Dominic Perry

Airframer sees need to address compromises built in to initial NGF design as diverging requirements come to the fore. Airbus remains open to a two-aircraft solution within the tri-national Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme if the nations backing the multi-billion-euro project decide to pursue that option. But the airframer is uncertain whether this can

Rome picks Airbus tanker as long-term KC-767 replacement. Italy has become the latest customer for the Airbus Defence & Space A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT), with a six-unit order. European tender documents indicate that the contract was signed off on 16 April and is valued at €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion). No details of the aircraft

Airframer continues to believe only a joint programme will deliver future European military helicopter but sees scope to extend arrangement across the Atlantic. Airbus Helicopters’ new chief executive insists that only a joint programme will be able to deliver a new medium-class military helicopter for European customers, but believes any co-operation could also extend across

Leonardo Helicopters should better assess risk of duplex bearing failure in intermediate-twin's pitch control assembly, probe states. UK investigators have urged Leonardo Helicopters to tighten the inspection regime on the AW139 intermediate-twin in relation to a critical tail rotor bearing, the failure of which caused the fatal Leicester City AW169 crash in 2018. Detailed by

Configuration of proposed aircraft was switched multiple times over Dutch developer's brief lifespan. Would-be Dutch hybrid-electric aircraft developer Maeve Aerospace has collapsed, despite last year securing investment from SkyWest Airlines, putting an end to a development process characterised by endless changes to the design of its aircraft. Dutch insolvency documents show the business and parent

CRJ type certificate holder establishes new capability in Munich led by former Maeve Aerospace CTO. MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ), the Canada-based regional jet arm of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is setting up a new office in Munich offering “advanced design capability” to support its long-term growth plans. Led by Martin Nusseler – until recently the

Developer claims significant benefits from blown-wing configuration for the next generation of runway-independent aircraft. US developer Whisper Aero has unveiled a new propulsion architecture that it claims will allow the same aircraft to perform vertical, short or conventional take-offs and landings while removing the complexity of competing lift systems. Called JetFoil, the design integrates Whisper’s

US airframer targets 2027 certification and service entry for updated light jet. Textron Aviation has performed the first flight of its Cessna Citation M2 Gen3 as it works towards securing US certification and service entry for the light business jet in 2027. Flown by test pilot Andrew Thorson and taking off from the company’s production

Three-engined transport came down during training exercise. Investigations are under way after the fatal crash of a UK Royal Navy (RN)-operated Leonardo Helicopters AW101 Merlin HC4 transport helicopter in southwest England in which three crewmembers were killed. The helicopter came down near Sourton in Devon at around 04:00 local time on 3 June following a

Interest in US-built combat search and rescue helicopters was first disclosed in 2025. Norway has abandoned plans to purchase nine Sikorsky HH-60W combat search and rescue helicopters to focus on other defence priorities. Oslo’s interest in the HH-60W – originally developed for the US Air Force – emerged last year in a Foreign Military Sales