Air Warfare

British Army drone operators gain expertise

26th January 2023

The British Army has contracted Inzpire to supply UAS training services to its operators in support of a mini drone contract led by Lockheed Martin UK.

Air Warfare

Last upgraded light combat aircraft delivered to Czech Air Force

20th January 2023

Work on the L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft included inspection and testing of parts, plus technical improvements to some components and functions of the aircraft.

Training

Draken Europe flies first red air training sortie against Royal Air Force

21st December 2022

Draken Europe has conducted the first red air aggressor training sortie with its L-159E honey badger against a Royal Air Force asset.

Air Warfare

Aeralis to contribute to Global Combat Air Programme efforts

13th December 2022

The UK MoD will use Aeralis's digital enterprise system for development of a variety of future programmes, including the Global Combat Air Programme and Future Combat Air System, with the goal of reduced timescale and cost.

Air Warfare

Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to receive new electric ground power units

28th November 2022

New battery-powered ground power units will replace diesel systems at two RAF Typhoon bases, with the aim of reducing emissions and cutting costs.

Air Warfare

BriteCloud decoy for combat aircraft moves closer to US service

25th November 2022

The Air National Guard has 'recommended' use of the BriteCloud 218 decoy system following a series of DoD trials.

Training

I/ITSEC 2022: Virtual Flag exercise enhances Five Eyes training capabilities

22nd November 2022

Virtual Flag is one of the US DoD's largest exercises, allowing three other Five Eyes allies, Australia, Canada and the UK to train in a live, virtual and constructive environment from anywhere on the planet.

Air Warfare

Airbus and Royal Air Force achieve sustainable aviation fuel milestone

22nd November 2022

The Royal Air Force, Airbus and other industry partners have conducted the UK's first ever 100% sustainable aviation fuel flight, replicating an air-to-air refuelling sortie.

Transport/tanker aircraft

A400M-UK

RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 when ...

ISR/special mission

Shadow R1 (UK)

Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

AEW&C

E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

Programme Background The E-7 fleet will replace the current E-3D Sentry aircraft and ensure continued delivery of the UK’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C;) ...

Fighter - multirole

Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Protector RG1 (UK)

Programme Background Programme Goal The programme's stated goal is to replace the MQ-9As in the RAF's inventory with the new, improved MQ-9Bs. With MQ-9B delivering a UK Sovereign ...

Maritime patrol

P-8A Poseidon-UK

Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

Transport

Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, requires industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Bayraktar TB2 - Second Batch (Morocco)

Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

FCAS Loyal Wingman (UK)

Programme Background FCAS Loyal Wingman Tim Martin reported for Shephard in December 2021 that the international partners involved in the sixth-generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Tempest programme ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing

Project Mosquito (UK)

Programme Background Inception and Capabilities In 2019, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with the RAF, released details of its new UAS ...

Fighter - naval

F-35B UK

The total cost of the currently funded programme as reported through the UK Major Projects Report is expected to be £10.5 billion ($13.5 billion), covering ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Bayraktar TB2 - First Batch (Morocco)

Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

ISR/special mission

ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Project Vixen (UK)

Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

Military helicopters - multirole

New Medium Helicopter (UK)

Programme Background Details of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) plan were included in an NMH Market Interest Day solicitation issued to the industry on 11 ...

EO/IR systems

RAPTOR

The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

EO/IR systems

DJRP

The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

Avionics: displays

Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

Air: air combat simulators

Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

FIASTS

Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

Air: air combat simulators

Air Combat Training

Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

Air: maintenance simulators

Engineering and Maintenance Training

BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

Air: maintenance simulators

C-17 Globemaster III MTS

TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...

ISR/special mission, Trainer

TC-135S/W

The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing

LANCA / Mosquito

The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

Air: air combat simulators

Hawk Oman Training System

In 2014, L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) received a contract from BAE Systems to develop the Hawk Oman Training System (HOTS). The training system will ...

Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

TTF

BAE Systems manages the Typhoon Training Facility (TTF) for the UK MoD at RAF Coningsby, England. The facility supports the operational conversion unit and squadron ...

Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

UK MFTS

The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

Air: helicopter flight simulators

Chinook HC Mk 4 HATS

Thales’ Helicopter Avionics Training System (HATS) for the RAF is designed to accurately simulate the avionic systems on the Chinook Mk 4 using physical flight ...

Air: UAV simulators

Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...