French President Emmanuel Macron begins a three-day visit to India, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The main topics of discussion are cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and a potential contract for the supply of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
On February 12, 2026, Arianespace successfully launched 32 Amazon Leo satellites from French Guiana. Mission VA267 was the first of 18 planned Ariane 6 launches to deploy the Amazon Leo satellite constellation.
Airbus has launched a marketing campaign for a new modification of the A220-500 aircraft, which will accommodate 160-170 passengers. This model will compete with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and promises lower fuel consumption.
German companies Rheinmetall and OHB are developing a satellite network for the Bundeswehr, which will become a European alternative to Starlink. The project will provide secure internet for the German army, reducing dependence on American technologies.
Special flights from Chechnya have landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. This occurred amid reports of a possible car accident involving Adam Kadyrov, the son of the head of Chechnya.
Airbus delivered 793 aircraft in 2025, exceeding its revised plan of 790 units. This happened despite technical problems with the A320 model and supply chain delays.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency proposes inspecting Airbus SE A320 aircraft and requires repairs to panels found on fuselages that do not meet specifications due to a quality issue in manufacturing. A total of 628 aircraft contain panels that may be too thick or too thin, with about 170 of them already in service.
The FCAS fifth-generation fighter jet program between France, Germany, and Spain has fallen into a deep crisis due to strategic disagreements. The project's implementation is now "very unlikely," and a decision on it will likely be postponed until 2026.
India's aviation regulator DGCA has for the first time deployed two teams at IndiGo's office for daily monitoring after over 3,000 flight cancellations. The Delhi High Court has ordered IndiGo to compensate passengers affected by the cancellations.
Boeing received 164 aircraft orders in November, including 65 777X jets from Emirates, while Airbus faced quality issues and lowered its delivery target. Overall, Boeing reached 1,000 gross orders, while Airbus has 797.
The Spanish trade union UGT FICA Sevilla accuses Sofitec Aero SL, an Airbus supplier, of falsifying data and using expired materials. This concerns parts for the popular Airbus A320 model, which has led to reduced deliveries.
India's largest airline, IndiGo, has canceled over 70 flights from key cities due to a pilot shortage and technological disruptions. This is attributed to new flight time limitation rules and a software glitch in Airbus aircraft.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make his fourth state visit to China this week. Europe is seeking to strike a balance between economic and security threats from Beijing and its dependence on the world's second-largest economy.
Airbus discovered a defect in A320 fuselage panels and a massive software failure affecting 6,000 aircraft. This caused an 11% drop in shares and concerns about delivery schedules.
The European Commission is developing a list of satellite services for EU military needs, which will be integrated into a new satellite constellation. The project envisages investments in satellites to provide high-quality Earth images at 30-minute intervals.
Airlines worldwide have canceled hundreds of flights due to a serious software glitch in Airbus SE, threatening to disrupt the holiday travel season. The European aviation safety regulator is demanding a software update for over 6,500 A320 aircraft, some of which will require grounding for repairs.
Airbus announced an immediate software update for 6,000 A320 aircraft due to a vulnerability discovered after an incident involving data corruption in control systems due to solar radiation. The company acknowledges that this will lead to operational disruptions, but flight safety is the priority.
Germany and France have set a deadline of December 18 for aviation concerns regarding the FCAS/SCAF program. The project, which is intended to replace Rafale and Eurofighter fighter jets after 2040, faces conflicts over work distribution and intellectual property rights.
René Obermann, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airbus, called on European countries to arm themselves with tactical nuclear weapons. This is a response to the threat from Russian Iskander missiles with nuclear warheads deployed in Kaliningrad.
Emirates airline intends to equip its fleet with Starlink satellite internet from SpaceX. This could be the biggest victory for Elon Musk's service in the aviation industry.
The German government plans to approve the purchase of defense equipment worth over 3 billion euros. The funds will go towards missiles for the IRIS-T SLM air defense system, 20 light Airbus combat helicopters, and 100,000 night vision devices.
In October 2025, the Ukrainian mil-tech company "Bolverk" joined the British association ADS. This association unites leading players in the aerospace, defense, security, and space industries.
Russia announced the flight of the second prototype of the MS-21 passenger aircraft, which, according to the Ministry of Industry, is entirely made of Russian components. The aircraft took off from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, testing new onboard systems and PD-14 engines.
Turkey and Great Britain signed a $10. 7 billion agreement for the acquisition of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. The delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2030.
European aerospace firms Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo have completed the first phase of establishing a new technology concern in the satellite business. The enterprise will begin operations in 2027, employ 25,000 people, and have a revenue of 6.5 billion euros.
The US is trying to prevent Russian airlines from obtaining sanctioned spare parts.
American aviation giant Boeing is close to signing a large-scale deal with China for the sale of about 500 aircraft. This contract could become a key element in trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing and restore Boeing's position in the Chinese market.
New Zealand will spend $1. 6 billion on five MH-60R naval helicopters and two Airbus A321XLR aircraft. This is the largest investment since the decision to modernize the outdated equipment of the defense fleet.
The Verkhovna Rada will consider draft laws on Defence City. MP Venislavsky called for the inclusion of the aircraft manufacturing industry in the initiative and to provide it with tax benefits, as it is an economic driver.
Russian aircraft manufacturers produced only one commercial aircraft out of 15 planned due to sanctions and high interest rates. This is part of a broader slowdown in industrial production in Russia.
