The US Navy has deployed sophisticated surveillance aircraft to Japan, officials said Monday, amid rising tension over China’s territorial claims within the region. Two P-8A Poseidon patrol jets departed Jacksonville, Florida on Friday and arrived later at Kadena air base in Okinawa, in a move that was planned before Beijing declared an air defense zone last month covering disputed islands within the East China Sea, a navy official told AFP. “This was scheduled for a very long time,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s a rotational deployment.” Four more Poseidon aircraft are as a result of... Read More »
The Japanese Ministry of Defence has ordered four Bushmaster vehicles for deployment with the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). The vehicles, all troop carrier variants, should be manufactured on the company’s facility in Bendigo, Victoria in Australia, for delivery in […]
Eurofighter partner company Alenia Aermacchi has confirmed that the primary in an important series of flight tests to integrate the MBDA Storm Shadow missile onto Eurofighter Typhoon has now taken place. Initial flight trials to illustrate that the missile could be safely carried was successfully started. The rigors began on 27th November, by the Alenia Aermacchi Flight Test Centre at Decimomannu Air Base, in Sardinia, Italy, with the support of the Eurofighter Partner Companies, BAE Systems and Cassidian. The intensive flight test programme began with flutter tests and an air data system large store interference assessment, using Instrumented Production Aircraft... Read More »
As training with the recent F-35B Lightning II stealth aircraft continues in Florida, USA, a Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot has described how impressed he’s with the ‘game-changing’ jet. Flight Lieutenant Hugh Nichols completed his first sortie within the next-generation stealth fighter at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, Usa earlier this month. The Lightning II aircraft, at the side of the Typhoon FGR4, will provide the RAF combat air component necessary to UK defence. Flt Lt Nichols,the primary RAF No 1 Group pilot to fly the aircraft, said: “This is a notable step inside the Lightning II story and... Read More »
Autonomy options for the Marines have taken a serious breakthrough, as officials on the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced today two successful helicopter flight demonstrations with unmanned flight capability at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., portion of the […]