Military

309th AMARG

‘Bats’ complete final EC-130H sortie

10th April 2024

The USAF’s 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron (ECS) ‘Bats’ – a part of Air Combat Command’s 55th Electronic Combat Group (ECG) – marked a major milestone in its transition to the new Gulfstream G550-based EA-37B Compass Call electronic attack (EA) aircraft on February 15, when the unit completed its final flight with the legacy EC-130H Compass Call (pictured) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

Lockheed Martin

F-35 achieves major production, nuclear milestones

10th April 2024

The Pentagon’s Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, William A LaPlante, formally approved the US-led Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program – the development project behind the F-35 Lightning II – to finally move into full-rate production (FRP), following the attainment of the type’s Milestone C landmark, writes Tom Kaminski.

German Air Force

First German KC-130J heads to Évreux

10th April 2024

The Luftwaffe’s (German Air Force’s) first KC-130J Hercules (55+05) departed Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Marietta, Georgia, on February 28 on its delivery flight to Évreux-Fauville Air Base (BA105), France, where it will join the Franco-German Bilateral Air Transport Squadron (BATS).

Beechcraft

First Royal Canadian Air Force CE-145C Vigilance arrives

10th April 2024

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF’s) No 8 Wing celebrated the arrival of the first of three new King Air 350ER manned airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (MAISR) aircraft to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton in Ontario on February 23, writes Tom Kaminski.

Italy

‘Buzzards’ F-16CM pays homage to 31st FW

10th April 2024

The 31st Fighter Wing (FW) at Aviano Air Base in northern Italy – a part of US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces-Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) command – has rolled out new special tail art for its flagship F-16CM Fighting Falcon.

Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon

‘Wolf Pack’ honours Op Bolo

9th April 2024

An F-16CM (89-2060/WP) assigned to the 35th FS ‘Pantons’ – part of the USAF’s 8th FW ‘Wolf Pack’ at Kunsan AB, South Korea – has received special two-tone South-East Asia (SEA) camouflage tail.

Acquisitions

USAF now plans to buy less than 100 F-15EXs

26th March 2024

As part of its FY25 budget request, the USAF has revealed that it now plans to purchase 18 F-15EXs, rather than the 24 Eagle IIs that were initially set to be acquired. This would take the total planned F-15EX procurement from a total of 104 aircraft to just 98

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey

Pentagon clears Osprey flight operations to resume

26th March 2024

The Pentagon has cleared all three variants of the V-22 Osprey to return to flight after what has been a three-month grounding. US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) initially grounded its CV-22B fleet after the fatal loss of an aircraft on November 29, 2023, before US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) grounded the rest of the US Osprey force

India

Indian Navy stands up INAS 334 as first MH-60R squadron

26th March 2024

The Indian Navy (IN) marked a pivotal moment in its modernisation journey on March 6, when the service formally commissioned its first MH-60R Seahawk multi-role maritime helicopters into operational service with Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 334 at Indian Naval Station (INS) Garuda in Kochi

Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf

USAF scales back Grey Wolf acquisition plans

26th March 2024

The USAF has scaled back its fielding plans for the MH-139A Grey Wolf multi-mission helicopter, reducing the size of the planned fleet by nearly 50%

German Air Force

Special 50th anniversary Tornado scheme unveiled

25th March 2024

A German Air Force Panavia Tornado IDS has been painted in a special scheme to mark the 50th anniversary of the aircraft type’s first flight.

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

A-10 Demo Team announce 2024 is final airshow season

21st March 2024

The A-10 Demo Team has announced that this will be its last season on the airshow circuit.

United States (US)

Pentagon unveils $850bn FY25 budget request and eyes further aircraft retirements

19th March 2024

Released on March 11, the $849.8bn FY25 President’s Budget for the US Department of Defense (DOD) represents an increase of $7.8bn in spending when compared to the FY24 base request. The $167.6bn procurement budget includes $61.2bn for new military aircraft and related systems

Aircraft Carrier

Carl Vinson completes first Indo-Pacific deployment with Block III Super Hornets

19th March 2024

The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) – the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 1 (CSG-1) – returned to its homeport at NAS North Island in San Diego, California, on February 23, after completing a four-month deployment to the Western Pacific region and marking the end of the first operational cruise for the service’s new F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets

Airlift

Brazil bids fond farewell to legacy Hercules fleet

19th March 2024

The Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB; Brazilian Air Force) bid a fond farewell to its remaining C-130 Hercules tactical transports at Galeão Air Base (AB) in Rio de Janeiro on February 29, with the type having flown more than 377,000 operational flight hours over the past 60 years

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