Norway is to receive six MH-60R helicopters from 2025 to 2027. (US Navy)
Norway has signed for Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters, with a contract placed by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 26 October.
The USD364.3 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract covers six helicopters to be delivered to the Norwegian government from 2025 to 2027.
Notification on the contract came months after the US State Department approved the sale in April. Including mission equipment,...
The Northrop Grumman B-21. (Northrop Grumman)
The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider has begun taxi testing in Palmdale, California, according to the US Air Force (USAF).
“I can confirm the B-21 is conducting ground taxi activities,” a USAF spokesperson told Janes . “Rigorous testing is a critical step in the B-21 flight-test programme. Extensive testing evaluates systems, components, and functionalities. This testing allows us to mitigate risks, optimise design, and enhance operational effectiveness.”
The service declin...
An AH-64E flown by 3 Regiment during the recent Exercise ‘Iron Titan'. (Crown Copyright)
The British Army has declared the first regiment to transition to its latest Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter to be “ready for frontline” operations, the service announced on 23 October.
The Army Air Corps' (AAC's) 3 Regiment passed its validation tests during Exercise ‘Iron Titan', the British Army's largest land exercise for over 20 years, in September. The exercise saw 3 Regiment AAC validated in its core role of providing to 3rd (UK)...
Armenia has ordered three GM200 tactical, medium-range air-defence radars from Thales. (Thales)
Armenia is acquiring three tactical, medium-range air-defence radars from Thales and night-vision binoculars from Safran in a bid to strengthen its capabilities and territorial integrity.
The deal, announced on 23 October and signed between Armenian Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan and his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, involves the supply of Thales Ground Master 200 (GM200) tactical air-defence radars.
The French Armed Forces w...
DroneShield has integrated the RPS-82 4D AESA radar into its DroneSentry counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) suite (pictured). (DroneShield)
Australian company DroneShield has integrated the RPS-82 4D active electronically scanned array (AESA) pulse-Doppler radar developed by Israel-based DRS RADA Technologies into its DroneSentry counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) suite.
The RPS-82 will provide DroneSentry operators with an enhanced range for detection, classification, and tracking of hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Dro...
Under a recently announced agreement, Australian company Sentient will provide its Visual Detection and Ranging system for Shield AI's V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicle (pictured) to enhance the surveillance capabilities of the platform. (Shield AI)
Australia's Sentient Vision Systems has signed an agreement with US-based Shield AI to provide its wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) system for the latter's V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Under the agreement, Sentient will supply its Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) system, which will work a...
A graphic put out by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in May to mark the announcement by US President Joe Biden that F-16s would be sent to Ukraine. (Crown Copyright)
Ukrainian personnel have begun US-based training on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, the US Air Force (USAF) confirmed on 25 October.
A “small number” of Ukrainian Air Force pilots and maintainers arrived at the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard at Morris Air National Guard Base to begin learning the fundamentals of the F-16, a service spokespe...
Romas Industries displayed a model of its Jangvogo JV-1 WIG aircraft at ADEX 2023. (Janes/Amit Kalra)
South Korean firm Romas Industries displayed a model of its Jangvogo JV-1 wing-in-ground (WIG) effect aircraft at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023, which ended on 22 October.
Jang Young Shin, general manager of Romas Industries' e-Plane Department, told Janes that the JV-1 platform has been designed to meet civil and defence requirements for transport, search-and-rescue, special mission...
A single Australian Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft will support international aid operations into Ukraine. (Commonwealth of Australia)
A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft has deployed to Europe to help oversee military and humanitarian relief efforts into Ukraine.
The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 25 October that the aircraft that was pledged in July had arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, from where it will support th...
US Army soldiers conduct electronic warfare operations during field exercises at Camp Atterbury. (US Army)
The US Army's top officer is leading an effort to implement changes to the ground service's strategy for capability development on electronic warfare (EW) and deep-sensing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, identifying both areas as top priorities for research, development, and procurement.
“I think we recognise that EW is an area that the army has probably made limited investment in as a capability during...
