Flight Safety Information - February 13, 2026 No. 032 In This Issue : Incident: TAP A320 at Gatwick on Feb 8th 2026, fire in galley : Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - Cracks in Windshield (China) : Closing of El Paso Airspace Adds to Tension Between F.A.A. and Pentagon : NTSB Chair Slams FAA Safety Culture in Senate Hearing : Spirit Airlines Calls 500 Flight Attendants Back From Furlough As Aircraft Sales Continue : FDH Aero deepens COMAC ties to support C919 programme : Your home for FAA-recommended Spatial Disorientation training: UND : ICE Barbie’s Alleged Lover Fired Her Pilot for Absurd Reason : The US Air Force needs to buy hundreds of sixth-gen fighters and bombers to be ready for a China fight, airpower experts say : Calendar of Events Incident: TAP A320 at Gatwick on Feb 8th 2026, fire in galley A TAP Air Portugal Airbus A320-200, registration CS-TNJ performing flight TP-1329 from London Gatwick,EN (UK) to Porto (Portugal), was climbing out of Gatwick's runway 26L when the crew levelled off at 4000 feet reporting a fire in a galley and positioned for a return to Gatwick. The aircraft landed on runway 26L about 13 minutes after departure, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway for an inspection by emergency services. The aircraft subsequently returned to the apron. The aircraft departed again after about 2:45 hours and reached Porto with a delay of about 2:45 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=534c6c91&opt=0 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner - Cracks in Windshield (China) Date: Thursday 12 February 2026 Time: 08:23 Type: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Owner/operator: Xiamen Airlines Registration: B-7836 MSN: 63042/601 Year of manufacture: 2017 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Category: Incident Location: near Qujing - China Phase: Approach Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Xiamen Airport (XMN/ZSAM) Destination airport: Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG/ZPPP) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Xiamen Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner B-7836, performing flight MF8405 from Xiamen to Kunming. During the approach, cracks appeared on the cockpit windshield, and the flight safely landed Kunming Changshui International Airport, with no reports of casualties. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/566809 Closing of El Paso Airspace Adds to Tension Between F.A.A. and Pentagon The Federal Aviation Administration is charged with flight safety, and the Defense Department with national security. Those missions keep colliding. The Federal Aviation Administration was alarmed. The Defense Department had passed along new laser technology to border officials who were planning to use it to interdict drones crossing into the United States from Mexico. But F.A.A. officials were concerned about the potential hazards of using lasers near the airspace where commercial planes were landing at El Paso International Airport, and wanted more information. After border officials went ahead and used the technology, ignoring the pleas, the F.A.A. determined it had no further leverage to use. So it played its only card — or perhaps overplayed it. Late Tuesday night, it abruptly closed El Paso’s airspace, an extraordinary measure that disrupted travel and shocked local residents. It was the latest dust-up in an increasingly fractious relationship between two powerful government agencies, the F.A.A. and the Defense Department, as they attempt to fulfill differing objectives in a chaotic administration. The F.A.A. is responsible for the safety of the national airspace and the more than three million people who travel through it every day. The Defense Department is tasked with keeping the United States safe, at home and abroad. Those twin goals collided this week in an embarrassing spectacle, after the F.A.A., frustrated by its inability to obtain its desired safety briefing on the new anti-drone laser technology, announced a 10-day shutdown of the airspace for a city of nearly 700,000 people. Officials there felt the military had not provided them with the information they needed to ensure that airplanes could maneuver safely through the skies while the technology was being tested, according to three people who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decisions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lent the technology to Customs and Border Protection personnel, because the agency had wider legal authorities inside the United States to use such tools, said two U.S. officials who requested anonymity to talk about operational matters. But the episode turned bizarre when C.B.P. officials used the technology on what they thought was a cartel drone earlier this week but appeared to have been a party balloon, according to two officials. Defense Department officials were present at the incident. On Wednesday morning, as passengers, airport workers and municipal officials in El Paso fumed over the closure, the White House quickly engineered a course reversal, resulting in the F.A.A.’s cancellation of the shutdown after about seven and a half hours. Normalcy had resumed, at least for air travel. But at the Pentagon and at F.A.A. headquarters in Washington, much was unresolved. “There’s no excuse as to why agencies can’t work together when you’re making decisions like changing airspace rules or shutting down airspace,” said Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety expert and former accident investigator. “It appears that they’re siloed,” he added of the F.A.A. and Pentagon. “Typically people would overcome their silos. They would come together for things like airspace design and cooperation. But that doesn’t appear to be the case recently, and I don’t know why.” The Pentagon did not address repeated questions about the anti-drone technology. Hannah Walden, the F.A.A.’s assistant administrator for communications, did not respond to a request for comment. Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, has been mum on the topic since Wednesday, when he asserted that the shutdown was caused by a military response to a Mexican drone incursion. On Thursday, several people who had been briefed on the incident said it was unclear whether the safety briefings the F.A.A. had requested from the Defense Department had occurred since the closure was lifted — or whether a moratorium on the use of the anti-drone technology was in place until those briefings could be held. Transportation safety officials have been tussling with the Pentagon since Jan. 29, 2025, when an Army Black Hawk helicopter flying a training mission near Ronald Reagan National Airport crashed into an American Airlines flight that was en route to land there, killing 67 people. The accident, which government officials have attributed to a variety of factors, including the Army crew’s inability to properly use a safety practice involving seeing and avoiding other aircraft, was the deadliest aviation disaster on U.S. soil in 24 years. In early May last year, three months after the accident occurred, the Army resumed the same type of training flights that the fallen crew had been conducting. Almost immediately, there was a problem: a series of communications issues led another Army Black Hawk that was attempting to land near the Pentagon to fly uncomfortably close to two commercial airplanes headed for National Airport. Both airplanes aborted their landings. Mr. Duffy was furious. In a May 2, 2025, post on X, he castigated the Pentagon. “Unacceptable,” he wrote. “Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear,” he added, using an abbreviation for National Airport. “I’ll be talking to the @DeptofDefense to ask why the hell our rules were disregarded.” Days later, he criticized the Pentagon for falling short of its promises of “radical transparency” on its Washington helicopter operations. The Pentagon did not respond publicly to Mr. Duffy’s broadsides, which he soon walked back. But additional tensions followed. A government investigation into the causes of the January accident handled by the National Transportation Safety Board drew attention to the Army’s practice of flying through Washington’s airspace without broadcasting its position to other pilots, as most other airspace users were required to do. The Army had sought, and received, permission to fly without broadcasting technology, even on training flights, by arguing that its operations had to be kept confidential to maintain national security. Some lawmakers cried foul over those exceptions, arguing that using the technology could have helped prevent the accident. Their case gained renewed attention in December, when Congress considered — and ultimately passed — an annual defense bill that effectively rolled back restrictions on when military aircraft could turn off the broadcasting technology. Days later, when a JetBlue passenger plane flying over the Caribbean came less than 20 seconds from colliding with an Air Force refueling plane that was flying without using broadcasting technology, the stakes of such disputes were thrown into sharp relief again. “It’s outrageous,” the JetBlue pilot told an air traffic controller, according to audio recordings of the flight communications. “We almost had a midair collision up here.” Both the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security share responsibility for securing the nation’s southern border, but their remits are different. The Pentagon is authorized to detect, track and, if necessary, disable or destroy drones that threaten certain military installations in defined airspace around those sites. The Department of Homeland Security has similar anti-drone authorities, but they are related to nonmilitary venues, such as certain federal buildings, prisons and other domestic security sites. The department also focuses on protecting large events, like the Super Bowl. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/us/politics/faa-pentagon-el-paso-airspace.html NTSB Chair Slams FAA Safety Culture in Senate Hearing Lawmakers examine equipage requirements, coordination and agency response following NTSB DCA findings. Key Takeaways: Senators questioned National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Thursday. Although focused on last year’s DCA mid-air collision, questions directed toward Homendy from senators ranged from her views on ADS-B tracking requirements, aviation oversight and coordination between federal agencies. Comments on ADS-B In exchanges on ADS-B equipage, senators asked whether any aircraft operating in congested airspace should be exempt from uniform ADS-B requirements. “No, absolutely not. It’s a shared airspace,” Homendy said. She emphasized the accessibility of low-cost ADS-B In equipment and told lawmakers the technology provides pilots earlier awareness of nearby aircraft and described it as “life-saving information for pilots.” These questions were largely asked in reference to the ROTOR Act, which passed the Senate unanimously late last year and currently sits with the House. It would require most aircraft that already need ADS-B Out to also carry and use ADS-B In by 2031. It also would tighten when government aircraft can turn off ADS-B Out and would expand FAA oversight, separation