Manufacturing of the centre fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II fighter has entered full-rate production (FRP) at Northrop Grumman’s integrated assembly line (IAL) at Palmdale in California. The centre fuselage production rate has increased to a production interval (PI) of 1.5 per day, meaning a centre fuselage for any of the three models of the
A General Atomics Predator B will cross the Atlantic under its own power for the first time as it makes its way for display at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). To be known as the Protector RG Mk.1 in RAF service, the aircraft will fly non-stop from North Dakota to RAF Fairford in
Australia is to acquire six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime unmanned aerial systems (MUAS), Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Tuesday. The first RAAF Triton is scheduled to be delivered in mid-2023, initial operating capability (IOC) is planned to follow 12 months later, and a full operational capability (FOC) of all six systems is scheduled for
New Zealand is close to placing an order for four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft, with the country’s Defence Minister Ron Mark due to present the acquisition for approval to the NZ Cabinet Government Administration and Expenditure Review Committee on Monday. “I am confident now that the recommendation I will take to Cabinet committee
Canada has increased to 25 the number of F/A-18A/B Hornets it has requested to acquire from Australia to complement its own force of similar CF-188A/B Hornets, Canadian media has reported. The Ottawa Citizen said on June 15 that the number of jets to be acquired by Canada’s Department of National Defence has risen from 18 as reported in
The Department of Defence is inviting industry to submit innovative proposals to reduce the visual and acoustic signatures of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). “Defence is looking for outcomes to reduce both the visual and acoustic detection of UAS from ground-based observation without disrupting the operation of the aircraft,” Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said in
