Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

PARIS — The French Army showed off an upgraded Leclerc XLR main battle tank fitted with roof-mounted cage armor, a protective measure widely mocked on social media as “cope cages” when similar structures appeared on Russian tanks during the opening months of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but which has since proven useful against drones on the modern battlefield.The French Army technical section built a prototype of the metal cage, which is now being manufactured by KNDS France and in the process of being delivered to the tank units, said Gen. Olivier Coquet, head of the section known as STAT,…

Skydive Kansas City Pacific Aerospace P750 Crashed Near Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, Mo. Eleven skydivers and a pilot are dead after a Skydive Kansas City plane crashed in Butler, Mo., Sunday morning. Bates County Emergency Management told USA TODAY that 11 people onboard the plane were skydivers and the 12th person was the pilot. Butler Memorial Airport is roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City. The agency said air traffic services "were not being provided at the time" of the crash. A private plane operated by Skydive Kansas City that had departed from the airport "turned around for…

“Aviation is remarkable, wondrous and contagious, but it’s a lot of work. Airshows can make it look so easy and effortless, but these students are right in the middle of the grind. Seeing firsthand that hard work pays off is something to celebrate and gives them extra motivation to keep going until the next milestone — becoming a certified flight instructor… Dayton International hosting their own air show makes it a great place to recognize the next generation of professional pilots, who are investing in their future through Wright State and our aviation program…” Source: Diane Vitas, director of Wright…

Aero Linx: The Museum of Aviation To inspire and educate by preserving the heritage of the United States Air Force through public engagement and a superior visitor experience. Their vision is to be the most visited aviation Museum in the Southeastern U.S. The Museum of Aviation opened to the public on Friday, 9 November 1984 with 20 aircraft on display in an open field and another 20 were in various stages of restoration. The Museum of Aviation has grown to become the second largest museum in the United States Air Force and the fourth most visited museum in the Department…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Boeing has decided not to pursue a bid for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) competition. The company had previously planned to submit a version of the T-7A Red Hawk being built now for the U.S. Air Force. The winning UJTS design will replace the Navy’s T-45 Goshawk jet trainers. The new trainers will become part of a future naval aviation training curriculum for prospective tactical jet pilots that no longer requires carrier qualifications or even simulated touch-and-go carrier landings…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. In another indication of the growing military and economic importance of the Arctic, Russia and NATO are increasing their buildup of forces and facilities in the region. Recent media investigations found that Russia is constructing new bases near Finland to eventually house tens of thousands of troops while NATO on Saturday stood up a long-planned new battalion battlegroup. It is a force that will operate in Finland and Sweden as a deterrent against Russia. TWZ has frequently reported how Russia, and to a lesser extent China, have moved aggressively…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. In a significant development for Europe’s future air combat ambitions, Airbus is trying to restart the program to develop a sixth-generation combat jet, now under German and Spanish leadership. This comes less than a week after the Franco-German-led New Generation Fighter (NGF) effort effectively collapsed in its original form, amid acrimony between Paris and Berlin. The NGF was planned as the crewed centerpiece of the pan-European Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which Airbus, as the leading European aerospace corporation, now hopes to get…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Members of Congress are again moving to block the U.S. Air Force from retiring all of its U-2S Dragon Lady spy planes. This time, legislators also want to compel the service to “fully restore” four of the iconic aircraft through heavy depot maintenance, which would bolster the fleet’s operational capacity. The Air Force continues to argue that the high-flying Cold War-era jets are too vulnerable to support future high-end fights and should be supplanted by a mix of space-based and other capabilities.…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. Boeing’s 757 Flying Test Bed was recently spotted carrying a stealthy underwing infrared sensor pod under its fuselage. This may be the first time this aircraft, better known as ‘The Catfish’ because of its unique and highly modified nose profile, has ever been seen lugging around a store on this station. The pod itself is part of a larger “Raptor 2.0″ upgrade package being developed for the F-22. Catfish has served as a key systems integration testbed for the Raptor since the…

File photo of a Falcon 9 fueled for launch at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Image: SpaceX. SpaceX is preparing to launch its first Falcon 9 rocket since making its public trading debut on the Nasdaq on Friday. The Starlink 17-54 mission, launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Monday morning, will add 24 broadband internet satellites to the company’s low Earth orbit constellation. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4 East is scheduled during a window that opens at 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT / 1400 UTC). The rocket will fly on a south-southwesterly trajectory upon leaving the…