The CAS-H01 co-axial dual-rotor UAS can be transported in a backpack. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)  China-based Leap showcased production-ready CAS-H01, a portable miniature search-and-attack unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.    Speaking to   Janes,  a Leap official said CAS-H01 is a backpackable    UAS that can be operated by a single dismounted soldier. The CAS-H01 is capable of carrying out reconnaissance, search, tracking, identification and attac...

Poland has requested a minimum of four aerostat systems to support the detection and monitoring of air and ground threats, including UAVs. The US currently deploys Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems (pictured) to support airborne border surveillance along the US Mexico border and select Caribbean areas. (US Air Force photo by GS-11 Deb H; USA) (US DoD)  The US State Department has approved a possible sale of Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance (ASRR) aerostat systems to Poland on 7 February for an estimated USD1.2 billion.  According to an...

The CSIR-NAL HAPS subscale model can stay airborne for 24 hours. (CSIR-NAL)  India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) has carried out a series of flight tests on a subscale model of its high-altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS) platform.  The tests were conducted at the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO's) Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) at Challakere, Karnataka, from 23 January to 2 February. During the tests, the subscale model, which has a wingspan of 12 m and a maximu...

Sweden plans to replace its in-service ARTHUR WLS, with the procurement process beginning in 2026. Pictured is the rear view of the ARTHUR weapon locating radar integrated on an M113F4 series tracked armoured platform. (Christopher F Foss)  The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has issued a request for information (RFI) on 5 February for the replacement of its Saab ARTHUR (ARTtillery HUnting Radar) weapon locating system (WLS).    According to the RFI provided to  Janes  , the Swedish Armed Forces seeks a future WLS...

Boeing T-7A tail number 7002, the first to be delivered to the USAF, taking off from St Louis Lambert International Airport, Missouri, co-located with Boeing's factory. (Boeing/Eric Shindelbower)    The Boeing T-7A Red Hawk is undergoing flutter testing at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) and climatic ground testing at Eglin AFB, Evelyn Moore, Boeing's programme manager for the T-7, told   Janes  on 2 February.   Boeing delivered three engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF) in 202...

A Shahed-238 is launched from the roof of a vehicle in a still from a documentary aired on Iranian television in 2023. (Islamic Republic News Agency)  A series of documents released by an Iranian hacking network have seemingly revealed new variants and specifications for Iranian one-way-attack (OWA) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).  The Prana Network released the documents on 4 February, saying it obtained them from a company set up as a front for Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) to sell UAVs to Russia and transfer the technology...

One of the NAF's two new T129 attack helicopters at Makurdi airbase. (Defence HQ Nigeria)  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) held a ceremony to formally induct its new T129 attack helicopters and a King Air 360ER into service at NAF Base, Makurdi, on 6 February.  The order for six T129s was announced by Turkish Aerospace in July 2022 and satellite imagery shows two had been delivered to Makurdi by 16 November 2023.  One T129 was displayed during the induction ceremony alongside a 12-round pod for 70 mm air-to-surface rockets and a four-round pod u...

An artist's impression of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules in Swedish markings. (Lockheed Martin)  Lockheed Martin is pushing its C-130J Hercules airlifter for Sweden, announcing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with national industry on 6 February.  With the Swedish Air Force (SwAF) scoping out a replacement for its ageing C-130H Hercules fleet, Lockheed Martin has launched its C-130J-30 offering with an MOU signed with MilDef, a Stockholm-based provider of ‘tactical IT solutions'.  “Lockheed Martin and MilDef announced a memorandum of...

An infographic showing the status of F-35 sales across Europe. (Janes)  Two recent announcements pertaining to the Czech Republic and Greece confirmed the seemingly relentless progress of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in securing sales across Europe.  The US State Department approved the sale of up to 40 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35As to Greece on 26 January, and the Czech government signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for 24 F-35As just days later on 29 January, setting the two on...

The UK has leased to Australia five H135 helicopters that will be used for training. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom has leased to Australia five Airbus H135 Juno helicopters to be used for pilot training.  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced the arrangement on 7 February, saying the helicopters will arrive in-country later in 2024 alongside ongoing deliveries of 40 newly ordered Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawks.  “To support essential training requirements for army aircrew, Australia will procure five H135 Juno train...

