Defence`s Feeds

The jets, from the Rafale Transformation Squadron, were returning from an aerial refueling training mission over Germany, when they collided for unknown causes. Two Dassault Rafales of the French Air and Space Force were involved [...]

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Aug. 14, 2024, marks the 50th anniversary of the Panavia Tornado’s first flight, the largest European aeronautical cooperation program with over 950 aircraft built. The Panavia Tornado, the European variable sweep wing bomber, celebrates this [...]

The post The Panavia Tornado Turns 50 Today: the History of the Variable Sweep Wing Bomber appeared first on The Aviationist.

One of the only two surviving Martin JRM Mars flying boats was finally retired after 78 years of service, flying to its new home at the British Columbia Aviation Museum. “Hawaii Mars II”, one of [...]

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The United States is sending a new multi-billion dollar military package for Israel amid the regime's genocidal war against Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Americas Boeing won a $264 million deal, which provides inspections, modifications, and repairs to the F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircrafts to include inner wing panel repairs in support of remanufacturing efforts to restore the inner wing panel service life projections to the new design specifications. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The Canadian Department of Defense started construction of a Quick Reaction Alert facility at the Bagotville base in Quebec. The site will house Ottawa’s future F-35A combat aircraft fleet and support North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) operations in partnership with the US military. The 7,400-square-meter (24,278 square feet) center will incorporate hangar bays, administrative spaces, and staff quarters. Surrounding the hub is a 17,000-square-meter (55,774 square feet) protected field for additional capabilities. Middle East & Africa Two ships reported coming under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday, although neither reported damage, British maritime agencies said. One ship’s captain said his vessel was targeted by an uncrewed surface vessel (USV), which was successfully disabled about 63 nautical miles (116 km) southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said. Europe Finland […]

EA-18G at Pax The USA’s electronic attack fighters are a unique, overworked, and nearly obsolete capability. With the retirement of the US Air Force’s long-range EF-111 Raven “Spark ‘Vark,” the aging 4-seat EA-6B Prowlers became the USA’s only remaining fighter for radar jamming, communications jamming and information operations like signals interception [1]. Despite their age and performance limits, they’ve been predictably busy on the front lines, used for everything from escorting strike aircraft against heavily defended targets, to disrupting enemy IED land mine attacks by jamming all radio signals in an area. EA-6B Prowler (click to view full) All airframes have lifespan limits, however, and the EA-6B is no exception. The USA’s new electronic warfare aircraft will be based on Boeing’s 2-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighter, and has 90% commonality with its counterpart. That will give it decent self-defense capabilities, as well as electronic attack potential. At present, however, the EA-18G is slated to be the only dedicated electronic warfare aircraft in the USA’s future force. DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This article describes the EA-18G aircraft and its key systems, outlining the program, and keeping track of ongoing developments, contracts, […]

The U.S. Secretary of State has approved the sale to Israel of 50 F-15EX, which will be named F-15IA, and the upgrade to a similar configuration of the 25 F-15I Ra’am currently in service. The [...]

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While the feature was not fielded to operational units, the F-22 has also the capability to carry AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles externally. A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor has been recently spotted while flying in [...]

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The first launch of the SM-6 is a ‘step-change’ in the lethality, air and missile defence, and long-range strike capabilities of Australia’s surface combatant fleet, as it undergoes a series of improvements to enhance deterrence [...]

The post Royal Australian Navy Fires SM-6 Missile from HMAS Sydney Destroyer for the First Time appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $29.7 million modification, which adds scope to procure training systems and simulation design, development, integration, test, production, deployment, modifications, upgrades and sustainment services to improve and sustain F-35 training devices in support of distributed mission training for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida; and Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2026. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Air Force and Navy have tested a QUICKSINK live-fire anti-ship attack with a B-2 Spirit heavy strategic bomber aircraft in the Gulf of Mexico. The event saw techniques for neutralizing surface vessels using precision-guided bombs modified specifically to counter maritime systems at low cost. According to the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), QUICKSINK leverages a guidance kit equipped with a new Weapon Open Systems Architecture seeker solution. Middle East & Africa Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have added long-range missiles and drones to the force’s navy, official media said Friday, amid heightened regional tensions following Hamas leader’s killing in Tehran blamed on Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of Iran’s military which […]

PhanCon 2024 allowed enthusiasts to get up close and personal with Andravida’s F-4s, among the few Phantoms still operational in the world. After the successful editions in 2022 and 2023, Andravida Air Base hosted once [...]

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The four F-22 Raptors, preceded by a C-130, performed hot-pit refueling operations before departing again, improving the interoperability with Indonesia and increasing the awareness of Indonesian airspace operations. Four U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors landed [...]

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With the achievement of the Milestone B, the FLRAA program now moves into the engineering and manufacturing development phase and becomes a Program of Record. The Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), the U.S. Army’s [...]

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Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Americas Boeing won a $2 billion modification for E-7A Rapid Prototyping. The modification is for the definitization of the UCA. Work will be performed in Tukwila, Washington, and is expected to be completed by August 28, 2029. There are no funds being obligated at the time of award. Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. The deal represents a significant milestone for both parties, who have been working to finalize terms since an initial agreement was signed in 2023. The path to contract finalization was fraught with challenges. The Air Force initially faced difficulties in aligning its requirements with those of the United Kingdom, which has also acquired E-7s. Moreover, Boeing was under pressure to avoid the financial pitfalls that have plagued its defense division. These factors, coupled with disagreements over pricing, led to protracted negotiations and a temporary halt to procurement funding for the program. The Canadian Department of Defense will open high-rise accommodation for warfighters at the Esquimalt base on Vancouver Island. The $120.1 million project covers 31,700 square meters (7.8 acres) of land and will consist of up to 480 single occupancy rooms, according to Ottawa’s press release. The center’s facilities will include administrative […]

The U.S. Air Force continues to make its exercises more and more realistic while preparing for a possible near-peer fight in the Pacific, training to defend against cruise missiles and UAVs simulated by microjets. In [...]

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On Aug. 7, 2024, after 17 years of military service, Japan retired the first of its distinctive ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious air sea rescue aircraft. In a decommissioning ceremony held at the ShinMaywa Industries manufacturing plant [...]

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Americas SOFIS-TRG LLC won a $83 million single award contract for MQ-9 Aircrew Training Support. This contract provides for all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and all other items and services required to perform and support MQ-9 Remotely Piloted Aircraft aircrew academic instruction; courseware development; and air and ground intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance test and training support. Work is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2029. Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Boeing won aa?$14.8 million bilateral modification for the?F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System Low-Rate Initial Production. Work will be performed at ?Nashua, New Hampshire, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026. This contract was a sole source acquisition. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter and Advanced Aircraft Directorate, F-15 Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Ten people including at least four fighters were killed Wednesday when a bomb-laden truck exploded at a checkpoint in Syria’s Turkish-controlled northern city of Azaz, a war monitor said. An AFP correspondent in the area said a booby-trapped truck had detonated at a checkpoint inside the city. “Ten people have been […]

On July 15, 2024, the M-346 advanced jet trainer celebrated 20 years since its first flight, and is now being further upgraded to start the next chapter of its operational life. Jul. 15, 2024, marked [...]

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Four F-35Bs of 617 Squadron have deployed to Iceland to begin a NATO Air Policing deployment, the first ever deployment of its type for the F-35 in British service. The NATO Icelandic Air Policing mission [...]

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