The Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı UAV that was unveiled on 9 February. (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan)  Azerbaijan unveiled its Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 9 February when President Ilham Aliyev visited what was described as the Azerbaijani Air Forces' (HHQ's) UAV academy.  The Ministry of Defence reported that Aliyev was briefed on the facilities that have been created at the academy for training personnel and viewed an Akıncı taking off and landing.  Photographs released by the president's office showed an Akıncı w...

The Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı UAV that was unveiled on 9 February. (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan)  Azerbaijan unveiled its Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 9 February when President Ilham Aliyev visited what was described as the Azerbaijani Air Forces' (HHQ's) UAV academy.  The Ministry of Defence reported that Aliyev was briefed on the facilities that have been created at the academy for training personnel and viewed an Akıncı taking off and landing.  Photographs released by the president's office showed an Akıncı w...

JSC Vektor Serp-VS6 (left) and RM (right) at WDS 2024, which can be combined to create an integrated detect-and-effect C-UAS solution. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Russian manufacturer JSC Vektor has unveiled a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.    Known as Serp-VS6, the platform is a radio-electronic suppressor that provides full omnidirectional C-UAS protection in the tactical environment by disrupting the signals of rogue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a...

The Bell 360 Invictus prototype for the US Army's FARA competition is substantially complete, pending first flight in late 2024. (Bell Flight)  The US Army cancelled the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme, the service announced on 8 February. The FARA contest was intended to provide the army with an armed scout helicopter, taking on a role left unfilled following the 2020 retirement of the Bell OH-58C.  “We are learning from the battlefield – especially in Ukraine – that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed,” US...

The GA-ASI XQ-67A OBSS in a hangar at an undisclosed location. (GA-ASI)  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) unveiled a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS), on 8 February.  “[GA-ASI] is very excited to introduce the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station to the world for the first time,” the company said in a statement.  “Without getting into specifics … we are stepping through that programme methodically and working closely with our government partners to hit all of the markers for the project a...

An Israeli Air Force F-35I seen being loaded with JDAM precision-guided bombs for use against targets in the Gaza Strip. (Israeli Air Force)    Announced on 12 February, the ruling from the Dutch appeals court said all national industries involved in the international F-35 programme must cease the transfer of parts to Israel within seven days due to the risk of them being used “in serious violations of international humanitarian law”. The ruling is being appealed by the Dutch government.  In response to a request for comment, Lockheed Martin...

The fourth and fifth MQ-28A prototypes have started flight-testing, according to a video released by Boeing. The fifth prototype (on the right) has an IRST system installed on the upper nose surface. This system was not seen on the earlier MQ-28 prototypes. (Boeing)  The Australian government has announced AUD399 million (USD259.5 million) in funding to further develop key systems for the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and build three new next-generation Block 2 aircraft.  Pat Conroy, the Australian Minister for D...

TEI displayed its TS1400 turboshaft engine at the World Defense Show 2024. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Turkish engine manufacturer Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI) has showcased its TEI-TS1400 and TEI-TF6000 engines at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.  A TEI official spoke to Janes about the ongoing development of the company's turboshaft engine, the TS1400, and turbofan engines, the TF6000 and TF10000, programmes.  The TS1400 is a free-turbine turboshaft engine being developed by TEI as part of the company's...

BAE Systems autonomous collaborative platform (ACP) concept vehicle will operate alongside Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  BAE Systems unveiled a new autonomous collaborative platform (ACP) concept at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.  The conceptual unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is characterised as an attritable platform with low-observable features and will feature electrical actuation systems. The concept vehicle will be able to operate from either land or maritime environments f...

The fourth and fifth MQ-28A prototypes have started flight-testing, according to a video released by Boeing. The fifth prototype (on the right) has an IRST system installed on the upper nose surface. This system was not seen on the earlier MQ-28 prototypes. (Boeing)  The Australian government has announced AUD399 million (USD259.5 million) in funding to further develop key systems for the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and build three new next-generation Block 2 aircraft.  Pat Conroy, the Australian Minister for D...

