The Indian Air Force is scheduled to have all 56 ordered Airbus C295s in service by August 2031. (Airbus Defence and Space)
Airbus Defence and Space has handed over the first of 56 C295 transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to Airbus Defence and Space, the C295 was delivered on 13 September in transport configuration and with an indigenous electronic warfare (EW) suite. Th aircraft “will leave Airbus' production site in Seville, Spain, for Delhi, India, in the next few days, piloted by a joint IAF-Airbus crew”, the com...
Denmark has begun training Ukrainian pilots on its F-16s, ahead of transferring the aircraft to the embattled country. (NATO)
Denmark has commenced the training of Ukrainian pilots on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, the Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on 13 September.
Announcing a media event for the arrival of the first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II into Flyvestation Skrydstrup (Skrydstrup Air Base), the MoD noted that Ukrainian pilots were being trained on the F-16 at the station.
“Among other th...
The Northrop Grumman B-21. (Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman has commenced engine runs of the B-21 Raider bomber for the first time, the US Air Force (USAF) announced on 12 September.
The first engine run took place at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California, factory where the aircraft was built. Further details, including whether the engine runs involved a single engine or both engines, were not immediately available.
“Engine testing is an essential milestone for the program as the world's first sixth-generation aircraft continues on th...
A computer-generated image of the P2012 Sentinel SMP equipped with sensors such as an EO/IR pod and IMSAR's NSP-7 radar for ISR operations. (IMSAR)
Taiwan's Apex Aviation and Utah-based IMSAR have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition 2023 (TADTE 2023) to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services to the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) of Taiwan.
IMSAR will integrate its NSP-7 radar system into Tecnam's P2012 Sentinel Special Mission Platform (SMP) ai...
The RAF intends to field the Striker II HMD on its Typhoon combat aircraft in 2027–28. (BAE Systems)
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted BAE Systems to further develop its Striker II helmet-mounted display (HMD) for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 combat aircraft.
The GBP40 million (USD49.9 million) award announced on 12 September at DSEI 2023 in London will see the company produce a number of test helmets for trials at its Warton site in northern England.
News of the contract came weeks after Group Captain Matthew D'Aubyn, Air Ca...
Gen Sanders said in his speech at DSEI 2023 that Ajax has been described “as an AH-64E on tracks”. (Janes/Nicholas Fiorenza)
The British Army will form an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) group by the end of 2023, the UK's Chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders, announced in a speech on the first day of the DSEI 2023 defence exhibition held in London from 12 to 15 September. He said the UAS group would be formed within a reoriented Joint Aviation Command, “which will provide a focal point for industry, around which we intend to de...
MBDA and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation are to partner on the effects domain of the GCAP effort to develop a sixth-generation combat aircraft. (BAE Systems)
MBDA and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation are to partner on the effects domain of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), it was announced on 13 September at DSEI 2023.
With MBDA UK and MBDA Italia representing the UK and Italy, respectively, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation will represent Japan in the weapons and effectors pillar of the tri-national programme....
Leonardo Helicopters showcased the AW149 it is bidding for the UK NMH requirement at the DSEI 2023 event in London. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Leonardo Helicopters has highlighted recent exports success as it prepares for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to launch the second phase of its New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement.
Timed to coincide with the biannual DSEI defence exhibition in London, the announcement on 11 September is part of a wider push by Leonardo to promote itself as ‘The Home of British Helicopters' as it looks to secure th...
BAE Systems is now working to find military applications and customers for the Airlander 10 hybrid airship. (HAV)
BAE Systems is to explore military opportunities for the Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) Airlander 10 hybrid airship.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) announced at the DSEI 2023 defence exhibition in London on 13 September will see the FalconWorks division of BAE Systems identify defence and security logistics and long-endurance airborne communications and surveillance requirements that might be satisfied by the ultralow-emissions...
A mock-up of the Eurofighter Typhoon featuring Halcon II livery was displayed at the Paris Air Show 2023. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Spain has officially launched its anticipated Halcon II follow-on buy of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, budgetary documents released by the government show.
Published by the Council of Ministers on 12 September, the documents say that 25 additional Eurofighters (designated C.16 in national service) will be acquired to replace the Boeing EF-18 Hornet (C.15M) aircraft that the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del...
The Skylark 1-eVTOL enables users to operate without launch and recovery equipment, or a runway. (Elbit Systems)
Elbit Systems will supply the Israel Defense Forces' Artillery Corps with its Skylark 1-eVTOL small unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the company announced at DSEI 2023 in London.
