Defence Notes

Japan defence ministry seeks record budget

30th August 2019

Japan's defence ministry on 30 August requested a record $50.3 billion budget to fund purchases of fighter jets and missile defence as the country eyes …

Military Logistics

PAE awarded USAF aerial target support contract

28th August 2019

PAE Aviation and Technical Services has been awarded a $19.2 million contract modification to support the US Air Force’s aerial targets programme.   This provides for …

Defence Notes

First Brazilian Gripen takes flight

28th August 2019

Saab has carried out the maiden flight of the first Gripen E fighter for the Brazilian air force.  The 65min sortie of aircraft 39-6001 was …

Uncrewed Vehicles

AeroVironment donates Quantix systems for agricultural research

23rd August 2019

AeroVironment has launched a project aimed at advancing academic research into crop production practices to improve the future of farming through the use of UAVs …

Digital Battlespace

BAE receives F-35 EW upgrade contract

22nd August 2019

BAE Systems has received a Block 4 modernisation contract award from Lockheed Martin to enhance the offensive and defensive electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the …

Defence Notes

SDB increases capability of RAAF F-35A

21st August 2019

The capability of the Royal Australian Air Force’s F-35A Joint Strike Fighters has quadrupled since the introduction of the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB), according …

Defence Notes

US approves sale of 66 F-16 fighters to Taiwan

21st August 2019

The US State Department on 20 August approved the sale of 66 F-16 fighters to Taiwan, in a move expected to anger Beijing. Taiwan will …

Naval Warfare

Italy's Cavour carrier enters dock for F-35B integration work

15th August 2019

The Italian navy’s Cavour aircraft carrier has entered the Edgardo Ferrati drydock at Taranto to undergo maintenance and modernisation work to enable it to be …

Digital Battlespace

Raytheon awarded AN/ALE-50 order

12th August 2019

Raytheon has been awarded a contract for Lot 14 full-rate production of 82 F/A18 CD-108B/ALE-50(V) control, dispenser, decoy, countermeasures integrated multi-platform launch controllers. The $29.7 …

Fighter - multirole

F-35A Denmark

Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements of the ...

Fighter - multirole

F-35A Japan

In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

Fighter - multirole

F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

Fighter - naval

F-35B (31-40) [Italy]

Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

Fighter - multirole

Multirole Fighter (Turkey)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant sums into ...

Air: Radio and SATCOM

Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

Air: Helmet-mounted displays

Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

Data links

Data links | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

Air: Head-up displays

Air: Head-up displays | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

Transponders and IFF

Transponders and IFF | F-X III Phase II (F-35)

South Korea is purchasing an additional 20 F-35 aircraft for about $3.3 billion under the second phase of F-X III programme, according to the Defense ...

Fighter - multirole

F-35A (1-32) [Poland]

Programme Background During MSPO 2021, Lockheed Martin announced details related to F-35A manufacturing for the Polish Air Force. According to J.R McDonald, Lockheed Martin’s VP, business ...

Light attack, Trainer

Next-Generation Trainer Aircraft - UAE

The UAE has a requirement for a next-generation fighter aircraft and possible platforms include F-35, F-16V, F/A-18, Rafale and Su-35. The UAE has historically sought ...

Fighter - multirole

F-35A Japan Follow On

The F-35 full-rate production is expected to be further delayed following an October 2020 US DoD announcement that postponed the simulation tests, originally planned for 2017 ...

Air: Radio and SATCOM

Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On UK

The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Data links

Data links | F-35B Follow-On UK

The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

JSM

The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multirole version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

EO/IR systems

F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

F135

The F135, designed and developed by Pratt & Whitney, is one of the most advanced fighter engines in the world that delivers more than 40,000lb ...

Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

F-35B

The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

Air: Helmet-mounted displays

F-35 Gen III HMDS

The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

F-35C

The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

Fighter - multirole

F-35A

The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...

Air: AEW/fire control radar

AN/APG-80

The AN/APG-80 is an agile beam radar with an AESA antenna designed to continuously search for and track multiple targets within the forward hemisphere of ...

Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

F-35 Training System

BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

Air: Displays

Panoramic Cockpit Display

Developed by L3Harris and Elbit Systems America, the Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD) is a touchscreen MFD integrated into F-35 aircraft. It provides two electronically divided ...

Transport/tanker aircraft

KC-130J Super Hercules

The KC-130J Super Hercules is a tanker variant of the C-130J Super Hercules. It is designed to deliver fuel to several platforms, including helicopters and ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

F414-GE-400

The F414-GE-400 is a turbofan engine manufactured by GE Aviation and has various advanced technology features such as a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC), ...

Airborne rockets - guided

GBU-53/B StormBreaker

GBU-53/B StormBreaker is a precision-guided glide bomb developed by Raytheon to equip F-15, F/A-18 and F-35. It is also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II. The StormBreaker includes a ...

Data links

Multifunction Advanced Data Link

Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) is a Ku-band data link designed for fifth-generation aircraft. The directional, interflight system is integrated into all F-35 variants, allowing ...

Subsystems: hardware

Flight Simulation Products

Bugeye Technologies (BT) manufactures simulated-grade flight grips, controls and avionic displays for fixed-wing, rotary-wing and unmanned crafts. BT's full line of products includes replicated control ...