Bombardier's depiction of the HADES prototype aircraft. (Bombardier)
The US Army has purchased a Bombardier Global 6500, with options for two more, to serve as a prototype for the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) deep-sensing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system, the service announced on 3 January.
The Global 6500 is to be the army's first service-owned ISR-converted business jet. Although other converted business jets operate on the army's behalf, and more are set to enter service via the Army...
An artist's impression of the C295 MPA and MSA in Spanish service. (Airbus)
Spain has signed for 16 Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and maritime surveillance aircraft (MSA), the manufacturer announced on 20 December 2023.
The EUR1.695 billion (USD1.853 billion) deal came six months after Jean-Brice Dumont, head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space, announced during the Paris Air Show in June 2023 that the Spanish Ministers Council had approved the budget for the acquisition of six MPA and 10 MSA-variant C295s.
“Th...
The KAI TA-50 Block 2 includes improved avionics and a radar system, in addition to the capability to integrate combat air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry. The aircraft pictured is a TA-50 Block 1 aircraft in service with the RoKAF. (Korea Aerospace Industries)
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has delivered the first Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) TA-50 ‘Golden Eagle' Block 2 lead-in fighter trainer/light attack aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF).
DAPA said on 1 January that the delivery was...
Seen in US Marine Corps service, the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter will shortly be flown by the Nigerian Air Force also. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has confirmed the sale of the Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter to Nigeria, with a related contract notification posted on 19 December.
Having been approved for the sale of 12 helicopters in 2022, Nigeria's procurement was confirmed with the announcement that Northrop Grumman had been awarded a USD7.7 million contract modification “for the production and delivery...
South Korea regards its Lockheed Martin F-35A fleet as being a critical component of its ‘Three-Axis' kill-chain system. (South Korea Ministry of National Defense)
South Korea has signed a letter of acceptance (LOA) to acquire additional Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said on 1 January that the LOA was signed in December. Janes previously reported in September 2023 that South Korea had requested a sale of as many as 25 F-35As from the US government...
A UK F-35B flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth intercepted a Russian Ilyushin Il-22 Coot special mission aircraft on 6 October. NATO has reported a drop in alliance interceptions of Russian military aircraft for 2023 compared with the spike of 2022, with numbers now at about the same level as before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. (Royal Norwegian Air Force)
The number of NATO intercepts of Russian military aircraft fell in 2023 to approximately the same levels as before the war in Ukraine was...
An artist's rendering of the MiG-UTS shows it to be similar in appearance to the L-39 it is intended to replace. This is based largely on earlier design work done in the 1990s on the MiG-AT that is now being carried over. (Rostec)
Russia's Mikoyan (MiG) design bureau is developing a new affordable jet trainer aircraft to be used by the country's aviation forces, the Rostec conglomerate announced on 28 December.
The MiG-UTS will be a twin-seat, single-engined aircraft that will form part of a wider training system being developed.
“We have...
The Anka 3 UCAV flew for the first time on 28 December. (Turkish government)
The Turkish Aerospace (TA) Anka 3 flying-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) made its maiden flight on 28 December.
The flight over Ankara lasted for 70 minutes, during which the UCAV reached a height of 8,000 ft and a speed of 150 kt.
The existence of a low-observable, jet-powered UCAV was first made public in December 2022. The first taxi tests were performed in April 2023.
According to TA, the maximum take-off weight of the Anka 3 is 6.5 tons. The UCAV...
South Korea's fleet of 22 Westland WG13 Lynx Mk 99 maritime helicopters has been operational with the RoK Navy since 1991. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
South Korea has approved a plan to replace the country's ageing Westland WG13 Lynx Mk 99 maritime helicopter fleet amid other decisions on future rotary-wing-related acquisitions.
During its 158th meeting on 29 December, the Defense Acquisition Program Committee backed a “basic strategic plan” to replace the Republic of Korea (RoK) Navy's 22 operational Lynx Mk 99s. The Lynxes, which entered...
The 15,000 lbf-class turbofan engine to be developed by South Korea could potentially lead to a domestic powerplant for the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50/FA-50 trainer/light fighter and unmanned combat aerial vehicles. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced that it has launched a research programme to develop a 15,000 lbf-class turbofan engine for fighter aircraft.
