Aero Vodochody and Thales signed an MoU in 2026 to test a laser-guided 70mm rocket pod on the L-39 Skyfox, advancing it as a dedicated counter-drone combat platform.
Ukraine's drone strikes on western Siberia - over 1,500 miles from the launch point - mark a turning point for long-range autonomous aviation with direct implications for every pilot.
The US military confirmed the first operational use of a high-energy laser to destroy cartel drones near the southern border - a development every pilot flying that airspace needs to understand.