Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom
February 24, 2026, 17:36 (UTC +3) House votes down ROTOR ActThe House voted down the ROTOR Act on February 24, 2026, rejecting bipartisan aviation safety legislation that would have required most aircraft to carry advanced tracking technology. Lawmakers defeated the measure after the Defense Department withdrew its support one day earlier, citing national security and cost concerns. The bill had passed the Senate unanimously in December and initially appeared likely to clear the House. The Pentagon has withdrawn its support for the ROTOR Act, a bipartisan aviation safety bill drafted after the January 29, 2025, midair collision of a American Eagle-coded regional…
Lockheed Martin successfully tested the ability of its F-35 fighter plane to use artificial intelligence-enhanced targeting in flight, the U.S. defense giant announced Monday.The test, dubbed Project Overwatch, was conducted at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. It incorporated an AI machine learning model in to the warplane’s information control system.The AI model generated data based on the plane’s surroundings and analyzed the information to present the pilot with potential targets. It marked the first time a tactical AI model suggested a combat target to a fighter pilot independently, according to the company.Jake Wertz, vice president of F‑35 Combat Systems…
The Pentagon has withdrawn its support for the ROTOR Act, a bipartisan aviation safety bill drafted after the January 29, 2025, midair collision of a American Eagle-coded regional jet and Army Black hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that killed 67 people. The Senate passed the legislation unanimously in December 2025. The House had been expected to vote on the measure this week. The Defense Department’s reversal has introduced uncertainty ahead of that vote. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the bill would create unresolved budget burdens and operational security risks affecting national defense activities. He also said the Senate failed to incorporate several updates…
Braving Norway’s freezing winter in early February, U.S. Navy and NATO explosive ordnance disposal teams put their skills to the test ahead of this year’s largest Arctic exercise. U.S. sailors joined Swedish and Norwegian troops to carry out “Arctic Specialist 26,“ an annual Norwegian exercise focused on mine-clearing and strategic explosive disposal training. Over their 10 days in Kristiansand, the crews practiced neutralizing explosives both underwater and on land, conducting rapid airfield repair and engaging in short-range combat under harsh Arctic conditions. Swedish forces, NATO’s newest members as of 2024, were fully integrated in the training, signaling more interoperability in…
By Thomas Blackwood Feb 24, 2026, © Leeham News: MTU Aero Engines saw continued growth across its divisions in 2025 with revenue at an all-time high and continued MRO momentum, according to the company’s full-year figures published on Tuesday. Adjusted revenue for the year was up 16% from €7.5 billion in 2024 ($8.84 billion) to €8.7 billion. Adjusted operating profit reached €1.4 billion, up 29% on the previous record of €1.1 billion set last year, and adjusted EBIT margin rose from 14% to 15.5%. Adjusted net income also reached a new high of €968 million, up 27% year over year…
PARIS — Russia’s defense spending in 2025 rose at the slowest pace since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, impacted by financial reforms at the Ministry of Defence and a struggling economy in the face of Western sanctions, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.Defense spending by Russia rose by 3% last year in real terms, after a 57% jump in 2024, according to the annual IISS Military Balance report published on Tuesday. Russia spent a record $186 billion on defense last year, compared with $44.4 billion for Ukraine, the IISS data showed.Russian defense…
Legislation Does Not Require Operators to Install Traffic Displays In the Cockpit The Air Line Pilots Association isn’t satisfied with the House’s plan to address the stunning safety gaps tied to last January’s fatal mid-air collision, arguing the bill dodges a key upgrade: Cockpit Display of Traffic Information. The Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026, or ALERT Act, was introduced by leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Armed Services.
Order Resolves Agency Concerns, Modifies Compliance Report Process The Federal Trade Commission finalized a consent order involving the Boeing Company’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. The commission had previously accepted the consent order subject to final approval. The FTC required Boeing to divest significant Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. assets to resolve antitrust concerns surrounding Boeing’s $8.3 billion acquisition of Spirit. The consent order also requires Boeing and Spirit to continue to provide aerostructures and aerostructure services to competing contractors for military aircraft programs. The FTC’s final consent order includes a modification that clarifies the procedure for Boeing to submit…
Agency Publishes Final Report Following Last January’s Fatal Collision Near DCA The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on last January’s midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and it leaves the FAA and US Army with plenty of homework. The January 29, 2025, crash between a PSA Airlines CRJ700 and a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk killed 67 people and sent both aircraft into the Potomac River.
Service Prepares to Declare the T-7 Ready for Production to Replace the T-39 The US Air Force is reportedly getting ready to clear the Boeing T-7 Red Hawk for production, formally transitioning the program from very prolonged development into actual output. The decision, known as Milestone C, comes more than two years later than once projected.