Defence`s Feeds

Lawmakers in Kyiv are facing calls to sign off state funding for non-profit anti-graft organisations, amid signs that the sector's [...]

A statement put out by Cameroon's Transport Minister Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe on 29 May reflects the country's determination to [...]

Michael Vance, director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) at the State Department, told the Senate Select Committee [...]

 

Sorry guys.  Been off on a tangent lately but I'm getting back on track.  I appreciate ya'lls patience with me.

Having said that. THANKS AGAIN!

Issues to discuss?

1.  The war in Iran.  We gotta get Netanyahu on a leash.  Dudes is spinning and on a different kind of mission.  We want this over for NUMEROUS reasons but he can't find a fight he doesn't want to send his troops into.

2.  The economy.  We are inching toward something....weird.  I can't place it and it might be another conspiracy theory (I'll take that bashing) but high oil affects alot more than just gas.  Fertilizer which affects food, plastics etc...We need this war over and yesterday.

3.  Is anyone noticing that the old playbook that we ran on the USSR is being rolled out again for China?  Maybe its just me.

4.  What did I miss?

The next meeting of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) is scheduled to take place on Monday, 22 June 2026, 15.00 - 18.30 and Tuesday, 23 June 2026, 9.00 - 12.30 and 14.30 - 18.30 in Brussels (room SPINELLI 1G3).

Further information about the SEDE meetings can be found here.
_______________________
SEDE missions 2026:

• Taiwan - 30 March - 2 April 2026
• Poland and Czechia - 16-18 February 2026
• Ukraine - 5-6 February 2026

SEDE missions 2025:

• Djibouti - 27-29 October 2025
  
• Greenland - 15-19 September 2025
  
• Norway - 27-30 May 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 2026
SEDE Committee meetings' calendar 2025
EP calendar 2026
Source : © European Union, 2026 - EP

NASA’s X-59 QueSST flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time, expanding into the supersonic portion of its flight envelope.

NASA’s experimental X-59 QueSST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) conducted its first supersonic flight on June 5, 2026, reaching a top speed of approximately Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and altitude of 43,400 feet. The milestone arrived as the aircraft continues to expand its flight envelope following the first flight in October 2025.

Going Supersonic

For this test flight, the aircraft was piloted by NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less. Less took off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, at 11:08 a.m. PDT, landing again after 81 minutes with new data on flying qualities at both subsonic and then supersonic speeds.

Step one: break the sound barrier.

The X-59 has officially flown at supersonic speeds for the first time, marking a major step forward on the path to quieting the sonic boom. Even faster and quieter flights are coming soon. pic.twitter.com/Ngia5oHXNn

— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) June 5, 2026

During the flight, the X-59 was supported by a NASA F-15 as safety chase aircraft. The agency said “the loud sonic booms from the F-15 obscured any sound made by the X-59,” which has been designed to create “only a quiet thump instead of a loud sonic boom” while flying at supersonic speed.

”X-59 is getting ready for its quiet supersonic debut,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Since the aircraft’s first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, the team has made tremendous progress, flying 16 times in the last 90 days and getting into a steady test rhythm. In the coming days, we expect to take the next step and push to Mach 1.4.”

JUST IN: The X-59 has gone supersonic!

The X-59 achieved supersonic speeds for the first time ever today — a major milestone for NASA’s Quesst mission and an important step toward upcoming flights that will demonstrate its quiet supersonic technology ahead of future… pic.twitter.com/mwblICs4vN

— NASA Aeronautics (@NASAaero) June 5, 2026

In the press release, NASA said this new milestone will be reached “in just days,” and it will be “even more critical to the mission.” In fact, this has been defined as a “mission conditions” flight, reaching a cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 mph) and altitude of approximately 55,000 feet.

These are the same conditions that will be used during the X-59 over several communities to gather data about how people may perceive its quiet thump. The data will be used to help regulators establish new noise standards in an effort to enable supersonic commercial flight over land.

