April 29, 2026 - No. 17 In This Issue : Chevron CEO warns aviation strain could worsen as jet fuel crunch deepens : Northrop Grumman swaps autonomy software mid-flight : Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket grounded after launch mishap : Over 30 New Boeing 777X Jets Need Major Rework Before Delivery : GE Continues Work on GE9X Mid-Seal Issue, Says 777-9 Delivery Remains on Track : ITP Aero Expands GTF Aftermarket Role : Airlines Mull AI’s Potential, Limits For MRO : Sikorsky and Robinson Unmanned Secure U.S. Marine Corps Contract for Autonomous Aerial Logistics Program Chevron CEO warns aviation strain could worsen as jet fuel crunch deepens Jet fuel supplies are tightening globally following disruptions tied to the Iran conflict, with airlines already cutting capacity and raising fares By Bradford Betz FOXBusiness Chris Sununu: The aviation system may be in chaos again soon Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu stresses the economic impact of government shutdowns on ‘Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.’ Chevron CEO Mike Wirth warned that strain on the aviation industry could intensify in the coming weeks as jet fuel supplies tighten, driven by disruptions tied to the Iran war. Appearing Sunday on CBS News’ "Face the Nation," Wirth said jet fuel in key regions was already at seasonally low levels before the conflict began, leaving markets vulnerable to supply shocks. "It’s not flowing today. So, we are seeing jet fuel tighten very quickly in Europe, in Asia, and we’re seeing airlines announce adjustments in their flight schedules," Wirth said. "I think aviation is clearly an area where it’s going to probably get worse over the next few weeks." Jet fuel prices have surged sharply since late February, reflecting constrained shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a critical oil transit choke point through which roughly one-fifth of global supply typically passes. Chevron CEO Mike Wirth. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images) U.S. jet fuel prices have climbed from about $2.50 per gallon before the conflict to $4.19 per gallon as of April 24, according to Airlines for America. Globally, prices remain volatile, with the International Air Transport Association reporting a 6.7% week-over-week decline to $184.63 per barrel, even as broader supply pressures persist. Airlines are already adjusting operations in response to higher fuel costs. United Airlines said it plans to cut about 5% of its planned capacity this year, while Delta Air Lines has trimmed growth plans by roughly 3.5 percentage points. Fuel typically accounts for about a quarter of airline operating costs, leaving carriers highly exposed to price swings. In response, airlines are reducing lower-margin routes and leaning on higher fares and fees to offset rising expenses. Consumers are beginning to feel the impact. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows airfares rose month over month in March, a trend that could accelerate as carriers pass along higher fuel costs and limit capacity heading into the peak summer travel season. Wirth said the core issue remains disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Reduced shipments from Middle Eastern refiners, which supply a significant share of global jet fuel, have tightened availability across Europe and Asia. He added that the global energy system has lost much of its flexibility, with inventories that typically act as "shock absorbers" now depleted after weeks of disruption. "The risks kind of skew to the upside right now," Wirth said, noting that even if flows resume, it could take time for supply chains and inventories to normalize. Northrop Grumman swaps autonomy software mid-flight By Lisa West April 27, 2026 4 ShareNorthrop Grumman has demonstrated a mid-flight swap of autonomy software on its Talon IQ testbed aircraft, transitioning between software from two different companies while maintaining continuous operational performance. The flight, conducted at Mojave, California, began with Northrop Grumman’s own Prism Mission Autonomy software controlling the aircraft before transitioning mid-flight to mission autonomy software from Applied Intuition and then Accelint, demonstrating what the company describes as the ability to dynamically switch between partner autonomy systems at the individual skill level during flight. Craig Woolston, sector vice president and general manager for research and advanced design at Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems, said the company had “opened the Talon IQ ecosystem to help companies prove their autonomous capabilities and advance next-generation flight, providing a real-world testing platform at a lower cost than fully uncrewed systems” and that the investment “speeds software maturity, enhances reliability and accelerates delivery of mission-ready solutions.” Talon IQ is built around the Scaled Composites Model 437 aircraft and is designed as an open architecture, modular testbed that allows partner companies to develop, integrate and flight test mission autonomy software on proven flight autonomy hardware. The system is intended to allow third-party autonomy skills to be hosted within Northrop Grumman’s Prism framework while adhering to US government reference architectures, with the company positioning it as a lower-risk and lower-cost route to proving autonomous software maturity before transition to operational platforms. Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket grounded after launch mishap News By Mike Wall April 22, 2026 "The FAA will oversee the Blue Origin-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process, and approve Blue Origin's final report, including any corrective actions." Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launches on its third-ever mission on April 19, 2026. Things went well at first, but New Glenn failed to deliver the satellite — AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 — to the proper orbit. (Image credit: Blue Origin) The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requiring an investigation into New Glenn's third-ever mission, which launched on Sunday morning (April 19) and resulted in the loss of its payload — the BlueBird 7 internet-beaming satellite. "The FAA will oversee the Blue Origin-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process, and approve Blue Origin's final report, including any corrective actions," the FAA wrote in an update on Monday (April 20). Over 30 New Boeing 777X Jets Need Major Rework Before Delivery CEO Kelly Ortberg calls the rework a "pretty massive activity" as the widebody twinjet advances through its fifth year of certification delays. By Bhavya Velani April 25, 20265 Mins Read Photo: Boeing SEATTLE- Boeing has disclosed that approximately 30 early-production 777X widebody jets will require modifications before they can reach customers. The airframer revealed the scale of the rework during its Q1 2026 earnings call on April 23, as the 777-9 variant continues to progress through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification testing. Boeing still targets first delivery in 2027, with Lufthansa (LH) at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) expected to serve as the launch operator. The modification effort adds another layer of complexity to a program that has slipped roughly six years behind its original schedule. CEO Kelly Ortberg described the change incorporation process as a consequence of building aircraft early to capture manufacturing insights before the design was fully locked. GE Aerospace (GE), the exclusive supplier of the GE9X engine that powers the 777X, is simultaneously working on a fix for a mid-seal durability issue discovered in January 2026 during a shop visit. Photo: Clément Alloing Why do 30 Boeing 777X Aircraft Need Rework? Boeing built these aircraft over several years while the 777X program navigated repeated certification delays, design changes, and production improvements. Each jet now requires updates to incorporate modifications that emerged during flight testing, FAA certification activities, and manufacturing process refinements, FlightGlobal reported. Ortberg explained that the company will bring all affected aircraft down to a common configuration level before applying the final changes, calling this approach the most efficient path forward. The scope of work varies by airframe age. Older aircraft demand more extensive modifications, including structural changes, while newer jets only need minor upgrades. Boeing has established a dedicated team within its commercial aircraft division (BCA) to manage this process. Each aircraft carries a unique work scope, and the team is currently defining the full statement of work for every jet in the queue. The entire change incorporation process will stretch over several years. Ortberg addressed investor concerns directly during the earnings call, clarifying that “change incorp” covers updates resulting from certification findings, productivity improvements, and process changes accumulated since each aircraft was originally assembled. The work includes both structural and systems-level modifications depending on the build date of each airframe. Photo: Clément Alloing Certification Progress: TIA Phase 4A and the Road to Phase 5 The 777-9 certification program has advanced to Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) Phase 4A, which the FAA approved on March 17, 2026. This phase focuses on natural icing tests, and Boeing prioritized completing this work while suitable icing conditions remained available in Alaska. Ortberg noted the importance of capturing this seasonal weather window to avoid delays in searching for icing conditions later. TIA Phase 4 is split into two sections. Phase 4A, which Ortberg described as “not a super-large package,” centers on icing evaluations. Phase 4B, expected “very soon,” represents a significantly larger block of tests and will be critical for continuing the flight test campaign. Together, Phases 4A and 4B account for roughly the same volume of testing as the earlier Phase 3, which began in November 2025 and focused on avionics and primary flight control systems. After completing Phases 4A and 4B, the program moves into Phase 5, the final TIA stage. That phase will be followed by Functionality and Reliability (F&R) testing and Extended Operations (ETOPS) trials before the FAA can grant type certification. Boeing has accumulated more than 4,000 hours of 777-9 flight testing across four dedicated test aircraft (WH001 through WH004), though not all hours qualify