Air Warfare

NATO fortifies Eastern Europe’s defenses under new ‘air shielding’ mission

Stronger air and missile defenses will remain in place in Eastern Europe for the long run, a NATO official said last month.

How L3Harris created US special operators’ new plane to hunt and strike terrorists

“We were trying to look at our own past experiences and understand what made it work,” L3Harris' Luke Savoie said of the design process for the AT-802U Sky Warden, U.S. Special Operations Command's new Armed Overwatch plane.

US Special Operations Command chooses L3Harris’ Sky Warden for Armed Overwatch effort

AFSOC hopes its Armed Overwatch plane will be able to pressure violent extremist groups in austere places like Africa, where the airspace is largely permissive.

Most US F-35s temporarily grounded as ejection seat issue threatens jets worldwide

Air Combat Command aims to finish checking its F-35As for faulty ejection seats by mid-October.

US State Department approves $8.4 billion F-35 sale to Germany

The State Department on Thursday announced the foreign military sales (FMS) approval for up to 35 F-35A aircraft, along with munitions and related equipment, for a total estimated cost of $8.4 billion.

They’re ‘all different’: Air Force adviser says services diverge on JADC2

“I’ve looked at all of the documentation associated with all three,” she said, referencing Project Convergence, Project Overmatch and the Advanced Battle Management System.

Supply chain, inflation woes drag down Boeing’s defense profit

Boeing executives called the defense sector's results "disappointing," and the company warned in filings more losses on key programs could be coming.

Hindustan Aeronautics awards $100M engine contract to Honeywell

HAL is exploring export opportunities for the HTT-40 basic trainer with Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

Battle from the skies: How aviation advances empower the Corps’ new combat plan

The “air” part has remained in a holding pattern as top aviators rethought how the air side will fit into the new Force Design 2030 plan.

What’s gone wrong - and right - with Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker?

As the KC-46 Pegasus gets approved for more flight missions, the aircraft has been riddled with issues as the Air Force seeks to modernize its tanker fleet for the challenges of this century.

Leonardo DRS chief talks taking out drone swarms and what integrated sensing has in common with Tesla

The Army won't be able to shoot down a swarm of enemy drones they way it would a single drone, Leonardo DRS CEO William Lynn said, so it needs a new strategy.

Machinists union votes to reject Boeing contract over 401(k) dispute, strike starting Aug. 1

The union said the 401(k) offered in Boeing's contract was inadequate: "We will not allow this company to put our members’ hard-earned retirements in jeopardy.”

Up, up and away: Airbus’ Zephyr drone breaks flight record high above Arizona

Army Futures Command launched a record-breaking test of the Zephyr, a UAS designed by Airbus.

Future of autonomous flight comes into focus at Farnborough Airshow

“There is no reason why [a drone wingman] should be any less autonomous than what the F-35 is doing right now,” an F-35 pilot from the Royal Air Force said on Tuesday.

Ukraine says air force needs western fighter jets, and the US is preparing to help

“Older U.S. systems are a possibility” as Ukraine builds its future air force, U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said.

South Korea to buy 20 more F-35s

South Korea will buy 20 more F-35A fighter jets from the United States, as a part of its F-X project focused on acquiring foreign stealth fighter jets from 2023 to 2028.

Boeing defense CEO says company remains a player in fighter jet market

The only new fighters Boeing is now producing for the Air Force are the F-15EX, an upgraded and modernized version of the fourth-generation F-15E. The first models of F-15s began flying in the mid-1970s.

Norway to buy Raytheon’s Stormbreaker smart bomb for F-35 fleet

The country has already begun efforts to integrate the network-enabled munition on its F-35 fleet, and the head of Norway’s F-35 project office said in a July 18 statement the weapon will play an important role in helping the country begin initial operations for its Joint Strike Fighter fleet.

Czech Republic selects F-35 as next fighter jet

The aircraft are to replace the 14 Saab JAS 39 Gripens currently operated by the Czech military, making the country the second Eastern European ally after Poland to order Lockheed Martin’s fighters.

UK aviation sustainability mandates could bolster US defense sector

Companies at the Farnborough Airshow this week are highlighting their investments in aviation sustainability, and executives say that while much of this work is driven by U.K. government requirements, it will have ripple effects across business areas.

Leonardo, BAE announce partnership on Future Combat Air System demonstrator

With BAE headquartered in the United Kingdom and Leonardo in Italy, the companies say the arrangement strengthens the relationship between Britain and Italy, who are partnered for Future Combat Air System development.

Raytheon hypersonic scramjet missile has another successful flight test

“This most recent test allowed exploration of more of the flight and scramjet engine operating envelopes,” program manager Andrew Knoedler said.

Airbus, Boeing tout advanced aerial refueling capabilities at Farnborough

The announcements touting automatic and autonomous refueling capabilities come as a potential fight for the Air Force's KC-Y bridge tanker simmers.

Battlefield 360

Another nuke-sniffing plane joins Offutt fleet

Offutt will receive three refurbished tankers-turned-nuclear reconnaissance planes in the next year.

BAE Systems, Embraer team up to pursue Saudi Arabia tactical airlift contract

The companies opened the second day of the Farnborough air show in England July 19 by announcing they had signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue a potential deal with Saudi Arabia for the Embraer’s C-390 tactical airlift twin jet.