Defense
Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.
Aircraft
Qatar Takes Delivery of Ready-to-fight Typhoon Fighters
With the arrival of the first Typhoons, the QEAF now has three modern front-line fighters in service, having already inducted the F-15QA Eagle and Rafale.
Maintenance and Modifications
Engine Fires Prompt Army To Ground Entire Chinook Fleet
CH-47 engine fires are linked to use of nonstandard engine O-rings.
Aircraft
Gripen E Fires Meteor as Air-to-Air Combat Approval Nears
The Gripen E program is now into the serial production phase, while work progresses at pace to bring the aircraft into operation.
Regulations and Government
FAA Grants HOGE Utility Power STC for AW139
Defense systems on Boeing-Leonardo MH-139A triggered the need for multiple STCs.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo AW249 Makes First Flight
New two-seat Leonardo AW249 attack helicopter—a successor to the AW129 Mangusta—made its first flight on August 12 in Vergiate, Italy.
Rotorcraft
Air Force Takes First Boeing-Leonardo MH-139A
The U.S. Air Force MH-139 will be used to protect intercontinental ballistic missile bases and transport government officials and security forces.
Rotorcraft
Czech Republic Takes More Viper and Venom Helicopters
The UH-1Y Venoms and AH-1Z Vipers will bolster the Czech fleet as the nation's Soviet-era helicopters are gifted to support Ukrainian forces.
Aircraft
Compass Call Gulfstream on Track for Service in 2023
The G550 business jet platform is taking over the communications intelligence and jamming role from the EC-130H Hercules.
Training and Workforce
ATAC Lands F-35 Fighter Chase Contract
The Textron business unit, best known for its contract aggressor work, will support flight test activities at the F-35 final assembly plant.
Aircraft
L3Harris Sky Warden Selected for Armed Overwatch Program
The missionized agricultural Sky Warden will be used in support of U.S. special forces in areas such as Africa.
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky Stresses Flexibility of Raider X Rotorcraft
Sikorsky's competitive prototype for the Army's FARA program is 90 percent complete.
Aircraft
Brazil Welcomes First Airbus A330 Into Service
The two A330s will be converted into tanker/transports to restore a capability lost with the retirement of the Boeing KC-137 in 2013.
Aircraft
Poland Turns To South Korea’s FA-50 Fighter/Attack Jet
The new fighters are required urgently to complete the replacement of the air force’s Soviet-era hardware.
Aircraft
Airbus Demonstrates A400M Firefighting Capability
Airbus has engineered a fully roll-on, roll-off solution that can turn any A400M into a firefighter without modification.
Security
MBDA Aims for Dragonfire Laser on Target
Trials of MBDA's Dragonfire laser weapon have started successfully.
Aircraft
Super Hornet Completes Indian Carrier Trials
India is looking for a multi-role fighter to equip the air wing of its new indigenously designed aircraft carrier.
Engines
GE Believes Time is Right for Transformational Engine
The XA100 is the world’s first flight-weight, three-stream, adaptive cycle engine to run, and could power F-35s by the end of the 2020s.
Rotorcraft
TAI/AgustaWestland A129 ATAK Shows Aerobatic Maneuvers at Farnborough Airshow 2022
TAI/AgustaWestland A129 ATAK Shows Aerobatic Maneuvers at Farnborough Airshow 2022
Accidents
Lockheed Martin Offering Defiant, Raider Technology to NATO Countries
The Sikorsky SB>1 Defiant and S-97 Raider helicopters would bring new rotorcraft technology to NATO member countries.
Inzpire Offers Multi-Domain Operations Training Out of a Box
Inzpire delivers tactical multi-domain operational training from a ruggedized case containing all the necessary materials.
Aircraft
Aero Vodochody Receives L-39NG Certification
The all-new L-39NG has been certified to military standards, with Aero Vodochody preparing to deliver the first example to the launch customer next year.
Aircraft
Bell's V-280 Valor Awaits U.S. Army FLRAA Decision
The U.S. Army expects to choose its FLRAA UH-60 Black Hawk replacement in October.
Aircraft
UK’s Tempest Demonstrator Set To Take Wing
The UK government has confirmed that Team Tempest will build a demonstrator for the aircraft at the center of the Future Combat Air System.
Ascent Flight Training
Ascent Flight Training
Aircraft
South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae Takes To the Air
When the KF-21 is cleared for service, South Korea will become the eighth country to have successfully developed an advanced jet fighter.
Avionics
Sixth-gen Radar Slated for Tempest Fighter Program
The new radar for the Tempest fighter will incorporate higher power, smaller circuits, and gallium arsenide processors.
Aircraft
RAF Will Offer New Contracts For Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
The service has terminated Project Mosquito in favor of alternative approaches that could advance uncrewed aircraft more quickly.
RAF Wedgetail Program Taking Off
The conversion of three Boeing 737 airframes for the AEW&C role is proceeding at the UK facility of STS Aviation Services.
Aircraft
Embraer, BAE MoUs Strengthen Ties on C-390, eVTOL
Embraer and BAE have agreed to pursue possibiities for the C-390 in Saudi Arabia and are furthering their collaboration on eVTOL defense applications.
Ambitious Schedule Set for Turkey’s Stealth Fighter
Turkey TF-X stealth fighter showed up at the Farnborough Airshow in full-scale mockup form.
