Prototype
Sikorsky’s first Raider X prototype is more than 85% complete
Sikorsky announced on April 4 that the production of its Raider X competitive prototype for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft programme – a part of the service’s wider Future Vertical Lift portfolio – is now more than 85% complete
Five B-21 stealth bomber prototypes are now in production
The USAF’s newly appointed Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, has confirmed that there are now five Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider test aircraft in production at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California
Singapore’s prototype Advanced A330 MRTT undergoes final tests
Republic of Singapore Air Force-operated Airbus A330 MRTT - serial 764 - which has been converted as a prototype of the automatic air-to-air-refuelling (A3R) A330 SMART MRTT, has returned to Spain for completion of its trials programme
Ilyushin Il-112V prototype destroyed in fatal crash
The first prototype of the new Ilyushin Il-112V light military transport aircraft was destroyed in a fatal accident on August 17, killing all three crew members
Bell provides update on 360 Invictus progress
Bell Textron has released new data on the build and testing for the Bell 360 Invictus competitive prototype. The programme is rapidly progressing through manufacturing, assembly, components testing and systems integration work
US to develop Mjolnir as follow-on to THOR ‘drone killer’ system
The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate is seeking partners to develop and build a new counter electronics weapon system – dubbed ‘Mjolnir’ – which will be used to further defend against the increasing threat of adversarial drone activities
Manufacture of first two B-21 Raiders completed
Significant progress has been made with the new Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider long-range strategic stealth bomber, following the revelation that the first two prototypes have now been completed at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California
JMSDF's first XSH-60L prototype takes flight
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has flown the first prototype of the XSH-60L – a further development by the Japanese firm of the Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare helicopter
