Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

The United States Air Force has cleared the Boeing-Saab T-7A Red Hawk trainer for initial production, approving the first low-rate production lot of aircraft.  The decision, following Milestone C approval on April 23, 2026, allows the service to move forward with a $219 million contract covering the first 14 advanced trainer aircraft, along with spares, support equipment and training from Boeing Defense, Space & Security.   The T-7A is intended to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon, a trainer that has been in US Air Force service for more than six decades. The Red Hawk is scheduled to begin replacing the T-38 within Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in 2027, with Initial…

A new parliamentary report on French military dependence on foreign suppliers identifies gaps in sovereignty ranging from MALE drones to satellite-based early warning. The findings are not entirely new, but together they form a coherent map at a time when European armed forces are reconsidering long-standing US-origin dependencies.  Produced by deputies François Cormier-Bouligeon and Aurélien Saintoul for the Defense Commission, the report draws on months of hearings with the DGA, industry executives, and military officials.  It lands as France absorbs the effects of Operation Epic Fury and a wider European reorientation on weapons procurement and supply.  Where French sovereignty still holds  French Air and Space Force Rafale…

Here’s a prime example of how misinformation spreads in the age of social media… OMAAT reader Paul sent me a link to the below post on X (which has been seen close to 400K times in less than a day), and asked me if this is true. Singapore Airlines flight attendant spotted giving a passenger a foot wipe 😳On ultra long haul flights, SQ offers on-demand foot cleansing (wipes/towels) for First & Suites to freshen up swollen feet after 18+ hours. Done professionally with gloves.Some call it incredible… pic.twitter.com/t9ZOCCiNAG— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) May 4, 2026 As you can see, the…

Air France is extending the suspension of flights to the Middle East regions while security concerns remain about the safety of operating to the area. On May 4, 2026, Air France said it had been “forced” to prolong a flight ban “due to the security context at the destination and the closure of certain airspaces”. Specifically, Air France flights to and from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be suspended up until May 12, 2026, and to and from Dubai, UAE, until May 20, 2026. Additionally, flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Beirut, Lebanon, will now not restart until May…

ILOCOS NORTE, Philippines — The U.S. Army Pacific’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force and the Philippine Army Artillery Regiment have test-fired a Tomahawk cruise missile from the Typhon launcher in the central Philippines — and it successfully hit a target 995 kilometers away in Nueva Ecija.Col. Dennis Hernandez of the Philippine Marines told Defense News the cruise missile was launched at around 12:20 a.m local time on May 5 and landed at the impact area within Fort Magsaysay, the Army’s main battle camp, in Laur, Nueva Ecija, 61 minutes later.“The missile was very precise. Let’s say if you want to hit…

Summary: This two-part series outlines the threat posed by workforce shortages to the future growth of aviation and aerospace, since industry-wide costs of workforce shortages are unquantified. Estimates suggest the industry is leaving tens of billions on the table as a result Technology alone cannot solve the problem as the workforce changes Current industry efforts to address the workforce are fragmented and, to elevate aviation/aerospace pathways and careers, must be coordinated with organizations delivering educational and career programs The solution is a collaborative, professionally managed Early-Learning-to-Career Pipeline leveraging existing programs and alliances to guide youth to aviation/aerospace careers Industry must…

The U.S. Air Force approved low-rate initial production of Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer, setting the stage for the long-awaited replacement of the service’s 60-year-old T-38 Talon.The April 23 decision authorizes a $219 million contract for the first 14 aircraft, along with spares, support equipment and training, the Air Force announced Monday. The service is targeting initial operational capability in 2027.The approval means the aircraft cleared Milestone C, a point in the defense acquisition process that marks the transition from development to manufacturing.“Reaching Milestone C is a testament to the dedicated government and industry teams who have worked diligently…

U.S. Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk and U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters were used to sink six Iranian small attack boats which were threatening commercial shipping. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said to media that U.S. Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk and U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters were used on May 4, 2026, to sink six Iranian small attack boats. The boats were reportedly threatening commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. “We have an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait, including AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters used just this…

The Lower Right Landing Gear Weldment Failed On Landing Due To Fatigue Cracking Analysis: After landing, the pilot felt a violent tailwheel shimmy and the airplane veered left. He applied full right rudder and brakes, but the airplane continued to veer toward the left edge of the runway. The right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and the airplane departed the runway onto the grass. Postaccident examination found that both of the lower main landing gear weldments had fractured, in addition to the tailwheel attachment link.

From 2013 (YouTube Edition): A True ‘First’ — An All-Electric SportPlane Kit Some time ago, GreenWing assumed the rights to the Flightstar line of ultralights a reputable SportPlane line that has been built and flow for decades. However; with the addition of electric propulsion, GWI’s Yuneec 24kw system on the e280 eSpyder has received German DULV certification and opened up new markets to the fledgling SportPlane builder. The eSpyder, marketed at $39,900 for a turnkey unit, is estimated to have an operating cost of $1.60 per hour in electricity. The company claims that the eSpyder is the first all-electric ultralight…