Ryan Finnerty
Ryan Finnerty is the Americas defence reporter for FlightGlobal.com and Flight International magazine, covering military aviation and the defence industry. He is a former United States Army officer and previously reported for America’s National Public Radio system in New York and Hawaii covering energy, economics and military affairs.
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- News
Latest F-35 configuration may not be ready for service until 2025
Already months behind schedule, US government auditors now predict the latest Technical Refresh 3 configuration of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter will not be ready for service until 2025, as the airframer struggles to resolve technical issues hindering flight certification of the new systems.
- News
Aurora now sole designer in Pentagon heavy-lift seaplane effort
Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences is now the sole participant in a Pentagon effort to develop a heavy-lift amphibious transport, after a proposed design from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was eliminated over schedule and technical concerns.
- In depth
‘It will improvise’: Shield AI’s dogfighting algorithm developed novel fighter tactics
The founder of Shield AI, the company behind the artificial intelligence that recently powered an autonomous F-16 fighter in US Air Force dogfighting drills, says its algorithm has shown ability to improvise, and has even developed novel air combat tactics no human pilot would likely employ.
- News
Hermeus begins testing pre-cooler technology for hypersonic engine
Hypersonic developer Hermeus has begun testing a proprietary pre-cooler technology that will allow a standard Pratt & Whitney F100 jet engine to operate at higher speeds and with greater efficiency.
- In depth
L3Harris poised to deliver first OA-1K Armed Overwatch turboprop
Although the Armed Overwatch programme to develop a new close-air support turboprop has been criticised by government auditors, US Special Operations Command stands by the concept and contractor L3Harris is poised to deliver the first aircraft.
- News
US F/A-18s overfly Guyana amid border dispute with Venezuela
The government of Guyana says it gave permission for two US Navy Boeing F/A-18 fighter jets to pass over the capital Georgetown, amid a border dispute with neighbouring Venezuela over access to valuable oil fields.
- News
A-10s escort US ballistic missile submarine during strait transit
Ground-attack A-10 fighters from the US Air Force overflew the USS Nebraska ballistic-missile submarine during a transit through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, as the air force continues seeking new missions for the ageing jets.
- News
USA no longer pursuing amphibious MC-130 variant
Although they described the concept as technically feasible, procurement officials at the US Special Operations Command say they are no longer pursuing a kit that could modify the Lockheed Martin MC-130J for amphibious take-offs and landings, citing budget constraints and competing priorities.
- News
Army special mission aviators will field V-280: SOCOM
Although no formal decision has been disclosed, procurement officials with the US Special Operations Command now confirm the army’s special operations aviation regiment will field Bell’s V-280 tiltrotor in the mid-2030s, shortly after the US Army’s conventional aviators do so.
- News
SOCOM to extend AH-6 service life following cancellation of new scout aircraft
Special Operations Command had hoped to replace its multi-role A/MH-6 helicopter with the US Army’s next-generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, whose development has since been cancelled.
- News
Pentagon to accelerate fielding of AeroVironment Switchblade 600 loitering munition
AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 is now the first lethal platform to be officially purchased under the Pentagon’s so-called Replicator initiative to field mass numbers of autonomous combat systems.
- News
Pyka reveals militarised version of Pelican cargo UAV
Electric aircraft start-up Pyka is expanding into the defence realm, teaming with defence systems provider Sierra Nevada to offer a militarised version of the company’s Pelican uncrewed cargo aircraft.
- News
Top US Air Force official rides in front seat of autonomous F-16
Secretary of the US Air Force Frank Kendall flew in the lead seat of the service’s X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft (VISTA), a specially modified Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter being used to test and develop artificial intelligence and autonomy capabilities.
- Analysis
Ottawa touts progress on defence spending despite missing 2% NATO target
The government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is lauding a C$40 billion plan to boost military spending, particularly in the Arctic region, while downplaying the country’s failure to achieve the NATO standard of committing the equivalent of 2% of gross domestic product toward defence expenditures.
- Analysis
Strong backlog but lack of new design work paints mixed picture at Sikorsky
The company that pioneered rotary-wing aviation boasts a years-long backlog for its existing aircraft, particularly variants of the H-60, but has not yet secured a customer for a clean-sheet aircraft using Sikorsky’s proprietary X2 compound coaxial technology.
- News
Aurora advances in DARPA competition to build high-speed VTOL X-plane
The Boeing subsidiary received an additional $25 million for its fan-in-wing vertical take-off and landing aircraft being designed for the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies X-plane competition.
- News
Boeing tests software allowing pilots to control MQ-25 autonomous refuellers
The US airframer is continuing to build toward delivering flight-worthy MQ-25 autonomous refuelling jets for the US Navy, most recently testing software that will enable the pilotless aircraft to transfer fuel to crewed fighters.
- Analysis
USAF awards Sierra Nevada contract for replacement ‘Doomsday’ aircraft
Officially known as the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, the new aircraft will replace the Boeing E-4B Nightwatch jet capable of commanding the USA’s nuclear arsenal.
- Analysis
US Army still sees need for long-range airborne troop carrier in future conflict
Although battlefield observations from the Ukraine War led the army to cancel its next-generation armed scout helicopter, the service’s senior aviation leaders say they still see a need for Bell’s V-280 Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft in future conflicts.
- News
Griffon and Textron advance to flight stage in competition to replace RQ-7B Shadow
The US Army’s Future Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System programme aims to deliver a vertical take-off and landing-capable aircraft that will replace the Textron RQ-7B Shadow and improve the ability of ground troops to collect and report intelligence.