First RAAF Heron UAV to be delivered
The first Israeli Aerospace Industries Heron Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV is scheduled to be delivered to the RAAF on December 10 under Project Nankeen. The aircraft will wear the A45-262 designation, and will be the first of an unspecified number of Herons operated on a lease arrangement from Canadian firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates
Raytheon tests air-to-surface AIM-9X
Raytheon has announced that it successfully tested an AIM-9X air-to-air missile against a ground target in September. The missile, the latest iteration of the Sidewinder family of air-to-air missiles, was fired from an F-16C at a fast moving armoured boat target, and follows previous successful tests against a manoeurvring boat and against a moving armoured personnel
General Atomics unveils maritime Predator B
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken delivery of its first Predator B UAV configured with a maritime surveillance radar. The unarmed aircraft, dubbed ‘Guardian’, will be employed by CBP on reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting acquisition missions in the Great Lakes region on the US-Canada border alongside Predator Bs already configured for the
Caribou to be displayed at Amberley
The ADF has announced a RAAF Caribou is to go on static display at RAAF Base Amberley following the type’s retirement on November 26 . The aircraft will be preserved for display at the base, hopefully in better condition than the current Canberra bomber gate guard which has deteriorated badly in recent years. Other Caribou
USN awards LockMart MH-60R Ku Band contract
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a US$14.75m (A$16.2m) contract by the US Navy to develop a Ku band datalink interface for the MH-60R ‘Romeo’ helicopter. The SAU 07000 Ku band link will replace or complement the current C-band microwave communications link, providing an expanded capability in the transfer of voice, video, radar and acoustic data between aircraft
747-8F engine runs a success
Boeing says first runs of the 747-8 Freighter’s General Electric GEnx-2B engines were successfully completed on December 8. The tests, which began just before 10am local time on Tuesday, saw the engines started and then operated at various power settings to verify systems performance. APU power was used to start the first engine, with the
