and optionally‑piloted capabilities across the UH‑60 fleet.

2026-04-02T09:38:59.528988-07:00

Army Accepts First Optionally‑Piloted Black Hawk; Will Test Autonomy to Inform Fleet Scaling

Aviation Today

Army scales SkyFoundry, brings in commercial partners to hit one‑million drones by 2028 The U.S. Army's SkyFoundry drone initiative has "evolved" to bring in commercial partners and scale U.S. production toward a goal of one million low‑cost systems by 2028. The shift signals a move from experimental buys to monthly mass manufacture and expanded counter‑drone capability.

2026-04-02T09:38:58.208150-07:00

Army scales SkyFoundry, brings in commercial partners to hit one‑million drones by 2028

Aviation Today

Scaled Composites' Talon IQ Model 437 flies Prism and Shield AI Hivemind mission-autonomy test ahead of CCA Increment 2 Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites flew a Talon IQ Model 437 on a mission-autonomy test that integrated Northrop’s Prism autonomy software with Shield AI’s Hivemind. The sortie demonstrates multi-vendor autonomy interoperability on the Talon IQ platform as work ramps toward the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Increment 2 effort.

2026-04-02T09:38:57.955217-07:00

Scaled Composites' Talon IQ Model 437 flies Prism and Shield AI Hivemind mission-autonomy test ahead of CCA Increment 2

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Military Aircraft Procurement News

USAF pulls KC-135 from boneyard for possible reactivation after tanker losses in Iran campaign

US F-15E Downed Over Iran in Operation Epic Fury; Combat SAR Underway; Iran Claims F-35 Loss

Brazil unveils first domestically assembled Saab Gripen F-39E; 14 more to follow

Canada awards C$1.5B sustainment contracts to Airbus and L3Harris for A330 tanker fleet

News Timeline