First USAF F-35A Refueling Across the Atlantic
07/02/2016
07/02/2016: Documentation of the first F-35A trans-Atlantic aerial refuel on the way to the United Kingdom. Credit: Air Combat Command:7/1/16
F-35B First Transatlantic Flight
07/02/2016
07/02/2016: F-35B making its first transatlantic flight. Three F-35’s flew from MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina and landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. They were assisted by two KC-10’s. Footage courtesy of Cpl. Brian Burdett: 6/29/16
VMFAT-501, Royal Air Force Arrive for U.K. Air Shows
07/02/2016
07/02/2016: F-35B Lightning IIs depart from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort June 29. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 pilots and maintainers are traveling to the United Kingdom to support the Royal International Air Tattoo and the Farnborough International Airshow. Personnel and equipment from both the U.S. Marine Corps and the…
Preparing for Synergy: The Coming of the F-35 to RAF Lakenheath
07/01/2016
2016-06-26 By Robbin Laird Last April, I had the chance to talk with Air Commodore Smyth about the coming of the F-35 to RAF Marham. And just down the road from Marham is RAF Lakenheath where the USAF will operate its UK-based F-35s. Flying the same aircraft in the same airspace…
Boeing, Airbus, and Logistics Support to Air Combat Systems
07/01/2016
2016-07-01 By Robbin Laird At the recently held Trade Media Brief 2016 in Munich, Stephan Miegel, head of Military Aircraft Services for Airbus Defence and Space provided an overview on the company’s approach to services and support to military combat systems. At the same time, an article appeared in National…
Technology and Innovation: An Airbus Defence and Space Perspective
06/30/2016
2016-06-30 By Robbin Laird During the Trade Media Brief 2016 meetings in Munich, Germany held on June 20 and 21, 2016, Miguel Ángel Morell, head of operations at Airbus Military. Formerly, he was head of Engineering and Technology at Airbus Military. His brief highlighted innovations rooted in upgrades and the evolution…
The HForce Helicopter Weapons Suite
06/30/2016
2016-06-30 By Guy Martin Airbus Helicopters has just completed the first test firing of its new HForce helicopter weapons suite and plans to have the system qualified by the end of next year. The company unveiled HForce in February, after launching the program in April 2014. HForce has been selected…
The C-295 and Africa
06/29/2016
2016-06-29 By Guy Martin This year Mali will receive a single C295 and Egypt will take delivery of the remaining three of 24 examples it has on order, according to Airbus officials, who believe Africa is a key market for the tactical airlifter. Airbus announced in February that Mali would…