Envelope Expansion

In the last months, following the first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, the X-59 conducted a series of flight to expand the flight envelope, which saw the aircraft flying at a wide range of speeds and altitudes. NASA says the first phase of the X-59’s flight testing is dedicated to the envelope expansion, and upon completion it will move to the acoustic validation focused on the sound profile, aiming to complete it by the end of 2026.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies above Palmdale and Edwards, California, on its first flight Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, accompanied by a NASA F-18 research aircraft. | Source: NASA/Jim Ross

Other factors that are being looked at are the performance of its controls, loads and structural dynamics, and subsystems including hydraulics, fuel, avionics, landing gear, among the others. NASA additionally said it is monitoring the performance of the eXternal Vision System, the system of cameras which replaced the traditional forward windscreen because of the X-59’s long nose.

NASA also described some of the X-59’s maneuvers during its first block of test flights:

• A rollercoaster maneuver involves a sequence of pitching the aircraft up and down to better understand aerodynamic forces and characterize stability and control.

• A bank‑to‑bank maneuver is when an aircraft gently rolls from one side to the other, such as tipping its wings right, then smoothly rolling back through level and over to the left.

• A flutter excitation maneuver introduces deliberate vibrations into the aircraft’s structure during flight to ensure the aircraft’s flutter boundaries are well understood and that its structure maintains safe margins across the flight envelope.

• A wings-level push maneuver is a controlled, wings-level pitch-down movement used to evaluate the aircraft’s longitudinal stability, pitch response, and trim characteristics at a given test condition.

• A gear-extend maneuver includes extending the aircraft’s landing gear at a controlled airspeed and configuration so engineers can measure the aerodynamic, structural, and handling qualities of the gear deployment, which can cause sudden changes in drag, pitch, vibration, and airflow. The landing gear retraction was tested as part of X-59’s first block of envelope expansion test flights.

The X-59

The X-59 Quesst (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) is an experimental supersonic aircraft developed at Skunk Works for NASA’s Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator project. The technologies used on the jet are meant to influence future generations of quiet supersonic aircraft as part of the effort to reintroduce supersonic commercial flight.

The X-59 is, in fact, designed to generate a quieter sonic boom which should be within acceptable noise levels to help the FAA to lift the ban on commercial supersonic travel over land imposed in 1973. According to NASA, the sonic boom generated by the new aircraft will be less than 75 perceived dB on the ground, about a third less than the Concorde, which was reported around 100-110 dB.

A key feature of the aircraft which will allow to achieve this goal is the long tapered nose, which accounts for almost a third of the X-59’s length. The nose is designed to break up the shock waves that would ordinarily result in a supersonic aircraft causing a sonic boom.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies over the Mojave Desert in California on April 14, 2026. | Source: NASA

Due to this configuration, the cockpit is located almost halfway down the length of the aircraft, a solution which however does not allow the presence of a traditional windshield. Instead, NASA developed the eXternal Vision System, a series of high-resolution cameras feeding a 4K monitor in the cockpit.

The X-59 is powered by a F414-GE-100 engine with 22,000 pounds of thrust, modified from the F414 used by the F/A-18 Super Hornet. The engine is unusually placed on top of the aircraft to give it a smooth underside, which helps keep shockwaves from merging behind the aircraft and causing a sonic boom.

The X‑59 is equipped with multiple systems designed specifically to protect the pilot, including a life support system to deliver oxygen to the pilot while also powering the g‑suit. As another safety layer, the aircraft features an ejection seat and canopy adapted from a U.S. Air Force T‑38 trainer, outfitted with essentials such as a first aid kit, radio, and water.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's decision to visit Pyongyang in person for a two-day summit on 8-9 June is revealing of [...]

