As the average age of aircraft inventories rises, military services worldwide are increasingly embracing the cost-effective solution of modernizing existing platforms as an alternative to purchasing brand new aircraft. A recent example of this trend is the upgrade of AH-1F/S Cobra attack helicopters used by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The upgraded helicopter has entered flight testing in Huntsville, Alabama, Northrop Grumman announced on June 7, 2018.

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Russia’s military transport aviation is planning to receive three Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A planes and one upgraded An-124 Ruslan (NATO reporting name: Condor) aircraft this year, Military Transport Aviation Deputy Commander and Chief Engineer Mikhail Kozlov said.

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Bridger Aerospace is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the US Department of Interior ("DOI") to supply unmanned service support for wild land fire management on a "call when needed" basis.  The five-year IDIQ contract, which is the first of its kind awarded by DOI, will allow DOI to deploy contractor-operated and maintained small unmanned air systems that are ready when needed to support wildland fire operations, search and rescue, emergency management and other resource missions in the Continental United States and Alaska.

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The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $928 million contract April 18 to develop a new missile that will travel more than five times faster than the speed of sound to overcome enemy defenses.

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The United Kingdom yesterday welcomed home its first four F-35B advanced fighter aircraft, which will be flown by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. With the aid of air-to-air refueling, the aircraft flew non-stop across the Atlantic from the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina where UK pilots have been undergoing intensive training on the aircraft in partnership with their USMC counterparts.

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Russia`s Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET, a subsidiary of Rostec) unveiled the N025E (E for export-oriented) mast-mounted radar for the Mil Mi-28N/NE (NATO reporting name: Havoc-B) combat helicopters during the HeliRussia 2018 show in Moscow.

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The European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Steering Board has given its green light to the development of a European Military Airworthiness Platform for Safety Information Exchange (EMAP SIX), the service press office said on June 5th. This central database will enable participating Member States operating the same aircraft types to exchange airworthiness related safety information with relevant stakeholders on a need to know basis and in a secure environment.

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At the Electronic Warfare Europe 2018 conference (5-7 June in Lausanne, Switzerland), Leonardo has unveiled the latest variant in its market-leading ‘BriteCloud’ missile decoy family, the BriteCloud 55-T. The new 55-T is able to protect large military transport aircraft such as Leonardo’s C27-J and third party platforms including the C-130, KC-390 and A400M from modern, radar-guided missiles.

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Afghan Air Force C-208 aircrew members conducted their first emergency combat airdrop mission bringing ammunition to Afghan National Police and citizens fighting the Taliban in Badakshan province, June 1, 2018. The success of this emergency combat airdrop proves the Afghan Air Force’s ability to respond quickly to emergent requests and deliver necessary supplies to support the Afghan National Army, police, and citizens as they combat the Taliban.

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The U.S. Air Force deployed a squadron of RQ-4 Global Hawks, June 1, 2018, intra-theater to Misawa Air Base, Japan from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in order to maintain theater-wide Global Hawk operations through the Summer and Fall, the Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs said on June 4.

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Mykolayiv Aircraft Repair Plant "NARP", a subsidiary of UkrOboronProm, transferred another repaired reconnaissance aircraft Su-24MR to Ukrainian Air Force ahead of the schedule, the company's press office said on June 5th.

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Preparations for the arrival of the UK’s new F-35 multi-role combat aircraft have taken a major step forward with the completion of resurfacing work on the secondary runway at RAF Marham. This took place with little to no impact on operational activity, the UK Defence Ministry announced today, June 4.

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L3 MAS announced on May 31 that it has teamed with IAI to form Team Artemis to offer the state-of-the-art Artemis Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), based on IAI's Heron TP, for the RCAF's RPAS program. The Artemis UAS is a mature and highly capable platform with a proven operational track record.

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Leonardo welcomes the Government of Canada’s intention to proceed with the CH-149 Cormorant Mid-Life Upgrade Program (CMLU) to be carried out by the Company to deliver a comprehensive upgrade to Canada’s AW101 primary search and rescue helicopter fleet and expand the current fleet of 14 AW101s by up to seven  additional AW101s.

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Draken International has been awarded a $280 million contract for adversary air aggressor services (ADAIR), the US Department of Defense said on June 1st, 2018.

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The Zhukovsky Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) continues to research prospective medium double-fuselage transport aircraft, the institute said. "A model of the aircraft with takeoff-landing wing mechanisms in the form of gliding axis flaps was tested this time. Two types of flaps were considered - with direct and saw-like back edge," it said.

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The Belgian Air Component’s fighter jets replacement program (ACCaP) accelerates again, after having definitively closed the so-called  “F-16 gate”. According to the Belgian Defense Ministry spokesperson, the Minister Steven Vandeput is writing the final note which should announce the winner of a hard-fought competition.

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