for certification credit. Photo: FRAME | YouTube GE9X Engine Durability Issue and Its Impact on the Program GE Aerospace identified a durability concern in the mid-seal component of the GE9X engine in January 2026 during a routine shop visit involving a flight-test engine. Mid seals balance temperature and pressure between turbine stages inside the engine core, and a crack in one seal prompted a full investigation. GE CEO Larry Culp confirmed during the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call on April 21 that engineers have identified the root cause and are ramping supplier production for the redesigned component. Despite the issue, Ortberg stated that the engine problem is “not impacting” the flight-test program. Boeing is conducting periodic inspections and incorporating them into operations to keep the test aircraft flying. Boeing and GE Aerospace are working with the FAA to fold the engine fix into the broader certification plan. Both companies maintain that the resolution will not push the 777-9 certification beyond the current 2027 delivery timeline. The GE9X, which received its FAA type certificate in September 2020, remains the largest and most powerful commercial turbofan engine ever built. Photo: Clément Alloing What This Means for Airlines Waiting on the 777X The 777X order book includes commitments from several major carriers. Emirates (EK), the largest customer with 270 aircraft on order, has launched a large-scale retrofit program across its existing Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleets to manage capacity during the extended wait. Lufthansa (LH) remains positioned as the launch operator for the 777-9. The program’s delays have forced airlines to extend operations of older widebody types, including the Boeing 747-8 and 777-300ER. Boeing delivered 143 commercial aircraft across all programs in Q1 2026, its highest first-quarter total since 2019. Commercial aircraft revenue rose 13% year-over-year to $9.2 billion for the quarter. Boeing posted an adjusted loss per share of $0.20 for Q1, outperforming analyst expectations. The company also secured FAA certification for increased maximum takeoff weight on the 787-9 and 787-10 during the quarter, providing additional value to operators of those widebody platforms while the 777X program continues its path toward service entry. 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 GE Continues Work on GE9X Mid-Seal Issue, Says 777-9 Delivery Remains on Track April 22, 2026 By ePlane AI GE9X Engine 777-9 Delivery Engine Durability Issue GE Advances GE9X Mid-Seal Repair, Confirms 777-9 Delivery Schedule GE Aerospace is progressing with a targeted modification to resolve a durability issue affecting the mid seal of its GE9X engine, assuring that this challenge will not disrupt Boeing’s delivery timeline for the long-delayed 777-9 aircraft. The problem, which became public in February following the discovery of a crack in a GE9X engine used in Boeing’s 777-9 test program, has prompted a concentrated engineering effort from GE. During GE’s first-quarter earnings call, CEO Larry Culp stated that the company believes it has identified the root cause of the mid-seal crack and is in the process of finalizing a corrective modification. “The crack that we uncovered during a shop visit, which is part of a flight-test engine, is something we’ve seen before. We think we are at root cause, and we’re finalising the modification as we speak,” Culp explained. He further noted that GE is updating its tooling and increasing supplier readiness for the revised component. Despite this setback, GE delivered some GE9X engines in the first quarter, although fewer than initially planned. The company anticipates ramping up deliveries in the second half of the year and does not expect the issue to affect its full-year delivery targets. Culp emphasized GE’s transparency with Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), affirming that the company remains aligned with the certification plan communicated to customers. Boeing continues to express confidence in its schedule for the 777-9, targeting certification and the commencement of deliveries in 2027. The manufacturer is also advancing certification efforts for its new 737 Max variants, including the Max 10 and Max 7, with deliveries expected to begin next year. Technical Challenges and Broader Aerospace Efforts The GE9X engine, certified by the FAA in 2020 with a thrust rating of 134,300 pounds (597 kN), has encountered several technical challenges throughout its development. Prior to certification, GE paused testing to address a durability issue involving stator vanes in the high-pressure compressor, which caused excessive exhaust gas temperatures and premature component wear. In 2022, Boeing temporarily suspended 777-9 flight testing after GE identified another temperature-related concern during a borescope inspection. Beyond commercial aviation, GE Aerospace is accelerating development of its T901 engine for the U.S. Army amid uncertain defense budgets. The Army is also advancing its Black Hawk engine upgrade program, highlighting GE’s broader commitment to enhancing durability and performance across its engine portfolio, particularly for operations in demanding environments. GE’s ongoing efforts to modify the GE9X mid seal