DefPost

#Airbus delivers seventh #H145 for German Armed Forces’ Search and Rescue service. #Bundeswehr

Airbus Helicopters has handed over the seventh and last H145 for the search and rescue (SAR) service of the Bundeswehr to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) on time. The previously delivered helicopters are used for training and field testing and are available 24/7 at the Niederstetten and Nörvenich air bases for rescue operations.…

#Boeing inducts first EA-18G Growler for #USNavy modification program. #EA18G

Boeing has started a five-year modification program for the U.S. Navy’s EA-18G Growler fleet with the induction of the first jet at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The modifications are focused on updating the jets’ structural and mission systems architecture, enabling future capability growth for the Navy’s 160 Growler aircraft. Growlers serve a critical role in jamming radar and…

Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison aircraft crashes killing pilot. #MiG21

An Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison aircraft has crashed while taking off for a combat training mission at an airbase in central India killing the pilot, the service said Wednesday. The deceased pilot was identified as Group Captain A Gupta. The service said in its statement hat it “expresses deep condolences and stands firmly with the family members”. The statement added that a Court of Inquiry…

U.S. State Department approves sale of #Stryker vehicles to North Macedonia.

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of Stryker Vehicles and related equipment to North Macedonia for an estimated cost of $210 million. The sale is being executed under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which oversees FMS sales, delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale…

#India commissions secretive nuclear missile tracking Ocean Surveillance Ship. #VC11184

India has quietly commissioned its secretive missile tracking ship, called the Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS), Economic Times reported. According to the report, the vessel was commissioned into the fleet in October last year in a ceremony “that was not made public”. The vessel, also referred as VC 11184, was built by Visakhapatnam-based Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD)-owned shipbuilder, Hindustan…

#USNavy destroyer USS John Finn transits #TaiwanStrait. #DDG113

The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit March 10 (local time), the service announced. The Navy statement said that the transit was in accordance with international law. “The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will…

#USAirForce's E-4B "Doomsday plane" fleet to receive communication modifications. #E4B

The U.S. Air Force’s E-4B “Doomsday plane” fleet is in the process of receiving upgrades designed to revolutionize communication capabilities and effectiveness. Recently, the first of four E-4B aircraft successfully completed developmental testing, after receiving the Low Frequency Transmit System (LFTS) and Advanced Extremely High Frequency Presidential National Voice Conferencing Integration…

#HuntingtonIngalls Industries (#HII) achieves pressure hull complete milestone for Virginia-class fast attack submarine future USS New Jersey (#SSN796). #USSNewJersey

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has achieved a milestone in the construction of the U.S. Navy Virginia-class fast attack submarine future USS New Jersey (SSN 796). The company reached pressure hull complete on Feb. 10, meaning that all of its hull sections were joined to form a single, watertight unit. This is the latest major milestone before the submarine…

U.S. Air Force accepts first #Boeing F-15EX fighter aircraft. #F15EX #USAirForce

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) officially accepted the first F-15EX from the Boeing Co. on March 10, 2021 at the company’s St. Louis facility. The new fighter is a two-seat aircraft—though operable by a single pilot—with fly-by-wire (FBW) flight controls, digital cockpit displays, and advanced avionics systems, to include the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), an…

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (#GAASI), #GKNAerospace expand strategic relationship.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and GKN Aerospace have signed a contract for GKN Aerospace to manufacture the advanced composite V-tails for GA-ASI’s new MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) from their Cowes facility in the United Kingdom. SkyGuardian is the baseline system of the UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Protector RG Mk1 and has also been selected by…

#Australia to co-develop further three #Boeing Loyal Wingman aircraft.

Australian government has announced plan to co-develop a further three Loyal Wingman aircraft with Boeing to advance the air-teaming vehicle, payloads and associated support and training capabilities. The agreement will increase the aircraft’s production capability to six aircraft for Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and is valued at $115 million over three years. The Loyal Wingman is the first…

#USAirForce B-52H #Stratofortress bombers conduct multinational patrol mission across #MiddleEast. #B52 #B52H

A pair of U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers flew a multinational patrol mission across the Middle East today, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The mission was conducted ”to deter aggression and reassure partners and allies of the U.S. military’s commitment to security in the region”. Multiple partner nations and U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft accompanied the U.S. bombers…

#USNavy destroyer USS Forrest Sherman completes six-month Selected Restricted Availability. #DDG98

The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) is returning to action on schedule after completing a six-month Selected Restricted Availability (SRA). The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center (MARMC) provided management and oversight to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) scheduled maintenance availability which was executed by Marine Hydraulics…

#USArmy selects #LockheedMartin to integrate and test combat vehicle protection system.

Lockheed Martin will soon begin supporting formal integration and testing of the U.S. Army’s combat vehicle protection system intended to keep warfighters safer and more secure from battlefield threats. Under the terms of a recent contract, the company will provide its Modular Active Protection System (MAPS) base kit, which includes an open-architecture processor that integrates vehicle sensors…

#USAirForce flies F-15E Strike Eagle with six JDAMs on a single side of the aircraft. #JDAM #F15E

The U.S. Air Force 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron successfully flew an F-15E Strike Eagle carrying six JDAMs on a single side of the aircraft on Feb 22, 2021, showcasing a proof of concept for Agile Combat Employment, known as “ACE.” “Currently the F-15E is authorized to carry a max of nine JDAMs, but the success of this test expands that to 15 JDAMs,” said Maj. Andrew Swanson, F-15E Weapons…

#LockheedMartin tests next-generation Extended-Range GMLRS munition. #GMLRS

Lockheed Martin successfully tested its next-generation Extended-Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS) munition in an 80-kilometer flight demonstration at White Sands Missile Range (WMSR), New Mexico. During the flight test, the ER GMLRS round was fired from the U.S. Army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher, built by Lockheed Martin, meeting test…

11 killed in military helicopter crash in #Turkey.

At least 11 Turkish soldiers were killed in a military helicopter crash in eastern Turkey on Thursday, the Defense Ministry said. The crash involved a Cougar type helicopter operated by the Turkish Land Forces Command (Turkish Army) which took off at 13:55 local time to go to Tatvan from Bingöl. The contact with the chopper was reportedly lost at 14:25 hours. Nine of the crash victims were killed…