All Royal Australian Air Force articles
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NewsLockheed Martin to reveal aircraft choice for US Army helicopter trainer bid in January
Lockheed Martin says it will disclose which aircraft it proposes as replacement for the US Army’s UH-72A Lakota trainer in January, as the company gears up to compete for the Flight School Next tender.
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NewsRAAF C-130J fleet achieves FOC with Block 8.1 upgrade
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has achieved Final Operational Capability for its upgraded C-130J tactical transport fleet, with 12 aircraft brought to the Block 8.1 configuration under the AIR 5440 programme. The improvements enhance reliability and readiness ahead of new aircraft deliveries later this decade.
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NewsAustralia awards CAE 10-year contract to deliver Future Air Mission Training System
CAE has been awarded a more than A$300 million ($200 million) contract to deliver the Royal Australian Air Force’s Future Air Mission Training System capability.
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NewsBoeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat destroys drone in air-to-air weapons test
Australia’s Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat has successfully destroyed a drone target using an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile during testing at Woomera range, as the nation commits A$1.4 billion to develop the collaborative combat aircraft into an operational military asset.
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NewsAustralia begins P-8A Poseidon capability upgrade programme
The first Australian Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has entered a capability upgrade programme that will improve its submarine detection and targeting capabilities.
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NewsRAAF completes E-7A Wedgetail deployment supporting NATO operations
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has completed deployment of a Boeing E-7A Wedgetail to Poland, where the airborne early warning aircraft supported NATO operations and reportedly helped detect Russian incursions into European airspace.
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NewsCongress moves to protect US E-7A production from Pentagon cancellation
A clause included in a draft of the annual US defence authorisation bill would prohibit the Pentagon from terminating its E-7A rapid prototyping programme with Boeing or attempting to shut down production of the airborne early warning and control jet.
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In depthAustralia’s MQ-28 on the hunt for key production decision
Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat, Australia’s first domestically designed combat aircraft since the Second World War, has demonstrated its capabilities in its first public flight at the Woomera test facility.
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NewsBoeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat makes public flying debut
Two MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft performed their first public flight demonstration at Australia’s Woomera test range, showcasing Boeing’s progress in autonomous military aviation.
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In depthAustralia nears completion of MQ-4C maritime patrol fleet
After delivering the second and third examples, Northrop Grumman is working on a fourth MQ-4C Triton for Australia, which will complete Canberra’s fleet of the long-range, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft.
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NewsAustralia completes first MQ-28 flight from active RAAF base
Complete with a new all-grey combat livery, Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat logged its first flight sortie from an operational Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base, as the airframer’s Australian subsidiary seeks to accelerate development of the uncrewed jet.
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NewsBoeing defence chief optimistic about prospects for US E-7 acquisition
Despite indications the Pentagon has soured on purchasing new E-7A airborne early warning and control jets from Boeing, the head of the airframer’s defence unit remains sanguine on the aircraft’s prospects.
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NewsBoeing seeks European partner for further development of MQ-28
The chief executive of Boeing’s defence unit thinks the time is ripe to bring the MQ-28 uncrewed jet Europe, as the continent’s plans for next-generation air power take shape.
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NewsBoeing continues MQ-25 work, gears up for MQ-28A missile shot
Boeing continues to advance two of its major unmanned aircraft programmes, the MQ-25 Stingray air-to-air refueller and the MQ-28A Ghost Bat loyal wingman.
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NewsUS Air Force considers replacing MESA radar on future E-7 fleet
As Boeing begins production on the first prototype of the US Air Force’s planned fleet of E-7A airborne early warning and control jets, the service is exploring what advanced technologies it may incorporate into the final design, including advanced sensors, communications and electronic warfare countermeasures.
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In depthGeneral Atomics planning modular family of uncrewed fighters
With plans to show off its offering for the US Air Force at the upcoming Paris air show, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems says it is taking a modular approach to the autonomous fighter concept that will allow customers to easily pick and choose different capabilities for their fleets.
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NewsAustralia confirms ‘informational’ meeting with GCAP fighter partners
The head of capability for the Royal Australian Air Force says his office received an informational briefing from the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) consortium – a trilateral initiative between the UK, Italy and Japan to develop a sixth-generation fighter.
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AnalysisRAAF to deliver options for fielding uncrewed fighters by year’s end
The service’s head of capabilities says that by the end of 2025 the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aims to provide the Australian government with options for procuring a future fleet of uncrewed fighter aircraft, with the indigenously developed Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat being a strong contender.
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NewsRAAF marks 15 years since delivery of the first Super Hornet
Although the F/A-18F Super Hornet was originally envisioned as a stopgap while the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fielded the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-35A, the service’s air commander now says Australia is seeing great benefits to “generational interactions” between the two fighter types.
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NewsAustralian air force ‘not concerned at all’ about F-35 ‘kill switch’
Amid global concerns about the American-made stealth fighter’s vulnerability to US politics, a senior officer with the Royal Australian Air Force says his service remains fully confident in its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35s.