Im Januar 2027 steht die ersten Vertragsstaatenkonferenz des neuen Hochseeschutzabkommens der Vereinten Nationen an. Auf der Tagung dürften zentrale Konflikte zwischen Meeresschutz und Meeresnutzung im Kontext des Klimawandels verhandelt werden. Erneut in den Fokus rückt damit auch die 2024 ergangene Stellungnahme des Internationalen Seegerichtshofs zum Klimaschutz. Viele hatten erwartet, mit dem Gutachten würde das klimapolitische Verhältnis zwischen Schutz und Nutzung der Ozeane eindeutiger definiert. Besonders wichtig ist diese Klärung mit Blick auf neue marine CO2-Entnahmetechnologien (mCDR). Sie sollen eine höhere Aufnahme von Kohlenstoff durch das Meer ermöglichen, um den Klimawandel abzuschwächen. Der Seegerichtshof stellte klar, dass Staaten die Ozeane vor Verschmutzung durch atmo­sphärisches CO2 schützen müssen. Interpretationsspielraum blieb jedoch in der Frage, ob mCDR als Meeresverschmutzung oder als Beitrag zum Meeresschutz gilt. Diese Mehrdeutigkeit lässt sich politisch nutzen, um marine CO2-Entnahme entweder zu fördern oder einzuschränken. Internationale Organisationen, EU-Institutionen und nationale Behörden sollten darauf vorbereitet sein, dass unterschiedliche Auslegungen des Gerichtsentscheids die zukünftige Klima- und Meerespolitik beeinflussen werden.

With less than five months to go before the mid-term elections, Steady State, a collective of former senior officials from the US national security apparatus, intends to throw its full weight behind this decisive vote. The group is currently finalising [...]

Emirati officials have been sounding out public relations firms in the UK and US on an engagement to communicate the [...]

The province of Hadramaut's intelligence service has been trying to track down stockpiles of weapons abandoned by the UAE armed [...]

United States – DIA struggles to find new head of counter-narcoticsDespite a recruitment process launched at the start of the [...]

Wingtech Technology Ltd, the Chinese owner of semiconductor company Nexperia, has approached investigative consultancies for asset tracing support ahead of [...]

Representatives of the Russian state are due to visit Nice to carry out an inventory of the contents of two Orthodox religious sites. This move is part of its efforts to regain control of sites linked to the Russian Orthodox Church abroad.

The FY2027 NDAA sees lawmakers backing new right-to-repair measures, counter-drone initiatives and new A-10 restrictions to the retirement.

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has advanced a series of provisions as part of its Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) markup, which will now move forward in the legislation process. The new proposed measures combine support for emerging military technologies, acquisition reform initiatives, and continued congressional oversight of legacy aircraft programs such as the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Among the provisions in the bill are renewed congressional efforts to expand military “right-to-repair” authority, which has been a longstanding debate point. According to the text of the HASC-approved bill, measures are being taken to improve access to technical data, maintenance information, and repair resources needed by military personnel and depots to sustain equipment without excessive reliance on original manufacturers.

Supporters argue the reforms would reduce costs, improve readiness, and allow servicemembers to repair equipment quicker in operational environments. The debate was mainly over intellectual property restrictions and contractor control of maintenance data, which manufacturers argued could have been put at risk by the reform.

Reflecting the lessons learned from recent conflicts by U.S. forces, emphasis was placed on counter-drone capabilities. The text highlights concerns about the growing use of low-cost unmanned aircraft systems in modern conflicts and the challenge of defeating large numbers of inexpensive drones with comparatively costly interceptors.

A Coyote LE leaving a M-LIDS (Mobile, Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System) vehicle. | Source: RTX

The committee specifically recognizes the need for attrition-ready, low-cost interceptor solutions capable of countering mass drone attacks against military installations and deployed forces. This reflects lessons observed in recent conflicts, where low-cost aerial threats have placed significant pressure on traditional air defense networks and highlighted the asymmetry of the costs involved for the attacker and the defender.

The package additionally contains language that could significantly affect the future of the A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet. In fact, lawmakers included provisions requiring the U.S. Air Force to satisfy several conditions before further retiring A-10 aircraft, potentially extending the service life once again.

As we often reported, there is a long-running dispute between Congress and the Air Force over the future of the close air support aircraft. While Air Force leaders have repeatedly sought to retire the A-10 in order to free resources for modernization priorities, many lawmakers continue to argue that the aircraft retains unique operational value and should not be divested prematurely.

