April 15, 2026 - No. 15 In This Issue : Bell Boeing wins up to $157M contract to upgrade Ospreys : Inside Airbus’ Freighter Lab: 1,300 Wires, 180 Litres of Water, and Zero Margin for Error : A New Device Gives the A-10 Warthog Another Way to Refuel : Air Force Awards Contract to Develop Small, Disposable Engines for Missiles and Drones : Pentagon-backed X-65 jet with 537 mph top speed moves closer to first flight : “18 Tejas Fighters, 10 Without Engines”: HAL Image Exposes India’s Deepening Tejas Mk1A Crisis : GE Delegation Visits HAL Bengaluru to Discuss F404 Deliveries and F414 Engine Programme : Pentagon awards Raytheon $45 million for GPS ground system as program future is reassessed : “There’s A Huge Demand”: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Dismantled After Only 13 Flying Hours : C172 Crashes After Failure of Nose Oil Seal Bell Boeing wins up to $157M contract to upgrade Ospreys NewsMaritime Security By Colton Jones Apr 11, 2026 (Photo by Jayden Brown) Key Points • Bell Boeing receives up to $157 million to deliver ten Nacelle Improvement Kits and three Pylon Support Assembly shipsets for Navy and Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys. • Work will be completed by December 2028 across facilities in Amarillo and Fort Worth, Texas, and Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. Bell Boeing Joint Program Office has been awarded a $157 million order to deliver nacelle and pylon upgrades for the U.S. Navy’s MV-22 and CMV-22 Osprey fleets, the Department of War announced April 10, 2026. The contract was placed against a previously issued basic ordering agreement and covers ten Nacelle Improvement Kits along with three shipsets of Pylon Support Assemblies. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, Maryland, is managing the contract. The work spans three facilities across two states. The bulk of production — 84 percent — will take place at Bell Boeing’s Amarillo, Texas location, with an additional 15 percent performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and the remaining one percent handled at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. Completion is expected by December 2028. The order was not competed, reflecting the sole-source nature of V-22 production and sustainment under the Bell Boeing joint program structure. Funding for the award is split across two fiscal years. Some $60.67 million in fiscal year 2025 aircraft procurement funds — Navy appropriation — was obligated at award, joined by an additional $16.25 million in fiscal year 2026 aircraft procurement funds. None of the obligated funds will expire at the close of the current fiscal year, providing the program with stable near-term financing as retrofit work gets underway. The Nacelle Improvement Kits target one of the more mechanically demanding elements of the Osprey’s design. The V-22’s nacelles — the engine housings mounted at each wingtip — rotate through a full 90-degree arc to allow the aircraft to take off and land vertically like a helicopter before tilting forward to fly as a turboprop plane. That rotating mechanism, along with the drive systems contained within the nacelles, has historically been among the most maintenance-intensive and operationally critical portions of the aircraft. The Pylon Support Assemblies, meanwhile, form the structural interface between the nacelles and the wing, absorbing the mechanical loads generated during that transition between flight modes. Upgrades to both components are aimed at bolstering reliability and sustaining the operational tempo demanded of the fleet. The MV-22B is the Marine Corps variant, used primarily for assault support, special operations insertion, and logistics across expeditionary environments. The CMV-22B serves the Navy in the carrier onboard delivery role, replacing the aging C-2A Greyhound as the primary means of moving personnel, cargo, and critical parts — including jet engines — to and from aircraft carriers at sea. Both variants depend on the same underlying platform and share sustainment infrastructure, meaning improvements to core mechanical assemblies benefit the entire joint fleet. The nacelle and pylon assemblies sit at the heart of what makes the Osprey mechanically demanding to sustain. Retrofit kits that address those systems signal a commitment to extending the platform’s service life while reducing the mechanical risk that has drawn congressional and public attention in recent years. The V-22 program has no direct replacement currently in production or under contract, making sustained investment in the existing fleet a practical necessity for both services. The Marine Corps relies on the MV-22 as a core element of its distributed maritime operations concept, where the aircraft’s long range and vertical lift capability allow it to operate across the vast distances that define the Indo-Pacific theater. The Navy’s CMV-22B, meanwhile, is still a relatively new addition to the carrier air wing, having only begun replacing the Greyhound in the early 2020s, giving the platform decades of expected service life ahead. Inside Airbus’ Freighter Lab: 1,300 Wires, 180 Litres of Water, and Zero Margin for Error From automated wiring checks to 111-tonne payload tests, Airbus is running one of its most complex ground test programmes to prepare the A350F for certification. By Bhavya Velani April 10, 2026 Google News Photo: Airbus TOULOUSE— Airbus has begun ground testing the A350F freighter variant during final assembly, marking a critical phase in the aircraft’s path to certification and service entry. The A350F introduces a range of new and significantly modified systems, requiring