underscore its dedication to resolving technical issues without jeopardizing critical aircraft programs. Both GE and Boeing maintain that the 777-9 remains on track for its planned entry into service, supported by continued transparency and collaboration with regulatory authorities. ITP Aero Expands GTF Aftermarket Role James Pozzi April 23, 2026 Credit: Pratt & Whitney ORLANDO, Florida—ITP Aero is further expanding its Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF) aftermarket position after announcing new component repair capabilities related to two variants of the new-generation engine family. At Aviation Week’s MRO Americas, the company announced the signing of a five-year agreement with Pratt & Whitney to provide component repair services for the engine’s stator assembly-turbine intermediate case (TIC) vane pack for the PW1500G and PW1900G engines, which power Airbus A220 and Embraer E-Jet aircraft, respectively. ITP Aero will provide TIC vane pack repair services across the entire Pratt & Whitney GTF network, supporting both PW1500G and PW1900G engines. The repair is expected to be fully industrialized between 2026 and 2028. The latest repair developments follow ITP Aero delivering its first combustor for both engine programs in January 2026. The Bilbao, Spain-based company, a risk-revenue-sharing partner in the GTF program, joined the engine’s aftermarket network in summer 2025 and has started building more in-house component repair capability in Madrid. “We’re part of what’s really a very competitive network in the GTF-designated service provider network,” Alan Jones, EVP of MRO at ITP Aero told Aviation Week about the bidding process for some of the component-related work, which is allocated to network partner. “There’s about 30 to 40 different customers all vying for these network repairs.” ITP Aero is industrializing at its facility in Madrid, where it is building a new facility and a test cell to accommodate GTF-related work and undertake full overhauls on the engines as well as back-shop repairs on the components. Jones expects the first GTF shop visit to happen in the Spanish capital either by March or April 2027. Developing repairs at other ITP Aero-affiliated locations is also on the agenda. BP Aero, the Dallas-based MRO facility acquired by ITP Aero in 2024, plans to add a second facility by the end of 2026 in order to ramp up capacity to meet third-party repair demand, with engine parts MRO work being actively expanded. The new 120,000 ft.2 building, located a short distance from BP Aero’s current site and close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, will enable more advanced repair capabilities on its current portfolio of CFM, CF6, CF34 and GE90 engine components, as well as offer new capabilities in support of the growing demand on the GTF, as well as the CFM Leap and GE Aerospace-manufactured GEnx engines. The facility will more than double the company’s current component repair footprint once fully operational. ITP Aero expects to add around 100 jobs at the facility supporting ITP Aero’s long-term industrial growth in the U.S. Jones said ITP Aero is aiming to further diversify the BP Aero business, as it looks to establish more longer-term contracts with customers. “We’re trying to bring control into our own supply chain,” he said. “Winning more licensed work and insourcing more component repair gives us a chance to influence those turn times.” In addition, Jones added that it is investing between $12 million-$13 million in machinery in both Dallas and Madrid. “We proactively invested in both facilities’ capacity and build the capability and in parallel secure the volume,” he said. The company is also ramping up its workforce in Madrid as it works toward full GTF capability. “We’ve hired about 60 to 70 people in Madrid at the back end of last year,” Jones said. “We’ve got another 100 people being hired this year ... bringing them in and training them for about 12 months.” ITP Aero’s late 2025 acquisition of Aero Norway, the Stavanger-based CFM56 and LEAP MRO specialist, has also furthered its footprint on the CFM engine programs. “To get on the CFM as a platform at a deeper level is important for us,” Jones said. “BP Aero undertakes lighter, customized workscopes such as hospital shop visits on these engines, while Aero Norway does full overhauls as well as customized workscopes. This will allow us to offer that end-to-end workscope solution.” Airlines Mull AI’s Potential, Limits For MRO Lindsay Bjerregaard April 27, 2026 Aviation Week’s Christine Boynton (left) moderates an AI-focused panel at MRO Americas with (from left) Alice Belcher, Nicole Austin and Stephen Snyder. Credit: Lindsay Bjerregaard/Aviation Week Network ORLANDO—Airlines shared examples of how they are leveraging artificial intelligence to drive maintenance efficiencies at MRO Americas, but some stakeholders are urging caution about overreliance on the technology. Delta TechOps, which has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to perform functions like predictive maintenance, digesting maintenance data and helping technicians search for information, recently achieved success with a new use case for expendable warranties. According to Alice Belcher, head of predictive engineering and innovation, Delta Air Lines has data for 