Indonesia gears up for third C-130J Super Hercules delivery

Indonesia’s latest military aviation milestone has been marked with the arrival of the third C-130J-30 Super Hercules cargo aircraft, as reported by Antara news. Touching down at the Perdanakusuma Air Base on Aug. 9, this significant development underscores the nation’s ongoing efforts to enhance its aerial transport capabilities.

Lockheed Martin delivered the first of five C-130J-30s to the Indonesian Air Force on Feb. 21, 2023. Lockheed Martin photo by Thinh D. Nguyen.

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Dassault aviation bolsters Indonesia’s air defense with second tranche of 18 Rafale jets

In a significant development, Dassault Aviation has announced the activation of the second tranche of a contract signed with Indonesia in February 2022. This contract entails the acquisition of 42 Rafale aircraft, with the latest tranche comprising 18 Rafale jets. This follows the earlier activation of the first tranche in September 2022, which consisted of 6 Rafale aircraft. With this, the total number of Rafale aircraft on order by Indonesia reaches 24.

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Nathan Lipscomb

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457th EFS marks historic milestone with final F-16 deployment

In a poignant moment marking the end of an era, the 457th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) recently concluded its overseas deployment with the F-16C “Fighting Falcon” aircraft. This deployment holds special significance as it marks the squadron’s final mission with the venerable aircraft before embarking on an exciting transition to the cutting-edge F-35.


U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Alexander Frank
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Automated mission upgrades: B-2 IAMT system’s game-changing demonstration

Northrop Grumman, in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, achieved a significant milestone by successfully showcasing an innovative Integrated Airborne Mission Transfer (IAMT) system for the B-2 Spirit bomber. This achievement took place during a two-day demonstration event held at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, last month. The IAMT system, part of Northrop Grumman’s B-2 Collaborative Combat Communication (B2C3) Spiral 1 program, marks a pivotal advancement in the ongoing modernization efforts that center around the application of digital engineering.

U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit bombers assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, conduct off-station training Nov. 15, 2022, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. This was the first time that allied nation F-35 Lightning II aircraft integrated with U.S. Air Force B-2’s in the United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jakob Hambright)

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Google’s SandboxAQ and USAF collaborate for quantum navigation

In a bid to overcome the challenges posed by GPS-denied environments during military operations, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has enlisted the innovative prowess of SandboxAQ. A derivative of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, SandboxAQ specializes in harnessing the combined power of quantum science and artificial intelligence (AI) to address complex global challenges. Together with the USAF, they are embarking on a transformative journey to revolutionize navigation capabilities for aircrew members.


Photo: USAF

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