Alert 5

British Defense Secretary flew from Canberra to Adelaide in a Super Hornet

Posted on March 23, 2024 by alert5

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps participated in a unique high-speed travel experience during his recent visit to Australia for the annual Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN). Following meetings with his Australian counterpart, Shapps was offered and cleared for a flight in the back seat of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet for a trip from Canberra to Adelaide.

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Japan restarts Osprey flights

Posted on March 22, 2024March 22, 2024 by alert5

Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) resumed flights of their MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft near Tokyo on Mar. 21. This marks the reintroduction of the Osprey into Japanese skies following a nearly five-month grounding prompted by a fatal U.S. military CV-22 crash off the coast of southwestern Japan in November 2023.

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British Army bids farewell to Apache Mk.1

Posted on March 22, 2024March 22, 2024 by alert5

The curtain falls on a storied chapter in British aviation history as the final flight of the Apache Mk.1 attack helicopter approaches. After more than two decades of service with the British Army, the venerable attack helicopter stationed at Wattisham Flying Station in Suffolk will be retired on Mar. 25th. This retirement marks the handover of the reins to the more advanced Apache AH-64E model.

Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Ukraine’s arms industry takes flight

Posted on March 22, 2024March 21, 2024 by alert5

The Washington Post has a report on a remarkable transformation in Ukraine. Prior to the February 2022 Russian invasion, Ukraine relied heavily on foreign suppliers for its weapons. Years of neglect and an industry focused on the Russian market left the nation with limited domestic production capabilities. However, the harsh realities of war have spurred a dramatic shift, with Ukraine’s aerospace and defense sectors undergoing a rapid transition towards self-sufficiency.

VoidWanderer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Farewell, Warthog: A-10 Demonstration Team takes flight for final season

Posted on March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 by alert5

Calling all aviation enthusiasts! The roar of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately nicknamed the “Warthog,” will grace the skies for one last season. The U.S. Air Force’s A-10C Demonstration Team announced on Mar. 20 that this year marks the end of an era, with their final performance scheduled for Oct. 6th at the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, California.

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