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.

US aircraft attacking Iran under constant inspection, some approaching 69 years old

The United States military commenced Operation Epic Fury against Iran at the direction of President Trump on Feb. 28. The objective is to strike targets to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat.

U.S. Central Command, the military arm managing Operation Epic Fury, reported on Monday that more than 6,500 combat sorties have been flown, striking more than 7,000 targets.

The operation is being carried out by bombers, fighter jets, helicopters, attack jets, electronic warfare aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, communications aircraft, and refueling aircraft. Some of these aircraft are approaching 69 years old. One refueling tanker, registration number 57-1419, built in 1957, remains in service with the Arizona Air National Guard.

The Air Force’s Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP) and the U.S. Air Force Academy Center for Aircraft Structural Life Extension (CAStLE) ensure that aging military aircraft can continue to fly safely. These programs use damage tolerance analysis, aircraft usage data, and the results of nondestructive inspections to establish regular inspection intervals to extend the life of aging structures.

Inspection Methods

On Monday, the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), located in San Antonio, Texas, announced that it has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force Academy to characterize inspection methods for bolt holes in aging aircraft, including inspections through bushings without removing them. SwRI has supported ASIP and CASTtLE for decades. Assessing bolt-hole condition through inspection supports broader efforts to inform repair decisions and ensure aircraft safety.

“It’s important to inspect locations where stress can lead to damage,” said SwRI Senior Research Engineer Nathan Richter, who oversees the project. “We use nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods in areas where cracks may form. NDE helps detect damage without altering or removing a part, but its sensitivity varies with the flaw size.”

Bolt holes require careful monitoring because they exist in high-stress areas of the aircraft. When cracks or wear develop around a bolt hole, the damaged material is often replaced with a cylindrical metal sleeve called a bushing.

“Inspecting bushing-repaired holes is challenging because the bushing must be removed, risking further damage to the hole during removal and reinstallation,” Richter said.

Inspect Air Force Repairs

To address this, SwRI is using low-frequency eddy current testing, an NDE technique that applies electromagnetic fields to detect and characterize subsurface flaws and cracks; using low frequencies allows the inspection to detect flaws without removing the bushing. The method will allow the inspector to more easily inspect Air Force repairs. Its performance to flaws of different sizes is characterized by inspecting coupons with purposefully generated flaws produced by SwRI. These results will then be used to develop probability-of-detection curves to characterize the method's flaw-detection capability.

Characterizing the performance of these methods will give aircraft maintainers the confidence to assess damage progression and make repair decisions that keep the aircraft flying safely.

Airbus races to equip Valkyrie drones with AI for German Air Force by 2029

Airbus is working at full throttle to deliver an operational Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) system to the German Air Force by 2029. The company is preparing the first two Valkyries it acquired from Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., for their maiden flight. They are scheduled to fly later this year.

Airbus is equipping the UCCAs with the Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) system. MARS also contains an AI-supported software brain called MindShare, which not only replaces the missing pilot but also coordinates entire mission groups, distributed across many manned and uncrewed platforms.

“By combining the Kratos Valkyrie with our MARS mission system, we are offering the German customer exactly what Germany and Europe urgently need in the current geopolitical situation: a proven flying uncrewed combat aircraft with a sovereign European mission system that does not have to be developed from scratch in a time-consuming and costly manner,” said Marco Gumbrecht, head of Key Account Germany at Airbus Defence and Space. “Our objective is to deliver credible combat capability in time of relevance, while assuring key sovereign aspects. And we are confident that we can do this at a very affordable price - which is a key driver for UCCAs.”

Technical data

The Kratos Valkyrie has a length of 9.1 meters, a wingspan of 8.2 m, and a range of over 5,000 kilometers. The maximum take-off weight is around three tons. It can fly at an altitude of up to 45,000 feet. The maiden flight of the Valkyrie took place in the United States in 2019, and additional aircraft have been flying regularly since then. The maiden flight of the Airbus variant is scheduled later this year.

Steve Fendley, president of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, “By taking the flight-proven and in-production Valkyrie and integrating the Airbus MARS mission system, the Airbus-missionized Valkyrie UCCA is a multi-mission, affordable system that can operate independently, in teams of UAS, or in Manned-Unmanned-Teaming operations.

