Aviation News
The annual Balikatan war games, conducted jointly between the Philippines and the United States, are set to witness a significant first in 2024. Colonel Michael Logico, executive agent of Balikatan 2024, confirmed the inclusion of the Spyder (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) air defense missile system in the upcoming exercises scheduled to take place in Central Luzon.
Continue reading “Philippines to integrate Israeli-Made Spyder Air Defense System in Balikatan 2024”
Project Convergence Capstone 4 (PC-C4), a U.S. Army-led experiment, is testing the interoperability of various Joint and Multinational Layered Air and Missile Defense systems. This iteration focuses on leveraging data from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and manned aircraft to guide the engagement of ground-based missile systems against airborne threats.
Raytheon Technologies Corporation (RTX) announced a successful first flight test of the new Extended Range Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM-ER) variant, marking a significant milestone in its air defense missile development program. This innovative variant represents a first-of-its-kind configuration, incorporating several advanced technologies.
Photo: Raytheon
Continue reading “First flight test of AMRAAM-ER variant”
Recent media coverage frequently portrays air and missile defense intercepts through the lens of a simplistic cost comparison: the expensive interceptor versus the seemingly cheap missile or drone it destroys. While such headlines grab attention, Wes Rumbaugh, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argues this approach paints an incomplete and potentially misleading picture. In a recent analysis, he delves deeper, urging a more nuanced understanding of the complex factors at play.
Continue reading “Assessing the true value of air and missile defense intercepts in the Red Sea”
In a historic first for NATO and a milestone for gender equality in military aviation, an all-female crew recently completed a successful mission aboard an E-3A AWACS aircraft. Organized by the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF) Women in Tech (WIT) initiative, this flight, conducted on Feb. 9, as part of the Alliance’s Enhanced Vigilance Activities (eVA), marked a significant moment in breaking down barriers and showcasing the vital role women play in safeguarding airspace.
Photo: NATO
Continue reading “All-female crew takes E-3A AWACS for NATO vigilance mission”