An AARGM-ER seen being test fitted into the internal weapons bay of an F-35 combat aircraft. The US has approved the sale of the missile to both the Netherlands and Poland. (Northrop Grumman)  The US government has approved the sale of the Northrop Grumman AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) to the Netherlands and Poland.  Announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 24 April, the approvals cover 265 of the suppression of enemy air defences/destruction of enemy air defences (SEAD/DEA...

An artist's impression of a demonstration announced on 25 April, in which QinetiQ for the first time in the UK demonstrated MUM-T between jet aircraft. (QinetiQ)  QinetiQ has for the first time in the UK demonstrated manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) between jet aircraft.  Announced by the company on 25 April, the demonstration at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Boscombe Down site in southern England saw a manned BAe 146 testbed aircraft provide inflight tasking to a modified unmanned Banshee Jet 80 target drone.  “The success of this trial demon...

A Brazilian Air Force UH-60L Black Hawk. The Brazilian Army is set to replace its HM-2 Black Hawk fleet with newer examples. (Leandro Maldonado)  The Brazilian Army is to acquire 12 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters to replace its eight HM-3 Cougar and four HM-2 Black Hawk helicopters, said Army Commander General Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva during a 17 April presentation to the Brazilian Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense.  Gen Tomás noted that the fleet is to be purchased through the US Foreign Military Sale...

A computer-aided design model of the satellite that GalaxEye Space is developing to conduct Earth observation for defence forces. The satellite will be equipped with SAR and EO sensor for enhanced surveillance. (GalaxEye Space)  Bangalore-based GalaxEye Space is developing a satellite that can carry multiple sensors for Earth observation to support the requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.  Speaking to Janes at the Indian DefSpace Symposium 2024 held in Delhi from 18 to 20 April, Deb Jyoti Pal, senior vice-president of business developmen...

Seen after being delivered to 2Excel's facility in Lasham, Hampshire, in 2023, the 757 airframe that is to be converted into the Excalibur FTA made its first flight from MoD Boscombe Down. (Leonardo)    Initial flight trials of the 757 airframe that is to be converted to the Excalibur Flight Test Aircraft (FTA) project to de-risk the Tempest future fighter have shown it to be “fit for purpose”, an official from Leonardo told   Janes  .   Speaking at a UK industry showcase event for the future combat air power, including the...

The UAE's fourth Saab GlobalEye was delivered on 18 April. (Ministry of Defence of the United Arab Emirates)  The Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on 24 April that a reception ceremony for an early warning aircraft had been held at Al-Dhafra Air Base.  It cited Major General Ibrahim Nasser al-Alawi, the commander of the Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD), as saying the aircraft was a “qualitative addition” that will help protect the country's strategic interests.  The MoD released a video showing a Saab Glob...

Seen being carried by a US Air Force F-16, the Sniper ATP is built in Florida in the US and Bedfordshire in the UK. Lockheed Martin is now ramping up UK component production to meet increased customer demand. (Lockheed Martin)    Lockheed Martin is building a new production line for AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) components at its Ampthill, Bedfordshire site in the UK, seeking to meet anticipated demand from NATO allies and other customers for the system, the company has told   Janes  .     The UK-based...

A GA-ASI Mojave UAV performs a gun-run with a Dillon DAP-6 podded minigun. (GA-ASI)  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI) has tested a podded gun on its Mojave short take-off and landing (STOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the company said in a 23 April release.  GA-ASI mounted two Dillon DAP-6 podded miniguns to the Mojave and tested the combination at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona on 13 April. The Mojave performed seven gun-runs during two flights, expending around 10,000 rounds of ammunition against “a variety of targe...

This conceptualised graphic of a new air-launched vehicle recently carried by a Xi'an H-6MW bomber is based on a low-quality photograph. The new air vehicle is possibly based on the design and development of other Chinese air vehicles such as the WZ-8 and MD-22, and a new HSV. (Janes)  A Chinese Xi'an Aircraft Company (XAC) H-6MW bomber has been photographed in flight while carrying a new type of air-launched vehicle.  The H-6MW is a specialised, cruise missile-carrying variant of the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF's) strategic b...

A still from a video released on 21 April shows the Iraqi Army Aviation Command stand at IQDEX in Baghdad. (Iraqi Ministry of Defence)  Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC) has confirmed it has ordered, if not already received, Chinese-made CH-5 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).  The command's stand at the International Defense Exhibition in Iraq (IQDEX) held in Baghdad from 20 to 23 April was decorated with posters that showed all the aircraft it has in service, which included the CH-5 next to the CH-4 UAV operated by its 100 Squadron.  Earlier...