Bahrain's new Bell AH-1Zs and 505 helicopters lined up for their induction on 5 February. (Bahrain News Agency)  Bahrain's new AH-1Z attack helicopters were formally inducted into service during a ceremony attended by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa on 5 February, the 56th anniversary of the Bahrain Defence Force.  Bahraini television showed nine AH-1Zs lined up for the event at a location that could be identified as Sakhir Air Base, along with the Royal Bahraini Air Force's (RBAF's) three new Bell 505 training helicopters, as well as several A...

An F-16 is flown by Alec ‘Bulldog' Spencer during a mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in February 2019. (US Air Force/Tech Sgt John Raven)  Turkey will upgrade its fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft with Northrop Grumman's latest electronic warfare (EW) suite, with plans to integrate the system into future blocks of the venerable jet fighter, Janes has learnt.  Ankara's decision marks the first major Foreign Military Sales of the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) for the company, said James Conroy, vice-presid...

CASC's CH-7 ‘Rainbow 7' stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has been designed to operate in hostile adversarial airspace and conduct strikes on strategic targets. (Janes/Chinese state-owned media)  China's Cai Hong 7 (Rainbow 7, or CH-7) stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has completed testing and is on schedule to conclude development in 2024, according to Chinese state-owned media.    Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and powered by an undetermined turbofan engine, the CH-7 is a...

With 48 F-35Bs contracted and a further 27 being negotiated, the UK government has restated its commitment to buying 138 aircraft over the 30-plus-year life of the programme. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom has reasserted its commitment to procuring 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft, having recently shied away from the full programme of record (PoR) number.  Answering questions in the House of Commons, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) James Cartlidge said on 5 February that “the UK remains committed to...

The Netherlands is to provide Ukraine with 24 surplus F-16s. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  The Netherlands has cancelled a previously announced sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft to private training contractor Draken International, freeing up additional airframes for Ukraine.  The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the cancellation on 5 February, saying that negotiations had been suspended and that both parties had agreed to the move.  “The Netherlands had made agreements with [Draken International] in 2021 about the...

Finland is to send eight Hornet combat aircraft to NATO's Southern Air Policing mission from 3 June to 31 July. (Finnish Air Force)  Finland is to send combat aircraft to NATO's Southern Air Policing mission, marking the first out-of-area operational deployment for the Nordic country since joining the alliance.  The Finnish Ministry of Defence (MoD) made the announcement on 2 February, saying the deployment of eight Finnish Air Force (FinAF) Boeing F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft to Romania is part of a wider raft of NATO tasking outlined for t...

Acquisition of the AGM-154C Block III missiles will allow Taiwan to augment its asymmetrical warfare capabilities. (Commonwealth of Australia)  The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a USD68.4 million contract to produce AGM-154C Block III Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) air-to-ground missiles for Taiwan.  Under the contract, Raytheon Missile Systems will produce and deliver 50 AGM-154C Block III missiles for Taiwan over the next four years. The work on this batch of missiles is expected to be concluded before Ma...

BAE Systems is acquiring Malloy Aeronautics, a UK-based company that develops a range of heavy-lift quadcopters including the T-600, which can carry 200 kg payloads at ranges up to 80 km. (Crown Copyright)  BAE Systems has acquired UK quadcopter manufacturer Malloy Aeronautics in a bid to expand its product portfolio.  The acquisition, announced by BAE Systems on 2 February, will integrate Malloy Aeronautics into its FalconWorks – a research and development arm that specialises in the air domain.  The companies have been collaborating on unma...

In developing an open system architecture for the NGRC programme, Lockheed Martin through its Sikorsky subsidiary will leverage work already done for its X2 (pictured) high-speed technology demonstrator programme. (Lockheed Martin)  The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded Lockheed Martin its third study contract related to the Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) programme.  Announced on 31 January but awarded on 13 December 2023, the study contract will see Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky subsidiary identify, analyse, a...

A mock-up of the Eurodrone shown at the ILA Berlin Airshow in 2022. Germany has said that contractor and technology problems have delayed the project. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Germany has cited problems between leading contractors and immature technologies for delays to the Eurodrone project.  In its Annual Armaments Report published on 31 January, the German Bundeswehr said that ongoing co-ordination between contractors, coupled with technologies that are not yet mature, has already caused the preliminary design review (PDR) to be delayed, a...