All articles by Craig Hoyle
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News
Swedish Gripen C/D funding boost to cover new missile integration work
Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration has awarded Saab a SKr466 million ($42 million) contract to support further development of the nation’s Gripen C/D fighter fleet.
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News
Madrid signs Halcon II order for 25 more Eurofighters
Madrid has signed a project Halcon II contract covering the production of a further batch of 25 Eurofighter combat aircraft.
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News
Spanish air force takes its first NH90 in Standard 3 guise
The Spanish air force has taken delivery of its first NH Industries NH90 tactical transport helicopter, launching its introduction of the type’s latest Standard 3 configuration.
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News
Luftwaffe A350 VIP transports set for DIRCM self-protection update
The German air force’s three Airbus A350 VIP transports are to be protected by Elbit Systems-supplied directed infrared countermeasures equipment.
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News
Eurofighter partners advance long-term evolution activity
The four-nation Eurofighter programme has marked a significant advance towards a mid-life upgrade for the type, with the signature of a contract for Part 1 of the long-term evolution effort’s technology maturation phase.
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Germany launches Taurus cruise missile modernisation programme
Germany is to modernise its Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile inventory, almost 20 years after fielding the standoff-range weapon.
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News
BAE details latest test success with high-flying PHASA-35
BAE Systems has detailed its latest series of test flights using the Prismatic-developed PHASA-35, as it promotes the ultra-long-endurance type for operational use from 2026.
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News
Insitu opens Abu Dhabi UAS support and training centre
Insitu has opened a new centre of excellence within Abu Dhabi’s Tawazun Industrial Park, boosting its ability to support the United Arab Emirates’ use of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).
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News
GCAP industry partners fix joint venture terms for design and development phase
The partners behind a new industrial joint venture (JV) tasked with delivering a sixth-generation fighter via the three-nation Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) have agreed the terms of their collaboration, with the effort still on track to meet its targeted in-service date of 2035.
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News
Denmark steps up domestic F-35 training after latest deliveries
Denmark’s latest batch of four Lockheed Martin F-35As touched down at its Skrydstrup air base on 6 December, with their arrival doubling the number of the fifth-generation type transferred to the country.
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News
Eurofighter nations set sights on introducing BAE’s Striker II helmet
The four-nation Eurofighter consortium has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth £133 million ($169 million) to conduct further development work on its Striker II helmet-mounted display system.
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News
Poland to field unmanned MQ-9B SkyGuardian fleet from 2027
Poland is to replace its leased General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper remotely piloted air systems via a contract for new MQ-9B SkyGuardians, Warsaw has announced.
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News
Slovakia to acquire three Embraer C-390 airlifters
Slovakia has selected Embraer’s C-390 tactical transport, and plans to advance a three-unit deal early next year.
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Analysis
UK’s modified Excalibur testbed flies through initial stability campaign
The unique Boeing 757 that will be employed in support of the UK’s Future Combat Air System activity has completed a first series of post-modification sorties.
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News
Kazakhstan welcomes its first A400M airlifter in Almaty
Kazakhstan has become the ninth nation to field the A400M tactical transport, with Airbus Defence & Space having handed over its lead of two examples in Almaty.
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News
Dutch and Austrian C-390s to get Elbit self-protection boost
Elbit Systems has been awarded contracts worth a combined $175 million to provide electronic warfare (EW) and self-protection equipment for integration with new tactical transport aircraft and helicopters on order for two European operators.
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News
Croatian air force retires Europe’s last MiG-21 fighters
The last European user of the Cold War-era Mikoyan MiG-21 – Croatia – has formally withdrawn the aged type from frontline use, as it continues to transition to the Dassault Aviation Rafale.
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News
German Eurofighter launches Luftwaffe’s first Meteor missile
Germany has conducted its first firing of MBDA’s Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile from one of its Eurofighter combat aircraft.
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News
Qatar broadens defence partnership with the UK, including pilot training
Qatar and the UK have broadened their defence partnership, with new initiatives including “extending and expanding collaboration and knowledge sharing across the joint UK-Qatar [Eurofighter] Typhoon and [BAE Systems] Hawk aircraft squadrons”.
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News
Airbus details 5% staff reduction target for defence and space unit
Airbus has detailed proposed reductions that will reduce the headcount of its defence unit by approximately 5% over the next 18 months, with just over 2,000 posts to be removed.