The first of two Textron T-54s delivered to the US Navy, intended to replace the T-44s. The deliveries were announced on 22 April. (US Navy)

US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) accepted delivery of the first two Textron T-54 Multi-Engine Training System (METS) aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas, the service announced on 22 April. The aircraft are set to begin training students at NAS Corpus Christi's Training Air Wing Four in boreal spring 2025, the US Navy (USN) told Janes .

The USN intends to operate 64 of the Textron King Air 200-based aircraft, which will replace the Textron T-44 as the service's main twin-engine pilot training aircraft. Deliveries are set to run through 2026, and the aircraft is meant to operate until 2055.

“This aircraft brings modernised training to student naval aviators and prepares them for the advanced aircraft they will fly in the fleet,” said Captain Duane Whitmer, USN programme manager.

Sonar 2087 (the variable depth towed body is pictured here) remains the RN surface fleet's principal long-range ASW sensor. SEA's software application is designed to automatically determine the optimum deployment depth of an active sonar projector and the receive array within the water column. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX)

UK company Systems Engineering and Assessment (SEA) has been tasked to demonstrate a software application designed to enhance the performance of the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) principal surface ship anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonar system.

In a 16 April announcement, the company said it would work with prime contractor Thales UK to test the software under the umbrella of the RN's ASW Spearhead programme. While SEA has not explicitly identified the potential exploitation, it is understood to be a candidate solution for the Capability Insertion Project (CIP) designed to improve the performance of the Sonar 2087 variable depth low-frequency active/passive sonar system fitted to RN Type 23 frigates.

One of the six C-130s that Germany is contributing to the joint unit with France seen at ILA 2022 in Berlin. All 10 of the unit's aircraft are now located at Évreux-Fauville Air Base in northern France. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The joint Franco-German C-130 air transport squadron has received its final aircraft, with all 10 Lockheed Martin KC/C-130J tanker and transport aircraft now located at Évreux-Fauville Air Base in northern France.

With the French Air and Space Force (Armee de l'Air et de l'Espace: AAE) having already received its two KC-130J and two C-130J-30 aircraft, the Luftwaffe said on 19 April that its final KC-130J has now been flown into the same location to join its two previously delivered KC-130Js and three C-130J-30s.

The C-130 air transport has an unrestricted exchange of aircraft, aircrews, and maintainers, as well as technical and logistical support based on a common pool of spare parts and a common service support contract. “Ten aircraft, two nations, one association – there has never been anything like this in Europe,” the Bundeswehr earlier said.

The joint air transport squadron is scheduled to achieve full operating capability in 2024–25.