The RAF Typhoons, which were returning from the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course in the UAE, made a stop in Turkey for a ‘detailed inspection’ in the presence of top Turkish and British defense officials. The diplomatic push of the United Kingdom and Germany for Turkey to acquire the Eurofighter Typhoon is now moving from words […]
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Two years after the first Eagles returned to the United States, the last F-15C is now ready to leave Kadena Air Base in Japan, where the type was stationed since 1979. The United States Air Force’s 18th Wing is about to complete the divestment of its F-15C/D Eagle fleet, with the last airframe ready to […]
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The U.S. Navy announced it awarded the contract to Northrop Grumman to conduct mission-systems integration for the E-130J that will replace the E-6B in the TACAMO mission. Northrop Grumman has been selected as the prime contractor for the E-130J NC3 (Nuclear Command, Control and Communications) aircraft which will perform the US Navy’s TACAMO (Take Charge […]
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Recently released images show J-15s of one of the brigades attached to the Naval Aviation University practicing launch and recovery operations at an unspecified coastal base where a flight deck with jet blast deflectors and arresting wires has been set up. Sometime between late November and early December 2024, a brigade with China’s Naval Aviation […]
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Named Tryzub after the golden trident used as a national symbol of Ukraine, Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi states that the new weapon has a range of over two kilometers. Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, made an interesting revelation on Dec. 16, 2024 at a European Defense Industry […]
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The three nations made important steps forward this year, establishing equal work sharing, locations and coordination of the different areas of GCAP, with the objective of cutting in half timeline and costs. As recently reported, the three national industry leads participating to the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP), BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial […]
The post 2024 Fundamental for GCAP, Working to Make 2035 Goal a Reality, Says Leonardo appeared first on The Aviationist.
The first six of a dozen U.S. Air Force F-15Es have returned to their homebase at RAF Lakenheath, once again sporting unique nicknames and some interesting markings. On Dec. 17, 2024, the first six of 12 F-15E Strike Eagle jets, belonging to the 492nd Fighter Squadron/48th Fighter Wing, returned to RAF Lakenheath, UK, after a […]
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Finnish, Swedish, and Dutch fighter aircraft were scrambled on Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024 to identify and monitor Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, which turned out to be carrying inert supersonic cruise missiles. The first intercept was made by F/A-18 Hornets from the Finnish Air Force, which were met by Dutch F-35A Lightning IIs deployed […]
The post NATO Fighters Intercept Two Russian Tu-22M3 ‘Backfires’ Carrying Long-Range Supersonic Cruise Missiles appeared first on The Aviationist.
The $451 million contract will support the upgrade of 68 JASDF F-15Js as part of the Japan Super Interceptor program, introducing some capabilities currently being fielded on the U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II. The U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) announced on Dec. 10, 2024, that the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Boeing […]
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Argentina and Denmark sealed a $300 million contract in April for 24 second-hand F-16 jets. The Fuerza Aérea Argentina has been without a supersonic fighter since 2015, following the retirement of its last Dassault Mirage IIIs. Argentina’s first F-16B, purchased from Denmark, landed in the country on Dec. 16, 2024, after being transported disassembled inside […]
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The VAQ-133 “Wizards” have completed the first ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Deployment. On Dec. 14, 2024, Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133), assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW) 9, returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, from its five-month deployment to the Middle East and Eastern Pacific aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. A total of 153 […]
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The Eurofighter Consortium has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth £133 million to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted Display (HMD). BAE Systems announced on Dec. 11, 2024, that it has been awarded a new £133 million contract to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD). Under this new contract, awarded by the […]
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The fifth and final EMD aircraft will now join the test fleet assigned to the T-7 Integrated Test Force and continue to validate the Red Hawk’s capabilities ahead of the Milestone C and the LRIP contract expected in 2025. The final Engineering Manufacturing Development (EMD) T-7A Red Hawk flew for the first time from Boeing’s […]
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BAE Systems, Leonardo and JAIEC reached an agreement to form a new company under a business joint venture for the GCAP, building on the trilateral cooperation started in 2022. The three national industry leads participating to the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP), BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co (JAIEC), have reached an […]
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A newly released cockpit video gives a first-person view of the U.S. F-35s as they operated from a highway strip during the Baana24 exercise in Finland last month. A new cockpit video offers an exclusive look at the operations carried out during Exercise Baana 24, in which two U.S. Air Force F-35As landed for the […]
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Italy’s Defence Minister condemns Israeli attack on UNIFIL bases as “Intolerable” and “Not an Accident”. Italy issued a formal protest to Israel on Thursday after attacks targeted the headquarters of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon and two Italian bases. In response, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto summoned the Israeli ambassador to address the situation. According to […]
The post Israel Repeatedly Fired on UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon, Injuring Peacekeepers appeared first on The Aviationist.
The innovative use of aerobraking will allow the X-37B to efficiently and safely dispose of the service module, using minimal fuel thanks to decades of experience of the scientific community conducting space missions. The U.S. Space Force announced that its X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle spacecraft, currently in orbit as part of the OTV-7 mission, will […]
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The new UCAV that will complement the Rafale F5 will benefit from the achievements of the nEUROn program. The development comes at a time of changes in air warfare and application doctrine in the French Air and Space Force, particularly with regards to SEAD/DEAD missions. France Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu announced on […]
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Leidos is readying for a new test campaign which will evaluate its ‘Black Arrow’ small cruise missile during guided test flights from the back of an AC-130J gunship. Defense contractor Leidos has announced that its small cruise missile (SCM), nicknamed “Black Arrow,” is ready for guided flight tests. The company successfully conducted captive carry and […]
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The hot pit refuel drill demonstrated the B-1B Lancer is capable of operating from other air bases for strike missions in the backdrop of Ellsworth’s fleet possibly temporarily relocating to Grand Forks AFB, owing to a runway construction at Ellsworth to host the B-21 Raider in the future. The 28th Bomb Wing from Ellsworth Air […]
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