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Textron, Merlin unveil autonomous SkyCourier UX concept aircraft. Uncrewed design comes in response to 'growing military interest' in autonomous contested logistics. Monday, September 14, 2026 at 02:30 PM ET Key takeaways: Just a few months after Textron Aviation announced its first military order for the Cessna 408 SkyCourier, the manufacturer on Monday unveiled a SkyCourier UX concept aircraft that would pair the twin turboprop with autonomous aviation software for a variety of military logistics missions. According to Textron, the design, presented this week at the Air & Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, would be for mission profiles that fit somewhere between those of small tactical cargo drones and large military transport aircraft. It is intended to improve cargo accessibility, maximize usable volume, and support operations from austere locations. "Not every logistics mission requires a large airlifter, and many autonomous cargo systems lack the payload capability required for operational sustainment missions," Textron said in a news release Monday. The announcement comes amid rising interest among militaries for aircraft that could more safely and efficiently sustain forces and conduct logistics in regions such as the Indo-Pacific, where operations are spread across hundreds of miles of ocean. Textron said the SkyCourier UX was devised in response to that interest. It is being explored to address logistical challenges when normal supply routes are constrained or unavailable. "Military planners are increasingly focused on how to sustain forces across distributed and contested operational environments," said Bob Gibbs, vice president of Textron Aviation Defense and special mission sales. "The Cessna SkyCourier UX concept reflects our commitment to examining practical solutions to real-world mission challenges by leveraging real, certified products with innovative adaptation." More on the SkyCourier UX. Textron described the UX as a "light lift," medium payload, fixed-wing aircraft with the ability to take off and land on unimproved runways, creating a "new, cost-efficient, and scalable approach" to aerial logistics. The concept would be able to carry approximately 6,000 pounds of payload and accommodate up to three LD3 standard air cargo containers, which typically fly on widebody commercial jets. Textron said that "design concepts under evaluation" include a forward-loading cargo system that would provide direct access through a large nose opening, adding more volume than a traditional cockpit. It could also be integrated with cargo-loading systems and have the ability to "kneel down," or lower its nose closer to the ground. According to Textron, potential applications may include hub-and-spoke distribution, delivery of medical supplies or repair parts, and sustainment of military bases that are mobile, remote, or located on islands. It is intended as an "additional option" for final-leg transportation, complementing rather than replacing core fleets. The SkyCourier platform would be paired with Merlin Pilot, the aircraft-agnostic, autonomous aviation software of Boston-based Merlin Labs. Pilot is designed for retrofits of both military and commercial cargo aircraft, using artificial intelligence and an array of sensors and cameras to handle takeoff, landing, in-flight navigation, systems management, and hazard awareness. It uses voice and natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to communicate with air traffic control. The idea of Pilot is to minimize crew workload and allow personnel to focus on flying. Initially, Merlin is focused on enabling reduced-crew operations, but it believes that Pilot-equipped aircraft could eventually fly fully uncrewed. According to Matt George, founder and CEO of Merlin, Pilot has already conducted hundreds of autonomous flights on Cessna Caravans, Beechcraft King Airs, and other aircraft. In George's words, the SkyCourier UX is designed to "explore what an aircraft could look like when it's designed around autonomy and cargo instead of a crew." Textron said the concept, built around the FAA-certified Cessna 408, will "provide a practical foundation for evaluating future autonomous and pilot-optional logistics capabilities." The SkyCourier UX is being publicly showcased for the first time at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Monday through Wednesday. Market for military autonomy. Manufacturers such as Textron are seizing on an opportunity created by federal government incentives. The Pentagon's record $1.5 trillion budget request for fiscal year 2027 includes $53.6 billion for autonomy, drone platforms, and contested logistics. It also calls for a $54.6 billion allocation to the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG), which was allocated just $225.9 million in the previous year's budget. The DAWG is intended to handle much of the military's drone and autonomous vehicle efforts. In 2025, for example, the U.S. Air Force revealed plans to test a Cessna Caravan equipped with Merlin competitor Reliable Robotics' autonomy system. It intends to deploy the autonomous Caravan on real-world overseas missions in the Indo-Pacific, Reliable told FLYING. The Air Force is exploring a range of concepts for contested logistics under its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) effort, which seeks low-cost, attritable aircraft for operations in the Indo-Pacific. In April, Bell and Sikorsky won contracts to develop and prototype autonomous cargo helicopters for the Marine Corps' Aerial Resupply Vehicle-Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) program. MARV-EL seeks to fill the gap between small tactical drones and large airlifters with uncrewed aircraft, which could carry a logistics payload between 1,300 and 2,500 pounds over a radius of 100 nm. MARV-EL is itself part of Naval Air Systems Command's broader Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A) initiative, which is separately exploring the TRV-150 Tactical Resupply UAS (TRUAS) for shore-to-ship, ship-to-ship, and ship-to-shore capability. ULS-A also comprises Blue Water, a program to develop and demonstrate autonomous long-range UAS logistics capable of operating between Navy and Military Sealift Command ships. Another commercial manufacturer, Elroy Air, this year received a $46 million Army contract to develop its Chaparral UAS for "modular multi-mission payload delivery...in contested, austere environments." Airbus is developing the MQ-72C Lakota Connector - an uncrewed, optionally piloted version of the UH-72 Lakota - for testing under the Marine Corps' Aerial Logistics Connector program as a longer-range, higher-capacity option. Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel - and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.