up to 40% of serial ground test procedures to be newly created or revised specifically for this variant. Photo: Airbus A350F Ground Testing: New Systems, New Challenges The A350F features several entirely new systems concentrated in the cabin and cargo areas. Key systems under test include the main-deck cargo loading system (CLS), main-deck cargo door (MDCD), a dedicated courier area seating up to 10 occupants, anti-tail-tipping warning system (TTWS), multi-zonal air distribution system, drainage system, oxygen system, the ‘Smart Freighter’ connectivity platform, and a video-monitoring system. Ground test design activities for the A350F began as early as 2021, during the aircraft’s definition phase. Guillaume Terrien, who leads these activities, notes that close collaboration between the FAL Ground Test Design and Chief Engineering teams was established from the start. This “co-design” approach ensured that testability requirements were factored into the aircraft’s preliminary design, reducing complications during final assembly testing. Photo: Airbus How Co-Design Shaped Key Ground Tests The Cargo Loading System presented one of the most complex testing challenges, with hundreds of electrical components embedded in the floor requiring verification. Engineers devised an automated wiring self-test that runs directly from the cockpit using onboard software. This solution checks over 1,300 wires automatically within minutes of power-on, significantly reducing manual testing time on the production line. The drainage system test involves flooding the 50-metre main compartment with more than 180 litres of water to verify tightness and proper water evacuation. The test is performed with the aircraft floor at zero-degree inclination, using purpose-built equipment to fill all drainage pipes. Despite appearing straightforward, it ranks among the most technically complex ground tests on the A350F programme. The Tail Tipping Warning System is tested without placing the aircraft at risk by using specialist equipment that simulates landing gear extension, tricking the sensors into believing the aircraft is tipping. This validates that the cargo loading system halts immediately and that both audible and visual alarms trigger correctly. Photo: Airbus Serial vs. Certification Ground Tests Of approximately 200 serial ground test instructions (GTIs) used on the standard A350 passenger aircraft, around 40% have been specifically created or modified for the A350F. One entirely new serial test is the Main Deck Cargo Door Cycling test, which cycles the MDCD repeatedly in both manual and electrical modes to verify system behaviour, sensor response, and alert functions throughout the final assembly process. In parallel, a dedicated campaign of development and certification tests runs exclusively on the two flight-test aircraft, MSN 700 and MSN 701. These 55 Ground Test Requirements (GTRs) are one-off performance tests required for validation and verification by authorities such as EASA. The Max Payload Test, one of the most notable GTRs, loads the aircraft to its maximum payload capacity of 111 tonnes — equivalent to approximately 18 elephants — to confirm correct sequencing and full system functionality, particularly for the MDCD. The Pressurisation Development Test adds cameras, displacement sensors, and a microphone to the MDCD to monitor door behaviour throughout cabin pressure cycles, complementing the standard pressurisation test used in serial production. Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates. Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News A New Device Gives the A-10 Warthog Another Way to Refuel April 8, 2026 By Todd South The Air Force has developed a probe refueling adapter that could give the aging A-10 Thunderbolt II more options for refueling. The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center led the effort, along with multiple other organizations, to provide the A-10 with probe-and-drogue air refueling capability in addition to its flying boom option, according to a release. The probe-and-drogue system utilizes a flexible hose with a funnel-shaped drogue on its end. The end of the hose plugs into a probe on the receiving airplane. The flying boom uses a firm, telescoping tube with a stabilizer controlled by the tanker’s boom operator. The operator controls the boom, lining it up with the fuel receptor on the receiving aircraft. The new adaptor fits in the nose of the A-10 where its air refueling receptacle is located. This allows the Warthog to refuel from aerial tankers that only have probe/drogue systems like the Air Force’s search and rescue HC-130J or special ops MC-130J, or the Marine Corps’ KC-130J, while sidestepping problems the aircraft has had with the KC-135 Stratotanker and the KC-46 Pegasus. “The probe adapter enables A-10s to refuel from C-130 tankers, whose airspeeds and altitudes prove more compatible with A-10 operations and whose mission sets align more closely with close air support and combat search and rescue operations,” according to the release. The A-10 has been in the Air Force fleet since the 1970s and is still playing a key role in U.S. combat operations, even as the service pushes to retire the venerable jet, saying it is old and not suited for high-end conflicts. Just in recent weeks, the Air Force doubled its A-10 presence in U.S. Central Command for Operation Epic Fury, sending 18 A-10s to join the dozen already participating in the conflict with Iran. Commanders used the low- and slow-flying aircraft for counter-maritime missions in the Strait of Hormuz. The refueling adapter project came from a combatant command’s urgent need, per the release, which did not specify which command or when the need was identified. “Once the combatant command issued the requirement, all of the standard acquisition processes began immediately, but everyone involved understood the urgency,” said Lt. Col. Luke Haywas, Director of Test for AATC. An A-10 Thunderbolt II approaches a C-130 drogue basket during the first probe and drogue air refueling operation in the aircraft’s history, April 2, 2026. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Charles Givens) An unnamed industry partner built the probe adaptor. The A-10 Program Office provided engineering oversight for aircraft integration. The innovation hub ARCWERX enabled rapid contract acquisition. Luke Air Force Base manufactured supporting components, and the 418th Flight Test Squadron provided the HC-130 tanker and crew for the first refueling mission, which took place April 2, according to the release. Maintainers can install or remove the adapter in hours, giving units the option to configure the A-10 for either boom or probe refueling. Until now, the A-10 has had to rely on the KC-135 for refueling. That is not ideal, as the attack aircraft can’t always provide enough power to lock onto the tanker’s flying boom. Having the option to switch between refueling methods now means that the A-10 can receive fuel from the C-130-based tankers that are more compatible with A-10 missions. Most fighter aircraft, such as the F-15EX, F-16, F-22, and F-35, conduct refueling at 345 miles per hour, while the A-10 flies at about 230 miles per hour for refueling. The C-130 tankers can also take off on shorter runways, giving the Air Force more options for staging aircraft for long-haul missions. Those options are critical to the service’s Agile Combat Employment strategy, moving aircraft around the theater using remote or austere sites for refueling or rearming. A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker in CENTCOM on Nov. 29, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Travis Knauss) With shorter runway requirements, tankers could take off and immediately fuel fighters like the A-10, allowing them to carry more munitions on takeoff. Though the KC-46 sports both a refueling boom and a probe-and-drogue system, the tanker has struggled with issues related to its boom refueler, including some that have caused mishaps. The Air Force is working with manufacturer Boeing to revise the aircraft’s Remove Vision System for the boom operator and redesign its boom telescoping actuator. The A-10 is the only fighter aircraft not cleared for combat operational refueling with the KC-46 as the tanker awaits those fixes. The Air Force currently plans to purchase 263 KC-46 tankers to partially replace its aging fleet of 375 KC-135s, which average more than 63 years in service. Beyond the KC-46, the service is also developing what it calls the Next-Generation Aerial refueling System, or NGAS. The program is still early in its development, and officials haven’t specified whether it will have a boom, a probe-and-drogue, or a combination. At least one option being offered is going for both. In February, contractors Northrop Grumman and Embraer jointly announced they will pitch the KC-390 Millennium aircraft as an agile refueler. Part of the work the team will do on the KC-390 includes developing an autonomous refueling boom in addition to its existing probe-and-drogue system. Air Force Awards Contract to Develop Small, Disposable Engines for Missiles and Drones April 9, 2026 By Todd South The Air Force has awarded a $29.7 million contract to engine startup Beehive Industries to complete work on a new disposable jet engine meant to power drones and munitions. The contract is just the latest step in the service’s effort to massively scale up production of cheap new missiles and drones. That effort kicked off in earnest in the fiscal 2026 budget with the debut of the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles program, backed by $620 million in procurement and research and development funding. Beehive says its 200-pound Frenzy 8 engine is part of the FAMM program through a prototyping effort to develop small expendable turbines. The Frenzy 8 can hit 100-300 pounds of thrust. Beehive says it is also developing a 100-pound variant, Frenzy 6, which has 100 pounds of thrust. The new contract is to complete vehicle integration, flight testing, and qualification of Frenzy 8 and begin manufacturing a test version of Frenzy 6, with options for for further development. Beehive is one of at at least half a dozen companies working on small engines capable of producing between 200 and 3,000 pounds of thrust for Air Force programs like FAMM and Collaborative Combat Aircraft—and that push is poised to expand in fiscal 2027; the service is requesting $973 million for FAMM between R&D and procurement and $1.37 billion for developing CCAs, among other efforts. Founded in 2020, Beehive is staking out its lane in the competition with a heavy focus on additive manufacturing like 3D printing to build its engines fast. Chief Product Officer Gordie Follin told Air & Space Forces Magazine that work on Frenzy 8 began in October 2024, and the engine completed First Engine Test, or FET, in May 2025 and altitude testing in October 2025. The first flight is slated to take place in a few weeks. The firm is currently working on vehicle integration with several manufacturers and expects to conduct a barrage of flight tests over the coming months, Follin said. It has already built manufacturing capacity and is producing hundreds of engines to have ready to ship following flight testing, he said. “We expect