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The three nations made important steps forward this year, establishing equal work sharing, locations and coordination of the different areas of GCAP, with the objective of cutting in half timeline and costs. As recently reported, the three national industry leads participating to the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP), BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial […]

The post 2024 Fundamental for GCAP, Working to Make 2035 Goal a Reality, Says Leonardo appeared first on The Aviationist.

The first six of a dozen U.S. Air Force F-15Es have returned to their homebase at RAF Lakenheath, once again sporting unique nicknames and some interesting markings. On Dec. 17, 2024, the first six of 12 F-15E Strike Eagle jets, belonging to the 492nd Fighter Squadron/48th Fighter Wing, returned to RAF Lakenheath, UK, after a […]

The post 492nd FS F-15E Strike Eagles Return From Middle East With New Nose Arts And Bomb Markings appeared first on The Aviationist.

Finnish, Swedish, and Dutch fighter aircraft were scrambled on Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024 to identify and monitor Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, which turned out to be carrying inert supersonic cruise missiles. The first intercept was made by F/A-18 Hornets from the Finnish Air Force, which were met by Dutch F-35A Lightning IIs deployed […]

The post NATO Fighters Intercept Two Russian Tu-22M3 ‘Backfires’ Carrying Long-Range Supersonic Cruise Missiles appeared first on The Aviationist.

The $451 million contract will support the upgrade of 68 JASDF F-15Js as part of the Japan Super Interceptor program, introducing some capabilities currently being fielded on the U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II. The U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) announced on Dec. 10, 2024, that the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Boeing […]

The post Boeing Awarded Contract To Support the F-15 Japan Super Interceptor Program appeared first on The Aviationist.

Argentina and Denmark sealed a $300 million contract in April for 24 second-hand F-16 jets. The Fuerza Aérea Argentina has been without a supersonic fighter since 2015, following the retirement of its last Dassault Mirage IIIs. Argentina’s first F-16B, purchased from Denmark, landed in the country on Dec. 16, 2024, after being transported disassembled inside […]

The post Argentina Receives First Ex-Danish F-16B, Flown Disassembled in KC-130H appeared first on The Aviationist.

The VAQ-133 “Wizards” have completed the first ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Deployment. On Dec. 14, 2024, Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133), assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW) 9, returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, from its five-month deployment to the Middle East and Eastern Pacific aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. A total of 153 […]

The post VAQ-133 EA-18Gs Become First In The Navy To Tactically Employ the Next Generation Jammer appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Eurofighter Consortium has awarded BAE Systems a contract worth £133 million to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted Display (HMD). BAE Systems announced on Dec. 11, 2024, that it has been awarded a new £133 million contract to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD).  Under this new contract, awarded by the […]

The post BAE Systems Awarded Contract for Eurofighter’s Striker II Helmet Mounted Display appeared first on The Aviationist.

The fifth and final EMD aircraft will now join the test fleet assigned to the T-7 Integrated Test Force and continue to validate the Red Hawk’s capabilities ahead of the Milestone C and the LRIP contract expected in 2025. The final Engineering Manufacturing Development (EMD) T-7A Red Hawk flew for the first time from Boeing’s […]

The post Final Boeing T-7A Red Hawk Engineering Manufacturing Development Jet Flies for the First Time appeared first on The Aviationist.

BAE Systems, Leonardo and JAIEC reached an agreement to form a new company under a business joint venture for the GCAP, building on the trilateral cooperation started in 2022. The three national industry leads participating to the Global Combat Aircraft Programme (GCAP), BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co (JAIEC), have reached an […]

The post UK, Italy and Japan Reach Landmark Agreement for GCAP Program appeared first on The Aviationist.

A newly released cockpit video gives a first-person view of the U.S. F-35s as they operated from a highway strip during the Baana24 exercise in Finland last month. A new cockpit video offers an exclusive look at the operations carried out during Exercise Baana 24, in which two U.S. Air Force F-35As landed for the […]

The post A Close-Up Look at the F-35’s Highway Operations during the Baana 24 Exercise appeared first on The Aviationist.

