Craig Hoyle
European Defence Editor Craig Hoyle has reported on the UK, European and international military aviation sector for almost 30 years, and has also been the Editor of Flight International since 2015. He joined FlightGlobal in 2003, and also compiles our annual World Air Forces directory.
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NewsElbit Systems UK takes full ownership of Watchkeeper industrial venture UTacS
Elbit Systems UK has taken full ownership of the company established to deliver the British Army’s fleet of Watchkeeper tactical uncrewed aerial vehicles.
NewsUK signs ECRS Mk2 radar production deal for Royal Air Force’s Tranche 3 Typhoon upgrade
The UK Royal Air Force will operationally field an active electronically scanned array radar on a portion of its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet from late this decade, via an integration contract announced on 22 January.
NewsEDGE awarded ‘landmark’ contracts to supply VTOL drones and logistics gyrocopter to UAE military
EDGE has received a pair of new contracts to produce almost 170 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the United Arab Emirates’ armed forces.
NewsGermany awards Top Aces 10-year contract extension for adversary air training services
Top Aces has landed a 10-year contract extension worth a potential €420 million ($490 million) to continue its delivery of advanced adversary air training services to the German armed forces.
NewsGA-ASI advances Avenger autonomy tests with simulated air-to-air engagement
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI’s) MQ-20 Avenger remotely piloted air system has conducted a successful ‘mission autonomy flight’ culminating with a simulated air-to-air engagement.
NewsQinetiq gets follow-on engineering support contract for RAF’s Typhoon fleet
Qinetiq has secured a five-year contract extension from the UK Ministry of Defence to provide “mission-critical engineering services” in support of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) Eurofighter Typhoon fleet.
NewsRoyal Danish Air Force prepares to send its final F-16 fighters into retirement
The Royal Danish Air Force will stage a farewell event at its Skrydstrup air base on 18 January as the service prepares to conclude operations with the Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter.
NewsEDGE, Indra sign pact to establish Spanish loitering munition joint venture
United Arab Emirates defence house EDGE has signed an agreement with Spanish company Indra “focused on the development, production and lifecycle support of loitering munitions and smart weapons for Spanish and European defence programmes”.
NewsSwedish military to field first space-based ISR capability this year
Sweden has signed deals with Finland’s ICEYE and Planet Labs of the USA to field a space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability from later this year.
NewsDenmark advances on $45m Hellfire missile acquisition from USA
Denmark has secured approval from the US Department of State to advance a planned acquisition of up to 100 Lockheed Martin AGM-114R Hellfire air-to-surface missiles.
NewsMalta signs deals for extra King Air maritime patrol aircraft and AW139 helicopter
The Armed Forces of Malta Air Wing is to expand its fleets of Beechcraft King Air maritime patrol aircraft and Leonardo Helicopters AW139 rotorcraft, via follow-on contracts signed last month.
AnalysisHow Tekever is driving UAS innovation as AR3 Evo testing accelerates at West Wales Airport site
With more than 50,000h of operational experience having been accumulated by its uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) over the battleground in Ukraine, Tekever is certainly no stranger to its equipment being flown in challenging conditions.
NewsGermany signs deal to launch production of Taurus Neo cruise missiles for Luftwaffe
Europe’s Taurus Systems joint venture has been awarded a contract by the German BAAINBw defence procurement body to produce Taurus air-launched cruise missiles in an enhanced Neo-version standard.
NewsLockheed completes F-16 deliveries for Slovakia and first batch shipments to Bulgaria
Lockheed Martin has completed deliveries of F-16C/D Block 70 fighters to Slovakia, and also handed over the last jets from an initial-tranche buy placed by Bulgaria.
NewsBrazilian army takes delivery of its first UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter
Brazil’s army has formally taken delivery of its first Sikorsky UH-60M utility helicopter, one month after the rotorcraft arrived in the country aboard a US Air Force Boeing C-17 strategic transport.
NewsPortugal takes delivery of first Embraer A-29Ns and eyes potential for final assembly line
Portugal has taken delivery of its first five of 12 A-29N Super Tucano training and close air support aircraft, with Lisbon also announcing a partnership with Embraer to explore the establishment of an in-country final assembly line.
NewsLeonardo receives formal contract for Austrian M-346 F Block 20 acquisition
Leonardo is to start work on the Austrian air force’s future fleet of 12 M-346 F Block 20 training and light-attack aircraft, having received a contract award via Italy’s Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness.
NewsUK launches low-cost cruise missile test flights for Brakestop requirement
The first test firing of a low-cost cruise missile candidate for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Brakestop programme has been conducted.
NewsC-130J 'uniquely positioned' for India's Medium Transport Aircraft need, Lockheed Martin says
Lockheed Martin is confident that its C-130J is best placed to meet the Indian air force’s Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) requirement, with the US company highlighting its existing relationship with the nation’s defence industrial base.
NewsBAE Systems to supply updated IFF system for Seoul’s KF-21 Boramae fighter
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has awarded BAE Systems Inc an $11 million contract to provide updated identification friend or foe (IFF) equipment for integration with its in-development KF-21 fighter.