All UK Royal Air Force articles – Page 13
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News
KEEP IT TIGHT: 10 flight display teams of note
With the South Korea air force “Black Eagles” display team featuring on the cover of this week’s Flight International, what better excuse to celebrate – somewhat at random and in no particular order – 10 military flight display teams that may be coming to an air show near you.
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News
MoD reveals Reaper derivative will be chosen for Protector
The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the unmanned air vehicle that it plans to acquire under its recently-announced Protector effort will be a derivative of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper that the Royal Air Force operates.
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News
'Protector' UAV fleet to replace RAF Reapers
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has introduced a “Protector” programme, which will seek to replace the Royal Air Force’s 10-strong General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle fleet.
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News
Sentinel to continue anti-IS ops until 2016
The UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Royal Air Force’s Raytheon Sentinel R1 surveillance aircraft will continue to be operated in Iraq and Syria until 2016, despite uncertainty surrounding the fleet's lifespan.
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News
RAF A400M stretches legs on US detachment
With four operational Airbus A400Ms in use, the UK Royal Air Force is working overtime to “unlock” the potential of the service's new tactical transport, with one aircraft now in the USA to assess carriage of the US Army's Stryker armoured fighting vehicle.
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News
New maritime capability developed for MQ-9
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has introduced a new sonobuoy capability for its MQ-9 Guardian maritime unmanned air vehicle which, alongside a number of other developing technologies, could make it a contender to help fill the UK’s maritime patrol gap.
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News
DSEI: Raytheon eyes Sentinel exports
Raytheon is seeking export customers for its Sentinel R1 wide-area surveillance aircraft, for which it is in talks with three potential customers.
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News
DSEI: BAE carries out Striker II HMD night trials
BAE Systems has implemented a number of modifications to its Striker II helmet-mounted display (HMD), following night trials conducted on board a Eurofighter Typhoon in May.
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News
DSEI: UK to consider maritime patrol programme in defence review
The UK’s continuing Strategic Defence and Security Review process has identified the lack of a maritime patrol aircraft capability as a key area of consideration, defence secretary Michael Fallon says.
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News
DSEI: UK orders penetrating warhead for Paveway IV bomb
Raytheon UK has been awarded a £25 million ($38.5 million) contract to complete the development and qualification of a new warhead to equip the Paveway IV precision-guided bomb, for carriage by the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoons.
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News
DSEI: A400M achieves service entry milestone for UK
The Royal Air Force has achieved the in-service date for its Airbus A400M tactical transport, with the milestone representing the transfer of a seventh aircraft from Airbus Defence & Space.
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News
DSEI: Airbus calls for UK maritime patrol competition
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is being urged to hold an open competition to fill any requirement for maritime patrol or multimission aircraft that may emerge from its Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) later this year, rather than pursue a sole-source procurement with Boeing.
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News
DSEI: Lockheed Martin pitches SC-130J conversion to UK
Lockheed Martin is proposing to adapt part of the Royal Air Force’s in-service fleet of C-130J tactical transports to meet a potential UK requirement for a maritime patrol or multi-mission aircraft capability.
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News
DSEI: RAF Puma HC2 helicopters may operate until 2035
UK service officials are contemplating extending the operational life of the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Airbus Helicopters Puma HC2 transports for an additional 10 years beyond their current 2025 retirement date, as they eye the possibility of an eventual replacement.
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News
UK A400Ms to get Airbus security boost
Royal Air Force A400Ms will be equipped with an important security system from Airbus Defence & Space, under a new contract with the UK Ministry of Defence.
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Analysis
ANALYSIS: Royal Navy plays catch up with UAV operations
While the UK Royal Air Force has an abundance of operational unmanned air vehicle experience, its naval sister service is a relative novice in UAV operations, and is exploring a variety of ways to approach the integration of such technology.
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Analysis
ANALYSIS: Questions remain as UK's SDSR nears
As the UK nears the release of its next Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in October, the pressure on the government to answer a number of questions surrounding capability gaps and needed upgrades continues to mount.
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Opinion
OPINION: What to expect from UK defence review
It might barely have registered in the minds of the British public ahead of the May general election, but the future direction of the UK’s armed forces is within weeks of again dominating the news agenda.
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News
RAF's second Rivet Joint ready for action
The UK has received its second of an eventual three Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, and detailed a package of enhancements that have been introduced with the refurbished jet since its lead example entered Royal Air Force use more than a year ago.
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Analysis
ANALYSIS: UK combat air future hinges on SDSR decisions
One of the key areas of clarity anticipated with the publication next month of the UK government’s second Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) concerns the size and shape of its future combat aircraft fleet.