production for 2027 to be on the order of 3,000-5,000 engines with some potential upside,” Follin said. Because of its focus on additive manufacturing, the company can scale quickly, allowing it to double that capacity in about 12 months. The Frenzy 6 program kicked off on April 9 and is expected to enter production by 2027, he said. The program draws heavily on the Frenzy 8 work, and Follin expects it to pass FET in three months. “The U.S. urgently needs solutions to enable affordable mass and, as you can see, we are committed to moving at unprecedented speed to help solve this problem,” Follin said. The FAMM program for which Frenzy 8 is meant is focused on “integration and flight demonstrations of affordable and highly manufacturable small turbine engines, seekers/sensors, networked datalinks, collaborative autonomy behaviors, and ordnance [warhead/fuse],” according to budget documents. Separately, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency posted a notice to industry on March 31 asking for information on “state-of-the-art development and manufacturing processes for missile propulsion systems.” And back in February, the Air Force awarded Beehive and three other engine-makers contracts to do design work on engines for powering the next increment of CCAs. Pentagon-backed X-65 jet with 537 mph top speed moves closer to first flight The DARPA-backed aircraft is designed to fly using jets of air instead of traditional control surfaces like flaps and rudders. By Sujita Sinha Military Apr 03, 2026 06:34 AM EST Aurora Flight Sciences moves X-65 aircraft into final integration phase. Aurora Flight Sciences/Facebook Aurora Flight Sciences has taken a major step forward in its experimental aircraft program, announcing that the fuselage of its X-65 demonstrator has arrived in Virginia for final systems integration. The update, shared on April 2, signals that the project is moving from structural assembly into the critical phase before flight testing, with a first flight planned for 2027. The Boeing subsidiary confirmed that teams are now installing core systems while other components continue production in West Virginia. The milestone reflects steady progress on a program that aims to rethink how aircraft are controlled in the air. Transition to final integration phase With the fuselage now in Virginia, engineers have begun installing electrical systems, propulsion components, and the aircraft’s advanced active flow control technology. At the same time, wing and tail structures are still being built at Aurora’s facility in Bridgeport, West Virginia. “The X-65 fuselage has arrived! Our teams are now integrating electrical, propulsion, and AFC systems into the aircraft fuselage in Virginia, while wing and tail manufacturing is advancing at our facility in West Virginia,” the company said. The shift to integration marks one of the most complex stages of aircraft development. It brings together separate systems into a single working platform that must perform reliably during future flight tests. Aurora and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency reached a co-investment agreement in August 2025 to complete the aircraft and move toward flight. Since then, the effort has advanced through design reviews and into full-scale manufacturing. A new way to control aircraft The X-65, with a top speed of 537 mph, is being developed under DARPA’s CRANE program, which focuses on Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors. The goal is to prove that aircraft can be controlled without traditional moving surfaces. Instead of relying on flaps, rudders, or elevators, the X-65 uses jets of air to change how airflow moves across its wings. By directing these air streams precisely, the aircraft can adjust pitch, roll, and yaw. In simple terms, the system allows the aircraft to maneuver using airflow rather than mechanical parts. “The X-65 is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – DARPA CRANE program to demonstrate active flow control (AFC) — technology that replaces traditional aircraft control surfaces with jets of air,” the company added. This approach could reduce the number of moving parts on an aircraft, which may lower weight and simplify maintenance while improving aerodynamic efficiency. Built as a dedicated test platform The X-65 is not designed for operational use. It is a purpose-built demonstrator created to test new aerodynamic concepts under real flight conditions. The aircraft features a wingspan of about 30 feet and a gross weight of roughly 7,000 pounds. These specifications provide a stable platform for repeated testing and data collection. Its active flow control system uses pressurized air distributed through fourteen embedded effectors placed across the aircraft’s surfaces. These effectors are responsible for managing flight behavior without conventional control surfaces. The aircraft also includes a triangular wing design and a modular structure. Engineers can adjust wing sweep angles and swap out components to test different configurations over time. Path toward 2027 first flight With integration now underway, the X-65 program is entering a decisive phase. The fuselage, wings, and engine diffuser were all produced in West Virginia before the fuselage was transported for final assembly. Aurora believes the aircraft could play a long-term role in research even after its initial demonstration phase. “We’re excited to continue our longstanding partnership with DARPA to complete the build of the X-65 aircraft and demonstrate the capabilities of active flow control in flight,” said Larry Wirsing, vice president of aircraft development at Aurora Flight