Year: 2026

During the Project Overwatch test flight, conducted at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, a Lockheed Martin-built and trained AI/machine learning model resolved ID ambiguities among emitters, improving situational awareness and reducing pilot decision making latency.

The High-Speed Rail Authority has released its business case for the first stage of the project, which would link Newcastle to Western Sydney International Airport via Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast, Sydney Central, and Parramatta, with construction to potentially start in 2029.

Jandakot’s new DFES Aviation Facility, expected to open by September next year, will bring WA’s Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service and Air Operations branches under one roof while supporting future growth in Department of Fire and Emergency Services aviation.

As originally reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, Qantas last week terminated 30 roles at its Mascot location to simplify its management structure. The Australian Services Union said it was told that those roles would be replaced by AI, which the airline says is not the case.

The regional carrier, which mainly operates in Queensland but has also taken over the former QantasLink service between Sydney and Lord Howe Island, commenced a weekly service from Sydney to Cobar earlier this year, with flights to continue until May.

The ramp-up in production follows strong performance during ground and flight testing, the manufacturer says, with multiple aircraft now undergoing evaluation.