Defence`s Feeds

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 […]

The post A Close-Up Look at the F-35’s Highway Operations during the Baana 24 Exercise appeared first on The Aviationist.

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 […]

The post U.S. Space Force Will Use Aerobraking to Change X-37B Orbit appeared first on The Aviationist.

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 […]

The post France Announces Development of Rafale F5 With New UCAV And Nuclear Missile appeared first on The Aviationist.

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 […]

The post Leidos’ ‘Black Arrow’ Small Cruise Missile Ready for Flight Tests appeared first on The Aviationist.

On 17 October, SEDE Members will discuss the Annual Report on the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) presented by the Rapporteur MEP Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (EPP, Spain). ...
While the EU is facing multiple and unprecedented threats to its security and new crises in its neighbourhood, especially since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, this first CSDP Annual Report of the 10th Parliamentary term will set out the European Parliament's assessment of CSDP's readiness to address the challenges in the current complex geopolitical and security context. It also provides recommendations on the main avenues for strengthening policies and actions for the future along several dimensions, including institutional decision-making progress, the joint development of military and armament capabilities and the urgently needed issue of how to finance European defence.
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

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 […]

The post Grand Forks AFB Conducts the First Hot Pit Refuel of a B-1B Lancer in 30 Years as Relocation Looms appeared first on The Aviationist.

The JASSM contract will supply missiles to the Air Force, Navy and Allies comprising Japan, the Netherlands, Finland and Poland. Another contract worth $358 million is meant for the LRASM and also involves an unspecified Foreign Military Sales component, possibly to Australia. The U.S. Air Force Life-Cycle Management Center awarded Lockheed Martin two contracts on […]

The post U.S. Air Force Contracts Lockheed Martin for AGM-158B JASSM and AGM-158C LRASM Missiles worth $3.5 Billion appeared first on The Aviationist.

Pilot Lt Dan Burnett has received a commendation from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for his actions in safely recovering a Wildcat AH1 helicopter to its ship after it developed a major engine fault while carrying three medical evacuation patients. In an incident which was previously unreported, the Royal Navy has revealed that in September 2023 […]

The post Royal Navy Wildcat Pilot Awarded After Landing Helicopter Safely With Major Engine Fault During MEDEVAC Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

Aurora Flight Sciences’ Fan-in-Wing technology development progresses: flight testing of the final design is targeted for 2027. Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, has just unveiled new renderings showcasing its new X-plane concept supporting airborne logistics and personnel recovery operations in areas where traditional runways are unavailable. The new aircraft leverages cutting-edge fan-in-wing (FIW) […]

The post New Renderings Unveiled for Aurora’s X-Plane Concept Featuring Fan-in-Wing Technology appeared first on The Aviationist.

The F-35Bs of 809 Naval Air Squadron have joined HMS Prince of Wales in the North Sea for a month of training as they prepare for the first deployment next year. The Royal Navy is finally back at sea with its own fast jets after 15 years since the last aboard the HMS Ark Royal. […]

The post Royal Navy’s Fast Jets Are Back On A Carrier After 15 Years appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider was chased by an F-16 from Edwards Air Force Base during its test flight when it was caught on camera. Following its first flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, on November 10, 2023, the secretive B-21 Raider stealth bomber has undergone extensive flight testing at Edwards Air Force […]

The post Photographer Captures Cool Shot Of B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber During Test Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

The State Department approved the FMS to Italy of an unspecified number of EA-37B aircraft, two years after the MoD first mentioned the intention of acquiring the Electronic Attack system. The U.S. State Department has approved on Oct. 7, 2024, the Foreign Military Sale to Italy of the EA-37B and its Electronic Attack Mission System. […]

The post U.S. Approves EA-37B Compass Call Foreign Military Sale to Italy appeared first on The Aviationist.

C-47 Skytrains “Placid Lassie” and “Chalk 40” and a pair of UH-1 Hueys are among the many unique aviation assets helping to deliver supplies and aid in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Helene left a trail of devastation along the east coast of the United States. Stepping up to the plate are two World […]

The post Historic U.S. Military Aircraft Join Hurricane Helene Relief Operations appeared first on The Aviationist.

The U.S. Air Force has released more photographs and details about the pretty unique the B-52H in orange paint scheme. The U.S. Air Force has just released the first aerial photographs of the B-52H 61-0028 “Wolfpack” sporting a retro dayglo orange paint scheme. Along with the images, the U.S. Air Force has also posted an […]

The post First Air-to-Air Images Of The B-52H In Distinctive ‘Test Orange’ Paint Scheme Released appeared first on The Aviationist.

Making a flyover appearance at the 1950 Soviet May Day parade, the Il-28 went on to become one of the most prolific, reliable, and adaptable bombers in the arsenals of the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact,  and client states. A New Bomber The result of a requirement to replace the Tupolev Tu-2 piston engine bomber, […]

The post The Soviet Union’s First Jet Bomber: The Ilyushin Il-28 ‘Beagle’ appeared first on The Aviationist.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have reinforced their partnership to boost financing for Europe’s security and defence capabilities. 

