By Alisha Welch Australia’s fifth-generation fighter jet capability continues to grow with the recent acceptance of the 30th F-35A Lightning II from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Significant work is undertaken before Australia can formally accept each jet, with pre-acceptance testing involving multiple checks on the production line at Lockheed Martin’s…
By Guy Martin AL TARIQ (formerly Barij Dynamics) continues to enhance its ‘Al Tariq’ range of precision-guided munitions (PGMs) and is about to start production on the improved Block II version. Theunis Botha, Chief Executive Officer of AL TARIQ, told defenceWeb that the upgraded Block II version includes a variety…
By Sophie Pearse A Melbourne-based Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) component supplier has used a government grant to boost its production. A.W. Bell is leading the way in global defence competitiveness by investing in a ground-breaking system at its Dandenong South casting facility. The company has transformed its casting operation through an “Industry 4.0 Smart Factory”,…
By Robbin Laird During my recent visits to Jax Navy, Mayport, Fallon Naval Air Station and to North Island Naval Air Station, I had a chance to meet with a wide range of Navy officers focused on reshaping air-maritime capabilities to have a more effective and lethal combat force. The…
By Pierre Tran Five Rafales took off July 27 from Mérignac, southwest France, with Indian air force pilots starting a 7,000 km flight to India, with a further five units staying in France for pilot training, the Indian embassy said in a statement. “India took a significant step in strengthening…
By Guy Martin An unidentified African country has ordered two OPV 45 offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) from Israel Shipyards. The company announced the agreement on 9 July, saying the vessels were designed for a wide range of missions including protection against the increasing threat of piracy in the region, but…
By Pierre Tran Paris - The French, German and Spanish air chiefs signed two key cooperative documents on the Future Combat Air System and interoperability of the present fleets of fighter jets, the French air force said in a June 19 statement. “General Philippe Lavigne, general Ingo Gerhartz and general…
By Robbin Laird Sikorsky is working with NAVAIR and the USMC to deliver a new build heavy lift helicopter, the CH-53K. This is a digital aircraft, while its predecessor the CH-53E, is a mechanical aircraft. What this means is that the aircraft is digitally designed and manufactured by means of…
