DefenseNews

Dassault boss Trappier floats ‘Plan B’ considerations for the troubled FCAS warplane

PARIS – Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier, whose company leads the tri-national New Generation Fighter (NGF) destined to replace France’s Rafales, Germany’s Typhoons and Spain’s EF-18 Hornets, has admitted that there is “trouble” afoot with implementing the program’s next stage, dubbed 1B. The phase involves getting Spain and additional suppliers on board. The mandate to include…
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DefenseNews

Soldiers 'Clamoring' for RQ-7 Shadow Drone Replacement, General Says

Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division conduct flight tests and maneuvers at the FTUAS Rodeo on February 25-26, 2021 at Leyte West Airfield, Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army/Luke J. Allen) Senior Army aviation officials on Tuesday watched flight demonstrations of a handful of prototype drones built for vertical takeoffs and landings, which the service hopes will lead to a rapid replacement of…
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DefenseNews

Former Air Force acquisition boss joins drone maker Volansi

WASHINGTON — Former Air Force acquisition chief Will Roper will join the board of directors of Volansi, a commercial drone delivery company looking to expand its defense revenue, the company announced March 3. As assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition…
DefenseNews

Australia makes another order for Boeing’s Loyal Wingman drones after a successful first flight

WASHINGTON — The Royal Australian Air Force on Tuesday signed a $115 million contract to buy three more autonomous “Loyal Wingman” drones from Boeing, raising its total order to six aircraft just days after the first system made its inaugural flight. Following a series of ground tests to validate its navigation and pilot control systems, the first Loyal Wingman — which Boeing also calls…
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DefenseNews

Army Drone Rodeo Will Feature Textron's Vertical Takeoff UAS

Textron Systems Aerosonde Hybrid Quad which will be participating in the Army Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System Rodeo at Fort Benning, Georgia in March 2021. (Photo courtesy of Textron) Textron Systems is preparing to show off its vertical takeoff and landing unmanned…
DefenseNews

Air Force general worried US won’t field sixth-gen fighter in time to beat China

WASHINGTON — Since September, when the U.S. Air Force disclosed that it had flown a full-scale demonstrator of its future fighter, the defense community has been hungry for more details about the Next Generation Air Dominance program. And Air Force leaders have been loathe to provide them. That’s what made unprompted comments by Air Combat Command head Gen. Mark Kelly so surprising during a…
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