Eurofighter Typhoon consortium awards contract for Striker II

The four-nation Eurofighter consortium are betting on BAE Systems to produce the world’s most advanced fighter pilot helmet for their fighter. The consortium, which manages the development, production and sustainment of the Eurofighter Typhoon for the air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, awarded BAE Systems a £133 million contract to further develop its Striker II Helmet Mounted-Display (HMD). The award follows an initial £40 million investment by the UK Ministry of Defence in September 2023 to begin flight trials.

6 Squadron pilot MOD 45160597
Photo: SAC Charlotte Hopkins/MOD, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading “Eurofighter Typhoon consortium awards contract for Striker II”

Israel and U.S. target different threats in post-Assad airstrikes

Amidst the power vacuum left by the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, both Israel and the U.S. have wasted no time in conducting airstrikes within Syria.

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron takes off from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, May 12, 2019. This was the first mission of the Bomber Task Force deployed to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in order to defend American forces and interests in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nichelle Anderson)

Continue reading “Israel and U.S. target different threats in post-Assad airstrikes”

Osprey grounded again

The Pentagon has once again grounded its entire fleet of V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. This comes after a worrying incident at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on Nov. 20, where a CV-22 Osprey experienced a near-crash shortly after takeoff. Initial investigations suggest that weakened metal components in a critical part may have been a contributing factor.

An Estonian Special Operations Forces operator prepares to be hoisted up to a
U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey, assigned to 352d Special Operations Wing, during Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System training near Amari, Estonia, Sep. 3, 2019. During the week-long training, U.S. and Estonian special operation forces partnered on FRIES familiarization, casualty evacuation and rapidly loading and off-loading a tactical vehicle onto the aircraft. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Pena)

Continue reading “Osprey grounded again”

Exodus from Canada’s spy plane unit

An internal Canadian Forces investigation found that a lack of leadership and training opportunities were to blame for the exodus of most of the specialists needed to operate a new fleet of military surveillance aircraft. This information comes from reporting by David Pugliese of the Ottawa Citizen. The investigation, completed in May 2023, found that sensor operators at CFB Trenton, Ontario, were left largely on their own with no training program or overall direction from the Special Forces headquarters in Ottawa or their home unit, 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron in Petawawa.

2024-03-08 | 145404 | Royal Canadian Air Force | Beech King Air 350ER (CE-145C Vigilance)
Continue reading “Exodus from Canada’s spy plane unit”