All articles by Ryan Finnerty – Page 9
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NewsUkrainian president sacks air force chief following F-16 loss
The dismissal of Ukrainian air force commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuck comes just days after the service lost its first Western-supplied F-16 fighter, with rumours swirling about a possible friendly fire incident.
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NewsAustralia-US-UK security pact looks beyond submarines to aerospace
An advisory group to the trilateral security consortium between the USA, the UK, and Australia says the group is expanding its interests beyond an initial objective of delivering nuclear submarine technology to Canberra.
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NewsUkraine records first loss of an F-16 fighter
The American-made fighter is believed to have gone down while defending against a large Russian air attack on 27 August, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.
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NewsPentagon withholds some F-35 payments until full ‘TR-3’ capability certified
The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office will withhold $5 million per aircraft on deliveries until manufacturer Lockheed Martin completes full-combat flight certification on the latest configuration of the stealth fighter, known as Technical Refresh 3.
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NewsPoland to receive first F-35As in December
The NATO member’s inaugural stealth fighter will be initially assigned to a US Air National Guard base in Arkansas, where it will be used to train Polish air force pilots.
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NewsHermeus releases taxi test footage of first Quarterhorse flight vehicle
The US hypersonic flight developer is progressing toward the maiden sortie for its first flight-capable vehicle, the subsonic Quarterhorse Mk 1, which will serve as the foundation for an eventual hypersonic aircraft.
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In depthUS Air Force continues withdrawal of older F-15s from Japan
With production of Boeing’s latest F-15EX variant ramping up, the US Air Force is continuing to reassign ageing F-15C/D Eagle fighters from forward bases in Japan, which is set to receive the newer and more-capable Eagle II.
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In depthUS Army begins ‘most significant’ transformation of airborne surveillance in service history
Under a $991 million contract, systems integrator Sierra Nevada will convert Bombardier Global 6500 business jets into airborne surveillance and reconnaissance platforms to replace a current fleet of turboprops.
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NewsUSAF KC-46 suffers emergency during refuelling flight
While the US Air Force has not specified the nature of the issue, unverified photos on social media show the aircraft on the ground with a severed fuel-transfer boom.
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NewsShield AI algorithm completes multi-aircraft autonomous flight
The company whose artificial intelligence agent successfully controlled a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter for dogfighting drills has notched another milestone, for the first time controlling multiple aircraft in flight simultaneously.
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NewsUS and South Korea launch 2,000 sorties in ‘largest-ever’ fighter drills
Dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield, the five-day exercise over the Korean Peninsula includes a staggering 2,000 sorties during 120h of continuous flying.
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NewsUS Army activates new aviation command to oversee Arctic flight operations
The army’s new Alaska-based Arctic Aviation Command will oversee rotary-wing flight operations in the high north, which has become an area of increased focus for the USA, Russia and China.
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NewsUkraine challenges Russian air defences over Moscow
At least 10 uncrewed aerial vehicles were shot down over Moscow by Russian forces during a large air attack on 20 August, while Ukraine fired dozens more weapons at targets elsewhere across Russia.
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NewsB-2 stealth bombers make surprise appearance in Australia
Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers from the US Air Force completed a transpacific flight from their base in the USA, making a night landing at a Royal Australian Air Force Base in Queensland on 16 August.
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NewsBAE to upgrade F-15EX and F/A-18E/F flight computers
The UK aviation systems producer was selected by Boeing to upgrade flight computers on two of the airframer’s marquee fighter platforms – the latest F-15EX and the long-serving F/A-18E/F.
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NewsSikorsky delivers final VH-92A presidential helicopter
Rotorcraft manufacturer Sikorsky has turned over the 23rd and final VH-92A presidential helicopter to the US Marine Corps, completing the programme of record for the new fleet of vertical lift aircraft for the US president.
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NewsUS Navy installs first MQ-25 control station on aircraft carrier
The new Unmanned Air Warfare Center, developed by Lockheed Martin, has been fitted in the USS George HW Bush, where it will be used to control the forthcoming Boeing MQ-25 autonomous refueller.
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NewsMerlin launches aerial testing on KC-135 autonomous flight system
The autonomous flight start-up reveals it has completed three evaluation flights with the US Air National Guard, and hopes to conduct an in-flight demonstration of its autonomous Merlin Pilot system during 2025.
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NewsTaliban flies US and Soviet helicopters in Afghanistan military parade
In an event marking three years since the militant group overran the capital of Afghanistan, forces of the ruling Taliban government showed off a host of military hardware captured from the now defunct Afghan National Army, including US- and Soviet-made helicopters of various types.
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NewsUSAF can no longer count on overseas bases for power projection
Top service leaders within the US Air Force say forward air bases can no longer be counted upon as sanctuaries for US forces in the era of modern conflict, and recently completed military exercises aimed to test new methods of generating combat sorties.