All UK Royal Air Force articles – Page 16
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AnalysisANALYSIS: 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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OpinionOPINION: 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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NewsRAF'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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AnalysisANALYSIS: 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.
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NewsUK hands Typhoon baton over to Germany for NATO mission
A Royal Air Force detachment of Eurofighter Typhoons has completed its rotation in support of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission in Estonia, handing over to a German unit of the same type.
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NewsRAF Tornado squadron to continue fighting militants in Iraq
Panavia Tornado GR4 aircraft from the Royal Air Force’s 12 (Bomber) Sqn will continue to operate against Islamic State militants in Iraq until March 2017, further delaying the retirement of the type from UK service.
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NewsUpgraded self-protection system selected for RAF Pumas
Selex ES has been selected to provide a radar warning receiver (RWR) upgrade to the Royal Air Force’s Airbus Helicopter Puma HC2 rotorcraft fleet, replacing the Sky Guardian 200 that is currently installed on the type.
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NewsUTAS sets sights on Raptor integration with Typhoon
UTC Aerospace Systems hopes to close a possible future gap in the UK’s tactical reconnaissance capability, ahead of the planned retirement of the Royal Air Force’s last Panavia Tornado GR4s in 2019.
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NewsIndian Su-30s start joint exercise with RAF Typhoons
Four Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters from the Indian air force's 2 Sqn have begun their involvement in a UK-based exercise also involving Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons.
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NewsRIAT: Eurofighter set for weapons testing, but production questions remain
The Eurofighter Typhoon is poised to enter a fresh round of advanced weapons testing in the UK, just as the programme’s four partner nations have agreed a new long-term plan to pursue additional future capability enhancements for the multi-role type.
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NewsRAF to take early delivery of UK's second Rivet Joint
The Royal Air Force’s ability to conduct signals intelligence missions will receive a boost in September, when its second RC-135W Rivet Joint/Airseeker aircraft will be delivered.
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NewsRIAT: AirTanker offers surge-fleet Voyager to military users
AirTanker is offering its latest Airbus A330 Voyager acquired as part of the UK’s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme to enable the nation or other military operators to move personnel or freight, rather than put the widebody into commercial use.
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NewsRIAT: RAF gets set for next A400M deliveries
The UK Royal Air Force is on track to achieve delayed initial operational capability (IOC) with the Airbus Defence & Space A400M later this year, with further deliveries expected from next month.
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NewsRIAT: UK’s Seedcorn MPA project renewed for a further three years
The UK has renewed its Seedcorn maritime patrol project that sees it integrated with allied forces for another three years, maintaining the capability it lost with the cancelled BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 until a replacement is sought.
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AnalysisANALYSIS: Flying the RAF's Hawk T2
My sortie with the Royal Air Force’s 4 Sqn was conducted from its Valley training base on the Isle of Anglesey, north Wales on 1 July, with BAE Systems Hawk T2 ZK010 flying as “Victor 95”.
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AnalysisANALYSIS: How UK military flying training is learning from past mistakes
Fifteen years ago, the UK National Audit Office (NAO) published a report on the Ministry of Defence’s ageing military flying training infrastructure that was so damning it acted as a wake-up call for the services, and prompted a wholesale modernisation.
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NewsUK’s Cameron urges more UAV and surveillance SDSR spending
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said that more resources should be allocated to unmanned air vehicles and surveillance aircraft, indicating that the upcoming Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) could include more spending on these capabilities.
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NewsPICTURES: RAF marks 75th anniversary of Battle of Britain
The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in style, with a Spitfire and Hurricane flypast at Buckingham Palace.
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NewsThird A400M arrives for RAF duty
The UK Royal Air Force has taken delivery of its latest example of the A400M tactical transport, with ZM403 being its third of an eventual 22 aircraft to enter service.
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NewsUK parliament debates Syrian air strikes
The UK House of Commons has debated the potential extension of its counter-terrorism air strike campaign from Iraq into Syria, following an extremist attack in Tunisia on 26 June during which British citizens were killed.