Right-To-Repair

One of the provisions adopted by the House Armed Services Committee concerns military right-to-repair authorities, an issue that has gained increasing attention as sustainment costs continue to rise across major defense programs. The committee’s language seeks to address concerns about lack of sufficient access to technical data, software tools, diagnostic equipment, and intellectual property needed to independently maintain and repair military equipment.

From left, Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) F-35 lift systems artisans Dale Veasey and John Doyle, and lead F-35 lift systems mechanic Tyler Scott, install an original equipment manufacturer-specific lifting adapter to a three-bearing swivel module in order to facilitate the final installation of the component’s No. 2 actuator. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

For years, lawmakers and Pentagon officials have argued that reliance on original equipment manufacturers for maintenance and repairs can create readiness bottlenecks while increasing lifecycle costs. In many cases, the problem was attributed to military personnel not possessing the necessary technical information or proprietary tools to perform certain repairs on their own.

Manufacturers often argued that protections are necessary to safeguard intellectual property and avoid transfers to third parties. On the other hand, supporters of right-to-repair measures maintain that the government should possess greater authority to maintain equipment it has already purchased.

Now, the committee-approved language would strengthen the Pentagon’s ability to obtain maintenance-related information and ensure that sustainment considerations are addressed earlier during acquisition processes. The goal is to reduce long-term dependence on contractors while improving operational readiness and affordability.

Counter-UAS Focus

The document places considerable emphasis on counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), highlighting the growing concern among lawmakers regarding the proliferation of inexpensive drones on modern battlefields and the asymmetry of the costs between these systems and the interceptors. The bill’s language specifically recognizes the challenge posed by large numbers of low-cost unmanned aircraft, which can overwhelm traditional air-defense systems through sheer volume.

U.S. soldiers carry a MEROPS interceptor drone, while a second one is ready to be launched from a pickup truck in the background. | Source: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Recent conflicts have demonstrated how commercially derived drones, one-way attack drones, and other inexpensive unmanned systems can threaten military bases, logistics hubs, command centers, and maneuver forces, sometimes even evading detection until the last moment. At the same time, they impose disproportionate costs on defenders.

A key theme within the legislation is the need for low-cost “attrition-ready” interceptor systems, which would be used to engage mass drone attacks economically without relying solely on expensive surface-to-air missiles. This reflects a growing recognition that using interceptors costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars against drones worth only a few thousand dollars may not be sustainable during prolonged operations.

The committee also directs attention toward technologies capable of supporting layered defenses, including kinetic interceptors, directed-energy weapons, electronic warfare systems and autonomous counter-drone platforms. The emphasis on C-UAS mirrors broader Pentagon priorities following lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drones have become a persistent feature of the operational environment.

A-10 Retirement Plans

The committee’s action regarding the A-10 Thunderbolt II represents the latest development in a years-long struggle between Congress and the U.S. Air Force over the future of the close-air-support aircraft. For more than a decade, Air Force leaders have sought to retire the A-10 fleet, with lawmakers rejecting the plans.

A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft approaches an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for aerial refueling in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 9, 2026. | Source: U.S. Air Force

The service often argued that the aircraft’s aging airframes, increasing sustainment requirements, and limited survivability in highly contested environments make continued investment difficult to justify. The goal was to redirect resources devoted to the A-10 toward new aircraft, advanced weapons, and other modernization priorities.

Many lawmakers, however, remain unconvinced that a complete replacement for the A-10’s mission currently exists. The aircraft’s ability to operate at low altitude, loiter over the battlefield, carry substantial ordnance loads, and provide direct support to ground forces has continued to generate congressional support despite ongoing retirement efforts.

The committee would thus place additional constraints on Air Force plans by requiring further oversight, reporting, and certification before additional A-10s can be retired. The first constraint would see the service support the training, testing, sustainment, and maintenance activities of the A-10 through 2030, reversing the end of the training pipeline, testing and Weapons School activities planned for 2026.

