#raf-typhoon

#raf-typhoon

Britain is set to buy interceptors known as Skyhammer from Cambridge Aerospace, with the first deliveries expected as early as May - astonishingly fast compared with typical UK defense procurements.

Ukrainian troops have used an Antonov An-28 turboprop aircraft to launch several interceptor drones in combat, turning the civilian plane into an airborne carrier for Shahed-killing quadcopters.

While I understand the tactical necessity of taking them out, I'm also filled with sadness at their demise. The F-14 defined my military career.

British forces have shot down multiple drones across the Middle East over the past 24 hours as Iran continues to retaliate against countries across the region in response to US and Israeli strikes. The UK said that the interception of drones above Jordan marks 'the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations.' The fighters were supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft.

CMCs are a composite material, one in which the fibers are ceramic or carbon, embedded in a ceramic matrix. They are created to overcome the brittleness of traditional ceramics, while providing high-temperature resistance, light weight, and high strength. According to DSTL, they are capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 1,000°C (1,832°F), and unlike metals, they hold their strength and shape under extreme heat and stress.

A series of nine commemorative Spitfire flights have been announced across the UK, set to mark the 90th anniversary of the legendary Battle of Britain aircraft. These aerial displays promise a poignant tribute to a pivotal piece of British history. The flights will feature a specially painted two-seat Spitfire, meticulously replicated to resemble the original K5054 prototype.

This flight test showcases the potential of airpower built on mission autonomy. Across platforms, domains, and environments, Hivemind provides resilient mission autonomy, proving that software is central to the future of airpower. Our collaboration with Anduril reflects a new era of defense acquisition, where autonomy is treated as a foundational warfighting capability on par with the aircraft itself.

As Boeing manufactured newer, faster jet bombers for the Air Force, mid-air refueling aircraft lagged behind. The standard refueling aircraft at the time, the propeller-powered KC-97, flew much slower than the jet-powered bombers it was meant to refuel. To Boeing president William Allen, it seemed like only a matter of time before a jet tanker became necessary.

Swedish defense prime Saab is exploring the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System as a cheaper armament option for its JAS 39 Gripen fighters, firm executives told Business Insider this week. "The APKWS is in interest because other platforms are now integrating 70mm guided rockets. So we are, of course, eyeing that capability now," Jussi Halmetoja, operations advisor for Saab's air domain, said at the Singapore Airshow. Halmetoja said the company was looking at ways to integrate the weapons system, which uses a guided version of the Hydra 70mm rocket, onto its older Gripen C and latest Gripen E models.

Britain is to develop new air defence weapons alongside the EU's four biggest military powers, deepening ties with the European defence sector. The project will invite manufacturers in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Poland to submit plans to build low-cost missiles and autonomous drones. The allies are pledging a speedy process to build the weapons together, inspired by Ukraine's development of cheap drones to counter attacks from Russia.

Two jets out of the four sent to Qatar have been allocated specifically to help Bahrain intercept incoming drones, as the US-Israel war with Iran has entered its second week. It comes as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper landed in Saudi Arabia on Thursday amid continued concern about Iranian threats to the Strait of Hormuz - a key artery for commercial shipping.

The RFI calls for a "rapidly procured and installable Counter UAS (unmanned aircraft system) capability" that is "suitable for maritime platforms to detect, track, identify, and defeat airborne threats." Project TALON will combine a mix of "effectors" both kinetic and non-kinetic to counter the threats posed by the proliferation of drones, and is intended to complement current complex missile-based systems.

Leonardo owns Britain's last military helicopter manufacturing site, employing 3,000 workers, and was the only bidder for the contract. It is understood that the chancellor and prime minister chose to intervene to ensure the project would go ahead, in part to protect UK jobs.

David versus Goliath stories captivate us, especially when David brings a slingshot that looks like alien technology. Enter Stavatti Aerospace, a 25-person firm from Niagara Falls taking on Boeing and Northrop Grumman for one of the most lucrative defense contracts in naval aviation. Their weapon of choice? The SM-39 Razor, a fighter design so visually striking it demands a double-take. The triple-fuselage "Batwing" configuration breaks from a century of conventional aircraft architecture, presenting a form that's more science fiction than traditional aerospace engineering.

The images, collected on Monday by the US spatial intelligence firm Vantor and obtained by Business Insider, show visible wreckage of at least two F-14 Tomcats on the apron at the 8th Tactical Air Base in Isfahan, a city in central Iran. The base is a hub for the Iranian Air Force's fleet of vintage F-14s.

The drone, launched from Lebanon by an Iranian-backed group, was found to contain a Kometa-B navigation system, which highlights Moscow's collaboration with Tehran on drone technology. Analysts say the wreckage recovered by British intelligence signals a new and dangerous phase of drone warfare targeting UK forces.

The cost for the US and other militaries to keep newer combat aircraft ready to fly is going to soar in the coming years, a new report on sustainment trends argues. A new report from the American consulting firm Oliver Wyman projects global military aircraft spending over the next decade, including an annual sustainment cost growth of 1.1% through 2036. That's a pace roughly 11 times faster than the previous decade.

A US Navy F-35 stealth fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone on Tuesday that was flying toward an American aircraft carrier with "unclear intent," the US military confirmed to Business Insider. The incident, which occurred over the Arabian Sea, comes as the US has positioned nearly a dozen warships in the Middle East and tensions between the Trump administration and Iran are running high.