UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Helicopter   Sikorsky   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors  
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
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
Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
FlightGlobal • Craig Hoyle

GCAP advances as Edgewing wins £686m joint design contract from partner nations

By FlightGlobal: The three-nation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is moving into its next phase of activity, following the award of a contract worth £686 million ($904 million).

Also: The Aviationist and Aviation Week
2026-04-02T04:20:53.455568-07:00