Start Archive: News & Articles

Archive: News & Articles


JASSM-ER, AMRAAM and AIM-9X missile sales approved for Poland

The US State Department has approved possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Poland covering AGM-158B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles – Extended Range (JASSM-ER), AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) reported on 12 March 2024 The JASS-ER sale is worth USD […]

Deal finally agreed for RAF to receive 14 new extended-range Chinooks

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is to receive 14 new Boeing H-47 Chinook Extended Range (ER) heavylift helicopters under a deal agreed with the US government, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) officially announced on 14 March 2024. Deliveries of the new aircraft are scheduled to commence in 2027. While the MoD declined to […]

F-35A Lightning II certified as nuclear weapon carrier

The Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has been certified for the use of the B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bomb, news portal Breaking Defense reported on 8 March 2024, citing a spokesman for the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), Russ Goemaere. The nuclear certification of the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) JSF variant was achieved […]



UK boosts Ukrainian unmanned system package to GBP 325 million

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 7 March 2024 that the UK is to provide Ukraine with a complete package of GBP 325 million (EUR 382 million) for cutting-edge unmanned systems to help fight the Russian invasion. The investment is a significant boosting of the GBP 200 million unmanned system package announced by […]

BQM-177A aerial targets approved for ROKN to facilitate KDX-III Batch II destroyer combat system trials

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to South Korea of subsonic sea-skimming aerial targets (SSATs) and related elements of logistics and programme support, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 March 2024. The sale, which is worth an estimated USD 170.6 million (EUR 156 million), has […]

Singapore adds eight F-35As to its order for 12 F-35Bs

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is to acquire eight Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) to complement the 12 F-35B short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) JSFs Singapore has already ordered. The additional F-35 order was announced by Singaporean Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen on 28 February 2024 […]



Russian-intercepted Luftwaffe call leads to awkward questions for Berlin

A conference call involving the chief of the Luftwaffe, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, has led to awkward questions being asked of the German government after it emerged that the conversation had been intercepted by Russia. During the call high-ranking air force officers including Gen Gerhartz discussed German military policy in relation to the country’s support […]

NATO funding allows Albania to officially re-open Kuçova Airbase

Albania officially re-opened Kuçova Airbase on 4 March 2024 after transforming the decades-old base into a modern hub for NATO future air operations. Located around 80 km south of Tirana, Kuçova airbase will serve Albania and support Alliance logistics, air operations, training and exercises. Around EUR 50 million in NATO funding was used to upgrade […]

GA-ASI and AFRL achieve maiden flight with the XQ-67A OBSS

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) flew its XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time on 28 February 2024, the company announced the following day. The flight, which was made out of GA-ASI’s Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, California, was a key milestone in a programme designed […]



US Army National Guard orders rotary-wing stand-down following two Apache crashes

The US Army National Guard (ANG) has temporarily grounded its rotary-wing aviation assets following two recent crashes involving AH-64D Apache attack helicopters. The most recent crash, in Mississippi on 23 February 2024, killed ANG pilots Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bryan Andrew Zemek and Chief Warrant Officer 4 Derek Joshua Abbott during a training flight, while […]

CEVS delivers 3,000th F-35 Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System

Collins Elbit Vision Systems (CEVS), a joint venture between RTX business Collins Aerospace and Elbit Systems of America, announced on 26 February 2024 that it has delivered the 3,000th F-35 Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) for the Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35 Gen III HMDS, which CEVS claims is “the world’s most advanced […]

UK MoD announces invitation to tender for New Medium Helicopter requirement

The next phase of the UK New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme, in the form of an invitation to negotiate (ITN), was announced on 27 February 2024. The announcement was made by UK Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge in a speech at the 2024 Defence iQ International Military Helicopter conference in London. The ITN phase […]



Reaper landing at Shaw AFB demos USAF’s satellite-based Agile Combat Employment

Airmen from the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) 50th Attack Squadron and Air National Guardsmen from the 163rd Attack Wing conducted a historic first on 14 February 2024 by successfully landing an MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at Shaw Air Force Base (AFB) in South Carolina under satellite control. The Reaper flew in from March Air […]

RAF Typhoons join CENTCOM forces for fourth joint strike against Houthis

UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon fighters joined US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces in launching another joint strike against the Yemen-based Houthi militia on 24 February 2024. Although CENTCOM forces have regularly struck Houthi targets since the militia started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea region in November 2023     , this was the fourth […]

High Eye’s Airboxer VTOL UAV wins contract from Dutch MoD

Dutch unmanned helicopter systems specialist High Eye has won a contract from the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide its Airboxer vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (VTOL UAV), the company announced on 26 February 2024. The contract was won in an open international tender, according to High Eye, although the company did […]



Smith Myers’ Artemis capabilities added to Hensoldt EuroNav 7 mission system

Sensor solutions provider Hensoldt announced on 26 February 2024 that its EuroNav 7 mission system for critical airborne applications is now enhanced with the integration of Smith Myers’ Artemis mobile phone detection, location, and communication system. The combined systems not only enable effective help for people in distress, but also facilitate support in disaster response, […]

Hungarian MoD orders four more Saab Gripen C fighters

The Hungarian Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) on 23 February 2024 for four additional Gripen C fighters, manufacturer Saab announced the same day. The Hungarian Air Force currently operates a fast jet combat fleet consisting of leased Saab Gripens, comprising 12 JAS 39C single-seat fighters and two […]

Royal Norwegian Air Force receives back first C-130J-30 to have received Block 8.1 upgrade

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) has received back from Lockheed Martin the first C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft to have received a Block 8.1 upgrade, the company announced on 21 February 2024. The RNoAF operates a fleet of four C-130J-30s, which it received between 2008 and 2012. All four are receiving the Block 8.1 […]



UK MoD publishes Defence Drone Strategy, building on lessons from Ukraine

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) published its Defence Drone Strategy on 22 February 2024, setting out how the UK defence establishment would “realise the significant opportunities and tackle challenges in uncrewed systems”. Noting how the development and employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are demonstrating that “low-cost solutions are increasingly defeating more exquisite capabilities”, […]

Canadian DND orders Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70 UAVs to donate to Ukraine

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) has ordered over 800 SkyRanger R70 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Teledyne FLIR Defense to donate to the government of Ukraine, the company announced on 20 February 2024. The contract is worth more than CAD 95 million (EUR 65 million). The SkyRanger R70 is a small quadcopter vertical […]

Leonardo celebrates decade of Helicopter Training Academy operations in Malaysia

Leonardo has recently celebrated a decade of operations with its Helicopter Training Academy headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the company announced on 21 February 2024. Leonardo first started delivering localised maintenance and support services in Malaysia in 2007, while 2010 saw the arrival of Malaysia’s first batch of AW139 twin-engine helicopters for passenger transport, disaster […]




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