October 2021 news

Defense Aviation and Aerospace Industry


 

UK: First air-to-air refuelling for Royal Air Force A400M Atlas

According to information published by the Royal Air Force on October 28, 2021, in trials conducted recently by RAF Brize Norton based 206 Squadron, the large transport aircraft received fuel from a Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker.

Brazilian and Swedish air forces about to receive first Saab Gripen E fighters

The first production Saab Gripen E fighters are being completed and should be dispatched in 2022, Ricardo Meier reports in Air Data News. About 30 of the 106 ordered aircraft are already on the assembly line.

Russia ready to supply Mi-171Sh helicopters to Peruvian Air Force

According to information published by Tass on October 29, 2021, Moscow is ready to supply combat aircraft to Peru if the country makes a request, CEO of Russia's state arms seller Rosoboronexport (part of the Rostec state corporation) Alexander Mikheyev said in an interview ahead of the SITDEF 2021 international defense exhibition.

Royal Air Force tests TPS-75 ground deployable radar

According to information published by the Royal Air Force on October 28, 2021, the Control and Reporting Center team at the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, recently evaluated the Air Force's primary ground deployable radar, the TPS-75, at the Oregon Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Squadron, Camp Rilea, Oregon.

Uruguay will soon receive a Bell 212 helicopter from the US

According to information published by Scramble on October 26, 2021, the Bell 212 helicopter will soon be delivered to the Uruguayan Air Force by the United States.

Ilyushin to gather Russian aircraft manufacturers under its wing

Ilyushin Aviation Complex was joined by the Ulyanovsk Aviastar-SP, Voronezh-based VASO, Myasishchev Design Bureau, as well as companies IL-Resource and UAC-TS.

Rheinmetall and Thales to continue taking care of Tiger helicopter simulators in France and Germany

Together with its partner Thales, Rheinmetall will continue to look after the helicopter simulators used for training crews of the Tiger attack helicopter. In summer 2021, a contract to this effect was awarded through OCCAR, the European procurement organization. This integrated service support contract, which for Rheinmetall represents sales in the low double-digit million-euro range, runs from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025

US Space Systems Command awards L3Harris contract to upgrade Counter Communications Systems

L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $120,766,929 fixed-price incentive-firm contract for a ground-based, deployable electronic warfare capability to reversibly deny satellite communications, early warning and propaganda. 

UK extends Royal Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft support contract

UK’s three RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft will benefit from an extension to the support arrangement with the US Government until 2035 in a deal worth £970 million. The Ministry of Defence say that the agreement will continue to benefit from maintenance, spare parts, engineering support, technical data and access to capability updates.

Two Russian Tu-22M3 bombers perform scheduled flight over Black Sea

Two Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed a scheduled flight over the Black Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on October 26.

France: Successful launch for Syracuse 4A, a latest generation military satellite

October 24, 2021 is an important date for the French defense space program. The Guyanese Space Center, based in Kourou, was the scene of the successful launch of a latest generation military satellite: Syracuse 4A. This system modernizes military satellite telecommunications capabilities, essential to maintaining the link between the command and the armed forces deployed on the ground, in the sea or in the air, and for France's strategic autonomy.

US Air Force Eielson F-35s participate in Weapons System Evaluation Program prior to Pacific deployment

The 356th Fighter Squadron made history as the first F-35A Lightning II unit in the Pacific Air Forces to participate in an air-to-air weapons evaluation here, Oct. 8-23, 2021. This is the second fifth-generation platform to be evaluated on live-fire air-to-air weapons employment in support of National Defense Strategy objectives.

US Air Force awards Georgia Tech contract for Advanced Radar Threat System ARTS-V1

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $770,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Radar Threat System - Variant 1 (ARTS-V1) production systems.

Kratos awarded new US Air Force Program of $17.6 Million to develop and test jet UAS for manned-unmanned teaming

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced on Octobr 26 that Kratos Unmanned Systems Division (KUSD) has been awarded a $17,677,612, 12-month cost plus fixed-fee contract to design and develop an Off Board Sensing Station (OBSS) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in support of Air Force Research Laboratory’s Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) technology maturation portfolio. Work under the program award will be performed at secure Kratos engineering and technology facilities located in Texas, California, and Oklahoma over the next 12 months.

US Air Force partners with Twelve to convert CO2 into operationally viable aviation fuel

What if you could access fuel from anywhere on the planet, at any time, no tanker required? The US Air Force thinks it’s possible with ground-breaking carbon transformation technology. Separate from carbon capture and storage or carbon utilization, carbon transformation can turn carbon dioxide from the air into nearly any chemical, material, or fuel, including jet fuel.

Rostec completed factory testing of spy drone sound detection system

The Ataka-Shorokh acoustic reconnaissance module, created by the specialists of the subsidiary holding Ruselectronics, has successfully passed the factory acceptance tests. The equipment confirmed the declared technical characteristics - in particular, the ability to detect drones flying in radio silence by sound at a distance. This was announced at the Interpolitex-2021 exhibition.

Spangdahlem refuels BTF bombers with VIPER kit for first time

Two B-1B Lancers from Dyess Air Force Base’s 9th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, currently operating from Royal Air Force Fairford, England, conducted hot-pit refueling using the innovative Versatile Integrated Partner Equipment Refueling (VIPER) kit, at Spangdahlem AB Oct. 11.

L3Harris completes first flight of new US Air Force electronic warfare aircraft

L3Harris Technologies reached a significant milestone in electronic warfare (EW), completing the first flight of what will become the U.S. Air Force’s advanced Compass Call aircraft designed to combat enemy threats.

US: 53rd unit tests container against chemical and biological attacks

The 28th Test and Evaluation Squadron recently tested a modified shipping container called a Collective Protection Conex against biological and chemical attacks during a week-long demonstration.

Russian Helicopters will present Ansat and Mi-171A2 at SITDEF-2021

Russian Helicopters holding will take part in the eighth International Exhibition of Defense, Security and Disaster Prevention Technologies SITDEF-2021, which takes place in Lima from October 28 to 31 at the territory of the General Staff of the Peruvian Ground Forces. This year the holding will present to potential customers models of the light Ansat and the heavy Mi-171A2.

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