Since sooner or later the A-10 will be retired, the committee is requiring a “competitive experimentation plan for autonomous and non-traditional capabilities relevant to the A-10 mission.” Meanwhile, any A-10 aircraft considered for retirement through 2030 “should be evaluated for potential transfer to another military department,” says the bill.

The committee is additionally asking for a report on the “A-10’s combat employment, recent operational relevance, lessons for future force design, and modernization options.” Finally, it also authorizes the reconstitution of the A-10 Demonstration Team, which was disbanded in 2024.

Deutschland ist mit seiner Bewerbung um einen Sitz im UN-Sicherheitsrat gescheitert. Im Interview spricht der Politikwissenschaftler Volker Perthes über die Gründe – und was daraus folgen muss. Wie groß ist der Reputationsschaden für die Bundesrepublik wirklich?

The Fleet Readiness Center East completed the conversion of its first F-35Bs from the TR-2 to the TR-3 configuration, which will support the future Block 4 upgrades. 

A major milestone was reached for the F-35B Lightning II as the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, completed the Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3) upgrade on its first aircraft. The TR-3 lays the foundation for the future upcoming Block 4 hardware upgrades. 

Airframes BF-105 and BF-88 were delivered on May 14 and May 21, while “BF-81 is projected to complete its conversion in July,” the Jun. 2, 2026, press release from the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) said. The image of BF-105 capturing FRCE members standing before it after the TR-3 upgrades show that the airframe is assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-231 (VMFA-231) “Ace of Spades,” part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s (2nd MAW) constituent unit Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG 14).

The U.S. Marine Corps is the only U.S. service using the F-35B and, along with the carrier-launched F-35C, operates a total of 122 F-35s. Other foreign users of the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 include the U.K., Italy and Japan. The release also mentioned FCRE as among four other global depots for F-35 maintenance repair and modifications, which include Hill AFB and Ogden in Utah, Cameri in Italy and Williamstown in Australia.

Leveling up the Lightning!

The JPO has hit a major milestone by beginning the first-ever retrofits of operational F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the TR-2 to the advanced TR-3 configuration.

This massive hardware and software upgrade equips the jets with a substantial boost… pic.twitter.com/8rTN1GpD0b

— F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (@theF35JPO) June 3, 2026

The development comes close on the heels of a delay in the TR-3 program for all the three F-35 variants, seeing a stopgap simpler version being rolled out until the technical issues are fixed.

TR-3 work at FRCE

The Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) is the “backbone” supporting the future Block 4 upgraded hardware covering 75 major systems. The major and leading upgrade is a powerful AN/APG-85 radar replacing the APG-81 as the primary sensor, while others include a new electronic warfare suite, an improved Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS), a new cockpit display, navigation and communication systems, and a next-generation Distributed Aperture System (DAS).

A new integrated core processor chip would provide the computing and fuse the data from these sensors. An Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) to the Pratt & Whitney F135 fifth generation supercruise engine in turn would produce the massive power required for the Northrop Grumman APG-85 radar and the other electronics.

An F-35B Lightning II begins a functional check flight inspection at the Fleet Readiness Center East, at Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

Materiel leader for F-35 mods/retrofits within the F-35 JPO, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matthew Hawkins, talked about the massive retrofit accelerating from the “700 aircraft already fielded […] year after year […] across the fleet,” with the initial conversions helping refine the full-rate processes.

Hawkins touched upon the mammoth fast-paced work ahead that supports the F-35’s tactical orientation. “The faster we can upgrade jets, the more capable the warfighter will be. This isn’t just an engineering milestone. It’s an operational one. TR-3 is what allows the F-35 to remain the quarterback of the battlespace in the next decade,” he said.

Engineered for dominance.

An F-35B Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, prepares to take off from the flight deck of the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7). pic.twitter.com/faPMYgLAqk

— F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (@theF35JPO) June 5, 2026

TR-3 Block 4 delays

Technical issues with the TR-3 considerably delayed the F-35 program. This triggered a halt in deliveries from July 2023 to July 2024, seeing up to 100-120 airframes piling up at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas. With the Pentagon, JPO and Lockheed Martin agreeing on a “truncated” version of the software, deliveries resumed in 2024 and the company reported clearing the backlog by May 2025.