standards, and safety reviews, especially for rotorcraft and mixed-use airspace near busy airports. Unheeded NTSB Warnings Senators also sought Homendy’s perspective on the FAA’s performance, including coordination with the military, communication between agencies and how safety data is handled. Homendy told lawmakers the DCA crash followed “years of unheeded warnings” and said recommendations had been “rejected, sidelined, or just plain ignored.” Poor FAA Safety Culture She also described broader concerns about the agency’s safety approach, citing what she characterized as a culture in which issues were not consistently addressed despite repeated warning signs. Homendy also noted that it was concerning that members of the FAA were often worried about discussing potential problems within the administration with NTSB investigators. “Throughout our investigation, we found numerous people were afraid to talk to us,” Homendy said. “They didn’t want to be formally interviewed … Some people wouldn’t provide their names. I can’t tell you the number of people who were just scared to speak up because they were worried about retaliation.” Lawmakers indicated oversight and legislative review will continue as they consider next steps related to aviation safety requirements and agency accountability. https://avweb.com/flight-safety/accidents-ntsb/ntsb-chair-slams-faa-safety-culture-senate/ Spirit Airlines Calls 500 Flight Attendants Back From Furlough As Aircraft Sales Continue Spirit Airlines is recalling almost a third of its furloughed flight attendants as it gets the green light for the sale of 20 of its Airbus fleet. In December, the carrier placed around 1,800 flight attendants on furlough, with the majority of these being involuntary after around 500 staff volunteered to be placed on furlough. However, the airline has faced multiple operational crises since then, exacerbated by insufficient staffing, leading to this week's U-turn. The airline is in the midst of its second bankruptcy stint in as many years, with its latest aircraft sales expected to improve its financial position. Spirit Recalls 500 Furloughed Flight Attendants As the airline revealed on Thursday, it will be calling back a sizable chunk of its furloughed cabin crew workforce. Recall notices were sent out this week and give flight attendants a period of 15 days to return to work, although the airline is encouraging them to return even sooner, if possible. The return order will be based on seniority, with the most senior flight attendants given priority. The recall decision is being made amid serious operational turmoil. Spirit has had to cancel up to 60 flights a day in recent weeks, primarily due to flight attendant shortages. It has even resorted to emergency staffing measures in the face of skyrocketing sick rates, but recently admitted its reserve of flight attendants had been "fully depleted." The airline announced back in September that it would be furloughing up to 1,800 flight attendants ahead of the winter season, with voluntary furloughs beginning in November. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said: "This is good news for 500 Flight Attendants and their families and critical to those of us on the line that have faced a grueling operation over the last two months. The company's goal in recalling Flight Attendants is to ease some of the operational issues since the furloughs." In its efforts to improve its financial situation, Spirit has reached a deal over the sale of 20 aircraft from its fleet, continuing its mass sell-off to raise funds. With a fleet of over 120 aircraft, this would ordinarily have a significant impact on a carrier's operations. However, Spirit claims the sale will have minimal disruption to its operations, as most of the 20 aircraft being sold are not currently in service. Data from ch-aviation shows there are around 15 aircraft in Spirit's fleet listed as parked. Spirit says these planes have not been in revenue service for a while, as they were marked for sale. It adds that the sales will gradually go through starting from April 2026, provided the deal is approved by a bankruptcy court. According to court filings, the agreement involves 13 A320-200s and seven A321-200s, with the first bidder noted as CSDS Asset Management in an overall deal worth around $530 million. Spirit has embarked on a huge fleet restructuring drive since its first bankruptcy stint in 2024. Along with aircraft sales, it has rejected a huge number of aircraft leases in its efforts to streamline its fleet and finances. The carrier will now own fewer than 30 aircraft, and plans to maintain another 66 leased jets as part of its operational fleet. Spirit Airlines Backtracks On Plan To Furlough Up To 365 Pilots Next Quarter The airline is also drastically reducing the number of captains to get downgraded. With its second stint of bankruptcy now approaching one year, Spirit's position remains as precarious as ever. Last month, Simple Flying reported on negotiations between Spirit and investment firm Castlelake over a possible takeover, but little progress has been made, and the deal would likely see Spirit's assets broken up and used for spare parts. The carrier had planned to furlough hundreds of its pilots this year, but backtracked after realizing it had already lost many pilots to rival airlines. With its U-turn on furloughed flight attendants and progress in aircraft sales, Spirit's financial position will certainly improve, but this does not mean its underlying problems have been fixed. https://simpleflying.com/spirit-airlines-calls-500-flight-attendants-back-furlough-aircraft-sales-continue/ FDH Aero deepens COMAC ties to support C919 