Thailand becomes first customer for Airbus A330 MRTT+

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has made aviation history by becoming the first customer to order Airbus’s next-generation A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport Plus (MRTT+). The order, announced Sept. 25, marks a important milestone for Airbus as it transitions its tanker program from the legacy A330-200 to the more advanced A330neo variant.


Graphic: Airbus
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LIG NEX1-Korean Air Consortium takes lead in South Korea’s Electronic Warfare aircraft program

The LIG NEX1-Korean Air consortium has emerged as the highest-scoring bidder in South Korea’s 1.78 trillion won ($1.29 billion) electronic warfare aircraft program, outperforming the competing Korea Aerospace Industries-Hanwha Systems team in technical evaluations, according to defense industry sources.


Graphic: Korean Air
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U.S. Navy demonstrates AI autonomy on BQM-177A through Shield AI partnership

The U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated artificial intelligence-based autonomy on the BQM-177A aerial target in August at Point Mugu Sea Range, California, marking the first beyond-visual-range autonomy mission on a fast-moving platform. The test involved two aircraft operated by Shield AI’s Hivemind software under the Naval Air Systems Command’s Experimental Platform for Intelligent Combat project.


Photo: Shield AI
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U.S. Navy jet trainer contest intensifies as competitors target Boeing’s struggles

Competitors vying to replace the U.S. Navy’s T-45 Goshawk are expressing confidence as Boeing struggles with delays and production issues plaguing its T-7 trainer program.

Beechcraft M-346N aircraft at Beech Field, Wichita, Kansas on Sept. 12, 2025.
The M-346N is the proposed replacement for the T-45 Goshawk jet trainer for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System program and a product prepared for competition by Beechcraft in colloboration with Leonardo of Italy. (Textron Aviation photos by Greg L. Davis)

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