In a statement on 26 December, DAPA said it plans to complete the development of the engine by the mid-to-lat...
With five KC-390 aircraft already on order, the Portuguese Air Force is considering the procurement of a sixth aircraft as part of a wider revamp of its capabilities. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
The Portuguese Air Force (FAP) is looking to strengthen its transport and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities through the acquisition and modernisation of existing aircraft.
The Director of the Engineering and Programs Directorate, Brigadier General João Rui Ramos Nogueira, told Janes that a sixth KC-390 Millennium tanker-t...
The 100th Polish-built Black Hawk helicopter rolled off the PZL Mielec production line in late November. (PZL Mielec)
Lockheed Martin's subsidiary, PZL Mielec, recently turned out the 100th S-70 Black Hawk helicopter to be built at its facility in southern Poland.
Announced at the end of November, the milestone helicopter was an S-70i for the Polish Armed Forces (as well as the S-70i, the plant also builds the S-70M with the difference between the two being one of certification).
News of the achievement came about 14 years after the compan...
On 22 December the Netherlands said it had made the first 18 F-16s available to Ukraine, with more potentially to follow. (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
The Netherlands has released to Ukraine the first 18 Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, with others potentially to follow.
Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren made the announcement on 22 December, saying that with the export approvals in place, the jets are being prepared for delivery. No details on the delivery timeline were provided, except that it would happen when t...
German C-130Js are to be equipped for the SOF role, a senior Luftwaffe official has disclosed. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Germany is to equip its Lockheed Martin C-130J transport aircraft for the special operations forces (SOF) role, it was revealed in late November.
The Head of the Air Transport/Jet/Unmanned Aircraft System Branch at the German Air Force Command, Colonel Stefan Kleinheyer, made the disclosure during the SAE Media Group Military Airlift and Air-to-Air Refuelling conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
The SOF capabilities con...
The second MHI (Sikorsky) SH-60L developmental prototype (serial no 8502) conducts a flight test. (ATLA)
Japan has completed the development of its improved Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) (Sikorsky) SH-60L maritime helicopter.
Designed as an improved anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, the new SH-60L has an updated engine transmission, an ultra-high-speed datalink, and improved ASW systems, according to the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD). According to Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agenc...
Australia's fleet of Airbus A330 (KC-30A) MRTTs is receiving improved communications, tactical datalink, and encryption systems to bring the fleet to the latest “enhanced A330 MRTT” standard. (Commonwealth of Australia)
The first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) has received a communications and cyber upgrade.
Australia's fleet of seven KC-30As are having their secure high-frequency (HF) and very-high frequency (VHF) radios, encryption device, and tactical datalink systems enhanced under the...
South Korea's upgraded Joint Fire Operation System (JFOS-K) provides the Republic of Korea's (RoK's) military with the ability to conduct theatre-level integrated firepower operations with air, sea, and ground forces. It is also connected to other battlefield information, asset management, and command-and-control systems of the RoK and US military forces. (DAPA/Janes)
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced that the military's Joint Fire Operation System (JFOS-K) has been upgraded to support integrated,...
The US Army's 30 mm counter-UAS turret in M-LIDS fires at a target from Udairi Range, Kuwait. (US Army)
The US Army is increasing the number of Coyote loitering munition interceptors as part of the Mobile-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (M-LIDS), according to a new contracting notice.
The army plans put Raytheon on contract to build 6,000 Coyote kinetic interceptors by 2029, according to the request for information (RFI) released on 18 December. The Coyote Block 2 counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) have b...
A US Army Sikorsky UH-60L in medical evacuation markings. (P Jackson)
The US Army is set to divest 157 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters as the service sheds excess capacity and prepares for Bell V-280 Valor's entry into service.
“The majority of the reduction comes from older UH-60 Lima models along with a few remaining UH-60 Alpha models,” the Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aviation told Janes on 21 December.
The UH-60s are to be culled from units not deploying or preparing to deploy, PEO Aviation said.
The army today op...
The Japan-US joint project aims to develop artificial intelligence and machine learning for new UAVs that will operate alongside Japan's next-generation GCAP fighter aircraft. (Japan Ministry of Defense)
Japan and the United States will conduct joint research to develop artificial intelligence (AI) for new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that will be used in a ‘loyal wingman' role alongside the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the US Department of Defense (DoD) sig...