programme FDH Aero (FDH), a global supplier of aerospace and defence supply chain solutions, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and a long-term contract with COMAC’s wholly owned subsidiary and manufacturing centre, Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing (SAMC), to support the development of the C919 platform. Already among a small number of distributors supplying the C919 programme, FDH is expanding its role beyond the traditional buying and selling of hardware. Under the new agreements, the company will provide a broader range of technology and engineering support services directly to COMAC and SAMC. As part of the multi-commodity contract, FDH will supply hardware, electrical products, and chemical solutions, alongside engineering management support and additional value-added services aimed at strengthening the programme’s supply chain capability. The COMAC C919 is a narrow-body, twin-engine commercial aircraft developed as China’s domestic alternative in the global single-aisle market. The programme has reportedly secured more than 1,000 aircraft orders, underlining its growing strategic importance. Fred Short, FDH Aero’s Executive Vice President of Global Sales, said the partnership aligns with FDH’s strategy of delivering global support to key customers. He highlighted the company’s continued investment in the Asia-Pacific region, noting that FDH began expanding its regional presence during the COVID period and has since established offices and stocking capabilities in Shanghai, Singapore and Guangzhou, among other locations. https://avitrader.com/2026/02/13/fdh-aero-deepens-comac-ties-to-support-c919-programme/ Your home for FAA-recommended Spatial Disorientation training: UND A recent Federal Aviation Administration recommendation is shining a spotlight on one of aviation’s most persistent safety challenges: spatial disorientation. And at UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, faculty and staff have for decades been training pilots to recognize and manage the condition — long before the issue gained national attention. “This is something we’ve been teaching for a very long time,” said Tom Zeidlik, aerospace physiologist at UND. “The big deal about this is that now the FAA has recognized that this training has to happen.” The FAA’s Information for Operators (InFO) 26003 encourages operators and training programs to incorporate spatial disorientation training into standard pilot education. The guidance applies primarily to training pilots, general aviation, corporate, charter and helicopter operations — not scheduled airlines — and reflects growing concern over the role of human factors in aviation accidents. At UND, that training is already well established and exceeds what the FAA now recommends, Zeidlik said. Supporting student and professional pilots UND Aerospace provides spatial disorientation training to pilots at multiple stages of their careers, from students learning the fundamentals of flight physiology to experienced pilots returning for recurrent training. “We’ve been teaching this for decades,” Zeidlik said. “Our training here not only meets this, but it exceeds it by a great deal.” UND’s corporate aerospace physiology course, offered since the late 1980s, combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience in full-motion spatial disorientation simulators and hypoxia training, where pilots enter an altitude chamber to refamiliarize themselves with a potentially dangerous low oxygen environment. The two-day course attracts pilots from across the United States and Canada, many of whom attend as part of company-sponsored recurrent training cycles. “When they come here, they’ll experience everything that the FAA is now recommending, plus the chamber flight; the hypoxia training,” Zeidlik said. “That’s unusual.” Zeidlik said the experiential nature of the training is what makes it effective. “Normally, classroom training might be a flight instructor sitting at a table somewhere,” he said. “Here, we go through the hows and the whys, and then they actually experience it.” Why spatial disorientation is so dangerous Spatial disorientation occurs when a pilot’s perception of the aircraft’s position or motion does not match reality. It most often happens when visual cues are lost — in clouds, haze, snow, smoke or at night. “About 90 percent of how we orient ourselves to the planet is through vision,” Zeidlik said. “Now let’s say a pilot’s flying along and they go into the clouds. They can’t see the planet anymore.” When vision is removed, pilots rely on the vestibular system in the inner ear as well as cues such as pressure and G-forces — but their bodies are easily fooled. The vestibular system refers to the balance organs in the inner ear that help people sense motion and orientation. These structures detect movement by sensing fluid motion inside tiny canals in the ear. While the system works well on the ground, it can send misleading signals in flight — especially during prolonged turns or when visual references disappear — causing the brain to misinterpret the aircraft’s actual movement. “If I go into a turn, the G-forces in a turn feel exactly like gravity,” Zeidlik said. “After about 20 seconds, I don’t feel like I’m turning anymore.” When a pilot exits that turn, the sensation can be overwhelming. “In my mind, I just rolled into a turn in the other direction,” Zeidlik said. “That’s where pilots get themselves in trouble.” According to Zeidlik, spatial disorientation affects every pilot at some point in their flying careers. Realistic, safer training Traditional spatial disorientation training often involves pilots wearing what are