On the other side of the Atlantic, some rather unconventional trials for the the C-130 in the next 17 months: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E_u9ZbGWUAYu30k?format=jpg&name=small https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air-platforms/latest/afsoc-plans-operational-capability-demo-of-amphibious-mc-130j-in...

Didn't the "100 jobs in Derby" quote come up in the announcement about Oz, though? I hope you're not suggesting the UK government would try and 'double dip' an announcement! :wtf: Unlike Tempest, whose £200m preliminary work has been announced so many times you'd think the programme was f...

UK aerospace start-up Aeralis has received a boost in its efforts to develop a new jet training aircraft after signing an investment agreement with an unnamed Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund. https://fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/inline-images/Aeralis%20Advanced%20Jet%20T...

Well, having reverted back to Boxer... after all these years... (Zoom in on the lower cockpit).. https://i-com.cdn.gaijin.net/monthly_2019_11/1020082-large.jpg.84ba4e823ced531fd3a8bf983187299c.jpg We've always done very well from adapted Sikorsky designs... Still given the opportunity I think AW149 ...

What UK made equipment goes into the Arrowhead-140 design we have sold? I daresay we all know the answer is **** all (with some exceptions)! However nothing to dislike about getting a supposedly 'outdated and pedestrian' warship design onto the market. Unlike Type 26 there may well be buyers out th...

It would seem the earlier Super Vita based proposal is dead (in the water): https://twitter.com/harry_lye/status/1438426244161355778?s=19 Still have a curiosity if the shipbuilding "missed opportunity" that Ben Wallace spoke of to the Select Committee of last year was BAE's lack of capacit...

I'm rather curious what Naval Group will do now. $90bn Aus is a rather gigantic contract to lose.

Nice picture from @HistoricFirearm

Nobody get too excited by the weapon spec!

Interesting choice of flags at the Tempest display: https://twitter.com/TeamTempestUK/status/1437740335698952194?s=19 Explained as: Our stand includes the flags of Sweden, Italy and Japan to pay tribute to the international relationships we are developing as we work to design a Future Combat Air Sys...

Thought the below image gave a rather good perspective of the relative size of the future minehunting platforms from Atlas Elektronik UK:



Definitely bigger than I thought.

As odd as selling off your share in Airbus for peanuts - Exiting regional jet industry just as it 'took off' - Selling the bizjet line to Raytheon - Divesting aerostructures - Selling Gripen share (Sweden may have left no choice) There's competition... General Dynamics, building aircraft? What is t...

Mind you BAE not developing a replacement for the Hawk made no sense either....there you are with a massive export hit on your hands and you never get around to replacing it as it ages... Even in a crowded market place it seemed an odd decision. What a waste of a large, existing customer base. Sout...

In what way is it a candidate for the RAF? I don't think the winner of the RAF competition included these folks and the RAF prototype is being built in Northern Ireland by Spirit. At first, I was similarly puzzled. However, I believe Northrop Grumman UK is also part of the winning 'Team Mosquito', ...

Aviation Week's defence editor has been inside the famous Plant 42 today, and shared this: https://twitter.com/TheDEWLine/status/1435681220550008832?s=19 Full size (worth zooming, there's at least three different UCAVs on show in the background): https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-yQdLTVEAU3Wo7?format=jp...

Another fixed wing aircraft for our carriers





From QinetiQ's range of target drones:
https://www.qinetiq.com/en/what-we-do/t ... al-targets

A first in RAF service: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-tfvYLWYAMpSGi?format=jpg&name=large https://twitter.com/MatMoore6/status/1435346176618999815?s=19 For those with Twitter plug-in issues: Today was a great day at work. First UK A400M AAR Sortie, crewed and flown by personnel from 206sqn. The ...

With the ability to operate 4 helicopters, perhaps a nice hybrid role with a LRG :D Been thinking the same, depending on their material condition. Lots of empty space both inside and on deck, plus the capability to independently sustain operations. Any idea if they can take four Merlin, or were the...

Argus looking good! Especially for a ship supposedly retiring in three years time:

From Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoallison/status/1433018807509999617?s=19 NEWS | Fleet Solid Support Ship programme moves forward. MoD say that "contracts have been awarded to four consortia, all of which include significant UK involvement". https://t.co/5BSaPgr1us Cont: The four consor...

The RN has said they are looking toward an unmanned AEW capability to replace Merlin AEW. Any reason this wouldn't work for the RAF too? None that I can see, possibly with large, persistent, inhabited aircraft (maybe modified Voyagers or P-8 derivatives) providing the C4 element. Hopefully the RAF ...

Would you put buying more P-8s over E-7s? Personally, I would have. P-8 is part of a large and growing global community, which two of our closest European allies (so far) are also joining. Huge growth potential and Uncle Sam is likely to fund the upgrade path (and maybe future variants such as the ...

Curious what the current status of the Saab RBS-15 IV is. Seemed a little too early in development but with the glacial pace of the programme maybe an option after all. Also provides a good value option plus closer future ties with a Tempest partner. Reduced risk of overlapping with FCASW's high end...

Have we seen this picture before? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7jSFliWQAIKgdW?format=jpg&name=large Looks like a retouch and skew of this: https://www.naval-technology.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/Image-1-Type-31-Frigate.jpg There's the same waves between the first two ships in the ol...

Interesting, Eurodrone seems to raise its head from time to time but with relatively little information. Given several European States have already bought General Atomics Predator/ Reaper/ Protector in various forms it'll be interesting to see what extra Eurodrone offers operationally and tacticall...

The probe installation on the P-8s and E-7s would be the same as used on the E-3s. Also far more nations have access to probe and drogue AAR than to boom. A comparison of cost for installing Booms on a number of Voyagers to that of installing probes on out P-8s and E-7s would be interesting. I so n...