Defense News reports, “AeroVironment announced Tuesday it will deploy a counter-drone capability at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, as part of its effort to lay the groundwork for Golden Dome. The firm, a defense technology company that makes loitering munitions, drones and counter-drone technology, will collaborate with commercial unmanned aerial system, or UAS, business and aviation park Grand Sky on the project.”
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Tag: Aviation
Boeing Delivers 55 Aircraft in September
Reuters reports, “Boeing delivered 55 jets in September, up from 33 a year earlier when a strike by 33,000 factory workers in the Northwest curtailed production, the planemaker said on Tuesday. The total, broadly steady from August’s 57 deliveries, marked Boeing’s strongest September since 2018, when it handed over 87 jets but it still lagged rival Airbus, which delivered 73 aircraft last month.”
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Sikorsky Unveils U-Hawk, a Fully Autonomous Cargo Black Hawk
Aerotime reports, “Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has unveiled the S-70UAS U-Hawk, a fully autonomous variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk designed to operate as a heavy-lift cargo drone. Developed in just ten months, the prototype replaces the Black Hawk’s cockpit with actuated clamshell doors and a loading ramp, transforming the crewed helicopter into a platform capable of operating without pilots on board. Equipped with MATRIX™ autonomy software and a new fly-by-wire system, the aircraft can take off, fly, and land entirely under autonomous control.”
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US Air Force Planning Independent Squadrons of Collaborative Combat Aircraft
Defense News reports, “The U.S. Air Force plans to create independent squadrons for its future fleet of collaborative combat aircraft instead of adding the drone wingmen to already-existing squadrons of manned fighters. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the nominee to be the service’s next chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing Thursday the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard also may stand up their own CCA squadrons, along with the active duty.”
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Airbus Q3 Results Point to Over 800 Deliveries by Year-end
Aerotime reports, “Airbus’ third-quarter performance in 2025 shows strong growth in aircraft deliveries, keeping the company on track for its annual target of around 820 for the year, even as new orders slowed in September 2025. According to Airbus’ latest aircraft delivery and order figures, the planemaker delivered 73 aircraft to 41 customers in September 2025, which is 12 more than the 61 aircraft delivered to 39 customers in August 2025.”
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Airbus A320 Surpasses Boeing 737 as Most Delivered Jet Ever
Aerotime reports, “The Airbus A320 has surpassed the Boeing 737 as the most delivered commercial aircraft in history upon Saudi airline Flynas receiving the European manufacturer’s 12,260th jet. According to a Reuters report on October 7, 2025, data from industry analysts Cirium shows that the A320 in question was delivered overnight, giving Airbus a slight lead over Boeing’s 737.”
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Pilots Demand Air India Ground Boeing 787s After Emergency System Used
The New York Times reports, “India’s largest association of pilots has asked regulators to ground all Boeing 787s in use in India and inspect them for electrical issues after one of the planes unexpectedly deployed an emergency power system over the weekend. The device, known as the ram air turbine, drops from the fuselage when a plane loses power or hydraulic pressure, and helps power critical systems like flight controls and navigation instruments.”
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Amelia Earhart’s Long-lost Plane Likely Located, Research Team Claims
CBS News reports, “Researchers from Purdue University are set to travel to the South Pacific to determine if a ‘visual anomaly’ on a remote island is the wreck of Amelia Earhart’s lost plane, saying there is ‘very strong’ evidence the object is the iconic aviator’s aircraft. Earhart was attempting to become the first female pilot to circle the world when she and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937. Earhart, Noonan and their plane, an Electra 10E, were never found.”
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Skyryse Introduces its AI-powered Cockpit Flight Assistant Skylar
Aerotime reports, “Skyryse, a California-based aviation technology startup company, has introduced Skylar, an AI flight assistant that integrates with the maker’s SkyOS operating system. The technology is designed to reduce pilot workload, simplify communications, and improve safety across a wide range of aircraft, the company said. Skylar is designed to function as an always-on copilot, supporting the pilot through all phases of flight.”
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New Zealand’s NH90 Helicopters Make Record-Breaking Flight Across Tasman Sea
Defense News reports, “Two Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters have flown from Australia to New Zealand on a two-day, record-breaking journey for the aircraft, which each carried two 1,100lb external fuel tanks, according to the service. The aircraft flew from Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, near Brisbane, via Norfolk Island, to RNZAF Base Auckland, a distance of 1,765 miles over water. The longest leg of the trip, 660 miles, took around four and a half hours.”
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