Sciences. “The X-65 platform will be an enduring flight test asset, and we’re confident that future aircraft designs and research missions will be able to leverage the underlying technologies and flight test data.” As work continues across multiple facilities, the program is steadily moving toward its 2027 flight target. “18 Tejas Fighters, 10 Without Engines”: HAL Image Exposes India’s Deepening Tejas Mk1A Crisis A promotional image released by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has unexpectedly exposed the central weakness inside India’s Tejas Mk1A programme, where incomplete fighters are accumulating faster than GE Aerospace can deliver engines. EnglishGlobalInternational By admin On Apr 4, 2026 (DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — India’s most ambitious indigenous fighter programme has entered its most politically dangerous phase after a promotional image released by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited appeared to show 18 Tejas Mk1A fighters assembled on a factory apron, with roughly 10 lacking engines. The photograph, published through HAL’s 2026 calendar and circulated during late March and early April, immediately triggered criticism because India is attempting to present the Tejas Mk1A as the centrepiece of its future airpower posture. For the Indian Air Force, the timing is strategically damaging because the service is already struggling with declining squadron numbers while attempting to retire ageing MiG-21, MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft faster than replacements arrive. Several defence analysts examining the image concluded that only about eight single-seat Tejas Mk1A aircraft in the displayed formation carried installed GE F404-GE-IN20 turbofan engines, while the remaining airframes remained incomplete. The same image nevertheless revealed that many of the unfinished aircraft already carried advanced external features associated with the Mk1A configuration, including dual ASRAAM missile rails and an Advanced Self Protection Jammer pod. Those visible upgrades created a more damaging perception problem because the aircraft appeared externally close to operational readiness despite lacking the single imported component that determines whether the fighter can actually fly. The resulting criticism rapidly spread across Indian and foreign defence forums, where several commentators described the Tejas as the world’s only supposedly combat-ready fighter programme still waiting for its engines. That characterisation is exaggerated because HAL has not claimed these specific aircraft were operationally ready or formally delivered, yet the viral reaction nevertheless exposed growing scepticism surrounding India’s aerospace manufacturing credibility. More importantly, the controversy has highlighted a structural vulnerability within India’s defence-industrial strategy, where a heavily localised fighter programme remains critically dependent upon a foreign propulsion supplier beyond New Delhi’s direct control. Unless GE Aerospace rapidly restores delivery schedules during the second half of 2026, India’s wider effort to rebuild frontline airpower could face another year of operational delay and escalating political embarrassment. HAL’s Production Strategy Has Created A Visible But Incomplete Fighter Fleet HAL’s assembly approach is not unusual within the global aerospace industry because manufacturers frequently complete fuselages, wiring, avionics and weapons integration before installing a delayed propulsion system. The difference in the Tejas case is that HAL has continued accelerating visible production despite the absence of engines, creating a factory floor increasingly populated by fighters that cannot progress further. According to programme updates issued through February and April 2026, five Tejas Mk1A aircraft are now fully assembled with contracted avionics, electronic warfare systems and mission software already integrated. Those five aircraft reportedly include the Uttam active electronically scanned array radar, upgraded cockpit displays, advanced data links and the revised defensive suite required under the Mk1A standard. HAL has also indicated that another nine or more aircraft have completed substantial assembly and, in some cases, ground or limited flight activity before becoming effectively stranded awaiting engines. By late March and early April, the combined total of advanced Tejas Mk1A airframes displayed at HAL’s facilities had reportedly reached between 15 and 18 aircraft. The company has simultaneously expanded production infrastructure by activating a second Tejas assembly line at Nashik, where the first locally assembled Mk1A completed its maiden flight during October 2025. HAL’s target remains to complete between 16 and 24 aircraft by the end of the 2025-26 financial year before eventually increasing output toward approximately 30 fighters annually. The GE F404 Engine Has Become The Single Critical Weakness In India’s Fighter Modernisation Plan The Tejas Mk1A depends entirely upon the American-built GE F404-GE-IN20 turbofan, an engine derived from the broader F404 family but modified specifically for India’s indigenous fighter programme. HAL ordered 99 F404 engines during 2021 through a contract worth approximately US$716 million, equivalent to roughly RM2.72 billion, to support the first batch of 83 Mk1A aircraft. A second follow-on requirement covering another 97 Tejas Mk1A fighters subsequently increased India’s future engine demand beyond 200 units, further intensifying dependence upon GE Aerospace. Despite those contractual commitments, GE had reportedly delivered only