The scaled-down variant, a mix of TR-3 and TR-2 features that do not affect the aircraft’s safety or airworthiness, however limited the fullest extent of the aircraft’s high-end capabilities. However, the recent Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) report said none of the 158 TR-3 F-35s delivered to the U.S. services delivered until September 2025 were combat capable jets, putting a question mark on the delivery backlog cleared in May 2025. 

U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II with VMFA 122, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, during deck landing qualifications on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Pacific Ocean, Dec. 7, 2025. | Source: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nicole Stuart)

By the end of 2025, a total of 191 F-35s had been delivered, with the report putting the overall number of Lightning IIs delivered to the U.S. services at 812 aircraft (any configuration). Of these, a total of 541 are F-35As.

Technical developmental issues with the APG-85 radar had also reportedly led some F-35s entering service without a radar installed. The Air Force’s FY 2027 budget requests $1.7 billion to retrofit 181 aircraft from the Lot 17 and prior with the APG-85.

F-35B engine works at FRCE

The FRCE has also reported other milestones involving the repair, overhaul and assembly of the F-35B’s distinct F135 engine with the lift fan and its intricately engineered parts over the years. In September 2023, the FRCE announced the first successful assembly of the F-35B’s lift-fan clutch, becoming the first within the Department of Defense (DoD) to perform this task outside of the original manufacturer’s facility.

Steven Murray, left, and Dakota Martin, aircraft engine mechanics at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE, begin disassembly of a lift fan clutch for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

Made by Rolls-Royce for the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, the lift fan gives the F-35B its unique STOVL capability. FRCE personnel revealed exhaustive theoretical and practical training involving going over tens of thousands of engineering drawings and blueprints, and studying the manufacturing and assembly process at Rolls-Royce LiftWorks facility in Indiana.

The FRCE then announced in August 2025 the completion of the first repair and overhaul of the F-35B’s three-bearing swivel module (3BSM). The 3BSM is a swiveling jet pipe that allows F-35B pilots to redirect engine thrust downward to create the rear vertical lift needed for the STOVL operations.

From left, Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) F-35 lift systems artisans Dale Veasey and John Doyle, and lead F-35 lift systems mechanic Tyler Scott, install an original equipment manufacturer-specific lifting adapter to a three-bearing swivel module in order to facilitate the final installation of the component’s No. 2 actuator. | Source: Joe Andes, Fleet Readiness Center East Public Affairs

The completed 3BSM marks the first time the depot has returned this component to the F-35 global supply chain that supports U.S. forces and international partners.  

The Chinese tiltrotor that broke cover last year was recently captured in images during what appears to be more expansive test flights.

China’s first manned tiltrotor aircraft has now appeared in clearer images while in flight, nearly a year after it was captured off a screen while hovering at the beginning of testing. Visuals from Chinese social media shared by leading Chinese military aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht and other users on X showed the helicopter in various angles from its port (left) side.

We noted in our previous report in August 2025 that the first picture appeared to show the tiltrotor in what appeared to be an engine start-up, lift off and hover test. No visuals existed at the time showing it in full flight.

Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF:

„Said to be different shots of the tiltrotor technological demonstrator platform from Harbin AC, likely taken during its recent test flight. Posted by @数性体 on Weibo.“ pic.twitter.com/tAOwUfrHY4

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) June 1, 2026

What the new image shows

Both the panel and the rotor hub, previously missing, can now be seen in the latest images, in what could be a test flight in more expansive envelopes. It is not clear when the latest flight captured in the new images took place, and it may have happened anytime after the first images emerged in August 2025 – or possibly even recently – before leaking on the internet.

A notable feature we observed back then was the tiltrotor’s moving prop-rotor configuration, similar to that of the MV-75 Cheyenne II, marking a full departure from the V-22 Osprey and Leonardo AW609 in which the entire engine nacelle pivots. The system is notably simpler in operation with less complex engineering and consequently simpler maintenance and improved safety.

