First Take, June 29, 2026

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Indonesia Settles Final KF-21 Development Payment

Indonesia has settled its remaining financial obligation under the Korea Aerospace Industries KF-21 Boramae fighter development program.

Poland Closing In On Airbus Tanker Purchase

Poland has signaled it is ready to acquire its first tanker aircraft following discussions with the Spanish government.

Elroy Air Plans SPAC Merger To Fund Heavy-Lift VTOL Drone Production

Elroy Air plans to become a publicly traded company through a merger with special purpose acquisition company Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VII.

The Road To Redemption For Honeywell Aerospace Starts In Phoenix

Honeywell Aerospace used to be all about boosting operating margins for its corporate parent. Now it has no excuse not to make things better.

Sounding Board: Flexjet’s Kenn Ricci On New Acquisition, Challenges & More

Flexjet Chair Kenn Ricci discusses the acquisition of London-based The Jet Business, as well as challenges and further growth.

Honeywell Aerospace Plots Power Plan For Spinoff Road Map

Leveraging legacy programs and large installed bases, Honeywell Aerospace looks to new engine and power system technologies for market growth.

Legacy Primes, New Space Companies In SB-AMTI Vendor Pool

When the U.S. Space Force recently announced it had awarded nine base contracts for one of its marquee new programs, it opted to disclose only one provider: SpaceX.

Bristow To Sell Norwegian Offshore Operations

Offshore rotorcraft operator Bristow has put its Norwegian operation up for sale in a bid to optimize its business.

Debrief: Architect Of NGAD, Collaborative Combat Aircraft Raises Concerns

The Next Generation Air Dominance and Collaborative Combat Aircraft programs have progressed to production contracts.

Thai Airways Takes Delivery Of First New GEnx-Powered 787

Thai Airways has taken delivery of its first new Boeing 787 powered by GE Aerospace's GEnx engines, marking a shift away from the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered 787s the airline currently has in service.

Control System Upgrade In Works For U.S. Reaper Fleet

General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) says it is modifying the ground control station for the MQ-9A Reaper to also operate the larger MQ-9B model, with testing starting by year’s end.

Missile Defense Push Spurs Interest In More Airborne Test Options

An urgent pursuit of advanced missile defenses has sparked U.S. interest in new airborne platforms for launching targets during tests of new interceptors.

Firefly Buys AI Firm For Autonomous Space Ops

Firefly Aerospace has acquired the company that provided the vision navigation software to land its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the Moon.

Onex, Other Investors To Buy Canada’s AirSprint

Onex Corp. leads investor group acquiring Canada's largest fractional jet operator AirSprint to support expansion.

FEAM’s Post-Expansion Playbook: Global Integration And AI Innovation

After its recent Miami expansion and acquisitions, FEAM Aero is balancing growth with a "back-to-basics" approach.

FL Technics Bolsters Digital Capabilities With Sensus

FL Technics expands digital capabilities with Sensus Aero acquisition to develop MRO software for external market.

U.S. Space Force Victus Haze Proves Launch On Demand

Victus Haze put the service’s rapid-response space concept to the test, launching and commissioning a satellite in record time.

Interview: Why Boeing’s CEO Sees The Next Narrowbody 'Moving To The Right'

In an in-depth interview, a confident Kelly Ortberg sees the company’s financial and cultural turnaround gaining steam.

REGENT completes Seaglider Manufacturing Facility dedicated to electric maritime craft