The Aviationist

The Aviationist

  1. U.S. Navy and GAO Reports Fault Material Issues, Poor Coordination Between Services for V-22 Osprey Troubles

    Navy GAO V-22 ReportLong-running mechanical, faulty metallic alloys in the Prop-Rotor Gear Box and lack of synergy between the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have compounded the V-22 Osprey’s troubles. Faulty parts, inconsistent communication of safety and hazard risks from the Joint Program Office, and poor coordination between the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force, […]

  2. U.S. Army Completes Retirement of Aerial ISR Turboprop Fleet

    Army A-ISR Fleet RetiredThe legacy ISR fleet of RC-12X Guardrail, MC-12S EMARSS and the EO-5C ARL-M turboprops will be replaced by the jet-powered High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES). The U.S. Army has completed the divestment of its three A-ISR (Aerial-Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) aircraft types, including the RC-12X Guardrail, MC-12S EMARSS-M (Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and […]

  3. FY2026 NDAA: Congress Pushes Back On Aircraft Cuts and Seeks Clarity On Next-Gen Programs

    FY2026 NDAA ReviewThe NDAA freezes E-3, F-15E and A-10 retirements, accelerates F/A-XX and F-47 oversight, and demands a concrete plan for post-E-6B nuclear command-and-control. The Fiscal Year 2026 U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) advanced another step toward becoming law this week after the House approved the measure in a 312–112 vote. The nearly $900 billion defense […]

  4. Northrop Grumman Completes New Stand-in Attack Weapon Separation Test

    Stand-in Attack Weapon SiAW Separation TestJust over a year after the first inert drop of the new Stand-in Attack Weapon, or SiAW, Northrop Grumman announced on Dec. 11 that another separation test had been completed from an F-16 Fighting Falcon. The inert weapon was dropped as part of ongoing testing to validate the SiAW’s flight safety and aerodynamic performance ahead […]

  5. U.S. Air Force Flexes its Muscles on NATO’s Eastern Flank

    In early December, USAF F-35A Lightning IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons took part in agile airpower exercises across the Baltic states and in Romania. Two F-16s from the U.S. Air Force’s 31st Fighter Wing (FW), based at Aviano Air Base, Italy, launched on Dec. 3, 2025 and flew to Câmpia Turzii Air Base, Romania – […]