The Serb Jaser was displayed on its pneumatic launcher at the World Defense Show. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Saudi Arabia's Serb Advanced Industries confirmed that it is mass-producing small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Saudi military during the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.    A company official told   Janes  that both the Jaser and larger Samil are in production, although he declined to name which branch of the Saudi military has ordered them.   Serb was virtually unknown un...

Pratt & Whitney F135 engine on a test stand. (P&W)  Pratt & Whitney anticipates completing its critical design review (CDR) of the F135 engine core upgrade (ECU) in mid-2025, company F135 programme manager Jenn Latka told reporters on 6 February.  “Our design phase is supposed to end in roughly the middle of 2025 [with] the critical design review, and our first engine [goes] to test in 2026,” Latka said. The first ECU-equipped engine is scheduled to enter service in 2029.  “We are on track to hit all of those milestones, design is going very...

A satellite imagery supplied by BlackSky to the Indonesian MoD. Through BlackSky's subscription-based services, the Indonesian MoD is guaranteed access and first-priority tasking capacity over their national and regional areas of interest. (BlackSky)  Virginia-based BlackSky Technology Inc has secured a contract to provide the services of its Gen-3 Earth observation satellites to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD).  Under the contract, BlackSky will also provide “ground station capabilities and flight operations support” to the MoD, the...

The KC-390 was showcased at the WDS 2024 in Riyadh. Prior to arriving at the biennial event, the tanker-transport aircraft was demonstrated to the Nigerian Air Force. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Embraer has recorded strong interest in its KC-390 Millennium from Nigeria, demonstrating the tanker-transport aircraft to the West African country ahead of the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.    Speaking to   Janes  , Embraer instructor pilot Marco Aurélio Oliveira said that prior to arriving in Saudi A...

Embraer sees its C-390, which has a cargo-carrying capacity of 26 tons and the ability to operate as multimission transport aircraft, as a key contender for the India Air Force's MTA acquisition project. (Embraer)  Embraer Defense & Security and Mahindra Defence Systems have announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the C-390 Millennium bid for the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) procurement project.  As part of the MOU, which was signed in New Delhi on 9 February, Embraer and Mahindra will “jo...

The Aliaca is a light tactical fixed-wing UAS that can be used for a wide range of intelligence, surveillance, and inspection missions or operations, in a maritime, coastal, or land environment. (Charles Wassilieff/Marine Nationale/Défense)  The French Navy is set to receive a second batch of Aliaca Evo fixed-wing electric unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) from Airbus Group subsidiary Survey Copter.  Under a contract awarded by French defence procurement agency Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), Survey Copter will supply 15 UASs to the Fr...

A Meteor missile aboard a Swedish Gripen combat aircraft. The six partner countries are assessing a potential mid-life upgrade, with a decision to be made by the end of 2024. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  The partner countries will decide before the end of 2024 on the scope and scale of a planned mid-life upgrade (MLU) to the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).  Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 8 February that the UK and the five other p...

The HW150V UAV is equipped with a three-axis mechanically stabilised electro-optic/infrared pod. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  Beijing-based Hoverwing Technology (also known as Hangyi Technology) showcased the HW150V hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.  Speaking to Janes, a Hoverwing official said the HW150V is an operationally proven platform, which can carry out intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); target-tracking; ho...

The AVIC Wing Loong-10B (WL-10B) displayed at WDS 2024 along with various missiles and bombs. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  China Defence, on behalf of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), has confirmed that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) Wing Loong-10B, an export variant of the CATIC Wing Loong-10 (also dubbed as WL-10), will soon enter service with the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).  With the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) displayed at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 F...

The first of two KC-390s for Hungary seen on its four-hour maiden flight over Brazil. (Embraer)  The first of two Embraer KC-390 Millennium tanker-transport aircraft for Hungary made its maiden flight on 8 February.  The Brazilian manufacturer announced the event the following day, saying the aircraft flew for approximately four hours, having departed from the company's Gavião Peixoto production facility where it was built. It will now enter a test and assessment phase, before delivery to the customer later in 2024.  Hungary signed for the tw...