NASA prepares X-59 quiet supersonic jet for second critical flight test

NASA is planning to perform the second test flight of its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft on Friday. The aircraft, built by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, performed its first flight in October.

For the second flight, the X-59 will taxi from its hangar at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, then take off and land at nearby Edwards Air Force Base in California. The aircraft will fly for roughly an hour, reaching a cruising speed of 230 mph at 12,000 feet before accelerating to 260 mph at 20,000 feet.

This flight will kick off a series of flights known as envelope expansion, during which NASA will gradually take the X-59 faster and higher to ensure the aircraft’s safety and assess its performance. This phase will be followed by flights assessing the X-59’s unique acoustic profile.

The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission and was developed to fly supersonic, or faster than the speed of sound, without generating a loud sonic boom.

Through Quesst, NASA is working to make commercial supersonic flight over land possible, thereby dramatically reducing travel time in the United States and around the world.

Overcoming the Sonic Barrier

Since the retirement of the Concorde and regulatory actions taken worldwide in the early 1970s, supersonic flights have been restricted over land due to the intense pressure wave created when an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound—the deafening noise commonly known as the sonic boom. This restriction effectively strangled the viability of supersonic commercial air travel. The X-59 is designed specifically to mitigate this issue.

Summit Aviation awarded $17.7 million contract for US Park Police helicopter maintenance

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced Thursday that Summit Aviation Inc. has been awarded a five‑year $17.7 million contract to provide comprehensive maintenance services for the United States Park Police’s (USPP) helicopter fleet in the nation’s capital. The agreement, which runs from April 1 through March 31, 2031, places the Delaware‑based firm in charge of routine inspections, repairs, regulatory compliance and record‑keeping for the agency’s aircraft.

Summit Aviation is headquartered in Middletown, Del., with a manufacturing and service facility in Greensboro, N.C.

The U.S. Park Police, a federal law‑enforcement agency under the Department of the Interior, operates several helicopters to patrol national parks, monitor large public events and respond to emergencies.

New Helicopters Ordered

In February, the Interior Department released a procurement solicitation that will purchase three new helicopters for the USPP.

The aircraft will bolster the USPP's capability to conduct law enforcement, medical evacuation, visitor security, search-and-rescue, high-risk prisoner transport, Special Weapons and Tactics missions, and protection of the President of the United States and other dignitaries.

The solicitation calls for two medium-sized Bell 412 EPX helicopters and one lightweight Bell 407 GXi. Today, the USPP Aviation Unit currently utilizes two Bell 412s and a Bell 206L-3.

The airframes will be capable of rapid interior reconfiguration among law-enforcement, search-and-rescue (including hoist operations), and medical-transport layouts. In a medical configuration, the cockpit must accommodate a stretcher and a dedicated medical seat, while a passenger layout can add up to four seats beyond the pilot, co-pilot, and medical seat.

Contract documents show the aircraft will be delivered on March 31, 2028.

Air Force Special Operations Command One‑Way‑Attack drone capability

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces Directorate has launched a market research effort to identify vendors capable of delivering a new class of unmanned air system.

The sought-after platform is an electromagnetic interference (EMI)‑- robust, one-way attack (OWA) drone that merges commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts with in-house custom components, including an electronic safe-and-arm device (ESAD).

The program, managed by the Special Warfare Office of the AFLCMC, is designed to meet the National Defense Authorization Act requirement that critical defense hardware avoid reliance on Chinese supply chains. In addition, the system must integrate Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation, 4G/LTE/5G cellular links, true frequency hopping across multiple bands, and an optional repeater that can extend its operational radius beyond 20 kilometers.

Capability gap drives the request

The Air Force Special Operations Command and its Special Tactics (ST) units currently lack a purpose‑built first‑person‑view (FPV) unmanned capability. Without such a system, ST teams are limited in employing FPV drones for “global access, precision strike and personnel‑recovery” missions, and they cannot standardize tactics, techniques and procedures for high‑intensity conflict.

The new drone would provide a “first‑person‑view one‑way‑attack” (FPV OWA) capability that can be operated by a single specialist within a Special Tactics Team (STT), providing real-time situational awareness while delivering a kinetic or electronic effect on a target.

Key technical requirements

EMI resilience: The airframe and control electronics must remain functional in the high‑interference environments typical of contested battle spaces.

One‑way‑attack architecture: The drone will transmit a payload (e.g., a directed‑energy burst or a small kinetic munition) without requiring a return communication link, minimizing exposure to enemy electronic warfare.

Hybrid component mix: Vendors are expected to combine readily available COTS radios, processors and sensors with AF‑developed ESAD and other security‑critical modules.

Communications suite: Multi‑band GPS, cellular (4G/LTE/5G) connectivity and frequency‑hopping spread‑spectrum radios to thwart jamming and interception.

Extended range: An optional repeater to push line‑of‑sight beyond 20 km, enabling deep‑strike missions from forward operating bases or aircraft.

Industry outreach and next steps

The market research notice invites both established defense contractors and emerging technology firms to submit capability statements.

Record-breaking deal: AerCap places largest-ever direct order for A320neo Family

AerCap Holdings N.V. announced Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with Airbus for the purchase of 100 new A320neo Family aircraft, including the exercise of previously agreed firm options. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2028 and continue through 2034.

In connection with this transaction, AerCap will also enter into long-term lease agreements with CFM International for 48 LEAP-1A engines through its Shannon Engine Support (SES) joint venture with Safran Aircraft Engines, with deliveries beginning in the second quarter of 2026. SES is the leading provider of LEAP spare engines for CFM.

