The Air Current

At a remote airfield in the northwestern Pacific ocean, the U.S. military is operating a stealthy, uncrewed fighter aircraft for the first time as part of a major field training exercise. Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat is serving as a “loyal wingman” to piloted fighter jets during Valiant Shield 2026, a multinational combat simulation taking place from June 22 to July 1 th...

Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... Air safety reporting is made accessible without a subscription as a public service. Subscribe to The Air Current for full access to our scoops, in-depth reporting and industry analysis. U.S. Coast Guard aviation leadership sharply criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s changes to Washington, D.C.’s ...

Alaska Air Group will likely deploy Boeing 737-800s to take over Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland flying as it looks ahead to phasing out the smaller workhorse jet that’s handled the mission for a quarter-century. “The default at this point will be 737s. I think it’s the most likely answer to replace the 717s,” said Shane Tackett, newly-appointed Alaska president in a J...

The Pentagon is increasingly looking to helicopters as aerial counter-drone platforms, following years of lessons from global conflicts where uncrewed aircraft have proven to be lethal and cost-effective weapons that have overwhelmed traditional air defense systems. Starting on June 22, U.S. Air Force reservists from the 301st Rescue Squadron will take a page out of t...

SEATTLE – Every Wednesday, thousands of Boeing engineers show up to work in red shirts emblazoned with a pointed message for the plane maker’s executives: “No Nerds, No Birds.” The displays of solidarity in Boeing’s office towers and labs are growing as engineers and technical workers prepare for labor negotiations later this summer, and a contract that expires Oct. 6...