May 2022 news

Defense Aviation and Aerospace Industry


 

Turkish Baykar showcases AKINCI UAV in Baku's festival

According to information published by Azernews on May 23, 2022, Turkey’s Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicles have landed in Azerbaijan for TEKNOFEST Aerospace and Technology Festival scheduled in Baku.

Russian strategic S-70B Okhotnik UAV fires air-to-ground guided missiles

The prototype of the heavy unmanned aerial vehicle Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik, as part of flight tests, launched air-to-surface guided missiles and hit small ground targets, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on May 29, echoed by Anna News.

Royal Norwegian Air Force receives third P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft

According to information published by Royal Norwegian Air Force on May 27, 2022, the third out of five P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has arrived in Norway.

BTCL Bell Textron to extend life of Royal Canadian Air Force fleet of 85 CH‑146 Griffon helicopters

On May 30, François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, on behalf of Filomena Tassi, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a contract worth nearly $800 million to Bell Textron Canada Limited (BTCL) of Mirabel, Quebec, to extend the life of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s fleet of 85 CH-146 Griffon helicopters until at least the mid-2030s.

Iranian Army unveils underground drone facility

As reported by UAS Vision, the Iranian state television on May 29 broadcasted footage of an air force base for drones under the Zagros mountain range, in the west of the country. The exact location of the base was not revealed, although the TV reporter said he traveled on a helicopter for nearly 40 minutes from the city of Kermanshah to reach it.

US approves sale of CH-47F Chinook helicopters to Egypt

According to information published by the US government on May 30, 2022, the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Egypt of CH-47F Chinook Helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.6 billion.

PLA Chinese Air Force J-16 fighter jets deployed in joint strategic patrol with Russian Air Force

In the first such move, China's state broadcaster revealed on May 29 that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force deployed fighter jets as escorts for Chinese and Russian bombers during last week's regular joint aerial strategic patrol in the Asia-Pacific region by the two major powers, with experts saying more advanced fighter jets like China's J-20 and Russia's Su-57 could join the patrol next time. Guo Yuandan and Liu Xuanzun report in Global Times.

Netherlands Air Force to get AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles

The U.S. Defense Coopêration Agency announced on May 26 that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of the Netherlands of AIM-9X Block II Missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $117 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

Aeronautics unveils Orbiter 4 tactical UAS with VTOL kit

Aeronautics Group, a provider of integrated holistic solutions based on unmanned systems platforms, payloads and communications for defense and HLS applications -is to unveil the Orbiter 4 system with a flexible VTOL capability. Forces using the Orbiter 4will be able to select launch and/ or landing using a parachute or vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), depending on the mission.

Analysis: First use of Russian Su-57 fighter aircraft in Ukraine's war

Experts from Military Watch magazine have analyzed the combat capabilities of Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name: Felon) fighter jet and named five missions the aircraft is most likely to be fulfilling in the Ukrainian airspace.

Saudi Arabia reportedly in talks with Turkey to buy Bayraktar TB2 drones

According to information published by Hurriyet Daily News on May 27, 2022, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is preparing for talks to buy Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones.

Turkey delivers six Bayraktar TB2 drones to Niger

According to information published by RFI on May 25, 2022, Niger receives six Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2, delivered to Niamey airport. This is the first part of an arms contract signed in November.

US Army awards Airbus contract for Continued Logistics Support of UH-72 Lakota helicopters

Airbus has signed a follow-on Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract with the U.S. Army to provide spare parts, material, and engineering support for the Army’s entire UH-72A and UH-72 B Lakota fleet of 482 utility and training helicopters.

S-70 Okhotnik strategic drone undergoes frequency trials

MOSCOW, May 24. /TASS-DEFENSE/. The Chkalov Aircraft Plant in Novosibirsk held frequency trials of the prototype of Okhotnik drone, the Siberian Aviation Research Institute (SibNIA) said: “In May 2022, the Chkalov affiliate of the Sukhoi company held frequency trials of the prototype of the prospective Russian Okhotnik unmanned aerial vehicle with the use of the elastic jacking system designed by SibNIA,” it said.

Czech Republic gives Ukraine Mi-35 gunship attack helicopters

According to Drew Hinshaw in The Wall Street Journal on May 23, the Czech Republic has donated attack helicopters to Ukraine, and along with Slovakia, has allowed Ukraine’s army to send armored vehicles across their borders for repairs before they are returned to the conflict.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA 242 based at Iwakuni declares Full Operational Capability with F-35B

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-242 achieved Full Operational Capability (FOC) and is now ready to support the full complement of its missions. A significant part of this milestone is the establishment of 32 F-35B aircraft permanently forward-based as part of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12, ready to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. This transition occurred on schedule per the annual Marine Corps aviation plan.

Chinese spy satellite tracked Tom Cruise's Darkstar jet in Top Gun Maverick suspecting new secret stealth fighter

Top Gun producer Jerry Bruckheimer has revealed a jet used in the new film looked so realistic that it caught the attention of a Chinese spy satellite, Emily Brown reports in Unilad.

Russian army to have strategic drones by 2030

MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS-DEFENSE/. The Russian army is to be armed with strategic drones in the near future, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Friday, May 20: “Strategic UAVs are expected to be supplied [to the Russian armed forces] in the near future. They will ease the pressure on flight personnel and considerably reduce the costs of reconnaissance and strike operations as well as the consumption of ammunition and the aircraft wear rate,” he said.

Taiwan tests Teng Yun 2 next generation combat drone

Taiwan completed long-range flight tests of its indigenous Teng Yun 2 drone this month, Gabriel Honrada reports in Asia Times, marking an important step in its efforts to harden its own defenses and achieve self-sufficiency in producing weapons. The drone took off from Chiashan Air Base in Hualien and flew over the sea for nearly three hours.

US DARPA developing Liberty Lifter cargo hauling ekranoplan X-Plane

In August 2021, DARPA, the Pentagon's agency dedicated to innovation, published a request for information from the industry in order to design a "new class of vehicle" likely to overcome the "key operational limitations of traditional air and sea transport platforms”, Laurent Lagneau reports in Opex360. This was to support a project to develop “new seaplanes and ground effect vehicles, otherwise known as “Ekranoplan”. The objective was then to imagine a device that could carry a payload of 100 tons while having a flight capacity "extended out of ground effect to avoid obstacles" as well as to fly over rough seas.

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