Seems as if finally an image and video (see link) of Harbin’s / HAIG’s) tiltrotor technology demonstrator in flight has been leaked. https://t.co/JI4bKLPOqs pic.twitter.com/JzzWvFHyVZ

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) May 31, 2026

Both the images also did not show a flight data probe (pitot) tube on the nose, or registration markings anywhere on the fuselage or the tail. This leaves open the question on how many prototypes have been produced by Hafei Aviation Industry, a subsidiary of Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG).

There is no official information on the aircraft on any of the state media like Global Times, Xinhua or China Daily. The only tilt-rotor reported in the Chinese press was by GT in July 2025, featuring a smaller tiltrotor, an eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off Landing) called AE200 by Chinese company Aerofugia, on the sidelines of the inaugural International Advanced Air Mobility Expo at Shanghai.

Janes also reported in February 2024 about the unmanned UR/R6000 tiltrotor, which appeared in a clearer image inside its developer United Aircraft’s factory a few months later in October. Both the AE200 and the R6000 also have pivoting prop-rotor hubs, suggesting how China has closely watched and incorporated the American experience with the type.

We are far from knowing whether the three aircraft have a military future, until images emerge of the aircraft in PLA military colors, markings or at one its bases.

联合飞机(united aircraft)の世界初となる6t級ティルトローターUAV”镧影R6000″1号機が芜湖航空产业园にて生産された。
R6000は旅客の場合10人の乗客を乗せ、最大離陸重量6t、最大巡航速度550km、最大巡航高度7620m、航続距離4000kmを発揮する。
同機は今年の珠海航展にて展示されると言われている。 https://t.co/c89ETG1Ihf pic.twitter.com/Fl3ft0cqgI

— お砂糖wsnbn (@sugar_wsnbn) October 14, 2024

The tilt-rotor in question particularly has two access doors and, with the six windows, suggests a seating capacity of anywhere between six to 12 persons. It is also admittedly small in size for military use, necessitating larger engines and a bigger airframe.

If adopted by the PLA, like the Ekranoplan, it can rapidly move men and material to China’s outposts in the South China Sea (SCS). However, the need for such a capability is not acute, given China’s current naval aviation, surface fleet and merchant marine fleet.

Other helicopters and future

From a commercial standpoint, the developers wouldn’t have invested in the tiltrotors until they had a market within China, to feed its growing urban mobility, air taxi, emergency services and connecting remote mountainous regions. As we noted in our previous report, the tilt-rotor could be marketed internationally for civilian use by corporations, as a cheaper alternative to Western systems, with a target being the offshore oil and gas sector.

Apparently we’ve got the clearest image of the Z-21, China’s new heavy attack helicopter so far.
However, besides some details that are now finally clearly recognisable, such as sensors, cockpit, rotor, & the engine nacelles including exhausts, some details also appear strange… pic.twitter.com/CG5FoTDr2d

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) March 20, 2026

Politically, fielding such an aircraft also displays China’s technological prowess in developing the full range of fighter aircraft, space technology, warships, missiles and aircraft carriers to rival the West.

IMO one of the best Images of the Z-21 so far. pic.twitter.com/kKyILXHevM

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) November 30, 2025

Lastly, China’s heavy-class attack helicopter, the Z-21, has also made some appearance since late last year, with the latest image shared by Rupprecht on Mar. 20 showing it in sharpest and clearest detail yet. The aircraft is bearing a PLA roundel marking on its tail boom, and also appears to be carrying quad-launchers for air-to-surface missiles.

As it seems, for the first time a Z-21 in white primer was seen.

(Via yuxiaochen/SDF) pic.twitter.com/RfhGoIofAd

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 23, 2025

One such image emerged in November 2025 with a dome-like sensor on the main rotor hub and a black paint scheme. A December 2025 picture shows it with the tail number 6232, the dome missing and the aircraft bearing a white paint scheme, suggesting that more than one example is flying.