Middle East   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Stephen Pope

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.

Also: Aviation Week
2026-04-02T11:22:02.543836-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Helicopter   Sikorsky   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
Aviation Today

Army Accepts First Optionally-Piloted Black Hawk, Will Inform Scaling Autonomy Across The Fleet

By Aviation Today: The Army announced Friday it has officially accepted the first Black Hawk helicopter outfitted to fly autonomously, with the plans for the aircraft to now undergo a “rigorous testing phase.” […].

2026-04-02T09:38:59.528988-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   Supply Chain   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
Aviation Today

Army’s SkyFoundry Drone Production Plan 'Evolved' as Program Brings in Commercial Partners

By Aviation Today: The Army’s SkyFoundry initiative to manufacture thousands of its own cheap drones on a monthly basis has recently “evolved,” with an official telling sister publication Defense Daily the program is “100 […].

Also: Defense-Aerospace.com
2026-04-02T09:38:58.208150-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
Aviation Today • Frank Wolfe

Scaled Composites’ Talon IQ Model 437 Tests Shield AI Hivemind and Prism Autonomy Ahead of CCA Increment 2

By Aviation Today: A “Talon IQ” Model 437 aircraft by Northrop Grumman‘s Scaled Composites has flown a mission autonomy test flight using the company’s Prism software and Hivemind software by Shield AI, the companies […].

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