UAV
USAF discloses recent RQ-170 deployment
Rather surprisingly, the USAF's Air Combat Command has officially disclosed its deployment of Lockheed Martin's stealthy RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned air vehicle during the last six months
Elbit Systems, KAI to co-operate on next-gen unmanned ISTAR solution
Elbit Systems has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to expand their cooperation in the field of unmanned ISTAR systems
AeroVironment to deliver Puma 3 AE to unnamed European nation
AeroVironment will deliver an unspecified number of Puma 3 All Environment (AE) tactical UAS to an undisclosed European customer through the US’ Foreign Military Sales programme
Undisclosed Asian nation orders Hermes 900 drones
Israel’s Elbit Systems revealed on March 2 that it has been contracted to deliver an unspecified number of Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft systems to an undisclosed Asian customer
Boeing’s Loyal Wingman takes flight, as Australia commits to more aircraft
In partnership with the RAAF, Boeing Australia successfully completed the first flight of its Airpower Teaming System UAV on February 27, just days before the nation’s government announced it will co-develop three more aircraft
NATO declares RQ-4D Phoenix fleet as mission-ready
NATO revealed on February 15 that the Alliance Ground Surveillance Force’s fleet of five Northrop Grumman RQ-4D Phoenix high-altitude, long-endurance UAVs has achieved initial operational capability
DARPA’s LongShot UAV concept enters design phase
DARPA has contracted three firms to participate in the first phase of the LongShot programme, which seeks to develop an air-launched UAV capable of launching air-to-air missiles
GA-ASI demos new self-protection pod on MQ-9
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has successfully completed the flight testing of a newly developed self-protection pod (SPP) on an MQ-9 remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA)
Spirit AeroSystems selected to build UK’s first LANCA prototype
Northern Ireland-based Spirit AeroSystems has been awarded a £30m contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to design and manufacture a prototype for the Royal Air Force’s Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) programme
MQ-9B SeaGuardian to receive Seaspray AESA radar
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) revealed on January 18 that it is working with Leonardo to integrate the Seaspray 7500 V2 maritime radar onto its MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely-piloted aircraft system (RPAS)