1,000 aircraft and 2,200 engines “everywhere and nowhere,” so it developed an AI agent that could act as a warranty specialist to “go out and find the purchase order, find the information in our [maintenance and engineering] system about the log pages, read that, bring that data in and structure it on [Palantir] Foundry.” Belcher said her team worked with Delta TechOps’ warranty specialists to understand their workflow and pain points to build the tool, and now they can use the AI agent to build an entire warranty claim, so “instead of spending 80% of the time finding the information and 20% of the time negotiating, we’re trying to flip it on its head.” At Alaska Airlines, Innovation Program Manager Nicole Austin and her team are using AI to pull data from multiple sources to drive product development across many aspects of the business. For instance, she said the airline pulled review data about its mobile application from various online sources and parsed it with an AI agent to drive meaningful change with its designers, and they are looking at how maintenance data could be mined in the same way, such as identifying maintenance trends and pulling out actionable items. Austin’s team performs proofs of concept and hands over documented results to the appropriate leaders within the airline to evaluate whether the technology does what they want it to. “We need to fail fast,” she said. “There’s an old saying at Boeing, and I forget exactly how it goes, but it’s [something like] ‘Evaluate the technology. Is it going to serve the purpose? No? Move on.’” For example, Austin pointed out that several airlines rolled out automated bag drop systems to reduce labor during check-in, but a previous airline she worked for had to increase labor to support them. “They’re a very similar use case to the self-service grocery checkouts. They’re not as infallible as we thought, and somebody somewhere did a really great sales pitch and got a bunch of airlines on board, but we’re not seeing the benefits that we wanted to,” she said. “That’s where a robust tiger team can come in and say, ‘Hey, is this going to work or not?’” Stephen Snyder, MD of SKY VC, the aviation industry venture capital arm formerly known as JetBlue Ventures, said he sees potential in using AI to create intelligence from verbal information during airline operations. “There are so many valuable things that are stated on a walkie-talkie” that are not captured and kept by organizations, he said. “If I’m a flight attendant and I know that the [inflight entertainment system] is not working in seat 12B, and I want to grab the captain before the plane lands and then the pilot is running off to make their connection and go home, it’s not going to get written up. It’s not going to get put in a logbook.” Snyder also pointed out the importance of being able to pivot on how AI could be most useful. “I see really wonderful applications for AI that just might have to be in the secondary use case for what they do,” he said, noting that borescope inspections are an example of something regulators may not yet be comfortable outsourcing to AI. “While that market is developing, perhaps instead we can think about this through the lens of documentation for lease returns for lessors,” he said. “When an engine gets returned, it turns into a giant finger-pointing exercise of what state it was delivered in, what state it was received in, and the sorts of losses that one party has to eat . . . are in the magnitude of six or seven figures on things like this. So having a single source of truth and the ability to pivot as well in your mindset . . . to where AI can actually take you [is] a really important tool to have in your toolkit.” Ryan Kee, SVP of maintenance strategy and technical operations at CommuteAir, said he worries that the hype around AI will lead to overuse “without creating the technical know-how long term for the implementation of AI.” Stressing the critical thinking considerations of AI usage, he added, “If you have a tool that’s giving you the answers every time, but you don’t have the talent to understand why the answer is being provided, then long-term, how are you going to continue to develop and improve upon those processes?” Kee pointed to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s AI guidance, which states that the technology’s ability to make fully autonomous decisions is still at least 10-15 years away. “There still has to be that human interaction. So, how do you put it in place where it is a supporting tool, but you’re instilling the knowledge at the root of the individual for the long-term success of your organization?” he said. “Because AI is still just a large data set of information. Well, if the information is wrong, how do you know if that’s all you’ve ever been provided on the forefront? You still have to have those critical thinking skills with your labor pool, and AI has a very high chance of taking that away, [harming long-term talent development].” Snyder also expressed concerns about overreliance on the technology, particularly as it pertains to leadership development. “I worry about organizations that are overly dependent on AI. If we look at the workforce more broadly and how you cultivate the next generation of leaders who will come from it, if you assume the managerial aspect