Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier used the company’s 2025 annual results briefing to reject allegations that Dassault is failing to meet its contractual commitments on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), arguing instead that the program’s deadlock is fundamentally about governance and leadership of the New Generation Fighter (NGF) pillar.  Speaking as Dassault Aviation reported higher 2025 sales and operating profit and forecast further growth in 2026, Trappier said the accusations aimed at Dassault are “fake” and framed the dispute as an attempt to dilute the industrial leadership that partner governments have already assigned.   Dispute on governance, not workshare  Trappier said FCAS was built on the understanding that…

The Safety Management TeB is (i) advising the Member States on the implementation and maintenance of their State Safety Programmes by exchanging information and addressing implementation issues; (ii) providing feedback and recommendations on the implementation of the EPAS in regard to systemic issues; as well as when action is required on issues related to the common authority requirements (e.g. oversight methods, inspector qualifications, etc.) and common organisation requirements; just culture and implementation issues in relation to Regulation 376/2014 (in cooperation with the Network of Analysts), (iii) addressing issues stemming from the standardisation cross-domain assessment. source

Dassault Aviation’s 2025 results were lifted by higher Rafale and Falcon deliveries and a defense backlog that continues to expand, as the manufacturer tied its outlook to ongoing industrial ramp-up efforts, export momentum, and a broader push into sovereign defense and space capabilities.  The French planemaker reported adjusted net sales of €7.420 billion in 2025, up from €6.230 billion in 2024, and adjusted operating income of €635 million, for an 8.6% margin. Adjusted net income reached €1.061 billion.  Order intake totaled €10.941 billion, while backlog reached €46.596 billion at year-end 2025, including 220 Rafale fighters still to deliver (175 export, 45 France)…

This is the first time an F-35 has shot down a manned fighter jet. We will probably get more details throughout the day, but on Mar. 4, 2026, the Israeli Defense Forces announced on social media that an F-35I Adir jet belonging to the Israeli Air Force shot down an Iranian Yak-130 over Tehran. This is the first time an F-35 has shot down a manned fighter jet.The Yak 130 Mitten מטוס אדיר (F35I) של חיל האוויר הישראלי הפיל לפני זמן קצר מטוס קרב איראני (YAK-130) מעל שמי טהרן. זו הפלה הראשונה בעולם של מטוס קרב מאויש על ידי F-35 —…

Initial findings from the investigation into the loss of three US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles over Kuwait suggest the jets may have been mistakenly engaged by a Kuwaiti F/A-18 fighter, according to a Wall Street Journal report on March 4, 2026.  US and Kuwaiti authorities previously confirmed that three F-15Es “went down over Kuwait” at 7:03 local time on March 2, 2026, an incident described as apparent friendly fire during combat operations in support of Operation Epic Fury. All six aircrew ejected safely, were recovered, and were in stable condition.   What officials have confirmed so far  US Central Command (CENTCOM) previously confirmed that three…

Airplanes don’t stay at cruising altitude forever. Eventually, they must descend so that they can prepare to land. Top-of-descent points play an important role in this process. Air traffic controllers use it to maintain traffic flow, whereas commercial airlines use it to improve efficiency. For a better understanding of top-of-descent points in aviation, keep reading. What Is a Top-of-Descent Point? A top-of-descent point is the point at which an airplane begins its descent. It essentially represents the location in a flight path where the airplane transitions from cruising to descent. Cruising altitudes for commercial airplanes are typically around 35,000 feet.…

It was perhaps no coincidence that the CEO of Finnair, Turkka Kuusisto, chose the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to announce that the airline was “back to cruising altitude” following the shock of two existential crises. On February 24, 2026, from the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia next to the forests of Nuuksio National Park, Kuusisto spoke at a press event, explaining how Finnair had finally recovered from the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian air space closure following the start of the war in Ukraine. After President Vladamir Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, many…

Royal Air Force F-35B jets have shot down Iranian-launched one-way attack drones over Jordan in what the UK described as the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target in combat operations, as Britain moved to reinforce defenses around its main Middle East air base on Cyprus.   The UK’s Ministry of Defence said the F-35Bs operated over Jordanian airspace alongside RAF Typhoon fighters and a Voyager tanker supporting the patrol. The shootdowns came amid a wider surge of Iranian drones and missiles launched across the region after US and Israeli strikes, pushing several countries to strengthen layered air defenses.  US Head of Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper,…

The YFQ-44A CCA switched between Shield AI’s Hivemind and Anduril’s Lattice AIs during the same flight, completing tasks with both. Anduril Industries’ YFQ-44A Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) flew with Shield AI’s Hivemind and Anduril’s own Lattice autonomous flight programs, both companies announced on Feb. 26, 2026. Notably, the drone also switched between software mid-flight, completing a range of combat-representative test points with both. This allowed to demonstrate the software’s and hardware’s technical maturity, while being in harmony with the broad CCA development path envisioned by the U.S. Air Force. The new development came within two days of the drone…

The UK MoD has confirmed that its F-35B Lightning stealth fighters engaged and destroyed drones over Jordan, as it announces additional protective measures for RAF Akrotiri.  Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced via social media shortly after 1600 UTC on Mar. 3, 2026 after much speculation in the British press that the Royal Navy had been tasked to deploy the Type 45 air defence destroyer HMS Dragon (D35) and ‘helicopters with counter drone capabilities’ to guard Cyprus from further drone attacks. Shortly afterwards, an official press release with further detail was released by the Ministry of Defence where the announcement was…