Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Washington signals the will for a fast approval of a Saudi F-35 sale, reflecting a renewed effort for quicker weapons sales and the new U.S.-Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement. The prospect of Saudi Arabia becoming the next Middle Eastern operator of the F-35 Lightning II appears to have accelerated sharply following a series of high-profile statements from U.S. President Donald Trump and the signing of a new U.S.–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement. While the kingdom has pursued the stealth aircraft for years, so far the acquisition never became reality because of various reasons. However, the latest developments are a clear indication that…

The U.S. Coast Guard made headlines on Wednesday with the announcement of a record-breaking haul of illicit drugs seized by a single cutter — an achievement made possible with the aid of a vertical drone called the MQ-35 V-BAT. A Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed to Defense News that the information, first published by Business Insider, is accurate.The Coast Guard Cutter Stone, a 418-foot national security cutter, unloaded an estimated 49,010 pounds of illicit narcotics at Port Everglades, Florida. The massive haul, valued at an $362 million, was the result of 15 seizures made by the vessel, which used a V-BAT…

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) was named the number one most connected airport in the United States and seventh worldwide, according to data from the Official Aviation Guide (OAG) 2025 Megahubs Index. On the airport’s busiest day of the year, Chicago O’Hare offers connections to 214 domestic destinations, more than any other airport in the US. The airport receives more than 100 million passengers per year. Let’s find out why this is the case. Looking further afield, the airport is the seventh most connected airport in the world, and held ninth position the previous year. In comparison, the city’s Midway…

Operation Flyswatter tested the AH-64E Version 6 Apache for its networked, data linked combat capabilities against a variety of asymmetric unmanned aerial threats. The U.S. Army demonstrated the AH-64E Apache Version 6’s (V6) ability to detect, track and defeat unmanned aerial systems (UAS) during a massive live-fire event, dubbed Operation Flyswatter, at MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) New River, North Carolina. Although this happened on Aug. 12, 2025, the service only disclosed it in a press release on Nov. 18. Apache crews from the South Carolina Army National Guard (SCANG) employed all of the helicopter’s four primary weapons against the…

The U.S. Air Force plans to put an experienced acquisition officer in charge of overseeing many of its most important ― and, in some cases, most troubled ― major programs, and award him a fourth star.Lt. Gen. Dale White, the service’s military deputy for acquisition, technology and logistics, was nominated Tuesday to be promoted to general. An Air Force spokesperson said that White, if confirmed, will be assigned to be the direct reporting portfolio manager for critical major weapons systems, which will be a newly created position.In that role, White will report directly to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg “to…

When it comes to comparing Airbus’ latest and greatest widebody jets, there are two choices. The question is which one of those two big-wing airliners has more power on tap? The A350 “extra wide body” is the flagship jetliner in the current lineup. These two enormous twinjets now occupy the top place in the Airbus family tree since the “super jumbo” A380 was discontinued in 2021. The A350-1000 and the A350-900 are both powered by Rolls-Royce Trent turbofan engines. The -1000 seats 54 passengers, more than the -900 and has a max takeoff weight that is over 80,000 pounds higher.…

During my time in the U.S. Army, I learned several valuable lessons from a combat-seasoned noncommissioned officer that ring as true today as the day I first heard them.He told me, “If you can be seen, you will be targeted, and if targeted, you will die.” Those words came from a past era, the Cold War, when all combat operations were large-scale. The same NCO also taught me, “Big objects draw attention. Attention draws interest. Interest ends with targeting, and you know how targeting ends. Small things are not interesting, and mobility — rapid emplacement and displacement, makes you hard…

During my review trip to Bangkok, I had a couple of nights in Paris, where I wanted to check out new hotels. For the first night, I stayed at SAX Paris, Hilton LXR, which was not for me. The second night, I stayed at Hotel du Louvre Paris, Hyatt Unbound Collection. As a Category 7 World of Hyatt property, I booked this for 35,000 points, compared to a cash rate of around €600.I had a pleasant stay at Hotel du Louvre, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. The property has a good sense of place, and feels like what you’d…

Air New Zealand is flying high after collecting several industry awards these past few weeks, including the world’s safest airline, best airline in the South Pacific, and innovation of the year. and Australia’s most trusted airline (full details below). The Star Alliance carrier, which operates a network of domestic and international flights from its main hub at Auckland Airport (AKL), and secondary hubs at Wellington (WLG) and Christchurch (CHC), has a modest fleet of Airbus narrowbody, Boeing widebody, and ATR / Bombardier turboprop aircraft, which connect most corners of New Zealand to the world. More Awards For The Trophy Cabinet…

KYIV, Ukraine — An American proposal to end the war in Ukraine puts the country in a delicate diplomatic position — caught between placating its most important ally, the United States, and not capitulating to Russia, its much larger neighbor that launched a full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.The 28-point peace plan was crafted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and the Kremlin, without Ukraine’s involvement. It acquiesces to many Russian demands that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has categorically rejected on dozens of occasions, including giving up large pieces of territory.Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal late Friday, saying…