"By working closely with three of our long-standing partners - Frontier Airlines, CFM and Airbus - today's transaction will drive long-term growth for AerCap through a portfolio of highly desirable, in-demand aircraft, while enabling Frontier to optimize its fleet. This agreement also supports both Airbus and CFM in meeting their market-leading production and in-service commitments," said Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap.

Frontier Airlines, headquartered in Denver, Colo., took delivery of its first A320neo aircraft in October 2016.

"In addition, we are pleased to announce the exercise of 45 of our existing options with Airbus, along with the addition of a further 55 A320neo Family aircraft to our orderbook,” Kelly concluded.

"This order is the largest single direct order for the type ever placed by AerCap with Airbus and is a powerful endorsement of the A320neo Family's enduring value and market-leading performance," said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business. "We are extremely grateful and proud to support AerCap's vision in accelerating the global transition towards newer, modern aircraft and more efficient operations."

AerCap is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

New Las Vegas flights: Contour adds Page route as Frontier plans Nashville service

Contour Airlines announced Tuesday that it will begin nonstop flights between Page Municipal Airport (PGA) in northern Arizona and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas on July 2. The new route will operate four times a week—on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays—using the carrier’s 30‑seat regional jet.

The service is positioned as a “convenient connection” to one of the United States’ busiest travel hubs, offering both residents of Page and the surrounding Glen Canyon area a direct link to the entertainment, dining and business infrastructure of Las Vegas. Conversely, the airline expects the schedule to attract Las Vegas travelers seeking quick access to northern Arizona’s natural attractions, such as Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

Frontier Airlines

In a related development, Frontier Airlines disclosed plans to launch a new service from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Las Vegas, slated to begin June 11. The announcement underscores a broader trend of carriers increasing capacity for the Nevada market, which has seen a decline in tourism.

Iconic U-2 spy plane in Iran conflict, despite retirement talk

Coordinated air operations launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 aimed at degrading Iran’s regional capabilities included one of the most iconic spy planes of all time, the Lockheed U‑2 “Dragon Lady”.

On the first day of the fight, at 60,000 feet, a U‑2 spy plane operating under the radio call sign “SNOOP 01” checked in with Cyprus air traffic control on Feb. 28, confirming the aircraft’s presence in the theater just hours after the initial strikes.

The U-2, a single-engine, high-altitude reconnaissance platform, remains one of the world’s longest-serving intelligence assets. Designed for all‑weather, day‑and‑night surveillance, the aircraft has historically supplied policymakers with imagery of Soviet missile sites, Iraqi battlefields, and more recently, the evolving conflict zones of the Middle East.

Should I Stay or Should I Go

While the U.S. Air Force has pursued a phased retirement of the platform—citing high operating costs, vulnerability in contested airspace, and the rise of unmanned and space‑based sensors—the aircraft’s unique altitude envelope still offers a survivable option for gathering strategic intelligence in environments where satellites may be limited or denied.

The current deployment underscores that reality. The “Dragon Lady” can reach altitudes beyond the reach of most surface‑to‑air missiles, allowing it to capture high‑resolution imagery of targets deep within Iranian airspace while remaining out of range of many modern air defenses. Its role, however, is increasingly dependent on robust electronic‑warfare (EW) protection.

Contract Award For U-2 Upgrades

In that vein, BAE Systems announced this week that it has secured a contract from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., to sustain and upgrade the U‑2’s AN/ALQ‑221 Advanced Defensive System (ADS). The agreement calls for continuous field‑service support, repair of EW components, and software updates that expand the system’s ability to detect and counter emerging threats. The ADS integrates radar warning receivers, jamming transmitters and onboard processing to give pilots situational awareness and limited self‑protection when operating in contested airspace.

“​The Advanced Defensive System for the U‑2 is part of BAE Systems’ long legacy in electronic warfare,” said Tim Angulas, U‑2 product‑area director at BAE. “​Evolving, modernizing, and sustaining EW systems is in our DNA. Our efforts ensure they can operate effectively throughout their lifecycles.”

BAE will perform this work from its Nashua, N.H., facility. The contract reflects a broader modernization push that has seen the U‑2’s avionics architecture open to rapid integration of new capabilities, despite the aircraft’s age. The U‑2’s re‑entry into an active combat theater highlights the tension between legacy platforms and emerging technologies.

While the Air Force continues to invest heavily in unmanned aerial systems and satellite constellations, the “Dragon Lady” remains a vital bridge—providing real‑time intelligence that informs both tactical decisions and strategic policy in a volatile region.

Revolution Space wins $20M Air Force contract for doubling satellite thruster performance

The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that it has awarded a $19,975,607 fixed‑price contract to Accion Inc., operating under the name Revolution Space, to develop a next‑generation propulsive system for satellite maneuverability. The Boston‑based firm will design and build a “propulsive adaptor” capable of executing long‑duration orbital maneuvers.

The contract, issued through the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., was a sole‑source acquisition. All research, development, testing and production work is slated to be performed at Revolution Space’s facilities in Boston. The multi‑year effort is scheduled to conclude on July 8, 2027.

A leap in electric propulsion

According to the award description, the new system will deliver roughly twice the thrust of today’s Hall‑effect thrusters—the prevailing technology for electric propulsion in low‑Earth orbit—while consuming the same amount of electrical power.

The award marks the latest in a series of investments aimed at maintaining U.S. leadership in space technology. If successful, the propulsive adaptor could set a new benchmark for electric propulsion and influence design standards for both defense and civilian satellite programs worldwide.