Building on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2018, the updated agreement was signed on 3 October 2024 during an informal meeting of National Armaments Directors at EDA in Brussels.

The enhanced MoU will enable both organisations to identify financing needs for collaborative defence projects involving EU Member States and their defence industries to support capability developments, research, development and innovation (RDI), technology, and infrastructure in the area of security and defence in the EU. It will also better address the financing needs of collaborative defence projects in areas such as RDI, involving EU Member States and their defence industries.

A key feature of the revised agreement is the reinforcement of mechanisms such as the Cooperative Financing Mechanism (CFM), designed to support pan-European defence initiatives with a comprehensive package that includes facilitation, procurement, and funding.

The MoU also promotes greater knowledge-sharing between the EIB, the European Investment Fund (EIF), and EDA, allowing for more robust assessments of market demand and industrial capacities across Member States. Under the new framework, EDA will provide industrial defence advice to the EIB Group, while the EIB will contribute its financial market expertise to support EDA’s objectives.

The right tools

This strengthened collaboration comes at a critical time, as Europe faces increased calls for greater investment in security and defence. The partnership between the EIB Group and EDA aims to provide increased investments to strengthen the EU collective defence capabilities.

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “European defence spending has been increasing for eight consecutive years and EU Member States are on course to hit collective spending targets. Yet we still need to pull together our resources to finance joint efforts and boost defence capabilities. The updated Memorandum of Understanding with the EIB will give us the right tools to help Member States meet their goals, namely in securing access to financing for Europe’s defence industry."

“The updated Memorandum of Understanding is an important element of our Defence Action Plan, which includes strengthening Europe’s industry through collaborative initiatives,” said EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot. “By partnering with EDA, we leverage the unique expertise of each institution in investing in peace and security across Europe. The EIB Group is implementing its objectives outlined in the Defence Action Plan, and is committed to helping scale up this industry.”

The EIB Group includes the EIF.

“We are committed to continuously adapting our approach to meet the dynamic challenges of the defence sector,” said EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt. “Our collaboration with EDA will ensure that the EIF is equipped with the expertise necessary to drive impactful initiatives that reinforce our shared goal of enhancing European security.”

Picture: EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý and EIB Vice President Robert de Groot.

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

The European Defence Agency (EDA) joined the large-scale military exercise ‘Robotic Experimentation Maritime Unmanned Systems (REPMUS)’ for the first time as a co-organiser, running several initiatives. 

REPMUS, now in its 14th year, took place from 9 to 27 September 2024, with a focus on maritime autonomous systems, testing various types of drones and using artificial intelligence for a range of military applications, such as attacking vessels, detecting mines, and combating submarines. 

The exercise in Portugal, organised by the Portuguese Navy alongside the University of Porto, the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation, and the NATO Joint Capability Group for Maritime Unmanned Systems, also brought together NATO allies, technology companies, and academic institutions. The gathering was the largest of its kind, with over 2,000 attendees from 23 nations, including seven observer countries. Organisations involved included NATO's Allied Command Transformation, the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen), Frontex, the European Fisheries Control Agency, and the European Maritime Safety Agency. 

At a time when unmanned systems are gaining growing importance in modern warfare, one of the main goals of REPMUS, an annual exercise, is to ensure autonomous systems can operate together, sharing data between aerial, land, and underwater drones to coordinate operations efficiently. 

The primary focus of REPMUS 2024 was on Maritime Unmanned Systems technology, with an emphasis on multidomain command and control (C2), counter-unmanned systems (C-UxV), and underwater battlespace capabilities. The exercise involved extensive testing and experimentation, culminating in live demonstrations that included kinetic strikes, coordinated manned-unmanned amphibious operations, and advanced sense-and-avoid exercises to showcase maritime drone collaboration. 

'Sense-and-avoid' experimentation 

EDA played a significant role in the exercise, with several initiatives: 

• Sense-and-avoid experimentation with unmanned surface vehicles, conducted in a dedicated experimentation range;
• The 47th CapTech Naval Systems Technologies (CapTech Maritime) meeting was held, bringing together nearly 100 participants from governmental and non-governmental organisations, both in person and online, to discuss the diverse activities undertaken by this EDA working group in the naval domain, including a range of initiatives focused on maritime autonomous systems;
• An experts group meeting on unmanned systems, which outlined implementation roadmaps for capability development and collaborative opportunities for EU Member States;
• An EDA workshop on sense-and-avoid technologies, presenting experimentation results.

 

During the exercise, EDA also hosted a high-level panel discussion on the challenges of protecting critical maritime infrastructure. The panel, moderated by EDA Deputy Chief Executive André Denk, featured speakers from the European Maritime Safety Agency, the European Commission, NATO, and the University of Ghent. The discussion addressed the policy, operational, and legal aspects of protecting infrastructure.