All articles by Ryan Finnerty – Page 12
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In depthWatch: Thales shows off all-phase autopilot for H125 helicopter
After certificating a full-mission autopilot for the Airbus Helicopters AS350 light-single helicopter, French avionics manufacturer Thales leased one of the rotorcraft and converted it into a test asset for developing new military mission systems.
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NewsBoeing begins Lot 2 deliveries of F-15EX as production ramps up
Boeing has now delivered nine of the so-called 4.5-generation fighters to the US Air Force, which is initially fielding the modernised twin-engined fighter to the Oregon Air National Guard.
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InterviewLong life ahead for CV-22, but no plans for FLRAA in USAF special operations
In a wide ranging interview with FlightGlobal, the three-star general in charge of US Air Force special operations outlined his long-term plans for the USA’s air commandos, legacy platforms like the CV-22 Osprey and MQ-9 Reaper, and the next-generation tiltrotor Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.
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NewsUpgrades to Little Bird fleet, FLRAA fielding remain on track for SOCOM
The US Army’s premier aviation force is moving forward with its ongoing effort to upgrade the fleet of Boeing A/MH-6 Little Bird helicopters and field a the next-generation tiltrotor under development by Bell.
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NewsUS Army special operations to field T901 engine on MH-60 fleet
As the US Army begins the process of integrating the latest GE Aerospace T901 turboshaft into the fleet of more than 2,300 Sikorsky UH-60 helicopters, the service’s special operations aviators say they plan to also field the new engine for their small fleet of MH-60 Black Hawks.
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NewsDARPA to fund assembly of only one High Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing design
Bell and Aurora Flight Sciences have taken radically different approaches in a Pentagon X-plane contest to develop an experimental aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically, while also achieving fixed-wing jet speeds in horizontal flight.
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In depthL3Harris closing in on first export sales of Sky Warden armed turboprop
The military systems integrator says it is in discussions with three potential export customers for its armed variant of the Air Tractor AT-802, with serious interest in Africa, the Middle East and Oceania.
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In depthAeroVironment debuts swarmable one-way attack UAS with 200nm range
AeroVironment, which recently rebranded as AV after acquiring fellow defence manufacturer Blue Halo, has launched a new small autonomous aircraft called Red Dragon that the company says has been tested in a combat environment against real world electronic warfare countermeasures.
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NewsStratolaunch completes hypersonic flight with reusable Talon-A
The California company Stratolaunch is pioneering the development of a reusable flight vehicle capable of reaching speeds beyond Mach 5.
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AnalysisWashington prepares to close bidding on auction of retired KC-10 tankers
Ten of the Boeing refuellers have been listed for sale on a US government auction website, each with a minimum price of $500,000.
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AnalysisObscure start-up wants to compete for the US Navy’s new trainer jet
Little-known aircraft designer Stavatti, which has never built a physical aircraft, plans to compete for the US Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System contract against heavyweights including Lockheed Martin, Textron and Boeing.
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NewsPentagon sending decommissioned F-16s to Ukraine for spare parts
The US Air Force says it is providing non-operational Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to Ukraine to support the sustainment of Kyiv’s fleet of used jets provided by European allies.
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NewsUS Army targets ‘obsolete’ aircraft for cuts, including AH-64D and MQ-1C
In a sweeping overhaul of the service’s force structure, senior Pentagon officials have directed the US Army to end procurement of “obsolete” and “outdated” aircraft platforms, including the Boeing AH-64D and General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle uncrewed aerial vehicle.
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NewsAutonomous fighters will fly less often than crewed jets while not deployed: USAF
Unlike conventional fighter squadrons, whose pilots need to fly regularly to maintain proficiency, the US Air Force says its forthcoming fleet of uncrewed fighters will not have to fly a “significant number” of daily sorties.
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NewsUSAF begins ground testing Anduril uncrewed fighter prototype
Anduril’s YFQ-44A prototype has started ground trials ahead of the type’s first flight scheduled for later this year.
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NewsAurora completes wind-tunnel testing on experimental fan-in-wing design
Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences is a finalist in an X-plane competition organised by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to deliver a vertical-take-off-and-landing-capable aircraft that can also fly at fixed-wing-jet speeds.
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NewsF-15EXs to replace retiring A-10s at Michigan fighter squadron
The White House says the 107th Fighter Squadron of the Michigan Air National Guard will be the next station to receive Boeing’s F-15EX multi-role fighter, replacing its current Fairchild Republic A-10s.
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NewsAutonomy firm Near Earth to develop pilotless capability for US Army UH-60Ls
As part of the US Army’s push to expand automated flight within its existing aviation fleet, autonomy developer Near Earth will retrofit a Sikorsky UH-60L for pilotless operations.
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NewsPiasecki acquires Kargo uncrewed logistics platform from Kaman
The quadrotor Kargo is a medium-lift autonomous vertical take-off and landing vehicle intended to provide aerial logistics support to defence and commercial customers.
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NewsUS Navy Super Hornet falls from deck of aircraft carrier engaged in Red Sea combat
The Boeing F/A-18E strike fighter was being towed across the flight deck of the USS Harry S Truman when the crew lost control and the jet tumbled overboard.