Military
The US Air Force will add two new locations for remotely piloted aircraft operations within the continental United States, and look to build new overseas locations as it builds its RPA force. General Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said ACC will add the two locations "as rapidly
Military
Working with our German partners, we are returning our full-scale demonstrator to flight status and we continue to negotiate with the German Air Force to prove out that [Airbus] payload that we’re currently under contract with”
Military
The US Army recently issued a request for information for small guided munitions that can be outfitted to rotary wing and unmanned aerial systems. Potential weapons systems (including launcher) must be precision capable and demonstrated at a minimum System Technology Readiness Level of 5: prototype demonstration in a relevant environment.
Events
The US Air Force has offered an artist’s impression of the Pentagon’s “arsenal plane” concept in a video presented by service secretary Deborah Lee James at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida. As first seen in DARPA "system of systems" promotion released last year, the
Military
Iran has developed an ‘improved’ variant of its Shahed-129 unmanned aerial vehicle, which was displayed by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) for the first time during a rally in mid-February to mark the anniversary of the Islamic revolution in 1979. According to Janes, the new version of the Shahed-129
Payloads
Two flights in February with a Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS)-2 intelligence gathering sensor strapped to a Block 30 Global Hawk were the first demonstrations by Northrop Grumman of its Universal Payload Adapter - a move toward creating one fleet of the unmanned aircraft to carry any sensor
Military
Around 50 unmanned aerial vehicles are protecting the assets of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces (SMF), responsible for the country’s nuclear arsenal, according to the Russian defense ministry. "Around 50 UAVs are involved in operations to guard and protect SMF infrastructure," the Russian Defense Ministry press service
Military
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has announced the successful first flight of Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (ER) Long Wing, retrofitted with improved long-endurance wings with greater internal fuel capacity and additional hard points for carrying external stores. The flight occurred on February 18 at GA-ASI’s Gray Butte
Military
The US Air Force intends—once again—to divest itself of the MQ-1 Predator and transition to an all-MQ-9 Reaper fleet of medium-altitude remotely piloted aircraft, according to Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and requirements. Speaking with reporters about the Fiscal 2017
Military
The Afghan military is expected to field its first specialised surveillance drones as soon as March, a U.S. commander in Kabul said recently, as the nation slowly expands its own air force. The boost in military hardware comes as Afghan security forces, fighting largely alone since the withdrawal of
Accidents
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 assigned to the 451st Air Expeditionary Group, part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, crashed Feb. 20 at about 9 p.m. Kabul time, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The crash was contained on Kandahar Airfield and there were no injuries or damage to civilian
Business
The UK Ministry of Defence has placed a highly anticipated order for two Airbus Defence & Space Zephyr 8 high-altitude pseudo-satellites. Announced during Singapore air show on 18 February, the contract will cover the acquisition of two solar-powered, long-endurance surveillance unmanned air vehicles, the first of which is already under