All articles by Ryan Finnerty – Page 2
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News
Lockheed delivers 2,700th C-130
The handover of the milestone aircraft, a KC-130J refueller variant operated by the US Marine Corps, comes as airframer Lockheed Martin reports “robust demand” for the venerable tactical transport.
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News
First flight of Air Force One replacement delayed to 2026
The issue-plagued Boeing programme to deliver two new presidential jets to the US Air Force is absorbing fresh production delays that will push the type’s first flight into 2026.
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News
Pratt & Whitney picks Patria as partner on engines for Finnish F-35s
The state-owned Finnish defence firm will assemble Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofans at a new production facility near the city of Nokia, starting in 2025.
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News
Pentagon supports French vow to supply Ukraine with Mirage 2000 fighters
Although previous objections had been expressed to Sweden providing Gripen fighters, Washington is expressing support for a similar move by France to transfer some of its older Dassault jets.
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News
First F-16s expected to reach Ukraine this summer
At a meeting of top NATO defence officials in Brussels, the alliance reaffirmed its commitment to provide Ukraine with Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, with the first examples arriving as early as this summer.
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News
Merlin Labs exploring aircrew reduction technologies for SOCOM
The Boston-based autonomy start-up secured a $105 million contract from US Special Operations Command to design, integrate and test new technologies aimed at reducing the number of crew needed on MC-130J flights.
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News
Osprey fleet will not return to unrestricted operations until mid-2025
In remarks to congressional lawmakers, the head of airworthiness authority for the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey revealed that unaddressed safety issues will prevent the tiltrotor from returning to unrestricted flight status for at least another year.
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News
Norway secures approval for purchase of 300 AMRAAMs
The $1.94 billion order for the AIM-120C-8 version of Raytheon’s Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile will modernise Norway’s existing stock of older model munitions.
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News
Malawi’s vice-president, nine others confirmed dead in Dornier 228 crash
The deaths of all aboard the Malawian army turboprop were confirmed by the president of the southeast African country on 11 June, after the flight encountered bad weather and failed to report as scheduled.
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News
BAE to produce electronic countermeasure pods for US Navy P-8s
The $95 million contract will see the US Navy’s Boeing P-8 maritime patrol jets equipped with a BAE electronic warfare pod intended to expand the non-stealth aircraft’s operating range in contested environments.
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News
First operational Boeing F-15EX arrives with USAF for frontline service
The latest variant of the venerable fourth-generation air superiority fighter will begin operational service in the state of Oregon with the US Air National Guard, which is responsible for homeland defence and air-interdiction missions.
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News
China using private companies and ‘lucrative contracts’ to recruit Western military pilots
Intelligence agencies from the so-called “Five Eyes” alliance of the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand say China continues to recruit current and former Western military pilots to train its own forces, using privately-owned shell companies offering “lucrative contracts and the opportunity to fly exotic aircraft”.
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In depth
Ride along for an aerial tour of Normandy on the 80th anniversary of D-Day
FlightGlobal accompanied the US Air Force’s 86th Air Wing for a C-130J transport flight on 6 June 2024 as part of the ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
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In depth
D-Day at 80: a legacy of air power
When Allied troops stormed ashore at Normandy 80 years ago, the success of their campaign to retake Western Europe would cement the role of air power as a critical dimension in modern warfare – a legacy that endures today.
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News
Israel to add 25 more F-35s under latest $3bn deal
The agreement between Israel and USA will increase the Israeli air force’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35s to 75 aircraft, with the new jets forming a third squadron of the fifth-generation stealth fighters.
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News
General Atomics lands first order for modernised Gray Eagles
On the heels of successful engine testing for the new type, uncrewed aircraft manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems scored its first order for the GE-25M Gray Eagle, a modernised version of the venerable MQ-1C UAV, from the US Army National Guard.
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News
General Atomics completes durability testing on new heavy fuel engine
The new powerplant will be incorporated into the modernised MQ-1C Gray Eagle, with manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems promising reductions in field maintenance and 40% more time between engine replacement compared to the current engine.
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News
Canada’s Hawk jet trainers report for retirement duty
Although Ottawa retired the single-engined trainers in March, the Royal Canadian Air Force plans to make continued use of its CT-155s as an instructional platform for new maintenance technicians.
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News
Canada announces $8bn acquisition of 71 trainer aircraft for RCAF
While Ottawa has not yet selected a new training jet for the instruction of new fighter pilots, the government is contracting for more than 70 smaller turboprops and helicopters under the Future Aircrew Training programme.
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News
Next-generation Bell tiltrotor advances in DARPA X-plane competition
Bell’s proposal for the Speed and Runway Independent Technologies project involves a tiltrotor-like aircraft, with the addition of a third, jet-powered flight mode in addition to the rotor-driven vertical and horizontal flight modes found in existing designs.