Defence`s Feeds

German Tornado Fires AARGM During Low-Level Test Flight Over California Desert. On Apr. 3, 2025, aviation photographers Jarod Hamilton and Ian Recchio captured a rare moment near the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, California, when a German Air Force Tornado fired an AGM-88E AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile) over the Mojave Desert. The two […]

The post Photographers Capture Stunning Images of German Tornado Firing AARGM Missile Over China Lake Ranges appeared first on The Aviationist.

The new Light Utility Helicopter will replace the aging AB206, AB205, AB212 and AB412 helicopters, performing roles such as utility transport, MEDEVAC and CASEVAC. As part of its ongoing modernization effort, the Italian Army has received the first UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). The delivery comes five years after the service received the first AW169 […]

The post Italian Army Receives First UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter appeared first on The Aviationist.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) on 30 April informed those vying for the huge contract to provide security for [...]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $22 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This modification adds scope to provide continued maintenance and sustainment operations of the US Reprogramming Laboratory facilities and partner support complex facilities and systems, to include consumables and field service representative support for the F-35 Lighting II programs for the Department of Defense (DOD), non-DOD partners and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work is expected to be completed in April 2026. This contract action was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Air Force has awarded Indra Air Traffic Inc. a contract worth up to $198.36 million to replace its military air navigation systems used in harsh environments.  Under the deal, the US-based branch of Spanish defense firm Indra will provide the design, engineering, commissioning, technical maintenance, and potential future upgrades of the man-portable (MP) Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) through 2032. Able to be carried by two soldiers, the MP TACAN enables advanced military technology to continue its navigation on missions where Global Positioning System or satellite signals are unavailable. Middle East & Africa The United States has lost seven multi-million-dollar MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Yemen […]

In 2024, the special funds allowance, as is often the case, spilled over from an allocated €76m to €114.1m, an [...]

“Very soon we will replace the A-10 with 21 new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets, the best in world,” President Trump announced during visit to Selfridge ANGB in Michigan. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, will be home to a new Boeing F-15EX Eagle II […]

The post Trump Announces New Boeing F-15EX Unit and KC-46 Squadron for Selfridge ANGB appeared first on The Aviationist.

The photos show two VX-9 F-35Cs with the mirror-like coating during testing at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu in 2022. The U.S. Navy has released photos of two F-35Cs flying with a distinctive mirror-like coating, captured during operations at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu, California. However, there are discrepancies regarding the date […]

The post U.S. Navy Releases Previously Unseen Photos of Mirror-like Coating on F-35Cs appeared first on The Aviationist.

On 5 May, SEDE will held an extraordinary meeting with Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space. The aim of this meeting will be to brief the SEDE Members on the implementation of the EU Defence Readiness 2030 Agenda as well as to provide a general overview on the implementation of new and planned defence initiatives following the the ReArm Europe Plan.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

A Black Hawk helicopter due to make a community relations visit to Standley Lake High School arrived slightly later than planned after the crew accidentally landed at the wrong school. Staff and students at Pomona High School, Colorado, were moved inside from the school field as the unexpected helicopter approached to land. School Principal Patrick […]

The post U.S. Army Black Hawk Lands at the Wrong School appeared first on The Aviationist.

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Rafale M acquisition meets the immediate capability needs for the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier until India’s indigenous Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter is fielded. India signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with France for the acquisition of 26 carrier-capable Dassault Rafale Marine fighters for the Indian Navy’s (IN) aircraft carrier on Apr. 28, 2025. The signing was […]

The post India Signs Contract for 26 Dassault Rafale M Fighters appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas Global military spending reached $2.718 trillion in 2024, marking a 9.4 percent increase over 2023, the largest annual rise since the end of the Cold War, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported. This marks the 10th consecutive year of rising spending worldwide, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. The top five spenders last year were the US, China, Russia, Germany, and India. “As governments increasingly prioritize military security, often at the expense of other budget areas, the economic and social trade-offs could have significant effects on societies for years to come,” said Xiao Liang, Researcher with the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program. The US Army wants to produce 19,000 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds annually, with initial delivery in 2030. Responses are sought for the production of all GMLRS variants: unitary, alternative warhead, and extended range. The potential contract includes efficient and cost-effective production techniques, tooling, engineering change proposals, and supporting activities. Middle East & Africa The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has transferred a pair of Chinese-made FK-2000 short-range air defense systems to Chad. The delivery is part of the UAE’s ongoing military support for the African country.  It includes 64 missiles and 6,000 […]

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet along with a tow tractor. All personnel have been accounted for, and one Sailor suffered a minor injury. While operating in the Red Sea on April 28, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 […]

The post F/A-18E and Tow Tractor Lost at Sea During Operations Aboard USS Truman appeared first on The Aviationist.

