Rotorcraft

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - The U.S. Air Force received its first HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter at Joint Base Andrews on Nov. 2, the opening step in replacing the base’s aging rotary-wing fleet that handles contingency response in the National Capital Region. The Air Force announced in August that the Maryland base would swap its 26 UH-1N helicopters for 26 HH-60Ws, saying the older aircraft lack the speed, range and lift needed for the mission. The Sikorsky-built HH-60W is a variant of the Black Hawk.

The Hueys have flown the base’s around-the-clock response mission since 1971, and the Air Force says the current fleet is 49 to 59 years old, with three aircraft that flew in the Vietnam War still in service. The new helicopter goes to the 5th Helicopter Squadron, activated Aug. 27 as the first new Air Force helicopter squadron at Andrews in 60 years, which will set up training, operations and maintenance for the fleet. Lt. Col. Jonathan Bonilla, the squadron’s commander, said the service must honor the Huey’s legacy while continuing to look to the future.

The 1st Helicopter Squadron will keep flying the UH-1N during the phased transition and will convert to the HH-60W once the 5th Squadron is fully up and running. The Air Force expects the Andrews HH-60W fleet to reach full operational capability in 2030 and plans to retire the last UH-1N in 2032.

Source: The Aviationist
Associated URL: https://theaviationist.com/2026/11/04/first-hh-60w-joint-base-andrews/

SANDY HOOK, Conn. - In a sweeping power shift, Democrats won majorities in both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, raising questions about how Congress and the administration will navigate the stalled FY27 defense budget process, the war with Iran, and other defense policy measures. These issues will affect the timing of a final FY27 defense appropriations bill, as well as the handling of hundreds of billions of dollars in acquisition funding that might not materialize.

The biggest issue at hand for the Pentagon is the fate of the proposed reconciliation bill. The administration's $1.5 trillion FY27 request relies on $350 billion to be provided through budget reconciliation, a process that requires only a simple majority to pass the Senate. This process was already used to give the Pentagon more than $150 billion in additional funding for FY26, but the larger FY27 proposal has faced more resistance. Prior to the election, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon would continue to fight for the full $1.5 trillion request, even though some Republican lawmakers questioned whether they had the votes to pass the $350 billion reconciliation bill. The Democratic wins in both the House and Senate effectively kill the reconciliation bill under the new Congress. Republicans could try to pass the bill over the next two months before the next Congress is seated, but that appears unlikely. The GOP lacked concrete support before the election, and it has since lost political momentum typically needed to pass such a large piece of legislation.

Read the full post on Forecast International's Defense and Security Monitor blog using the link below.

Source: Forecast International
Associated URL: https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/2026/11/06/midterm-results-trigger-a-showdown-over-defense-spending/
Author: s. McDougall, Defense Analyst 

FORT WORTH, Tex. - Boston MedFlight, a nonprofit critical care transport organization, has placed an order with Airbus Helicopters for the purchase of three H145 helicopters to support the continued modernization and strategic growth of its New England-based air medical transport fleet. The order brings the total number of Airbus H145 helicopters purchased by the organization over time to 12.

Boston MedFlight operates an all-Airbus fleet. The addition of three twin-engine H145 helicopters over the coming years will support the replacement of existing aircraft while enabling incremental fleet growth.

The latest version of the Airbus best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter features an five-bladed bearingless rotor that increases useful load by 150 kg (330 lbs) while simplifying maintenance routines and enhancing flight smoothness for patients and medical staff. Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines with dual-channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC), the H145 is equipped with the Airbus Helionix digital avionics suite and a high-performance 4-axis autopilot.

Source: Airbus
Associated URL: https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-10-boston-medflight-orders-three-airbus-h145-helicopters