Dave Allport
USAF retires BACN EQ-4B Global Hawks
USAF Northrop Grumman EQ-4B Block 20 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) Global Hawk - serial 04-2018 ‘GF’ - made the type’s final landing back at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, on July 29
A-10C and C-146A make first US highway landings
Four A-10Cs from the 355th Wing/354th FS ‘Bulldogs’ and the Michigan ANG’s 127th Wing/107th FS ‘Red Devils’ landed on a less than one mile stretch of the M-32 state highway just west of Alpena, Michigan, on August 5 as part of the large-scale training exercise Northern Strike 21
US Navy’s first TH-73A Thrasher arrives at Whiting Field
The first operational US Navy TH-73A Thrasher training helicopter landed at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, on August 6
T-50 Golden Eagle orders boost for KAI
A further two KAI T-50TH Golden Eagle lead-in fighter trainers are being purchased to boost the Royal Thai Air Force fleet, bringing the in-service total of the type to 14 aircraft
NF-16D VISTA becomes X-62A to support new mission
Officials from the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, California, announced on July 30 that the USAF’s Lockheed Martin NF-16D Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft (VISTA) had been formally redesignated as the X-62A from June 14
US Army’s first UH-60V Black Hawks enter service
Sikorsky UH-60V Black Hawk deliveries to the US Army are now getting under way, following the recent handover of at least two examples to the service
RAF slowly returns Tutor fleet to operations after six months
Following an enforced six-month grounding order due to technical issues, the RAF is slowly returning its fleet of Grob G115E Tutor T1 basic trainers to the skies
Texas ANG receives its first C-130J-30
The Texas ANG’s 136th Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth has become the latest USAF unit to start transitioning to the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules
Mali’s second C295W ready for delivery
A second Airbus C295W is being prepared for delivery to the Malian Air Force to supplement its growing tactical transport fleet
Next phase for Future Combat Air System as £250m contract awarded
The UK Ministry of Defence announced on July 29 the signing of a £250m contract with British industry ‘Team Tempest’ partners to develop the next generation of combat air