13 April 2022
by Gillian Rich
A F-35A Lightning II takes flight. (Lockheed Martin)
The US Air Force (USAF), Navy (USN), and Marine Corps (USMC) all want more Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters than they officially requested for fiscal year (FY) 2023, the services told Congress in their respective unfunded priority lists.
The Pentagon officially requested USD11 billion for 61 F-35 fighters in 2023, down from the 94 it had previously projected, but the services recently told lawmakers they would like additional aircraft if possible, according to the unfunded priority lists obtained by Janes.
More specifically, the USAF would like USD921 million for seven additional F-35A conventional variant fighters to augment its official request for 33 fighters.
The USN, meanwhile, said it could use an additional USD708 million in FY 2023 for six more F-35C carrier variant jets than its request for nine aircraft.
USMC leaders also said they would like USD357.6 million more than they officially requested for three additional F-35B short take-off and landing variantjets, which would mean acquiring 18 F-35B aircraft next year, along with three additional F-35C aircraft above its official request for four aircraft.
28 March 2024
by Yaakov Lappin & Jeremy Binnie
Oron arriving at Nevatim Air Base in April 2023. (Israeli Air Force)
The Oron intelligence-gathering aircraft is carrying out missions in support of Operation ‘Iron Swords' against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on 26 March.
“The aircraft became operational quickly for use in Operation ‘Iron Swords' and has already recorded hundreds of operational flight hours and close to 100 sorties,” the MoD said in a statement.
Developed by the MoD's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the Oron is a Gulfstream G550 business jet equipped with an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar produced by IAI subsidiary Elta, as well as electro-optical and signals intelligence (SIGINT) sensors and advanced data-processing systems.
“What makes Oron unique is its ability to perform a wide range of intelligence missions in the same sortie and to transmit in real time to all relevant entities,” the MoD's statement said. It added that the aircraft can collect a larger volume of information than any other Israeli platform.
28 March 2024
by Oishee Majumdar
Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle taking off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on 21 March. The rocket carried a US satellite, which includes an experimental communications payload developed by the NZDF. (Rocket Lab)
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has launched an experimental communications payload into orbit with the help of a research satellite developed by the US Navy's (USN's) Naval Postgraduate School (NPS).
This communications payload, named ‘Korimako', will “allow defence scientists to conduct space communications research”, the NZDF said on 28 March. Korimako is the first payload to be launched into space by the NZDF.
“A team of scientists from the NZDF's Defence Science & Technology (DST) will monitor and interact with Korimako via our Whangaparaoa Ground Station, north of Auckland,” the NZDF added.
The NZDF said initial tests conducted by the DST indicate that Korimako is “operating as expected”.
“[Korimako will facilitate DST to conduct research that] aims to build practical experience in space science and technology, test processes for New Zealand government space operations, and generate knowledge to enable future NZDF and wider government space development,” David Galligan, DST director, said.
27 March 2024
by Gareth Jennings
One of four Reaper UAVs now operated by the RNLAF. As well as doubling its fleet to eight, the Netherlands plans to upgrade its Reapers with a raft of enhanced capabilities. (Royal Netherlands Air Force)
The Netherlands is to equip its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with a raft of enhancements over the next three years, the manufacturer said on 27 March.
Following previously disclosed plans by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) to double its fleet size from four to eight air vehicles, GA-ASI spelled out some of the capability upgrades that the service intends to add.
“Upgrades to their aircraft [will] include capabilities such as maritime radars, a communications relay, extended range fuel tanks, electronic support measures (ESM), and weapons,” the manufacturer said.
As noted by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Ruedisueli, the commander of the RNLAF's 306 Squadron that operates the type, the Netherlands plans to use its Reapers across an increasing range of mission sets for its national and NATO needs. “With these upgrades, we will support NATO's ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] and maritime surveillance missions throughout Europe,” he was quoted as saying by GA-ASI.
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