Archive: News & Articles

The UK Military Aviation Authority has issued a Military Type Certificate (MTC) to the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are known as Protector RG Mk1s in RAF service, GA-ASI announced on 8 May 2025. The MTC certifies that the Protector RG Mk1 has passed […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Ukraine of F-16 training and sustainment and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 May 2025. The required certification for the proposed FMS, which is worth an estimated USD 310.5 million (EUR 276.6 million), has been passed to […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Norway of AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missiles and related equipment, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 May 2025. The proposed FMS, which is worth an estimated USD 370.9 million (EUR 328.3 million), has been passed to the US Congress […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Saudi Arabia of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 2 May 2025. The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 3.5 billion (EUR 3.08 billion), has been passed to the US […]

On 2 May 2025 operators within Group 13, a special unit with Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (DIU), destroyed two Russian Su-30 fighters operating in the Black Sea region using missiles launched from unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The downed Russian Sukhois are almost certainly the first fixed-wing aircraft in history to be shot down by […]

European defence company MBDA is joining the British unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist Hybrid Drones to secure the further development of the Hydra 400 heavy-lift UAV. As Hybrid Drones announced on 29 April 2025, the investment follows a British defence industry strategy in which large defence companies work together with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). […]

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) introduced into service on 2 May 2025 a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform known as StormShroud that is the first of a new family of autonomous collaborative platforms (ACPs) that will support RAF strike operations. The StormShroud platform is based on the Tekever AR3 UAV and will support […]

Palladyne AI, a developer of artificial intelligence (AI) software for robotic platforms, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist Red Cat Holdings announced on 1 May 2025 they had successfully completed an autonomous, cross-platform collaborative flight involving three UAVs. During this most recent test, which leveraged Red Cat’s Teal 2 and Black Widow quadcopter UAVs and […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Poland of AIM-120D Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and related elements, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 29 April 2025. The proposed FMS, which is worth an estimated USD 1.33 billion (EUR 1.18 billion), has been passed to […]

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has delivered an MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced on 29 April 2025. The new MQ-9A Block 5 Extended Range (ER) UAV was delivered on 22 April and will be operated by Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1): […]

The UK Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25), which departed for its eight-month Operation ‘Highmast’ deployment on 22 April 2025, is benefitting from the Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) programme reaching full operating capability at the end of March 2025. Of the nine Royal Navy Merlin HM2 helicopters deployed to be the eyes and ears […]

The first AW149 multi-role helicopter produced entirely in Poland has successfully completed its maiden flight, manufacturer PZL-Świdnik and the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) have announced. The helicopter underwent its inaugural test flight on 14 April 2025 as part of the aircraft’s type acceptance test procedure (ATP), which confirms the aircraft conforms to the […]

Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer Bayar announced on 23 April 2025 that it has completed further successful flight tests with a Bayraktar TB3 UAV off the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. On 22 April a Bayraktar TB3 completed four sorties from TCG Anadolu as part of fully autonomous take-off and landing tests from […]

The first Bulgarian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 fighter arrived at the country’s Graf Ignatievo Air Base on 13 April 2025, signalling the beginning of F-16 operations in Bulgaria. Bulgaria has ordered a total of 16 F-16s, having signed an initial letter of acceptance (LOA) for eight F-16s in 2019 and then a […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Philippines of TH-73A training helicopters and support, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 15 April 2025. The potential sale, which is estimated to be worth USD 120 million (EUR 105.6 million), has been passed to the US Congress […]

The Spanish Air and Space Force has commissioned its first A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft under a contract for three such aircraft signed in November 2021. According to an Airbus announcement on 11 April 2025, the aircraft was delivered from the A330 MRTT aircraft conversion centre in Getafe and will be operated by the […]

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia of AIM-120C and AIM-120D Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 9 April 2025. The proposed sale, which is worth an estimated USD 1.04 billion (EUR 0.92 billion), has been passed to the […]

US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) and South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace have agreed to collaborate on the development and production of UAVs for the global defence market, GA-ASI announced on 8 April 2025. The joint effort follows the successful completion of a major flight demonstration in November 2024 when […]

The US arm of Israeli loitering munition (LM) specialist UVision Air has acquired Trim Robotics, which develops highly manoeuvrable next-generation rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/LMs. The acquisition, which was announced by UVision on 7 April 2025, strengthens the company’s portfolio by integrating its Hero series of LMs with Trim’s innovative quadcopter-based LM system, which UVision […]

During its 2025 deployment to the Indo-Pacific a UK Carrier Strike Group will be supported by a fleet of nine all-electric uncrewed quadcopters produced BAE Systems’ Malloy Aeronautics subsidiary for the first time, BAE Systems announced on 8 April 2025. The Malloy Aeronautics T-150 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be used to transport supplies such […]

On 1 April 2025 a detachment of six Swedish Air Force (SwAF) Saab Gripen fighters embarked on the SwAF’s first NATO enhanced Air Policing mission from the territory of another ally since Sweden joined the alliance on 7 March 2024. The Swedish Gripens, from the SwAF’s Norrbotten Wing, joined the Polish Air Force and a […]