Sikorsky takes delivery of the GE T901 ITEP engine. (Lockheed Martin)
The US Army has delivered two General Electric T901 Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) engines to Bell Helicopters and Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky, intended to power the companies' respective Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competitors. The companies took receipt of the 3,000 shaft horsepower engines on 20 October.
Both FARA competitors, the Bell 360 and Sikorsky Raider X, were effectively complete except for the engine. The T901's delivery has be...
TM-200, displayed at ADEX 2023, is a dual-purpose UAV capable of carrying an auxiliary firearm equipment. (Janes/Amit Kalra)
South Korean firm Nearby Easy Solution & Technology (NES&TEC) showcased a prototype of its TM-200 precision-attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023.
Speaking to Janes at the exhibition, which concluded on 22 October, a NES&TEC official said the TM-200 can be equipped with both electro-optic (EO) and infrared (IR) sensors on a three...
Under a recently announced agreement, Australian company Sentient will provide its Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) system for Shield AI's V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicle (pictured) to enhance the surveillance capabilities of the platform. (Shield AI)
Australia's Sentient Vision Systems has signed an agreement with US-based Shield AI to provide its wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) system for the latter's V-BAT unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Under the agreement, Sentient will supply its Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) system, which wi...
Japan plans to gradually replace its earlier-generation Northrop Grumman E-2Cs with the newer E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force's (JASDF's) E-2Cs, such as the aircraft in this image, were first inducted in 1982. (Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
Japan signed a contract for five additional Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in August 2023.
The Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD) told Janes that the contract was signed on 9 August. The MoD had not previously made thi...
The TB3 UCAV made its maiden flight on 20 October. (Baykar)
Turkey's Baykar has flown its Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) for the first time.
The maiden flight of the larger and more capable successor to the TB2 took place on 20 October, six months after it was officially unveiled at the Teknofest event held in Istanbul from 27 April to 1 May.
The TB3 has been designed with folding wings for service aboard Turkey's TCG Anadolu aircraft carrier, and its higher maximum take-off weight will enable it to carry a larger and...
US Navy personnel crew the workstations of a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft of the type that NATO has likely committed to increased aerial patrols of the Baltic Sea. (US Navy)
NATO has increased its aerial surveillance of the Baltic Sea following a spate of incidents that have seen critical subsea infrastructure damaged.
The alliance announced on 19 October that it is strengthening airborne patrols, assigning additional airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) t...
A British Army AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter showcasing its weapons package. Part of this package will comprise the JAGM missile, whose approval was granted on 23 October. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
The United States government has approved the sale of the Lockheed Martin AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) to the United Kingdom.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the State Department's approval on 23 October, saying that 3,000 missiles and related items are to be acquired for an estimated USD957.4 mill...
Seen during fit trials for the F-35, the AARGM-ER anti-radiation missile has been approved for sale to Finland. (Northrop Grumman)
The United States government has approved the sale of the Northrop Grumman AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) to Finland.
Announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the State Department's approval covers up to 150 of the anti-radiation missiles, as well as related equipment and services for an estimated USD500 million.
Although not mentioned in the ap...
Lockheed Martin is ending its LMXT programme. (Lockheed Martin photo by Brandon Stoker)
Lockheed Martin will not respond to the US Air Force's (USAF's) request for information (RFI) on the KC-135 Recapitalization programme, the company said in a 23 October statement, likely ending the chances of a competition.
“Lockheed Martin has decided not to respond to the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 fleet recapitalization Request for Information (RFI),” the company said in the statement.
The company declined to add much detail in response to questi...
The first production series Saab JAS 39 Gripen E, aircraft 6002, was handed over to the FMV for testing on 6 October ahead of the commencement of deliveries to the Swedish Air Force from 2025. (Saab )
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has received from Saab the first series production standard JAS 39 Gripen E combat aircraft for operational testing.
The FMV announced the development on 19 October, saying delivery of the single-seat aircraft had been handed over some days earlier on 6 October. Aircraft 6002 joins two prototyp...