Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

United Airlines is set to become the largest GEnx operator in the world after placing an order for 300 GEnx engines to power their new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. On February 16, 2026, GE Aerospace announced the agreement, which also includes additional spare engines. As a result, United Airlines’ Boeing 787 fleet will include more than 200 GEnx powered aircraft. Mohamed Ali, President and CEO, GE Aerospace Commercial Engines and Services, said: “GE Aerospace has an enduring relationship with United that spans decades. This deal will make United the largest GEnx operator in the world, and we’re honored they continue to…

Two California defense startups designed, built, and flew a new rapid-build autonomous strike aircraft in just 71 days, a timeline that illustrates how quickly Pentagon-backed drone programs are evolving.  Divergent Technologies and Mach Industries announced the first flight of Venom, a prototype unmanned aircraft developed using a fully digital design and additive manufacturing process. The companies say the project moved from concept to first flight in just over two months.  Photos released following the announcement show US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with company executives, a sign that the program has visibility at senior levels inside the Department of Defense.  Mach Industries / Divergent Technologies Mach Industries,…

Ukraine’s Air Force has rejected claims that a ‘secret’ cross-national F-16 squadron, allegedly composed of Ukrainian, US and Dutch pilots, is operating over Kyiv, dismissing the story as unfounded and misleading.  First reported by the French outlet Intelligence Online, the claim was subsequently amplified in Ukrainian media, which alleged that veteran Western pilots were flying Ukrainian F-16s to defend the capital, intercepting Russian cruise missiles and drones.  The narrative echoes historical precedents. There are notable examples of foreign volunteer aviators, with the most famous arguably being the Flying Tigers during World War II. Officially known as the American Volunteer Group (AVG), this unit was composed of US pilots who resigned from…

The United States plans to deploy more high-tech missile systems to the Philippines to help deter aggression in the South China Sea, where the treaty allies on Tuesday condemned what they called China’s “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities.”Beijing has repeatedly expressed alarm over the installation in the northern Philippines of a U.S. mid-range missile system called the Typhon in 2024 and of an anti-ship missile launcher last year. It said the U.S. weapons were aimed at containing China’s rise and warned that these were a threat to regional stability.China has asked the Philippines to withdraw the missile launchers from…

Air India and Lufthansa have signed a far-reaching, multiple strategic deal, spurred on by the recently announced free trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU). On February 17, 2026, executives from both carriers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes the framework for a future Joint Business Agreement. The agreement will also include Air India’s and Lufthansa Group’s subsidiaries, including Air India Express, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), and other affiliated airlines. Central to their plan is an ambition to work even more closely together in the future, with the…

India has reportedly asked France to provide 31 additional carrier-capable Dassault Rafale Marine jets for the Indian Navy. This comes alongside New Delhi’s parallel effort to procure 114 Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program.  The report by La Tribune came two days after India’s Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for the MRFA requirement, a procedural step that formally advances the competition and opens the door to the next phases of procurement. The $39 billion purchase of 114 Dassault Rafale jets is widely expected to be made official during French President Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to India from February 17 to 19, 2026.  India’s existing Rafale fleet  Under a 2016 intergovernmental agreement, the Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale…

Lufthansa has opened all but three Boeing 787-9 Allegris business seats for booking, following a breakthrough in the US certification process. On February 16, 2026, Lufthansa confirmed that 25 of 28 seats in the new Lufthansa Allegris business class product would be available on Dreamliner flights from April 15, 2026. Lufthansa noted that an “important milestones in the certification process” had been reached in recent weeks, finally enabling the carrier to utilize almost every Allegris business seat on its fleet of new 787-9s. So far, eight brand-new Dreamliners have arrived in Frankfurt, with 21 more on order for delivery in…

Two Spirit Airlines Airbus A320neos have become the youngest airframes ever to be scheduled for teardown, according to aviation asset management firm EirTrade. At just three years and four years old respectively, the fate of the Airbus A320neos again signals the aviation industry’s increasing appetite for highly valued components and parts over that for young aircraft. On February 16, 2026, Dublin-based EirTrade confirmed that it was working with Chicago-based aviation and rail lessor RESIDCO to dismantle the former Spirit Airlines airframes. According to Planespotter.net, the four-year-old A320neo, formally registered N950NK, was withdrawn from use in December 2024, while the three-year-old…

Denmark has created a new Royal Danish Air Force unit to operate its incoming long-range drones, formally standing up 729 Squadron on February 16, 2026. According to the Danish Defense Command, the squadron will home four remotely piloted aircraft to support surveillance of Danish interests in the Arctic, the North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea, with the first aircraft expected from 2028. The new squadron will sit under the Air Force Air Transport Wing and be physically based at Aalborg Air Base, Denmark’s defense command said. The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is a version of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B SkyGuardian long-endurance…

SINGAPORE — Australia is one of the pioneers exploring collaborative combat aircraft, or CCAs, as it throws its full weight behind Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat platform.The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) already has eight Block 1 aircraft in testing. In addition, the first of three Block 2 aircraft ordered in February 2024 is currently performing ground testing and will fly soon, according to the manufacturer.On Dec. 9, 2025, Boeing Defence Australia announced the RAAF had ordered seven additional Ghost Bats. This third tranche worth AUS$754 million (US$534 million) entails six CCAs in Block 2 configuration plus the first-ever…