Jon Lake
USAF now plans to buy less than 100 F-15EXs
As part of its FY25 budget request, the USAF has revealed that it now plans to purchase 18 F-15EXs, rather than the 24 Eagle IIs that were initially set to be acquired. This would take the total planned F-15EX procurement from a total of 104 aircraft to just 98
Pentagon clears Osprey flight operations to resume
The Pentagon has cleared all three variants of the V-22 Osprey to return to flight after what has been a three-month grounding. US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) initially grounded its CV-22B fleet after the fatal loss of an aircraft on November 29, 2023, before US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) grounded the rest of the US Osprey force
US Navy surges Greyhounds to cover CMV-22B capability gap
The fatal crash of a USAF CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor off the coast of Japan on November 29, 2023, led to an extended fleet-wide grounding, severely impacting US Navy carrier operations as the CMV-22B was increasingly being used for logistics and resupply duties in its new carrier onboard delivery (COD) role
US to accelerate UH-60M deliveries to Australia
When the decision was made to expedite the withdrawal of its MRH-90 Taipan helicopters, the Australian Army Aviation Corps (AAAC) was left with a significant capability gap, which was partly filled through expedited UH-60M deliveries, including the accelerated delivery of nine additional Black Hawks by March 2024
Hungary's first KC-390 airlifter takes flight
The first KC-390 Millennium tanker-transport for the Hungarian Air Force (HuAF) completed its maiden flight from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto facility in Brazil on February 8, months later than was originally planned
Germany to retire Tiger gunships six years earlier than planned
Germany’s Annual Armaments Report – which was published on January 31 – confirmed that Berlin is now bringing forward the planned retirement date for its Tiger UHT attack helicopters by six years from 2038 to 2032
US finally approves sale of F-16 Block 70s to Turkey
After a two-year delay, Turkey has finally gained approval from the US government to acquire 40 new-build F-16C/D Block 70 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters and 79 F-16V upgrade kits in a deal worth approximately $23bn
Ethiopia acquires Su-30K fighters and Akinci drones
The Ethiopian Air Force (EAF) has taken delivery of two Russian-built Su-30K Flanker-F multi-role fighters and an unspecified number of Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs)
Greece seeks stop-gap C-130Hs to bolster waning airlift capabilities
The US Department of Defense and the US State Department have recently given advance notice of a proposed transfer of two legacy C-130H Hercules tactical transports to Greece as part of the Excess Defense Articles programme, which will be used as a stop-gap to boost the Hellenic Air Force’s airlift capabilities until the air arm’s new C-130J Super Hercules fleet can enter operational service
RAF Typhoon combat debut over Libya
In the September 2011 issue of Aviation News, Jon Lake reported on how the RAF’s Typhoons were fairing in combat missions over Libya.