All articles by Ryan Finnerty
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NewsA-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.
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NewsUSA 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.
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NewsArmy 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.
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NewsSOCOM 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.
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NewsPentagon 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.
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NewsPyka 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.
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NewsTop 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.
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AnalysisOttawa 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.
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AnalysisStrong 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.
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NewsAurora 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.
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NewsBoeing 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.
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AnalysisUSAF 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.
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AnalysisUS 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.
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NewsGriffon 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.
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AnalysisSikorsky powers up Raider X prototype but has no plans to fly
The Raider X prototype, built for the US Army’s now-cancelled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft programme, features the new GE Aerospace T901 Improved Turbine Engine that will eventually be fitted into the army’s UH-60 Black Hawk fleet.
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AnalysisBoeing eyes secondary market for older CH-47s
Following the US Army’s decision to modernise its fleet of heavy-lift rotorcraft with Boeing’s latest Block II Chinook, the company sees an opportunity to develop a secondary market for older Block I CH-47Fs, particularly among international operators.
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NewsAnduril and General Atomics advance in USAF autonomous fighter programme
Two manufacturers have been selected by the US Air Force to advance in the competition to develop an autonomous fighter aircraft.
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NewsBoeing expects to soon deliver first Block II Chinook
Speaking at the annual US Army aviation summit in Denver, Colorado, executives from Boeing’s vertical lift division say the company has successfully flown its first Block II CH-47F helicopter and expects to deliver four examples of the twin-rotor type to the army by year-end.
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NewsGeneral Atomics testing gun pod for uncrewed aircraft
The manufacturer of uncrewed aerial vehicles is partnering with armaments producer Dillon Aero to adapt the DAP-6 gun pod for use on several General Atomics platforms.
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NewsNASA prepares to retire DC-8 airborne laboratory
Described by the American space agency as the “largest flying science laboratory in the world”, the modified DC-8 airliner was in service with NASA for 37 years, supporting a wide range of scientific missions with a configurable sensor package.