The E-3 Sentry is afflicted by acute parts and maintenance issues as the Boeing 707 aircraft it is based on ceased production 30 years ago. Nearly three months after the fuselage of the U.S. Air Force’s first E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft reached Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington, Boeing Defense released […]

The post USAF’s First E-7 Wedgetail Takes Shape as Service Struggles to Keep E-3 Sentry Flying appeared first on The Aviationist.

The JSM is the only weapon in its class that can be carried internally by the F-35. The Norwegian Armed Forces will celebrate on Apr. 28, 2025, the completion of the program of record for 52 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, while also receiving their first Joint Strike Missiles (JSM). The JSM will be the […]

The post First Joint Strike Missiles for Norway’s F-35s are Ready appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas The US Army and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems have opened a new load, assemble, and pack facility in Camden, Arkansas, to produce 155mm high-explosive artillery projectiles. The facility will manage the final stage of ammunition production, where two active lines will produce about 50,000 units per month. Advanced automation, digital quality tracking, and more new manufacturing technologies will be incorporated into the new site. Saft America Inc., based in Valdosta, Georgia, has won a contract worth up to $7. 5 million to provide storage batteries for H1, Seahawk, and CH-53 helicopters. The contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity agreement, meaning the price is set but the number of batteries needed can vary. This deal was open to competition, and two companies submitted offers. The agreement covers three years, with the option to extend for two more years if needed. Work must be finished by April 24, 2028. The batteries will be used by the Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Funding will come from defense working capital funds for fiscal years 2025 through 2028. The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio, is managing the contract. Middle East & Africa Gaza mediator Qatar said […]

Aviation spotter Michał Rokita captured two F-117s landing at Groom Lake, where the stealth fighters have relocated as Tonopah Test Range Airport undergoes maintenance. Over the last couple of years, we have published a few articles featuring videos by Michał Rokita, an aviation spotter and photographer known for traveling to remote public lands in Nevada […]

The post Spotter Captures F-117’s Return to Area 51 appeared first on The Aviationist.

Project Iron Agility is a dynamic exercise which sharpens deployment readiness skills through ACE operations with F-16s, MQ-9 Reapers, and integrated logistics support. The third iteration of the Project Iron Agility exercise at Holloman AFB (Air Force Base), New Mexico, saw unique approaches to refine ACE (Agile Combat Employment) capabilities. These include a table top […]

The post MQ-9 and F-16 Crews Work Together in ACE-Focused Project Iron Agility Exercise appeared first on The Aviationist.

The next meeting of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 14 May 2025 from 9:00 - 12:30 and 14.30 - 18.30 and on Thursday, 15 May 2025 from 9:00 - 12:30 in Brussels (ANTALL 6Q2).
Further information about the meeting can be found here.
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SEDE missions 2025:

• Moldova and Ukraine - 14-17 April 2025
  
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - 24-27 February 2025
• Israel and Palestine - 5-8 February 2025

SEDE missions 2024:

• United Kingdom - 28-30 October 2024
• Ukraine - 25-26 October 2024

SEDE Committee meetings' calendar 2025
EP calendar 2025
SEDE meetings' calendar 2nd half of 2024 - 10th legislature
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Americas Overland AI has added its autonomous technology to the US Army’s SMET (Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport) vehicle, made by General Dynamics. The vehicle was upgraded with Overland AI’s OverDrive software, SPARK hardware, and OverWatch control system, allowing it to drive itself. The upgraded vehicle was tested over two weeks during Project Convergence Capstone 5, an important Army event for trying out new technologies. RTX has been approved to start limited production of the US Army’s new radar system, called the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). This new radar will replace the old Patriot radar, which has been in use since the 1980s. LTAMDS can scan in all directions (360 degrees) and passed eight flight tests. It also reached “Milestone C,” meaning it’s ready for production and deployment. RTX has been working on this project since 2019. Normally, projects like this take over 10 years to reach production. But the Army used a special fast-track process from Congress to speed things up and get this modern radar out sooner to deal with new threats. Middle East & Africa The Israeli Army has rolled out a new remote-controlled engineering vehicle said to transform the “paradigm of war” in […]