Aviation News
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.
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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Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3 marked a significant achievement as they reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with the MQ-9A Extended Range Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) Medium-Altitude, High-Endurance (MALE) aircraft. In a unit-led ceremony, VMU-3 commemorated their years of dedicated effort and introduced the operational MQ-9A to Marines, family members, and distinguished guests.
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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.
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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
Continue reading “Google’s SandboxAQ and USAF collaborate for quantum navigation”