The Swiss air force has taken delivery of its first of 31 Boeing F-18C/D fighters to complete the series production phase of the Upgrade 21 retrofit conducted by Boeing and Ruag. Deliveries of the modified aircraft will continue until mid-2006.
Source: Flight International
Although the military airframer was unsuccessful in its bid to produce the US Air Force’s forthcoming sixth-generation fighter, Lockheed Martin plans to incorporate design features from the prototype into the F-35 chassis for an aircraft that can deliver “80% of sixth-generation capability” at a reduced price.
The UK continues to assess its requirement to field autonomous collaborative platforms (ACPs) as part of a broader Future Combat Air System, despite having shelved an earlier technology demonstration effort.
The AVIC AG600 amphibian has attained its type certificate in China, setting the stage for use in the parapublic and military domain.