six engines by early April 2026, far below the quantity originally required to sustain HAL’s planned production tempo. Defence industry reportsThe sixth engine reportedly arrived only recently after additional transport and logistics delays, reinforcing the perception that supply problems extend beyond ordinary manufacturing shortfalls. GE has attributed the disruption partly to wider global supply-chain instability and partly to the ongoing conflict across West Asia, which continues affecting transportation networks and industrial components. HAL has responded by imposing liquidated damages and contractual penalties upon GE Aerospace, signalling unusually visible frustration inside a programme previously expected to symbolise Indian industrial self-reliance. The engine shortage therefore represents more than a technical production problem because it directly challenges the credibility of India’s broader ambition to become an autonomous aerospace manufacturing power. India’s Air Force Cannot Afford Another Delay While Squadron Strength Continues Declining The Indian Air Force has not yet accepted any Tejas Mk1A aircraft into operational service because the service intends conducting a full operational evaluation during May 2026. That review is expected to determine whether the fighter satisfies all contracted performance requirements, including radar functionality, electronic warfare capability, weapons integration and overall mission reliability. Even if the evaluation proceeds successfully, the continuing absence of engines means the first Tejas Mk1A squadron is now unlikely entering service before late 2026. That delay matters because India’s frontline fighter strength has already fallen significantly below the official requirement of 42 combat squadrons needed for simultaneous regional contingencies. GE Delegation Visits HAL Bengaluru to Discuss F404 Deliveries and F414 Engine Programme A senior delegation from United States-based GE Aerospace recently arrived at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facilities in Bengaluru for strategic talks. Led by Rita Flaherty, the Vice President of Sales and Business Development at GE Aerospace, the visit aimed to address crucial engine supply chains and evaluate future collaborative manufacturing projects between the two aerospace entities. During the visit, the GE representatives held high-level discussions with HAL's top management, including Chairman and Managing Director Dr. D. K. Sunil and Director of Operations Shri Ravi K. A primary focus of these talks was to review the progress and delivery schedule of the GE F404 engines. These engines are of vital importance to India's immediate security needs, as they are the chosen powerplant for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A. Timely delivery of the F404 engines is critical for HAL to meet its production targets and facilitate the scheduled induction of these fighter jets into the Indian Air Force. Furthermore, the leadership teams advanced their ongoing dialogue regarding the highly anticipated GE F414 engine programme. This initiative is a cornerstone of India's long-term indigenous aerospace strategy. Following a landmark agreement between the United States and India, the F414 engines are slated to be co-produced domestically with a substantial transfer of technology. These more powerful engines will eventually power India's next-generation platforms, including the Tejas Mk2 medium-weight fighter and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which will significantly boost the nation's self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. Concluding their visit, the GE Aerospace team took a comprehensive tour of HAL's Aircraft Division assembly hangar. The delegation observed the active production lines firsthand and expressed their appreciation for the ongoing manufacturing and assembly activities of the LCA Mk1A, reinforcing the ongoing industrial partnership between GE and India's premier aerospace manufacturer. Pentagon awards Raytheon $45 million for GPS ground system as program future is reassessed The ‘unpriced change order’ supports satellite launches while officials reassess long-delayed ground system by Sandra Erwin April 2, 2026 GPS illustration. Credit: U.S. Air Force WASHINGTON — The Pentagon awarded RTX a $45.3 million contract modification to support U.S. military GPS satellite ground operations, even as officials weigh scaling back the troubled Next Generation Operational Control System program known as OCX. “The modification will ensure the U.S. government can launch, checkout, and maintain GPS space vehicles, including SV 10 and future satellites,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Space Force said in a statement. SV-10, the 10th satellite in the GPS III constellation, is scheduled for launch later this month. The contract modification, according to the announcement, is an “unpriced change order,” allowing work to proceed before final costs are negotiated. The modification runs for one year. The contract comes amid indications the Defense Department does not plan to continue full development of OCX after years of delays and rising costs. Instead, officials are considering integrating portions of the Raytheon-developed software into the existing GPS ground system, known as the Architecture Evolution Plan, or AEP. An unpriced change order authorizes a contractor to begin work before the government and contractor finalize the cost, typically used for urgent or narrowly defined tasks. In this case, the Pentagon is limiting Raytheon’s role to near-term support such as launch and early orbit operations, while continuing