Kelvin Fu to succeed David Salters as HRC US president. September 8, 2026 - SANTA CLARITA, CA Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) has named Kelvin Fu as its next president, succeeding David Salters. Salters became president of then-Honda Performance Development (HPD) in 2020 and will leave HRC US to join a technology startup outside the motorsports industry. Salters joined HPD in 2015 as chief engineer and engine technical leader before becoming technical director in 2019. Prior to joining HPD, he held a series of roles in other high-profile racing programs, including head of internal combustion engine power unit development for the Ferrari Formula 1 program, head of Formula 1 engine development at Mercedes-Benz High-Performance Engines (formerly Ilmor), and development and design engineer for the CART Indy car program at Cosworth Racing Ltd. During his tenure, Salters oversaw three NTT INDYCAR SERIES manufacturers' championships and five drivers' titles, in addition to securing the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams', drivers' and manufacturers' titles. Salters also pioneered the development and modernization of two electrified HRC US racing programs: the Acura ARX-06 IMSA LMDh car, launched for the 2023 season, and the current hybrid-powered Indy car, which debuted in 2024. Additionally, Salters oversaw the launch of the new HRC US business division, which includes apparel, performance parts and a recently announced heritage racing business that connects motorsports collectors with Honda and Acura heritage race cars. Fu has long served in senior roles at HRC US, most recently as vice president, and helped lead the organization to four of its 17 Indianapolis 500 victories while in that position. Prior to joining Honda, Fu worked primarily in aerospace. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, followed by a PhD and postdoctoral appointment at the University of California, Berkeley, and another postdoctoral appointment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fu then moved to Los Angeles to join the defense and aerospace company HR Textron. At HR Textron, Fu served as an R&D engineer and advanced to product manager before moving to ITT Aerospace, where he became director of engineering. Kelvin Fu joined HRC US, then known as HPD, in 2015, managing chassis design, aerodynamics and the performance engineering group. He was named director of programs in 2020 before being promoted to vice president in 2021. Fu's role as HRC US president will be effective September 12, 2026. Quotes David Salters (Outgoing President, Honda Racing Corporation USA): "I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the marvelous men and women at Honda Racing Corporation USA, its racing teams and talented drivers. It has been an honor to work together to add to Honda's racing history here in the US. "Honda Racing gave me and my family the opportunity to come to California 11 years ago. Hondajet had the honor of becoming American citizens and have had the most amazing life experience as part of the Honda family. "HRC US is stronger than ever, with a brilliant team, a very exciting future in IndyCar, and many other cool new projects on the horizon. Now is the perfect time to pass the baton to Kelvin. We have worked closely over the last six years, and Kelvin is the ideal person to support and lead the HRC US team into the future." Kelvin Fu (Incoming President, Honda Racing Corporation USA): "When I joined HRC US, I never imagined that one day I would have the privilege of leading this extraordinary organization. I am truly humbled by the opportunity. Throughout my career at HPD and HRC US, I have been fortunate to work on a wide range of programs, from the development of the NSX GT3, Acura DPi race cars, and the LMDh engine and car to building lasting partnerships with its racing teams. "I want to sincerely thank David Salters for his leadership, friendship and mentorship. Dave challenged all of Hondajet to think bigger, move faster and never lose sight of the fact that Hondajet is competitors at heart. He is a true racer whose vision and commitment have helped shape HRC US into the world-class organization it is today, and his impact will be felt for many years to come. "Looking ahead, I am excited about the future of HRC US. We recently renewed our commitment to IndyCar as the series continues to grow and strengthen its position in North American motorsports. Our new business ventures also position us to better serve Honda racing fans. We will remain committed to innovation, competition, and developing the people and technologies that define the future of motorsports. The Honda racing spirit has always been about challenging convention and pushing boundaries, and I look forward to leading HRC US as we write the next chapter of that story together." About Honda Racing Corporation USA Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) leads all Honda and Acura racing programs in North America and has a rich heritage creating, manufacturing and supporting Honda Racing and Acura Motorsports customers. From pinnacle racing in INDYCAR and IMSA sports cars to grassroots racing programs, HRC US has amassed over 500 race wins and 60 series championships. HRC US specializes in the in-house design and development of powertrain, chassis, electronics, racing products and performance parts, as well as technical and race support. The company offers HRC parts and race support services to Honda and Acura racers in North America. In 2024, HRC US expanded its operations to pursue consumer performance parts, merchandise and historic memorabilia sales. In August 2026 HRC US announced a newly-formed heritage racing business, which connects motorsports collectors with Honda and Acura heritage race cars. https://hondaracing-Hondajet.honda.com * Instagram * X * LinkedIn * Facebook * TikTok * YouTube