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November 2022 news
Defense Aviation and Aerospace Industry |
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Boeing announced on November 29 that it has been awarded a contract to deliver two additional KC-46A Pegasus tankers to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), bringing the total on contract for Japan to six. Boeing delivered the first KC-46A tanker to Japan in October 2021, and a second in February 2022.
Safran Electronics & Defense announced on November 29 that it has signed a contract with Italian company Leonardo to develop and supply the Euroflir 610 high-performance airborne electro-optical (optronic) system for the Eurodrone program.
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency on November 28 announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Finland of AIM 9X Block II tactical missiles, AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapons (JSOW) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $323.3 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.
Thailand continues discussing the possibility to acquire two Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, the country’s media reports echoed by Valius Venckunas in Aero Time. According to an interview with commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Alongkorn Wannarot, published by Thai PBS World news website, discussions regarding the purchase continue.
According to Liu Xuanzun in Global Times, China's aviation industry has started applying world-leading 3D printing technologies on new-generation warplanes, with 3D printed parts widely used on the newly developed Shenyang FC-31 stealth fighter aircraft that made its maiden flight not long ago, said a leading developer.
AirShow China 2022 marks the first time Chengdu Aerospace publicly displays its J20 stealth fighter on the ground, providing the public with the opportunity to see the aircraft in all the pre- and post-flight operations.
According to a PR published by Boeing on November 14, 2022, the company delivered the 20th CH-47F Chinook to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), concluding the country’s latest fleet update.
Developed by Feihong Company under the 9h Academy of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the FH-97A loyal wingman drone is publicly unveiled for the first time at Airshow China 2022. But FH-97 is somehow a clone of Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Drone displayed by the same Chinese company that previously unveiled a mockup copying Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie and is at it again with Boeing Australia’s signature design, Joseph Trevitck writes in The Drive: Boeing's Australian subsidiary developed Ghost Bat first for the Royal Australian Air Force, but the U.S. Air Force has also now acquired at least one example ostensibly to support research and development and test and evaluation efforts.
According to information published by the US government on November 9, 2022, the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Belgium of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment for a total estimated cost of $380 million.
The Chinese-designed Wing Loong II, or GJ-2 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is set to make flight demonstrations at Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai. The Chinese Air Force and some Chinese manufacturers will also perform various demos.
The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Northrop Grumman a contract for the purchase and integration of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload on two additional E-11A modified Bombardier business jets. BACN enhances tactical and situational awareness communications and coordination for joint and coalition forces.
Following the RFI answer received in 2020, Romania has since 2021 expressed interest in acquiring former Norwegian Air Force F-16A/B fighters as part of an effort to strengthen the capabilities of the Romanian Air Force. The final agreement was signed on 4 November following months of negotiations and includes 32 aircraft along with spare parts and support equipment, as well as maintenance and technical training services.
At Zhuhai, China has unveiled a new air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM) to arm its People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) Xi’an H-6K bomber fleet.
China’s Wing Loong-10 UAV has already been tested for a while and is now speculatively entering service with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Sakshi Tiwari reports in The Eurasian Times. Let us recall that China first displayed the Wing Loong-10 UAV at Nanchang Airshow 2020.
The Indian Army is set to operationalise the first squadron of indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) this month, Ajay Banerjee reports in The Tribune. It will be based at Missamari air base in Assam and will be part of the aviation brigade tasked to defend the strategically vital western part of Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian state bordered by Myanmar and China. Historically, Missamari air base was used by the allied forces to transport personnel, supplies and equipment between India and Kunming, China, during World War 2.
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s first Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) sensor was successfully installed on an E-7 Wedgetail Mk1 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft for the UK’s Royal Air Force. Equipped with the MESA sensor the UK’s Wedgetail fleet will be strengthened with an airborne sensing capability at longer ranges, enabling critical early warning, surveillance and air battle management functionality.
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) received its 31st and final AC-130J Ghostrider, completing the command’s transition from the legacy AC-130W, AC-130U and AC-130H fleets. Capt. Alicia Premo, Air Force Special Operations Command, reports.
According to a PR published by Lockheed Martin on November 4, 2022, Sikorsky and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have successfully demonstrated to the U.S. Army for the first time how an uninhabited Black Hawk helicopter flying autonomously can safely and reliably perform internal and external cargo resupply missions, and a rescue operation.
As the modernisation of the British Army under Future Soldier accelerates, readiness to deploy and fighting to win means becoming more lethal, more agile and expeditionary, whilst increasing resilience, the British Army states on its website. Developing the digitalisation of the battlefield will reinforce the combat credibility of the Army, and one of those capabilities currently being trialled is the tactical data link (TDL). The TDL, a joint project by the Army and the Royal Navy consisting of two separate but mutually reinforcing data links - Link 16 and Bowman Data - will share battlefield data more effectively to neutralise targets at speed.
According to a PR published by BAE Systems on November 3, 2022, the company will continue to service and support the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft’s avionics for the platform’s founding nations’ air forces in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Italy, for the next five years.
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