SANTA CRUZ, Ca. - Joby Aviation is expanding its presence in the Middle East through a new agreement with Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulator to begin laying the groundwork for eVTOL certification and future air-taxi operations.

The partnership allows Saudi authorities to leverage Joby’s ongoing FAA certification program while also collaborating on airworthiness standards, licensing, and operational frameworks. Joby has also secured a commercial deal with Abdul Latif Jameel that could involve up to 200 aircraft, positioning the company for one of its largest prospective deployments as it approaches key milestones such as power-on testing of its conforming prototype.

At the same time, Abu Dhabi is moving forward with plans to build a network of public vertiports to support eVTOL operations beginning in 2026. The system will connect major airports with urban and leisure hubs across the emirate and integrate with existing transportation infrastructure. With both Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi accelerating regulatory and infrastructure development, the region is emerging as one of the most proactive global markets for early eVTOL adoption.

Source: Aerospace Global News
Associated URL: https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/joby-saudi-arabia-abu-dhabi-vertiports-evtol/
Author: Luke Peters 

WASHINGTON - Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced a significant overhaul of the Pentagon's weapons acquisition enterprise, prioritizing "speed" in delivering new capabilities. In a recent speech at the National War College, Hegseth outlined a plan to fundamentally change how the Defense Department defines requirements, manages programs, and tests new systems.

The reforms aim to inject agility into the procurement process to outpace adversaries, particularly in areas like AI, cyber, and space. Key changes include scrapping the existing Joint Capability Integration and Development System (JCID) in favor of a new Requirements and Resourcing Alignment Board. Program Executive Offices will also be replaced with a more flexible "portfolio" management approach. This new structure will emphasize iterative delivery, fielding incrementally improved technology more frequently rather than waiting for a perfect solution.

Additional reforms include a "multi-track" acquisition approach to maintain competition among multiple vendors and the creation of a new Wartime Production Unit to boost manufacturing capacity, replacing the Joint Production Accelerator Cell. The Pentagon also plans to streamline the Foreign Military Sales process by moving oversight from the policy office to the acquisition office, with a new emphasis on designing systems for exportability from the start.

Source: Air and Space Forces
Associated URL: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/hegseth-acquisitions-weapons-pentagon/

BERLIN - Germany will exercise an option to purchase 20 additional Airbus H145M helicopters under a 2023 framework agreement with Airbus. The original deal, signed on 14 November 2023, included a firm order for 62 aircraft to be delivered between 2024 and 2028, covering combat (24), training (33), and Special Operations Forces (5) variants.

The new batch will include 15 combat-configured helicopters and 5 for Special Forces training. Funding for the acquisition will come from a special defense modernization fund created earlier in 2025 to accelerate Bundeswehr upgrades. A finance ministry document detailing the order will soon be presented to parliament for approval. Deliveries of the 20 new helicopters are expected over two years beginning in 2027, further expanding Germany’s H145M fleet and supporting its efforts to modernize and strengthen rotary-wing capabilities across multiple operational roles.

Source: Scramble
Associated URL: https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/additional-h145m-helicopters-for-the-bundeswehr
Author: Scramble