Fully autonomous or commanded by a Eurofighter jet, the Valkyrie will be able to take on sensitive mission tasks that would pose too great a danger to the pilot. The UCCA can service kinetic and non-kinetic mission sets in several roles. For the German Air Force, Airbus and Kratos are initially focusing on a specific role to deliver credible combat air power on time and on target.

Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport launches 'Help Hub' to feed TSA and federal staff

Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) in Virginia announced Thursday that it is providing meals and essential supplies to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents and other federal employees working at the airport. The initiative, dubbed the “CHO Help Hub,” is intended to offset recent reports that many federal workers at the facility have been serving without pay.

In a post on Facebook, the airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Jason Burch, said CHO “remains neutral in all political matters, but we are not neutral when it comes to supporting our people. Many of our federal partners, including TSA employees, continue to serve with dedication and professionalism despite not being paid.”

To show the airport’s appreciation and provide tangible help, the airport will assist in providing meals to its TSA staff and other federal employees working there. “We are also creating a CHO Help Hub, which will be stocked with ready-to-eat meals and essential items to support federal staff who continue serving our passengers each day,” Burch said.

The airport invites anyone interested in contributing to this effort to contact the airport at info@gocho.com.

On Saturday, President Trump thanked TSA agents for going to work but "not being paid" amid an ongoing partial government shutdown, which has seen agents quitting and absences doubling.

Heated Situation

In addition to the TSA pay issue, CHO’s chiller system experienced a mechanical issue on Thursday, causing warmer-than-usual conditions in the airport’s terminal.

“We want to let our passengers know that our terminal is currently warmer than usual due to a mechanical issue with our chiller system,” the airport said in a Facebook post. The airport’s maintenance team was actively working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible on Thursday.

“We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to restore normal conditions,” the airport said. “In the meantime, our team is here to help make your travel experience as comfortable as possible.”

New contracts continue development of Air Force E-7A prototype aircraft

The Pentagon announced on Thursday that The Boeing Company has been awarded two contracts to continue developing two E-7A Wedgetail aircraft prototypes, a plane the Air Force doesn’t want.

The first contract is a $2.3 billion option exercise modification to a previously awarded contract for E-7A Rapid Prototype Airborne Mission Segment. The modification brings the contract's cumulative face value to $4.9 billion. The work will be performed in Seattle, Wash. (primary); Oklahoma City, Okla.; Huntsville, Ala.; and Heath, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by August 10, 2032.

The second contract is a $99 million modification to a previously awarded contract for E-7A Diminishing Manufacturing Sources Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array. The modification increases the contract's cumulative face value to $5 billion.

The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting organization managing the awards.

Air Force Cancels Plans

In June, the U.S. Air Force canceled plans to acquire new E-7A Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing due to significant delays and cost increases. The Department of the Air Force would have acquired the E-7A aircraft to replace a portion of the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System fleet.

“The Department is canceling the E-7 Wedgetail program due to significant delays with cost increases from $588 million to $724 million for aircraft and survivability concerns in this contested environment, while investing in alternate solutions, including space-based capabilities and adding additional E-2D aircraft,” a senior military official told reporters in June. But work continues on two E-7A Wedgetail aircraft prototypes for the Air Force.

Business Case Analysis

On Tuesday, the Air Force released a Request for Information (RFI) document indicating it is now requesting a Product Support Business Case Analysis (PS-BCA) for a “fleet” of the E-7As.

“The objective of this BCA is to identify the most effective and efficient product support strategy for the E-7A fleet throughout its planned life cycle,” the Air Force said in the RFI. “The PS-BCA will need to accommodate a fleet of at least two but possibly up to 26 aircraft. The analysis will inform the Air Force’s decision-making process for structuring the E-7A’s sustainment enterprise.” The BCA will include costs, benefits, and risks of different product support strategies for the E-7A aircraft.

The Royal Australian Air Force was the first country to acquire the E-7A Wedgetail, followed by the Turkish Air Force and the Republic of Korea Air Force.