called “foggles,” or hoods, while flying an actual aircraft — a method Zeidlik said is both cost prohibitive and risky. “That’s really expensive, and frankly it’s dangerous,” he said. “You’re flying in an airplane — you’re actually flying.” UND takes a different approach by using full-motion spatial disorientation simulators that physically move while presenting realistic visual environments. “That’s the one thing that our simulators do,” Zeidlik said. “They marry the visual with the vestibular.” The realism can be intense, even for experienced aviators “We’ve had pilots come out just sweating bullets,” Zeidlik said. “It’s so real, because they feel what they see.” Zeidlik added that the controlled environment allows pilots to experience severe disorientation safely and repeatedly. “We can do it over and over and over,” she said. “Nobody gets hurt.” Renewed national attention While spatial disorientation accidents occur regularly, the issue gained renewed national focus following the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others. According to Zeidlik, FAA data shows that human factors — particularly spatial disorientation — contribute to the majority of aviation accidents. “The FAA says about 80 percent of all aircraft crashes have to do with human factors,” he said. “And much of that is spatial disorientation.” The FAA’s new guidance is aimed at pilots operating under Parts 91, 91K and 135, which include general aviation, fractional ownership (shard ownership of a single aircraft), corporate and charter operations, as well as helicopter pilots. “This was really aimed at helicopter pilots because of the Kobe [crash],” Zeidlik said. Preparing pilots for the unexpected Although the FAA recommendation is not yet a requirement, UND faculty believe broader adoption of spatial disorientation training is likely. “That’s what we’re hoping,” Zeidlik said. “That this becomes a requirement.” In the meantime, UND continues to train pilots using methods that already exceed federal guidance. By exposing both student and professional pilots to realistic disorientation in a safe environment, UND Aerospace is helping pilots recognize the threat before it becomes fatal. “That’s what spatial disorientation is,” Zeidlik said. “You think one thing is happening but it’s not reality.” Pilots interested in spatial disorientation and hypoxia training course can find more information online on the UND Aerospace Physiology website. https://blogs.und.edu/und-today/2026/02/your-home-for-faa-recommended-spatial-disorientation-training-und/ ICE Barbie’s Alleged Lover Fired Her Pilot for Absurd Reason Corey Lewandowski reportedly fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot in bizarre circumstances. The man alleged to be the secret lover of Kristi Noem fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after a strange incident involving a blanket. Corey Lewandowski, who serves as a senior adviser to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, fired the pilot after a blanket belonging to Noem was left behind on a different plane, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Noem was forced to switch planes due to a maintenance issue, but the blanket she used was not transferred to the second plane, according to people familiar with the incident. In response, Lewandowski fired the pilot. In another plot twist, the pilot was then reinstated after no one else was available to fly the pair home. The Daily Beast has contacted the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security for comment. A DHS spokeswoman who spoke to the Wall Street Journal did not specifically address the blanket incident, but said that Noem has “made personnel decisions to deliver excellence.” The incident was disclosed in a report about Noem’s bad behavior during her tenure at the Department of Homeland Security. Among the bombshell revelations is that the pair has been flying in a 737 MAX airliner leased by the Department of Homeland Security. The department is expected to buy the plane for some $70 million, twice as much as the seven other planes being purchased for deportations. DHS staff jokingly refer to the plane as Noem’s “big, beautiful jet,” although it was initially earmarked for use in “high-profile deportations,” according to people familiar with the matter. A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that the plane was used for both deportations and Cabinet-level travel, adding that it was less expensive than military aircraft for such missions. Military planes are rarely used for deportations, with DHS opting to use chartered planes instead. Noem, 54, and Lewandowski, 52, have been rumored to be in a relationship for years, despite both being married to other people. An exposé in New York magazine said that it was “widely understood” the pair were involved, while one FEMA official described their relationship as the “worst-kept secret in D.C.” The pair has denied being romantically involved. Lewandowski, who as Noem’s top adviser serves as her de facto chief of staff, has been scrutinized for potentially undercounting his work hours in order to hold onto his role as an unpaid special government employee. His position allows him to work for the government for a maximum of 130 days per year without disclosing or relinquishing his other business interests, which DHS claims he does not exceed. Four administration sources told Axios in August, however, that they suspected Lewandowski had already exceeded the allowed time. In addition, sources told Axios that Lewandowski occasionally enters government buildings with other employees in order to avoid swiping his own badge, and uses his personal phone for