Nigeria is to receive 24 M-346 aircraft that will be used in both the trainer and combat roles. While Leonardo offers both the M-346FA and M-346FT (pictured) combat versions of the aircraft, all official announcements on the Nigerian deal by the NAF and/or Leonardo to date have referred only to the baseline M-346 advanced jet trainer that comes with a secondary combat capability. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  Leonardo has for the first time disclosed that it has been contracted to deliver its M-346 to Nigeria, telling Janes on 19 April that it recen...

M10 Booker Combat Vehicle (pictured) will be put through its paces at Fort Liberty in boreal summer 2024. (US Army photo by Bernardo Fuller)  One company in the 82nd Airborne Division will be the first unit to perform operational testing on the new M10 Booker combat vehicle in boreal summer 2024 and will then become the first unit equipped if the testing is successful, army leaders announced on 18 April.  Testing at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, will focus on making sure the platform is baseline operational, Major General Glenn Dean, program...

The two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Sikorsky) SH-60Ks, which crashed on 20 April, were participating in an anti-submarine exercise with the JMSDF submarines and surface vessels, according to the service. In this representative 2016 photo, a JMSDF SH-60K Seahawk (in the front) operates with a US Navy MH-60R Seahawk. (US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew C Duncker)  Two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Sikorsky) SH-60K helicopters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) have crashed after they suffered a suspected mid-a...

With the UK already flying the H145 with the UKMFTS training programme, it has acquired additional rotorcraft to take on its Brunei and Cyprus support missions. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom has contracted Airbus to deliver six new Airbus Helicopters H145 rotorcraft to be used in Brunei and Cyprus.  Announced by the Defence, Equipment, and Support (DE&S) branch of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 18 April, the GBP122 million (USD152 million) award will see the helicopters acquired to replace the Airbus Puma HC2s (Helicopter Cargo 2) t...

A new engine factory being developed by Hanwha Aerospace at Changwon will produce engines for the KAI KF-21 and the TA-50 multirole trainer aircraft. (Zhang Hui/VCG via Getty Images)  Hanwha Aerospace is building a new factory to produce engines for combat aircraft, including the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 Boramae 4.5-generation aircraft. The new factory is also expected to support the development of South Korea's new domestic fighter engine programme.    Ground was broken for the 16,530m  2  engine production faci...

A Dutch Chinook (foreground) arrived at Holzdorf Air Base in mid-April to help the Luftwaffe prepare for the arrival of its own Chinooks into the station from 2027. In the background is a Luftwaffe CH-53G currently based at the location. (Bundeswehr)  The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) is helping the Luftwaffe prepare for its upcoming Chinook heavy-lift helicopter capability, dispatching one of its own helicopters to the type's future operating station in mid-April.  The Bundeswehr said on 18 April that an RNLAF CH-47F Block 1 Chinook la...

The chiefs of the RAF and RAAF reconstituting their respective 80 Squadrons during a joint ceremony at Eglin AFB in the US. (Crown Copyright)  The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) stood up their respective 80 Squadrons on 17 April to serve as US-based data units for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).  Announced by the RAF, the two separate but linked squadrons were reconstituted during a joint ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida.  “At the event, the [UK] Chief of t...

With France having an approaching requirement to replace its Alpha Jets, the country has touted the possibility of a joint modular solution with Spain and the UK. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  France has raised the possibility of developing or acquiring a new modular advanced jet trainer aircraft with Spain and the United Kingdom.  Responding to a question in the National Assembly on 16 April, Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu said that, with France's Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets nearing the end of their service lives, the country is con...

Red Sea operations have depleted inventories of USN missiles, such as SM-6s, being shown fired here. (US Navy)  After providing defence against recent Iranian missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks – as well as other attacks in or near the Red Sea – the US Navy (USN) needs funding to restock its weapons inventory, USN Secretary Carlos Del Toro testified on 16 April during a Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) hearing on navy posture.  Estimating that the navy has defended against about 130 attacks in recent months, Del Toro said,...

The KAI T-50 is a tandem-seat multirole trainer aircraft that is in service with Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand. (KAI)  Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has proposed a sale of T-50 multirole trainer aircraft to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), which seeks to acquire new combat aircraft from fiscal year (FY) 2025.    A KAI spokesperson told   Janes on   17 April that the proposal for the T-50TH variant was submitted in November 2023. The T-50TH is being pitched for the possible acquisition programme as the RTAF “has alread...

One of the new Z-9WE helicopters at Malabo airbase. (Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial)  The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea (FAGE) is now operating two new Harbin Z-9 helicopters, the country's ruling Democratic Party (Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial: PDGE) revealed on 9 April when it reported that Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue had inspected the aircraft.  The PDGE released photographs showing the vice-president with at least one of the new helicopters at a location that could be identified as the airbase at M...

A computer-generated image of the Hypersonix Launch Systems scramjet-powered DART hypersonic testbed. (Hypersonix Launch Systems)  Hypersonix Launch Systems, headquartered in Brisbane, is building a hypersonic test vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU's) hypersonic and high-cadence testing capabilities (HyCAT) programme. DIU issued a solicitation for the project in September 2022. Hypersonix Launch Systems was awarded a contract for scoping the work in March 2023, and a launch contract in September 2023, Matt Hill, Hypersonix Launch...

A file photo of a Triton UAV. The US Navy HALE UAV has joined the US Air Force Global Hawk and NATO Phoenix UAVs now operating out of Sigonella in Italy. (US Navy)  The US Navy (USN) has commenced operations of its Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime System (BAMS) in the European theatre, with the first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) departing Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella in Sicily for its first sortie on 17 April.  The milestone was logged by online flight tracking services about two weeks after the USN announced in late Ma...

A Japan Coast Guard H225 helicopter. The service has ordered three more airframes of the type. (Airbus Helicopters)  Japan's coastguard service has ordered three more Airbus H225 twin-engine helicopters.    This latest order brings the Japan Coast Guard's (JCG's) total H225 fleet to 18, including airframes that were acquired more than a decade ago, an Airbus spokesperson confirmed to   Janes  on 16 April.   Most recently, the JCG took delivery of three H225s in December 2023 and one in February 2024.  “The new helicopters...

The V-Bat UAV, shown here during testing, is becoming the UAV of choice for US forces. (US Navy)  Military planners and operators are beginning to consider unmanned surface and aerial vehicles in a more operational light given recent successes in experiments and in the battlespace, according to defence analysts.  One case in point is the Long-Range Unmanned Surface Vessel (LRUSV) the US Marine Corps (USMC) plans to use as a semi-autonomous vessel for extended travel and transporting loitering munitions that accurately track and destroy target...

The backdrop to the signing ceremony in Denmark was an F-16BM aircraft in Argentine Air Force markings. (Danish MoD)  Argentina has finalised a deal to procure surplus Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft from Denmark, signing a contract on 16 April.  The Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the milestone, saying the defence ministers of the two countries concluded the contract for the transfer of 24 former Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) F-16AM/BM jets to the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina: FAA) during a sign...

Seen on its maiden flight in February, the first KC-390 for Hungary arrived in the country on 12 April to allow national personnel to become acquainted with the aircraft before it is officially handed over later in 2024. (Embraer)  The first of two Embraer KC-390 Millennium tanker-transport aircraft for Hungary arrived in-country on 12 April.    The milestone, which is intended to provide the Hungarian Defence Force familiarisation time with the type ahead of its official    handover later in 2024, was marked by an event at Kec...

The Netherlands has ordered seven additional GM200 MM/C radars from Thales after having ordered an initial nine in February 2019. Pictured is the first GM200 MM/C radar being handed over to the Royal Netherlands Army in Hengelo in February 2024. (Dutch MoD/Sgt Maj Gregory Fréni)  The Dutch Command Materiel and IT (COMMIT) procurement authority has ordered seven additional Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission/Compact (GM200 MM/C) radars from Thales.  The contract includes an option for two additional radars, according to a Thales announcement on 15...

A mock-up of the Eurofighter EK displayed at the ILA 2022 airshow in Berlin. The proposed escort jammer pod is seen in the foreground. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)  Hensoldt is considering how to proceed with its plans to offer a new airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability to Germany, following its recent acquisition of Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH (ESG).    A company representative told   Janes   on 12 April that having previously proposed a joint solution with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for Step 2 of the Eurofighte...

A paratrooper exits one of the two side doors of the A400M during a demonstration of the aircraft's low-level parachuting capabilities. (Crown Copyright)  The United Kingdom continues to open up the tactical capabilities of the Royal Air Force's (RAF's) Airbus A400M Atlas C1 fleet, with the announcement on 14 April that the airlifter is now cleared for low-level parachuting.  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the clearance had been awarded after trials in the US in 2023 were followed by a capability demonstration by the Air and Space...