US Department of Defense
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
Pentagon unveils $850bn FY25 budget request and eyes further aircraft retirements
Released on March 11, the $849.8bn FY25 President’s Budget for the US Department of Defense (DOD) represents an increase of $7.8bn in spending when compared to the FY24 base request. The $167.6bn procurement budget includes $61.2bn for new military aircraft and related systems
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
Latvia receives first UH-60M Black Hawks
The Latvian Air Force received its first two Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters on December 11, when they arrived at Lielvārde Air Base in Rembate Parish, Ogre, via a US Air Force-operated Boeing C-17A Globemaster III
UK calls for aircraft provision to Ukraine
The UK Foreign Secretary has called for the delivery of heavier weapons to Ukraine, including apparent references to combat air capabilities, in a keynote speech at Mansion House, London
Blue Air Training and Top Aces combine forces
Blue Air Training and Top Aces announced a business combination on March 30
‘Tailored’ F-35 variant contract announced for mystery customer
A contract by the US DOD recently revealed that Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $49m contract to design and develop a tailored variant of the F-35 Lightning II for an unspecified Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer
US DoD activates Civil Reserve Air Fleet to assist with Afghanistan efforts
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III announced on August 22 that he has ordered the Commander of US Transportation Command to activate Stage I of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet programme to assist with the Afghanistan evacuation
What's in the 2022 US Defense Budget?
We look at the pros and cons of the recently released US Defense Budget request for the coming financial year
Northrop Grumman lands $4.8bn Global Hawk development contract
The US Department of Defense announced on November 25 that it has awarded Northrop Grumman a US$4.8bn contract to develop, modernise, retrofit and sustain the USAF's RQ-4 Global Hawk family