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...

The Leonardo 109 LUH helicopter was one of several aircraft types listed in the South African defence minister's parliamentary answer on poor type availability. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  The South African Air Force (SAAF) is largely grounded, with poor availability rates for both its fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft types, the country's government has reported.  Answering a question in the National Assembly of South Africa, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise cited availability figures, which she said implied that “the defen...

France is to upgrade its A330-200 Phénix MRTT fleet into C2 nodes for the Future Combat Air System/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur. (AAE)  France is to upgrade its fleet of Airbus Defence and Space (DS) A330-200 Phénix Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for greater command-and-control (C2) connectivity, the manufacturer announced on 23 October.  The Standard 2 upgrade will convert the French Air and Space Force's (Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace: AAE's) final fleet of 15 aircraft “into a high bandwidth communication relay node, with...

A B-52H Stratofortress takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, in 2021, to conduct a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A ARRW Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2. (US Air Force/Matt Williams)  The US Air Force (USAF) launched a Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on 12 October.  “This test launched a full prototype operational hypersonic missile and focused on the ARRW's end-to-end performance,” the USAF said in a statement. “The air force gained valuable new insights into the capabilities of thi...

KAI expects to complete integration of the Mistral ATAM with its Marine Attack Helicopter by 2027. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)  MBDA has received a contract from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to integrate its Mistral Air-to-Air Missile (ATAM) system on the new Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH).    The contract was announced on 17 October, during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2023. An MBDA spokesperson told   Janes   during ADEX 2023 that the contract was signed earlier this year.   The Mistral AT...

KAI's two-tiered combat MUM-T concept involves a formation of four unmanned fighters paired with a single KAI KF-21 fighter aircraft with an additional three to four smaller air-launched effects (designated by KAI as Adaptable Aerial Platforms) providing additional support. (Janes)  After unveiling a new unmanned fighter (or ‘loyal wingman') programme in support of the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 in May 2023, two KAI officials told Janes that the company is also conceptualising air-launched effects (ALEs) to be linked to the unmann...

The Republic of Korea Army displays the Battalion surveillance UAV at ADEX 2023 in Seoul. (Janes/Amit Kalra)  The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) displayed the Battalion multi-purpose rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held in Seoul from 17 to 22 October.  The UAV is being developed by the RoKA's Army Tiger Demonstration Brigade, which was formed in 2022 to test and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems capability.  A representative from the RoKA told Janes that the army...

One of the three KC-390 tanker-transport aircraft to be fielded by the Portuguese Air Force. (Victor Barreira)  The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa: FAP) formally started operations with the first Embraer KC-390 Millennium medium-lift tanker-transport aircraft on 19 October.  The service said that the delivery flight between Brazil and Portugal marked the beginning of the KC-390's operational activity within the FAP.    The aircraft with tail number 26901 is scheduled to achieve the initial operational capability (IOC) in Ma...

Firstec said it plans to improve its canister-launched loitering UAV for increased speed and range by 2025. The version shown in this image is the initial reconnaissance UAV. A later variant will be a loitering munition. (Janes)  A new loitering unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by South Korea's Firstec Co Ltd has been undergoing field trials with the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).    A company representative told   Janes   during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 on 20 October that 10 UAV...

A B-52H Stratofortress takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, in 2021, to conduct a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A ARRW Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2. (US Air Force/Matt Williams)  The US Air Force (USAF) launched a Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) on 12 October.  “This test launched a full prototype operational hypersonic missile and focused on the ARRW's end-to-end performance,” the USAF said in a statement. “The air force gained valuable new insights into the capabilities of thi...

An Airbus C295 transport aircraft from a previous Ecuadorian Air Force order departs Airbus' Seville production facility for delivery on 6 June 2014. (Airbus Defence and Space Electronics (formerly Cassidian Optroni))  The government of Ecuador announced the acquisition of two Airbus C295 aircraft on 18 October. President Guillermo Lasso revealed the deal on social media platforms, highlighting the security and emergency response roles the aircraft are set to play.  “We have finalized the purchase of two C295 aircraft from Airbus, which will...

Huneed Technologies and Nordic Wing have agreed to partner on promoting the Astero/Troy UAV to Indo-Pacific countries. (Janes/Amit Kalra)  South Korean firm Huneed Technologies has entered a partnership with Danish firm Nordic Wing to collaborate on promoting the latter's Astero unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Indo-Pacific.  Under the partnership agreement – signed on 19 October on the third day of the International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held in Seoul – Huneed Technologies will lead regional campaigns for the UAV and...

Two of three 737 NG airframes undergoing conversion to Wedgetail AEW1 platforms by STS Aviation Services in Birmingham, England. The MoD has cited contractor performance and other issues behind delays to the programme. (Boeing)  The United Kingdom has spelt out the causes for the delay to the delivery schedule of the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning Mk1 (AEW1) aircraft.  Answering questions in the House of Commons on 18 October, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), James Cartlidge, said the delay had been caused by...