After a protracted development program, the UK MoD has declared the BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 maritime surveillance aircraft ‘ready to train’ on after the first of nine production aircraft, airframe PA04, was accepted by the RAF. “Today sees the end of the acceptance process for MRA4, namely type, production and last, but by no means least, that
The joint Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) HIFiRE hypersonic project achieved another milestone on March 22 with the successful completion of a second flight at more than Mach 5. The flight was conducted at the Woomera Test Range in SA, and saw the small aircraft launched atop
An unmanned Boeing A160T Hummingbird has successfully demonstrated its ability to meet the US Marine Corp’s vertical unmanned resupply capability requirement during a demonstration in Utah on March 9-11. Boeing says the A160T met or exceeded all of the USMC’s requirements, including delivering at least 1250kg of cargo from one simulated forward-operating base to another
EADS has confirmed that it is re-assessing its earlier decision to not bid as a prime contractor on the USAF’s long running KC-X tanker replacement program after the Pentagon said it would consider an extension to the bid deadline. In a March 19 statement EADS said it “is assessing this new situation to determine if
The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) signed an FMS – Foreign Military Sale – contract with the US Army Security Assistance Command to procure seven new build Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters, two simulators and spares during a ceremony at the Australian Embassy in Washington on March 19. Defence Minister John Faulkner approved the purchase of the
Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has been granted accreditation by the Commonwealth as an Authorised Engineering Organisation (AEO) for the RAAF’s F/A-18F Super Hornet fleet. The accreditation authorises BDA to provide engineering support to the RAAF’s 24 F/A-18Fs through a combination of local and US based engineering services and capabilities. This content is available exclusively to