The first of two Textron T-54s delivered to the US Navy, intended to replace the T-44s. The deliveries were announced on 22 April. (US Navy)    US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) accepted delivery of the first two Textron T-54 Multi-Engine Training System (METS) aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas, the service announced on 22 April. The aircraft are set to begin training students at NAS Corpus Christi's Training Air Wing Four in boreal spring 2025, the US Navy (USN) told   Janes  .   The USN intend...

The IqAF is to equip all 34 of its F-16 combat aircraft with the AIDEWS electronic warfare suite. (Lockheed Martin)  Iraq is to equip its Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft with the L3Harris AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) electronic warfare (EW) system, the US Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed on 22 April.  The DoD requires the retrofit of the AIDEWS system into 34 Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) F-16C/D Block 52M aircraft located at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih Air Base (Ali Flai...

A file image of a Royal Malaysian Navy AW139 helicopter landing at Lumut. One of the airframes was involved in a 23 April 2024 accident that killed 10 personnel. (Royal Malaysian Navy)  Ten personnel are dead after two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) helicopters collided during a rehearsal for the service's 90th anniversary parade, the service disclosed in a media statement on 23 April.  All personnel are from the two helicopters involved, namely a Leonardo AW139 medium-lift rotorcraft and an AS 555SN Fennec airframe, the statement added.  The ser...

A file photo of a UAE F-16 combat aircraft. While the Gulf state has traditionally enjoyed strong procurement and operational ties with the West, the UAE AFAD is now also seeking closer co-operation with the PLAAF in China. (Lockheed Martin)  The chief of joint operations for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces has met with the head of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) as the two countries look to promote closer co-operation between their respective air forces.  The UAE Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the meeting...

Chad's new Aksungur is seen warming up for take-off in a still from a video released by the AAT. (Armée de l'Air Tchadienne)  The Chadian Air Force (AAT) has revealed it has received at least one Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).  It released a video on 21 April that included footage of an Aksungur with AAT markings and the Turkish-format serial 23013 taking off from Adji Kosseï Air Base at N'Djamena International Airport armed with eight MAM-L small laser-guided bombs. The video also featured AAT personnel bei...

The BT-67 is no stranger to Antarctica's harsh climate. This picture displays a Basler BT-67 (re-engined DC-3) in polar configuration equipped with snow skids. (Basler)  The US Department of State has approved Argentina's request to purchase Basler BT-67s, support equipment, and training for up to USD143 million, the department announced on 18 April.  “The proposed sale will … [provide] additional capacity for airdrop and airlift operations to service Antarctica during the winter season,” the announcement read. “This will reduce the burden on...

The two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Sikorsky) SH-60Ks, which crashed on 20 April, were participating in an anti-submarine exercise with the JMSDF submarines and surface vessels, according to the service. In this representative 2016 photo, a JMSDF SH-60K Seahawk (in the front) operates with a US Navy MH-60R Seahawk. (US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew C Duncker)  Two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Sikorsky) SH-60K helicopters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) have crashed after they suffered a suspected mid-a...

Nigeria is to receive 24 M-346 aircraft that will be used in both the trainer and combat roles. While Leonardo offers both the M-346FA and M-346FT (pictured) combat versions of the aircraft, all official announcements on the Nigerian deal by the NAF and/or Leonardo to date have referred only to the baseline M-346 advanced jet trainer that comes with a secondary combat capability. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Leonardo has for the first time disclosed that it has been contracted to deliver its M-346 to Nigeria, telling Janes on 19 April that it recen...

Türkiye has placed four new contracts for domestically developed aircraft, including the first for the Hürjet Block 1 jet trainer (pictured here) and for the T625 Gökbey helicopter. (Turkish Aerospace)  Türkiye has placed its first contracts for the domestically developed Hürjet jet trainer aircraft and Gökbey helicopter.  A signature ceremony for these and two other manned aerial platforms was held with participants from Turkish Aerospace (TA), the Defence Industry Agency of Türkiye (SSB), the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and the Ministry the...

M10 Booker Combat Vehicle (pictured) will be put through its paces at Fort Liberty in boreal summer 2024. (US Army photo by Bernardo Fuller)  One company in the 82nd Airborne Division will be the first unit to perform operational testing on the new M10 Booker combat vehicle in boreal summer 2024 and will then become the first unit equipped if the testing is successful, army leaders announced on 18 April.  Testing at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, will focus on making sure the platform is baseline operational, Major General Glenn Dean, program...