eVTOL   Helicopter   North America   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
Vertical Mag

DARPA assigns X-76 designation to Bell’s SPRINT after critical design review; demonstrator fabrication to begin

DARPA has designated Bell’s Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) demonstrator as X-76, giving the program an official X‑plane identity. Bell completed the program critical design review, enabling the company to begin building the next‑generation, high‑speed runway‑independent VTOL demonstrator.

Also: The Aviationist and defence-industry.eu
2026-03-09T12:08:14.909704-07:00
Middle East   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Reuters

NATO air defences shoot down second Iranian ballistic missile over Turkey; Ankara warns of response

By Reuters: Turkey said on Monday that NATO air defences shot down a second Iranian ballistic missile that had entered its airspace and warned that it would move against any such threats, which increasingly pose a test for Ankara and the alliance.

Also: spacewar.com, al-monitor.com, news.ssbcrack.com, aa.com.tr, Military.com, The Independent, South China Morning Post and 5 more
2026-03-09T05:18:18.113054-07:00
China   Accident   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Asia-Pacific (APAC)   Defense Policy  
FlightGlobal • May Lee

Australia lodges protest after PLA Navy helicopter dangerously intercepts RAN MH-60R over Yellow Sea

By FlightGlobal: Australia has lodged a formal protest after a People's Liberation Army Navy helicopter conducted an unsafe intercept of a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R operating in international waters during a UN sanctions enforcement mission on 4 March.

Also: news.ssbcrack.com and nknews.org
2026-03-09T00:18:22.661765-07:00
Helicopter   Accident   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
Vertical Mag

Fatal Kadena Air Base Incident Underscores Helicopter Rotor‑Wash Hazards

By Vertical Mag: | To ensure delivery of future emails, add [email protected] to your contacts. | |---| | | ![]() | Latest Issue Read Now | ![]() | | | ![]() | | Fatal incident in Japan underscores hazard of helicopter rotor wash A tragedy at Kadena Air Base last year starkly illustrates the risks posed by helicopter rotor wash, an underappreciated hazard that is starting to receive more attention.

2026-03-08T17:08:12.278237-07:00
Middle East   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   Defense Policy  
Wall Street Journal • Shelby Holliday

U.S. Used Stealth B-2 Bombers in Operation Epic Fury

By Wall Street Journal: The U.S. used stealth B-2 Spirit bombers to take out underground ballistic missile storage areas during Operation Epic Fury, according to a senior U.S.

Also: defence-industry.eu
2026-03-08T08:12:24.409892-07:00