Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

The Pentagon is moving toward wider use of laser-based counter-drone systems at select US locations as concerns mount over repeated drone incursions near military installations and other high-priority sites. A local television report in South Florida said a counter-drone system that includes a direct-energy weapon has been set up near Palm Beach International Airport to help protect President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and the surrounding airspace. But officials have not publicly identified the exact equipment in use there. Officials in Washington are weighing whether to bring similar defenses to the capital after unidentified drones were spotted over Fort Lesley J.…

The US military has introduced a potent new weapon into the Iran fight with the deployment of the Air Force’s new EA-37B Compass Call electronic attack aircraft. The move marks the first known combat deployment of the platform as the Pentagon adds more specialized assets to the conflict. Two EA-37Bs recently flew from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to RAF Mildenhall, and US Central Command included the aircraft in an April 1, 2026, fact sheet on Operation Epic Fury for the first time. The EA-37B is a “wide-area airborne electronic attack aircraft” built on a heavily modified Gulfstream G550 business jet.…

The first joint international contract has been awarded for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), focusing on key design and engineering activities. The GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO), which represents the governments of the UK, Italy and Japan, awarded a £686 million contract to Edgewing, the trilateral company formed by BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. Ltd (JAIEC) to lead the development of GCAP. The money aims to sustain GCAP until the end of June, allowing for continued design and associated engineering work in the meantime. The contract was intended to be awarded in late 2025, however…

Icelandair has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to acquire 49% of Fly Play Europe, which is the Maltese-registered subsidiary of now bankrupt Icelandic low-cost carrier PLAY Airlines.  Before it went bust on September 2025, PLAY secured a Maltese Air Operator Certificate (AOC) under which it placed some aircraft. At least four A320 family aircraft were subsequently leased under an ACMI regime to SkyUp Malta Airlines, the Maltese subsidiary of the Ukrainian airline of the same name.  In the summer of 2025, there was even talk that PLAY would transfer its entire fleet to its Maltese entity, as part of…

Lufthansa Group has submitted a non-binding offer to Portugal’s state holding company Parpublica for a minority stake in flag carrier TAP Air Portugal, meeting the April 2, 2026, deadline for the latest phase of the airline’s privatization.  Lufthansa’s Head of Strategy, Tamur Goudarzi Pour, confirmed the group’s intention to bid earlier this week, stating that Lufthansa would not be lowering the price it is willing to pay despite the energy crisis. He stressed that a minority stake was not a deterrent and that many integration benefits could be achieved even without immediate majority control.  Air France-KLM submitted its own non-binding offer hours before. The third invited bidder, International Airlines Group…

The EA-37B was added to the list of assets involved in Operation Epic Fury, although the aircraft have not yet arrived in the CENTCOM AOR. Following the arrival of two EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026, the U.S. Central Command has now confirmed that the assets will be employed in Operation Epic Fury. This new development thus confirms that this will be the type’s first operational deployment. The aircraft was added to the list of the U.S. assets employed in Operation Epic Fury as part of the latest update released on…

Steven Greenway, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of flyadeal, announced on April 2, 2026, that he is stepping down from his role at the Saudi low-cost carrier.  In a post on LinkedIn, Greenway attributed his resignation to personal reasons, highlighting his tenure at the helm of the low-cost airline of the Saudia Group as a period of extremely intense work.   “Working @ 1,000% takes its toll,” he stated, adding that he will remain in an advisory capacity until the end of 2026.  Greenway, who joined flyadeal in 2024, has led the airline through a cycle of growth in which it…

The United Kingdom and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a joint study into a successor to the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, the UK’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) announced on April 1, 2026.  12-month concept study  The 12-month study will examine future air threats and develop concepts for a next-generation weapon system. According to the DE&S announcement, teams from both countries will assess what technologies should be incorporated and establish a development roadmap.  As part of the new arrangement, a joint Complex Weapons Portfolio Office will be established, embedded within OCCAR, the European defense procurement agency, to coordinate bilateral missile programs and align national priorities. …

CENTCOM has added the EA-37B electronic warfare aircraft to the list of the assets employed as part of the latest update regarding Operation Epic Fury. Following the arrival of two EA-37B Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, UK, on Mar. 31, 2026, the U.S. Central Command has now confirmed that the assets will be employed in Operation Epic Fury. This new development thus confirms that this will be the type’s first operational deployment. The aircraft was added to the list of the U.S. assets employed in Operation Epic Fury as part of the latest update released on…

Air France-KLM Group has officially bid a non-binding offer to purchase a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal as the deadline for rivals International Airlines Group (IAG) and Lufthansa looms. On April 2, 2026, Air France-KLM announced that the group had completed a “new step” in the process of TAP Air Portugal’s privatization. According to The Portugal News, the Portuguese Minister for Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, said on January 2, 2026, the three airline groups would have a 90-day deadline to formalize non-binding bids. The deadline for submitting non-binding bids is April 2, 2026, with further stages planned afterwards. Pinto…