Aviation Articles

USAF’s ‘Spads’ set to relinquish F-16C/Ds for F-35As

The USAF’s 457th Fighter Squadron ‘Spads’ – a component of Air Force Reserve Command – is preparing to relinquish its F-16C/D Fighting Falcons for the F-35A Lightning II, after operating the former for more than 30 years

Could the B-1B Lancer become the USAF’s primary hypersonic missile testbed?

The USAF could turn to its supersonic-capable B-1B Lancer strategic bomber fleet to take over as the testbed for air-launched hypersonic weapons to help mitigate availability problems with the Cold War-era B-52H Stratofortress, which is currently in the process of being modernised

Kadena aces dispersed ops during Northern Edge 23-2

Exercise Northern Edge 23-2, which was held from July 2-21, gave US forces an opportunity to practise and rehearse Agile Combat Employment capabilities from dispersed locations, and to integrate with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, French Air and Space Force and other allies and partner nations

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Is Russia using its new S-70 Okhotnik-B UCAV against Ukraine?

While state testing of Sukhoi’s S-70 Okhotnik-B UCAV was not expected to conclude before the end of 2023, media reports have indicated that Russia may have already started using the platform to conduct operational missions over Ukraine

USMC’s VMU-3 achieves IOC with MQ-9A

The USMC’s Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU-3) ‘Phantoms’ celebrated reaching Initial Operational Capability with the MQ-9A Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, on August 4

325th FW welcomes first USAF F-35As to Tyndall AFB

The 325th Fighter Wing has formally welcomed its first four F-35As to Tyndall AFB in Florida, where some 78 examples of the fifth-generation fighter will eventually equip three projected fully combat-capable Lightning II squadrons

USAF hopes to accelerate E-7 Wedgetail procurement

USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Q Brown Jr, RAF Chief of the Air Staff ACM Sir Richard Knighton, and his RAAF counterpart, AM Robert Chapman, have signed a “joint vision statement” committing the three air arms to cooperate in E-7A Wedgetail “capability development, evaluation and testing, interoperability, sustainment, operations, training and safety”

Archer Aviation to supply Midnight eVTOLs to the USAF

California-based start-up Archer Aviation Inc has entered into contracts worth up to $142m with the US Department of Defense that includes the supply of up to six Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to the USAF

Northrop Grumman pulls out of USAF’s NGAD programme

During a briefing on Northrop Grumman’s second-quarter financial results on July 27, Kathy Warden – the company’s CEO – revealed that “we have notified the USAF that we’re not planning to respond to the [Next Generation Air Dominance request for proposals] as the prime”

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Making the Eurofighter Typhoon of today fit for tomorrow

Celebrating 20 years in service, the Eurofighter Typhoon has outstanding performance as well as a wide range of weapons it can call upon and increasingly offers useful sensor capabilities. In the June 2023 issue of AIR International, Jon Lake explains why some believe the Typhoon’s best years are still to come...