official communication in order to avoid leaving a paper trail on a government device. Lewandowski, who previously worked as Donald Trump’s campaign manager during the 2016 election and as an adviser during the 2024 election, previously served as an adviser to Noem when she was governor of South Dakota, later following her to the Department of Homeland Security after her appointment to Donald Trump’s Cabinet. https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-barbies-alleged-lover-fired-her-pilot-for-absurd-reason/ The US Air Force needs to buy hundreds of sixth-gen fighters and bombers to be ready for a China fight, airpower experts say The US plans to acquire at least 185 F-47s and 100 B-21s.Courtesy of the US Air Force The US Air Force needs hundreds more F-47s and B-21s than it currently plans to buy, experts said. A new report examined the problems the Air Force would have in a war with China. Without a deeper aircraft reserve, the fleet might have to adopt less aggressive tactics to limit losses. The US Air Force will need a lot more next-generation fighter jets and bombers to fight a war against China, former pilots and airpower experts argued in a new report. They said the Air Force will need to procure significantly more of the new and coming B-21 Raider bombers and F-47 fighter jets than it currently plans to buy. Insufficient numbers may force the service to operate conservatively, potentially giving China an edge in such a fight, they warned in a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies policy paper out this week. The report said that China's anti-access and area-denial network, together with its natural geography, creates sanctuaries from which its air and missile defenses can fire. The firepower available to Chinese forces within these sanctuaries could pose a threat to US forces, making eliminating them critical to US operations. "The Air Force's stealthy bombers and fighter inventories have the survivability needed to penetrate high-density threat areas but lack enough sortie capacity for a conflict with China," wrote report authors Heather Penney and retired Air Force colonel Mark Gunzinger. The Air Force's "divest to invest" strategy, retiring older aircraft to make room for newer ones, has shrunken the fleet and impacted readiness.US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Heather Amador Paulino The authors propose that the Air Force field at least 200 B-21s and 300 F-47s, which would be roughly double the service's current plans. The Air Force has said it will purchase at least 185 of the F-47s developed by Boeing and at least 100 of the B-21s produced by Northrop Grumman. The Mitchell Institute identifies Boeing and Lockheed Martin as supporters. The authors additionally recommended boosting procurement of Lockheed's fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and Boeing's advanced F-15EX Eagle II. In an virtual event discussing the new report, Penney, a former F-16 pilot, said that past conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, as well as Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, have shown that unless militaries take out enemy bases and sanctuaries, they could end up stuck in wars of attrition, the gradual bleeding of personnel and resources and little movement on the battlefield. In a conflict with China, the US would likely face more advanced air defenses than it did in last year's Midnight Hammer operation against Iran or this year's Operation Absolute Resolve against Venezuela. Without a greater reserve of aircraft, Penney said, Air Force tactics for targeting Chinese sanctuaries would likely have to be less aggressive to avoid unnecessary risk to a limited fleet. Two B-1 Lancer bombers sit on tarmacs in desert grasslands. TKUS Air Force photo by Todd Schannuth The B-21 is in low-rate initial production, though the only deliveries have been test, not operational, aircraft, while the contract for the design and development of the F-47 fighter jet was only awarded last year. Neither aircraft is expected to be operational in significant numbers for years. In the meantime, the Air Force is dependent on older, though still capable, bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress, B-1 Lancer, and B-2 Spirit. The Mitchell Institute said budget increases of at least $40 billion a year could support higher procurement rates, as well as the acquisition of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or "loyal wingmen" drones, which Air Force officials have said won't replace crewed planes but instead complement them. Multiple assessments have found the Air Force's fleet is the smallest, oldest, and least combat-ready it has been in decades. By the numbers, today's inventory of fighters, bombers, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft is a fraction of its Cold War strength. At the same time, experts have highlighted that the Air Force has been under increased strain due to constant conflicts and missions. A US Government Accountability Office report from 2024 said continuous deployments had reduced Air Force readiness, personnel, equipment, and aircraft. The government watchdog agency found that the service was pursuing fixes to these issues, but the demand on these forces was still higher than capacity. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-air-force-needs-buy-104601090.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . VERTICON 2026 - Atlanta March 9-12 . CANSO Global Safety Conference 2026 - 29 March – 1 April 2026 (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - 2026 (September/October 2026) - Dubai, UAE . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis