The RAAF has taken delivery of two key training systems for its forthcoming F-35A Lightning II fighters. A weapons load trainer and an ejection systems maintenance trainer were delivered to RAAF Base Williamtown by an Antonov An-124 on May 2, and will be installed at the new Integrated Training Centre which is nearing completion at
The US Navy has supplied a retired Seahawk helicopter for Australian Defence scientists to develop and test new fatigue testing technologies which, if successful, could significantly reduce maintenance costs and improve aircraft availability. “In a world first, Defence scientists and engineers are developing a full-scale, structural fatigue test rig that can accurately replicate the loads
The RAAF’s Air Combat Group has taken advantage of having all four of its anniversary scheme specially-painted F/A-18A ‘classic’ Hornets on the flightline at RAAF Base Williamtown at the same time to line up a special photo shoot. All four units within Air Combat Group’s 81 Wing have operated the classic Hornet – 2 Operational
A full-scale model of a proposed European Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) was unveiled at the 2018 ILA Berlin Airshow on April 26. The air vehicle is jointly designed by Airbus Defence & Space, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo Aircraft Division, and the T-tail and rear-mounted pusher propeller engines layout bear a
Airbus and Dassault Aviation have announced they will team to develop and produce Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Designed to replace German Eurofighter and French Dassault Rafale fighters in service from 2035, the FCAS program is intended to secure European sovereignty and technological leadership in the military aviation sector for the coming decades. “Never
The Pentagon has stopped taking delivery of F-35 Lightning II fighters from Lockheed Martin, including at least one aircraft for Australia, due to unresolved corrosion issues. The corrosion reportedly resulted from a known production error in fasteners that hold composite exterior panels to the aircraft’s airframe. The issue was discovered in 2017 during depot maintenance