to reassess the broader OCX program. The latest award would exclude further software fixes, tests and transition-to-operations work tied to OCX, according to officials familiar with the contract structure. Instead, it gives the government flexibility to negotiate how elements of OCX could be incorporated into AEP. To date, the Pentagon has awarded Raytheon nearly $4.6 billion for OCX development over roughly 15 years. The program was originally intended to replace legacy ground systems and provide enhanced cybersecurity and support for modernized GPS signals. Legacy system gains traction Delays in OCX led the Air Force in 2016 to hire Lockheed Martin to upgrade AEP so it could operate newer GPS III satellites. Initially conceived as a stopgap, AEP has since evolved into a viable long-term alternative as improvements accumulated. An early version of OCX is already used for launch and early orbit operations for GPS III satellites but does not provide full command-and-control capabilities. Officials are now evaluating whether to harvest usable components of OCX and integrate them into the AEP baseline rather than continue full-scale development of the new system. Senior leaders acknowledge challenges Chief of Space Operations Chance Saltzman said the Department of the Air Force and the Office of the Secretary of Defense are reviewing options. “We have a serious issue, and that serious issue is being addressed,” Saltzman said April 1 at the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Conference. “We’re looking at the existing systems. We’re looking at the future systems, how far do we go with it.” As more GPS III and future satellites are launched, he added, upgrades to ground systems will be required regardless of the path forward. “There’s A Huge Demand”: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Dismantled After Only 13 Flying Hours Credit: Shutterstock By Paul Hartley Published Apr 6, 2026, 6:08 PM EDT Paul has had a career of 25+ years focused on the international technology sector, which has taken him to over 100 countries. Along the way, he developed a deep love for aviation, with a travel bucket list measured by aircraft types flown rather than destinations reached. Now he is bringing that avgeek passion, along with the journalism experience he accumulated early in his career, to write insightful pieces for Simple Flying. Seeing an aging airliner broken up for parts is normal. Seeing a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with barely any flying time meet the same fate is something else entirely. Yet that is exactly what is happening to N947BA, the 17th Dreamliner to roll off the production line in Everett. The aircraft has logged only a handful of ferry flights but is now at Roswell International Air Center (ROW) in New Mexico to be torn down for parts. C&L Aviation, which is marketing the materials to be taken from the aircraft, called it the first GE Aerospace-powered 787 to be disassembled in the United States, and also the first time a “new” 787 had been dismantled anywhere in the world. That immediately raises the obvious question: how does a nearly-new Dreamliner end up on the scrapheap? The answer is a mix of early-build 787 headaches at Boeing, a customer plan that unraveled before the aircraft ever found a real mission, and a 787 parts market that has suddenly become valuable enough to make tear down a rational business decision. From Early-Build Headache To Scrap Candidate Credit: Resorts World Las Vegas N947BA’s story was unusual almost from birth. The aircraft is Boeing serial number 35507, line number 17, one of the early-production Dreamliners built prior to certification, and often grouped into the so-called “terrible teens.” The Seattle Times says that Boeing struggled to place these aircraft because they had significant shortcomings, notably structural weakness where the plane’s wings melded with the fuselage, requiring custom-fitted reinforcements. These modifications made the jets heavier, reducing their maximum takeoff weight by up to 12 tonnes. N947BA was originally part of an order for Royal Air Maroc but was not accepted due to assembly defects and excess weight. Instead, it was sold in 2017 to Crystal Cruises, where it was going to be reconfigured with 60 first class seats and used to launch Crystal Luxury Air, featuring 14- to 28-day around-the-world private jet journeys. But that never got off the ground, and in 2021, Crystal sold the aircraft for $25 million as it sought to increase liquidity during the pandemic. After seven years of being stored at Victorville, the aircraft was sold again last year and moved to Roswell for dismantling. Aviation Flights lists just two total flights for the aircraft (outside of flight testing with Boeing), something that made the aircraft particularly attractive to Tim Brecher, president of C&L Aviation: “Disassembling a virtually new 787 with only a few ferry cycles has never been done before. But with much of the 787 fleet hitting the 12-year mark and needing heavy maintenance, the shortage of spares in the marketplace, combined with the ongoing challenges in the supply chain, make this sort of project critical to OEMs and operators." Why A 787 Can Be Worth More In Pieces Credit: Flickr The reason N947BA is being broken up is simple enough: the parts market now values a donor 787 far higher than an airline values a second-hand aircraft. Spares shortages and broader supply-chain issues are making materials hard to find, and EirTrade, which has conducted some of the first 787 tear downs, says it has been “inundated” with requests for 787 components: “The reason we part them out is that