Speaking to Janes , Ziv Avni, vice president and head of marketing and business development for Elbit Systems' Aerospace division, said that the Skylark 1-eVTOL had been developed to match the operating profile of the company's Skylark...
An artist's impression of the Jackdaw loyal wingman revealed by QinetiQ at DSEI 2023. (QinetiQ)
QinetiQ launched its “low-cost, high-performance” Jackdaw attritable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the DSEI 2023 defence exhibition in London on 12 September.
Billed by the company as a UAV concept “to provide significant and affordable combat mass and battlespace capabilities”, the Jackdaw is intended to be what is colloquially known as a ‘loyal wingman' to manned combat aircraft.
“Designed for swarming and collaborative autonomous operation...
UK Space Command displays Tyche, an EO satellite being built by SSTL, at DSEI 2023. (Janes/Olivia Savage)
UK Space Command has displayed a scale model of the Tyche satellite at DSEI 2023 held between 12 and 15 September in London.
Tyche is a 150 kg concept demonstrator satellite being built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) under a GBP22 million (USD27.4 million) contract.
The system is based on the company's Carbonite family of electro-optical (EO) satellites and is scheduled to launch in 2024.
The primary purpose of Tyche is to...
The first EC-37B ‘Compass Call' (right) next to one of the EC-130Hs (left) it is intended to replace. (BAE Systems)
The US Air Force (USAF) has taken delivery of the first EC-37B ‘Compass Call' electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, missions systems integrators L3Harris and BAE Systems announced on 12 September.
The aircraft is the first of 10 for the USAF, replacing the Lockheed Martin EC-130H ‘Compass Call' aircraft. The aircraft is based on the Gulfstream G550 business jet and was constructed at Gulfstream's factory in Savannah, Georgia. The...
By Nigel Torp Petersen & Akshara Parakala13 September 2023
Anduril Industries Ghost-X small UAV. (Janes/Nigel Torp-Petersen)
Anduril Industries displayed an improved variant of its Ghost unmanned aircraft system (UAS) at DSEI 2023 in London.
The Ghost-X is designed to provide extended intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities over the earlier variant, including in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments.
The improved variant of the modular Ghost has a dual-battery configuration and an upgraded architecture that is designed to maximise payload capacity, range, en...
Aeralis showcased its new revised design concept for its modular jet at DSEI 2023. (Aeralis )
Aeralis has showcased a revised and refined design concept for its modular fast jet, with changes made to earlier configurations that are better suited to the transonic requirements of the ‘Red Air' training mission.
Shown for the first time at DSEI 2023 in London, the modified design cuts across the four mission configurations of twin-engined advanced jet trainer (AJT), single-engined AJT, surrogate/‘Red Air' aggressor, and unm...
An Australian Army trooper launches a Wasp AE UAV during an exercise in Queensland in August 2021. The Australian Army has contracted three companies from eastern Australia to develop UAVs that can support logistics operations as it accelerates efforts to automate supply and casualty evacuation missions. (Commonwealth of Australia)
The Australian Army is encouraging industry to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can facilitate logistics operations.
Three companies from eastern Australia have been contracted to develop medium-lift...
An artist's impression of the Leonardo Proteus RWUAS technology demonstrator, released at DSEI 2023. (Leonardo)
Leonardo's UK Helicopters business released at DSEI 2023 in London first details of the Rotary Wing Unmanned Aircraft System (RWUAS)design being developed by the company in conjunction with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), revealing a modular single engine/single main rotor multirole concept.
The 2–3 tonne RWUAS technology demonstrator, known as Project Proteus, is intended to provide evidence to inform the development of a futur...
Known as the Mwari in its ITAR-free configuration and as the Bronco II in its ITAR-compliant configuration, Paramount's light attack and ISR aircraft is now set to target European customers following recent success in Africa. (Paramount)
South Africa's Paramount Group is targeting European requirements as it looks to expand the growing customer base for its Mwari/Bronco II light attack and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, senior company officials told Janes on 12 September.
Speaking at...
The Black Recon VRS, displayed at DSEI 2023, autonomously launches and recovers UAVs and is suited for military vehicles as well as critical infrastructure. (Janes/Olivia Savage)
An autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) launch-and-recover system designed by Teledyne FLIR Defense and integrated with a new micro UAV has been debuted at DSEI 2023, held from 12 to 15 September in London.
Known as the Black Recon Vehicle Reconnaissance System (VRS), the prototype is intended to provide autonomous persistent reconnaissance, surveillance, and t...