Italy’s Defence Minister condemns Israeli attack on UNIFIL bases as “Intolerable” and “Not an Accident”. Italy issued a formal protest to Israel on Thursday after attacks targeted the headquarters of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon and two Italian bases. In response, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto summoned the Israeli ambassador to address the situation. According to […]

The post Israel Repeatedly Fired on UNIFIL HQ in Southern Lebanon, Injuring Peacekeepers appeared first on The Aviationist.

The innovative use of aerobraking will allow the X-37B to efficiently and safely dispose of the service module, using minimal fuel thanks to decades of experience of the scientific community conducting space missions. The U.S. Space Force announced that its X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle spacecraft, currently in orbit as part of the OTV-7 mission, will […]

The post U.S. Space Force Will Use Aerobraking to Change X-37B Orbit appeared first on The Aviationist.

The new UCAV that will complement the Rafale F5 will benefit from the achievements of the nEUROn program. The development comes at a time of changes in air warfare and application doctrine in the French Air and Space Force, particularly with regards to SEAD/DEAD missions. France Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu  announced on […]

The post France Announces Development of Rafale F5 With New UCAV And Nuclear Missile appeared first on The Aviationist.

Leidos is readying for a new test campaign which will evaluate its ‘Black Arrow’ small cruise missile during guided test flights from the back of an AC-130J gunship. Defense contractor Leidos has announced that its small cruise missile (SCM), nicknamed “Black Arrow,” is ready for guided flight tests. The company successfully conducted captive carry and […]

The post Leidos’ ‘Black Arrow’ Small Cruise Missile Ready for Flight Tests appeared first on The Aviationist.

The hot pit refuel drill demonstrated the B-1B Lancer is capable of operating from other air bases for strike missions in the backdrop of Ellsworth’s fleet possibly temporarily relocating to Grand Forks AFB, owing to a runway construction at Ellsworth to host the B-21 Raider in the future. The 28th Bomb Wing from Ellsworth Air […]

The post Grand Forks AFB Conducts the First Hot Pit Refuel of a B-1B Lancer in 30 Years as Relocation Looms appeared first on The Aviationist.

The JASSM contract will supply missiles to the Air Force, Navy and Allies comprising Japan, the Netherlands, Finland and Poland. Another contract worth $358 million is meant for the LRASM and also involves an unspecified Foreign Military Sales component, possibly to Australia. The U.S. Air Force Life-Cycle Management Center awarded Lockheed Martin two contracts on […]

The post U.S. Air Force Contracts Lockheed Martin for AGM-158B JASSM and AGM-158C LRASM Missiles worth $3.5 Billion appeared first on The Aviationist.

Pilot Lt Dan Burnett has received a commendation from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for his actions in safely recovering a Wildcat AH1 helicopter to its ship after it developed a major engine fault while carrying three medical evacuation patients. In an incident which was previously unreported, the Royal Navy has revealed that in September 2023 […]

The post Royal Navy Wildcat Pilot Awarded After Landing Helicopter Safely With Major Engine Fault During MEDEVAC Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

Aurora Flight Sciences’ Fan-in-Wing technology development progresses: flight testing of the final design is targeted for 2027. Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, has just unveiled new renderings showcasing its new X-plane concept supporting airborne logistics and personnel recovery operations in areas where traditional runways are unavailable. The new aircraft leverages cutting-edge fan-in-wing (FIW) […]

The post New Renderings Unveiled for Aurora’s X-Plane Concept Featuring Fan-in-Wing Technology appeared first on The Aviationist.

The F-35Bs of 809 Naval Air Squadron have joined HMS Prince of Wales in the North Sea for a month of training as they prepare for the first deployment next year. The Royal Navy is finally back at sea with its own fast jets after 15 years since the last aboard the HMS Ark Royal. […]

The post Royal Navy’s Fast Jets Are Back On A Carrier After 15 Years appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider was chased by an F-16 from Edwards Air Force Base during its test flight when it was caught on camera. Following its first flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, on November 10, 2023, the secretive B-21 Raider stealth bomber has undergone extensive flight testing at Edwards Air Force […]

The post Photographer Captures Cool Shot Of B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber During Test Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.