there is a business case. Someone needs the engines, someone needs the landing gears, someone needs the avionics… it's not like a deficiency in the Dreamliner, it's just math.” So what does that math look like? Well, the engines are the biggest prize. N947BA has two GEnx-1B engines, and IBA gives them a half-life market valuation of $20 million each. That alone represents $15 million more value than the complete aircraft as sold five years ago, and that's before you even get to the landing gear, avionics, flight controls, nacelle hardware, APU, brakes, wheels, and other high-demand rotables. These all push the parts value of a 787 well north of $50 million: Component Value Notes 2 × GEnx-1B engines $20 million IBA half-life value of $20 million each for GEnx-1B engines Landing gear shipset $4–6 million High-value overhaul material as 787s enter heavier maintenance Avionics and major LRUs $2–4 million Includes hard-to-source line-replaceable units APU, nacelle and thrust reverser hardware $2–3 million Valuable rotable/supporting hardware Other rotables, brakes, wheels, actuators and cabin assets $2–3 million Smaller items, but collectively meaningful Total $50–56 million Broad estimate, not a formal appraisal That $50 million+ value helps explain why N947BA became a teardown candidate. The resale of a complete aircraft with a complicated backstory, almost no operating history, and an odd market position is not easy. The immediate certainty of monetizing its major components makes a lot more sense, because when airlines and OEMs are chasing scarce Dreamliner spares, a low-cycle donor aircraft suddenly becomes a very attractive warehouse. C172 Crashes After Failure of Nose Oil Seal By General Aviation News Staff April 9, 2026 · 7 Comments The pilot told investigators that he was about to begin a practice instrument approach and was near the initial approach fix for the RNAV Runway 9 instrument approach to Palatka Municipal Airport (28J) in Florida. In preparation for the approach, he added power to climb from 2,500 feet mean sea level (MSL) to 3,000 feet. Shortly after adding full power, the Cessna 172’s engine began to run rough and climb performance was less than expected. He surveyed the engine instruments and noticed that the oil pressure was reading low (in the red), and that the engine was only producing partial power. Unable to maintain altitude, he abandoned the practice approach and attempted to fly directly to the runway, which was about 10 miles away. He reported that about two miles short of the runway his altitude was about 500 feet, so he elected to make an off-airport landing in a field that had recently been logged. The airplane came to rest upright on rough terrain in a field of tall grasses and sapling pine trees. The pilot was not injured in the crash. Post-accident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector found substantial damage to the fuselage. The FAA inspector also reported that both wing fuel tanks were full of fluid consistent with 100LL aviation fuel, and when sampled, no water was observed in either wing fuel tank. Further examination of the airframe found control continuity from all flight control surfaces to the flight controls in the cockpit. The fuel strainer screen was removed and examined. The screen was unobstructed and showed minimal organic debris. Post-accident examination of the engine found oil on the upper and lower surfaces of the crankcase, the surface forward of the forward engine baffles, and on the interior of the lower cowling. Epoxy sealant was found smeared on the upper area where the two crankcase halves met. The propeller was removed, and the crankcase nose oil seal was found protruding about 3/8 inch from its recess in the crankcase nose. Sealant material was observed smeared on the forward surface of the nose oil seal. About two quarts of oil was drained from the engine. The faces of all four hydraulic tappet bodies in the right crankcase half exhibited significant corrosion pitting. The faces of three of the four hydraulic tappet bodies in the left crankcase half exhibited significant corrosion pitting. The crankcase was split to facilitate further examination. The crankshaft main journals and rod journals exhibited light scoring. The crankshaft main bearings and the rod bearings also exhibited light scoring. Review of maintenance records showed the engine had accumulated 20.3 hours of time in service since the last 100-hour inspection. The records also show the engine had accumulated 6,089 hours and 19 years of time in service since it was overhauled. Lycoming Service Instruction 1009BE states: “All engine models are to be overhauled within twelve (12) calendar years of the date they first entered service or of last overhaul. This calendar year time period TBO is to mitigate engine deterioration that occurs with age, including corrosion of metallic components and degradation of non-metallic components such as gaskets, seals, flexible hoses, and fuel pump diaphragms.” Service Instruction 1009BE also specifies the operating hour time between overhaul periods as 2,000 hours for the make and model engine. The owner/operator of the airplane failed to respond to questions about the maintenance and condition of the engine, and specifically about why it had not been replaced or overhauled. Probable Cause: The failure of the nose oil seal to remain secure in the engine crankcase, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and partial loss of engine power. NTSB Identification: 194187 To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device. This April 2024 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Curt Lewis