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U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground conducts comprehensive testing of SPIKE missile from AH-64

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In a series of rigorous tests spanning five days, the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) played host to the evaluation of the cutting-edge SPIKE missile, launched from the formidable AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. The trials, conducted in various scenarios, showcased the missile’s versatility and resilience across different operational conditions.

A primary responsibility of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) is to support developmental testing to improve existing weapons systems, even on platforms considered the most lethal of their kind. A recent example of this is testing in support of an airworthiness release that will allow the Spike non-line of site missile to be integrated into the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Over the course of five days in December 2023, testers fired eight full-up rounds in a variety of test scenarios: day and night shots, against both moving and static targets such as a mock SA-22 and a real Dodge Dakota truck, at different distances, from hovers close up to more than 30 kilometers away.

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Thales to supply one new GM400α long range radar to Malaysia

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Thales has been awarded a significant contract for the supply of a cutting-edge GM400α long-range radar system, accompanied by a comprehensive station infrastructure, to the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The contract was officially endorsed on December 8, 2023, in the presence of the Defense Ministers of both Malaysia and France.

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U.S. naval detachment boosts French hypersonic research with successful rocket launch

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Boosting hypersonic research capabilities took center stage as the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) detachment, based in White Sands, New Mexico, successfully launched a new three-stage rocket configuration during a joint mission with the French military in Biscarrosse, France.

A Terrier-Oriole-Oriole sounding rocket points skyward on a launch rail in Biscarrosse, France, in June. The three-stage rocket was the third launch vehicle that Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division’s White Sands Detachment provided for the French military in a project that began in 2020. (Photo courtesy of the France General Directorate of Armaments/Released)

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Holloman Air Force Base to get third F-16 unit

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In a significant development for New Mexico, the U.S. Air Force has finalized its decision to permanently base a training squadron of 26 F-16 fighter jets at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, along with Representative Gabe Vasquez, commended this move, emphasizing the crucial role Holloman plays in training America’s fighter pilots.

Maintenance before flight (14710234407)
By US Air Force from USA (Maintenance before flight) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Red Tails receives the first three F-35A fighters

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In a historic moment at Dannelly Field, Alabama, the 187th Fighter Wing proudly welcomed three state-of-the-art F-35A Lightning II fighter jets on Dec. 5, marking a significant leap in their capabilities. The Red Tails, as the unit is fondly known, now stand as the third Air National Guard unit to transition to the highly advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

An F-35 Lightning II parked on the flight line at Dannelly Field, December 6, 2023. The 187th Fighter Wing received their first aircrafts from Luke AFB, Ariz. and will begin transitioning to their new mission.

Photo By 1st Lt. Michael Luangkhot

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