of it is the top 10% of performers, let’s say, you need that entire minor league system. You need iron sharpening iron,” he said. “The top 10% can’t just magically appear without any formation of actually getting there.” However, Belcher said that machine learning has been part of Delta TechOps’ workflow for almost a decade, “so it’s just part of our normal workflow,” and that AI is just helping its workforce get information faster. “It’s just aiding your workflow, helping you be more efficient and helping you get to the information that you’re so frustrated that you can’t get to,” she said. “You’re not going to be replaced by AI, but you will be replaced by somebody who knows how to use it and is comfortable with using it.” Lindsay Bjerregaard Email: lindsay.bjerregaard@aviationweek.com Sikorsky and Robinson Unmanned Secure U.S. Marine Corps Contract for Autonomous Aerial Logistics Program Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) program moves forward with MATRIX™ autonomy system and R66 TURBINETRUCK. Initiative will deliver rapid, uncrewed resupply to Marines in contested environments. Artistic rendering of R66 TURBINETRUCK equipped with Sikorsky’s proven MATRIX™ autonomy system. Credit: Robinson Unmanned. WASHINGTON, April 27, 2026 – The United States Marine Corps awarded a $15.5 million contract to Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE:LMT), for the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 program. The offering selected for award is the R66 TURBINETRUCK, an autonomous cargo helicopter commercially developed by Sikorsky and Robinson Unmanned that combines Sikorsky’s proven MATRIX™ autonomy system with the rugged R66 airframe from Robinson Helicopter Company to provide flexible, affordable and rapid combat sustainment. The ability to deliver ammunition, medical supplies and other essential equipment at the point of need – regardless of terrain, weather, or enemy threat – is critical to the U.S. Marine Corps’ continued success. The MARV-EL program fills a capability gap between small tactical drones and large strategic airlifters, delivering a reliable “middleweight” uncrewed logistics platform capable of operating from austere forward operating bases, ship decks or unimproved landing zones. The R66 TURBINETRUCK will support mission success when ground or crewed aviation assets are unavailable and keep personnel out of danger in high risk scenarios. The R66 TURBINETRUCK is enabled by the MATRIX system and will leverage similar features as Sikorsky’s new fully autonomous S-70UAS™ U-Hawk™ helicopter. Executive Perspectives “As we expand the MATRIX family, we also extend the reach of uncrewed solutions for both civil and military customers,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky. “The commercially developed R66 TURBINETRUCK is simple, economical and re-configurable; ideal for high-risk, hard-to-reach environments where keeping personnel out of harm’s way is essential.” “Our partnership with Sikorsky brings the trusted performance and reliability of the R66 platform into the unmanned logistics arena,” said David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company. “The R66 TURBINETRUCK represents a significant step forward in expanding proven rotorcraft into scalable, autonomous cargo solutions for demanding operational environments. Together, we are delivering a game changing capability that will enhance warfighter readiness and open new opportunities for safe, reliable and affordable autonomous transport.” “Operators need logistics solutions that can keep pace with rapidly changing mission demands without increasing complexity,” said Paul Fermo, president of Robinson Unmanned. “By combining MATRIX’s advanced autonomous capability with the rugged, flight-proven R66 airframe, the R66 TURBINETRUCK delivers that capability whenever and wherever it’s needed—no matter the environment.” Why It Matters The MARV-EL program is the middleweight capability responding to a gap within the Unmanned Logistics System – Air (ULS-A) program. • Payload & Range: MARV-EL requires an uncrewed aircraft that can carry a logistic payload between 1,300 and 2,500 lbs to a combat radius of 100 nautical miles (NM), operating through a common digital handheld device. • Delivery: Robinson Unmanned will deliver the first R66 TURBINETRUCK to Sikorsky for integration, test and evaluation, and demonstration. Capability demonstrations will showcase MATRIX’s platform-agnostic and open architecture design operating on the R66 TURBINETRUCK airframe. • Integration: MATRIX will integrate into the R66 TURBINETRUCK in a similar manner as Sikorsky’s S-70UAS U-Hawk helicopter, while incorporating a smaller footprint, different performance parameters and a lower operating cost. • Operator Workflow: Similar to the U-Hawk helicopter, the operator enters the mission objectives into a digital tablet. The system then automatically creates a flight plan, using sensors and algorithms to guide the R66 TURBINETRUCK safely to the target location. • Experience: Sikorsky participated in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) Phase 1 in 2025 and will be bringing that experience to MARV-EL Increment 2. For more information, visit https://www.lockheedmartin.com/matrix and https://www.robinsonunmanned.com/r66-turbinetruck. Curt Lewis