The Navy has accepted the Lockheed Martin AGM-114N Hellfire air-to-ground missile into service with the weapon to equip the Fleet Air Arm’s MH-60R ‘Romeo’ Seahawk helicopters. Navy says the first live firing of the Hellfire N in Australia in is planned to occur early next year. “Although the Australian Navy now has experience firing the weapon in the
An RAAF KC-30A tanker-transport has refuelled an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the first time. During a four hour test flight from Edwards Air Force Base on September 25 KC-30A A39-001 made 59 ‘contacts’ with F-35A development aircraft AF-4, five of which were ‘wet’, transferring a total of 42,000lb of fuel, Defence announced in a
After a delay of eight months, Boeing’s KC-46A tanker-transport has made its first flight, taking off from Paine Field, Everett on September 25 on a four hour test flight before landing at Boeing Field, Seattle. “This first tanker flight is a key milestone for the program and we’ll now begin free air stability tests and
The governments of Norway and Australia have formalised their agreement for Australia to participate in the development of the Joint Strike Missile for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Joint Strike Missile – JSM – is being developed by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence Systems as a long-range maritime strike missile that can be carried in the
Senator Marise Payne has been sworn in as the new Minister for Defence in place of Kevin Andrews, who expressed his disappointment that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had decided to move him aside as he looked to the future by making extensive changes to the ministry. The former Minister for Human Services, who has become
Land Defence Australia Limited has announced that the Land Forces 2016 exposition will be held next year at the Adelaide Convention Centre from September 6 to 8. A total of 464 exhibitor companies from 21 countries participated in the event last year, with visitors attending from around the world.
