Military Aviation

The U.S. Air Force has declared that the Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue helicopter has reached initial operational capability (IOC). According to the Air Force, the announcement means it now “possesses sufficient HH-60Ws, logistics requirements and trained Airmen to support a 30-day deployment to any independent location with a package of four aircraft.” […]

The U.S. Army has ordered two more CH-47F Block II Chinook multi-mission heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing, the company announced on Monday. The order is in addition to a $136 million contract for four Block II Chinooks awarded to Boeing last year. Alongside the Lot 2 contract, which is valued at $63 million, is a separate […]

A B-2 bomber damaged in a runway excursion about a year ago at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri was ferried to Palmdale, California, where it was built, showing the scars of its gear collapse. Photographer Tom Jordan caught the plane landing showing the obviously temporary repair. The half-billion-dollar aircraft was stitched up with speed […]

Boeing has partnered with Red 6 to develop augmented reality (AR) technology for aerial dogfighting and training in advanced tactical aircraft. The collaboration agreement includes integrating Red 6’s Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) and Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment (ARCADE) into Boeing-manufactured military aircraft. Initial platforms being considered are the T-7 and […]

The Navy has released pilot video of the crash of a T-45C Goshawk training aircraft at Lake Worth, Texas, in September of 2021 in which the aircraft ingested a vulture. The aircraft’s engine quit and although the runways were in sight, the crew, an instructor and student, didn’t have the altitude to glide home. “We […]

An improperly assembled oil filter led to the crash landing of an RCAF Snowbirds jet at an airport in northern British Columbia on Aug. 2, 2022, that ended the popular team’s show season. An investigator’s report released by the RCAF on Sept. 21 says the engine on the CT-114 Tutor failed just after takeoff from […]

Embraer and L3 Harris Technologies have formed a partnership to develop an “agile tanker” tactical aerial refueling option designed to meet U.S. Air Force operational requirements. The agreement signed by the companies covers expanding the capabilities of Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft to accomplish that goal. Upgrades are expected to include an advanced boom and […]

Bombardier’s Defense division has delivered a modified Global 6000 aircraft to the U.S. Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program. The aircraft is the first of an order for up to six special-mission-configured Global 6000s placed by the Air Force in June 2021. To date, options for two additional aircraft have been confirmed with […]

An RAF F-35B crashed last November because one of the engine intake plugs was left in. The U.K.’s Defence Safety Authority publicly released an interim report that was sent up the chain of command last June mainly to assure the brass that the plane itself wasn’t likely to blame for the mishap. “Based on the […]

Safran Helicopter Engines has renewed a contract with Airbus Helicopters to support Arriel engines powering the U.S. Army’s UH-72 Lakota helicopter fleet. The maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and service agreement covers over 900 Safran Arriel 1E2 and Arriel 2E engines in service on the Army’s UH-72A and UH-72B aircraft. According to the companies, the […]