Category: Aerospace

Aerospace

Ukrainian pilots begin F-16 training in Arizona

Ukrainian military pilots have begun learning to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet in Arizona, the U.S. Air Force confirmed Wednesday. A “small number” of Ukrainians started training at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson this week, Air Force spokesperson Rose Riley said in an emailed statement. Morris is home to the 162nd Wing of the Arizona National Guard,…

Airbus Signs MoU With IIT Kanpur To Boost Indian Aerospace Talent

  Airbus and the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate increased collaboration in developing education programmes to foster talent development in the Indian aerospace sector. The MoU was signed on September 1, 2023 between Prof. Abhay Karandikar, then Director IIT Kanpur, and Rémi Maillard, President and Managing Director, Airbus…

US Rushes ‘Smart’ Bombs to Israel as Hamas Holds Dozens Hostage

Boeing has begun delivering smart munitions to Israel as the country intensifies retaliation in the wake of Hamas’ large-scale surprise attack. An Israeli Air Force transport aircraft recently flew with the 250-pound (113 kilogram) Small Diameter Bombs from the US to Israel, Bloomberg revealed citing a US official. Israel bought 1,000 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) in 2021 for $735…

How Australia’s strategic review is changing Army acquisition plans

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Army will now receive less Redback infantry fighting vehicles than planned as the government redirects funding for that effort toward long-range strike systems and littoral maneuver craft. The government’s recent Defence Strategic Review recommended the Army pivot from a “balanced” structure of equally equipped combined arms brigades to a “focused” force able to meet the…

Israel Aerospace Industries sells spy satellites to Azerbaijan

Jerusalem – Azerbaijan’s space agency, Azercosmos, acquired two multi-spectral electro-optical spy satellites from Israel Aerospace Industries as part of the Azersky-2 program. The Azeri Agency and the Tel Aviv area-based company did not disclose the satellite model or value of the contract in announcing the deal, but both have previously said the agreement is worth about $120 million, and Defense…

Navigating India’s UAV Sector Turbulences

India’s quest for self-reliance in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology unveils a trajectory cluttered with regulatory impasses, technical teething troubles, and a fragmented approach despite sporadic advancements and strategic acquisitions. In the escalating theatre of modern warfare, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) delineate a paradigm shift, reshaping conventional stratagems and operational dynamics. The Indian subcontinent, despite its earnest endeavors, wades through a…

Air Canada discloses data breach of employee and ‘certain records’

Air Canada, the flag carrier and the largest airline of Canada, disclosed a cyber security incident this week in which hackers “briefly” obtained limited access to its internal systems. According to the airline, the incident resulted in the theft of a limited amount of personal information of some of its employees and “certain records.” Customer data was not affected. Hackers “briefly”…

911 call reveals bizarre circumstances of F-35 ejection

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — A military pilot whose advanced fighter jet went temporarily missing over the weekend is heard repeatedly requesting an ambulance in a perplexing 911 call from the South Carolina home where he had parachuted to safety, according to an audio recording released Thursday to The Associated Press. The four-minute recording captures the bizarre circumstances for the three unidentified people…

Austria to buy four Embraer C-390 cargo planes for over $500 million

  GRAZ, Austria — The Austrian Air Force will buy four Embraer C-390 “Millennium” aircraft to replace its aging fleet of three C-130 “Hercules” cargo planes in a deal that is expected to be worth more than half a billion Euros ($532 million), the defense ministry announced on Wednesday. Austria’s current fleet of turboprop transporters was purchased second-hand 20 years…

What we know about the Marine Corps F-35 crash in South Carolina

  The crash of an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in South Carolina over the weekend has raised numerous questions about what prompted the pilot to eject and how the $100 million warplane was able to keep flying pilotless for 60 miles before crashing. Here’s what is known about the modern warplane and its latest incident: ‘Forced to eject’ A U.S. Marine…

BAE to Explore Heavy-Lift Civilian Hybrid Airship for Military Role

BAE Systems and Hybrid Air Vehicles have agreed to jointly explore a long-range hybrid airship system for security and defense applications. Hybrid’s Airlander 10 will be trialed for new ways of communication and intelligence gathering, according to BAE. It is an “alternative sustainable and cost-effective solution to air logistics and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” according to Hybrid.  It complements…

US sanctions 5 Turkish firms in broad Russia action on over 150 targets

WASHINGTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) – The Biden administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on five Turkish companies and a Turkish national, accusing them of helping Russia evade sanctions and supporting Moscow in its war against Ukraine. The designations, first reported by Reuters, target shipping and trade companies accused of helping repair sanctioned vessels tied to Russia’s defense ministry and helping the transfer…

United Airlines Flight Plummets 28,000 Feet in 10 Minutes After Pressurization Issue

A United Airlines flight bound for Rome returned to New Jersey just after midnight Thursday “to address a possible loss of cabin pressure,” according to a statement from the airline. Data from the tracking site FlightAware show the plane rapidly descended over about 8 minutes from 37,000 feet at 10:07 p.m. to just below 9,000 feet at 10:15 p.m. Pilots…

Ukrainian Air Force confirms pilots will begin F-16 training at US air base in September

Experienced pilots from Ukraine will learn to pilot F-16s in the United States and Denmark, while young pilots will learn in the United Kingdom, Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, told NV in an interview on Sept. 15. In September, the “language” training of Ukrainian pilots and technicians will begin at an air base in Texas ahead of…

BAE Systems Hägglunds purchases Iron Fist from Israeli firm for $109 million

JERUSALEM — Elbit Systems will supply the Swedish BAE Systems Hägglunds with its Iron Fist Active Protection System for CV90s in a deal worth $109 million, the Israeli firm announced Tuesday. Elbit noted the systems are intended for a European country, but declined to identify it. Based on previous publications by BAE, it is likely the client is Slovakia. BAE…

Russia Pitches Combat Tested Weapons For Exports

Ukraine’s ongoing confrontations with Russia have captivated international attention, moving beyond mere territorial disputes. Ukrainian Defence Minister Alexey Reznikov had indicated a notable shift in these standoffs, which now double as a significant platform, not just for geopolitical engagements but also for the rigorous examination of cutting-edge military innovations. Western allies gauge their armament efficacy against Russia’s formidable array, while…