Category Archives: Military Aviation

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency selected Spire Global to design a small satellite for an experiment to study high-frequency radio signals in the upper layers of the atmosphere, the company announced recently in November. The value of the contract was not disclosed. Spire will design a cubesat to carry a sensor in a veryRead More

The Defense Innovation Unit in November announced new agreements with Amazon Web Services, Kuiper Government Solutions, Microsoft Azure Space and SpiderOak Mission Systems for a project to demonstrate space-based communications using interconnected commercial and government networks. DIU’s goal is to demonstrate a hybrid space architecture using commercial communication systems as transport pipes to move dataRead More

Gen. B. Chance Saltzman assumed command of the US Space Force, and departing chief Gen. John “Jay” Raymond retired in November at a ceremony at Joint Base Andrews Maryland, presided by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. In attendance were Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and otherRead More

Northrop Grumman unveiled the first MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) maritime surveillance UAV for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The ceremony, held at the assembly and test facility at Palmdale, California, was attended by military and government officials from both the US and Australia. Construction of the first Australian aircraft began in October 2020Read More

Brazil’s armed forces will acquire 27 Airbus H125 turbine singles for its air force and navy flight-training programs. The helicopters will be produced at the Helibras facility in Itajubá, where the Airbus H225M heavy twin helicopters for the Brazilian armed forces are also assembled. The H125s are slated to be in service for 30 yearsRead More

The US Navy reported that its first student class began rotorcraft training in the Leonardo TH-73A ‘Thrasher’ recently at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. A military version of the AW119Kx, the TH-73A will replace the Navy’s current training fleet of Bell TH-57 Sea Rangers for basic and advanced IFR rotorcraft training. NavyRead More

A partnership between Airbus Helicopters, Safran Helicopter Engines, and Babcock has delivered the first of six Airbus H160s to the Marine Nationale (French navy). They will be used for search and rescue (SAR) duties at locations around the French coast, allowing NH90s and Panthers to concentrate on their primary shipborne missions. “The delivery of theRead More

The US Navy has awarded Advanced Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) a contract to provide chase flight activities for the Lockheed Martin-led F-35 program. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity deal runs for five years, and will involve ATAC providing three of its Dassault Mirage F1 jets. They will be based at Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base ForthRead More

The US government will donate two Bell UH-1Y Venom and six AH-1Z Viper helicopters to the Czech Republic, drawn from the Excess Defense Articles inventory. The aircraft will be delivered free of charge, although Prague will have to pay for upgrade and transportation. In August 2019 the Czech defense ministry announced that it had selectedRead More

Leonardo and Boeing have delivered the first of four MH-139A Grey Wolf test helicopters to the U.S. Air Force as the service looks to replace its aging fleet of UH-1N Hueys. The delivery comes after the FAA issued the last supplemental type certificate necessary to complete U.S. Department of Defense Form 250 and formally commenceRead More